and, I came home with these! ...

I can't imagine he trusts me with a veritable TREE!

So, it's in the right soil ... and she's so pretty! ... He has so much faith in me that with the right soil ... I should be able to keep it alive and well.

Boy, do I hope his faith isn't misplaced.

But aren't they pretty? :)

Dirt ? Your such a card my friend LOL

So much prettiness! I wish you good luck with all your new charges. That jade is just gorgeous! And I'm a bit jealous of that stapelia. I think that's going to be the next thing I add to the menagerie.

Mr. Likes! You know I have a problem with dirt. :) I don't like to get my hands dirty. :) And Mike had some grit stuff and did some sifting trick with some other stuff and it all looked really dirty. (hence, I can still call it dirt.)

I'm a girl - girls don't do dirt like boys do dirt. ;)

And you have talked to me about dirt before, and saw my eyes glaze over... I just am not very trainable like that. :)

I was just getting used to sifting perlite, and found out from Mike that he doesn't do that. So, back to just being confused me, 'again'.

Thank goodness for men who like 'dirt'. ;)

thanks Danielle. :) I'm really happy with them. I don't know how to tell if they'll need watering - but, I'm goign to work on it.

Sweet! You're lucky to have Mike so close!
But if I might ask, why is that variegated Jade's pot slipped into what looks to be a plastic pot? After a watering to protect the surface below?

Josh

Oh Josh, yes, that ugly plastic pot is because I've run out of saucers - and every time I go shopping - I find a half a zillion clay pots - and never a saucer to be found. What's that all about?

Don't worry though, I don't flood them and leave em in standing water.

I've learned one lesson well.

yes, I actually looked at the odometer yesterday driving home and Mike's about 26 miles away. I may never pot another disasterous 'dirt' pot again with him so close by.

I'll just keep begging him to take pity on my poor plants... and if I make it sound dire enough, his love of plants usually wins out, yes? :)

I realize this method will only work so many times, and then he'll tell me I actually have to get my hands dirty though, and learn the mix.

(Mikey, please, just not yet, ok? :) )

A Dirt challenged, but plant loving
Rose

Dirt is dirt as you may.As the rose by any name is still just a rose.... Just anouther way of saying I'm in the wrong forum right ?

Mr Likes, a rose that shouldn't be dead, and yet she lost her head. And then she's on the cactus forum. Is she very fragrant, is that why you picked her? Or is she as stinky as an old fake-leather shoe in summer.

You're always all over the place, be it in this forum or the next - Like a person with a slight case of ADD, you hop, skip and jump from place to place with nary a thought of where you are, or where your going, and little remembrance of how you got there either. :) And so we have a cactus thread in Fragrant, and a Rose picture in Cactus. What will come next, my friend? :)

Ah, if only I could reason out, that a rose without dirt would either be dead, or lying body-less on a carpet. (so this is the example of how your words make sense, if only we reason around them. Not totally obvious - but, wise if one has a little bit of reason, or the effort it takes to fathom out the sense from the seamingly senseless.

Voila - did I get it right? :) I'm striving for an "A" in understanding humor. - because I never was a clever witt.

Whats next ??? How about a challenge ? Mike re-pots my hanging baskets with strawberry already yielding harvest and I dont loose a single berry ? Hmmmm.

Was thinking a ripened green apple on a rainy fall day non old pair of shoes smelling rose would fit your fancy... Ohh well not even sad that I upset you with such delight ..... maybe next time an old fashioned ?

Ah mrlikes, if it smelled nice, surely youd impress us in fragrant forum with it. :) dont all succulent flowers smell like old shoes, or we'd all be friends on the same forum. Obviously! Dont I seem logical?

im watching the voice and just realized that mikey resembles adam levine, without so many tattoos. I hope danielle wins.

You mean old socks like a stepelia or a Epiphyllum oxypetalum ?

Lol! I guess a lot depends on whether one starts the equation with stinky feet. :)

You brought plants from logees, you must to have spent a fortune

With free high quality re-potting at the price of gas wouldn't surprise me if Rosey ordered more. There's even a way for her to save 100% on shipping cost as well but would add even more new plants to her new order.

Good eye Josh will have to work out something

This post was edited by mrlike2u on Tue, Jun 18, 13 at 8:36

new order? I received a logees box this morning. I came downstairs and it was sitting on the porch waiting for me.

I brought it inside, but didn't have time to unpack it. I know that there's 2 trees in there - the hardy fig, and the variegated calamondin ...

