La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
I’m having some luck with our plants this year. I thought I’d share photos of the terrace gardens (pots). Currently, all seems to be going well. I fed, watered, and debugged again today. We’re currently winning the Battle of the Bugs, although we’ll never win the war. One desert rose is having its best ever season. The other is at least leafing out nicely. They’re two different kinds.
I need to get back out and do some trimming, mostly of last years dead leaves. I like to keep the yuccas trimmed to allow open air between branches. They can get really dense. Moose and Dudo were blissfully asleep on their kitty condo while I worked. Then I coughed. Dudo is back in San Geraldo’s office. Moose gave me a look and went back to sleep — with one paw braced against a column in case he had to make a run for it.
A couple of cacti and euphorbia long ago outgrew their pots. I dread transplanting. Thankfully, San Geraldo keeps talking about doing it himself (knowing how delicate I can be… cough, cough). No, really, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow — a check-up that was scheduled two months ago. Now there are some things to check up on. More to come on the plants in the front hall and the two orchids in the bedroom that I nearly killed.
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Estoy teniendo algo de suerte con nuestras plantas este año. Pensé en compartir fotos de los jardines de la terraza (macetas). Actualmente, todo parece ir bien. Me alimenté, regué y depuré de nuevo hoy. Actualmente estamos ganando la Batalla de los Bichos, aunque nunca ganaremos la guerra. Una rosa del desierto está teniendo su mejor temporada. El otro está al menos hojeando muy bien. Son dos tipos diferentes.
Necesito volver a salir y podar un poco, principalmente las hojas muertas del año pasado. Me gusta mantener las yucas recortadas para permitir el aire libre entre las ramas. Pueden volverse muy densos. Moose y Dudo estaban felizmente dormidos en su condominio de gatitos mientras yo trabajaba. Entonces tosí. Dudo está de vuelta en la oficina de San Geraldo. Moose solo me miró y volvió a dormirse, con una pata apoyada contra una columna en caso de que tuviera que huir.
Unos cactus y euforbia hace mucho tiempo superaron sus macetas. Temo trasplantar. Afortunadamente, San Geraldo sigue hablando de hacerlo él mismo (sabiendo lo delicado que puedo ser… tos, tos). No, de verdad, tos, tos, tos, tos, tos. Tengo una cita con el médico mañana, un chequeo que estaba programado hace dos meses. Ahora hay algunas cosas que revisar. Más por venir sobre las plantas en el vestíbulo y las dos orquídeas en el dormitorio que casi mato.
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Love the flowering cacti! Is it not a good thing to some extent when they are rootbound? They will bloom more readily?
The terrace gardens look beautiful.
Jim,
Rootbound is great as you as you know from experience. But we have a couple whose pots are so small (tiny) they can’t support the height and weight of the plants. A job for SG.
Gentle care, and it shows in great plants.
David,
I need to be more consistent. They make us so happy.
Your plants all look great to me! Any flowers or greenery I have are artificial. I think that says it all.
Debra,
SG once bought his mother a big plant for her living room. Every year on his return visit, he bought another to replace the dead one.
That is such an inviting space.
I hope your doctor appointment helps answer some questions.
Judy C,
I made a list.
Your plants look considerably better than mine. Excellent work.
Good luck with the doc visit. Saw mine Tuesday and now I’m on ten days of an antibiotic and a short course of steroids as the ear issue (still clogged, not popping, some fluid after a flying trip out to NM). It is still an ongoing ‘treat’ at three weeks. If no marked improvement by Friday, then she wants me to see an ENT as I am flying over the Pond in three weeks, so need to get this cleared up. Good times. Not. Hope your doc can help you get the cough under control and improve your energy. x
Mary,
You poor thing. You haven’t had a break. Hope this works and you feel great for travel… and return home healthy.
Cacti scare me. I am extremely wary of them, and that – and the lack of sunny windowsills in our flat – is why we have never grown them. Jade Plant, yes. “Elephant’s Foot”/”Ponytail Palm”, yes. Anything else that likes the sunshine? Impossible…
Yours all look very lush, understandably, given the climate in Andalusia! Jx
Jon,
Ours attack Isabel every week. I love them, although they often attack me, too. But there’s always the huge aloe vera to soothe. I love jade plants. I had one that I created from a stolen piece on a walk. It was bug infested. I should get another. They also grow like weeds here. I also love pony tail palms but it’s hard to find the right light in our space (with enough room for a big plant). Mostly lots of sun for us.
My thumb is brown, but the fingernail is painted green. We’ll see if that counts as I watch the seeds just planted, to see if they grow.
Shirley,
My mother loved having green fingernails. But she needed no help. The neighbors all brought their plants to be nursed. When they saw how happy the plants were with her, they wouldn’t take them back.
My thumb is pretty brown, so I admire anyone who has success like yours. Everything looks beautiful and vibrant! I hope the doctor appointment goes well.
Kelly,
I love plants. Our house in Connecticut has beautiful gardens and our family room looked like an indoor garden center. SG’s farmer genes emerge. Too much work! I do most of it now.
I’ve killed too many houseplants to count (yes, even cacti) in the past, so I’ve given up on trying to turn my black thumbs green! My talents reside elsewhere, LOL!
Tundra Bunny,
Unfortunately, I go through phases when I don’t give proper attention to the plants. Currently I’m doing well and they show it.
I love when cacti bloom. I don’t tend to our plants, though, because I’m a killer. Carlos has that Green Thumby thing.
Bob,
Jerry and I are both good with plants. I’m the plant lover. I talk. I trim. I feed. He’s the plant doctor who will painstakingly pick off bugs one at a time.
I always enjoy seeing your desert “garden.” With climate change, we might be able to grow one in the coming years.
Walt the Fourth,
And we might be under the Mediterranean Sea.
The plants are all looking amazing! I wonder why this year is working out so well for them? Just better pest control? Your purple heart looks so lush, and I love those little pink flowers on the cacti.
Steve:
The plants mostly do well (when I take care of them). The desert rose is doing especially well because I’ve been diligent with the pest control, rarely missing a treatment. The best it’s ever done.
My thumb is so black it fell off.
Sassybear:
How’s the other one?