tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post8960964465478684038..comments2024-03-27T07:35:21.832-07:00Comments on Plants are the Strangest People: How to Divide an Alworthiamr_subjunctivehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-26133380225804919022013-11-27T17:49:27.924-08:002013-11-27T17:49:27.924-08:00I know I'm a bit late to this party, but mr_su...I know I'm a bit late to this party, but mr_subjunctive's plant is definitely ×Alworthia 'Black Gem'. The link provided by Anonymous is now defunct but I suspect that the plant THEY have is a rather mysterious plant known variously as<br />Gasteria nigricans (OR pseudonigricans) f. monstruosa or Gasteria 'Black Boy'. The problem with the name is that G. nigricans is no Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13918279983645692294noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-80436261329701482672010-05-30T21:07:26.686-07:002010-05-30T21:07:26.686-07:00no worries, the one I have doesn't actually ch...no worries, the one I have doesn't actually change colour in the sunlight, what I know as black gem looks like this.<br />http://www.greenhillspropagation.com.au/plantdetail.php?pid=211<br /><br />this one is the only plant in my garden that I can't ID. it's taken me no time to ID everything else, but this one still eludes me. I think I might need to find out where it was purchased Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-17953154242726236972010-05-30T20:25:33.976-07:002010-05-30T20:25:33.976-07:00Anonymous:
Well, that's how it was identified...Anonymous:<br /><br />Well, that's how it was identified to me when I got it, from an <i>Aloe</i> collector. (I've since learned that <i>Alworthia</i> 'Black Gem' is the more correct name, so it's not like he couldn't have made a mistake. I intend to change this on the blog eventually.) <br /><br />Not saying it couldn't be something else, but it does turn nearly blackmr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-37079036397206936092010-05-30T19:34:45.560-07:002010-05-30T19:34:45.560-07:00are you sure that's Black Gem? I've got on...are you sure that's Black Gem? I've got one of these at home(looks identical) and a black gem and there are clear differences between them. this one however I'm still trying to ID so not sure what it's called yet.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-81312816302334734512009-07-30T09:53:37.781-07:002009-07-30T09:53:37.781-07:00Well, googling about pumice pH gave me about the s...Well, googling about pumice pH gave me about the same number of hits for pumice raising pH and pumice buffering pH. I don't know if pumice really has that variable of an effect, or what sort of impact it might have on soil pH for indoor plants, but I would be really surprised if it were actually unsafe. <br /><br />That said, as far as I've ever heard, <a href="http://mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-76433490279707243332009-07-30T09:39:29.419-07:002009-07-30T09:39:29.419-07:00This was great. I just separated a pup from my alo...This was great. I just separated a pup from my aloe parvula "jacobsonii" and now I can see I definitely overwatered. I'm about to separate my Aloe "Dorian Black" pup, so I won't make the same mistake.<br /><br />So here's a question. I've heard about perlite adding extra fluoride, so when I amend soils, I usually use 1 part perlite and 1 part pumice instead of Nature Assassinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16951932729955216912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-3067515195477939682009-07-28T10:39:37.928-07:002009-07-28T10:39:37.928-07:00Also:
I'm not inclined to give Ball all my pe...Also:<br /><br />I'm not inclined to give Ball all my personal information to ask, (seriously, Ball, way to be super-duper invasive: they require name, full address, phone number, company, and occupation just to ask a damn question) but if you're interested in finding some of their soil, you might e-mail them and ask for a list of nearby retailers: there have to be some somewhere near youmr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-3143225899918189312009-07-28T10:31:24.196-07:002009-07-28T10:31:24.196-07:00Karen715:
You might actually be fairly close to t...Karen715:<br /><br />You might actually be fairly close to the Ball mix, then, if we assume that the Miracle Gro is 100% peat (as it appears to be sometimes). The Ball package says it contains:<br /><br />45-55% composted bark (which is pine bark in the eastern and central regions and fir bark in the west: no definition of exactly where these regions begin and end, of course)<br />Canadium mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-3576118336058287682009-07-28T09:55:33.134-07:002009-07-28T09:55:33.134-07:00Out of curiosity, what is the composition of the B...Out of curiosity, what is the composition of the Ball potting mix? I'm asking because I didn't know there were any potting mixes (as opposed to potting soils) commercially available that do not have peat as a major component. At any rate, I'd have to search high and low for any specialty soils not packaged by the major brands. Even the good nurseries around here seem limited in their Karen715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-71489732187818592382009-07-28T09:09:44.431-07:002009-07-28T09:09:44.431-07:00Really good post. I use Aquatic soil as well.Really good post. I use Aquatic soil as well.Hermeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00968366076064269729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-19645823240138733952009-07-28T08:40:48.736-07:002009-07-28T08:40:48.736-07:00Heh, yep, I've got one of the common A. barbad...Heh, yep, I've got one of the common <i>A. barbadensis.</i> It offsets like crazy (I separated off ten or so plantlets three months ago, and it's already got more, and I swear you can see them growing). Thanks for the tutorial on how to do it right!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-32475669824175000242009-07-28T07:04:12.191-07:002009-07-28T07:04:12.191-07:00I can't really say how long one of the big bag...I can't really say how long one of the big bags lasts, because obviously it depends a lot on how much repotting I'm doing. I bought three, I think, at the end of May when I was leaving the job, and two of those are gone now, but I've been doing a <i>lot</i> more planting, too, since the move. <br /><br />Ball does have bags half that size and 1/4 that size, which are more manageable mr_subjunctivehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14113199755474482747noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-44407403652085794232009-07-28T05:19:07.488-07:002009-07-28T05:19:07.488-07:00Where was this post when I repotted my jade plant~...Where was this post when I repotted my jade plant~honestly!! Of course I used the Miracle Gro! It was a beautiful 'tree' that lasted 4 years (which is 3+ yrs. over most my regular houseplant survival!)..I can cry thinking about it! And, yep, I have the commoner barbadensis aloe :) LOL..Ball should compensate you..how long does that big bag last anyway? Is there a picture anywhere in lynn'sgardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09104383899991317740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481706068105246695.post-34044774943620544242009-07-28T04:11:16.163-07:002009-07-28T04:11:16.163-07:00you have a great blog
Congratulations.
Xaviyou have a great blog<br />Congratulations.<br />XaviXavihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13331432868220887632noreply@blogger.com