Showing posts with label Succulent Plants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Succulent Plants. Show all posts

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Being Organized

今天有灵感,想要“搞搞新意思”,于是放工后去买猪肉碎, 一路盆算原料与步骤。回到家,比平时迟了十分钟。爸爸竟然在厨房准备,我问他怎了,他说“怎知道你几点才回到家?”,我有点儿无奈兼“无瘾”,也罢,就拈花惹草去吧。


工程一:给小小多肉找个家
我先把之前在超市买肉类的塑胶容器剪了几个洞,铺上小石子,再铺上泥土,就成了我的孵叶区。



看,现在多整齐。
孵叶区

原本的器皿空出了位子,再稍作整理,又多了个扦插区和育婴区。
扦插区

育婴区


工程二:为刚买回来的多肉移植
意犹未尽,再把之前买回来的多肉移植,最重要是这几天看它便软了,好像不怎么健康的样子。从盆里取出,把泥土弄散后再稍微洗一洗,拆开来,看见三个多肉小娃娃!真兴奋!赶忙给“多肉党”报喜讯,明天给他们送宝宝去。

三个多肉小娃娃

明天就找新主人啦~

这一棵真的不太健康,轻轻一碰,满地都是落叶。这还只是成功救回来的而已呢:


把他们拆成两盆,打算做做试验,放在不同的地方侍养,再观察结果。为了做记号,就只给其中一盆铺上小石子。




工程三:为小小组盆添新肉
上一回为了把同样需水量和日照量的多肉重组在一起,我牺牲了原本那盆组盆的美观,把她搞得稀稀拉拉的。

这几天多蒙“多肉党”党员们的厚爱,大家慷慨解囊地捐献,今天终于热闹啦~

Monday 20 April 2015

Getting Ready for Outdoor

I am sure I am one of those easiest to manipulate. If you manage to plant an idea in my mind, I always can't resist to try it out.

I am also very sure that one day my curiosity is going to kill me. I always wanted to try out some new methods when I think it is logical.

2 days ago I said I do not want to pampered my succulent plants, and I only wanted to let the fittest survive, and I won't do anything more complicated than simply planting with soil. However, I couldn't help but keep on thinking about the theory of layers of rocks, pebbles, sand and soil. Sound very logical.

Without me realizing, when I was on my ritual evening walk yesterday, I collected rocks and sand!!

So this is it! I'm trying it out!

First layer of rocks:


Second layer of pebbles:


Third layer of sand:


Then I added soil as usual. I decided to try this idea on my Kalanchoe sexangularis, since it is said to be robust.



So now I ensure that the "draining system" is better (at least theoretically. Still need to do experiment to prove.), I am putting this pot at the edge of my pergola, where it can get maximum sunlight, and hopefully still good enough to protect it from tropical thunderstorm. Lots of water for her though.


Hopefully she will survive.

Sunday 19 April 2015

多肉拯救大行动

整个早上,其实就是忙着依照需水量和日照需求,为我的多肉们重组。

看我买回来时的小人祭多漂亮!


在重组的过程中,惊见我的小人祭(Aeonium sedifolius)的茎上涨了小白点,也不知道是不是介壳虫。反正安全起见,我决定快刀斩乱麻。




第一,把整盆的泥土给扔了。

第二,把根部洗清洁,好让小白点无所遁形。

第三,把冲不掉的小白点枝干给剪掉。














剪剩的,如果有根,我就把它们分成几个小盆,以便容易观察。并且把它们和其它多肉的隔离起来。

那些被我狠心连根都给剪去的,只能晒晒太阳,让剪伤处痊愈后插土观察。

给自己弄个玻璃瓶,可以观察浇水量

买了个中国风的,感觉好像盆栽,爱死了!

这个弄一盆,给朋友下毒。哈哈!

这会给朋友新居送去

这给多肉专家自己解决

珍珠吊兰 String of Pearls

I used to use "String of Pearls" to decorate my succulents arrangements as I love to add texture to my arrangements. These puffy pearls add cute-nest and softness to the arrangement at the same time


However, after I saw this following picture online, I decided to replant all my string of pearls. I need a waterfall of pearls! I decided that I can always cut them out for adding layer and texture to my arrangements later, if I really have a waterfall of pearls!

Then, I read this blog of 二木花花男, and I decided that I have to do it, immediately!

I added a layer of pebbles in the pot, then a layer of soil.


Then I remove my one and only string from current arrangement, and transfer to this new pot. Add some more soil to cover the pearls.


Pretending to be as careful as an archaeologist, I removed the excessive soil.


Water the plant thoroughly (a tips I get from internet: after re-potting, the first watering must be thorough so that the roots can grab the soil faster)


Put the pot in a tin pot I got from Ikea years ago.



Here's my in house plant for the next few months! It has to sleep with me until it gives me a waterfall of pearls :)

Saturday 18 April 2015

Upcycled Sake Box as Succulent Planter

I got a sake box a few weeks ago, and I always wanted to turn it into an upcycled succulent planter. Initially I wanted to turn it into a container for living wall, however, after a few considerations, I decided to use it for my first "logical grouping succulent plants arrangement". Why is it a "logical grouping succulent plants arrangement"? Well, because I want to replant all my succulent plants based on their water and sunlight requirements so that it is easier for me, and hopefully my plants get higher survival rate.
I do not have an electrical drill so I'm doing this the traditional way: a hammer and a screwdriver.


First, make a small dent by using screwdriver, with the help of hammer. Once the surface already have a dent, it is easier to screw and make the hole larger and larger. (Do note that even though it should be easier to make the holes at the back of the box, but from physics point of view, even as weak as me, I could easily crashed the box using hammer. Hence, I recommend to put the box upright on a firm surface for this purpose.)

Once the hole is formed, you can now turn the box and continue to make the hole larger from the other side.



I made only 5 holes. If you wish to have bigger holes, pick a bigger diameter screwdrivers.


There are very complicated advises online on how to choose the soil and how to make your own mixture etc. However, I decided to go for the easiest: pebbles and soil.

Even though I love my succulent plants, I do not allow them to turn me into a control freak and a protective freak. I decided to follow the law of evolution, let the fittest survive. Those that survive will continue to become my pet plants. Those that can't, I'll be sorry for them (and my wallet too), but I won't do anything more complicated than what I'm currently doing. Life is too short to worry about the mixture ratio of my succulent plants soil.

So, first, for the bottom layer, pour in an inch or more of pebbles.


Add soil (I just use whatever I have in my garden) on top of the pebbles layer.


I do spray some roots-growing-fertilizer at the bottom layer of soil, hopefully can encourage the newly transferred plants to suit to the new environment better.


Add more soil and transfer the same group of plants together. These following 5 plants that I picked are said to need 4 hours of sunlight per day, and need water twice per month (this, I'm not following. Will update the water amount needed in the future after I do my DOE)



Then, for aesthetic purpose, I added white pebbles to let my cute little succulents stand out. I use a spoon for this purpose so that it is easier for me to control.


Finally, I use a brush to remove the dirt.


Tada!! The new happy family:



Sedum rubrotinctum (虹之玉)

Highly suspected to be the baby of 鹿角海棠

Crassula perforata (星乙女)

Kalanchoe tomentosa (月兔耳)

Echeveria 'Perle von Nürnberg (紫珍珠)

Hopefully they can all grow healthily and live at my house happily ever after :)