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Showing posts from March, 2011

more heads

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I've counted 17 plants getting more heads this year. They're mostly lesliei from the bunch I bought as young seedlings back in 2008, but there is also a couple of salicolas, julii and helmutii. Both julii v. fulleri 'Kōsōgyoku' I bought from Mr. Shimada a year ago are getting two-headed. It looks like this plant had some timing troubles and tried to flower out of the new leaves. I guess, it means no flowers this year. What do you think? The renewed Ventergreens have just the most wonderful green tee color. I could stare at them for hours haha. Will try to sow more in about two weeks. The helmutii aren't far along yet but if you look closely you'll see the fifth head!  A couple of the lesliei seedlings I mentioned before. Maybe this year I can finally persuade them to flower.

spring updates

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I'm not at home right now but could snap a couple of pics last week. Some plants are showcasing their brand-new clothes.  This lesliei is a beauty.  Hookeri in need of water. The weird twisted lesliei still looks a bit off but much better all in all :)

new housemates

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Last week I stopped by a local garden center and couldn't walk past these guys. Quite surprising to see bromfieldii 'Sulphurea' in a simple flower shop. :)

sun, finally

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It is still cold outside, but the sun is shining and the seedlings are growing. The 'Fred's Redhead' kids are already very red, even though, I think, it's mostly sunburn, not the real color.

shape vs. growing conditions

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Looking through pictures of those beautiful lithops plants grown in greenhouses by professionals, with their perfect sizes, colors and shapes, always makes me wonder if it is possible to achieve that at home on a windowsill. Surely the conditions are different which would affect the process of growth as well as the looks of the plants. But there must be a way to adjust the care to the particular growing conditions and keep the plants not only healthy but also authentically looking. Compact, flat, growing near to the ground, richly colored - that's how we all like them. Reading online about other grower's conditions and looking for tips in books helps a lot, but there's still a lot to figure out on your own, with the conditions and care you are able to provide in mind. The problem hobby-growers like myself encounter first are plants growing too high, as if looking for the light. It's okay if it is just a little bit, and there are species for those it is absolutely normal...