Hi MIke!!!

LOVE IT!!!

You make it all look so professional...

Great job!!!

Laura

Awesome Mike. Your plants sre beautiful!!!

Amazing plants, amazing room, amazing care! I didn't see a single dead leaf in any of these pics. Great show, take a bow!

The really tall thing with really big leaves - some kind of banana?

I showed my plants these pics so they would have role models!

so, how does the cat act with all these plants - does she ever knock them over, chew the leaves, make a nest in the foliage to nap?

You have even more plants than I thought you did, how are you keeping the ones away from the windows so healthy? do you rotate them?

Nice plants Mike.
A lot of work went into them!

PS.. there's a 'Meeting' in Toni's thread when you are ready for it.

Charlie

Such healthy looking plants! Thanks for sharing!

Mike,
Nice plants! Can I visit your house? I can't promise some of your plants won't go missing if you allow me over though. :D

Planto

Absolutely beautiful, Mike!

Mike....WOWOW!!!

Are your beautiful plantas in the room that once was your bedroom, not converted into a plant room?????????

Great idea..think I'll try that..lol..I don't mind sleeping on the couch..Dh can sleep in the basement..lol

2 south windows on the second floor gets a lot of light!

Anyway, love your plants..as usual, they're gorgeous...

What's the plant in pic 7, left side, front? Geranium or something else?

I love your plants, Mike..Can I visit too?

Mike, I realized you called yourself a newbie on tropical board. What's up with that?

I don't understand your goal in that post. To develop more tropical landscape in the ground permanently, or to just overwinter the EE's you had in the ground? Or, to decorate with tropicals as if they were annuals?

Mike, love your tropical jungle. Where is the couch so you can sit and enjoy all the plants? :) Do you use additional grow light or just natural light?

Thanks for this post - I have a couple same plants as yours, I now know what to do for the winter. Thanks a lot.

I just got home from a busy day at the office, pooped, see all these plants and feel 10 times more tired! LOL!

Oh Mike! Its all so beautiful! I don't know how you do it!!! Work, family, and all them plants! I am amazed!

Charlie! Your too funny! Mike may need to attend that meeting for sure. ;-) lol..

Luv ya Mike! ;-)
JoJo

Oh my goodness, time to play catch up everyone:-)

Thanks first of all for sharing with me. It's hard to believe that the ones I live with and the friends that visit me are not as enthusiastic as all of you and than goodness for this forum and technology!

Greendale....I am glad I was able to help. Many are afraid to expose many of their plants to anything but warm temps and feel the need to use lights. I am glad you are able to decipher which plant love the cool temps and don't need anything but natural sunlight and those that do not have to be right in the window.
Thank you too.

Purple...How are you? New in the sense that I had posted there for the first time. Yes, you got it. I would love to make my yard look more tropical with plants that I could either allow to winter outside or dig up and replant in the spring. Right on:-0) Thanks Purple.

Toni...lol That room has use to be a bedroom, but I turned it into a spare room before I even had plants! My use to be bedroom is now my parents that I am caring for, and my second use to be bedroom has filled up with north facing plants. lol.. I really don't mind sleeping on an air mattress down where the heat is on along side my awesome cat! It is only until spring when I can set them all outside again:-)

Now, I remember someone asking me if my cat gets into my plants? Well, let's just say that my cat is really a dog in disguise. he acts like one and lstens to my every command. He knows to stay away from my plants and is not allowed in that room unattended..lol

Rhizo......I hope you have been ok. Look for an e-mail, please. By the way, you have been instrumental in my success and I am never shy about saying so!

Planto, come on down, or up...:-)

LauraR, thanks for looking. Maybe some day you will buy a citrus?

Charlie....Really!? Ha. I shall have to meet soon with you all.

Rosey....Oops..lol It was you that mentioned my cat! And by the way, good to see you here too!

Laura...Thank you, thank you! I would love to see a couple of Plumie pics.

Tiff..Thank you. Don't forget to e-mail about the T.C about February, ok? I will start a couple for you:-)

Have a good night everyone and thanks again for looking and such kind comments!

Mike

Aww, Jojo, I just missed your comments until just now...!

