replacements

I waited a week before putting new sweet potato vine cuttings on the window tank. This was mostly for the new roots to grow just long enough to touch the water. They're growing out quickly now.

Few other pics from inside the tank- I trimmed out all the older bolbitis fronds last maintenance day. The new young fronds look so pretty.

Young leaves of crypt M are getting bigger!

Parent plant has sprouted another new leaf.

Other reason I waited a week to replace coleus on the back of the tank with sweet potato- I wanted to see if it was an insect causing the plant to look pale, would it die out or move off before I put sweet potato there. Maybe I was right- the nearest houseplant, false aralia, suddenly looked sick just a few days ago. Drooping, pale leaves with dusty splotched appearance. I pulled the worst stem, soap/oil sprayed the others. Just got worse. Decided to dump the plant, before the ill spread. Noted the pot didn't have good drainage and the roots were cramped, hadn't grown out into the space. Maybe that was the main issue. . . .

Well, at the nursery today I bought a new plant on a whim (I was there for potting soil and a thermometer for my second cold frame). It's madagascar palm. Common name misleading- not really a palm, but a succulent. I will have to strictly remind myself not to give this one tank water in fall and winter, and let it go very dry.

It has wicked spines. Indoors it can get five or six feet tall!