Monday, November 16, 2009

Am I cheap??

I am 13. I only have an income from my allowance. Every couple of weeks I get 20$ from cleaning the kitchen every other day, and sweeping the whole down stairs once a week. For Christmas I bought my stepdad a tie from the dollar store, my 2 best friends both a $5 cactus and I still have to buy at minimum 7 more presents. Oh boyy....

Am I cheap??
You are only thirteen so you are not obligated to get anyone a present because you are not even old enough to hold down a job. And remember Christmas isn't about getting presents and how much you spend on people. Its about celebrating family, friends, and the birth of our savior Jesus Christ. Just remember that. You are not cheap at all. I hope you have a very Merry Christmas. :0)
Reply:Not cheap, but a bad gift buyer...lol you couldve gotten better gifts for $5...♥
Reply:I'm 34yrs, and my son had 30$, he got HIM SELF A GAME, ( for more then $17.


and give me the other $12. and some cents to buy his gifts.. and YES I WAS MAD AT HIM. but he is only 12 so it's all good I'm glad that he learning to give. your young, and they will love your gifts
Reply:It sounds alittle cheap. 1$ tie? A cactus? i think your dad and friends deserve more than that.
Reply:You aren't cheap, but I am surprised that your parents didn't give you extra money to buy Christmas gifts. And at your age, I would not buy friends presents, but just stick to family.
Reply:Taylor I do not think you are cheap if at 13 you have managed to save out of your own pocket the money to buy presents. I think you sound like a kind and generous person.
Reply:Nah, sounds like you are making do with what you have. Nothing wrong with that, keep on gettin... have fun
Reply:sorry...yeah
Reply:No i dont think you are being cheap,You are simply doing the best you can for the amount of money you have and being only 13. I'm sure your step dad will love the tie since its from you.What I would suggest is if you are buying more gifts ,nothing wrong with going to the $1 store just think a little about what each person would like and I'm sure you will find something( body lotions,bath salts,flashlights, even a pretty kitchen towel,etc}.. My kids (13,11, and 4) go there every year and buy gifts for each other and they always love them..Good Luck and Merry Christmas to you!
Reply:don't sweat it, yes you are cheap
Reply:Unfortunately, todays society has become rather on the chaper side, but if you ask me, the only way to "win" at christmas time is to buy other people gifts that are cheaper than what they got you.. haha... wink ;)








but yes, you are kinda cheap
Reply:don't let these materialistic people down you. With that allowance, I'm suprised you're getting anybody anything at all. I believe your dad will love that tie, no matter where you got it. Its not about the money you spend, its the thought of giving. You don't have much to give, but it looks as if your doing the best you can!! I give you high five and major props for that. Have a Merry Christmas!!
Reply:i think the cactus thing is cute..


tie is kinda funny lol
Reply:No.





If that's all you get, you can only spend what you have.





Maybe try asking your parents to borrow a little money to spend for the holidays, and they can take it off of your next allowance.





Try babysitting a little bit, next year, ahead of time and save up some money.





Do some extra chores.





But anywyas, Christmas isn't about just the gifts, so if your family and friends don't understand that then they are not very... nice :D





I think it's fine though.





You know... and you can always make some presents.





Get a picture of you with your friends or family or whatever and get a couple cheap frames and decorate them.





Those are always fun, easy, cheap, and fun to get.
Reply:cheap?!?! omg u are so kind to give your stepdad a present.to tell u the truth,in singapore(thats where i live) teenagers around your age and my age(16) don't give presents to our parents or relatives.so i think its really nice of you.a tie or a hankerchief is a usual present for a men.
Reply:yes...


i know gifts are something that comes from your heart but a $1 tie? That's very low quality...





Try to get your dad a gift set that has 1 shirt %26amp; tie in it or a perfume set, most of them are $20.





I make $3 a week %26amp; I clean the dishes every weekday %26amp; as I total this year, I made $70 but I used it all up to buy candy kanes %26amp; cards from my friends %26amp; to some ppl %26amp; I bought my mom LOTS of presents but I didn't buy my dad anything yet....I don't really like him.
Reply:Yes you are cheap =/. You should've saved up money. Thats what I did, I was about to buy myself these $120 sneakers but instead I bought my friends presents. I really hope they like them. No matter what im sure your friends and stepdad will love what you got them even tho they a lil cheesy.

pomegranate

Help with a tree?

I need to plant a tree in my front yard. the people at the stores don't seem 2 know their cactus from a bush. I need a tree that when full grown is medium in size, colorful and does not lose it's leaves in winter. I don't want it to be super messy if it has blooms, but blooms would be nice! :-) I DO NOT want a Christmas tree type of tree please. Any recommendations would be great! From tree huggers especially haha ???? :-)

Help with a tree?
Something like a Wichita Blue Juniper would be something to consider. It grows up to 12-15 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide.Has blue-green foliage all year. It's an evergreen and is low maintenance, Medium growth rate. Zoned for 3-7.
Reply:Viburnum varieties are generally evergreen, have small pinkish white flowers in winter. Grows quite slowly but becomes a small tree. Look up "viburnum" and "tree" on google to make sure you get a tree-ish one, because some varieties of viburnum are more a small shrub.





Hibuscus titilaicus (not sure of spelling of the second word) , also called hibiscus cottonwood. Attractive round dark green purplish leaves, fast growing, evergreen, yellow flowers, flowers mostly in summer. Grows to about 6m tall, quite spreading. Very little leaf drop. I have one in my yard.





I'm in a hot part of australia, winter doesn't get to freezing so I'm not sure if these plants are ok in freezing cold?





There are some great tree books at most libraries, great for getting ideas and knowing what you're planting, good luck...
Reply:Uh...you are not going to find a tree that fits that description.


All those gorgeous, colorful, bloom producing trees are deciduous, meaning that they lose their leaves in the fall. Evergreens such as spruce, pine trees, arborvitae, Leland Cyprus which don't lose their needles are all Christmas tree-ish. There is a holly tree called the "Nellie Stevens Holly" which grows about 25 feet and might work. It has deep green holly like leaves with gorgeous red berries and it's evergreen.
Reply:I don't know if there available where you are but tibouchina trees are really beautiful if you are in a moderate climate.


There are a few varieties which are actually named after the daughters of the guy who first made them popular.


They are evergreen, have beautiful purple flowers from spring to early autumn (even longer in subtropical areas) %26amp; depending on the variety you get they range in size from 2 metres to about 10.
Reply:Crepe Myrtle blooms late summer


http://images.google.com/images?q=crepe+...








Rose of Sharon


http://www.fotosearch.com/photos-images/...
Reply:http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/treeselecto...


McDonald's or Diner Burgers ?

I have been to the mountain top of diner burgers. And


they taste very, very good ! There is a store chain


in the Southeastern US, called Huddle House. And they


are incredible, indeed. Love those slap it together


sandwhiches. You know with all the juices, melted cheese,


and crispy lettuce hanging out. Reminds me of the


Thick Burger from Hardees..... A real meal, for a real


human being. Not the mini burger from Mickey D's.


And the taste is on again, off again. So I was wondering.


How about them good ol diner masterpieces, you get around


town. Like way out there, in the middle of the desert


type sh*t. With cactus plants and wolves.....


McDonald's burgers or Diner burgers ? Best one wins. ~~~


Merry Christmas. ~~~

McDonald's or Diner Burgers ?
there is this little diner where i live in rougemont NC....it is called the speedway cafe.they have the most biggest, the most juiciest, the most sloppiest and yummiest burgers this side of the south!!!
Reply:Diner Burgers
Reply:lol. you mean 'hamburger shacks;? that type of thing? well yea I would prefer to take a chance on a place like that then eat crap form McDonalds. especially if I am on a road trip :) sometimes those places are the best hidden secrets!
Reply:Diners for sure. McDonalds is horrible. Carl's Jr. Six dollar burger is the best fastfood burger. Best chain restaurant burger would have to be Fuddruckers.
Reply:Diner burgers. McD's makes my least favorite burger.
Reply:Im with you all the way..Diner burgers are mostly always the way you like them..


Huddle house? Isnt that like waffle house? Seems like i have heard of them somewhere along the way.
Reply:i think mc donalds as they have many Burger choices and they taste good, especially big mac... lol merry xmas to you to..
Reply:well iono diner burgers but from wath u said DINER BURGERS ALL DAY SWEETIE!!!
Reply:McDonald's, of course. Because of the crack they put in their food!!
Reply:Diner burgers please.


I love burgers at Hardees though.





McDonalds has okay burgers but no one beats the burgers at diners.
Reply:I never heard of Diner Burgers....I think Macdonalds
Reply:You are right....DINER BURGERS ALL THE WAY!





I like them cuz they have buns that you can taste, and actually fill you up...have fresh vegetables, etc etc
Reply:i just rather a turkey burger ...
Reply:NEITHER!
Reply:Diner burgers please
Reply:I will always go to a Mom %26amp; Pop's diner all day long and twice on Sunday before going to a fast food place. It's all about the love for the food they serve. If the food sucks, they know that their business will close. If you are on business you can find out so much more about what's going on in the town at a diner than at Mickey's or BK.





