The Old Folks Home

[Bunnylady]

Its beginning to look alot like Christmas....still

Ya know, dude, there's a restaurant near here that has a tree up year 'round. They change the decorations seasonally. Pretty soon, it'll be Valentine's Day, then St. Pat's, etc. I'd quit whining if I were you - idiotswife could get a bunch of little chicken-themed ornaments, and leave the tree up indefinitely . . . .

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Those "leaves" look like some variety of aloe vera... Not a botanist by any stretch, but looks that way to me. Glad it's recovering. Has it ever flowered?

Yes, it "flowers" in the summer - it sends out shoots with flowers on them and then little baby plants. That's what I originally planted to get this thing.

I have to say it's pretty tolerant - can take 40 to 100F, also no water to deluge. Even goat attacks.

 

[vehve]

I can just imagine the discussion at the nursery "Can I help you, Sir?" "Yes, how tolerant to goats is this plant?"

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
Yep....

deb

 

[superchemicalgirl]

I can just imagine the discussion at the nursery "Can I help you, Sir?" "Yes, how tolerant to goats is this plant?"

I usually ask for deer resistant. Deer and goats are both browsers. The tulip bulbs I got a few years ago were marketed for deer tolerance. However, I forgot to ask about chicken and turkey tolerance. The tulips did not survive.

 

[perchie.girl]

I used to have a stud farm. When I look back on what was spent on just my horses' shoe budget, man, I could've been stylin'

Just one of these big drafts to be kept in shoes.... 250 for keg shoes here.... Those are shoes off the shelf pounded to fit. The fancy shoes that are pounded out of a single bar of steel cost twice that... Never mind finding a farrier that is also a blacksmith.... And top that off with one thats willing to work with a draft horse. They take twice the time because of their wieght they cant stand with one foot up too long.

I cant imagine running a stud farm...

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

My sister gave this plant to me. Karin and I have a reputation of killing every indoor plant we've ever had - even cacti. She assured me this one won't die, it still hasn't. It's even grown almost a foot since we got it. It's a Mother-in-laws tongue, or snake plant. (Sansevieria trifasciata)

Shes right.... you can yank em out of the ground and toss em in a junk pile and they will live probably another three months.

Perfect for those of us who are house plant challenged....

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote: aloe species... Very hearty. Good for burned fingers if you have to. Just cut a leaf and dab the juice on the burn.

Aloe Pictures...

You can divide that group of plants and separate them into a couple of different pots and they will fill the new pot just the same.

Its a succulent. Similar survival techniques as a cactus without the spines.

deb

 

[Bunnylady]

My mother managed to kill a Snake Plant once - she put it outside in the hot Carolina sun after having it in the house all winter, without giving it time to get acclimated . . . . Never seen a plant blister from sunburn before.

Snake Plants are fun. You can take those long leaves, cut them into about 4" (10 cm) pieces, and root them. You have to make sure to put the right cut side down, though - if you put them upside down, they won't root (or if it's humid enough, they grow roots on the "top"). The variegated types lose those yellow stripes when you try this, though - to produce those, you can't root leaf pieces, you need to divide the plant.

 

[Peep_Show]

I cant imagine running a stud farm...

deb

It was fun, but A LOT of work. Wish I had the energy I had back then...or, at least, whatever vitamins I was taking.

Without fail, the mares would foal and retain the placenta on the Saturday or Sunday night of a 3-day holiday weekend...I learned that making really good coffee and pie makes for a happier vet. I had a prince of an easy-going stallion, too, so that made the job easier. Nothing prettier or more bucolic than a pastureful of very round gravid mares. But the best part, IMHO, was the babies because you could actually mold them into fine young horses. (There's nothing worse than getting somebody else's training mistakes) Not eager to get back into horses again because they'll break your heart (and I don't think my knees would enjoy it at this stage, either), but I'm happy that I put a couple of champions out there and have a lot of happy horse owners as a result of my efforts and I learned oodles in the process and made some great friends. Not a waste of time or money in any respect.