A few years ago our Aunt Winnie gave me a small sprig off her Jade Plant. Because Winnie reads my blog I am posting a photo of it so that she can see how large it has grown. It has become so large it is now top-heavy and soon will be put into a larger pot.
It certainly is a Pass-Along plant. She has enjoyed hers several years; I have enjoyed mine all these few years and enjoyed watching it grow. Now, I am trying to downsize my life including my houseplant collection. I may keep two or three plants including the one that was given to my mother before she married. Our local daughter and son-in-law have a lovely home with a very large bay-window full of their interesting plant collection. I am passing the Jade on to them. It will have a wonderful home, and they are delighted that it came from their Winnie. Thank you, Winnie!
I placed that half-gallon carton of milk near it to give the photo some sense of scale. Seeing it reminds me of a joke I played on myself recently.
I had been using diluted fish emulsion plant food on a number of outdoor plants. It smells just as putrid as it sounds. Then one day I was sitting at the table and started reading the list of ingredients printed on the side of the milk carton. I was reading down the list then I read: putrefied fish oil... WHAT!? Backing up I read it again a little closer, this time I read: purified fish oil. Oh! That's much better.
21 comments:
What a nice thing to remember someone by. I hope it does well in your daughter's home. I have never had good luck with Jade plants. I over water them. I still have to slap my hands, when I reach for the watering can, when I am caring for my new Orchids. Have a nice weekend, Barbee...Balisha
I don't think I've ever seen a Jade plant. I have several plants given to me by people that are now too established to take out and re-plant and it's sad as we move house in 4 weeks time and they'll have to be left behind. At least the memories can be taken with me though.
Thank you, Balisha. Regarding watering: I have the opposite problem: I don't realize days have slipped past since I last watered, then they are too dry. I really shouldn't be trying to take care of anything that is alive... beginning to need a "keeper" for me. I used to have a few orchids, and enjoyed being a member of some orchid societies, so I know what you mean about your orchids. But, amazing plants, some of them. I had to give all of mine away when we moved to this house. I had only a few, but there was no place for them here.
Lorraine, Hello! As busy as you are with your move, your writing, your vacation, your revamping one of your blogs, and keeping up with all your other blogs... you came here?! Thank You. Jade Plants are succulent plants that cannot stand frost. Most areas of the U.S.A. people have to grow them indoors as what we call houseplants. My first trip to the U.S. southwest arid region I was astonished to see them growing as shrubs in front of people's houses. I see you live in the United Kingdom; when someone lists that as their location I always wonder Where in the United Kingdom. I've been there to all areas except Ireland. Never got there. Anyway, I saw Jade plant shrubs growing in the "American" wing of one of the great glass houses in one of the superb gardens of England. I cannot remember which one. During my only trip to Europe we visited 23 wonderful gardens, most of them in the United Kingdom.
Sweet jade plant! In the 40's I remember ladies walking by the house and stopping to ask for cuttings. They would have a small purse with them to put the cutting in... different world now.
P.S. Thanks for the ideas!
Callie, hello, and thank you for popping over and for leaving your comment. Different world is correct: today they would just steal the whole plant. It's hard to believe but they say there are cactus rustlers who steal saguaro cactus plants.
A nice gift to pass along... Funny on the milk...
Thank you, Skeeter, I should pay more attention to what I am reading. That woke me up for sure.
Tee hee fish emulsion does smell rather rank! I have a pond and when the filter is cleaned weekly the green smelly water goes to some of my plants. They appreciate it more than I do but it's like liquid gold!
Hello Jean, thank you for the comment and your information about using the fish water. I had to give up with having fish in our tiny pool, the raccoons finally defeated me. I got tired of finding dead fish, and fish parts, all over the hillside. Before that, I did siphon out the old water onto some flower beds before putting in fresh. They lapped it up and rewarded me for my pains.
Well, purified, putrefied - all comes to the same in the end, doesn't it? But I admit I'd rather have 'purified' in my milk.
I'm impressed with your jade plant abilities. I keep trying to take cuttings and I keep killing them. I agree it's nice when plants have personal history attached to them, and I'm glad your daughter has a place for it.
P.S. Callie: I have a friend who said she never visits a botanical garden without her scissors!
Pomona, I think the trick with the Jades is to not over water. I tend to forget to water so it works for me. I gently squeeze a leaf and if it's turgid I do not water until a few days later when it is a little bit soft. That could be a week later. I just let the plant tell me when it's used its reserve and is thirsty. As I mentioned, I'm tired of house plants and am giving most of them away.
I've not heard of a Jade Plant before. The name gives it the atmosphere of something big so the milk carton for scale was a good idea.
But . . . why would you have fish oil in milk, purified or not?
As for the discussion in the comments about taking cuttings . . . I once heard on the radio that where gardens are open to the public, special watch often has to be made of elderly women visitors because they are likely to take surreptitious snippings. A few years ago a couple of friends were arrested when one put a cutting in her bag. It seemed sad but I suppose if a coach load of scissor / secateur wielding pensioners descends on your garden you want to be sure your bushes and plants will still have twigs on they've gone!
Ha, ha, ha, Lucy, I can just picture a scary crowd of pensioners with snipping, snapping tools. Yes, Jade Plants do get large. Out west in our arid states they are large shrubs. Too much moisture causes their roots to rot, and it doesn't take much to cause that to happen. They are native to South Africa and can grow to ten feet there.
About the milk: This is not regular milk. It is Smart Balance Heart Right fat-free milk a “unique blend of nutrients that helps support a healthy heart” with vitamins A and D added, 25% more protein and 25% more calcium than whole milk plus Omega-3s and Natural Plant Sterols (1g Fat from Omeg-3 oil blend; I guess that includes the fish oil.) to support healthy cholesterol levels.
I drink it for 3 reasons: It tastes rich and creamy like 2% milk; my birth family’s medical history is mostly heart diseases; and the regular fat-free milk from the store kept going bad in the refrigerator in a very few days. This kind is Ultra-Pasteurized so it lasts quite well for a week. And, yes, it does cost more than plain milk, but I'm the only one drinking it.
My physician has me on, among other things, calcium tablets due to my age and aging bones. I am also on flax seed oil capsules for Cholesterol control. So this milk fits right in with my regimen. With all this, I should live forever!
They have a website CLICK HERE if you are interested.
Barbee,
Thanks a lot for your visit.
Your header is so beautiful. Is it your garden?? It looks like oil painting art.
Snow White, welcome! Yes, that is my garden. My husband took it in April (I think.) a few years ago. Thank you. I passed your compliment on to him. I used to change the header photo with the seasons, but this one is so pretty I missed it so I just left it up last year.
Indeed, so nice to remember ... Jade's were big back in the 70s. I also so enjoy viewing your header! Happy Autumn Barbee :)
Wy, hello there, Joey. Interesting how plants, too, go through fads. Maybe it has something to do with the "passing-along". Thank you for the compliment; I always pass them along to the photographer who is sitting across the room from me.
I have never been a big fan of Jade plant in the garden but as a houseplant I bet it would be very nice. I just love pass along plants. :) Do you find it needs much light? Where I grew up in Southern California they would grow so huge and practically propagate themselves.
Hello Cynthia, thank you for stopping by. I think your header is so pretty! You grew up in Southern California, sigh, I have always envied people there because of the nice weather. We are getting tornado warnings this morning and storms on the way. I can see how the Jade Plant shrubs would practically propagate themselves... by dropping bits on the ground where they surely take root. They are so easy to grow. Indoors I do try to give them the brightest sunny spot at the best window. That way they grow more compactly. Otherwise, their branches are spindly and stretched out. Years ago I had one for many years, the bit given me for a start was a pass along from the wife of a elderly man who would talk to our cub scouts about the civil war battle in that area (the battle of Parker's Crossroads). I just kept potting it up into progressively larger pots until it was really rather large. I would ease it into the sun outdoors each spring until it could sit at the edge of the porch. Little birds would perch in it, and it would bloom. That really surprised me the first time it did. I didn't know that Jade Plants bloomed. It finally outgrew my window so I gave it to a neighbor who had a perfect place for it in their new addition to the back of their house which had large windows. She had it for a while, but when she went on vacation one year, the person watering her plants for her over watered it and it rotted. And that is the doom of so many indoor Jade Plants. Before I water, I always gently press a leaf. If it is turgid, it does not need water. If it is a little soft, it needs water. If let go too long, the petal-like leaves dry up, shrivel, and drop off.
Miss you when you aren't blogging, Barbie - so I thought I'd drop by simply to say 'hello'.
Hope all is well with you.
Esther
Bless your heart, Esther, I've had you on my mind, too. I guess I'm about half here these days. It seems so lonely out there by myself. I've noticed I go out doors mostly when other people are here. Yesterday was my birthday number 75. It was quite exciting with all the attention I received. My family spoils me.
Post a Comment