We here at home luv you too. Appreciate your kind comments and for stopping by! Funny how fast time goes by and how long we have know each other, right?

I wish you well..I'll now visit the Container forum that you posted your beautiful Prey Mantis on:-)

Mike

Oops! Jojo..

Mom wanted to know if you always come home and poop after a long day at the office? hahahah

You made my day with that one!lol

MIke

Mike, I've not been able to get up to the computer for quite awhile. I don't have an email account on my Kindle. I'll look forward to your email for when I can get upstairs.

I noticed your absence Dori. I hope all is ok.

Thanks for the tour, Mike. Everything looks great - as usual. How far you've come - good job!

Al

LOL!!!!!!! I was just about to say something about that too! Wondering why that detail was included, but then I realized... just an extra comma. Hilarious!!

Aha, just new to that forum, gotcha. I'll put a suggestion or two over there now that I know better what you're after. Good luck although I don't think you'll need it, probably do it better than I would!

...and I don't mind an air mattress at all. We go tent camping with one and I sleep just fine. We usually do that in the woods... which would probably be similar to sleeping at your place without having to worry about a bird pooping on your head.

So Mike,

You have the cool room, the succulents in the basement under lights, and the greenhouse, and you work long hours...I just have one question...HOW DO YOU DO IT, BUDDY?

Excellent work.

Christopher

It's a labor of love!

Mike, that's one sweet plant room with great windows. And I bet it sure smells nice!
You make Citrus growing look so effortless, but we know the long hours and the early mornings
when you're racing around to protect plants or to get them watered and fed on one of the few
sunny New England days you have during deep Winter ;-)

Josh

Wow! Mike, I just don't know what to say! It's wonderful! A green haven! How do you do it? That must be an awful lot of work!

And here, I have two or three little windowsills with extended shelves...

Great work, Mike!

Mike,
Take a look at this special from Wal-Marts. For only $4 did I do ok. I got 3 plants in that small pot. Was going to wait till spring to transplant.
{{gwi:117603}}
Mike, let me know it this is just a common one or something special? I still love it.
Stush

Stush, sooo pretty. Looks like I am taking a ride to Robinson WM soon!!! Heehe.

Mike i sure will. I can only hope my plants are as beautiful as yours someday!! And your in Mass.??? I love it up there. Went with hubby for a work trip and fell in love with chowda. Had it everday for a week!!! Mmmm mmmm. Maybe you can send a vat if it with the TC?!?!?! Ha!

Tiff

Great jungle there Mike- my kind of place!

Mike,
I'm still chuckling over your text last night and my typo! This is the first I've been able to get back here. lol..

fWIW,,,I was in a huge rush! Had to run back out and take my tall, skinny! 15 yr old son to get slacks! My mind was else where. lol.. It was meant to say
"I'm Pooped" LOL!!!

But I smile knowing I gave you.. mom.. Purple.. and who knows who else a laugh!!! Yes, we can now edit.. but after another day of being at the office and making calls im just to tired. lol...

Christopher~~ I would love to know his secret too!!
Amazing plants and we know Mike is a busy person!

JoJo

Chris..My secret? It's called youth and vitamins..lol
Honestly, I have no idea! Did I tell you that along with working out 4 days a week, I also get up at 5 a.m every day? Thanks buddy:-0)

Jojo...You killed us! Hey, it could be worst. I have made some doozies here my self. So glad to had a moment to explain...lol

Larry, you are invited any time you want. It smells heavenly in there today. Now the Olive trees are pushing out an awesome scent!

Tiff, you're kidding me? You have been up here? I'll bet you would love to have fresh seafood at my favorite hand out spot! Let me know when you come by again.
Yes, remind me about them cuttings and I will do them for you,

Stush, the same goes for you. In fact, I owe a couple of friends here some plants. Please remind me!
I LOVE that jade. It looks like something I have not seen Stush. Is that pink, really? If so, that is a first for me. It's beautiful.

Jodik, all you have to do is give up your bedroom and you will be fine..lol
Thank you so much for your kind words as always. Now, I can't wait to try a hand at Roses. You can be my mentor for those?

