geranium tree

another pic of this, just because I'm so happy with it

loss

I euthanized a fish today. I thought I was looking for a dead (missing) platy this morning, but found him cowering under driftwood- more tail missing, all the way to the body. It's hopeless.

aloe babies

It's been several days of drying- lying out on a shelf and then stuck back into the soil. The biggest one on far left I did not remove to dry its cut end- just to see if one would survive the wrong treatment. They all look okay so far. Are in side window that doesn't get any direct light, for now.

water plants

All the pics were of watersprite last time, I forgot to put these in with notes once again on progress/decline. First the happy note: my favorite plant is looking good! (At least, the two biggest ones- smaller guys are catching up, too). This is the oldest one in back corner:

It just keeps on growing! Other plants don't seem quite as happy- the java fern in particular. Java leaves that were the best ones right after I started applying ferts have suddenly turned brown, blotchy, dying. New growth looks good- I wonder if it is just adjusting once again to the change in fert dose? Yikes

Crypts have uneven color too when I look close- so I still need to tweak things...

I had cut back the rotala to be all even height, but other stems have taken off now and hit the ceiling again. Will trim more out this friday probably:

The one amazon sword is really struggling. I think it has too much root competition!

In my smaller tank, once again I notice that the anubias has many dying blotched leaves, and the newest ones so pretty smooth green. But some yellow,

and the java fern in here looks like it is all suddenly dying. I think I shouldn't have reduced part of those ferts- going to give all norm dose this week again (and buy some chelated iron as well).

The saddest thing is not a plant. Smaller platyfish is in bad shape. Its fin was growing back but it got bitten just yesterday again- I still can't figure out who is the culprit. I should pull her out and put in QT but older heater broken, and the apartment is way too cold. I'm afraid I will loose this one.

little plants

My youngest is dismayed that "her" plants aren't growing in the little greenhouses outside yet. She helped sow seeds and claimed some purple Nicotiana for her own, but it's hard to wait. I was tidying up some houseplants and showed her a teeny little crassula plant growing off a fallen leaf (I've never seen one so small)

She wanted it for her own. I gave her a Geranium trimming too.

She helped mix the soil (with worm dirt and eggshells), fill the tiny pots (the drip saucers are caps from juice jugs- that's how small they are), tamp them down, and carefully put her plants in by herself. They're on a windowsill now with sun and in easy reach. She's eager to water them already- I had to remind her to wait until they are thirsty!

winter green

So I don't get christmas color out of this, but I still love its bold green all through the coldest time of year.

palms

This flower thing is still going on my parlor palm:

The two are so lovely- up to my knees now. Soon they'll need bigger pots!

roots

This lovely plant

is growing new root hairs below!

pepper

This one still looks lively and green!

aloe redo

My big Aloe is collapsing. It's either out in the open getting knocked around by the kids (accidentally) or crammed into this space between my desk and tank support that isn't large enough. Falling over and crushing the pups, so I knocked it out of its pot today to see if I could separate them. I'm not sure if this was a good idea (probably too soon) but I am glad I did it anyway. I found stuff in there that might be harming my plant!

A big fat earthworm (not a red wiggler)

and even worse- these grubs. They're japanese beetle grubs. Really creepy to see how after a few minutes dumped on the table- I sifted them out of the potting soil- they uncurled and started crawling towards shelter- one to the dirt pile, the other to hide under the pot near it. Needless to say, I disposed of them and gave the mother plant new soil.

The roots look healthy enough. But it's too damp. I've been overwatering. (I'm not so good with succulents. Cacti- forget it!)

I tried to separate the pups, they're all over an inch high, but none came away with roots. So I'm not sure if they'll make it.

Then I made the mistake of watering them and putting in the windowsill to admire the bright tanslucent young green among older plants:

I should have read more articles on separating aloe pups, first. You're supposed to let them sit out a day or two to heal the cut before potting up, and then wait another few days before watering. I moved them into sheltered spot, other window that gets very indirect light, hope they recover but I might have condemned them to rot and death... I pulled three back out of the soil and set them to dry- crossing fingers.

Incidentally, I used the vermicompost that's been sitting in a bag under the counter for a month. It was a lovely soft fine texture. I found a few worms- very small, stunted and hardly moving- tossed them into the worm bin. Mixed the vermicompost up with some old potting soil and eggshells for these plants.

spreaders

I cleaned up my Geranium a bit, removed some inner leaves that were turning yellow, removed one of the small lower branches entirely, and spread the crown with cardboard scrap. I'm surprised how well its taking shape! Here from both sides

and back in the window.

trimming

Watersprite is taking over the aquarium! It's a nice problem to have.

The stems had grown up to lie across the water surface, blocking some current flow. So I thinned it out today- cut out stems in the back that were getting sucked into the filter intake, snipped off baby plants with their roots, to let float free, cut back the tallest stems to an inch or two below the surface and removed a few inner fronds that were dying from lack of light- being blocked by their own foliage!

I left some of the bigger cuttings to float, too. Not sure if they'll grow roots also, but it doesn't hurt to wait and see.

The worst plant in the aquarium now is the amazon sword- seen here in front. Its bigger leaves keep dying back. I think it just likes more nutrients than I'm providing- or it's too close to other root systems.

winter sowing

It is cold and grey, but I have sown a bit of seed in greenhouse jugs on the balcony.

Modest start: Nicotiana, Cilantro, Swiss Chard, Oregano, Peas.

red hue

Another sign of improving health- my rotala in the aquarium has a new shoot that is reddish. Hard to photograph, but it's here on the upper far left,

and here in the center:

This plant tends to have reddish foliage on the upper part of stems, I've seen photos of that but mine never did. I also see some back-and-forth online about what can encourage this. Lots of people think if you provide more iron, the leaves will turn red, others say that's not so- it's just stronger light and better nutrition. I'm just glad to see it.

african violets

My best african violet has been blooming steadily all through this cold season. The new buds are so pale they look white.

The other one, with darker leaves (which I hope has purple flowers, but can't remember now) was droopy for so long but now it is recovering and looks healthy again.

cherry barb

Just admiring how my cherry barbs like to be in the watersprite.

Something is different since yesterday: Sangre has changed color. He is usually rather pale, pinkish body flushed around the edges. I worried for a long time that he was anemic or had ammonia poisoning- the red on fins looked streaky- but then figured it was normal and forgot about it (other barbs in pics online have similar pinkish hue). Today suddenly after the water change he is nearly brick-red like the smaller males. I wonder if he's in breeding mood again with the refreshment of new water?

(The very next day, Sangre was pink again. Pretty sure he was responding to the water change).