Focusing on the positive (8 pics)

It's been a while. I'm still here, just trying to sort some things out in my life and get a clearer view on it. It's not easy.

What else is not easy? Growing plants bug-free and healthy in an environment that just bets against me every time. I have disposed of several plants that were either too tasty to bugs or couldn't grow well on a windowsill. Some species just need a better climate (greenhouse) to grow well in the long run and I am not able to give them that at the moment. I admit defeat. Better not to dwell on it though but focus on the positive results instead and try to make them even better. 

Adromischus, for example have been doing fine this year. This red-ish specimen has expanded a lot thanks to the fact that it was not flowering. It is always a compromise here: If the plant is flowering all summer it is not growing new leaves and if it is growing leaves there is no strength left to grow that huge flower stalk. At least that's what I noticed on the windowsill. And I think I prefer new leaves over flowers in this case. This Adromischus marianae v. herrei had a nice red color after last year's winter. The new leaves should turn from green to red in a couple of months too, I suppose.

There is also finally some progress on the leaf cuttings.

Aloinopsis schooneesii, like any Aloinopsis in my experience, is constantly fighting bugs. Nevertheless, it has been growing new leaves and branches. This plant started as a three-leaf-set seedling, growing sets of 3 leaves for a while even after having developed a regular looking side branch. This year it suddenly grew a set of five leaves and then 2 sets of 3 leaves from out of it. This plant is full of surprises.

No surprises with lithops. Most of my plants are already showing new leaves but it will take months for them to fully digest the old leaves. I think I need to support them more with fertilizer next year. Normally I do not use any but if the weather allows it might be beneficial. They seemed kinda weak to me this past year. 

Also, just wanted to show you this little Sedum multiceps. I got it several months back. Normally I don't grow Sedums but this one was too cute. Apparently you can trim it into a bonsai tree.

Mites and darkness (9 pics)

It has not been the best year for succulent growers in my area. It has not been cold in winter, it has not been hot in summer. It has been just dark and gloomy all year. When sunny days are rare it means there is not much watering. If waterings are rare there's not much growing. Except for spider mites. Those grow nicely when it's dry. At some point I moved Delospermas outside (those are the most tasty) which improved the situation. But I still find mites on my plants occasionally (and kill them on site with my bare hands) and the damage is visible: nibbled leaves, weakened plants. I hope next year is sunnier and better all in all and the plants can recover.

My favorite and oh so perfect Frithias I was so proud of look like this now. It takes them so long to grow those leaves. Much time will pass until they've outgrown the bite marks. Assumed the attack is over. And yes, I've been spraying a lot which has contributed to the damage on some plants I think.

But Aloinopsis got the most of it. The below two are goners.

This one might recover (very big might) but judging by the size of the newest leaves it is extremely weakened by the overall conditions last year. Maybe I should stop growing Aloinopsis all together or just keep a couple of plants as mite-distraction.

The Antimima pumila started very well and then got bitten. I think it will recover though, after the next resting period. It's a bit elongated, too...

Same as these Titanopsis seedlings. Bugs plus spray plus sudden sunlight equals burn marks in addition to everything else. They should be fine with the new leaves coming. But it pains me to see them so ugly.

I know I might be exaggerating. After all it's just a couple of plants that are beyond saving, out of hundreds. But the lack of sunlight is visible to me in all the green-ness everywhere.

Sure, this cute Titanopsis calcarea is growing flowers (thank you planty!) and I did my best to keep it compact through this dark dark year but the green color says it all. 

PS: Sorry for the dusty pics.

PPS: This got too depressing. I'll be posting about my feel-good plants Anacampseros next :)

Quick update on some plants (9 pics)

I've been a little busy but plant-watching on weekends is a MUST. So here are some observations :)

The little Aloinopsis schooneesii have started to grow after a winter pause. This one is still growing sets of three leaves.

I tore of a piece of my Crassula ausensis ssp. titanopsis and it rooted even though I haven't expected it to do so. Nature finds a way.

There were two Deilanthe plants, both quite large. One has managed to successfully downsize while the other failed at it and eventually died. I strongly believe that when we buy rather large adult plants somewhere their survival depends on whether they can reduce their size. This goes mostly for lithops but some other mesembs as well.

I bough more Delosperma planties. D. sutherlandii this time :)

Mitrophyllum grande are digesting old leaves. Just a little more and they're done. Soon the new leaves will break through!

I haven't watered my Conophytums for a very long time (since November maybe?) and a couple of them are already through with the leaf change. A bit early, isn't it? The new leaves are already showing and I'm not sure whether I should start watering soon... Should I?

The Frithis humilis seedlings look great and enjoy the sun. Still no flowers though.

Aloinopsis malherbei fails to flower (3 pics)

Do you have any advise or explanation? I can't figure out what these guys are missing. They've been starting flowers, then drying them off and replacing them with leaves... And then start all over again. It's been going on for so long with both seedlings and my adult plant that I've come to see it as normal. Still, I'd really like to actually see the flowers develop and open someday. I water them well (no fertilizer since months though).

Aloinopsis luckhoffii babies (2 pics)

I didn't expect my Aloinopsis luckhoffii seedlings to live this long but here they are, almost one year old. They've started developing side shots recently.