I'll definitely need Mike's help with them - did I tell you I just about killed the Kumquat tree???? Yes, it's a twig - I brought it over to Mikes on Sunday and he repotted it and said he'd bring it back to life for me. Not a leaf on the thing, but the stalk is still green.

He told me I'd underwatered it, and it wasn't getting enough sun. I guess I can claim that I was practicing on not watering for having my new succulent collection??? Uh... but, I bet no-one believes that one. - I had actually been afraid of overwatering it - I really am dirt challenged, and I know it.

Teen, it isn't about money with me - when I'm working, I spend on my hobbies- and I seem to be a little OCD about plants, currently. It's not like I don't shop for bargains... just I don't count pennies when I love something. Life is too short to be miserly over the little things. It's the big purchases that I fret over. :)

MrLikes, Save 100% on shipping costs? Now you're just teasing me...

When's the next road trip? :)

Mr.LIkes - you're just jealous that you can't use the "I'm a girl and clueless excuse, and get Mike's help." :)

Admit it, and the truth will set you free! WHEEEEEEH! :D LOL!

"I'm a girl and clueless excuse",

Really, how sad!? Women helping to disempower girls, knowingly & deliberately, very sad!

Honey, I can do many things myself - including kill plants.

If using the girl excuse gets me the help I evidently need - then, I'm quite happy to play the weakness card.

And, Both MrLikes and Mike know me well enough that they realize I have other stregnths (they're just not dirt related.)

What's sad is that here in this day and age of female empowerment,guys still fall for the "weakness card".

She says "help me please?" ...and what can you do,ignore her? I think not! :)

Chivalry may be badly wounded and bleeding out,..but as of yet not quite dead. :D

why is? that? sad? We all have different strengths. I never claimed that as a woman I could carry a small refrigerator up 3 flights of stairs. I learned early on that I could ask a man to help me move a fridge into the dorm and said man was very willing to help me.

I could have asked another girlfriend and struggled to carry the hundred pound appliance up said stairs - but, honestly, then I'd have owed said woman friend a favor for such labor. Whereas, asking a man - a very relieved smile, a gentle word or two of concern over such difficult work, and a sincere thankyou and I'm off the hook of further obligation, of forced reminder that would have come from girlfriends over their breaking a nail, of misplacing a hair, of dirtying their blouse, of sweating... and the list goes on, and on...

I'm very greatful that chivalry isn't dead, and I am very enthusiastic in my praise of mankind's stegnths.

And it's not that I abuse the situation - I can and do carry my own packages regularly... but for the really heavy ones, thank the good Lord that there's men to share in the hard labors!

I haven't shaved my head and found a calling as a truck driver yet.

Not that I'm saying women with shaved heads or truck drivers should have any less offers of Chivalry. :)

But isn't this leading into a philosophic discussion of what are societies expectations of women? And have they changed to match the feminist movement's ideals. Are we supposed to dress in our bras, or burn them? It's all very well and good to say that we can dress like women with our makeup, manicures, heels, leather bags, and lacy under-trimmings - but goodness knows - a feminist shouldn't allow a 'man' to think we've got weaknesses?

Why the heck do we dress well, if not to play to our strengths?

And if our strengths, in part, is to nicely say please and thank you - how is that a negative that we should say it to men when they make our lives a little easier?

I think what PG is saying is that there is a BIG difference between saying "help me please" and saying "I'm a girl, and that makes me clueless/helpless/weak." If one does not understand soil and soil mixes, it's not a crime ... it's also not because one is female. I think she was sad because the joke implies that, as a woman, you're stupid, and need a man to help you figure stuff out. It's the kind of joke that some find funny, and others do not.

Short answer: it's all good to say "I'm clueless, help me" ... it's not very good to say "I'm clueless because I'm a girl."

I can't carry refrigerators up stairs either, so I am also relieved that chivalry is not dead.

Ah, Danielle, then if that's what she meant - I wish she'd been more descriptive so I'd have understood it.

I was actually using the "clueless /girl" comment as a future one liner for Mr. Likes to use on Mike to get him to do some potting for him. It may hve been in poor taste - but, it would have been funny (for me) - and I do realize that I am sometimes the only one who laughs at my jokes.

Thank you Danielle -- that's exactly what I meant, thanks for explaining it for me & so well at that.

In this day & age when they're are still so many things discouraging women & girls from thinking on their own, from doing math & /or science, we don't need women to help make them/us more stupid &/or helpless.(I heard Rachel Ray of Cooking TV fame refer to 'girl math').

These messages are have serious consequences & foster lower achieving, less than confident women from our girls & that is just APPALLING!!!

