JB--

I know you want me to jump in--but I have no advice to give you on this.

My house has a whole-house humidifier attached to my furnace. It runs on its own.
I keep it set at 35-40 degrees humidity. It does use a lot of water down the drain--but it makes
the home comfortable.

You know I have a slew of houseplants inside all winter. Mostly--they have to fend on their own.
I cannot, possibly, pay attention to each and every one of them re watering.
The hanging baskets suffer the most--among them--my 4 HB of Spider plants.
I swear--they go bone dry--to the wilting point--before I water them. This does not seem to
affect them. When I do water them--I do it deeply.

I always seem to remember what I read about the Curly Spider plants---they need to be "stressed out"
to stay curly. Too much watering will make the curl go away.

REMEMBER!!! Mature Spiders make these fat water-saving roots in the soil below.
These keep the plant going in case they do not get enough water.
SO--in my book--ignoring some plants is for the best. Let them be--until they wilt and
beg for a soaking. Then do it.

JB--if you have only well water and have to use the water softening salts--why don't you pick up
some of the gallon bottles of filtered/spring (?) water in the stores. The gallon only costs $1.
In some Grocery stores--you can re-fill your empty gallon containers for just 59 cents.

I do not know what else to tell you....maybe just letting your Spiders go bone dry before you water them.

I will look into this Thread now and then and see what others have to say.
Sorry about your plant problems......

Hugs---Gita

Hi Gita, thanks for your thoughts. I spoke to Michael and he said my humidity in the house is just too low, so I am misting now and I think many of the plants will be going to the GH as soon as the weather settles. I have NEVER had a problem like this before this winter and I honestly think it was the different changes mostly the amount of light...then of course the humidity. The water is not a big problem. Spiders do not like too much water but they need the humidity and that is why the GH plants do so well. I do not water them that much but there is always water sitting around in some of the flats what bring on the humidity.

I never thought I would say this, but I am getting tired of stressing out over plants of any kind. I guess old age is really setting in.

JB,
Do you think humidity trays would make it easier for you? I'd imagine misting is tedious.

Planto

JB--
The one thing I forgot to ask you--and I don't think I have to--is what soil Mix
do you plant your Spider babies in?

You are NOT a "newbie"--so I hope you know to use the Pro Mix for any new cuttings.
NOT any kind of soil.

Maybe in my house--the continuous humidity from my furnace humidifier is the
thing that keeps things going. I mist now and then--but it may not be necessary.

Hang in there---I am also getting a bit tired of all this seeding and rooting cuttings--
and the care all this requires to have plants.
SO! I look at them and go--"AAAHHH--isn't that pretty? WHO else gets to see them--just ME!

Here's a flash for you! We are both getting old......you are just a bit ahead if me....
Hugs--Gita

Hey! My beautiful Clivia is blooming!!!

Gita, that last picture is the reason to keep them going. And if you post them here, others like me get to see them and enjoy them as well, albeit vicariously. Your orange clivia bloom is beautiful. I hope mine blooms this year. I have a yellow that has bloomed the last 3 years. I bought 3 of them at the same time, they are the same size and basically receive the same treatment. But only 1 yellow plant blooms.

Gita, I have not changed anything and I always use the Miracle Gro potting soil with the added feed, etc. in the large bags. Buy 10 at a time and open them as I need them. Store them in GH Never used anything else in past 5 years.

That is a beautiful flower. You are a good flower mommy.

JB--sorry to disagree with you--I never use soil of any kind on my cuttings or seedlings.
I buy a 3cf bale of Pro Mix and use that exclusively. Lately , more places sell the
Lamberts (from Canada) Pro Mix. GREAT stuff....absorbs water really fast--and drains fast.

MG potting SOIL--or any other SOIL--is too heavy for cuttings and starting small plants.
It holds too much water and does not drain as quickly as Pro Mix.
Now--cuttings of outdoor plants is a different story. Say--I am rooting an azalea cutting.
In that case--soil mix would be OK.
Besides--anything made my MG also has some fertilizer in it. Another no-no for cuttings
which have NO roots and mature leaves to use it up.

Once the plants go outside--i do use the potting MIX with, maybe, a bit of potting SOIL mixed in.

Just my 2 cents worth. I still love Ya! Gita

All my Amaryllis ready to pop.

Here is a better one of the same Clivia from March 2014.

