Plant profile: Dieffenbachia

I usually keep flowering house plants but for a change I got these foliage ones. My Mom keeps telling me to get one of these for the longest time. She said they're easier to maintain. Luckily, while I was walking around Manila Seedling Bank, I found a store selling several foliage plants, various ferns and Bromeliads. It's really important to choose healthy plants so I suggest going around until you find one.

Dieffenbachia has large fleshy leaves on stout stalks. The sap is poisonous if ingested so keep it away if you have toddlers or pets. Want a little trivia? It was once a subject of an SNS hoax - "killer house plant". While it is indeed poisonous, the hoax was greatly exaggerated. It's perfectly safe to keep around the house. :)



Info from Dr. D.G. Hessayon's The Houseplant Expert

• Temperature: Average or above average warmth, hates cold air draft
• Light: Partial shade in summer, bright light in winter
• Water: Water regularly during warm months, water sparingly during cold months
• Air Humidity: Mist often. Surround pot with damp peat.

Common problems

• Lower leaves yellow & wilted: cold temperature or cold air drafts
• Loss of color: direct sunlight or excessive brightness. Move to a shadier spot.
• Loss of leaves: cold temperature or cold air drafts. Old leaves tend to drop naturally.
• Leaves with brown edges: cold air or compost has been allowed to dry out.
• Stem base soft & discolored: over-watering & cold temperature.

Isn't it photogenic? And strangely this photo reminds me of the movie "Borrower Arrietty". It's based on a children's novel (The Borrowers) about little people living amongt normal humans by keeping out of sight borrowing little things from them. I haven't read the book yet but it's on my never-ending to-read list. *lol* I did see the US movie version of it and I remember it being hilarious and quite fun to watch. The Japanese animated movie though is a bit serious and heartwarming. It's produced by Studio Ghibli so you can expect awesome graphics!

If you can, get your own copy or check youtube. :)

Tagged under Garden Journal

Plant update #4

I went walking around Manila Seedling Bank last Sunday. So many blooming plants! Once again I started to dream where I'm going to put them if I had a farm garden or even a balcony sized one.



Yes I killed my plants again so I bought new ones. *sobs* Anyway I know what not to do. I hope they stay alive longer.

If I had a balcony

Sometimes, I wonder what would life have been like if we decided on a unit with balcony. Never mind that we live on a 40+ story building and we're on the 3rd highest floor! *haha* It would have been perfect for cloud watching or stargazing. Or a (not so) secret place for reading and drinking coffee. How about a mini garden? I could grow tomatoes and herbs!

But the real selling point is having a proper place to dry my laundry. Oh and hopefully more natural light inside my house.

Plant profile: Sansevieria cylindrica (African Spear)

This is my 2 1/2 month old African Spear. I named her Sanshi. My aunt gave her to me as a housewarming present. I've kept her in the bathroom. I think she quite likes it. She grew 2 new buds since. I had to move her though, one of the little buds died. She might have been sprinkled with soap residue (and/or bleach) cause I keep her near the bathroom vanity.

This one is easy to maintain. It's a succulent so it doesn't need as much watering. Succulents retain water in their leaves. Be careful of over-watering and don't let the water sit on the leaves. It might rot. I water once a month and she's doing ok.

In terms of lighting, I've read that it will do ok inside the house with minimal lighting but if you want it to grow taller, then put it in a brightly lit spot (near the window, an area of the house where the lights are turned on often etc.,).

In terms of humidity & temperature, it's not fussy. it will do ok with average room settings.

You can read more tips on how to take care of an African Spear from Guide to Houseplants website.

If you want to get one, they're often sold at various plant stores in malls. (Sanshi came from Puregold. My aunt wasn't so successful in peeling the sticker tag *lol*) Always choose a healthy looking one! If you can't find one in your local mall, a sure place to buy plants is Manila Seedling bank.

