APRIL FOOLS I WAS JUST KIDDING EVERYBODY HAHAHA...

GREG

Have a good week and I hope you can find some humor in that, anyone else get fooled today?

It was only 9:45pm over here in my part of town in California, hehehe...

Greg

Hi Greg!

Alright you fooled me... I fell for it!

Good one Greg. I fell for it also. Although I was hoping it was true, but I would want a picture proof.

lovemysans, and Stush, Glad you guys both some some humor in this post.

Haha, yep, you got me!
I was about to write my congratulations....then I read further ;-)

Josh

O M G... Ok, all kidding aside, today after reading Josh's comment on April fools my plant is growing, I walked by my plant and low and behold I noticed a brand new shoot shooting up right between the two stocks.

Ok, I'm serious now, its about the size of a tooth pick right now, I had to actually put on my ready glasses to make sure I wasn't just imagining this, I looked again and there she was.

Ok so I know I'll need to produce photos and after the April Fools joke I don't blame you stush, so I will throw one up ASAP by Friday, hopefully Thursday.
Right now it looks all white no margins of any shade almost albino looking, well we shall see what she looks like this is my first time growing these bantels but I can say this about it, it has hone through multiple transplantings from pots with no drains to pots with and then changing of soil a couple of times, whew.....

So right after I post this I will be taking a picture and then I have alot of running around to do I just ran to post office and sent a.few garden web friends some Agave americano " white & green" to a few of my friends who requested some, and I'm still running around.

Greg

Ok, upon looking again I do see green margins on it.

Greg, I hate you. Just kidding.
Well I guess congratulations are in order. I have some leaves on mine that are growing but no new ones to speak of yet. I just knew you would take the lead once that California sun and temperatures kicked in. Way to go.
Woodnative and I are still boxed in with cold weather coming back again.
Stush
PS I still want picture proof!

Hey stush, thank you, boy I was surprised to see that Lil sprout poking his head out of between those two stocks. Looking at my other sans plants it looks like the new growth appears from the sides of the plant, o well I'm not totally sure yet it could be from the side of one of them appearing like It's coming from the center of the two stocks.

Pictures indeed are in order Stush and are in the works as I send this message, by the way I had your Agave americano sent your way yesterday so keep and eye out.

As far as the California weather, I believe your right. And that would be equivalent to having a contest with a winter growing plant , I'd almost have to place mine in the fridge to stay in the game. Lol...

Good to be playing with a bunch of great people.

So at this time is Luke to first off thank everyone here who joined me in this fun time.

Josh: greenman thank you for taking the step to incourage me to go forward with this contest by agreeing to participate and all the updates and fun messages.

Stush, you too have remain a friend in this endearing and you seemed to enjoy it as much ad myself if not more ;) plus all the advice inspite of all my questions ( none stop almost.).

Pirate girl : Thank you also for your part you played, your like a tough coach who never gives up but keeps pushing her team to go the distance.

Woodnative, Thank you for jumping into the ring with us all bring more excitement to the challenges that I for one was facing at time and giving us your experience with these bantels,

Norma, you too have been an inspiration to us all here in this web site thank you for your years of experience that you loaned us .

Marlon, thank you muncho. ( a lot ) for participating in this race to the new growth. You have some very nice looking plants to envy.

Well everyone I for one acknowledge that without all your help and support on this would not of been possible especially the way I was going about it at first, thanks for the guidance .

Lol... Reading this you'd think I won some type of award for The academies . But I enjoyed myself and the friendship with you all again thank you.

Greg

Hysterical Greg. The Academy would be pleased and you didn't even get the musical play off the stage.

Happy dance time. Happy, Happy, Happy!!!

Greetings! :-)

Well, I'm not sure what exactly is growing up from between the stocks of my Sans.,
but it looks as though it might be some new growth! I noticed it two days ago when I was
watering, but I didn't dare get my hopes up! Now that Greg has new growth, I'd better
document whatever this is, as well. Hopefully the stage can support two winners :-)

So, for future reference, it seems that we can mark our calendars around the first week
of April for activity on our 'Bantel's Sensation,' at least in California.

Josh

Well, what I *thought* was a single growth the other day, is now several growths!
Boy was I delighted when I went to snap a picture. It was tough to nose the camera inside the stalks,
but I think these pics will give the idea and assure my fighter a place on the victory Stage! :-D

Greg, I bet your growth is better than this, though!

