Thru some research, I have learned that Flame Violet can be propagated by stolon cuttings. This is my first time . . . → Read More: Propagate Flame Violet by Cutting]]> I bought a pot of Episcia (aka Flame Violet) seedling in October last year. Since then, it has been growing beautifully in my room, with its first flower blooming in April.

Thru some research, I have learned that Flame Violet can be propagated by stolon cuttings. This is my first time growing Flame Violet. Everything to me is new and interesting. And surely, I would like to try stolon propagation. While I was wondering when I should cut the stolons of my Flame Violet for my experiment, my dear brother accidently cut off two stolons from the plant with the rotor blades of his newly bought remote control helicopter. Ok. That’s great! At least I was saved from thinking too much more before taking any action.

I removed all the leaves that seemed too big, and planted each stolon in a 2” pot.

For the first two months, I had kept waiting and waiting, and the two Flame Violet stolons showed little sign of growth. While I was wondering if I should give up on them, I found a tiny pair of leaves growing from the center of both baby plants! Yeah!

I have an impression that my two Flame Violet stolons have taken longer than normal to develop their root systems and grow their first leaves. I wonder why. Was it not the right season for propagating Flame Violet? Or did I leave too few leaves on the stolons for the plants to grow and develop their roots quickly? For some of the leaves, maybe instead of cutting the whole piece, I should cut only half of the piece, so for the plants to absorb more sun and moist in the air.

But anyways, my baby FlameViolets are growing strong and healthy now!

You can check out this post for more detailed instructions on how to propagate plant by cutting.

As a curious gardening novice who like to try different things, I decided . . . → Read More: African Violet Care – How to Separate Crowns]]> I bought my first pot of African violet a few months ago. While the newly acquired African violet is blossoming beautifully, I didn’t aware but only until another gardener pointed out to me that my African violet actually had multiple crowns.

As a curious gardening novice who like to try different things, I decided to take up this challenge and separate the crowns. It has been almost three months since I separated the crowns. Seeing that the separated crowns of my African violets are now growing healthily, I consider this “operation” as a successful one. And here, let me share with you how I did it.

This was my African violet three months ago. As you can see, the plant was very messy, jam-packed with its leaves shooting to all directions.

First, I allowed my African violet to dry slightly so the compost was loose and the leaves were rubbery. This helps preventing the roots and leaves from breaking easily when one tries to separate the crowns.

I picked out all the unhealthy leaves from the plant. You can also do this after removing the plant from its pot.

Then I removed the plant from its pot, shook away any excess compost and exposed the root ball.

After some careful examination, I found two distinct root systems. With a clean sharp knife, I cut between the root systems. I feel like a doctor doing a surgery.

Since there were existing roots on the crowns, both of them could be placed directly into fresh compost. If the crown is an offshoot without its own root system, then it is better to first be placed in water to permit root development.

The two African violets, which I have separated there months ago, are growing strong and healthily now.

Besides Louise, I have a few other friends who guessed the plant that I used in my tabletop garden – . . . → Read More: Chinese Money Plant & Nasturtium]]> When I found my Chinese Money Plant, Pilea peperomioides, blooming with some tiny white inflorescences last month, I knew that I was wrong when I told Louise that Chinese Money Plants never blossom …

Besides Louise, I have a few other friends who guessed the plant that I used in my tabletop garden – Money Bowl is Nasturtium. Actually, it could be quite confusing since both plants have leaf stalks growing from the center of the leaf disks. Yet, it will be very easy to separate the two plants when they blossom.

Nasturtium has yellow or orange flowers.

Interesting Facts of Chinese Money Plant

Besides Chinese Money Plant, Pilea peperomioides is also called Missionary Plant due to the fact that this plant was introduced to Europe by a Swedish missionary working in China in the last century.

For more details, you can check A Chinese puzzle solved – Pilea peperomioides in Wild Chicken.  In addition, here is the plant care information of Pilea peperomioides

Yes!  After repotted my Ness Fantasy Gold to a smaller container for about six weeks, I have finally found a sign of life!  My plant is finally growing!  This has confirmed that my guess is right.  Not only did I overwater my African violet, the ridiculously huge pot probably had caused rotten . . . → Read More: O Yes! Finally Started Growing!]]>

Yes!  After repotted my Ness Fantasy Gold to a smaller container for about six weeks, I have finally found a sign of life!  My plant is finally growing!  This has confirmed that my guess is right.  Not only did I overwater my African violet, the ridiculously huge pot probably had caused rotten roots in the plant. Lucky that I have taken the correct action early enough, else my plant would have been killed by my silly ignorance (again…).

While a smaller container is the major factor that brings life back to my plant, the weather now in Hong Kong probably helps much as well.

