Liquidambar Girl Gardening

Peduncle Watch

I used to think that if I got peduncles on my Hoyas, it meant that I was an accomplished Hoya grower. After almost two years of blooming Hoya plants I realize that some peduncles come from good growing habits and some from the bad. Sometimes peduncles form on a super young plant, sometimes only after a hard pruning, sometimes because all of the stars in the sky have aligned. A peduncle can mean that beautiful, fragrant flowers are coming your way, but can also mean dried up, blasted buds will curse your dreams. I’ve learned that peduncles are a gamble like so many other things.

For whatever reason, many of my Hoyas have a mind to make some blooms this spring. Here are the Hoyas from my collection that are currently forming flowers.

Hoya lacunosa – This plant is a prolific bloomer and is dripping with peduncles. It actually began blooming for me the same year that I bought it as a small rooted cutting. It tends to take a month or so of a break in between bloom times and then it’s right back to being covered in blooms. If you want a super fast grower and an easy bloomer, I’d recommend H. lacunosa for sure.

Hoya macrophylla albo marginata – These Hoya blooms act differently than any of the other Hoyas I have bloomed. The peduncle is covered with buds, but does not mature all of the buds to bloom at the same time as pictured below. The star-shaped flowers are a light blush pink color.

Hoya macrophylla albo marginata doesn’t feel obligated to bloom all its flower buds at the same time.

Hoya ‘Rebecca’ – The ruby red leaves on this Hoya are a treat for the eyes and the blooms are just as lovely. My ‘Rebecca’ had a few weeks of rest after its last blooms, but the peduncles are gearing up for another big show. This plant is very generous with its blooms.

Hoya wayetii variegata – There is only one peduncle on this plant, but it’s already a beauty. Even before the blooms have opened. The size of this umbel is impressive, it’s similar in size to a Hoya carnosa bloom. I’m really excited to see these blooms open!

There is only one peduncle on this plant, but it is huge!

Hoya sp. rangsan – I don’t want to take credit that I don’t deserve…this poor Hoya isn’t blooming for me because I’ve done a good job growing it. We’ve had a personality conflict which resulted in root rot and H. rangsan’s almost death. It panicked and threw out about 8 or 9 peduncles in a wild attempt to procreate. It bloomed once already, but I’m not sure that the buds that still remain will make it to a bloom. Only time will tell.

Hoya obovata – Only two peduncles have formed so far on this plant. It’s about a year and half old and has grown a lot of leaves. The peduncles have been on the plant for about four months; buds form and then blast. It feels frustrating; like I may never see an obovata bloom. I’m thinking that an up pot may give this plant the “kick in the pants” it needs.

Hoya sp. aff burtoniae – This plant was the first Hoya that ever bloomed for me and it has not rested since. I’ve had blooms from this lovely Hoya for almost a year and a half now…nonstop. The whole plant is covered with peduncles and blooms in all stages of maturity.

I hope your Hoyas are making peduncles to celebrate spring!

Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

Social Media

Instagram @liquidambar_girl

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Products I use and (therefore) recommend:

Horticultural 1/4” pumice – https://amzn.to/2KfcNPT

Horticultural perlite – https://amzn.to/3f9wwvE

Coco coir – https://amzn.to/2UBBiZF

Orchid Bark – Extra small chips – https://amzn.to/38OXWWJ

Orchid Bark – Small chips – https://amzn.to/3kA8HOU

Earthworm castings – https://amzn.to/38TRkGw

Coco Loco potting mix – https://amzn.to/2UHV3OY

GE Balanced Spectrum grow light bulb – https://amzn.to/3fdeAAu

Monios L LED grow lights – 2 ft. – https://amzn.to/391NmeS

Heat Mat (for propagating) – https://amzn.to/2MSezbk

Heat Mat w/ Thermostat – https://amzn.to/2PIjCwc

Bonsai scissors – https://amzn.to/33a6F29

Hygrometer (humidity monitor) – https://amzn.to/32WtiqO

Moisture meter sticks – https://amzn.to/35FR7Vk

Horticultural charcoal – https://amzn.to/2UKOv25

Organic houseplant fertilizer liquid – https://amzn.to/3pIb7ij

Insecticide/Miticide – (many bug sprays don’t kill spider mites, this one does) – https://amzn.to/3pHKREw

Systemic houseplant insecticide – https://amzn.to/36MuoX8

Espoma Rose Tone (fertilizer for roses and flowering perennials) – https://amzn.to/3m8OGkU

Full disclosure – the last four product links will be much cheaper if you can find them in your local garden center. I’ve put them here so that you can see what they are called and what they look like, but I’d advise that you buy from these links only as a last resort.

The Forsythia is Blooming – It’s Time to Prune Your Roses

One of the sure signs that spring has arrived is the appearance of the lovely bright yellow Forsythia blooms. I’m usually so desperate for color after long Ohio winters, I swear I hear angel choirs singing when I see Forsythias in full bloom.

Forsythia blooms can light up the landscape.

I’m a visual person and a really great yearly reminder to do my spring pruning is when I see those pretty Forsythia blooms dotting yards all around town. So let this (extremely brief) blog be a reminder for you and for me to get those hand pruners cleaned and sharpened and get those fertilizers purchased because it’s “Go time” in our flower gardens. Yay!

Forsythia provides valuable early season pollen for our pollinators.

If you are wondering what I use to fertilize my roses, I use Espoma Rose Tone. I’ve given you a link here so you can see what it looks like, but if you can find it at your local garden center it will most likely be cheaper.

Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

Social Media

Instagram @liquidambar_girl

Facebook Liquidambar Girl Gardening

Products I use and (therefore) recommend:

Horticultural 1/4” pumice – https://amzn.to/2KfcNPT

Horticultural perlite – https://amzn.to/3f9wwvE

Coco coir – https://amzn.to/2UBBiZF

Orchid Bark – Extra small chips – https://amzn.to/38OXWWJ

Orchid Bark – Small chips – https://amzn.to/3kA8HOU

Earthworm castings – https://amzn.to/38TRkGw

Coco Loco potting mix – https://amzn.to/2UHV3OY

GE Balanced Spectrum grow light bulb – https://amzn.to/3fdeAAu

Monios L LED grow lights – 2 ft. – https://amzn.to/391NmeS

Heat Mat (for propagating) – https://amzn.to/2MSezbk

Heat Mat w/ Thermostat – https://amzn.to/2PIjCwc

Bonsai scissors – https://amzn.to/33a6F29

Hygrometer (humidity monitor) – https://amzn.to/32WtiqO

Moisture meter sticks – https://amzn.to/35FR7Vk

Horticultural charcoal – https://amzn.to/2UKOv25

Organic houseplant fertilizer liquid – https://amzn.to/3pIb7ij

Insecticide/Miticide – (many bug sprays don’t kill spider mites, this one does) – https://amzn.to/3pHKREw

Systemic houseplant insecticide – https://amzn.to/36MuoX8

Espoma Rose Tone (fertilizer for roses and flowering perennials) – https://amzn.to/3m8OGkU

Butterfly Garden Plants

If you have ever wanted to attract butterflies to your yard, I’d say this is the time to do it. The pollinators on our planet are under attack from every direction; global warming, drastic loss of habitat, pesticides and other chemical abuses; thinking about it honestly makes my stomach sick and my mind reel. I feel an obligation and desire to support the butterfly population and I hope you feel that way also. In this blog, I’ll name five excellent plants that I have used for attracting butterflies to my flower garden.

Echinacea – Coneflower

A Yellow Sulfur on my heirloom Echinacea (they belonged to my Grandmother).

Coneflowers may be my most favorite butterfly magnet in the garden. They come in a huge variety of flower shapes and colors, are easy to care for and will be positively covered in pollinators. Echinacea will bloom throughout the summer and right up until the first hard frost of the season. The long bloom time means that they provide a lasting source of food for the butterflies until it is time for them to hibernate or migrate. Here is a link for Coneflower seeds.

Height/Width – 12-36 inches tall and 12-24 inches wide (Each cultivar will be different, make sure to check the tag before buying)

Colors – Red, yellow, orange, pink, white, green

Zones – 3-8

Gaillardia – Blanket Flower

Blanket Flower is an eye-catching flower in the garden.

Gaillardia, commonly called Blanket Flower, is a bright pop of color on the edge of or near the front of a flower garden. The flowers generally begin blooming in (late Spring) early Summer and will continue to bloom straight through to the first heavy frost. This makes them a consistent source of nectar for butterflies. Gaillardia doesn’t grow very tall or wide which makes this plant very easy to squeeze into an already established flower garden. Or if you are planting a new flower bed, I’d recommend planting a whole grouping of this plant for a bright pop of color and an irresistible treat for your butterfly population.

Height/Width – generally between 18-22 inches tall – generally 12-18 inches wide. Varieties vary so be sure to check for each plant you purchase.

Colors – red, orange and yellow

Zones – generally 3-9 (check individual plants to be sure they are zoned for your garden)

Scabiosa – Pincushion Flower

Scabiosa is a rather unusual and beautiful flower that butterflies cannot seem to resist. These plants are enchanting with a neat mound of foliage low to the ground and their flowers seemingly floating up above. If you keep the dead flowers pruned, Scabiosa will bloom throughout the summer and keep the butterflies well fed.

Height/Width – 12-24 inches tall and 12 inches wide

Colors – Blue/Purple, pink and white

Zones – 4-9 (Zones vary, check before buying a plant)

Stokesia – Stoke’s Aster

Stokesia blooms can reach 4-5 inches across.

Although Stokesia may max out at around 2 feet tall, it can spread quite prolifically, so I only recommend this plant if you have a large planting area and don’t mind plants that like to take over. The flowers on Stokesia can be giant, I’ve grown some as large as my hand. And the butterflies adore them. The flowers provide a large landing pad and quite enough pollen to keep the butterflies occupied while I take loads of photos. They sometimes don’t even notice (or care) and allow me to get in close for the bright detailed photos that I love. Stokesia will continue to bloom throughout the summer, especially if you keep them dead-headed.

Height/Width – 12-36 inches tall and 12-24 inches wide

Colors – Purple and pink

Zones – 5-9

Asclepias – Butterfly Weed

You may recognize this Ohio native plant. It lives quite comfortably in the median of Ohio interstates.

Butterfly Weed has the word “butterfly” in it, so you know this plant is a great one for the butterflies. I use this plant as a host for the Monarch butterflies that reproduce here. The adult butterflies do actually enjoy the nectar from the beautiful flowers, but they are even more drawn to this plant because it is where they will lay their eggs. Once the Monarch caterpillars are of a size to eat, they will enjoy eating the leaves of the Asclepias. (Eating the leaves of this plant is what makes Monarch caterpillars poisonous to birds and other animals.) It is a very important relationship between plants and animals and I love having it all happen right in my flower garden.

Height/Width – 12-36 inches tall and 12-24 inches wide

Colors – Orange, yellow, white and pink

Zones – 3-9 (Zones vary, check before buying a plant)

If you would like a more in depth article about plants that attract or host butterflies in the garden, make sure to comment that below. Please also comment to share with everyone which plants are your favorite butterfly attracting plants. I’d love to know!

Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

Social Media

Instagram @liquidambar_girl

Facebook Liquidambar Girl Gardening

Products I use and (therefore) recommend:

Horticultural 1/4” pumice – https://amzn.to/2KfcNPT

Horticultural perlite – https://amzn.to/3f9wwvE

Coco coir – https://amzn.to/2UBBiZF

Orchid Bark – Extra small chips – https://amzn.to/38OXWWJ

Orchid Bark – Small chips – https://amzn.to/3kA8HOU

Earthworm castings – https://amzn.to/38TRkGw

Coco Loco potting mix – https://amzn.to/2UHV3OY

GE Balanced Spectrum grow light bulb – https://amzn.to/3fdeAAu

Monios L LED grow lights – 2 ft. – https://amzn.to/391NmeS

Heat Mat (for propagating) – https://amzn.to/2MSezbk

Heat Mat w/ Thermostat – https://amzn.to/2PIjCwc

Bonsai scissors – https://amzn.to/33a6F29

Hygrometer (humidity monitor) – https://amzn.to/32WtiqO

Moisture meter sticks – https://amzn.to/35FR7Vk

Horticultural charcoal – https://amzn.to/2UKOv25

Organic houseplant fertilizer liquid – https://amzn.to/3pIb7ij

Insecticide/Miticide – (many bug sprays don’t kill spider mites, this one does) – https://amzn.to/3pHKREw

Systemic houseplant insecticide – https://amzn.to/36MuoX8

Full disclosure – the last three product links will be much cheaper if you can find them in your local garden center. I’ve put them here so that you can see what they are called and what they look like, but I’d advise that you buy from these links only as a last resort.

All photos in this post are the property of Liquidambar Girl Gardening. Photos may not be reproduced.

Some or all of the links in this article may be affiliate.

Peace Lily Silver Streak – Personality Conflict Episode 1

There are always a few “problem child” plants in any sizeable plant collection and mine is no exception.

Three plants come to mind as I am thinking of which plants are currently giving me issues, but I think I’ll focus on just the one for now. It’s been giving me trouble for quite a while.

Peace Lily ‘Silver Streak’ (Spathiphyllum wallisi ‘Silver Streak’)

It’s all brown edges and brown tips with this plant. Which is a real shame because the leaves on this plant are velvet smooth and the stripe of silver that runs the length of the midrib is actually reflective. Reflective! The leaves are stunning…on a healthy plant.

My Spathiphyllum ‘Silver Streak’…back when it was still beautiful.

My plant is less than healthy.

I believe that this plant is dealing with a few problems. First, I do believe that this plant may be a bit too rootbound. In fact, when I purchased this plant last year, it was already slightly rootbound. You may know from my videos or blogs that I like to keep many of my plants on the rootbound side so I didn’t choose to repot at the time. Now that the plant seems to be declining in health, I think it’s time to repot.

Brown leaf tips and edges on my Peace lily ‘Silver Streak’.

Another problem for this poor Peace lily is the extremely low humidity that is happening in my home. I live in Eastern Ohio and we are currently in the middle of a cold snap. We’ve been dealing with some of the lowest humidity that I’ve ever experienced in many years of growing houseplants. Back in the day when I only grew succulents, super low humidity would have been a non-issue. But the majority of the plants that I grow now are tropical and do not appreciate the low humidity. This Peace lily has brown tips at the end of every single leaf.

(Oddly, my Spathiphyllum ‘Silver Streak’ is sitting right next to another Peace Lily variety that has not reacted at all to the low humidity. That Peace lily is called Spathiphyllum ‘Platinum Mist’ and is, not surprisingly, my favorite Peace lily cultivar.)

Peace lily ‘Silver Streak’ (on the left) is looking rough in a too-small pot and too low humidity. Peace lily ‘Platinum Mist’ (on the right) shows no signs of stress at all but is kept in the same location. Go figure.

So…what am I going to do with this poor plant baby?

I’ll repot immediately. I’m thinking about planting it in Lechuza pon since Peace lilies are such thirsty plants. What do you think? Let me know in the comments.

Increasing humidity will be simple enough too. I need to find space for this plant in my greenhouse cabinet or buy some sort of cloche until this weird low pressure system moves on.

Thankfully, those were simple fixes for a plant that I really do enjoy. Or, I will enjoy keeping it once it looks happy again.

Thanks so much for reading, my friends. Leave me a comment below if you’d like to see a follow up blog about my Peace lily ‘Silver Streak’. Or comment with any other blog topics that you’d like to read.

Take care and be safe.

Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

Social Media

Instagram @liquidambar_girl

Facebook Liquidambar Girl Gardening

Products I use and (therefore) recommend:

Horticultural 1/4” pumice – https://amzn.to/2KfcNPT

Horticultural perlite – https://amzn.to/3f9wwvE

Coco coir – https://amzn.to/2UBBiZF

Orchid Bark – Extra small chips – https://amzn.to/38OXWWJ

Orchid Bark – Small chips – https://amzn.to/3kA8HOU

Earthworm castings – https://amzn.to/38TRkGw

Coco Loco potting mix – https://amzn.to/2UHV3OY

GE Balanced Spectrum grow light bulb – https://amzn.to/3fdeAAu

Monios L LED grow lights – 2 ft. – https://amzn.to/391NmeS

Bonsai scissors – https://amzn.to/33a6F29

Hygrometer (humidity monitor) – https://amzn.to/32WtiqO

Moisture meter sticks – https://amzn.to/35FR7Vk

Horticultural charcoal – https://amzn.to/2UKOv25

Organic houseplant fertilizer liquid – https://amzn.to/3pIb7ij

Insecticide/Miticide – (many bug sprays don’t kill spider mites, this one does) – https://amzn.to/3pHKREw

Systemic houseplant insecticide – https://amzn.to/36MuoX8

How to Clean Terra Cotta Pots

Although soluble salts can make for an attractive pot, a build up can be harmful to your plants.

