This Week In Houseplants

Things are really ramping up

We’ve had a couple of really warm days here in sunny North Yorkshire and the plants are BUZZING.

Obviously we’ve not had a new leaf on the Thai (I’m fairly resigned to the fact to leaves aren’t his ‘thing’ - he’s a roots guy) BUT his newest aerial root has touched down in the water:

Do excuse the algae - the perils of using a clear container.

My boyfriend added some aquarium soil to the Thai a while ago and it LOVES it. Unfortunately, upon grilling Dave for the details of this stuff, it turns out its Fluval Stratum, which is FORTY POUNDS a bag.

FORTY POUNDS.

Here’s a (*n affiliate) link. It’s currently on sale for £30 (which is still…not cheap).

Before you rush out and buy it, please not that the only reason I suspect the Thai likes it is that as soon as Dave put the soil in the THai IMMEDIATELY started producing a TONNE more roots. No leaves 🫠. That aerial root will be burying into the stratum within days.

I don’t know if I’m clowning, but I *think* I can see movement on the petiole?

A pop of green above that brown line?

Btw, every single prior leaf on this plant has had to be born via caesarian section (i.e me with a box cutter). I suspect because I got one of the very first mass-produced Thais - the leaf genes are just a bit…crap. A bit like how P. pink princess simply can NOT produce a leaf without mangling it on the way out.

I see a bit of surgery in my future.

New leaf on the Florida Ghost!

No, those blue things do NOT catch thrips…not a single one.

It’s still getting to grips with what shape it’s meant to be, but it’s sizing up nicely and the next leaf isn’t far off!

Very excited for all the new leaves on my Amydrium Medium silver. It’s a *little* overboard with three leaves at once BUT these plants have a tendency to vine rather than produce leaves so I’m chossing to enjoy it while it lasts.

The Rhaphidophora tetraspermas are going WILD:

FYI I spelt ‘Rhaphidophora’ incorrectly in the URL of one of the above links and it got a TONNE of traffic until I corrected the title. Now it gets zero clicks 😂. That wasn’t the entire reason my website nosedived (that was Google’s shift to promoting only plant shops and Reddit posts) but there’s a definite correlation!

They absolutely love being smushed right up against the south-facing window.

FYI, I’m not massively impressed with plant stand. I’m looking to replace with a nice study bench. The plant stand will be moved upstairs and will likely become a propagation station.

Speaking of propating, look at my Monstera seedlings (does that count as propagating?):

We have leeeeaves!!

If you look at the top right it looks like one of the (two total 😂) Thai leaves is looking VERY maternal.

There are still some that are still only sprouts. I’m gonna have…a lot of Monsteras.

The Hoya crassipetiola is looking amazing. Look at those neon leaves! The Ficus shivereana above is also growing FAST.

The maidenhair fern is looking swell:

The new growth always looks so lush and green.

If you struggle with this plant, this week’s video is a quick look at how I care for mine:

There are 3 things you need to do:

1. Loooong hours of good light (unlike most ferns, they love the sun)

2. Do. Not Let. It. Dry. Out.

3. Don’t chuck it if the fronds die. The roots are pretty hardy and they grow back quickly.

You won’t go far wrong if you follow those rules.

It was my birthday on Thursday so we’re off plant window shopping on Sunday 🤩 I have an air plant in my sights because…I don’t have one and people love them.

Have an awesome week!