This Week In Houseplants

The resurrection of my Fiddle Leaf Fig

Never throw out plants, guys, they can surprise you.

This, if you couldn’t tell, is a fiddle leaf fig tree.

My issue with FLF is that they’re like animals in that they don’t tell you anything is wrong with them until it’s too late.

I mean, technically it’s not too late because it’s alive.

Look:

I have no idea what the other plant growing in the pot is. A hitchhiker of some description.

At least two growth points! And at easter. Pretty on brand, a fiddle leaf fig thinking its Jesus.

I moved my Hoya Krinkle 8 from the kitchen to the living room. She got more light in the kitchen but it’s a LOT colder. I think she’s happy for the change.

TBH these things just love to grow. I don’t find small Hoya particularly easy to care for but once they’re past a certain size they’re incredibly chill. If they could resist the urge to house mealybugs they’d probably be the perfect plant.

BTW, they’re meant to grow like this. They send out a vine and then the leaves come in later.

Flowers on the peace lily! There’s the big one you can see and then a smaller one emerging at the base of the big one.

The only secret I have is giving it as much crap light as possible, Mine sits in a north-facing window that gets light all day but zero direct light.

It’s now been moved into the hallway so it gets long hours of east facing light. Again, very little direct light apart from in the mornings but very little actual shade.

Someone commented on my latest video requesting an orchid care video. I’m gonna do one, but after this flower spike has popped. If every bud opens it’s gonna look AMAZING.

MONSTERA SPROUTS

There’s two in the foreground and one in top corner. I can see the roots of some others when I look at the tray from underneath. I’m excited but also…what am I gonna do with 12 Monstera?

We’ve had some gorgeous weather over the past few days and the plants are popping off. The Rhaphidophora decursiva cuttings are a little overexcited and are sprouting below the waterline. Never mind.

Tomorrow we are going to a garden centre near Barnard Castle that has a stream running through it and is reeeeally cool. Then we’ll drive up to Gibside, a National Trust owned garden with gorgeous walks. We’ll then head to Cowell’s in Newcastle, which is a garden centre with an AWESOME house plant section. And then obvs Ikea on the way home because I need a big-ass vase to put our new EXTREMELY rootbound orchid into.

I’m not 100% sure if I’m going to split it or not. I think it needs the roots/plantlets separating for it’s own wellbeing but I’ll pot them all up together.

The other thing I’m on the hunt for is two identical Pothos. I have a cool hook in the ceiling in the living room but it gets rubbish light so I thought I’d do a compare and contrast of two pothos grown in different conditions.

I also had a video about the various houseplant myths due to go up today BUT my last video really took off so I want to refilm it and make it better. Its weord to think people are actually watching my videos 😂.

On Monday we’re heading over the North-West because there are a couple of big tropical fish places Dave wants to visit. If anyone has recommendations of plant shops/garden centres in the Wigan-ish area I’m all ears.

I LOVE a staycation. We usually do a few trips - shopping, walking, visiting National Trust places but we also buy loads of food and become hermits for a couple of days. The easter weekend is PERFECT for this.

On Wednesday we’re going to central Newcastle on the train (love a train) because rumour has it Fenwicks are selling the Tyne Chease cheese. If you’re a vegan living in the UK, you NEED to try Tyne Chease. It’s SO GOOD. It’s pricy, but it’s made with cashews so it’s actually quite difficult to scoff the lot in one go (and I’m a greedy, greedy pig).

I plan on drinking lots of wine on Monday night so Tuesday will be spent on the sofa.

Anyone else got exciting plans for the weekend?

Let’s finish off with an easter-themed photo of my rabbit looking cursed:

(She’s fine I just caught her in the middle of sitting down)

(The one at the back is also fine, she’s just disabled so her head is permanently tilted).

We’ve had them five years now! Time flies! They’re still youths though - Holly is 6 1/2 and Daisy is 5 1/2. Our last two buns made it to twelve.