I have either purchased a few, recieved many as gifts,and have had many handed to me from people who could no longer care for theirs..I am nursing a few back to health for family and friends...One is a citrus tree that had turned healthy and greener within the first 5 days of recieving it from my sister..
I have saved a few from near death at stores, salvaged a few from the waste basket at stores, and was shipped one from a citrus company for free in appreciation..

Do you find yourself constantly aquiring more and more? Running out of room?
Do you still get some, even though you know you are about to run out of room, always trying to figure a way to provide more room in good light, like constructing more shelf space?
Are you an E-bayer, always looking for something new or something different?
Do you check out almost every plant section in stores?
Do you frequent nurseries just to see what is new?

Mike..:-)

Al

Thankfully, some of the new plants that I've received will be able to survive outdoors.
Thank G-d for conifers! ;)

Josh

Since I only have 3 (or 5 in the Winter months) south-facing windows to work with, I keep reminding myself to stop acquiring new plants. But that doesn't always work out. I mean, within the past 2 months I'd ordered 6 different jasmines! That is 6 new plants since my 'supposed' last order of the year, which was a plumeria. Lol.

Last Winter I went crazy with seed-sowing. I'll try to not do that again.

It seems every year Im addicted to something new. Last year i collected Plumeria, growing dozens from seed(lost them all but will certainly try again) One year it was gardenia plants as Im a huge fan of the fragrance. Once I went crazy collecting peace lilies with extra large leaves. Agaves and drought friendly plants have been the fad for me this year and Ive picked up the my fair share of century plants, desert roses, aloe plants and cacti.

Im still adding altho not only have I run out of room but now Im keeping some of my plants at my mothers house! I just put in her yard a gardenia standard that was on its last leg and saved from the trash at the supermarket. Now Ive lost hundreds of dollars worth of these over the years to mites, mealies and scale--but here I am Miss. Try, Try Again! and now that you mentioned citrus plants, I saw a wonderfully scented miniture orange tree in the garden center the other day in full bloom and looking quite wonderful and begging to come home with me...

Yes, to all of your questions! If I had to count (which I won't, because I really don't want to know :P), I would guess I have acquired around 50-60 new plants. I started 2 years ago collecting Sansevierias. My cousin eventually gave me an Aloe vera after hers produced tons of pups. From there, I began to collect aloes as well. Then, I got a job at a garden center, and well, you tend to bring your work home with you! Next, I joined my local C&S club, and the members (apparently) were so happy to have new blood, that by my 3rd meeting, several people brought me cuttings of plants that they thought I needed in my collection!

Nancy

I wouldn't be surprised, however, if this austerity phase is temporary. ;-)

Lololol..

That is what happens to me every year! I give many away feeling a sense of relief while my favorites can get all the more sun and light, and less worrie's of pests, just to get more because I missed the ones I use to have..I have yet to give away a citrus though..

Goodness, I just joined a C&S club last week, and they seemed awfully excited to have me!

My biggest collection is my citrus, adding about, I am not sure how many this year!
Next is my cactus and succulents, in paerticular "jades", adding about, well, too many to count this year!
Next, the past 2 years, my gardenias collection has grown..
Last year it was plumeria, adding about 30 to that.
The year before that it was clivias, adding about 25 to that from as far as china..
This year I obtained a few "fragrant olive trees"..
Now, I have my eye on "fig"..lol

I tend to gravitate towards fragrant and fruit producing plants, while my regular tropicals get scattered about the house, out of the sun room where all the other plants thrive. I even installed a huge skylight to cater to them.

Thank god my clivia and plumerias can be stored in the cellar, or I would be in trouble..

Mike

Wrong.

I admit to keeping count, but I won't tell because that will make it real, lol. As far as acquiring, I'd say that I traded for or purchased at least 120 leaves for propagation and another 20-40 plants in the last year. I gave away at least 50, but soon will have another batch of many young African Violets (about 100 different varieties and 1-5 of each of them) that I MUST find more willing victims, no, I mean patsies, no!, I mean plant lovers to take them off my hands....or trade for more things!

I can't imagine what I'd have if I still lived in the farmhouse!

Wonder why I don't ever come to the houseplant forum. Glad I stopped by.

I've learned from watching a couple of friends who lost control over their collections. The collections got so large or involved to care for that the WHOLE collection suffered neglect, the owners had just allowed themselves to become spread too thin.

A few yrs. ago I'd scaled back somewhat in what I grow & focused more on the plants of greatest interest (for me, succulents & Hoyas).

I had quit the C&S Society a few yrs. ago; but am still in the Indoor Gardening Society & will sometimes take things home from meetings (that may not have sold or were too big & divide them) & grow them on to bring back at later date, house-sit them as it were.

Otherwise, I've quit rescues & rehabbing other folks' plants for them.

I do buy a few things sometimes at my Indoor Gardening Mtg, like just last week I bought a small Gasteria & a gorgeous, medium size rhizomatous Begonia. Keeping the collection a bit smaller allows room to do that from time to time.

Like last Spring, I found a stunning Ficus elastica 'Burgundy' which it seems I just HAD to have (I'd posted pix). It's pretty big (for my Studio Apartment) but there's a big of wiggle room in my collection now, space-wise. Like I've got a bit more room to breathe, I'm enjoying that.

I will confess I have a GW friend w/ a Greenhouse who collects Hoyas & just mentioned she needs to whack 'em back & offered me the cuttings. Now there's an offer I can't refuse!

My biggest purchase this year was Siam Ruby Banana Plant.

Total: 58. :) :(

Marguest, your Banana Tree is beautiful. The colors amazing. There's even a pup. Did you find it on Ebay?

Mike, to answer a few questions.
I MUST stay away from Ebay..It's one addicting site. Not only do they have great deals on plants, but plant supplies.
There's also a few online nurseries I browse every other wk or so. The internet makes it too easy to shop for such an exciting hobby. A few clicked keys, next thing, a package is at your front door?

One word of Warning for those who really want to stop buying plants.. Well, an attempt. Do NOT sign up for nursery News Letters. It's convenient, swaying us to their site, displaying their wares. Hear the clicking keys to Paypal? lol.

As for local nurseries, fortunately, there are two that sell very very nice and rare specimens..luckily, opposite directions, both a long distance drive. An hour on non-congested days, 1.5-2 hours during 9-5, Rush Hour traffic. Although, traffic has gotten so heavy the past five years, the only time to go anywhere with time to spare is between midnight and 5am. Problem is, the stores are closed. lol.

Our grocery store, Jewel's, always has plants for sale. Mostly, basic plants like Spaths, certain Dracaenas, etc. My problem arises when they have dollar sales. 3-4" potted plants for 1.00. Every so often, they'll have a rarer specimen. Buy 3, pot them up, and you have a lovely plant for 3.00. Four years ago, they had, mixed in with other dollar plants, Schefflera 'brassaia/actinophylla, a plant I hadn't seen in years...last one) I grabbed it up fast. lol.

That's about it. Not too bad for 9 months. lol. Toni