Personally, I love when terra cotta pots have a “patina”. New planters look so shiny and new. I prefer my terra cotta to look aged.

That pretty patina has been left behind on my terra cotta by additives from the tap water that I’ve used for my plants and also from fertilizer. Another name for these remains is soluble salts. And, unfortunately, once they have built up, they can cause burning on your plant’s roots and even any leaves that rest against the planter. So we must remove it. Thankfully, it’s super easy to do.

Begin by removing any loose soil. I use a toothbrush with firm bristles, but any kind of scrubbing brush will do. I like a toothbrush because it’s easy to use for cleaning all different sizes of terra cotta pots. Remove any loose soil or soluble salts and don’t forget to scrub down the outside of the pot and the bottom of the pot (inside and outside).

Once you have all the loose dirt and grit removed from the pot, it’s time to soak. The mix I use is one part vinegar to four parts water. (This is what works best for me, but there are about a million different recipes online. Feel free to use whatever recipe sounds the best for you.) Soak the pot for 20 to 30 minutes and then scrub the pot with a scrub brush/toothbrush. If the build up scrubs off of the pot easily, then the pot is all done. If the build up can’t be removed completely, soak it for another 20-30 minutes and repeat the process. For really hard to remove minerals you may need to add more vinegar. You can even use pure vinegar for extra difficult planters.

I always make sure to rinse planters thoroughly after soaking in vinegar. Technically, vinegar shouldn’t cause any damage to the roots of plants, but I don’t like to risk it. Just rinse under a faucet or soak in clean water and the vinegar should be rinsed out. Another, excellent way to rinse and sanitize is to run a load of terra cotta on the quick wash cycle in your dishwasher.

It doesn’t much matter how you rinse your terra cotta, but something that matters very much is drying it out completely before storing it. I like to let my planters sit for several days in a low humidity area of my home. Drying planters on a cookie cooling rack works very well since it allows the entire pot a chance to dry out, top and bottom. Like many people, I stack my pots when they aren’t being used and I don’t want any moisture left in the pots before storing because they can and will grow mold and mildew.

So now you can clean all of your pots and have them ready for the upcoming growing season. Thanks for reading, my friends. I hope you are all doing very well.

Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

For Mercy, Peace, Love merchandise click here

If you would like to see this in video form, here is the YouTube video How To Clean Terra Cotta Pots

Social Media

Instagram @liquidambar_girl

Facebook Liquidambar Girl Gardening

Products I use and (therefore) recommend:

Horticultural 1/4” pumice – https://amzn.to/2KfcNPT

Horticultural perlite – https://amzn.to/3f9wwvE

Coco coir – https://amzn.to/2UBBiZF

Orchid Bark – Extra small chips – https://amzn.to/38OXWWJ

Orchid Bark – Small chips – https://amzn.to/3kA8HOU

Earthworm castings – https://amzn.to/38TRkGw

Coco Loco potting mix – https://amzn.to/2UHV3OY

GE Balanced Spectrum grow light bulb – https://amzn.to/3fdeAAu

Monios L LED grow lights – 2 ft. – https://amzn.to/391NmeS

Bonsai scissors – https://amzn.to/33a6F29

Hygrometer (humidity monitor) – https://amzn.to/32WtiqO

Moisture meter sticks – https://amzn.to/35FR7Vk

Horticultural charcoal – https://amzn.to/2UKOv25

Organic houseplant fertilizer liquid – https://amzn.to/3pIb7ij

Insecticide/Miticide – (many bug sprays don’t kill spider mites, this one does) – https://amzn.to/3pHKREw

Systemic houseplant insecticide – https://amzn.to/36MuoX8

My Uncle Frank

My family began this New Year with a suicide.

On January 1st, 2021, my Uncle Frank (Francis Xavier Burns, Jr.) took his own life. He had been dealing with years of loneliness which had damaged his mental health.

I am aware that this is a departure from our normal blog content here at LG Gardening, but I think that so many people in this pandemic are suffering from terrible, crippling loneliness, that we should all pause and reflect. And then take action.

Could a phone call have prevented my Uncle’s suicide? Maybe I’ll never know. It’s been on my mind for the last week almost constantly, as I’m sure you can imagine.

I want to share with you, dear reader, that I wish to devote my 2021 to serving others who are suffering under the tyranny of loneliness. And I’ll ask you to join me in this task.

My brother, Dan, gave the most moving eulogy for our Uncle. It was, in my opinion, perfect in every particular. So, get ready to laugh and weep, my friends. I wanted to share it here, with you, as an honor to our Uncle Frank.

Eulogy for Francis Xavier Burns, Jr. – written by: Daniel Sestina

Francis Xavier Burns, Jr. Frank. Uncle Frank. Frank Junior. Frank the Tank. The Frankage. So many names, nicknames, memories, times, anecdotes and stories. So many people; friends, family members, random people have reached out to me with stories of laughter, fondness and condolences, shock and sadness.

I was fortunate to have spent so much time with my family and my extended family. I have so many memories. Being together with him. Our always lively Thanksgiving Day football matches, Easter Sunday running around at my Grandparents’ house looking for eggs and old Christmas music playing on records during the Holiday Season. I loved the Burns family reunions that we had almost every single August for years. I loved the stories that they told of our family history. I loved all the hard work that we did to prepare for the reunions. I remember Frank mowing the grass listening to music while he worked, either on his huge boombox or on his Walkman.

