...Well. So far, anyway.

I own over a hundred alocasias. Up until now I've always cut off their inflorescences, but this time I decided to attempt a reciprocal cross of simpo albo and dragon scale aurea just for funsies.

To pollinate, you must expose the female chamber in order to be able to reach the pistils. A small window was cut into each spathe within 24 hours of it opening, as the female phase of flowering is incredibly short. I had stored pollen from my Simpo Albo previously and used this on the inflorescences on the Dragon Scale. Within a week, the results are clear to see. The pistils are browning and shrinking and the berries are rapidly plumping up.

Next, an inflo on my Simpo Albo opened just in time to overlap with the male pollen phase of the Dragon Scale's. I collected fresh pollen from it and fertilized the Simpo Albo as well, which also appears to be successful.

I now have three infructesences on my two plants - two on my Dragon Scale Aurea and one on my Simpo Albo.

It'll be several months before the berries are ripe and the seeds are ready to sow. There's a high chance that one or all of the infructesences will be aborted by the mother plant. And even if they do make it to ripening, there's a chance that they may not be viable seeds.

...But it'll be great fun to see how it goes, chance of failure notwithstanding!

Flowerception

PNW, house. I've got a bad fungus gnat infestation and it's getting worse, not better (photo: yellow sticky traps covered in them).

What I've tried:
- Yellow sticky traps — they catch a ton, but new gnats keep appearing
- Magic Gardener Fungus Gnat Larvae Killer

What actually broke the cycle for you? Mosquito Bits tea, letting the soil dry out fully, repotting in fresh mix, sand top layer, something else? Open to whatever works — just want them gone.

This is the first time my holiday cactus flowers and I'm stunned by her beauty!

This shit is really freaking me out, I’d hate to throw out the plant but idk what to do about this

I made a mistake when I planted 3 sad cuttings and all of the beans that fell off in the process. There are waaaaaay too many in the is pot, but also I cant bring myself to separate them because I will inevitably end up with another thousand loose beans that I'll feel obligated to plant.

Also, I'm aware it needs/wants more light near the lower portion. It's in the works. I recently moved it from directly under a shared 18W T5 to a dedicated 8W bulb with shade that sits directly over it - which it seems to like better (finally sun-stressing and less etiolation), so I'm still experimenting!

Anyway I wish I was a little bug that could live in this weird little forest lol.

I'm trying to save some money and use what I already have. I bought this lightbulb a while back because some YouTube videos suggested that you really don't need a special grow light and many growers use regular LED bulbs, as long as they are within the 5000K-6500K color temperature range and above 1000 Im. The reason I want to supplement my pothos with light is because I'm tired of its yearly winter leaf drop and having to cut and propagate balding stems every spring. I strongly suspect that this happens due to significantly shorter amounts of daylight here in Northern Europe. Seeing how this is already a low light tolerant plant, I was wondering, would this lightbulb actually help, or am I just wasting my electricity and should purchase a marketed plant light?

Thrips are one of those common pests - granted. But it sure does seem like nearly all the houseplant related subs have pics of sad plants with itty bitty rice-grain-shaped bugs on them right now. What's up with that? Is a major distributor having thrip problems, maybe? Are thrips finally making their big move to take over the world, one house plant at a time?

I don’t know why all my begonias keep dying and it’s really keeping me from enjoying the only hobby I have access to (yay depression)

Someone please help me. Please. I can’t keep crying over plants. If I can’t figure this out I have to be done with this hobby (can’t keep replacing my favorites $$$)

Today I got home to a couple sad plants left at my driveway gate with a note. There was no name for me to know who left them, so I can't ask them what this plant is called. One was a golden pothos and the other was this one pictured. I need to get it healthy, but I don't know what it needs until I know what it is. All of my plants are cactus or succulents other than my pothos and my hoya, so I am no good at IDing other types house plants.

Thank you for your help.

Right now I just have it in my enclosed porch area, but I will get it to a proper spot and potted in the correct medium once I know what that would be. The dirt is wet right now, but I think it was watered right before they were dropped off at my house.