Fast food places say they care if your food or service was bad but they could care less. But the small places care because they are not franchises and this is "their business %26amp; reputation". That means alot.
Reply:White Castle.
Reply:mcdonalds
Reply:The best restaurant burgers are always in the local diners.
Reply:I don't know about you, but I think Red Robin tops all burgers. McDonalds burgers aren't thick and the meat is dry (it's hard to tell from all the fat and grease added into the burger). I'm not sure if you are talking about Diner Burgers as a restaurant or just a typical dine burger. But Red Robin definitely tops both McDonalds because it specializes in selling gourmet burgers, yum. Plus if you go on their site you can even interactively customize your own burger and see what it would look like before you buy it, lol. It's fun. Here's the link, check it out.





http://www.redrobin.com/
Reply:Diner Burgers
Reply:diner burgers are the best they are made to order
Reply:Diner burgers all the way.





Diner burgers are made to order. If you want a real burger, you don't go to McDonald's--you head to a diner for a burger with all the fixin's on the side, some fries and the onion ring they give you.
Reply:Diner burgers for sure. I love going to an actual restaurant and getting a nice big burger with everything on it. You just can't beat it. I rarely eat fast food anyways. Diner burgers are the best.
Reply:I prefer food!


Is it just me or were cacti very popular in the 70s?

No matter which Summer Fayre, autumn Fayre, Christmas Fayre, Jumble Sale etc you went to, there was always a plant stall and they sold cacti.





I had eight little ones at one point and named them after the cast of Blake's Seven (plus Servalan)

Is it just me or were cacti very popular in the 70s?
We had a lot of cacti when I was young in the 60s. At my 17th birthday party someone found my brother's airgun and shot a hole through the biggest section of the prickly pear (opuntia). I had new interests by then so I wasn't too upset.
Reply:cacti, spider plants and those big paper round light shades
Reply:Very true! We never had any, but my friend down the road had the glass jar with lots of them in, plus a few others around the place.





A few years back, I did have a Venus fly trap, but it didn't last long, it didn't stand a chance with big blue bottles.
Reply:Yes, i agree cacti was popular in the 70`s, the same now as well.
Reply:I still have mine
Reply:I used to collect them too. I was a child during the 70s and they are the easiest plant to look after. lol xx
Reply:Yes, they were. 70's and 80's too still I think. Then somehow it waned, I hardly see any nowadays at the flower shop.
Reply:No, Duuuuuuudette, it's just you! YOU were very popular in the 70's!
Reply:Yes they were lovely. So were those pictures made out of nails with sparkly string wound round them.





But sometimes we just have to "let go".
Reply:It's new thing for me.
Reply:They still are,aren't they?
Reply:yea,dont see them as much,and i love em
Reply:I never had cacti in the 70s because I was a kid then.However,I did have cactus gardens in the 80s and 90s.I always thought cacti were kind of cool, plus they're easy to take care of because they rarely need water and are hardy.I always enjoyed seeing cacti in the desert,especially the saguaro in Arizona.
Reply:they were popular hun, my mum had a few
Reply:Yes they were.
Reply:Yes, I had lots of cacti. My dad even bought me a large glass mushroom terrarium full of them.
Reply:yep, they were VERY popular in the 70s. you could buy them in the grocery store, as i recall.


What is the Mexican holiday celebrated on Janurary 4th or 6th?

Like their Christmas or something, they have a bread/pastry thing with cactus on top, I also need to know the name of that bread.

What is the Mexican holiday celebrated on Janurary 4th or 6th?
Dia de los Reyes Magos. it's epiphany. The three kings stop by and leave gifts for the children. The bread is called Rosca de Reyes.
Reply:the bread is called a rosca and its for the "dia de los reyes" holiday.
Reply:January 6th is Dia de los Reyes Magos.


On the night of the 5th, the children leave a shoe outside, by the main entrance of the house.


The morning of 6th they collect the gifts and treats that "Los Reyes" brought for them.


The gifts symbolize the gifts that the 3 Wise Men brought Baby Jesus.


The Rosca de Reyes is a pastry that we eat on that day.


It has a hidden plastic baby somewhere in the middle.


The person who gets the baby, will have prosperity that year.


In my hometown we have a big Dia de los Reyes Party, at someones home, who ever gets the baby from the Big Rosca; will throw the party the next year. Only responsible adults are allowed to participate to ensure their commitment.

Business

Hav u evr heard this song?

under the western sky under the western stars christmas is comin round the bind. here with our cactus trees her with our tumbleweeds here with our famlys amn our friends. the mountains in the distance r covered all in snow its the most exciting christmas that u could evr now yipi i oh yo christmas in the west is the best .... hav u evr heard it???

Hav u evr heard this song?
"Christmas In The West" by Theresa Jennings
Reply:Not 100 percent on this but...maybe 80 percent





I think its called "Everyday is Christmas in the West". If it's the song I'm thinkin of it was sung by Don Edwards and come out in the early to mid 90's (93-96)
Reply:no can't say I have
Reply:lol i have but i totally forgot what its called


Whats the worst present your have ever received?

Mine was a plastic cactus type lamp which I received for Christmas from a family member, completely crap I dumped it at a charity shop the following week, I feel kind of guilty about it now.

Whats the worst present your have ever received?
toothpaste %26amp; a car vacuum hoover - for my 21st birthday from my parents. Oh what a birthday that was.
Reply:One of those pocket books made out of Kool-Aid Jammers. I'm 17, not 12! What it was, was that she didn't really care and decided to pick something up. But it's the thought that counts isn't it? Nah!
Reply:Ah, one of those ugly chia plant/planter things. Sort of grossed me out as it grew and then died.
Reply:A WINO'S BOOGER.
Reply:A ugly purse.
Reply:its the thought that counts...sometimes. lol
Reply:i get pepsi or mountain dew shirts every birthday or christmas from my aunt becuase she works for them. totally lame
Reply:years ago all my mother in law wanted for Christmas was a warm flannel night gown. So all 4 children ended her giving her a flannel night gown. The next year at Christmas I got back the one we had given her!
Reply:for my last birthday my in-laws got me this god awful knockoff dooney and burke purse that they bought in mexico while on vacation, and it just so happened to be every color that isn't included in my wardrobe (pink, yellow, eggshell blue, brown, ect). i don't even like dooney and burke purses, i'm not even a designer label kind of gal to begin with. i also work for them, so i HAD to actually use it for a couple weeks so i wouldn't hurt their feelings, then i lied and said that the strap broke.
Reply:one I got lotion form my father that i was allergic to. I also got a baby book... and I was 12
Reply:A pair of my grandfathers old painting shoes.......they got a kick out of it. I didn't
Reply:A fake chicken. With real chicken feathers.
Reply:i think socks and underware followed by more crap!!!!!!
Reply:Well it was a tie made of silk but it was blue and pink flowers on it.but i never told the one that gave it to me it was out ther because she hand made it for me for x-mas.I still have it and it has he name in it that it was hand made for me.its bad but it could have been worse she could have had me wear it.Also it played x-mas songs .Maybe someday i will give to one of my sons.?
Reply:Dinner set for baby. And it was for my wedding! Duh!
Reply:a turtle neck sweater, a really heavy thick one. given by my mother in law right after i told her i couldn't wear anything on my neck anymore because of hot flashes...another time my hubby bought me a bra about 4 sizes too big, lol...wishful thinking i guess.
Reply:lol good question! My grandmother is always giving people gag gifts, its just her thing. Well she gave me a rubber chicken stress ball thing. Its a chicken, that you squeeze when you are stressed. I said, oh nice gag gift Mom-Mom! She said "oh this isn't your gag gift!" and she got upset. So yeah that would be the worst present I gotten.





PS. The "gag" gift she gave me was a stupid spider ring....lol
Reply:some weird pjs... its weird!
Reply:A girlfriend once got me a tub of animal crackers - I was 23 yrs old at the time and didn't know why she got me that....along with it was a lighter - and I don't smoke.
Reply:one year I was working for this company and we all got fruitcakes, and no bonuses, so I guess that we all had been bad.
Reply:I was 8 months pregnant one Christmas and my then husband got me a sweater that was obviously way too small. It was cute, too, and I would have worn it. But, even when I'm not pregnant, I'm not that small.
Reply:That'd be a tie between the "quilt" my grandmother gave me, which was made of really garish purple and lime green squares of POLYESTER that would not warm a hamster and an adolescent DUCK a couple of my idiot pals of the time presented to me while I was doing a live radio show. Yeah, I really needed either of those like I need a third buttock!
Reply:GIFT MEANS SOMETHING GREAT THING THAT WE ARE RECIEVING NOT THE VALUE THE LOVE AND CONCERN





I NEVER GOT A GIFT





YEAH I GOT THE GREATEST ONE THE LIFE ON THIS EARTH ALONG WITH YOU ALL PEOPLE ON IT
Reply:I can not think of one bad present I ever received. A present is about the thought, you've heard this before. The plant was maybe all this person could give and they felt that it was something better than nothing. I hope someone else who can appreciate it will get it, then, you realize, it would have come from you...
Reply:my grandma bought my 20 year old brother a fiber optic christmas tree that he really has no use for.
Reply:I got a second hand teddy bear that was suppossed to be white but it was more like yellow and it stunk.
Reply:never a bad present, its FREE. appreciate the simple things in life
Reply:Dollar store nick-nacks. I HATE nick-nacks.
Reply:An iron from my mom. I think she was trying to give me a hint. My idea of ironing is throwing the clothes in the dryer. I also got a cell phone charger from my hubby for a type of cell phone I don't even own.
Reply:NUTS......why the heck do I need nuts?? I don't even eat nuts becuase ever since I had braces a few years ago I don't eat them anymore I was so upset when I got them
Reply:a sparkley portrait of a lighthouse.


