Echeverias thrive on Love and pampering

These Echeveria imbricata have virtually trebled in size! I took from the garden a selection of Aloes, cacti and succulents and transplanted them into a wooden box and I brought it into the house for over-wintering last year. They’ve all thrived so much that I didn't plant them back outside in Spring but kept them in the wooden planter on my patio. It’s amazing what a bit of love and pampering does!

I must say, if I HAD to, I would do quite well in a 10th Floor apartment, I just LOVE container gardening!

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Green Tip #5 - Make a frozen flower block

Winter is setting in here in South Africa now, but for my Northern Hemisphere friends who are just going into summer, here's a lovely idea of how to keep cool in the heat of summer.

Fill an ice tray halfway with cold water. Place a flower, slice of lemon/orange, a small block of chocolate or herb of your choice in the centre of the container and fill to the top. Place in the freezer and serve the ice cubes with sodas, iced coffee and fruit juices.

 

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Hoop

Ons almal het al die gesegde gehoor, "Solank daar lewe is, is daar hoop." Maar as jy dit omdraai, "Solank daar hoop is, is daar lewe", klink dit vir my soveel meer belowend... In die aangesig van enige krisis, of dit nou siekte is, of familie- of geldelike probleme, om to HOOP dat dinge gaan verbeter lei na 'n vaste geloof dat dit wel gaan verander en verbeter. En dit plaas ons ook in die posisie van wat NOU aangaan in ons lewens - NOU is al wat is, NOU is die enigste wonderlike werklikheid wat ons almal het om die wonder van lewe op aarde te geniet, met mekaar te deel, en daardie woordjie "hoop" maak alles moontlik...

maar môre is ‘n nuwe
dag,
(môre mag mos mooi
wees)
môre sing die
bloukuifloerie 
in die voortuin by die
hek
en sit tinktinkie dalk
weer op sy uitgesoekte
plek

ja môre bring weer
nuwe hoop
waar sy haar paadjie 
trippeltreë mag loop
- Uittreksel uit Elizabeth Kendall se "Hoop"

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Old Man Cactus (Cephalocereus senilis)

Cephalocereus senilis (Old Man Cactus) is a species of cactus native to Guanajuato and Hidalgo in eastern Mexico. It is threatened in the wild, but widespread propagation and popularity in cultivation have reduced the demand on wild populations. Cephalocereus senilis is a tall, columnar species with clusters of stems that may grow to 5–15 m tall but in cultivation they rarely exceed a height of 3 feet; the individual stems are usually unbranched, being unable to withstand the weight of side branches adequately.

The most striking feature is the shaggy coat of long, white hairs suggestive of unkempt hair on an old man. Don’t give in to the temptation of stroking its soft fur, though, as the dense fleece conceals some rather wicked spines! If your Old Man Cactus gets dirty, you can clean its fur by dipping an old toothbrush in soapy water and give it a good shampoo. he he! And did you know that, in Mexico, they make wool-like sweaters from the hair? Wonder if it’s soft and warm…

The coat is a particularly striking silvery white on the young cactus; as the plant ages the stem begins to lose its covering. The flowers are red, yellow, or white, though the plant may not flower until 10–20 years old.

These cacti can be grown outdoors in mild climates where the temperatures remain above 40º F; otherwise, they may be grown in a home or greenhouse. Mine comes inside every winter. I’ve had it for about 10 years but it has never flowered yet. Pieces of shoot or stem, taken from any part of the plants, will form roots. When cacti form offsets, they can carefully be removed after they’ve grown to a decent size, and potted. When cuttings are taken, they should be laid in the sun for a day or two to allow a corky skin to form over the cuts, which prevents rotting. Then they can be inserted in pots of equal parts moist peat and sand, or in sand alone. Place the pots on a bench or a shelf in the greenhouse or in a light window.

My Old Man was out-growing his current pot, so I transplanted him into a larger pot, still easy for handling and bringing inside and if he does well, I will try to remove the offset and plant in another pot.

 

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