Josh

Josh,
We got another winner. I can see a dead leaf inside and boy I bet that worried you. Good to see it pulled out of that sump.
Now to settle this fight and to keep me and woodnative in we have to wait till we see a new pup sprouting up thru the soil.
So let the fight continue. Who else is in the contest?
Stush

Hmm. I actually started a Bantel around the same time. Mine had a few (nearly dead) roots but I'm still waiting for new growth.

Gloves on!

Michael

Hey, Stush and Michael, gloves up, Gentlemen! ;-)

Stush, that dead leaf has been there since I received the plant, so I haven't worried one bit.
I've just been watering and lightly fertilizing, and keeping the faith in Victory alive! :-D

Josh

OK, Not sure whats going on with my posting skills but I accidently started a new thread entitled ,"Reporting Ring Side so if there are no pics here refer to the new site.

Ok, it worked here too so Sorry about the dublication I just got so excited and after all that Dancing maybe a little dizzy LOL...

Stush, Your On with the wide Leaves contest, Just not sure about the spieces your refering too but I'm in, How about you Josh and the rest of us?

Spring is in the air so we could possibly gain a Knock out Punch in this ring giving one of us our first TKO.

Stush look out for Norma and Karen they say it's the punch you dont see coming that gets you, Hahaha...

Greg

Thanks guys & gals,

Greg

Hi Josh!

Great pics! Keep us posted!

Take care!

Update!
My Sans. has been outside for several weeks now, although the nights still dip to the lower 40ðF's.
Day-time temps have been in the 80ðF's, with a few days over 90ðF. Anyhow, I was watering and
fertilizing the other day, and I noticed some new growth.... ;-)

This is the slow growth of the central leaves....

And this is an offset!

Josh

Josh, The new shoot is very impressive, I am going to take a closer look at mine later on today when I get back home. Yeah it's been climbing to @ 89 - 90 f. over here and only around 50 degrees early in the mornings which is not bad, "I love this time of the year."

The last time I looked at my sans. it looked the same I even picked it up to see if any roots had popped out of the drainage holes, Nope. so I'll up date mine soon.

Greg

You guys know I lost one of my B.S. in my large pot. Three out of four growing. So I purchased another one from Bob Smoley's Gardenworld. Only $6. Was suprise to see a large stock with a pup sprouting from the side.

Also Bob has rooting hormone power on ends for better/faster rooting on the cuts.
Greg, hows your black sans growing? You should get wide leaves on this one.

Stush, All is well with the black Sans. as a matter of fact I wanted to ask you a question concerning that spieces, I noticed you sent it in perilite so do I let him sit there or what do you recommend as far as soil?

Stush, also the other sans you sent with the thin yellow margins is looking good and it's still sitting in the perilite.

Josh, No progress on the Bantel other than he's looking strong and healthy, I expect somethings about to start popping soon! And I 'll let you know as soon as it does.

Greg

Hi Josh! Congratulations!!!

Hi Stush! Great purchase, love them!!!

Josh-
Looks GREAT!! You guys have the weather out there!! It is finally warming enough here in NJ to start putting the Sans outside. I always have to be careful not to burn them.
Stush- Great plants there from Smoley's!! Those Stapelias should be interesting aslo and that Bantel's looks great!

Greg,
That black sans can be planted in solid clay soil in a water fall. No but close. These are the best kinds to grow. They are much less demanding of all the sans. Just plant it up like any other sans you own.
Chris,
Just when I start to bring all my sans out side, we get a frost advisory. covered them with blankets and some of what you gave me looks bad. No rot yet but droopy leaves. Got my fingers crossed on Gray Lady and Siam Silver. All my green yellow ones are completely unaffected.

Howdy!

Well, is it still early to tell whether this is 'Bantel's Sensation' or not?

And one more pic for good measure ;-)

It's looking good Josh!!! Does the baby have some trifasciata markings? It looks like it does in the first picture... Why don't you take that dry leaf visible on the second pic out?:-)

Josh, I'd love a offset of this guy...:-)

I left the dry leaf as protection/support.
It'll probably be years before this thing is ready to be separated. Super slow growth.

Josh

ohhh...Good idea Josh! OK, I am at the top of the list for one of these when re potting time comes around! LOL!!!

Josh, I'm on your side buddy but I dont see enough white to make a good call, either mine is a half breed or yours is, so lets just see what develops tomorow.

As for mine, It still remains the same with no additional signs of growth on it. Once in a while I'll pick it up to see if I notice any roots or any kind of change but absolutely nothing, one thing I will mention is that I've moved it to the outside in the patio where it gets no direct sun light, only bright light but in the shade, is that what is recommended for these guys?