All green fingers out there... Small flies living in compost? Attacking plants?

Bit of an odd one this, but here goes:





I re-potted my Aloe Vera plant, and a few indoor cacti just before Christmas, and since it has gotten a little warmer, I've started noticing small 'flies' hanging around the plants base, they don't appear to be affecting the plants in any way, I'm just worried that they might grow into something else, start laying eggs, increase in number or size etc. I feel they might have been living in the compost as I kept it outside...





Has anyone else encountered this before? What should I do about the plants - should I buy a different compost and re-pot the whole lot? Will it damage the plants being re-potted too many times?





Sorry I'm asking so many questions, but the flies are begining to bother me.





Pest sprays or insectasides maybe?





Only sensible answers, thanks.

All green fingers out there... Small flies living in compost? Attacking plants?
We had this exact thing. It affected every plant we repotted, and then the flies spread to other house plants. They are a specific kind of gnats (forget the name), also called fruit flies. Unfortunately, they lay eggs in the soil. There is a product called Gnatrol (expensive) that contains bacteria or protozoa or something that attack the eggs in the soil, but it doesn't work well. In the end, we had to throw all the house plants away to get the flies out of the house, and never use soil from the same source again.





I remember now, they are called fungus gnats.





One more addition. Using insecticide will kill the flies that you can see. But it will do nothing at all to kill the eggs in the soil. You cannot get rid of these things with insecticide.
Reply:They're probably fungus gnats. They live in compost and potting soil and their larvae feed off of bacteria and fungus in your compost. You might try a little insecticide (crystals) on top of your soil and then water. It might help.





Your Aloe is probably not going to be good for medicinal purposes after that, though.





Sorry, not great news.
Reply:Yup, i have encountered this several times, using the same cheap compost!. So, when i repotted, i went for the more expensive reliable compost, and hey presto, no more lil pests!. It did cost more money and i had to throw away a few of the plants, but some of them i saved. The lil fly things are a nuisance and hard to get rid of if you keep the plant. Before re-potting, check the roots, thoroughly but gently for any more "flies". They are the same type you get if you have some rotten potatoes you'd forgotten about(hands up, guilty of that one, lol). Try not to repot your plants to often though, so place them in a larger pot. Hope this helps.
Reply:i also have had the same problem this winter in my greenhouse, I've been using seven, an insecticide, i got at the hardware store. it does not harm plants, you can even use it on animals, for like fleas and such. its been working pretty well. give it a try!


Do you think it is normal to name a plant?

last christmas i got a cactus that i named charlie. all my friends say that it is weird, but i really like having a plant to take care of so one day i just started calling him charlie. is it weird??

Do you think it is normal to name a plant?
its kinda funny but if you are into it..... go for it!
Reply:Of course it is okay to name a plant! I have a plant named Alfred Spike that sits in my living room. Whenever my friends come over they say hello to it. Report It

Reply:Well to be perfectly honest with you I named my truck Double D and my sister's name is Paige so why would it be unusual to name a plant.


See now dont you feel better?
Reply:I used to have a Schefflera name Queen Liliuokalani ( she was a Hawaiian queen and Schefflera is a tropical plant so I thought a tropical sounding name would be cool ). Now, I have a Croton named Goliath. I haven't named my other plants. I do talk to them while I water them. Especially my African Violet. I tell it how beautiful it is.





So, no I don't think it's weird ;)
Reply:No i name my plant silver beauty cause it has silver on its leave and b4 that one i had one that i named isis.
Reply:Not at all crazy. Several plants in my jungle have names. Makes it easy to discuss a specific plant by it's given name when you can't think of the botanical designation.
Reply:Well.....if it isn't going to come when you call it by name, it actually doesn't need a name.
Reply:My daughter's first car was named Norman. My impossible to reach cobweb was named Charlie.


Anymore questions about what I think???
Reply:yea if your crazy! lol
Reply:Too many to name with one exception, a Beaucarnia recurvata I was given in college. I call it Gert after the woman who gave it to me. RScott
Reply:My brother's wife did that. She bought the thing in high school less than a foot tall. Now it crowds the ceiling and is too big to move. She has to trim top to keep it from crowding top. They have been married 28 years, and as far as i remember, she bought it a couple years before that. She named it Igor.

new year lily

Is it Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas in your neck of the woods?

Lights are decorating he cacti and suhauro in our neighborhood

Is it Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas in your neck of the woods?
yeah. Bands underneath my window while I'm trying to sleep and I keep running out of beer and forgetting to eat.
Reply:Oh chere!(pronounced 'sha') Shrimp boats' rigging, loaded and twined with lights, makes them look like Christmas trees sailing down the bayous...even the chicken coops and dog houses get decorated! I kid you not!





Cajuns have a marvelous sense of fun...every day of the year.


Now, I'm homesick...hope we have a bit of snow here in central Mississippi.





Elysabeth...poemhunter
Reply:LOL, in the Philippines (where I live), it begins to look a hell of a lot like Christmas in September. XD I kid you not. :)
Reply:Yeah, our palm trees are similarly decorated. :-D As are the sailboats down the canal.
Reply:I wish I could be holly jolly! We just got our electricity back on after 5 days of living in the cold and dark. We live in a total electric apartment - our electricity went out last Sunday afternoon, and finally came back on Thursday night. We have lost food from the refrigerator, but nothing else spoiled, it was too cold in here! We have to leave, finally, and went to stay at a relative's house where they had heat and lights.





So, my computer is back on today for the first time since Sunday; my little Christmas tree is twinkling; my TV stations are hard at work trying to sell me something I don't want and can't afford. Everything is almost back to normal, except for the big electric company trucks and the dark patches where there still is no electricity. Still nearly 100,000 people without electricity. That doesn't leave you much of a holiday feeling. When you are disabled and have to use a walker and drag oxygen around with you, you sometimes don't appreciate the finer things in life!





We've had snow and ice, and more snow and ice is expected this weekend.
Reply:a little bit but a few snow flakes on the bushes and trees would make it look better
Reply:Only in the markets as they flog of the Christmas goodies.
Reply:i wished we had some snow.


Has anyone tried a non-traditional christmas tree?

I'm thinking of something like a large cactus or a bonsai tree, suitably decorated, instead of the bog standard pine. Do you think this would be more cool, suave and generally impressive than a normal tree?

Has anyone tried a non-traditional christmas tree?
I say if you can put lights on it go for it. There is nothing wrong with thinking/decorating outside the box..
Reply:In the right setting a cactus is a great idea - modern and trandy/minimalist design I can see a cactus with red lights and fuzzy/furry/feathery, high quality tinsel looking really funky - perhaps a lava lamp and a Salvador Dali print on cracked glazed terracotta painted plaster?????? Anyhoo - if the cap fits, wear it.


Merry Christmas
Reply:My local garden centre has a pre lit christmas maple tree (fake of course) which looks amazing - little white LEDs with red, green %26amp; gold maple leaves, very festive and very different.
Reply:Many years ago when strapped for cash, I decorated our indoor houseplant - a rubber plant. It looked quite good. You can decorate any kind of plant really. I supppose a cactus would be a bit prickly though when trying to put decorations on it - although they would probably stay put!
Reply:of course - its becoming quite a trend at the moment in interiors to use cactus as a focal point in a room and now as a christmas decoration - how fab - check out Habitat for ideas
Reply:how about a Festivus pole?
Reply:Well.. I did have a cactus 2-3 years ago.. decorated it up nicely..Why not?
Reply:No i have not but to be honest i wouldn't either because..and i'm not getting uptight or anything....promise....but i think enough traditions are being lost...now there is a black christmas tree...i would not even go there!!!!





I'm having a big "Green!!!" tree with loads of white decorations!!!
Reply:Sounds repugnant.
Reply:tried a yukka plant once but you cannot get many lights on them


Help with plant lighting in my living room?

My house does not have very many windows that capture great sun for my plants. My living room has white walls and a white ceiling. This has worked for a while for my 2 peace lily plants as they don't need much light. However I have many plants that I am trying to keep alive.....christmas cacti (4 of them) spider plants, swedish ivy, and a few others that I have collected from different family members passing. ANYWAY....I love these plants and want to enjoy them! Is there a grow light that casts enough light to keep them healthy that I can put in a decorative light fixture and hang in my living room? The only things I have found are so powerful that it is scary or they come in ugly tacky set-ups. I don't need anything big for fancy, just something to give the indirect sunlight a little extra boost during the day. If I don't do something soon, I'm going to start losing them.....