It's the putting it 'on the woman' aspect I find so ghastly. If you wish to promote feeling helpless, disempowered & unable to fend for yourself, have at it.

But take responsibility for yourself as yourself, as the individual, not on you poor, unfortunate 'girl'.

Not only does this damage our girls, it reinforces to men that this is an acceptable notion which they are free to continue putting forth.

Also sad to see some of your women friends sounds pretty petty. I'd never have a beef like you've expressed w/ any women friends who I'd helped or who helped me.

Also, sad your expressed unwillingness to learn.

I happen to 'know' of Mike when he started here & he didn't know soils either. But he was willing to learn, to put the time & energy into learning (hence he had some very helpful mentors). He didn't just sit back & say "I can't, don't know how".

Sharp minded strong willed females are just awesome.

I consider myself lucky to live at a time where a girl COULD shave her head and drive truck...if she wanted to. :)

Welcome Newbie!

You have a heart of gold, picked yourself some very nice plants, oh yeah, learned how to make a great mix because you wanted to, and took me up on my offer to help you.

I hope you have a very enjoyable experience here and get to know the few wonderful people like I have, you will learn who they are too, as I have:-)

Oh, and THANK YOU for sharing some of these beautiful plants with me! I love them.
Stick around and keep sharing your new acquisitions with us as well as your positive experiences!

Many have felt that they have to walk on egg shells here and for that matter have ran away..The shells may crack, but they are really hard boiled eggs. So don't worry about it.:-)

Mike

This post was edited by meyermike_1micha on Tue, Jun 18, 13 at 21:12

thanks, Mike! :o) I appreciate your kind words. I'll try to walk on tiptoes until I know the people around here better.

Like MrLikes, maybe the rest will grow on me. :)

-Rose

Mr. Likes, I just texted Mike this morning to ask where he found his sifters. I also need to explore his part of town more because he found half of the ingrediants at Agways, and If I'm ever going to try doing it myself, I've got another shopping trip ahead of me for supplies.

I'd asked him to help me with my milli next - so, I may be visiting him soon, since I know I'm underwatering my poorly potted milli to prevent root rot. (and after you scared me with the discussion of toxicity - well, better to have someone walk me through it and tell me when I'm poisoning myself, I'm sure...)

I'm also considering to finally brave the idea of repotting my overgrown and badly warped aloe... and the ponytail palm that's been in the same pot for at least 4 years...

It's the tangle of roots that scared me off of touching the palm - 3 bulbs in a 10 inch pot ... it's more than grown in to fill that l'il space. It's time I be a better plant mama. :)

You want to go Agway shopping with us, If we plan a trip? :) Come mulch shopping with us, eh? :)

You know I walk by the beat of my own marching band - I'm sure that the thought of walking tiptoe won't last long when my arches rebel on me. :) tip-toe, tip-toe, stomp...
If, I say it in tune with the beat in my head, it almost sounds like a song... tip-toe, tip-toe, stomp, tip-toe, tip-toe, stomp, stomp, stomp...

but egg-shells are good for the garden. :)

Hi Josh,
It was an event, that's for sure. First day writing on the forum and I was wondering if I'd made a mistake. We live and learn. I'm glad I know some nice folks though, and as long as Mike, MrLikes, and you (I'm still working on you...;)) adore me - well, I can't be too bad off. :p

E Milli If Milli dont behave the way you want it to then treat it with some abuse until it behaves the way you want it to.
Before bed time go ahead and TRY to drown it. Let a low/medium trickle from the faucet flow though the pot for a minute or so with no over flow to top of pot get it wet, wait a few minutes ( 5 or so)until water looks as it's done draining
after this five minutes. Get it wet again just as if you hadn't watered it five minutes ago.

In the morning remove from sink open a west side window with the bug screen down and leave it there for a while.

When noticed is new growth give it water as you had before but only once show us just a pic and I will follow up. Later we can chat the cooler /winter milli care.

How long is a while ? Next weekend ? Bring it to the mulch or how do you say " dirt " hunting adventure. If a need to call Mike has the number.

I'm leaving you a pic of a second cut taken on the same day as your cut in the same " dirt" as the pot yours was in same inside out side treatments as your " dead looking stick only a different pot. Get it wet dont worry water always wins.

This post was edited by mrlike2u on Wed, Jun 19, 13 at 20:58

See, your milli has leaves - the one you gave me ... has only one ... I don't know how it manages to hang on. I keep watering it, about once every few weeks - thinking - well, maybe it is still alive... that one leaf just doesn't want to abandon ship.

It seems to be in the right mix - but it just never perked up. It's still a twig with thorns.

