These A. malherbei seedlings are now 9 months old. After a long time of growth-stop during the colder months they've recently started growing again and look how fat and meaty the leaves are! :)
My favorite Aloinopsis. Your seedlings look so plump and soft, and the leaves like little green paws reaching up to greet you. Very nice looking seedlings. At this stage mine usually took on a grey green, sometimes with a little red or purple coloration. Of course mine A. malherbei had to endure a lot of direct sunlight and my irregular watering schedule - actually there was no schedule, they got watered whenever I had time. But, they again endured, most mesembs are tough plants. Maybe only the adromischus are tougher. With the sunlight increasing how often do you find you are watering a pot like this, with four A. malherbei seedlings? I would guess the pumice dries out relatively fast as the plants receive more sun? Wow, if you had more sun, your collection would be spectacular. It's nice now, but more sun would be like magic. Good growing.
Good to know :) I guess mine is A. rubrolineata because the one specimen I have is such a grateful plant and the flower last year was so beautiful. I have an adult A. malherbei as well but it never grows such fat leaves (and also never flowers). It is kinda okay, growing new leaves and, well, not dying. :D Looks fine, too (imo). But the seedlings are so filled with life compared to it! Maybe it's just their teenage charm :) Or maybe this is the merit of growing plants from seed instead of buying ones that have grown somewhere else and still don't really accept the new environment and conditions even after a couple of years. One of these seedlings is now growing a side-branch which is always a reason for joy for me.
Uff... I maybe water them once a week..? The picture was taken after watering so the leaves are "full" and spreaded. When they are thirsty they fold to the middle and get wrinkles. SInce at this age I am not interested in "maintaining the form" yet I give them water as soon as they ask for it. When they've accumulated more mass (and more leaves) I will reduce the waterings and let them get accustomed to less water so that they keep the compact form. At least that's the plan :) You're right, pumice dries quickly so that as long as the plants receive a lot of sunlight (and heat) there is almost no danger of overwatering. First water and then suddenly several rainy-gloomy days can be dangerous though...
More room and more sun for my plants is such a dream! Thank you for encouraging me.
My favorite Aloinopsis. Your seedlings look so plump and soft, and the leaves like little green paws reaching up to greet you. Very nice looking seedlings. At this stage mine usually took on a grey green, sometimes with a little red or purple coloration. Of course mine A. malherbei had to endure a lot of direct sunlight and my irregular watering schedule - actually there was no schedule, they got watered whenever I had time. But, they again endured, most mesembs are tough plants. Maybe only the adromischus are tougher. With the sunlight increasing how often do you find you are watering a pot like this, with four A. malherbei seedlings? I would guess the pumice dries out relatively fast as the plants receive more sun? Wow, if you had more sun, your collection would be spectacular. It's nice now, but more sun would be like magic. Good growing.
ReplyDeleteGood to know :) I guess mine is A. rubrolineata because the one specimen I have is such a grateful plant and the flower last year was so beautiful.
DeleteI have an adult A. malherbei as well but it never grows such fat leaves (and also never flowers). It is kinda okay, growing new leaves and, well, not dying. :D Looks fine, too (imo). But the seedlings are so filled with life compared to it! Maybe it's just their teenage charm :)
Or maybe this is the merit of growing plants from seed instead of buying ones that have grown somewhere else and still don't really accept the new environment and conditions even after a couple of years.
One of these seedlings is now growing a side-branch which is always a reason for joy for me.
Uff... I maybe water them once a week..? The picture was taken after watering so the leaves are "full" and spreaded. When they are thirsty they fold to the middle and get wrinkles. SInce at this age I am not interested in "maintaining the form" yet I give them water as soon as they ask for it. When they've accumulated more mass (and more leaves) I will reduce the waterings and let them get accustomed to less water so that they keep the compact form. At least that's the plan :)
You're right, pumice dries quickly so that as long as the plants receive a lot of sunlight (and heat) there is almost no danger of overwatering. First water and then suddenly several rainy-gloomy days can be dangerous though...
More room and more sun for my plants is such a dream! Thank you for encouraging me.