Help with plant lighting in my living room?
you could get grow light , light bulbs and put in one of your lamps and keep it on at night for the plants...
Reply:Consult people working at nurseries.They will give you nice advise.


How can i keep wild cats away from my yard!!!!?

i recently moved into the city and am trying to "fix" my backyard...it is a city size yard, surrounded by concrete block walls. i notice stray cats wandering on top of the wall all the time. last week i put my peat pots outside, hoping my baby plants would enjoy the sun....when i came home from work, they were destroyed!!!! it looked as if something sat in the middle of the tray and went crazy...my boyfriend said its probably the carzy city squirrels...well, this morning i put 5 pots containing jade plants outside to get some sun....when i came home from work, i went outback to find all but one of the pots containing nothing but dirt! my plants were on the porch on top of one of my benches. the roots were all gone and there were bite marks on the leaves. my christmas cacti on the other hand, was left untouched. was it the cats? or the crazy squirrels?...what cheap thing can i do to stop this....barbed wire on top of the cement wall? i cant plant anything till i fix this

How can i keep wild cats away from my yard!!!!?
I think maybe take 4- 4x4 posts and make a square or rectangulare frame. make it the size of your backyard, it sounds small enough where it might not be to expensive. Maybe you could essentially make a roof over your yard, maybe nail or screew the wood of the frame to the walls of the buildings, then cover the frame with chicken wire. Then you could also get a be-be gun, a water spray bottle. You could find out if there are any plants that act as a repellant, put them in hanging baskets from the chicken wire or on a hook inserted into the frame. You would be essentially making a chicken wire, screened backyard, like a screened room, only with chicken wire, instead of screen. It might sound sort of tacky, but I think you could fix it up to be really nice. It would be very unique and a special place for you to sit. You could get some cute lights and hang from the wire, and windchimes and crystal beads and sun catchers that tinkle and hang plants too. sounds great to me!
Reply:old wives tale, try putting Cayenne pepper on them and on top of the soil. or get high power water gun and fill it with vinegar and when all else fails try a BB gun
Reply:take a clear one gallon bottle(like what milk comes in)


fill it and place it in the middle of your landscape





cheers





edit: funny how some people give bad ratings yet dont leave a suggestion their self ;)





loads of people in cali use the said above way to keep cats off their lawns..and hang cds from their plants and tress to fend off birds as well
Reply:Unfortunately too many of your neighbors (although they will never admit it) will feed them and they wont go away. Either get a dog that will keep them away or if that's not an option, just use a good old fashioned scatter gun.
Reply:Maybe you can try growing some catnip in a nearby park.


They love this.

Brushing Teeth

The Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden in henderson, nevada?

does anyone know when the ethel m chocolate factory starts putting up their christmas lights for the holiday season (in henderson, nv) ? I want to go there as part of a date, but i dont want to get there and see that there arent any lights yet lol

The Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden in henderson, nevada?
Their lights usually go up the week after Thanksgiving. To be on the safe side, call and ask. (toll free)


http://www.lasvegas-how-to.com/ethel.htm...
Reply:They are on now until after new years.


My plants aren't flowering!!!!?

I have:


1. Passion Flower Vine


2. Jasmine Vine


3. Christmas Cactus


I've had them for just over a year now and they've only ever flowered once (when I very first got them). What could the reason be for this? The rest of the plant appears healthy but it won't flower! They are indoor plants.


They get most of their sunshine in the afternoon for 3-4hrs everyday. I have them in pots that you can water from the bottom and it has a level in it so I know when it's getting low - so watering doesn't seem to be the problem. But what?????

My plants aren't flowering!!!!?
the passion flower and the jasmine need more sun. i believe 6-8 hrs would increase the likely hood of flowering.





put your christmas cactus in a dark closet for approximately 6 weeks to get it to bloom. water only very lightly during this time. some plants - poinsettias, christmas cactus, etc - need dark to form blooms.





as for fertilizing your plants...it is a little late in the year to use a bloom booster type of fert. better to use it in the spring. it is fine to use a very weak solution every time you water (but i would wait till spring to start)





hope this helps
Reply:i kept my christmas cactus indoors for a long time and got the same results that you did. i then put them out in my sun room and they bloomed the first christmas after and have ever since. i think they need the change in temperature to bloom. mine love it in the sun room.
Reply:Are you using Miracle Grow or some other form of fertilizer? If not, you need to. Also, my Christmas cactus took a few years to bloom again after the initial bloom. Start fertilizing and as soon as your plants blossom, stop the fertilizing until all of the flowers die off. Good Luck!
Reply:Christmas Cactus need to be kept outside all summer in order to bloom at Christmas time. They need the cool nights and warm days to stimulate bloom. Go ahead and put it out now. But bring it in permanetly before 1st frost (until next summer.) The frost will injure and possibly kill it. You may get lucky and get blooms this year. Christmas Cactus do not need to go in a closet at night. But pointsettias do, because they need the longer winter nights to stimulate blooms, and the closet simulates natural conditions.





The passion flower and jasmine vine are both outdoor plants. I don't know any tricks to get them to bloom indoors. As far as I know, they are not generally kept as house plants, so there may not be much onfo out there about what they require to get them to bloom inside. But my guess would be more sunlight for starters. Try to move to a south facing window which should get sun all day long. Also, vines tend to flower better when they are deprived of fertilizer. That's been my experience. Fertilizer causes lots of green growth, and few if any flowers.


Saturday, November 14, 2009

House plants, I need one that is different!!!!!!!!!?

So I live in RI and I am a plant fanatic. I have all those plants that everyone has spider plants, money trees, umbrella trees, mother-in-law tongues, doctor plants, ivy, Christmas cactus, jade, and aloe. But I am looking for something that will grow in this colder weather, that is not only one that I don't have but one that looks cool. I want something that needs watering once a week; I have all different light in my house, so that is not an issue but I need help. PLEASE HELP. When you reply send links if you have them for me to see what it looks like. :-) thank you.

House plants, I need one that is different!!!!!!!!!?
Hello fellow plant fanatic! I have a house plant that never fails to inspire ooh's and ahh's. It's called a Buddha Belly (http://davesgarden.com/pf/showimage/2628... and it's super easy to grow. It likes to dry out completely between waterings, and though as an outdoor plant it supposedly requires full sun, it does well indoors in sunny-ish rooms (though I've had it in less sunny rooms at times too). It has one solid bulbous trunk and huge, rapidly growing leaves. Mine blooms continuously all year round, though it did take about a year for it to find its groove in that department.





I found mine at Target of all places...but I haven't seen one since. I'm sure you can find one online, though.





I did just read something (as I was searching for a link w/ a photo for you) that said the plant is poisonous, so resist the urge to nibble on it. :) Good luck!
Reply:How about a lipstick plant: Aeschynanthus radicans - Lipstick Plant


Gesneriaceae; see this website for what it looks like:http://www.plantoftheweek.org/week081.sh...


or maybe a cigar plant: Exotic #10: MEXICAN CIGAR Cuphea ignea: http://www.rubythroat.org/CigarMexicanMa...


Guppy plant ('Hawaiian Jade')http://www.robsviolet.com/nematanthus.ht...


Highly recommended for the novice with a bright window, since they are very tolerant of neglect and are virtually indestructible
Reply:I like Moses In The Bullrushes: http://www.unex.es/polen/herbarium/html/...





or one of the ferns like rabbits foot:





http://www.flickr.com/photos/flutterbye8...
Reply:Try some orchids, they are a good plant


Isn't it creepy when you can see plants move throughout the day in order to follow the sun?

My office plant, which is a Christmas Cactus, moves its stems all over the place. They'll straighten out completely, rise up, cross over each other and all kinds of things. When I water it, I can almost watch its stems (arms?) rising. I keep thinking I'm going to hear, "Feed me!" I had an ivy-like plant at home that would go crazy when I turned out the lights. I could hear a bunch of movement and when I turned the light back on, all of the leaves were standing stright up trying to find a light source. Creeeepy! Do any of your plants behave like this? Or are yours hardly noticeable?

Isn't it creepy when you can see plants move throughout the day in order to follow the sun?
O.M.G.!!!! yes for the first time the other day i saw a plant move its stem and totally freaked out! my co-workers were laughing at me but i'm telling i was freaked out....i guess i watch the sci-fi channel too much uh?!..i'm glad to know i'm not alone in feeling like this! ; )
Reply:It happens its called photosynthesis. Yes it is erie but happens in my home a lot and outside as well. I have all kinds of plants and veggie plants. My sunflowers do that..they droop when the sun shifts, goes away, and when the sun comes up or goes down.
Reply:that is so cool please email me the name of ur plants i luv that kind of stuff mother nature in action


lucky u
Reply:Yeah, it is a little creepy.
Reply:I don't have a green thumb. I bought some potted mums and they died quickly, so I don't even try anymore. But that is kinda creepy, the plants moving like that. I just think of plants being moved by the wind... not by themselves. Odd but cool.
Reply:no, I don't think so. But then again I have grown plants most of my life, plus if you have any kudzu around where you live they are creepy ! they grow like a foot a day !
Reply:sorry i don't watch my plants grow, life is too busy
Reply:Not really creepy, just photosynthesis
Reply:No i don't i think its creepy. It is interesting to observe and see what it will do next. It will get creepy if it grabs at you to gulp you.
Reply:I find trophic responses kind of cool.
Reply:It amazes me too, I have garden in the back, and any given time of day you can se them changing ,if you take notice anyway, happy following a plants life
Reply:?
Reply:I only saw that in a movie

plants flowers

Isn't it creepy to see plants move throughout the day in order to follow the sun?