Is there a way to save this guy? I moved into this apartment, and found it falling apart. I didn’t have the heart to throw it out.

According to Google it’s a Christmas cactus. Any advice/tips is greatly welcomed!

Before I bought plant twist-ties, I'd use actual scrunchies. I never tie them tight, just enough to keep everybody's leaves from getting tangled. 🥰

Hi all, earlier this summer I put a pot up about my spider plant. After reading the comments I decided to give it an ultimatum, adapt or die

Its decided to adapt 😂

I cut off all the leaves and its decided to cone back thicker than before with extras

Just wondering should I be doing anything about the tall bits that have stuck out as they were never there before hand 🤣

Cheers

Please help! I've had this plant for over 2 years and just recently repotted it for the first time. After the repot, it seems to be struggling. I know I waited too long to repot, and it became root-bound. Is it just in shock from repotting? It has been about three weeks since I repotted it. I moved in July and It's been in this moderately sunny spot for a few months now and hasn't been as successful as it was in the old spot. The old spot hardly got any sun, but had a grow light on it practically 24/7. It has lost quite a few leaves lately (they turn yellow and fall off) and is just horribly droopy. I haven't changed the watering schedule (About 1 to 2 weeks, or if the top layer of soil is dry). I love this plant so much, and I don't want it to die. Any tips would be helpful!!

This is my current set up. I fear that with fall and winter coming my plants on the shelf above the TV will need grow lights. I’m just not sure the best route to go. Would like for the lights to serve their purpose, but if they could also look good, or offer ambience, lighting, that would be extra brownie points. Thanks in advance for all the help and suggestions!!

Half off at Lowe's, should've known there was a catch 🤣 Went to remove the inner pot for replanting and a proper moss pole but I can't get it over the inner lip. Asking for advice! Not saying "the cylinder must remain unharmed" but I'd like to keep the pot of possible!!

My daughter insisted on bringing home a sad fiddle leaf fig from the curb and wants to nurse it back to health. It’s big and I’ve never had one and know nothing… what is the best approach here? Should I try starting it again from a cutting, or work with this spindly dude as he is? No idea how long it sat outside in the cold weather either.

Currently it is plopped here because I’m not even sure where to place it, probably need some light augmentation anywhere it would fit. Oh, plant adventures!

I’ve been using a neem based spray in an attempt to control thrips and mealybugs on my balcony plants (I really don’t want to poison pollinators) and I’m gonna be honest: all it seems to do is make my plants visibly sad. Has it actually worked for anyone?

I've been watching this pup grow on my post-flower bromeliad for months. It's about 10 inches tall, so I decided to see if I could separate it. In the process of trying to work a knife in between the roots, it snapped backwards and came out like this. Is there any hope of this growing as an independent plant? I'm planning on keeping it dry for 24 hours to firm a callus and then potting it, unless y'all say it is a fool's errand because of the way it snapped away. Any experience is appreciated!

I propagated these trimmings from a Christmas cactus, or perhaps it’s Thanks giving cactus, I don’t know the difference. It’s been a few months now, and new leaves have grown so I think it’s doing okay. But what do I do now? Do I leave it alone or try to repot? Does it look healthy?
Some back story: the plant these were clipped from belonged to my mom, and it was given to her by her own mom who is no longer with us. My mom didn’t know how to care for it and it was dying from root rot. Being that it was from her mom, it was really heartbreaking for her to think she wouldn’t have it anymore, so I’m trying to make a new plant from it so that she sort of still has the plant from her mom.
In other words it’s very important I keep this thing alive!! Please help. TIA 🙏

PS is it true that you’re supposed to put these outside each summer and bring them in around the holidays? That is what my mom was told and what she had been doing.

How long til i see new growth??

My Sansevieria. I love it for its compactness. ❤ It grows one new rosette per year.

Such a pretty plants but GOD does it reek!!! Every time I walk by, I look around to see where the cat pooped. Nope, just this horrible smelling plant. Again.