It seems like everything just grows in spring

After more research, I have learned that the term “cat grass” is quite a loose term. In . . . → Read More: Cat Grass or Wheatgrass?]]> When I was doing some research on the benefits of cat grass for cats and other pets, I got all confused and was starting to wonder if what I am growing now is actually not cat grass.

After more research, I have learned that the term “cat grass” is quite a loose term. In many websites, cat grass actually includes a large number of young grass species. Common oat, flax, barley, and even catnip (Nepeta cataria) which is not even a grass at all, are called cat grass in many websites.

Moreover, the differences in culture and language have made this even more confusing. While gardening shops in Hong Kong sell wheatgrass as cat grass, which is what I have bought, many online gardening shops of the western countries sell wheatgrass as wheatgrass, and cat grass as other grass species (this is a good example to show the advantage of using botanical names).

In conclusion, what I have bought is wheatgrass. And just like other grass species such as orchard grass (Dactylis glomerata), barley grass, oat grass, and other variety of grasses, wheatgrass makes a good snack for our cats and other pets to munch on.

Here is an informative article explaining the good and bad of cat grass, written by a veterinarian and exotic plant lover, which many cat lovers and pet owners may find helpful.

Every plant has at least one unique botanical name (or scientific name or Latin name) to it. This means that every . . . → Read More: Why Do We Use Botanical Names?]]> While common name is so much easier for us to use, there are several good reasons for us to use botanical names for plant identification.

Botanical Name – Unique to Only One Plant

Every plant has at least one unique botanical name (or scientific name or Latin name) to it. This means that every botanical name refers to one and only one plant. Some plants may have more than one botanical name, yet this is not very common.  To avoid confusion, it is better to use botanical name for plant identification.

Common Name – Commonly Used by Many Plants

On the other hand, many common names are not unique to a specific plant. Different species of plants (plants that might not even be related) may have the same common name. For examples, many plants are commonly called tumbleweed, or generally called as moss or daisies. In the world of carnivorous plants, both Sarracenia and Darlingtonia are called cobra lilies, and there are about eight different species of Sarracenia called trumpet pitcher plants.

Botanical Name – Solve Language Problem

Gardeners of different countries have different set of common names for the plants. Due to the difference in language and culture, it could be very difficult for a Chinese gardener to share her horticulture experience of some particular species with a gardener in Florence, if all the Chinese gardener knows is the Chinese common name of the plants.

Common Name – Some Plants Don’t Have a Common Name

Some plants that are not so common to begin with, don’t have any common name for plant identification.

Botanical Name – Give Hints of Genus and Species of Plants

While the common name – trumpet pitcher – gives us no hint of how the plant looks like, the botanical name of the plant does. The botanical name of a plant is composed of two major parts, the genus and the species of the plant. So, if we know the botanical name of the plant is Sarracenia flava, we will know that the plant is a carnivorous plant in the genus of Sarracenia (see the photo here).

Check this post that helps you to understand botanical plant names for plant identification.

I have bought a little Ness Fantasy Gold (Saintpaulia) in October last year. Once after . . . → Read More: My African Violet Doesn’t Like Its Big House]]> Ok! Here is a lesson that I have learned recently – Don’t try to save ourselves some work by planting our houseplant in a container too large, for we could damage or even kill our plants!

I have bought a little Ness Fantasy Gold (Saintpaulia) in October last year. Once after I brought my African violet home, I repotted the houseplant into a bigger container and watered it whenever the surface of the soil feels dry.

Yet, despite of my constant care, my African violet has never grown at all in this half a year! In fact, instead of growing bigger and stronger, my African violet is getting weaker, with discolored, yellowish leaves that, at some point, may droop and die young

After some researches online and getting advices from other gardeners, I have learned that the big container of my plant may be the root cause of this problem. Originally, I thought that a garden container too large wouldn’t hurt. Since I would need to repot my houseplant later anyways, I could just pot my African violet into a larger container now and save myself some work later. Wrong thinking!

Lesson Learned

Only now I have learned the importance of the size of garden containers. A container too big will lead to rotten roots. The extra soil in the big container will keep staying wet all the time, causing rotten roots in the plant.

I have just repotted my Ness Fantasy Gold into a smaller container – a much, much smaller one.

It is actually quite embarrassing when I put the two containers side-by-side, showing how silly I was using such an oversize container for my little African violet…

Hope my little African violet will survive. I am crossing my fingers now

Related Post:Why My African Violet Isn’t Growing Much?
I once guessed that it might be a problem of overwatering.  I got part of it right.  But I missed the key factor – the size of the garden container – the reason why the soil had been kept wet all the time.