My office plant, which is a Christmas Cactus, moves its stems all over the place. They'll straighten out completely, rise up, cross over each other and all kinds of things. When I water it, I can almost watch its stems (arms?) rising. I keep thinking I'm going to hear, "Feed me!" I had an ivy-like plant at home that would go crazy when I turned out the lights. I could hear a bunch of movement and when I turned the light back on, all of the leaves were standing stright up trying to find a light source. Creeeepy! Do any of your plants behave like this?

Isn't it creepy to see plants move throughout the day in order to follow the sun?
LOL i've thought the same thing and yes mine do that as well.
Reply:No - what would be creepy would be to see plants move throughout the day in order to follow YOU.
Reply:This is only creepy because you are expecting plants to act as if they were artificial. They are living beings, and it is their nature to seek light.
Reply:Only my pennis dont behave like that?


Sorry i dont meen it just for fun


Need plant rescue please?

The leaves on my Christmas Cactus plant are all limp as if they've been overwatered, but I've been careful not to do that. What could be causing it? They are green and healthy looking, just limp.

Need plant rescue please?
Carefully pull the plant out of the pot. Examine the roots very closely. Look for how thick the roots are in the soil on the bottom. Is the moisture completely over the soil, or just in spots? Is the soil too wet? Has the plant been exposed to any sudden changes in it's environment, such as extreme heat, or sun, or humidity coupled with over watering?


What ever you do, don't fertilize. Don't water until you check all of these things. You have a chance to correct the problem, once you see what is wrong. Most problems that you describe, start with the soil, and the roots. The Christmas Cactus likes to dry out between watering. So, only water after you check the soil, and determine that it has dried out enough to need water.
Reply:If it is the cactus I am thinking of it is Opuntia. Depending on where you live and the soil you use, these things grow like crazy. I live in Texas and have transplanted about 40 cuttings. They have limp leaves in the beginning stages and start to morph over time. All mine are outside in 95+ hot humid weather. Maybe the pot is crowded, or plant needs to be repotted.
Reply:I agree with Joeman.
Reply:Are they out side or in side. Try putting them outside in a shady area. Water when dry. I hope they come back for you.
Reply:did they get super hot all of a sudden,
Reply:They need light but not direct sunlight.
Reply:How long has the plant been in its current pot. It could need to be repotted. If so go 2 inches larger than current pot and succulent need to be watered only once a week. Use a cactus and succulent mix to repot. Hope this helps.
Reply:let it dry out, no water especially after flowering.
Reply:This happened to me. too. I removed the plant from the pot and rrepotted it with new soil(cactus soil) after thoroughly cleaning the pot. Couldn't find anything wrong with the plant roots or the old soil. Plant dropped a few of the wilted segments but is recovering nicely now. Thinking it could have been something environmental..Use a mooisture meter when watering. If meter says dry at the bottomof the pot give the plant a tiny amount of water and check with meter the next day. Make sure drain holes in pot are clear and never let plant sit in the water in the drain dish.
Reply:Is it getting enough sunlight and in the right temperature to grow, if it is inside this time of year your a/c might be making the climate around it too cool....


What plants are harmful to cats?

My cat recently discovered my Christmas cactus. I have removed it to a safer location. I know some are harmful. Which ones?

What plants are harmful to cats?
Plants Poisonous to Cats





Almond (Pits of)


Aloe Vera


Alocasia


Amaryllis


Apple (seeds)


Apple Leaf Croton


Apricot (Pits of)


Arrowgrass


Asparagus Fern


Autumn Crocus


Avacado (fuit and pit)


Azalea





Baby's Breath


Baneberry


Bayonet


Beargrass


Beech


Belladonna


Bird of Paradise


Bittersweet


Black-eyed Susan


Black Locust


Bleeding Heart


Bloodroot


Bluebonnet


Box


Boxwood


Branching Ivy


Buckeyes


Buddist Pine


Burning Bush


Buttercup





Cactus, Candelabra


Caladium


Calla Lily


Castor Bean


Ceriman


Charming Dieffenbachia


Cherry (pits, seeds %26amp; wilting leaves)


Cherry, most wild varieties


Cherry, ground


Cherry, Laurel


Chinaberry


Chinese Evergreen


Christmas Rose


Chrysanthemum


Cineria


Clematis


Cordatum


Coriaria


Cornflower


Corn Plant


Cornstalk Plant


Croton


Corydalis


Crocus, Autumn


Crown of Thorns


Cuban Laurel


Cutleaf Philodendron


Cycads


Cyclamen





Daffodil


Daphne


Datura


Deadly Nightshade


Death Camas


Devil's Ivy


Delphinium


Decentrea


Dieffenbachia


Dracaena Palm


Dragon Tree


Dumb Cane





Easter Lily *


Eggplant


Elaine


Elderberry








Elephant Ear


Emerald Feather


English Ivy


Eucalyptus


Euonymus


Evergreen





Ferns


Fiddle-leaf fig


Florida Beauty


Flax


Four O'Clock


Foxglove


Fruit Salad Plant





Geranium


German Ivy


Giant Dumb Cane


Glacier IvyGolden Chain


Gold Dieffenbachia


Gold Dust Dracaena


Golden Glow


Golden Pothos


Gopher Purge





Hahn's Self-Branching Ivy


Heartland Philodendron


Hellebore


Hemlock, Poison


Hemlock, Water


Henbane


Holly


Honeysuckle


Horsebeans


Horsebrush


Horse Chestnuts


Hurricane Plant


Hyacinth


Hydrangea





Indian Rubber Plant


Indian Tobacco


Iris


Iris Ivy





Jack in the Pulpit


Janet Craig Dracaena


Japanese Show Lily *


Java Beans


Jessamine


Jerusalem Cherry


Jimson Weed


Jonquil


Jungle Trumpets





Kalanchoe





Lacy Tree Philodendron


Lantana


Larkspur


Laurel


Lily


Lily Spider


Lily of the Valley


Locoweed


Lupine





Madagascar Dragon Tree


Marble Queen


Marigold


Marijuana


Mescal Bean


Mexican Breadfruit


Miniature Croton


Mistletoe


Mock Orange


Monkshood


Moonseed


Morning Glory


Mother-in Law's Tongue


Morning Glory


Mountain Laurel


Mushrooms








Narcissus


Needlepoint Ivy


Nephytis


Nightshade





Oleander


Onion


Oriental Lily *





Peace Lily


Peach (pits and wilting leaves)


Pencil Cactus


Peony


Periwinkle


Philodendron


Pimpernel


Plumosa Fern


Poinciana


Poinsettia (low toxicity)


Poison Hemlock


Poison Ivy


Poison Oak


Pokeweed


Poppy


Potato


Pothos


Precatory Bean


Primrose


Privet, Common





Red Emerald


Red Princess


Red-Margined Dracaena


Rhododendron


Rhubarb


Ribbon Plant


Rosemary Pea


Rubber Plant





Saddle Leaf Philodendron


Sago Palm


Satin Pothos


Schefflera


Scotch Broom


Silver Pothos


Skunk Cabbage


Snowdrops


Snow on the Mountain


Spotted Dumb Cane


Staggerweed


Star of Bethlehem


String of Pearls


Striped Dracaena


Sweetheart Ivy


Sweetpea


Swiss Cheese plant





Tansy Mustard


Taro Vine


Tiger Lily *


Tobacco


Tomato Plant (green fruit, stem and leaves)


Tree Philodendron


Tropic Snow Dieffenbachia


Tulip


Tung Tree





Virginia Creeper





Water Hemlock


Weeping Fig


Wild Call


Wisteria





Yews --


e.g. Japanese Yew


English Yew


Western Yew


American Yew
Reply:pointsettias are poison to cats
Reply:I know Poinsettia's are.
Reply:I know they are a variety of plants that are harmful but here is a couple


poinsettia's


holly berry


yew's


thank you
Reply:These are all I know:


Yew


Nightshade


Holly Berries
Reply:rule of thumb, grasses are usually safe for your cat, herbs are usually safe. There are way too many plants that are poisonous to cats to list all of them, and the lists don't all agree on which plants and what part of the plant is harmful. I wish there was an easy place that just showed plants that are good for your pet.
Reply:http://amby.com/cat_site/plants.html





If you go to this web site they have a listing of the plants that are harmful to cats. There are also many other web sites with similar information.





