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hanzrobo

Don't Play With Your Catch-Up

hanzrobo
10 years ago

Fine, but you're gonna clean up your own mess.

Lots of fun things happening this month...

My wonderful neighbors had their house (ended up being) painted on a windy day. I wasn't home, painters were irresponsible, many of my plants caught primer overspray on the first day. Furious, you say? Oh, maybe just slightly livid. At least they supplied the plastic for days 2 and 3. There actually was a moment when I was wrestling with the plastic in the wind and I felt violated and helpless, wanted to find one person to blame and scream at that person... I think I almost cried a little... probably not:/ Okay, a little.
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made for some cool photos, though
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been doing a lot of this
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...which leads to this
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and then last year's stuff looks like this!
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tables are filling up
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been doing a bit of repotting
Gasteria 'Spotted Ricardo' candidates
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Schwantesia loeschiana
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Pleiospilos nelii 'Royal Flush'
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Orbea variegata seed pod finally ripened... beautiful silky, irridescent threads open up to catch the wind
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This is how I caught all the seeds on my Euphorbia obesa! I lost an entire group, not knowing their seed habits. They really do explode! Luckily, I got a second round of blooms on both male and female plants. I happened to be walking by right when the first one popped in the cage. Funny, I'll probably never witness it again. I heard a tiny "crack" and then the "tick-tack" as it bounced off the cage and into the bowl. I collected 12 seeds all-in-all.
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Echeveria seedlings - volunteer on left, manually sown on right
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Ophthalmophyllums (Cono praesectum, left- Cono aff pubescens, right) are starting to look pretty nice
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Monilaria globosa waking up is quite a sight
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Conophytum meyeri blooms like a champ
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I was doing a little misting in the morning and noticed a magenta sparkle. It was a "Run and get your camera!" moment.
Anacampseros rufescens
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Gibbaeum pilosulum is so plump and fuzzy!
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and finally, bringing red berets back into fashion, (drumroll)... ladies and gentlemen, Muiria hortenseae!!!
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Crowd goes wild.

Comments (22)

  • reggie
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bravo!!!

    Crazy painting drama. Glad that you made it through without too many tears. ;-)

    Seedlings look very nice. Thanks for posting. It pushes me to give some seeds a go this fall. :-)

    Bravo again!!! Love to see all that you have going on!

  • Colleen E
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh, I would be so angry, I can't even imagine. I am so sorry to hear that.

    Everything pictured is perfect and glowy, of course. Hate to think what was damaged by the moron painters.

  • Colleen E
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am doing well with the double-posting this week. :/

    This post was edited by teatree on Tue, Sep 17, 13 at 23:33

  • bikerdoc5968 Z6 SE MI
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ryan, I use a piece of gauze and a small plastic twist tie over the flowers that have ripening Euphorbia seed...not as dramatic as your setup but very functional. I usually place the gauze while the pods are still green, because I have had them go from green to exploding in a few days and the seeds are lost!

    You do have a beautiful assortment of seedlings...Steve better watch out. There's competition just down the street and around the corner...LOL

  • rosemariero
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ryan, you are a FUN read! Crack me up! Love your title too. =)

    YES! The crowd goes WILD! :D

    Yikes on the over spray-on the windy day (been there, done that-try getting it off a car)! Nice they gave you lots of plastic, but REALLY? Eek!

    Great you got to witness the seed explosion. Bet that was fun!

    Woo, lots of babies! I especially like the Gasteria 'Spotted Ricardo' candidates. Glad you broke out the camera! Thanks for the tour, the pix, the words. Enjoyable! :)

  • hanzrobo
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, y'all!

    Reggie, thanks for the encouragement. A good bravo can make anyone's day! I wish you luck in sowing. Let me know if you'd like me to send some seed... and the pain has subsided by now, only comes back a little when I notice the sprinkles on my G. croucheri or my KG aloes.

    Colleen, thanks. I try to hold my photos to the teatree standard. The greenhouse did catch some overspray but luckily it was dry when it landed on the plants, came right off. Phew! I believe heads would have rolled.

    Howard, thanks for the tip! I thought of using a baggy or something but was worried I'd damage the pod stems. When do you think is a good time to sow those? Haha, without Steve my seedlings wouldn't be nearly as abundant! Anyway, that would be like the sun fearing a light bulb!

    This post was edited by hanzrobo on Wed, Sep 18, 13 at 21:16

  • hanzrobo
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks, Ro! We cross posted again!

    A car?, yikes! I hope somebody paid for that! Yeah, you would think that professionals would be more... professional. Sadly, that's not always the case.

    Thanks for the cheers! My motivation is now fully recharged! Only one seedling will bear the name 'Spotted Ricardo' but I could surely send you a 'Spotty Rick' or a 'Dappled Dan'. Maybe a 'Freckled Frank'?

  • Ashton89
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    That's too bad about the painting situation, but I really enjoyed your photos! Just beautiful!

