I actually feel bad calling them seedlings. After all they are now 2,5 years old and adult-looking in size and shape. All they need is to finally flower. But none of my own seedlings has flowered yet so I don't dare hope.
You really get best plants if you grow them from seed. It might take long but the results are worth it. Strong and healthy, perfectly shaped and colored, they never went through the acclimatization pain. They just grow as they grow and are happy with what they've got. Something to be envious about.
You can look up their progress by clicking on the "seedlings 2010" tag below.
Schicke "Bromfieldiis" hast du da! (Wenn andere hier Russisch schreiben, darf ich auch Deutsch schreiben! ;o) )
ReplyDeleteToo true what you write about acclimatization pain! I manage only to keep a fraction of purchased plants! Growing from seed is much more rewarding for me though there is trouble with certain species as well! B-(
It looks you need greenhouse conditions when you obtain plants from nurseries. Well, YOU prove this statement wrong with your plants, Rika. ;-) Somehow your conditions don´t seem to differ so muchly from greenhouse conditions. ^^ Growing Lithops outside are harsher conditions as in a greenhouse I´d state - particularly as Northern Germany (Bremen to be exact) is unfortunately too cold at daytime for most of the year! :-(
Sincerely
Andy
Klar darfste Deutsch schreiben ;)
DeleteYep, it's always difficult to make adult plants that were bought from nerseries like your conditions. I had my losses, too. But you're right, my sunny windowsill is like a greenhouse sometimes. It can get really hot, too. So hot I can't stand near, but the plants can take this much heat and sunlight for the whole day, it's amazing! I wouldn't want to grow them outside though. When I move to an another appartment, I'll need south windows or a paned balcony....
Hi Rika,
Deleteme again! *lol* I am puzzled again that Lithops under your conditions can stand heat! When I´ve had my plants below the South-West facing roof window in Paderborn they were rather cooked (an Optica acf. 'Rubra' C 81A turned pale green from violet just overnight after a sunny day of 41°C! 8-O ) Also my Otzenianas collapsed. So I had to remove them from that window! The C 81A was mush a few days later! B´(
Currently I only have C 287´s which look reasonably happy on my balcony. :o) I have diverse Bromfieldii v. insularis at the moment as well which don´t renew their leaves this year but else look okay. The question is: How long will they look okay... :-S
Cheers
Andy
I've never had burned lithops or other sun/heat related enjuries. Moreover, I think they like the heat very much. :) I grow freshly hatched babies and adult plants all under the same temperature and light conditions (I cover up seedlings for months with see-through cover to prevent the substrate from drying up and seedlings from burning. I know others keep the cover only until they've germinated. I'm too lazy to spray several times a day.). If they feel too hot they just bury themselves under the stones. Also, I water them very often when it's hot. Sometimes even every day a little. They get wrinkled by the evening, but firm after the night. No idea about the optica and otzeniana though, I don't grow those... Maybe they're too sensitive.
DeleteMaybe when you buy grown-ups they aren't accustomed to heat yet and have to be introduced to it gradually? I never do that either though... I only have one place for them all to grow XD No areas for any introductions XD
Have you picked inside? Are there new leaves coming up?
The habitants of the first pot are especially wonderful! I like Bromfieldii and also have two of them but C279.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Bromfieldii are very grateful plants. I hope to grow more of them someday in the future. My goal with these guys is to make them flower...
DeleteLooking forward to your next blog entries ;)