Glad to hear that you are checking it out, good luck (my cat would love to get at some of our plants - if he was able to, lol)!
Reply:Believe it or not all these are:


Plants Poisonous to Cats


Almond (Pits of)


Aloe Vera


Alocasia


Amaryllis


Apple (seeds)


Apple Leaf Croton


Apricot (Pits of)


Arrowgrass


Asparagus Fern


Autumn Crocus


Avacado (fuit and pit)


Azalea


Baby's Breath


Baneberry


Bayonet


Beargrass


Beech


Belladonna


Bird of Paradise


Bittersweet


Black-eyed Susan


Black Locust


Bleeding Heart


Bloodroot


Bluebonnet


Box


Boxwood


Branching Ivy


Buckeyes


Buddist Pine


Burning Bush


Buttercup





Cactus, Candelabra


Caladium


Calla Lily


Castor Bean


Ceriman


Charming Dieffenbachia


Cherry (pits, seeds %26amp; wilting leaves)


Cherry, most wild varieties


Cherry, ground


Cherry, Laurel


Chinaberry


Chinese Evergreen


Christmas Rose


Chrysanthemum


Cineria


Clematis


Cordatum


Coriaria


Cornflower


Corn Plant


Cornstalk Plant


Croton


Corydalis


Crocus, Autumn


Crown of Thorns


Cuban Laurel


Cutleaf Philodendron


Cycads


Cyclamen





Daffodil


Daphne


Datura


Deadly Nightshade


Death Camas


Devil's Ivy


Delphinium


Decentrea


Dieffenbachia


Dracaena Palm


Dragon Tree


Dumb Cane





Easter Lily *


Eggplant


Elaine


Elderberry


Elephant Ear


Emerald Feather


English Ivy


Eucalyptus


Euonymus


Evergreen





Ferns


Fiddle-leaf fig


Florida Beauty


Flax


Four O'Clock


Foxglove


Fruit Salad Plant





Geranium


German Ivy


Giant Dumb Cane


Glacier IvyGolden Chain


Gold Dieffenbachia


Gold Dust Dracaena


Golden Glow


Golden Pothos


Gopher Purge





Hahn's Self-Branching Ivy


Heartland Philodendron


Hellebore


Hemlock, Poison


Hemlock, Water


Henbane


Holly


Honeysuckle


Horsebeans


Horsebrush


Horse Chestnuts


Hurricane Plant


Hyacinth


Hydrangea





Indian Rubber Plant


Indian Tobacco


Iris


Iris Ivy





Jack in the Pulpit


Janet Craig Dracaena


Japanese Show Lily *


Java Beans


Jessamine


Jerusalem Cherry


Jimson Weed


Jonquil


Jungle Trumpets





Kalanchoe





Lacy Tree Philodendron


Lantana


Larkspur


Laurel


Lily


Lily Spider


Lily of the Valley


Locoweed


Lupine





Madagascar Dragon Tree


Marble Queen


Marigold


Marijuana


Mescal Bean


Mexican Breadfruit


Miniature Croton


Mistletoe


Mock Orange


Monkshood


Moonseed


Morning Glory


Mother-in Law's Tongue


Morning Glory


Mountain Laurel


Mushrooms


Narcissus


Needlepoint Ivy


Nephytis


Nightshade





Oleander


Onion


Oriental Lily *





Peace Lily


Peach (pits and wilting leaves)


Pencil Cactus


Peony


Periwinkle


Philodendron


Pimpernel


Plumosa Fern


Poinciana


Poinsettia (low toxicity)


Poison Hemlock


Poison Ivy


Poison Oak


Pokeweed


Poppy


Potato


Pothos


Precatory Bean


Primrose


Privet, Common





Red Emerald


Red Princess


Red-Margined Dracaena


Rhododendron


Rhubarb


Ribbon Plant


Rosemary Pea


Rubber Plant





Saddle Leaf Philodendron


Sago Palm


Satin Pothos


Schefflera


Scotch Broom


Silver Pothos


Skunk Cabbage


Snowdrops


Snow on the Mountain


Spotted Dumb Cane


Staggerweed


Star of Bethlehem


String of Pearls


Striped Dracaena


Sweetheart Ivy


Sweetpea


Swiss Cheese plant





Tansy Mustard


Taro Vine


Tiger Lily *


Tobacco


Tomato Plant (green fruit, stem and leaves)


Tree Philodendron


Tropic Snow Dieffenbachia


Tulip


Tung Tree





Virginia Creeper





Water Hemlock


Weeping Fig


Wild Call


Wisteria





Should your feline friend eat part of a poisonous plant, rush the cat to your veterinarian as soon as possible. If you can, take the plant with you for ease of identification.





Poison Help Line


The Animal Poison Control Center is a unique, emergency hotline providing 24-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week telephone assistance to veterinarians and animal owners. There is a $50 consultation fee paid by the animal owner, veterinarian or product manufacturer.


Animal Poison Control Center


1-888-426-4435.








Yews --


e.g. Japanese Yew


English Yew


Western Yew


American Yew
Reply:almond,amaryllis,apricot pits, buckthorn,caladium,calla lily,daffodil, dieffenbachia,elephants ear,english holly, english ivy, foxglove, garden sorrel, glory lily,holly, honeysuckle, hore chestnut,jack in the pulpit,jerusalem cherry, lily of the valley, mock orange, mistletoe,oleander,peach pits,philodendron,poinsettia,p rivet , rhubarb,skunk cabbage,whisteria,yew


House Plant Emergency!?

The heat went out in my 4 season porch without me realizing it and my plants have been subjected to harsh temperatures(between 30 and 6 degrees, darn cold snap) for at least a whole day. They are now extremely droopy and some are squishy, some have turned brown depending on the plant. I have Boston ferns, kalanchoe, spider plants, prayer plants, christmas cactus, african violets, dwarf palms and others that i can't remember the name of right now. I want to know if I can possibly save any of them (the spider plants look the best) and what I can do to do so. Also, how do I know if the soil is frozen? It feels cold, but it is not like blocks of ice or anything like that.

House Plant Emergency!?
Ouch. It will depend on the plant. The droopy ones might have a chance. The squishy ones are compost - the "squishy" means the water in the cells forze, expanded, and burst the cellular walls. They're goners.





You'll just have to wait and see if any of them make it.
Reply:they may bounce back, put some room temp tea water on them.


get them covered at the bottom of pots to save roots.


Exotic plants?

So I live in RI and I am a plant fanatic. I have all those plants that everyone has spider plants, money trees, umbrella trees, mother-in-law tongues, doctor plants, ivy, Christmas cactus, jade, and aloe. But I am looking for something that will grow in this colder weather, that is not only one that I don't have but one that looks cool. I want something that needs watering once a week; I have all different light in my house, so that is not an issue but I need help. PLEASE HELP. When you reply send links if you have them for me to see what it looks like. :-) thank you.

Exotic plants?
Areca Palm





http://www.artificialplantsuk.co.uk/arec...





Sago Palm





http://www.agreenplanet.biz/adm/photo/74...





Ficus Tree





http://www.upupandaway-flowers.ca/acatal...
Reply:My gf and I just brought back a Mass Cane or "Corn Plant" as its sometimes called for her mother and it is a beautiful almost palm tree looking plant ideal for indoor settings that requires minimal watering. Shown below for $53.00 we bought in Florida for about $30


How can I get rid of...........?

these little gnats that are flying around my plant?? It's a Christmas Cactus and the plant is very healthy. It does appear the bugs are coming from that plant though. Is there a safe and environmnet friendly way I can do away with them without harming that plant and the other ones in the vacinity??

How can I get rid of...........?
Soil or fungus gnats fly around and annoy you. They live in the plant soil --especially if the soil if kept moist. Once the soil dries on the top layer they can no longer survive there. They don't live long, so usually drying out the top layer of a plant will take care of the problem.
Reply:I dont know if this was suggested, but i would treat the soil if its potted, Nats are attracted to the moister, sometimes if you over water and let it sit, nats will infest it. if its indoors, i would use a PCO fogger and dry up everything!
Reply:Fungus gnats live off the fungus that grows on the surface of potted plants; they're often a big problem for African violet growers, in particular. One of the best solutions I know of for the little stinkers is Safer's Insecticidal Soap, which works very well as a soil drench. You might be able to get it near your home; if not, I'm including a link to a violet grower in Denver that sells supplies.





Someone above mentioned diatomaceous earth; that's also a good solution, but one that you should not use if you or anyone in your household is allergic to seafood.
Reply:Go to the hardware store or a plant store %26amp; purchase Seven powder %26amp; sprinkle plant %26amp; dirt with it according to directions.
Reply:Fungus gnats are often a problem whenever plants are being overwatered.





Fungus gnats commonly damage plants and their larvae feed on roots and stunt the growth of plants. The larvae will chew on roots, the larvae or adults can spread plant pathogens and could leave the plants prone to diseases.





Female fungus gnats lay tiny eggs in moist organic debris or potting soil.





Following are two methods you can control them without spraying;





You can deter their egg-laying by putting a 1/4-inch layer (or more) of fine sand on the top of your potting soil. The sand acts as a deterrent to the laying of eggs by fungus gnat adults--providing a physical barrier between the adults and the moist media where they usually lay their eggs.





The alternative method is to sprinkle some diatomaceous earth over the entire top of the potting mix... this will kill the larvae as they emerge.





Hope this works for you! Good luck!





-Certified Professional Crop Advisor with over 30 years of experience and a Degree in Plant Science
Reply:My grandmother says dishsoap and water in a spray bottle works for her.
Reply:spray the cactus with a soapy water solution....it kills the bugs and is harmless to the plant....

flower arrangements

Dying Plant Needs You!?