Plant update #3: African Violets & Wardian cases

So guess what? My African Violets are dead (≖_≖) .... wah¯\(ಠ_ಠ)/¯

What went wrong? I suspect slight over-watering & temperature problems. I have been using the air-conditioner more frequently these days. Apparently African Violets do not like the cold. They like room temperature. I'm not 100% sure that I'm really going below 60 deg, my air conditioner is a manual one so I can't check. I'm trying to find a room thermometer but I still haven't found any. *sigh*

*Please note that my plants are inside my room because its the only brightly lit spot on my place. So whenever I use the air-con, the plants are subjected to sudden shifts of temperature. You don't have to do exactly what I do. It all depends if YOUR place is the kind of environment the plants like.

Its the same all over again. Main problem is, I don't know the first thing about house plants. I expect them to thrive in my house when it is not the proper environment for them.
I am the one that needs to adjust and not the other way around.

I am not going to give up. I won't complain. I am just going to do better each and every time.

Gardening is part science, part experience, and part results, plus, it's hard to get right.
--Matt; Growing with Plants

Plant update #2

Guess what guys? All my plants died except my Fittonia (Nerve plant). *sniff ಥ﹏ಥ* The only one I did not re-plant. Could it be they didn't like the soil? But its supposed to be good for most house plants.~ Or maybe I didn't do the re-planting correctly?



I read that different plants, just like any living thing, have different needs. That's why you need to get to know the plant first before disturbing its current environment. I clearly need to study more. tsk tsk （￣へ￣）

I'm giving up on huge plants for now. I don't think they receive much light. My window, being the only source of bright light in my place, is just too small for them.



Nerve plants are easy to care for. I water (the soil) once or twice a week and mist the leaves every morning. If I forget, the plant will faint *haha*, they go limp which goes away really fast once I pour water. It grew tall stems though instead of bushy leaves. I read that for a fuller look, you do a plant pinching technique which forces it to grow more leaves instead of growing tall. I also plan to propagate it just to try. I wasn't quite successful with propagating my Jade plant so I'm a bit scared to try it again.



And so one Sunday, I found myself trudging along the all too familiar path towards Manila Seedling Bank. Hello plants! *cue evil music Ψ(｀∀´)Ψ * mwahaha

Introducing my new plants!

Two African Violets (blue & violet) and one vine plant shaped in a heart wire (I forgot to ask the name)



Hello pretty rabbit  ~ I'm going to cry if this breaks. Its so gorgeous and it took me a year to find one!

Plant profile: Nerve plant

I'm really in love with this Nerve plant and the silver pail I found at Dapitan Arcade. (^-^)v I plan to give a similar one as housewarming present to my neighbors ala Japanese greeting style. I find it weird that we have lived across the hall with each other for a month and I still haven't greeted them properly.

————

*This one is a Fittonia argyroneura nana in pink color (also comes in white). It's the dwarf version and a lot easier to keep alive in a room setting. It has been very forgiving. It hasn't died on me yet. *laughs* I wish it would be more bushier though and with less leggy stems. I'm currently researching on this.

Secrets to Success: Partially shaded spot and average warmth. Water liberally but don't over water. Mist leaves.

—source; The House Plant Expert by Dr. D.G. Hessayon

My technique: I usually water it about once a week or once every two weeks. This is only because my pot doesn't have a drainage hole. I mist the leaves every morning.

I plan to buy a second plant of this color before I try my hand on the White-veined one.

*This post was updated on 06.01.2011.

Plant profile: Bromeliad

I was lucky to have walked into the plant store during a fresh delivery of this 3pc Bromeliad. They cost 180php. Super worth it cause some stores will charge you 100-120php per plant/bloom! The blooms stay an average of 3 months. (This one I'm not so sure. Mine still had its bloom after 6 months!) I read that they only bloom once in their life and grow small pups at the base before they die.

*After 6 months, two have died because of neglect. I was preparing my house for renovation and I put them in a low lit spot. Now only the pink-yellow one (below) lives. It might be nearing its end too though. The colors are fading and the leaves have ugly brown dry spots. According to The House Plant Expert, it could be because of dry air. I'm going to try if misting will revive it. I already bought a new yellow Bromeliad to replace the ones that died.