  • Colleen E
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ah, your photography beats mine. Maybe that's just my perception. I'd like to get a nice Canon, but nicer camera vs. more plants...guess which wins.

    Please keep us up to date with the growth on that new Gasteria hybrid.

  • wantonamara Z8 CenTex
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    WOW, that is a burgeoning crowd of plants!! I would say that those seeds are good. Looks like you are giving Beachplants hordes a run for their money. Not that it a competition , Right?

  • Colleen E
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Also, sir, is this your first Gasteria hybrid of your own? Must keep us informed of your hybrid accomplishments.

    This post was edited by teatree on Thu, Sep 19, 13 at 0:57

  • bikerdoc5968 Z6 SE MI
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ryan, you have the wonderful??? weather while I am going into fall/winter. These want warm temps to germinate and from what I've read, Euphorbia seed have a short shelf life so I "sew" mine ASAP and hope for the best. I would not use plastic bags as the heat inside the bag may be too much for the maturing pods. The other thing I use is called "tube gauze". It is used by Ortho MD's on fingers. We used it in the ER for dressing finger injuries. It is just gauze in a continuous loop, like knitting a sweater on a double-ended needle.

  • hanzrobo
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Colleen, your Echy still adorns my desktop. Doubt not your skill. About the Gasteria, those are the first Gasteria seeds I tried about 2.5 years ago. They came from a spotty Gasteria I bought from a guy named Richard at the farmer's market. The seeds were open-pollinated. These seedlings are special in the way that the "first dollar you ever earned" is special. The hybrids I've created and sown since then are something I can get excited about. 'Spotty Rick' is historically significant, only to myself. I will keep you updated, though, and you're welcome to some of the brood. That's only one of three identical pots.

    Mara, hahaha! I'm taking beach's down-time as an opportunity to catch up! Seriously though, how can I compete with a real South African? That dude is legit.

    How, thanks for the info! I'll sow them today! I'm sure it's still warm enough, though it IS pretty foggy today. It feels like the beginning of Fall but I'm hoping for a few more freak weeks of heat!

    Ashton, gracias!

  • Colleen E
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    No, no, I get it. A plant can be special for reasons aside from looks alone. Sentimental reasons, reasons related to personal accomplishment.

  • tsugajunkie z5 SE WI ♱
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Talk about a powerfully prolific propagator. Thanks for the show.

    Not sure why, but that fourth pic of yours gives me a sense that someone just gave a command to a thousand folks to, "Pull up your pants, now!". What makes that?

    tj

  • bob61
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I would be a bit red faced myself with the paint situation. Your seedlings look fantastic. Your going to be busy very soon.

    Bob

  • qsis
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Absolutely jaw-dropping, astounding photos, Ryan!

    I am bowled over!

    Lee

  • rosemariero
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This thread makes me smile! Yay for fun stuff!

    Yes, we cross-posted again! Had a feeling that's what happened. I'd be happy to be a recipient of a 'Spotty Rick' or a 'Dappled Dan' or even a 'Freckled Frank down the road'!

    I'm hesitant to report on the last batch of gifts you sent me. Some didn't make it--I burnt them. :( BUT, some are doing well! One day-pix to be posted!

    I am laughing at TJ...with the "pull your pants up, now"...on all those little baby butts! :D

    I think not competition, but compadres...that's Ryan & Ryan! I see a business deal in the future!! Ha ha!

  • RetroSteph
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Suffering from some seeerioussss plant envy right now. Your collection is absolutely awe-inspiring!

  • cactusmcharris, interior BC Z4/5
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    It's not high hyperbole to call your plants legion, Brother Ryananthemum. The pics are great, but I'm just locked in like a Klingon warbird for that Anacampseros - the field of purps my soul usurps, or something like that.

  • hanzrobo
    Original Author
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wow, I was gone all day yesterday, woke up this morning to some very nice posts! Thanks, guys!

    TJ, a thousand tiny butts? bwahahaha!!! Nailed it. Those are Lithops cotyledons. Oh, and thanks for the alliteration, always a treat.

    Bob, thanks, you wouldn't believe how busy I already am. need some help.

    Lee and Steph, very glad you enjoyed it. If I didn't have all of you wonderful people, very few would get to enjoy these babies. Thanks for the audience.

    Ro, not to worry, there are always more plants. Besides, whatever does or does not survive Ro's SOS test, is relevant scientific information!... hahaha, tiny butts... anthropomorphism is fun. R&R does have a certain ring to it. Right now he's training baby beach to handle customer service:)

    Jeff, qatlho! That's "thank you" in Klingon, though they never use the word. Very glad it pleases your poetic senses. Why don't you get down here and lock yourself into some repotting!

  • greenman28 NorCal 7b/8a
    10 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Beautiful plants and great shots, Ryan!
    Man, I'd be furious about the overspray, too. My buddy had the same thing happen earlier this summer...then, when the painters covered his plants in plastic, there was some serious leaf-burn/damage.

    Josh