(Btw, I think my camera is making the plants look greener than they are.)

Under my conditions the adult plant grows in a pace that makes me wonder every couple of months whether there will be new leaves sometime in the future or not. There usually are but no guaranties. It looks well and everything but I don't feel that it's really flourishing. (Not a well focused pic, I know)

Aloinopsis flowers (3 pics)

Both flowers have opened this weekend and I'm especially glad to see that the Aloinopsis rubrolineata has found the strength to develop its flower on the first try this year. 

The Aloinopsis rosulata is relatively new on the windowsill but seems to have accepted the new conditions. It needs more light but since it is so big I can not put it in the middle of the windowsill. It has to make do with the morning sun only. Seems to be enough for flowering though.

Today's flower buds (3 pics)

The newest flower buds have developed to a considerable size by now and should hopefully open soon. Flowering is not very frequent occurrence for me so to have so many potential flowers this season is pretty exciting! Unless they drop... I saw it happen a lot, so... For now, fingers crossed.

Aloinopsis rubrolineata looks like its flower will make it on the first try this year. Should they actually flower in summer? I always thought they did it in the fall and winter but okay. The Titanopsis Group book says the flowering is in winter and spring. Last year this plant was growing and drying up flowers in summer until it finally bloomed in late November.

This Aloinopsis rosulata is relatively new on the windowsil, I got it in March. The acclimation is going very well so far, a lot of new growth and always good reaction to water. It needs a sunnier spot but it is unfortunatelly too big to stand in the middle.

And finally Prepodesma orpenii! My other plant is growing flowers too but they are way too small and it is uncertain they will ever develop fully. In case they do I'll try to gather and store pollen from this one when it opens.

Three-leaf-schooneesii update

Just a little update on the Aloinopsis schooneesii seedling, now one year old, that grows in three leaf sets. This is the 4th set so far ;)

(Click to enlarge)

Aloinopsis peersii (3 pics)

I got these two Aloinopsis peersii back in November 2013 and was really worried they won't get acclimated. You see, they are quite big and fat and meaty and under my conditions plants grow compactly. Each time I purchase a "fat" plant it has huge problems downsizing. Especially Lithops simply don't make it through regeneration in these cases. On the photo below you still can see the large fat leaves I got it with but all the new ones, grown at my place, are much smaller and more fitting and appropriate. They grow in a 7x7x10cm container and are downsizing gradually and in a healthy manner. There are many side branches, too :)

This plant's special feature is the fluffiness of the leaves. Yes, they are as soft as they look ;)

The picture below was taken last November.  Check out those carrot roots! I think with these guys watering from the bottom would make sense but I water them from above and it seems to be fine.

Aloinopsis spatulata

I got this plant in December as a "blind buy" and it was half dead when it arrived. Unfortunately all the specialized nurseries out there, online as well as printed catalogue based, don't let buyers see the plants they buy. You have to just hope they'll pick a healthy and strong plant for you. It's rarely the case. Why should they? For this reason I prefer ebay when I buy plants - what you see is what you get. Anyway, I didn't expect the plant below to survive, it was small, had a lot of dry leaves and the growing points were damaged. From the overall shape I could barely tell it was an A. spatulata at all. Basically I just put it in a pot with some other plants and forgot about it. It wasn't until recently that it flipped back into consciousness and suddenly started growing new leaves and branches. I'll have to do something about the long leaves to bring it into a proper, spatulata-appropriate shape but I'm hopeful. With a sunnier spot on the windowsill and a tougher watering schedule it will eventually be a happy  and handsome plant. It has already earned itself an own container :)

Little A. schooneesii monster

This little guy is doing some serious out-of-the-box thinking :D

"Wait... I didn't know I could do that. Let's try it again.. Ha! Nice!"

Side-branch compilation (6 pics)

I'm always excited when my plants develop side shoots, doesn't matter if this is a new lithops head or a new branch on other mesembs. While with some plants it happens a lot and is almost overwhelming with my limited space (Rhinephyllum and Stomatium are going crazy) in the normal case, for me, is it is quite rare. Therefore I'm always on the look-out for new side shoots and when I find one it absolutely makes my day, if not week :D

I've shown you this Aloinopsis malherbei over on twitter before. Here it is again, 10 months old and growing a "secondary" set of leaves.

Here is a Prepodesma. Lately I've reduced watering to bring out the tan (photos soon).

Rabiea expanding.

Not a mesemb but there's a whole line of new growth along its side. I'm waiting for the flowers to develop :)

Younger Titanopsis primosii is also getting more bushy.

My older plant is already a "tree" and the color is amazing!

A. schooneesii growing (3 pics)

Here is another perfect seedling, ten months old. The others are doing well, too. Unlike the one tiny seedling you can see in the left corner of the photo below (same age btw) the others are only slightly smaller than this kid. Hope the root is getting fatter as well. Love the darker color! ☆

Can you spot the side branch? ;)

My adult plant is growing new leaves, too. It is slightly elevated to give the leaf-ball more room to spread. I guess the leaves would have spread more horizontally if the caudex was buried from the start but I've received it already as a ball last year and I kinda like it :D