Succulent Window, RIP Tummy

By TheJenny, Guest Blogger

So, I've begun filling in the window box in the bathroom with cacti and succulents. I cannot put any "regular" house plants in the window because one of my cats is very mouthy cat and will chew on everything leafy. So poky spiny things and unchewable succulents it is!

Against all better judgment, I used pretty glass jars and containers for the plants. This is inadvisable because the containers do not have drain holes. So I will need to be extremely careful in the future to not let these small plants get waterlogged and rot. Perhaps I shall water them with an eyedropper. But all the glass is pretty and sparkly and it makes for a nice vignette.

Yet I still sort of hate it too, because it reminds me of what's no longer in the window box. Our cat, Tummy, used to lounge in that window every day, and she passed away earlier this year. The growing things are a remembrance of our sweet cat.

Neolauchea Pulchella Orchid

The only reason I know the name of this orchid is because it has a tag nailed to the back of it! This is yet another plant I picked up at the Sacramento Orchid Show back in the spring. I only have a small area in the window that is orchid friendly, but this one hangs! So, no need for extra space! Yes, I can rationalize with the best of them.

It is currently hanging off a little stump of a branch on the avocado tree that lives in the same windowsill. It loves it there. I run it under cool water ever couple of days, then hang it back up to drip into the avocado - it's a win, win.

I've never had this type of orchid, and it is supposed to grow like a weed. So far, that's true. It just keeps expanding those little weedy stems and shooting out tiny, papery roots. It's great fun to have since it's novel little thing. If I can get it to bloom, I'll post some pictures.

Air Plants!

By TheJenny, Guest Blogger

Meet Gilbert and Ursula, our air plants. We found them at our local Home Depot. I'm not sure why they get names and plants sitting in dirt do not. We'll blame Bob, he started it by naming Gilbert. They live in the fantastic kitchen window, always just outside of the direct sunlight. Once a week the air plants get a 12 hour bath (hence the pictures of them in their orange "hot tubs"). Bob has threatened to take Gilbert to work with him because he is so portable.

When we first got Gilbert, I would find him around the house, wherever Bob had left him, on the table, on the sofa, etc. This stopped fairly quickly as we have a kitty that is quite fond of chewing on all plant life. Air plants are bromeliad tillandsia, and as I have read, if we keep them happy, someday they will bloom for us. Wish us luck!

Gilbert

Ursala