Josh, thank you so much. It is sweet and now that I have put my Plasma T.V in there, that is where I will watch my football! With a jacket on of course or a heated blanket.lol
I must ask? How did you get through those storms? You ok?
How about your plants?

Purple. or a monkey crawling into my bed! Ha...I actually get a better sleep on air than a regular bed! Oh, I love being toasty warm too. A heated room, electric blanket, and a warm cat does the trick..

Al as always, thanks for mentoring to the point where I could pull this off by myself. Always in debted to you and a couple others after all these years:-)

Dori..Boy, if you had internet or an e-mail on that Kindle, life would be so much easier!
I will be checking in with you in the a.m:-)

Have a great night all and thank you again.

Would you believe that I never water at night? Just a thought. All my watering is always done in the a.m. I try and use fresh water as often as possible and those fans are going 24/7

Mike:-)

Nice work Mike, as usual. Air mattress huh, well you are something else. (I'm sure your folks are grateful for your care & kindness; hope they realize what a good & responsible son they raised.)

Hi Stush,

Not that rare or unusual, it's a variegated Jade (Crassula tri-color I think it's called around here). I've had it w/ slight pink highlights from strong sun. Sadly, I've killed this at least 3-4 times. I've only ever seen it on sale at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden sales every May.

Maybe I can find a pic of the last one I killed ;>) let's see here:

{{gwi:117604}}

Were sold for maybe $8-12 or so for an 6-8" tall plant (IIRC).

After I corrected its mix:

{{gwi:117605}}

Some baby plantlets it threw (which didn't survive either), but were soooo cute!!

{{gwi:117606}}

Hope you have much better luck w/ these that I did.

Mike -- keep up your great work & enjoy!

Jacket Mike.. Me and mom get the heated blanket! LOL!!
JoJo

Jojo, if you edit that, I'll tickle you! Pls. don't!

Mike, what a great idea "writing" on the pics. I've done that before to remember where my perennials are but never thought to log potted plants that way. That's much better than just knowing the date the pic was taken. Excellent! And cute plant, too, btw (12/4 $4 WM. jade.)

I would be honored to help you with roses, Mike... first, I have to actually GET them to you! I'm hoping for an early spring, because it just got very cold here! We're in the 20's today... my bones and joints are not happy about the change in temperature, nor the dampness!

As you know, I owe my knowledge, and my thirst for more, to Al... so we have the same mentor!

If I gave up my bedroom... well, I can't! It's a one room studio/loft apartment, I guess you'd call it. It's a second floor/attic turned into an apartment, and no matter how cute it is, it's still small, and still my one and only room! There's a separate bathroom, and a tiny kitchenette... but I sleep near my plants already, and I'm not giving up my bed! LOL!

Nice plants, everyone! Hi, JoJo!

Karen,
You got me running scared. If you can't grow it, what chance do I have. Mike, any secerts to help me. And I will send you one come spring with some others I have. That pot has 4 plants growing in it.
Tifflj, Sorry but they had only one plant left. Rest was different and really beat up. It was in the back with no heat and open wind.
Stush

Hey Mike...I DO have internet! I'm sitting up in my comfy bed right now....typing away in my Kindle with one finger, lol. Just no email on the Kindle.

I love love the color of your TC, by the way.

Karen, who knew that you're a serial killer of jade plants? Any ideas as to why?

Jojo.....lol.

Joining this thread late but Mike.......VERY nice room!!! Great looking healthy plants.......but I am envious of all those windows= excellent light for growing things!! Love it!!

I feel like a non-plant owner from what is here!! lol

Love the room you have for you plants! Hope someday I will have a lot more space for my wintering, I do plant on a lot more plants! (don't tell my DH tho-- ;))

Also, congrats on having such a kitty that obeys you like that~~ not all of us have one of those. Mine found out what a squirt bottle will do~ very quiclky!! He pretty much leaves the plants alone now..

but a very nice plant room..

Karen, so kind of you! Thank you for that. I just wanted to say it's good to see you back and that the storm did not take you down.....I have seen you have been through a lot and I hope things are up and running for you just the way you like it now.

Those were very good looking jades. Sorry you lost them:-(

Purple, I too like the Idea! I'll have to ask Stush how he does that! Thanks!