I have a Christmas cactus- also called a zygocactus I think- that refuses to be happy. I have no idea how to care for it. The poor guy looks so close to death. The thing's leaf pieces are wrinkly. Water helps, but only for a day or two. It was shedding limbs for about 2 months, but has now stopped. I have had it since December and I just want it to be healthy. Help please!

Dying Plant Needs You!?
Try looking here -%26gt; http://www.fernlea.com/xmas/cactinfo.htm It's got lots of info on Christmas cactus.
Reply:You needed to put it outside this summer, in a shaded area, and kept moist. I don't know what your climate is like - but if you still have another warm month ahead of you - try letting it outdoors for a month, keep it watered and bring indoors in October if your weather will permit.
Reply:Wrinkly leaves either it has been overwatered or underwatered. Since watering only revies it for a day or two I think it was proably overwatered or the pot was alloowed to sit in water in the drain dish. I salvaged one by repotting in clean dry cautus mix soil and not watering it for two weeks. It has taken some time but it is coming back. They like to be root bound so don't put it in too large a pot. Use a moisture meter when watering. If the meter reads DRY at the bottom of the pot give it only enough water to wet the top of soil. As you live in a hot climate check each day with the meter.


Should I transfer my houseplants to larger pots?

I have some small house plants in 4" pots (christmas cactus, jade). I do NOT have a green thumb, but I seem to remember that they will grow fuller if they have more room to grow. It just seems like an awfully big jump to a 6" pot.





I am kinda' clueless about plants, so any tips you have would be greatly appreciated !!!!

Should I transfer my houseplants to larger pots?
Yes, Honey, put them in an eight inch pot, so the roots will have room to spread and grow, and it will bloom real pretty for you come christmas time!!!!!
Reply:Ahhh, You're welcome, sweetie! Report It

Reply:Plants that need to be put in larger pots are root bound, so that be your guide.
Reply:Look on www.marthastewartliving.com she has real good advice.
Reply:yes, only go up to the next size pot. you will know if the plant is ready to transplant if you see the roots over the top or if you pull it up and can see the roots


About house plants: would be ok to leave them outside for 5wks during summer while travelling?

...Or should I find someone to look after them? I'm thinking of my Christmas Cactus and a small crassula.

About house plants: would be ok to leave them outside for 5wks during summer while travelling?
my mother always left her house plants outside in the summer . wow did they grow and looked very healthy
Reply:Crassula and Christmas Cactus are actually plants that enjoy heat and summer temperatures out of doors. They grow wild in Italy!


They require relatively little watering and the odd shower will be quite sufficient to keep them healthy. I would not leave them in the bath as they might rot, whilst they will thrive out of doors. Mine are out all summer. The only thing they hate is frost.
Reply:My house plants spend the whole summer outside it really perks them up .


The only thing that would worry me is if it doesn't rain at all they could die ( but then if your in the UK i can guarantee it will rain ) other wise cant you get a neighbour to water them over the wall
Reply:It would be much safer to take them with you.
Reply:id leave them in the bath wheres theres some light from the window- wet a towel so its soaking and the plant will drink when it needs to
Reply:High! oosoart here, both your plants are classed as succulents,meaning that have fleshy leaves and store a lot of water for dry times, part of the cactus family.


Leave them in a lightly shaded spot,not full sun and if you can sit them on a tray of some kind with an old towel folded on the base to sit your pots on next to the tray put a bucket of water and the get some old sheeting or towelling long enough to reach from the bottom of the bucket and over the side down into the tray,the water should then soak up sheeting and down onto the towel in bottom of the tray just giving enough ,not too much to your plants.


Make sure the towel in the tray is wet to start with and the sheeting is wetted and twisted,should be fine.


Hope you understand all of this. Good luck, oosoart.
Reply:It would depend on the plant, and your weather in the summer for 5 wks. Some houseplants could not take the sun for that long, You would also be hoping that mother nature watered your plants, could your plants handle it if there was no rain for the entire 5 wks you were gone?or how about 5 wks of to much rain? the other problem that presents itself is that you will be gone for 5wks. If you have a plant sitter come into your house or apt to check on your plants they can bring in your mail pick up your newspapers,etc. Make the place look less deserted,and maybe less attractive to a burglar
Reply:If you get wild rabbits in your garden, it will take them 5 minutes, never mind 5 weeks to demolish your plants!
Reply:Some people recommend leaving house plants outside in the summer as it does them good. I am going to try it this year.
Reply:no, get some one to look after them,


What could be the reasons that my 20 year old Jade tree is dropping leaves? Any suggestions to remedy this?

I put it outside in the summer and bring it in in the winter. It is sitting in the same window that it has sat in for 5 years, and it did not drop leaves like this before. A smaller one is doing the same thing, as is my Christmas cactus, but the jade tree is the worst. It has tiny new growth on the ends.

What could be the reasons that my 20 year old Jade tree is dropping leaves? Any suggestions to remedy this?
Your heater is tooo high. And try putting it on the floor where the sun shine instead. The moist from the window and the rays from the sun and your heater is giving it the flu actually.
Reply:too much water/heat/sun/light, perhaps the plant is just getting old. i would try to spare a few cuttings or babies and start new plants. my freinds aloe did the same thing just after we split the babies off, it was 40+ yrs/o!
Reply:Have you moved it, maybe cut back on water, maybe not enough water, if all else fails go on line there are very good sites that will help you.

Dental Implants

How to get rid of mealy bugs on my houseplant?

They keep coming back! My poor Christmas cactus has had a hard year. I have quarantined it several times, washed it down, removed all of the little fuzzy bits I can find and yet it returns! I've had it! My poor plant is on the back porch right now, and it's very sad. I've had this plant for 20+ years.





Help! (prefer to not use poisons... but might be desperate enough if it's not too awful.

How to get rid of mealy bugs on my houseplant?
It sounds like you have already tried the soap and water method. Have you tried a little rubbing alcohol on some Q-tips? Rub this on all exposed surfaces. I would give that a try, but if all else fails, you could get some insecticide. Go to your garden center and tell them what kind of incects you have.
Reply:Well i know just the thing that will lengthen your plants life and keep the bugs away.


Unicorn blood will do the trick, just find or breed some unicorn and DRAIN'EM.......DRAIN'EM DRY!!!


Bitter Apple for cats?

I had just recently moved in with my grandma and I have a cat. The problem is, my grandma is a gardener and she has a lot of indoor plants that are poisonous to cats. They are high up on window sills, shelves and everything so I didn't figure this would be a problem. This morning, I saw my cat trying to eat a christmas cactus. but I stopped her before she even got to lick it. I told my grandma about bitter apple and she thinks it is a great idea.





Will bitter apple really work? Will it kill her plants? Also, she said she may want to use it outside so the outdoor cats and rabbits don't eat her plants outside...is that okay too?





Please let me know, thank you!

Bitter Apple for cats?
I can't imagine it would be toxic to the plants, but I don't know for certain.





Cats aren't supposed to like citrus, you could put orange or lemon peels around the plants to deter the cat.
Reply:My cat eats absolutely anything he can get in his mouth and the bitter apple did not work. He licked it! I found an alarm that you set on something you don't want your cat to get on. At the first "feel" that your cat has gotten onto the forbidden place, it emits a high pitch sound. That didn't work for my cat either. He wanted to hear it and see what was making the noise. The only thing I found that really works is called Sscat. It is a can that sprays out non toxic spray whenever anything comes in front of it. He doesn't like the spray sound.





I got it from a pet website, but I think that other vet websites have it too. Good luck with your kitty.
Reply:Bitter Apple is not toxic to plants, so your grandma and yourself need not worry about hurting the plants. If she's going to use it outside, she will have to re-apply it every day as watering will wash away the spray. Citrus peels are also a good way to deter cats from eating plants, as they don't like the scent. Putting tin foil around where the plants are is also a good way to keep cats away, they don't seem to like the crinkling of the foil on their paws.


What can i do to save house plants that got frozen??

i ordered a baby tear plant,mass cane tree,goldfish plant,a zz plant ,and a christmas cactus off the internet and when i got them they were frozen from all the cold temps......they all look really bad and dead.........so now what can i do to save them if anything,or should i just throw them away

What can i do to save house plants that got frozen??
You should contact the place where you ordered them and tell them so they can be replaced. Most places would be glad to replace frozen plants for you.
Reply:Throw them away!? Nonsense! You call that company and tell them to either send you some live plants or give you your money back. You probably can't save then plants you've received but take pics of them ( in case they dispute the condition of the plants ) and talk to the company.


Question about replanting?

i was just trying to replant my christmas cactus but the thing is i ripped a part he roots. will that kill the cactus?

Question about replanting?
You don't even need to get roots to get a new plant,just take a "leaf" stem of the cactus and push it in the dirt. It should root easily.





