Splitting Succulents

I've seen all sorts of pins on Pinterest about splitting succulents and I've done it before but more in a "I broke something off and stuck it in the dirt in the off change it would root" kind of way.

So I thought I would finally take a stab at doing it intentionally. A bunch of my plants were getting leggy and needed to be repotted, split or cut down. I cut everything that was too long and pulled leaves off then trimmed the remaining stalk. I laid them out so that their cut ends could dry out - about a week.

A few leaves dried out right away so those won't work. But many others survived. I just laid them on a tray of damp cactus soil and lo and behold they started sprouting! Some are sprouting with full plants while others are just shooting off roots. Either way, I have a little factory going. I'll update as I can!

Drying out the cut ends.

A whole lot of aloe that was over grown.

Tiny little roots and a wee little plant!

Tiny Flowers

When I was little I loved picking wildflowers especially the tiny little ones that most people consider weeds. Using the 10x macro Olloclip I was able to take some photos of my favorites while I was at Sea Ranch. So cute!

Tiny Things on Rocks

On a recent trip to Sea Ranch I took my Olloclip 10x & 15x macro iPhone lens. It was great fun to see some of the smallest living things on rocks in a larger format. So cute!

Another Year of Orchids

I'll always be excited to see my orchids rebloom even if they do it every year. 

20 Year Old & Rootbound

This plant has been living in the same spot for eight years just growing longer and becoming more tangled. Even when we moved in, I couldn't get it out of its seashell hanger that I bought at a roadside stand. As far as I can remember, I got this plant in college which makes it about 20 years old. Dear god, 20 year old tropical plant!

Do plants have a natural lifespan?

Well, if so, this one is geriatric. It started to have a few yellow leaves, which was unusual so it was obviously time to repot it. And of course, I had to 1) get past the foliage to even find the damn hanger rod, 2) shake it our ruthlessly and spend 30 minutes trying to untangle it, 3) cut the seashell hanger apart just to get it out.

I couldn't get it all the way untangled, but once I had it somewhat stretched out it was over 20 feel long. After some fresh soil, fertilizer and cutting off some roots it seems a little happier. If nothing else, all the dead bits are off, it's in a new metal hanger and just as tangled as it was before. Oh well. Once all the leaves turn out toward the light, it will look fresh and fluffy.

Light Therapy

My giant ficus does really well and usually doesn't have any leaf drop, which they are known for. Except when its a long dark winter. Then it gets unhappy. So, emergency light therapy is in order. Bright light, daily turning and it seems a wee bit happier.

Winter Blooms

It is the dead of winter, we've had a cold snap or two, some huge rainstorms and yet I have a smattering of winter blooms. Two geraniums, a succulent, oxalis and rosemary. I'm really not sure what they are doing but at least they are keeping one little Anna's Hummingbird happy this winter.

Flaming Katie Geranium

Senecio Articulatus

Oxalis

Rosemary

Vancouver Centennial Geranium