Jodik..That would be awesome. I really want to do a good job with them. Roses are not the easiest things to grow in my area. Thank you so much.

Stush..Oh yes. I will e-mail with good instructions pal.
You will be fine.

Rhizo..What a comfortable way to post here..lol..I sent you an e-mail too:-)

Woodnative! Thank you. I will have more pics soon and they bloom...Hope all is well.

Lamora...You are already collecting plants since you have been here..lol Yay!
Oh yes, my cat always eats after the master. I literally trained him since he was 2 months...He even stands by the door when I get home from work to greet me...lol

A water bottle?..That works too..lol

Thank you

Porple~ I'll leave it just for you! I'm ticklish! LOL!!
And purple is my favorite color. :-)

Mike, you are lucky to have a well behaved cat! Mine isn't too bad, but each christmas we do find him sleeping in the tree! LOL!

Hi Jodi!
Rhizo! Hi! Good to see you!! and so glad I could make you laugh too. ;-)

JoJo

Well Purple,
I spelled your name wrong and am So Sorry! Tried to at least edit that and GW wont let me. Getting some error message. Grrr.. Darn edit and lap top with tiny keys!!! LOL!

JoJo

Oh, I think if you change something in the subject line, it will let you edit, not sure if that's it or not.

But Porple - LOL! That's me when I'm swimming, I love it! I like to frolic like a porpoise!

To write on a picture, open in paint and choose a color, a writing size, just click undo if you don't like it, save when you do. If you're the type to want to, save a copy first and then you'll have the unmolested pic too.

Mike:

Funny, never saw you wear Clark Kent glasses, but sometimes I wonder...:)

Christopher

Mike, roses are too easy to grow! The problem is, the vast number of roses sold in your area are grafted, the wrong types and varieties for your zone, and many are commercially produced in Texas and elsewhere warm and shipped north for sale. Not exactly conducive to decent growth and survival rates in cold winter zones... but great for corporate profit! See how that works?

With the right roses, you can grow gorgeous gardens... trust me! I've got the hook up for you, Mike, and I'll walk you through anything you need. You'll see... it's easier than the industry wants you to believe.

Oh I agree, Jodik. Just avoid those silly hybrid tea roses. I had a bunch of great roses in OH, sure miss them, especially the ramblers. There was Cecile Bruner rambler, a Hansa shrub, knockout shrubs, so many mini ones both climbing and upright, and others I can't remember specifically. Still miss a NOID white one that clusters of blooms, each flower had a million petals and smelled like heaven, a rambler, that I found buried under leaves and a stepping stone when I bought that house. After finally hacking the roots out, I moved it into the sun near the fence, and when it bloomed - wow! They are tough plants that want to grow if you get "real roses" and not those fancy-name gimmick plants.

Asking about the provenance is an excellent idea. You want plants propagated locally, or at least in a like zone.

Exactly! And forget about grafted roses! Always check that what you're buying are truly "own-root" roses! The health and survival rate is so much better with own-root rose types!

Actually, if you order from various growers of antique, old garden, or new hybrids that are own-root and grown in a like climate, and actually hardy to your zone, you'll have great roses!

Roses are a bit slow to settle in and take off sometimes, and the saying goes... and I've found it to be very true... the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap! By the third year, your roses should be growing strongly and blooming well. Most do require about 6 to 8 hours of sunlight a day, but there are some that will take a bit of shade.

We have extensive gardens filled with ramblers, polyanthas, floribundas, shrub, old garden... you name it! The link below is only a partial view of this past year, beginning with the bulbs in early spring, and going to... I'm not sure... I haven't got all the photos sorted out or uploaded yet. Enjoy!

Here is a link that might be useful: Part of 2012 in our gardens...

Ok..I could of sworn I answered questions yesterday and posted! Where in teh world is it?lol

Jodik, thank you so much for that! My goodness, now I can't remember what I said, but it was good..lol
I know that the only success I have evr had with roses was a welcome back from winter with dead branches or once I cut them off, to see the trunks hollow! Is this some kind of borer, or from cold? Will it affect self rooted ones.

