Plant Babies

After 6 months with Aja, I noticed that she isn't what I would call a "jumper."  Our jumper cats had reached all surfaces in the house - even the top of the fridge and the kitchen cabinets.  Not all cats are interested in checking out items far above their heads, and so far Aja doesn't seem interested.  

So with that discovery, I decided to enjoy some potted plants.  It has been more than 40 years since I have had potted plants - mostly because I was forced to choose between having the plants or having the cats.  Cats win hands down.  And all my cats have been plant chewers.  So far Aja has shown no interest.

So far these are my plant choices. 

 I enjoy cactus because they are pretty hardy, interesting and hard to kill.  

One of my favorite is the Christmas Cactus - which produced a flower for me!  My

neighbor downstairs has a huge Christmas Cactus and it is filled with flowers.

Maybe someday.

I also love leafy plants - without flowers.  They tend to be hearty as well.

I have them right beside me on my desk so I can look at them regularly and check them for watering.

My den area is a bright spot naturally.  But I also got a snap on grow light for above them.

When I bought the two Christmas cactus, they were filled with little buds.

  I was pretty sure those buds would not survive.  

And they didn't.  Only one flower.  Plants tend to go into "shock" with lots of changes.  

With time these little guys will flourish, I hope! 

 

My one bloom!  There is hope!

Rehabilitated Plant Killer?

My thumb is brown.

Seriously!
My history with plants is just awful.

I have left many dead plants in my wake

Once (long, long ago) I had an 8' x 8' foot space in a rented community garden.  My plot was a plant grave yard.  The plots around me flourished.  I took that as a sign - 'you are a plant killer.'

Our next townhome was surrounded by trees.  No sun ever.  When we landscaped our postage stamp size lot - I told the landscaper ... select plants that will live in spite of me.  He did.  We had to pay someone yearly to fight them into submission.  Those plants were not my success being chosen and planted by plant pros.  Plants on my deck never survived.  Not enough sun?  Not the right plants?  Too much water?  Not enough water?  The secrets of plants totally escapes me.

Now I am in a condo.  No rented garden space and deck so small that more than 2 people on it is a crowd scene.  BUT I have 12 hours of full sun on that deck.  I started thinking ... maybe, just maybe.

Despite my poor plant parenting ... I totally love nurseries.  All those flowering plants bursting with health and promise.  So off I went.  This time I was careful to read all the plant tags to get something hardy and that likes full sun  While I was there I noticed something called "patio tomatoes."  A vegetable.  hmmm ...

Not too big at this point.  'Patio' ... designed for small spaces maybe?  So along with some flowering plants - a patio tomato plant came home with me as well.  As we left the nursery, I felt like I needed to apologize in advance to these plants that they wound up with 'plant killer' me.  I promised to do my best - without mentioning that my 'best' killed other plants.

Soon I noticed this.

Flowers ... maybe (one) tomato was in my future.  Success!  The tomato plant is not dying!! But then I noticed peeking below the flowers  a green tomato!  Ok, maybe I will get two tomatoes.  Happy Dance!

Before I knew it, I had multiple green tomatoes and they had all gotten bigger!!!  Last count was 18 actual green tomatoes!  Holy Cow.  This is unheard of ... (small panic).  Its still early in the growing season.

Tomatoes EVERYWHERE!!

Ok, the secret to growing plants - at least for me - is to apologize in advance!  They seem to love a penitent owner.  Well ... that and a sign in my kitchen to remind me of my responsibilities ...

Here are some other beauties on my deck - still living I will point out.

If all goes well this year ... I think I will plant some herbs in pots next year.  I love fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro and basil.

What other kinds of edible plants work well on decks?

The Beautiful Orange Mushrooms

Sometimes the colors of nature are so brilliant, so striking ... that you just have to stop your car by the side of the road, get out, walk across with your camera in hand, and take a picture of it (even if people are slowing down to stare at you.)

That was the case today.  I was on my way to see mom, and along the retirement village drive I spotted this absolutely striking patch of orange color.  It was just radiant in a sea of green.

I couldn't believe my eyes.  Remarkable.  And, of course, I looked them up on the internet.

There were a number of different kinds orange colored mushrooms (who knew...), but the Jack-O'-Lantern Mushrooms seemed to be the closest in description.

*****

Jack-O'-Lantern (Omphalotus olearius)

This bright-orange mushroom is well named. Not only is it pumpkin-colored and found in the fall, but it also glows in the dark. Fresh specimens sometimes give off a faint greenish glow at night or in a darkened room.

These common mushrooms have caused many poisonings because they look, smell and even taste good. They cause mild to severe stomach upset but are not life-threatening to healthy adults.

Jack-o'-lanterns have a pleasant, fruity fragrance. They are sometimes mistaken for the edible chanterelle, which is the same color and also has a pleasant smell. Chanterelles, however, have flat-edged, interconnecting ridges or wrinkles instead of knife-like gills and grow on the ground. Size: 3 to 10 inches tall, cap 3 to 8 inches diameter.

These mushrooms are found in summer and fall, in large clusters at the base of trees, on stumps or on buried wood.

*****

The only difference is that these were not growing at a base of a tree - they did appear to be just growing on the ground.  Maybe there was some buried wood I didn't see.

I think they are just beautiful.

So, does anyone know what these are?