Christmas Cactus can live for a long time,at least up to 50 years, just keep re-potting and you will have a beautiful specimen





Mine have just finished blooming for the second time, I had them in my living room which is kind of dark while they were in flower, then I put them back in my well lit bathroom and they gave me another flowering.
Reply:Shouldn't kill it as they are tough.Just pull it back together as one plant or divide into more if that is your intention.Re-pot and enjoy.
Reply:becareful plant the roots try to keep them intact as much as possible you might of killed it they are pretty strong though just be more gentle.just take a part of what you just pulled and make a knew plant out of it i mean one of the roots.

flower

How do you usually decorate for Christmas?

Just wanted to see if anyone had some unique ways that they decorate for Christmas time.... I know some of my friends have a potted plant they decorate every year with pictures and stuff like that %26amp; people in Arizona decorate a cactus in which is kind of different.

How do you usually decorate for Christmas?
I usually have a big village that takes up my dining room. I have to move my table to fit it in. It has 5 levels and a lot of houses, some made by myself in ceramics and others that are store bought. It's evolved into a city! The manger is always on the bottom level with an assortment of people from many lands walking to see the Baby Jesus. The people also include animals. It's quite a sight. I decided to take a year off from it this year, because it took me so long to take it down last year and it is extremely time consuming, but now I'm having second thoughts!


After spending most of the day christmas shopping?

I was sitting on the bus with bags of presents which consisted of a cluster of candy canes,a dartboard(lord knows why because my nephew who the present is for couldnt hit a barn door with a basketball,a xylophone fer my daughter,a cactus for my mum(she loves plants but she works long hours so I thought I would get her one that doesn't need much tending)a zippo lighter fer me dad with a naked lady on the front(he can be quite juvenile and will love it) I couldnt carry the microwave I bought fer me sister so that was being delivered, then I had a revelation I could have gone online and had it all delivered, thanks to the phenomenon that is online shopping.anyway you may have noticed this was somewhat rhetorical and doesnt require an answer so before someone reports me to yahoo here is my question?





if you had no choice what would you rather have with yer christmas dinner? cauliflower or cabbage?

After spending most of the day christmas shopping?
its all cool. it was quite a story and im glad you told it and i read it. it sounds like you had quite a day. merry christmas. and,by the way, i would choose couliflower.(wink)
Reply:i would have both dont think my wife would let me in bed that night tho pewww lol
Reply:Cabbage I love it?
Reply:cauliflower with lots of white sauce.





And about online shopping it's ok unless the bloody post office lose it which happened to us this week!!!! And the well known online company we ordered it from couldn't help us as they hadn't sent it recorded.
Reply:Neither
Reply:Cauliflower
Reply:i don't get it. what does your question have to do with your long story?


anyways the answer to the real question would be cauliflower...
Reply:Your photo scares me!
Reply:Why not go traditional and have some sprouts?





It would depend on what else there is in the plate.
Reply:and to think you could have stayed warm indoors hunni
Reply:Cabbage. Merry Christmas =)
Reply:Cauliflower but what possessed you with this question?


Was your bus journey too long? :)
Reply:Cabbage!
Reply:Gotta be cabbage Toot!
Reply:Cabbage.
Reply:I can't read what you wrote because your pic is too scary to look at... even though I can't stop staring at it...





Weird!!
Reply:caulliflour-


I LOVE LOVE LOVE vegetables, I mean it. I live from them and fruit.





Incase you think I am joking, I have anorexia.





Caulliflour is most popular, though red cabbage can be nice for you "normal" people if you boil in up in salted wated as normal until soft, then soak it in red wine and red wine vinegar or balsamic vingar, with chopped up apple (cox or braburn- not goldren delicious) or something like that!





Delia Smith has a good recipy, or google "red cabbage and apple" and see what recipies come up.





Calorific though.


The cactus I have had for the past ten years has always sprouted baby cacti r/o?

I usually remove them around christmas. So far this year there are no baby cacti. Is this normal or is it still too early to tell. I was wondering if the plant is dying or maybe too old?

The cactus I have had for the past ten years has always sprouted baby cacti r/o?
You did not say what type it is or include a photo. If you always remove the "pups" maybe it has given up. Perhaps, you did not fertilize the same, as in years past, so perhaps there was not enough energy left in the plant to put off new sprouts.





Send more information.


ICan you help me identify a cactus?

It has a larger flower , It has a larger leaf than a christmas catus Hangs down out of a of a basket the leaves are 6 to 10 inches long and from 1.5 to 2 inches wide. Can you help me identify a cactus

ICan you help me identify a cactus?
Here you go ... try this cactus identification website:





http://www.cactiguide.com/





Good luck with your search.
Reply:Take a photo of it, then somone might be able to help.

windows

How do i remove cactus thorns from my hand?

my girlfriend fell and stuck her hand in a cactus on christmas eve. we couldn't get all of the thorns out, there were some very tiny ones under the skin. now her hand is painful and she has at least one that might be getting infected. how can we remove them, and what are the effects of cactus thorns? i've heard that they can be poisonous.

How do i remove cactus thorns from my hand?
It is rare, but cactus spines can sometimes get really infected. If it is just red and swollen, you might try soaking her had in an Epsom salt solution (you can buy Epsom salts at a drug store), as hot as she can stand it, for 10-15 minutes.





If it is festering up, sometimes it will pop out if you open it up with a needle and squeeze it gently. Often cactus spines have little hooks like a fishhook, and that is why they are so hard to get out. If it continues to get infected and does not get better in a day or two, go to the doctor and have them removed.





If they are still sticking up, try the following method for removing cactus spines, as well as small fiberglass spicules or plant stickers (for example, stinging nettle): Apply a layer of hair remover wax. Let it air-dry for 5 minutes, or speed up the process with a hair dryer. Then peel off the gel or wax with the spicules. You can also try white glue, or adhesive tape, but it is less effective. Pulling on them wih tweezers can just break them off under the skin.








If you don't get them out, they could remain painful for months, and won't work out due to the barbs on them.








.
Reply:Hydrogen Peroxide should help draw the thorns out enough so that you can pull them out with tweezers.
Reply:If you have steady hands, use a hypodermic needle and remove the splinters . If not go to a doctor to have them removed. It is not an emergency. Thorns can cause inflammation or infection. Unless removed the process will continue.
Reply:Try running her with hot water. The hottest she can handle. It will open her pores and get alot of them to free themselves. I feel bad. You must be talking about those ones that you can only see when you hold them up to the light. Their misserable little buggers.
Reply:Soaking in a water solution of epsom salt is supposed to help draw out splinters. I don't know if it would help remove cactus thorns.
Reply:Very carefully! (sorry, an old joke)





Umm, well if you're truly concerned about the wound being infected or possibly poisoned, I would definitely see a doctor. Otherwise it's just like a splinter. You can dig in with tweezers. Owie! Or just let it be. It might hurt for a while, but the body eventually will reject any foreign objects lodged within itself.
Reply:they're not poisonous. try breaking the skin with a needle and then using tweezers. just like a splinter
Reply:If it's getting infected I say go to emergency right away
Reply:Irritating more than anything else; not toxic. First thing to try is duct tape: smooth it on the affected area *firmly* and then pull fast and hard. Spreading white glue on the area, allowing it to dry, and then pulling the glue off has also been known to work.


Those are the two effective fast methods I know.





Easier, imo, though more time consuming, is to tape a split piece of dried fruit over the area -- bandaid and split raisin for a small spot, split prune or date for a larger area, held on by adhesive tape. Go to sleep, and generally the glochids (those nasty little stiff hairs) will be out the next morning. This works by shrinking the skin away from the glochids by osmotic pressure of the sugars in the dried fruit. The skin shrinks, the glochids don't -- voila!
Reply:try taking them out with twezers or go to a doctor and someone can you please answer my limewire question
Reply:TRY DUCT TAPE OR ELMER'S GLUE...LET THE GLUE DRY COMPLETELY......OR TWEEZERS
Reply:try a pair of tweezers see if those help with getting them out good luck.
Reply:try tweezers it helped wen i slammed my dirtbike into a cactus..not fun lol good luck


How Do You Look After a Cactus / Cacti?

Ok, heres the deal. My friend bought me a cactus for Christmas and I don't know the first thing about plants. Does anyone here own a cactus/ cacti or ever looked after one, cos I'm pretty sure its gonna die within, lets say a month? If I don't figure it out soon! Cheers!

How Do You Look After a Cactus / Cacti?
Most, but not all cacti are easy to grow. You didn't tell us where you live, so lets assume in the Eastern section of the USA. If the cactus is planted in soil, you stand a pretty good chance of rotting it. Remember, nobody likes cold wet feet, and neither does a cactus. So keep it warm and in a sunny place. If it's really green and getting tall and skinny, then it's not getting enough light. Wait until the cactus and pot feel light, then water thoroughly. Let it dry out between waterings, but here's the trick, if you wait until the cactus is BONE dry, then the roots are dead, you water, and bingo, ROT. Don't let it get bone dry.
Reply:You barely have to water it and it's okay. If you forget to to water it for 6 months, it will die.
Reply:Biggest issue you will have to face is overwatering. I keep mine in the sun and water (well when I remember to). Depending on your location, you should keep it in the house durning the winter and place outside after the last freeze. It will be fine. Good Luck to you and your new addition cactus.
Reply:just keep it in the sun and water once a month
Reply:do not over water!!!
Reply:A lot more are killed by over watering than under watering.





good luck