I remember looking up to him and all of my family members who were an inspiration to me in joining the military. He was always someone that I could level with especially as I got older, in my teens and my young adult life. I suppose we were so much alike in a lot of ways. Both very rebellious, stubborn, adventurous; both of us forged from the fires of our youth. We saw eye-to-eye on many things; long hair, grunge-style clothes; we probably looked as if we were in a band from Seattle. I remember him and my family coming to my soccer games. Even though he did not entirely understand the game, he cheered as if he was at the World Cup. Many hours were spent sitting on the porch and talking, listening to music in the cool summer evenings. All the stories of my Aunts and Uncles when they still lived in Cleveland, times that I only heard and never experienced firsthand. Stories where Frank once remarked after being punished by his father, “When I get big and you get little, I’m going to spank you!”

This year has been a mixed bag of unbelievably bad and very strange. From the onset of the pandemic, civil unrest and things we seldom see. Strange things like the Columbus Crew winning the MLS Championship, the Buckeyes headed to the College Football National Championship, and dare I say, the Browns in a Wild Card Playoff?!? Strange indeed. Coupled with a desperate world looking for a glimpse of Light at the end of the tunnel. All these things and more, Frank would have been ready to talk about, debate and ponder.

Frank’s hunger for knowledge led him to read an untold number of books…probably in the thousands. His ability to retain said knowledge was equally uncanny. The poor fella could barely walk and chew bubble gum, but his brain stored information like a hard drive. Now, anyone who knew Frank also knew that he was a rebel rouser. He loved to debate. About anything. Even if you were not interested in it. Chances were you were going to be wrangled into some sort of de facto discussion that had extreme undertones of an argument. Frank was a very smart guy, and often, incorrigible. There was a high probability that if he walked into a room, he was easily one of the smartest people there. He had all the hallmarks of intelligence too; often forgetting basic needs except for caffeine and nicotine. Contrary as he might be, he loved his family very deeply. His fondest memories were of times spent with loved ones. We often talked of those times and how we could not wait until we met again. Where we could once again sit and talk, face to face. He felt marooned in California. Far removed from what he cherished. He longed for his own Exodus, five years in the making. He was weary. And now, he is not. He has finally been led out of exile.

Frank was never short on humor or his ability to be entertaining. As avid fans of music, we went to concerts regularly. One time in particular, we were going to Columbus, Ohio for a live music outdoor festival. The drive to the concert was fraught with danger. Frank was attempting to read maps and navigate Interstate 71 simultaneously. Other motorists were expressing their displeasure with us. Hand gestures, yelling, horns, the whole nine yards.

“Frank, semi-truck!”

“Frank, semi-truck!!!”

“Whoops,” is all he replied.

Frank took in the atmosphere quite differently as well. At one point, the crowd was whipped to just short of a frenzy. A high energy song was announced next by the band. Our friends, Sean, and I readied for the chaos. But not Frank. He watched on as if he had heard nothing. We formed a make-shift shield wall like a Roman legion and suddenly the entire venue erupted into a swirling mass of fans. We braced for impact, but Frank was fully unaware of the now massive maelstrom swirling about. In about ten seconds flat…he became keenly aware. For about two minutes and forty-nine seconds, Frank appeared to be doing a new, bizarre form of burpees in twisted union with the other patrons…albeit inadvertently. He would grab his glasses and cup, struggle to his feet, leap up and then fall back down. We looked on helplessly from our strongpoint, like a herd of buffalos watching one of their own dancing with a pack of hyenas. When it was all over, Frank finally fixed his disheveled glasses peering down at his, now empty, grossly overpriced beer. He rather poignantly remarked, “I only had one sip of that beer. And I haven’t had grass stain on my knees since I was in the third grade.” The rest of the evening, he would only remark, “Oh, dear. Oh, dear.”

Bob Dylan was one of Frank’s favorites. “Blowin in the Wind” really stands out to me. The refrain, “The answer is blowing in the wind.” It seems that our struggles leave us weak and the solutions something ethereal, intangible, swirling around us. Unable to be acertained.

Do not believe it. I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit. Breathing new life into our lungs, the power to move us, even if It is not seen. Sometimes we feel like it’s hopeless. Well…that depends. What were you hoping in?

God’s grace and mercy and love is enough.

C.S. Lewis remarked, in his book, The Problem of Pain, “Mental pain is less dramatic than physical pain, but more common and harder to bear. The frequent attempt to conceal mental pain increases the burden: it is easier to say ‘My tooth is aching’ than to say ‘My heart is broken.'”

C.S. Lewis also said, “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.” Frank finally got to satiate his appetite for knowledge. He got to quench his thirst for justice. And he got to rest his weary heart in the Lord.

I will no longer be able to talk music, or sports or current events with Frank. By comparison all those things seem downright trite now. I would trade every song, every Championship, every Super Bowl, every World Series, every empty win, for one more day with him.

A book I started reading had this prayer in it, “Lord, I’m weary. I’m weary and tired. I’m discouraged. I don’t know how I’m going to do this again tomorrow. But I believe Your mercies are going to make this new when I wake up. I believe that I will never run out of Your steadfast love. I’m trusting that You have enough grace for me for what I face. I can rest now because I’m hoping in You.”

Frank, he had a lot to say. Sometimes, he had a lot of nothing to say.

And we’re going to miss him.

I’m going to miss you.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

Houseplant Wishlist 2021

Have you made a houseplant wish for 2021? I just made mine and it was harder than I would have thought. My house is at maximum capacity for plants at this point so any new plants that I buy come at the cost of getting rid of one of my other plants. There’s just no room left. So my list for this year is a short one, only six plants, but I think they’re pretty exciting.

#6 Wish list plant – Hoya deykeae

Isn’t she beautiful? This Hoya has leaves that almost have a heart shape and are oh so pretty. They have that lovely veining and if that isn’t enough, they have white splashes on the leaves as well. This Hoya is a looker. I wish that I could include photos at this point, but I don’t own these plants and I don’t really want to post photos that I don’t own the rights to so…sorry. If you type the plant name into Google, you’ll see loads of lovely photos.

