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Friday, January 1, 2010

What growing and showing on this New Years morning?

Happy 2010 everybody!

I woke up at 8am, started the coffee, and decided to take a few early morning pics for you from my little plot in the world...my little homestead (I like to call it)! Hee hee hee!

I realized when I got outside to my strawberry pot full of kalenchoe...that it has to take the first place ribbon for the plant that has been a continual source of joy for me throughout 2009 and beyond! It is entertaining...changes colors from green, to red, to purple, to blue. It makes new little leaves on the edges of it's own leaves, which is always a delight to see! It is a very invasive plant and still speads like the dickens, if not contained properly. Even after I moved it into the pot here, I still have to weed more of this stuff out of my succulent tires constantly. Sometimes I will leave it in with my other sux, because it will be at a size and state of lovliness, that it will compliment the tire, but when they get too large, generally, I have to go in and pull them all out (they start to get on my last nerves)! I throw the stuff I pull out, over along the fence, and it will not root over there ...too much shade and not the right soil, I suppose. That is fine with me!!! Anyway...it just occured to me that I believe if I could have just one succulent plant, this would be my choice, which is really saying something for this fella!!!


The collards are about ready to transplant now! Maybe I can get that done this weekend.

This little aloe sits outside on one of my tables with Buddha! Buddha will not give up his Mardi Gras beads...they make him very happy!

My succulent bowl I planted up about 1 year ago looks like a vision of perfection right now! I always dread when they start to outgrow and the pruning must begin! I need to take a few to the greensmarket to sell one day!

Two flowers are starting to open on the Christmas Cactus. I have a few sort of peachy/beige buds on the white one, and one of those is opening first, along with a pink! Nice show for the first day of the year, guys!!! LOL!

And last, but certainly not least...I decided to try and grow a pineapple from a top. I read online that you can trim it down and get all of the pineapple fruit off and place the stalk in a glass of water and in two weeks you will have an abundance of roots. I know, I think MOST people lay them out to dry for a week, and then plant in soil...but I decided to try this method and see what happens...plus I have the added bonus of having it in my windowsill to watch up close!

I hope you all will find so much happiness, love, hope, stress relief, and just plain JOY for this year just being around your plants!!!
xoxo- Julie

14 comments:

Teri said...

I just love visiting you and your garden Julie. Always such beauty.
I hope your 2010 brings you lots of happiness and makes all your dreams come true!
You are such a sweetie with your kind words and I am so happy we are friends!!!!

Chris said...

Happy New Year Julie!
Your photos are such an inspiration to me! I think I'll head over to my favorite nursery tomorrow and plant a succulent dish garden for myself. I still need some of those Table Aeoniums...

Snippety Gibbet said...

You have the most healthy looking plants. Mine are sitting here grumbling that they want to come live with you. jan

Kimmie said...

Happy new year! Your plants are so pretty!

Bethany said...

Oh Julie, thanks for all these beautiful pics, the info, the energy and joy with which you bring to your writing, your love of life and plants. I really needed this today. You made me happy. That little sux (you taught me this word!) is divine. I think I need one now.
Happy New Year to you.

marianne said...

Hi Julie!
Happy New Year!!!
What gorgeoyus pictures, love that kalanchoe, haven seen that one before, it is wonderful/
But that picture of you and emily! So precious.
Wishing you a year full of happiness! Lots of beautiful moments with your grandchildren. And I hope you will restore your balance. No more colds and more energy!

love
>M<

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Hi Julie, A lot of my succulents look pitaful now. Not enough light in my house. I don't know why I even bother with them except they look great in the summer.

Your buddah might as well keep his beads on he will need them in no time. Time marches on.

Unknown said...

Hi Julie
Love looking at yr photos. Love those succulents :)

Happy New Year!

Evelyn

walk2write said...

Julie, those sux plantings are charming (love that word!). I think you could sell a ton of them at the market. Happy New Year to you and your family!

Darla said...

I just got my first tire and can't wait to plant it!! I cut the top off of a pineapple one spring and stuck in directly in the ground...it grew.

My Little Family: said...

Happy New Year!

I am anxious to see how the bromeliad turns out. I grew one many years ago - like in high school so I am surprized I even remember it. LOL

Linda Cline said...

I like the little plantletts on the edges of your kalanchoe. I wonder if mine will grow that way also. I just have one small kalanchoe in a pot inside. I will have to try planting a cutting outside when it gets a little bigger.

Ezhilan said...

Wish you a Great and Happy New Year! I like these plants with leaves having different shapes. Nice collection of plants!

Mary said...

I'm so jealous you can keep all those plants all year! My succulents didn't get brought in this year and several of them died the death. Oh well... I guess its not like I don't have enough plants. ;) Happy New Year Julie!