I couldn't believe my eyes the other day! There in the garbage was a HUGE philodendron "xanadu" root with several large stems, and about 20 heads they had cut off. There had to be more roots, but I didn't see them. I didn't bring home the root, because it was too big to get into my car, but I got the 20 heads, which are so easy to root, it's not funny!

These plants go for about $20 apiece, so I'm truly excited, because I've wanted one for awhile, but didn't want to pay that much for it. Now I can have a whole row of them!

Plus, the stems are so long on them that I can cut them in half and root the bottom and top separately if I want.

Then the next day, there were three nandinas laying bareroot outside. My boss asked me if I wanted them, because she knows I'm trying to hedge off my yard from the neighbors, and I said "sure", so now I have three nice nandinas too!

A few weeks back, they were tossing out a New River Bougainvillea on a trellis. It looked pretty pathetic, but I brought it home, trimmed away the dead, and now it's growing and gorgeous!

Too bad I can't keep this job for too much longer. I have a fracture in my hip, and can't have a job where I'm on my feet too much, so I have to look for a desk job, but you can bet I'm gonna grab as much stuff as I can while I'm there.

and poof, next rainy season, there they are, putting out shoots again....

:) but the Philo's aren't so tough- so here's a big round of applause for the 'rescue'!

isn't it wonderful working for decent people? I've got friends who work for the corporate whores, and the policy seems to be 'throw it away, and lock the dumpster'

Harimad

I've had had similar good luck by going through the discard pile at the "black top" garden center. Many plants that the somewhat poorly-informed staff thinks is dead can actually be revived. All of my rhodies and azaleas were obtained this way.

Isn't it grand to "recycle?"

Rhoda