#5 Wish list plant – Hoya gunung gading

This plant is one that I desire to own because of the colors it is capable of displaying. It can literally look like a rainbow. The leaves, under sun-stress conditions, will have red, purple, orange, brown and yellow colors as well as their beautiful jungle green (non-sun-stressed) color. Like the Hoya deykeae, this plant has strong dark veining and rather large paddle-shaped leaves.

#4 Wish list plant – Rhaphidophora decursiva

The only plant on my 2021 wish list that isn’t a Hoya is this one, the Rhaphidophora decursiva. If you Google this one for photos, make sure that you look up both the juvenile form and the mature leaf forms of this plant because they are different. Both are beautiful and both give me that lovely “jungle” feeling which is why I’m thinking that I must own one of these plants.

#3 Wish list plant – Hoya carnosa argentea ‘Princess’

This Hoya has beautiful variegated leaves with a silver sheen. The silver sheen is actually caused by the leaf cuticle which has a grayish cast. A few months ago, I didn’t even know that this Hoya existed. Now all I know is that I must own one. They’re highly sought after and impossibly expensive if you can even glimpse one for sale. I have literally no hopes of ever owning this plant. But that’s why they call it a “wish” list. Right?

#2 Wish list plant – Hoya ‘Larisa’

Larisa is a beauty that is similar to wish list plants #1 and #2. Her leaves are even larger though and this isn’t a Hoya that I will be trying to sun stress. I love the colors and markings on her leaves without any of the extras. Larisa’s leaves can vary from a deep dark green to a more lime green in color and have strong, dark veining. But it’s the big white splotches on top of the leaves that really draw me to this plant. I’m like a moth to a flame with this one.

#1 Wish list plant – Hoya carnosa ‘Nova Ghost’

Nova Ghost has leaves that are completely silver. She’s a true treat for the eyeballs. The leaves are fairly small and the silver leaf coloring on this Hoya is caused by a grayish colored cuticle, just as with the H. carnosa argentea ‘Princess’. Again, this rare Hoya is so sought after that I do not have any hope or expectations of owning it. Just get ready, my friend, because if you look this one up on Google, you’ll be adding it to your 2021 wish list too. Ha.

This has been terribly fun, but now I must go teach my sixth grader. Because that’s what I do now. Stay at home and teach sixth grade Math and Language Arts. Please…someone send chocolate!

Take care of yourselves and remember to give yourself goodness and kindness. We all can benefit from a little bit of mercy right now.

If you would like to see this blog in video form, check out my YouTube video 2021 Houseplants Wish List

Also, please don’t forget to like any of these blogs that have helped you (because that helps me). Also make sure that you have subscribed to this website so that you don’t miss any new content. Simply head to the bottom of the Home page of this website, click the Subscribe button and type in your email address. You don’t want to miss out, right?

Products I use and (therefore) recommend:

Planty friends – Feel free to use these links to the products that I use for my houseplants. I receive a small percentage of any sales through these links, so feel free not to use them if that bothers you. Like I said, I use all of these products, most of them daily which is why I feel like I can recommend them to you.

Horticultural 1/4” pumice
Horticultural perlite
Coco coir
Orchid Bark – Extra small chips
Orchid Bark – Small chips
Earthworm castings
Horticultural charcoal
Coco Loco potting mix
GE Balanced Spectrum grow light bulb
Monios-L LED grow lights
Hygrometer (humidity monitor)
Moisture meter sticks
Organic houseplant fertilizer liquid
Insecticide/Miticide – (many bug sprays don’t kill spider mites, this one does)
Systemic houseplant insecticide

Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

Grow Lights For Winter (or All Year Long)

I get asked about grow lights at least every other planty conversation I engage in. These days, it seems that almost all my conversations are plant-related. But that may be because I steer every conversation in the direction of my plants.

I’m not sorry.

My houseplants make me happy.

For those of you who just want links to products, those are at the end of this blog. Some or all of the links in this blog may be affiliate links.

My Hoya vitellina ‘Splash’ has taken on beautiful purple coloring under these grow lights.

If you are new to grow lights, I’m sure it seems like a daunting proposition. There are so many different styles of lights out there. I am writing this article about the grow lights that I use. It is not a comparison of all the options out there. But if that type of a blog interests you, make sure to comment below so that I know and can put that on the schedule for this coming year’s articles.

I have been using these lights for over a year and I am very pleased with the way my plants have grown under them. I do want to state that this grow light company is not sponsoring this blog in any way. I actually did reach out to them to ask if they would be interested in sponsoring this article or a YouTube video. I received no answer. Oh well…Let me tell you about the design advantages of these lights and the types of plants that I have been growing under them.

I have used different types of grow lights over the course of many years as a houseplants seller. As you can imagine, they all have pros and cons, but I am writing this blog to tell you about the lights that work the best for me. Those lights are called the Monios-L grow lights. They are LED chip lights and so are extremely energy efficient (24 watts to be exact). Despite being energy efficient, I have found them to put out a very bright light that keeps my plants actively growing and happy. One of the design elements that I really appreciate about these lights is that the LED chips are mounted in a V-shape. (Photo below.) This feature allows the light to be cast outward and not just straight down below the light fixture. Now maybe this doesn’t sound innovative to you, but I assure you, that has been one of my biggest complaints about grow lights for years. With the other lights I’ve used, I could only fit a very few plants beneath them and any other plants nearby would just start stretching to reach for the light and end up deformed and unsellable. Not good. The Monios-L lights are great because their design allows them to light twice as many plants compared to my other grow lights.

Another great advantage of these grow lights is that there are many different ways to set them up. They come with aluminum shades to direct the light into a certain direction. I don’t even attach these because, as I stated in the previous paragraph, I want the light to go everywhere. They can be mounted in different ways as well and come with mounting brackets and screws, double-sided sticky tape and zip ties to give you some options.