In the citrus world, own roots do horrible in the soil with nemetodes and teh such, and that is why they use grafted ones. I always thought the same applied to roses?

I am just grateful I can have a mentor such as you to finally be successful with mine here at home:-)

Jojo...My cat is very well behaved, but what I do when I am not there is another story..lol
I know he is not even interested in my plants, that is except if I do not feed him first thing in the a.m
Believe me, it is only then that he has a way of letting me know that he shoukld eat before I do.
But I must admit, I have to keep all palms and spider plants away from him.

I never saw a tea rose before? Just what are they?
Do they have that distinct very 'sweet strong' fragrance? That is what I would love to smell.

Chris..You are too funny.lol

Jodik, beautiful pics by the way! I'll bet you look so forward to the solsticand the return of the sun! I am sure counting the days...:-)

Purple, great points made! I am not even sure if anyone sells them here. But all I need is Jodik to hook me up:-)

By the way, the plants in my room are starting to flower like crazy! They love the cooler temps, breeze, humidity, and lack of bugs!

My sister just dropped off three citrus trees, and two jasmine about 3 feet high because she couldn't care for them. Oh, what to do? Cut them way back, spray, and then store them in that room? Or cut them back, and store them in my cellar close to lights and let them rest? Arg!

Mike

Your welcome Mike, everybody clearly loved this show you've shared.

Sorry Stush,

Didn't mean to scare you, it's just that I can't seem to grow Jades here in NYC, I think it's the humidity. I grew a nice foot tall one in Philly yr. ago until a cat knocked it over. But not here.

Likely it's me, or the humidity here not you. Try it!

Mike, I believe the hollowed rose canes are caused by a borer type bee or insect, and when pruning, it helps to seal the cuts with wax or paint, or some kind of wound sealant. I keep a spray wound sealant on hand.

The issue is usually that we can't get own-root roses that are truly hardy to our zones locally, and must order them through companies specializing in the roses we need. There are several decent growers to look to, but don't you worry... I've got it all waiting for you, Mike... well, rooted, healthy stock in the types and varieties that will do well in your area. I owe you, my friend, and I've got you covered!

Don't bother with locally sold, grafted types from the big box stores... they're a waste of money.

Hey Jodik! It good to know that all I have to do is seal off at the cut point!
For some reason, I always thought they were in teh ground and entered through the thick roots under the soil line.
Thank you for that!

Thank you so much for hooking me up! Oh, what a joy that will be when for the first time I can plant them that way and on their own hardy roots. :-)

By the way, boy does my plant room smell DELICIOUS today!
As soon as I walked in there, I felt like it was getting off a plane on some tropical island! I stayed in there for a while:-)

Now, the Ponderosa Lemons are starting to bloom! I also have a 6 inch cutting with more blooms than I can shake a stick at. I'll take another pic.

By the way, it's hard to believe that even my palm and other tropicals can enjoy temps that cool.
I hear certian orchids do too. Next year I have a few in mind that I will put up there.
Certain orchids actually need a cool period to initiate bud set!

Mike

Mike:

Is that a bird of paradise in picture #6 and #8? What is the tall plant at front right in pic #8? I love the big leaf of you BOP - it does not tear itself like mine does. What you have the Bird of Paradise in - 511 or the gritty mix? I just bought a BOP one month ago, it still in its original soil, plan to wait for spring to repot. Also, I meant to ask (if you do not mind) where do you get your pine bark fines from? I looked for pine bark fines for almost a year but never find it around here. (anywhere 50 miles from Providence should be fine with me). I am using have reptibark for gritty mix. It is too expensive to use for 511, I wanted to try 511 on some large plants as it might be lighter. It is hard to move the pot with gritty mix to water.

Thanks
Greendale

That's great, Mike! I can just imagine that if you close your eyes, it must smell like the tropics!

I think in spring, I'll take those two orchids outside, and let them hang in a tree for the season, so they won't get sun burnt, and they can get some cool weather later in the season.

Maybe you can help me get these things to bloom!

And, yes... I've got the plants chosen for you, for the right zone and all... you'll do fine with them. Roses are really easy once they settle in... when they're the right ones!

Have a great day, everyone!