Greg

Josh,
Looks like mine. So I would say it's Bantel's Sensation. I have had two pups up and one is over a foot tall now. And I repotted it in a better mix and smaller size pot. also I would not cut this up. Leave it alone and I think it looks better growing with all one big roots and many stocks.

Greg, I've read is that they need lots of bright indirect light...

Hey Folks,

Nice young Sans. you've got going there. Happy sprouts to those of you in the competition.

However, just so you know, juvenile forms of Sans. are difficult to ID as they often look completely different that their adult plants. I would be remiss in my doings as a pupil of Norma's in Sans. if I didn't pass that tidbit on.

I once had a cylindrical leaf, fan shaped Sans. (Patens, I think) which put out a leaf whose blade was flat as a sheet of paper. Had it not been my own plant, I never would have believed they were part of the same plant. I did later turn it out just to make sure, as I wasn't quick to believe it myself.

Just so you know, right Norma??? ;>)

Happy Summer to you all!

Happy summer to you too Karen!!! Thank you!!!

Hey, thanks all for the help!
I don't know enough about these plants to Id them, but I'll keep growing this one until
it is mature enough to identify. I have it in partial sun below my deck rail, tucked beneath
an avocado in a container.

Josh

Update, if I can call it that, no visible changes to report about today but wanted to show you and updated photo.

I took this today after searching for some breaking news to report and found nada.
So as they say, As soon as it happens you'll hear it first on garden web forum.

Josh, please don't think I've forgotten the Agave, delays, delays, delays.
On a good note It's sitting in good soil.

Greg

Ok, just one more to give a new angle of my sans bantel, and to say nothing has changed, I saw where Stush mentioned that his off shoots have grown a ft. Not mine, actually no movement visible at all.

Greg

Still looks good to me, Greg ;-)

Are you fertilizing? I've been fertilizing every two weeks or so, and I've increased
the watering during these 100ðF days. I also added a shallow drip-tray beneath mine so
that it sits in a bit of water for about an hour or two after watering.

Josh

Josh, You know thats one thing I havent done in about three months or more but I will add a little M/G today, Wow every two weeks thats pretty often so for sure I'll add some to give him a nice push.
One thing I have been doing lately is giving it to much water and this is by accident but she does still looks ok so I guess maybe it's not to much after all.

Greg

Yeah, hit it with some nutrients!
I always go light...say 1/4 strength dose....but I apply it more frequently. And with the
amount of watering I do, I know that the mix is flushed by the time I fertilize again.

Josh

I don't know Josh, still seems like a lot of fertilizer, but then yours is outside (don't know if that matters). I'm w/ the folks who don't fertilize succulents more than a couple of times per season.

To each their own.....
but I think that the vitality of my plants speaks for itself :-)
Plants won't grow without an adequate stream of nutrients, and growth is what Greg wants.

Josh

Thats right, Thats what I'm looking for, the fast and the furious and if the nutrients will do it then so be it.
thanks Josh,

Greg

Okey Doke fellas, continued good luck. I'll watch w/ interest from the sidelines.

Picture update;

There are two pups shown. One a foot tall the other just poping out of the soil. I do not consider myself a winner because they were already on the stock when I purchased them. No new pups but do have growth going on. Also my large old Sans finially repotted.

also on a new post I would like to show some of the plants that some very generous person sent me.

Stush, your plants are looking full of vitality! Great job!
Also, are those Japanese painted ferns that I spy in the background undergrowth?

Greg, a low steady stream of nutrients can't hurt...it can only help ;-)

Josh

Josh,
I do have some Japanese Painted Ferns but what is shown is varagated Packasandra. Started with a few plants that take off from stem cuttings in the early spring. Now I have hundreds used as a border. Behind them Hosta Gold Standard and various common ones. Under a seedling Japanese maple tree. There is some mix-mash of wild ferns from our woods. Also a few jack'n the pulpit just for fun.
Wait, in the first picture is a Japanese painted fern. You are right my friend.

Well to everyone who contributed to this Thread I'd like to say, It's been a very fun and informative site where I've learned so much about this spieces cultivar and it has helped out tremendously, And I feel like I almost know some of you personally from a distance too.

Lets move this over to a new link and call it something related to the contest and the results we find with are current Bantels progress, And hey!!! everyone was a winner here so hats off to all.

Greg