The last great advantage with these lights is that they come in a package of 6 two-foot lights. They come with connectors that can link the lights directly together. Two different types of cords are also included. The first type of cord is a 48″ cord that can connect the lights if you need space between them (for example: connecting a light on an upper shelf to a light on a lower shelf). And then there are 59″ cords that connect the lights to the power source. These cords are where the on/off switches are located. Photos of the cords and connector piece are below.

I should probably show you what plants I have growing under these lights, right? The majority of the plants I keep under these grow lights are Philodendrons and Hoyas. I also grow Rhipsalis and Epiphyllum, Ceropegia (String of Hearts), Chlorophytum (Spider plants), Calathea, Pothos, Epipremnum and some Peperomias under the same type of grow lights. Oh, and I’ve forgotten to add that I grow all of my succulents under these same grow lights also. Those include Haworthia, Albuca, Agave, Echeveria, Sempervivum, Aloe, Kalanchoe, Senecio, Lithops, Titanopsis and I’m sure there are others that I just can’t think of at the moment.

If it seems puzzling that I can keep Calatheas under the same grow lights as I keep my succulent plants, please let me explain. I do place my plants under grow lights very intentionally. If I have a plant like a Philodendron that wants bright light, but not light quite as bright as these lights put out, I simply place them near, but not directly under these Monios lights. Or if I have plant shelves that allow light to shine through, I can place the plants that need lower light a whole shelf below the grow light. That way the ambient light that filters through from the shelf above is just the right amount of light (Begonias love this trick). Or, I can simply raise the grow light higher above my plants to decrease the light intensity.

Conversely, with some plants like my Hoyas, I can lower the lights so that they are closer to the plants to bring out that beautiful sun-stressed (grow light-stressed) look that I love. My Hoya ‘Rebecca’ is a great example. See the photo below.

The Monios-L grow light is the only type of grow light that I use on my plants…with one exception. I do have one GE balanced spectrum grow light bulb in a desk lamp on top of one of my plant shelves. I have about five plants growing under it and it has done a great job. If you have a lamp or light fixture already and just need a grow light bulb, I highly recommend this one. Photo below.

L-R – Hoya matilde, Hoya rotundiflora, Philodendron ‘Silver Sword’, Hoya linearis and Philodendron ‘Rio’.

Because the GE bulb is a single light bulb, it obviously casts a smaller amount of light compared to my Monios lights (you can see one of them attached to the bottom of the shelf in this photo). But it has been taking care of the plants on this shelf for a year and they have all put on new growth and the Hoya matilde even gave me blooms. That’s basically the highest praise I can give a grow light.

I hope this blog has answered some plant lighting questions for you. If you have additional questions, I’d love to hear them. Please ask them in the comments below. Make sure to check out our other houseplants content on our A-Z list of blog articles. If you’d like to see this in a video form, here is our YouTube video Grow Lights for Winter (or All Year Long).

Take care, everyone!

Products I use and (therefore) recommend:

Horticultural 1/4” pumice
Horticultural perlite
Coco coir
Orchid Bark – Extra small chips
Orchid Bark – Small chips
Earthworm castings
Horticultural charcoal
Coco Loco potting mix
GE Balanced Spectrum grow light bulb
Monios-L LED grow lights
Hygrometer (humidity monitor)
Moisture meter sticks
Organic houseplant fertilizer liquid
Insecticide/Miticide – (many bug sprays don’t kill spider mites, this one does)
Systemic houseplant insecticide

Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

I Tried to Buy a Hoya Lisa – Ebay Failure

How many times must I purchase a Hoya on eBay before I learn my lesson? That is the question. The answer (apparently) is 2,459 times. Let me explain.

It’s simple, really. I saw some crappy pictures of a plant that I wanted and I pressed a button that says “Buy it now”. What I should have done was move on to a different listing. Or, when I saw that the photos of the plant made it difficult to see exactly what I was purchasing, I should have asked the seller for additional photos. Instead, I went against my better judgement and bought the plant.

I thought I was purchasing a Hoya australis ‘Lisa’, but I had some serious doubts when it arrived. Let me show you the plant I purchased compared to an actual Hoya australis ‘Lisa’.

The eBay Hoya is on the left, on the right is Hoya australis ‘Lisa’

Fortunately, I have an actual Hoya australis ‘Lisa’ that we can compare to the eBay plant. (You may be wondering why I was purchasing H. ‘Lisa’ if I already had one. I say to you, “Mind your own business!” Ha. But actually, I was hoping to plant the two together to make the two puny plants into a more respectable looking H. australis ‘Lisa’. Now you know.)

On the left in the photo, you’ll notice that the leaves have no shine. They are almost textured feeling and very thick like cardboard. On the right, the leaves of H. ‘Lisa’ are smooth, thin and almost rubbery feeling. Hmmmm…it’s not looking good so far.

Next, there is the obvious lack of pink coloration on the eBay plant. The H. ‘Lisa’ has bright pink colored new growth. I initially credited the lack of pink coloring to the fact that there is no new growth on the eBay plant.

Another rather obvious difference is leaf shape. The ‘Lisa’ has leaves that come to a point. The eBay plant has rounded leaves that come to a small, almost unnoticeable point.

The final clear identifier for the eBay plant is the white splashes that are sprinkled across the leaves. They look a bit like freckles. These are commonly found on a Hoya obovata. Along with the thick, rounded leaves that feel rather like cardboard and a complete lack of sheen on the leaf surface. It turns out, my eBay plant is a Hoya obovata variegata.