Now my own milli - she has leaves, but they look like they have the texture of leather. Is this from underwatering? She's got plenty of flowers - she just doesn't look as pretty as some of your milli's with their abundant leaves... Hence the reason why I think that I must be doing something wrong with her.

It may become quite the shopping trip. Going mulch shopping, and shopping for the granite chips and all the rest of those things that I'll need to make better mixes. I still haven't discussed with Mike the timing, and if he has any freedom in his schedule for this weekend. I'm trying to please 2 masters this weekend. Between wanting to improve plants and shop plant supplies; and a friend who wants me to join in a costcos phone shopping trip; it's all bound to be exciting.

Mike, what think you of a sunday roadtrip to those stores, this weekend? or next? Wes sounds interested in talking dirts and shopping with us. :) ROADTRIP? Sunny weekend, and a convertible! Live my mid-life crisis with me, people! WHEEEEH!

This Aloe could use some help, too...

Hey, Wes and Rose!

Well, I see I lost another post...to be expected, I suppose.
Zero tolerance is easier than discretion. Doesn't require any thought.

Josh

Hi Josh, Do you like fragrant plants too? or are you mostly into thick plants?

Fragrant plants - smell nice. usually have flowers. Just wondering how to get you to hang out more with the nice people on that forum... do you need a fragrant plant? should I send you a jasmine? and get you addicted? (that's how it worked for me...) I rescued an almost dead jasmine from a friend's basement - I brought it back to health and was hooked.

Hello!

I grow a few fragrant plants, out in the yard mostly. I have some mature Star Jasmine in front and on the side of the house, and that scent is intoxicating on a warm night. I also have Honeysuckle on a fence. My favorite lily, the Pink Lady, has a subtle scent of raspberry sorbet...but you've really got to be right up close to smell it.

Indoors, I have some big Hoyas...the pubicalyx and the obovatas are blooming now. The smell is cloying, though, so I snip off the blooms.

I have zero room for any more plants that require Wintering indoors.

Josh

So, sounds like you're not competing with Mikey for who can have more plants. :D

His hoyas are amazing (outside, and in his greenhouse)... I don't know how strong they'd be indoors, or even if they'd bloom as abundantly...

I just bought my first hoyas this month... I have 4 tiny ones - and, it'll be years before I see flowers.

Honeysuckle! Just LOVE the stuff. My neighbor has an entire fence full - and it wafts throughout the whole neighborhood.

... no room to winterize? ... aren't you in one of the warm zones? ... you could do so many fragrant plants that'd stay outside...

I didn't hear you mention anything about roses... what's up with that? ... Every great yard deserves at least one rose bush. :) (I have 7 ...) :)

What a beautiful plant! it looks like a bonsai... but is it?

Wes, the trip for gravel and turface or whatever won't be this weekend. Mike told me to plan our outing for the 30th June - an early morning event since we'll be driving up to NH. Probably meet at his place at 9 am. You interested to join? :)

Hello!
Rose, I'm in northern California on the cusp of zone 7b/8a. Hot and dry during the Summer, cold and wet during the Winter. Oh, and I did forget my Rose...as you say, every yard should have one ;-)

Josh

one - unless you like to do things in multiples. :) How does one decide only one type of rose? There's so many beautiful, fragrant, and different colored, varieties... No ... one could never be enough. :D

Your yard looks very charming, and all that space on that porch railing .. surely you need some potted plants? ...

We're continuing to lose posts - the almost jade? bonsai? picture disappeared.

Cali is a beautiful and magnificent state. I have cousins up in IGO. which is somewhere north, and very tiny? They have a view of a mountain though. :) LOL! (do you know my cousins?) Just teasing. I'm sure as the relevance of this note becomes more personal, it risks the chop, too.

I cleared that bit of rail for that rose specifically.
The Star Jasmine covers everything if I don't. I have other potted plants on the deck...I'll get a pic.

Where is IGO?

Josh

You're the Californian, and you ask me? If I remember correctly, up toward mt shasta...

its really cool to think how big jasmines can get when they're not kept indoors for 9 months of the year. I dont have a star jasmine, so I'd love to see yours. You might even tempt me to to go shopping again. :)

Did you ever go shopping again Rosey:-)?

Yes, silly me. I bought a bonsai a few weeks ago. I think im killing it though. Dont know if the plant is gettingvenough light under the t5 bulb. Its cute though and id like tovtransplant it into that little dish I bought all those months ago when I went shopping with you and wes.

I will probably need help with that, since I've never potted a true bonsai before and dont know what blend to go with.