Secrets of Success: Bromeliads are tropical plants. They like bright indirect light and room temperature. Water inside the "central vase" and mist during the summer (or when you notice brown tips). Do not over water. Watering once a week may be sufficient. Occasionally feed through the leaves by misting with liquid fertilizer.

—sources; The House Plant Expert & Bromeliad info and care.

They could be three different types of Bromeliad. I tried identifying them but its hard to tell which one is which. They're all Guzmania! *heh* (｡･ω･)ﾉﾞ

Too bad I didn't take note of the store number. Next time I'll do that so you guys will know where to get the same plant. I still think exploring is better. You might find something I didn't. One advise I can give you though is to buy plants outside the big tents. Somehow the plants outside are much healthier and better presented (some with free rocks & moss).

*This post was updated 07-20-2012.

Plant update #1

Two new babies; Bromeliad and Nerve plant.





A week before Christmas I went back to Manila Seedling bank to find new plants for my house. It was gloomy that day but I didn't think it would rain. I was already there so I just did my touristy things in a hurry. I only got a few shots and decided to buy the plants and go home.

Plant Profile: Winter Bulbs

I'm going on another trip to Manila Seedling Bank this weekend, this time with my friend S. Hopefully we'll be able to visit all the tents and still find time to go to Dapitan Arcade (for ceramic hunting).

My stargazer lily is already undergoing hibernation. After the flowers bloomed, the leaves started falling off. *sigh (¬_¬)* Its really sad seeing your plants wilt away like that. (-’_’-) (╥_╥) I don't know how long till it sprouts a new body so I'm hunting for another ornamental plant. Stargazer being a lily bulb, I have hope that MSB will also have these so-called winter bulbs I keep seeing on international blogs.

Winter bulbs are these onion looking ones. Examples are Amaryllis, Hyacinths, Tullips, and Daffodils.

New plants!

The only one left of my Miura plants is Rikka.
But he won't be lonely anymore. He's got new brothers and sisters. (^=^)v

Introducing my new houseplants! Jade plant, Echeveria & Star gazer lily. The former two are succulents and the latter a bulb lily. All perfect for indoors with bright light of course (by the window or a bright lamp light)! These are the ones I bought in Manila Seedling Bank.



Tips when buying plants:

1. Pick healthy plants! Don't be tempted to buy whatever is there just cause they all look the same.

I should have chosen my Echeveria & Jade plants carefully these look unhealthy :3 Try to look for plants without those brown things.  (^-^)v

Rikka & rosettes from the main Echeveria plant.

2. If you plan to re-pot them in pretty vases, don't forget to buy:

• soil suited for your plant (I got this Plantastic Soil-less mix for 50php; good for any type of houseplant)

To give your cacti and succulents the adequate drainage it needs, go to a rock supply store and get yourself some black pebbles # 5 (that's the size of the pebbles). If you could also go to a gardening store and find yourself some coarse perlite, that would also be great. Mix these three (Plantastic, black pebbles and coarse perlite) in equal parts and you've got yourself an excellent cactus mix. If all you can get is one or the other, that would be fine, too. What's important is that the drainage property of the potting mix be enhanced. -- email reply by Gardenhearts staff. (yes I emailed them   )

• mini shovel
• and gloves

This is where they are temporarily, until I figure out what kind of plant stand I want. I'm gearing towards a mini ladder or just go all out and buy a table. Besides I'm planning to have my craft area near the window anyway.

I'm definitely going ceramic hunting soon, I want a vintage looking vase for my Jade plant. (^=^)v
I'll post some other houseplants you can buy besides these three.

Secret garden in QC

Well its not so secret to plant lovers and to anyone passing through EDSA. Manila Seedling Bank is obscured by plants and trees but inside it's quite spacious. There are huge tents with numerous stalls within. I only explored one side actually, I went with BF and he's not the person you would want to go exploring with. Anyway, I'll come back next month! I'm eye-ing a super cute bonsai for Christmas (see photo at the bottom!).