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Reviving houseplants by cutting them back

11/22/2014

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wandering jew
Photo by Eexlebots/Flickr
My Wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina) was beginning to look a lot like the one in the picture lately, with long scraggly vines and wide spacing between the leaves. To be honest, mine looked worse than the one in the picture, but I couldn't find one that looked as sad as mine did. I still got compliments on it because the vines were several feet long, but I knew my plant had seen better days.


It was suffering from too little attention and water and not enough sunlight. I began to pinch back the growing tips on the vines, but it still looked sad and disheveled so I did the only thing left to do and cut it all back. I'll admit I felt a twinge of pain when the scissors cut through the vines and they coiled in a mass in the counter, but I know it is the only way to revive my plant and bring it back to its original luster.

I trimmed the cuttings back to 2 to 3 inches and dipped them in rooting powder. I then tucked them into the pot with the original plant. Within a few weeks I should have a massive plant with thick, dense foliage - at least that is my plan. 


If your houseplants are struggling to thrive this winter, don't be afraid to cut them back and give them an opportunity to send out new foliage. They may look a little unsightly for a few weeks, but they will reward you with lush new growth.




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Holiday Plants: Christmas vs Thanksgiving Cactus

11/21/2014

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Picture


Last week when I visited Hannafords, I discovered a delightful little cactus loaded with brilliant pink buds. Without giving it much thought, I assumed it was a Christmas Cactus (Schlumbera gerabridgesii). When I got it home and took a closer look, I discovered that it was a Thanksgiving Cactus (Schlumbergera truncata).

I was given some 'slips' (cuttings) of a Christmas Cactus this summer. The plant is growing well, but I'm not sure if it will bloom this year. I'll admit, I've never grown either a Thanksgiving or a Christmas Cactus and never thought to get one. Probably because they are rather plain except for when they are in bloom. 

My mother had a Christmas Cactus and loved it dearly. I didn't understand the attraction then, but as I see this little plant get ready to bloom, I'm beginning to understand. As you can see in the image above the two look very similar except for the shape of the leaf segments. 


                                                                    Until Next Time  . . . HAPPY GARDENING!
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Forced poinsettias are starting to turn color

11/20/2014

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variegated pink poinsettia
Variegated Pink Poinsettia by liz west/Flickr
I have been putting my poinsettias in darkness for 12 to 14 hours a night for several weeks. I have a 6-year-old red one and a 3-year-old variegated pink one similar to the picture above. I was not successful in getting them to bloom last year because I wasn't devoted enough to give them the darkness they needed. I'm hoping I have solved that problem this year. 


It may be too soon to tell, but I think I can see tinges of red on the large one tonight. If I manage to force them into blooming they will be a spectacular sight. The oldest stands close to 4-feet tall and the youngest is about 2 1/2 feet tall. 


I'm thinking I need to add another color to my collection this year, but I haven't decided what color I want. 



                                                                            Until Next Time .... HAPPY GARDENING!
UPDATE (11/23): It's only been 3 days since my post and I'm happy to say that I now have several small red leaves on the red poinsettia. The variegated pink poinsettia has a few leaves that are beginning to look a little splotchy. I assume they are beginning to change color and should be showing some pink soon!
Update 11/27: I see pink! That's right folks, my variegated pink poinsettia is showing a hint of pink today. The red one has tons of tiny red leaves. I'm not sure if only new leaves change color when you force poinsettias or if the leaves will grow large enough to be really showy, but I'm doing the happy dance today! 
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  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • Grow Your Own Amazing Pomato Plant - Tomatoes on the Top and Potatoes on the Bottom
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
      • Control Blister Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables