tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post5672761055825775601..comments2024-03-27T07:35:21.832-07:00Comments on Plants are the Strangest People: Friendly* critiquemr_subjunctivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-70271012970777566722016-02-27T14:29:01.381-08:002016-02-27T14:29:01.381-08:00I've had a "Victoria Gold Bell" Crot...I've had a "Victoria Gold Bell" Croton for about 6 months. It's in an east facing window, and has done great. Strong growth, no pest problems, and has just started putting out a flower stalk. The plant has lost two leaves since I've had it. I guess that I'm lucky, since you all seem to be having so much trouble with your plants.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-57045013476974464052011-11-11T15:22:13.023-08:002011-11-11T15:22:13.023-08:00I realize it is an old post but since no one menti...I realize it is an old post but since no one mentioned this before...<br /><br />I believe that the author is only writing about the "Excellent" variety which in my experience is a lot more tolerant than other crotons. It responds to low light levels by skipping the yellow coloration on new growth to go straight to dark green/dark red. Will live through low temperatures for months but Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-62762950505614129832009-05-25T03:23:00.423-07:002009-05-25T03:23:00.423-07:00I love Crotons! Now I feel like a rebel. I was s...I love Crotons! Now I feel like a rebel. I was surprised Crotons are supposed to like humidity, because I live in a super dry place and my Crotons don't seem to care. I dropped something heavy on one of my plants twice, knocking off most of its leaves, but it did not die. They seem hardy to me. They like it when I ignore them.<br /><br />Non-garden centres usually overwater their plants so phantom_tigernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-85317416444978121642009-05-07T16:11:00.000-07:002009-05-07T16:11:00.000-07:00Well, yes and no: the pests show up sooner and thr...Well, yes and no: the pests show up sooner and thrive better on plants that are already weakened for some reason, but pests have definite preferences for certain plants, and plants have varying amounts of resistance to different pests. I promise. Ask anybody who's worked in a garden center.mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-43256430394456546412009-05-07T11:54:00.000-07:002009-05-07T11:54:00.000-07:00Haha! I loved the way you wrote this. I am LUCKY I...Haha! I loved the way you wrote this. I am LUCKY I read this, because I have been so tempted to get a croton (they are always readily available in the supermarket plant section).<br /><br />I feel so sorry about the croton of yours that caught spider mites and died. =(<br /><br />I really hate it when an otherwise healthy plant gets infested - overnight in some cases - and starts to go downhill Amhttp://somethinghere.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-85767818865497693052009-05-05T20:41:00.000-07:002009-05-05T20:41:00.000-07:00"The natural Croton doesn't spurn flowers." That s..."The natural Croton doesn't spurn flowers." That sentence says that a croton, if offered flowers, would accept them graciously. I'm up for anthropomorphizing plants once in a while (indeed, this is a conceit of PATSP, and delightful in the hands of Mr. S), but I just can't see a croton, or any houseplant, even having a notion of what it would mean to accept or reject a gift of flowers.<br /><br /daphnenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-52870396641333974782009-05-05T09:17:00.000-07:002009-05-05T09:17:00.000-07:00This is what I hate. New gardners and wannabe gard...This is what I hate. New gardners and wannabe gardeners think it is all so easy because of false advertisements like these. Its that way with seed companies too lulling everyone into thinking that you put a seed in the ground and you will have 2000 tomatoes from one plant. They never tell you about blossom rot, or blight or slugs...<br /><br />Oh dont get me started!Mrs. Darlinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12911621891840832728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-41865492963706052672009-05-05T09:02:00.000-07:002009-05-05T09:02:00.000-07:00I love Crotons! What is the matter with you guys?...I love Crotons! What is the matter with you guys? Lots of light is all it wants and spray it every month with horticultural oil and there you go! The colors, the colors...<br /><br />Oh! Who in their right mind buys houseplants from Home Depot? Good Grief! Your asking for trouble there. There's a reason why they sell them so cheap...Grow fast, sell fast, die fast.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-78852391844489074942009-05-05T08:57:00.000-07:002009-05-05T08:57:00.000-07:00Agreed that the article misrepresents the plant. I...Agreed that the article misrepresents the plant. I've got a "Victoria Gold Bell" croton that my boss gave me for a birthday, and it is NOT easy - if anything, it's the most demanding plant on my desk. It has taken over my desk lamp, since the daylight bulb seems to be the only thing that keeps it colorful and not dropping leaves. It has me trained to accommodate its watering needs. It will Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-84297335513287017732009-05-05T07:45:00.000-07:002009-05-05T07:45:00.000-07:00I agree. I had one that I kept alive and full of ...I agree. I had one that I kept alive and full of foliage for two years in an office with two walls of windows. But it was a pain, never did anything but get buggy. Unless I move some where they can go outside, I'll pass on them for now. <br /><br />I did love the look of the thread leaved one, hadn't seen that. But it won't tempt me to try again - too many bugs.Lancehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17953459540634785074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-17058538751125134432009-05-05T07:40:00.000-07:002009-05-05T07:40:00.000-07:0014. She perpetuates the gap between those who thin...14. She perpetuates the gap between those who think science is a big bad monster and those who don't by saying "long scientific name." It's not long, it's not scary, and it's NOT ITALIC either. It should be. Gah!<br /><br />15. And why does it make it a good gift for both men and women just because it doesn't flower that often? What do flowers have to do with it?<br /><br />Hm, so apparently Kenneth Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11619410362453458358noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-18668944571795899042009-05-05T07:26:00.000-07:002009-05-05T07:26:00.000-07:00Well right -- the problem is not so much that they...Well right -- the problem is not so much that they're impossible as that it completely misrepresents them to describe them as easy plants. I had one myself for over a year that did just fine, until I started seriously collecting houseplants, at which point the croton caught spider mites from a new arrival, defoliated, became touchy about too much or too little water, etc. Eventually I got tired mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-38388234997556126472009-05-05T06:50:00.000-07:002009-05-05T06:50:00.000-07:00I always wanted a Croton for home and finally boug...I always wanted a Croton for home and finally bought one a year ago from a large box home store. Immediately is started dropping leaves. The same week I got it home! By the end of the first month, one of the three plants in the pot was fully dead.<br /><br />A year later, the remaining two plants are actually growing new leaves. It took a lot of work and stress, but I think I've made a ScottE.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02346813251871182513noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-2755543217658402362009-05-05T03:16:00.000-07:002009-05-05T03:16:00.000-07:00GRRRR - the Mis-information article is the absolut...GRRRR - the Mis-information article is the absolute worst. I banished Crotons and their danged mites years ago... <br /><br />Every year the local paper runs some article about what do with "Holiday Gift Plants" written by someone in Conneticut who once read a pulp novel about Texas and has no idea of our actual climate, (and I strongly suspect doesn't do much gardening in Conneticut) <br /><Claudehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04568424354642247198noreply@blogger.com