Without ever having the particular thought before, I've always been completely disinterested in big or mature plants as new acquisitions. Purple leaves or pretty flowers would be an exception, but even with most variegated plants, the little "kitty" ones are just so cute and that's what I really like - to see them develop into a big ol' cat of a plant. I have a few nice old cats that I've developed a deep plantaffection for, but often I get too busy chopping parts of plants off to play with to ever get a really large plant, maybe I just get bored with some when they turn into cats.

Are you attracted to strange cats? Or do you usually bring home kitties?

Except for grafted Citrus, 1 grafted Hibiscus and 1 grafted Gardenia, all were started as kittens. A few were embryos. :)

Sure, I can adopt small Gardenias, Hibiscus and Citrus 'breeds,' but prefer grafted, (reasons) and prefer the looks of tree-like/standard cats. I do not know how to graft/neuter, nor do I have the supplies/stitches for grafting/spaying, including root-stock/scalpel.

However, I have 3 Hibs and 2 Gardenias that were adopted as kittens.

The remainder were adopted kittens.

It's a good, sentimental feeling watching a seed/embryo sprout, or kitten mature. I feel a nurturing, mothering-like closeness with kittens.

When thinking of adopting, I might browse cats briefly, but spend a good length of time inspecting kittens, individually..kittens have different personalities.

Kittens are usually in my budget, whereas cats gnaw up the green like cat nip.

It's important, cats and/or kittens are on a healthy diet/fertilizer, a fresh bowl of water/water, and when problems arise given correct medication/insecticides. Toni

Marj, great point. Seems everytime I adopt a new kitty, I tend to forget one day kitty will turn into a lion. lol.

I also have to be careful on the size of plants I buy also, I think I've just about reached my limit on the bigger plants with my available space (and I also have to keep in mind that these are gonna get bigger eventually)..

There's just too many things to consider on the size of the plant I want...I have to think: where is it gonna go? Can I give it the light it needs? And is there room in the spot it needs to go? But then again if it's on the list of plants I really want, I don't think about it til I get it home LOL...

-fpt

Rhizo, if your cat comes around, he/she may be in danger! Did you notice what I did to the Begonias my neighbor gave me? Not that I wouldn't have otherwise, but they were rotting AND dessicated at the same time. Never seen anything like that before, emergency surgery was all I knew to do. Everything looks like it's still alive so far... but I can't keep all of these kitties!

I am also getting concerned about where all of these plants are going to go this winter. I tried to count the pots on the front porch and kept getting distracted, but there's around 70. Really got out of control this year!

Meow.

By the way, to carry this kitten analogy further, it appears that you are well on your way to becoming a hoarder. ;-)

There wasn't a particular post about surgery, my neighbor gave me some plants and I posted before & after pics of them.

1 2 3

Some of the felines en masse:

Is that a Begonia hanging on the right side of the porch?
Also, what are the two 'purple' plants under the hanging plant/Begonia?

One more..what's the plant in the black pot standing solo? Gotta love summer. Toni

Toni, yes that's some kind of cane Begonia. Under is a Tradescantia zebrina.

Not sure which black pot you are asking about, there's a tall red Cordyline toward the back and a little Dief over to the right, kind of in front. Here's both from a diff. angle.

Is that a Begonia hanging on the right side of the porch?
Also, what are the two 'purple' plants under the hanging plant/Begonia?

One more..what's the plant in the black pot standing solo? Gotta love summer. Toni