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Patricia Fairey's avatar

I’m just back after a full month away - being retired is great! - and to my massive surprise none of my house plants has died. One of the peace lilies was a bit droopy but will perk up and the spider plant has turned a whiter shade of pale from being in a bright and at times probably too hot conservatory but I’ve had him 27 and a half years so he’ll survive.

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Andrea A's avatar

Wow - 27 years with your spider plant - that’s impressive!

Also impressive is that nothing died while you were away for a month!

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Patricia Fairey's avatar

Hi Andrea

I’ve repotted him only twice in all that time. In my experience they’re impossible to kill, though many look very poor with being underwatered. Again in my experience they do best in a north-facing bathroom, i.e. somewhere cool and damp, and like lots of water.

A couple of years ago I put him in the garden for a shower when it was raining but didn’t get round to bringing him in, by which time his leaves were very brown. So I brought him in, gave him a crewcut and within a few weeks he was green and glossy again.

Do other people give their plants names or am I just weird? The first spider plant I had was some 60 years ago. My roommate and I had been reading a book in which one of the characters was called John-Henry so he became John-Henry too. I left him behind when I moved 3 years later. The current one is J-H III.

My big peace lily is Carole. I don’t know why: she just looks like a Carole.

I am definitely weird!

Patricia

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Andrea A's avatar

My best friend names all her plants. It has never occurred to me to do so. lol

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Caroline Cocker's avatar

I’ve named two of mine (out of hundreds), Smaug, the P. Golden Dragon and a massive orchid called Greta. I have no idea why those two in particular got names!

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Patricia Fairey's avatar

😊🌻

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Caroline Cocker's avatar

Mine went white so I moved him away from the window and he ‘greened’ back up in a couple of days. Hope you’ve had a lovely time away!

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Patricia Fairey's avatar

Mine was just very pale green but he was back to his usual colour in less than 24 hours!

We did, thanks, on the N. Brittany coast amid fields of artichokes, onions, shallots & potatoes and the agapanthus just coming out.

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Andrea A's avatar

Spray plants over a sink if they are small, take them outside or put newspaper around/under them if larger… or just in place if I’m feeling lazy

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Caroline Cocker's avatar

Newspaper is a good shout, thank you! Although just in place is my go to 😬

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