Originally posted by mary sue:
Well since I have a few questions I'm just going to lump them all together so I don't fill up the board...
don't worry about clogging the boards... it's actually easier if you ask one question at a time...
Originally posted by mary sue:
...My aloe vera was attacked by ants last week and several of the baby shoots were dislodged. Should I put them in water to regrow the roots like I've done with the spider plants etc. or should they be repotted with some hormonex....
succulents don't usually root well in water. give them a day or two to dry some, then pot them up with the rooting hormone. we also have a great
succulent section.
Originally posted by mary sue:
...My croton had a nervous breakdown because of temp changes while traveling and I cut it back. I can't tell if it would be considered green when I scratch the bark or not. Underneath the bark it is wet to the touch....
it is probably still ok. i'd just water sparingly and watch for new growth.
Originally posted by mary sue:
...My poinsettia also had a nervous breakdown while i was on vacation, although it wasn't travelling, and dropped all of it's leaves. From what I read that may be normal but I don't know for sure so I cut it back as well which I'm not sure if that was a no no or not do u think it will make it?...
don't know about the poinsettia, i'd ask that in a separate question
Originally posted by mary sue:
... My dracena did too and the roots ended up rotting thanks to the ants and whatever my husband did while I was gone....
you can definitly cut it back, use the rooting hormone and stick it in new soil, it will grow if there is any life left in the stalk.
Originally posted by mary sue:
...My prayer plant I rather like but it doesn't fill up the entire pot so I was wondering if cutting it would encourage growth and what would also be a good plant for filler to mix with it?...
i'd not mix anything in it, just cut it back, and place the cuttings in with the mother. they root pretty easily.
Originally posted by mary sue:
...My phyllonopsis (spelling) orchid has started some new root growth and I was wondering if now would be the time to start fertilizing it? I'm shocked it's growing at all but hey maybe I'm getting lucky....
i don't know anything about orchids either, that's another one for a new topic
Originally posted by mary sue:
...I also bought this sad sad looking bromeliade because the price was right and the "flower" stalk thing was already starting to die so I wanted to know where to cut it back at the top where it's brown or towards the base. I don't want to make the mistake I did with the orchid and cut the whole thing off and then not have it grow back....
same as my answer for orchids...
Originally posted by mary sue:
...And lastly, for the moment anyways, Our house came with a holiday cactus which ALL of my neighbors also have growing in their little kitchen windows which is odd to me since every other house has the kitchen window on the opposite side but they all have these brilliant blooming gigantic cactuses whereas mine I killed all but 2 little stalks. My question is that the tip of one fell off into my little humidity dish (dish with rocks and water) and it has sprouted some roots. Now what do I do with this? Do I lay it in some dirt like my Jade plants or do I actually bury the roots under some dirt?...
i'd do it like the jade, except i'd just sprinkle a little dirt over the roots.
Originally posted by mary sue:
...Thanks so much for your patience. I guess like all purchases, research should have been done first before rushing out and buying all these great green things.
oh, but that is the beauty of
plants, most of them tolerate our mistakes while we learn to love them the right way!