Also--the Amaryllis--Same ones last year. The big pot is over 20 years old. same 5 bulbs in it too.
Pretty amazing--don't you think?

Gita I am far from an expert but I am not sure where I would get the Lamberts. I will try Tractor Supply or Home Depot or Lowes when my SIL goes there and have him get me some. It was just more cost affective for me to use the MiracleGro since I was doing so many at a time. Now I have cut back and I would love to try it especially since I am almost out of my Miracle Gro and was about ready to order. Thanks so much for the new ideas. I love new things and can hardly wait to see how it works. What do you mean 3cf bale..how big is that? Could I have it shipped from online I wonder? Probably too expensive to ship bulk.

JB---I get my Lambert's Pro Mix right here at Richardson Farms. Good price too...
$19 for a 3cf. bale of it.

WHERE does most of the Peat Moss come from???? CANADA, of course!

Lamberts products are made with Canadian Peat moss.... It is the best--the most, finely milled moss..
When you pour water in/on it--it immediately absorbs it. Not sits on top of it for days--
like regular peat moss....Ever try to moisten regular peat moss with water? Or the compressed block of
Peat Moss that you get in the boxed Amaryllis containers? The water will sit on top of
the peat moss for 2 days! I NEVER use the blocks of peat moss that comes in the Amaryllis
packages. Lost cause!! I use the regular Pro Mix.

Lamberts has all kinds of other soil products--but they do not seem to be merchandising them in
the USA markets What a shame!

Now--HD has been carrying Lamberts, Garden Peat Moss in the 2 1/2-3cf bales now--in the last 2 years.
Seems the suppliers change regularly.

I bought 2 bales of their pro Mix last year at Richardson Farms here -and went through one of them
just last year. I am now on the 2nd one...

I see that Ric is, once more, offering to order bales of "Mixes" for people going to the Swap.

Get in touch with him if you are coming to the Swap.

A long time ago when coco mix came out, I bought a lot of it. I still use it and mix it with potting soil at times depending on what I am planting. It works about the same way.

I am really up to my neck in things to do just now and as soon as I get around to ordering I will give it a try. Thanks for the info.

JB--Do you mean Coir? That IS made of coconut fibers.
I have used it--but not too much. I know it is good--but it seems quite coarse once
it is wetted properly. Of course--coarse is good when mixed with potting mixes. Better drainage...

Usually--I just use my Pro Mix and add slow release fertilizer to it (Osmacote) and pot my
mature plants in that. I have even started seeds in it--and plant my cuttings in it.
This year--HD is selling an organic seed starter mix. it is extremely fine-milled.
Very light--but alsi very fast-drying out. However--it is good.

After all--that is what most plants come potted in when you buy them. Pro Mix!

Today was gorgeous! made me think that maybe spring has sprung. Keeping my fingers crossed....

Gita

Please help me!!! My spider is looking like it is dying it's turning black and then yellow. I love love love love plants and don't want her to die on me. Then I have another plant the " money tree" and it's leaves will turn black or get a black spot and then fall off.
HELP SAVE MY BABES MY PLANTS

Are you over watering them during the winter months?

My thoughts are the same!

Watering plants that are in a "winters, dormancy" is a death sentence.
Be careful! Be selective! And--do not try to do what does not need to be done.
Plants have a season that tells you what need to be done.

Gita

WOW! This topic started in 2015!!!

RE Spider plants--if you have ever uprooted a mature Spider plant--you will see these
big, translucent nodes hanging from the roo tips. These store a lot of water--and that is
why a Spider plant does NOT need to be watered very often. It has it's own water reservoirs.

Any leaves that have turned black should be removed.
Of course--"black" anything may be a fungus infection.
Don't know what to tell you on that. Stilltoo much water--probably??

Gita

Hi I have some spider plant babies to trade! Before I list in the classifieds I need to know what variety I have? This is a mostly dark with light green stripe. Almost solid color leaf. I got it last summer and all winter it just grew healthy babies. The larger one is the mother and the other picture the baby I have for trade.

If I remember correctly, I put spiders up on the plant database and that one is there. You may want to check out this link and see if you can find a match.

The Chlorophytums Database

Hope this helps. If not, get back to me and I will dig deeper.

Here are more of the ones I put on the database

https://garden.org/plants/sear...

Hope you can ID your plant.