Although I really did want a Hoya australis ‘Lisa’, I came out way ahead financially on this mistake. The variegated version of a Hoya obovata is currently selling for at least twice as much as I paid for my eBay plant which was listed as Hoya ‘Lisa’. I have been wanting a variegated Hoya obovata since I very first laid eyes on one more than a year ago. So I am very pleased. But I did want to caution you, dear reader, about searching for your most desired houseplants online.

Purchasing plants online is a tricky business in the best of times. You must consider weather, the hardiness of the species of plant you are purchasing, and if you are on a marketplace website (for example, eBay or Etsy) it is an absolute must to pay close attention to the reviews of that shop/vendor. Do they package plants well? Are their plants generally healthy? Do the plants arrive as described or are there discrepancies from the listing information? And then there is the question of photos.

Frankly, I have found that navigating the photos of a plant listed on Etsy or eBay to be nightmarish. Many times a listing will have several photos of a full beautiful plant in a huge planter with foliage spilling all over the sides of its planter, then I read the description and it is for a one or two leaf cutting. Hmmmm… Many times the word “cutting” isn’t even included in the title of the listing. It is legal? Yes. Is that seller being ethical? It’s certainly a gray area, but I’m just gonna say it. No, it’s not ethical. On the listings in my own Etsy shop (Matilda & Clementine) I make sure that if I am selling a cutting, the featured photos are of cuttings. Not a whole plant. I usually put one or maybe two photos of the whole plant at the end of the photos, just so a buyer can see what their cuttings can become, but I don’t put those photos anywhere near the beginning of the photo carousel. Additionally, I believe that using the word “cutting” in the title of the listing is just as important to your buyers.

As a buyer, it is your right to request additional information or photos from a seller if a listing is confusing or unclear. Remember to give the seller a reasonable amount of time to respond to your message. Many sellers will respond almost immediately, but I think a day or two is a reasonable amount of time to wait. If the seller does not respond to your requests, you really should not purchase from him/her. The chances of a bad buying experience are very high if a seller is not willing to communicate with you.

I hope the take-away from this experience will be that we all proceed carefully when we buy plants online. My goal isn’t to scare you, only to give you some caution as you move forward. *I’m speaking to myself especially.* May the Force be with you.

I hope you enjoyed this blog. Make sure to check out our other Hoya content on our A-Z list of blog articles. If you’d like to see this in a video form, here is our YouTube video My Ebay Shopping Error. Also, make sure that you are subscribed to this blog so that you don’t miss any new content. Simply head to the bottom of the Home page of this website, click the Subscribe button and type in your email address.

I hope you are doing well.

Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.

A Tale of Two Rhaphis (Rhaphidophora tetrasperma)

This blog is a comparison of my two Rhaphidophora tetrasperma plants – one is a tissue culture Rhaphi and the other began its life as a stem cutting.

If you’ve been reading my blogs for a while you may remember an article I posted a year ago, questioning if I’d paid (a very handsome sum) for a Rhaphidophora but received a different plant. I had thought this because I had purchased a Rhaphi from a different vendor and the two plants just did not look very similar. (Here’s a link to that blog Rhaphidophora or Cebu Blue Pothos???).

It turned out that I did have two Rhaphis, but most of the plant world had not yet discovered the existence of “tissue culture Rhaphidophoras”. Here is a photo from October 2019 of the two plants next to each other.

On the left is TC Rhaphidophora and on the right is the stem cutting Rhaphidophora in October of 2019.

It’s fun to look back almost exactly a year. They were so little! Now it’s almost impossible to get a decent photo of either of these plants because I can’t get them in frame.

But let’s get back on track. A year after this photo was taken, the saga continues. My Rhaphis are continuing to act very differently from one another most especially in the way they are growing.

The tissue culture Rhaphidophora is massive, reaching up higher with each passing month. It has already outgrown the bamboo poles (in a tripod shape) I gave it when repotting a few months back. They are 4 foot poles and I guess I’m going to have to trade them in for some 6 foot poles. The leaves are still rather small but most of them have some fenestrations. See photo below.

The tissue culture Rhaphidophora – one year later.

In an attempt to make this plant look fuller, I have taken two stem cuttings and added them back in to the planter where they rooted and have begun growing.

My stem cutting Rhaphidophora has been rather a different story altogether. It is still barely reaching my waist and sits on a plant stand. So, no crazy growth story here. But…let me show you the size of the leaves it has been growing recently…

My rather large man-hand is looking small compared to these huge new leaves.

Oddly, they have been given almost identical growing conditions. Both are growing in Lechuza pon (a semi-hydro growing medium) and both are planted in Lechuza self-watering pots. They are in the same room, receiving very similar light. The only difference in light is that the stem cutting Rhaphi is fairly close to my Milsbo greenhouse cabinet and is probably enjoying some supplemental light from the grow lights in the cabinet. Here’s a photo of the full plant.

Not many leaves at all…but the ones she has are aaaahhhmazing!

I suppose the Rhaphidophora Rule in my household is, “Grow many small leaves or just a few massive ones. But not both.”

My planty friend, Michele Jones, pointed out to me that many plants grow very differently under the same growing conditions. Even some that are “sibling” plants taken from the same parent plants. And she’s absolutely correct. The differences I am observing in my house may have nothing at all to do with whether these plants began their lives as tissue culture or stem cutting plants. What do you think? (I’d love to hear your opinions, so be sure to comment under this article.)

And that’s all folks. I hope you enjoyed this follow up blog. Make sure to check out our other Rhaphidophora content on our A-Z list of blog articles. Also, if you’d like to see this in a video form, here is our YouTube video Comparing Tissue Culture Rhaphidophora to Stem Cutting Rhaphidophora.

P.S. If any of you want to send me a Rhaphidophora decursiva, you know…just to see if I can grow it, you just feel free to do so. Teehee.

Take care everyone!

Mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.