When I met the boss, his mom had a massive, fine leaved fern kind of thing growing in one of the big windows in the living room. She didn't remember its name, but had bought the seed from which it grew by mail order long before I met the family...well over twenty years ago. It has at this point got to be over thirty years old.
She treasured that plant and pampered it more than any other, and she had an amazing green thumb. When she passed away I inherited its nameless, one of a kind, self.
I had no idea how to care for it and wasn't on the Internet at that time...so I muddled along for years, slowly figuring out that it loves water and will be pot bound no matter what I put it in, as it expands to fill available space seemingly overnight. Finally after years of looking at assorted house ferns on the net, I discovered what it was.
It has made seeds for years, but nobody ever did anything with them, until spring before last I stuck two in with tomatoes I was starting for the garden.
To my total amazement in late summer there were two little baby fern plants in with the tomatoes. I planted more last fall, but finally gave up on ever seeing them germinate. I put baby Christmas cacti in the pot I had put them in.
Last week they popped up as if out of nowhere, so now I have five of them.
And the big one is in bloom again.
PS, the Eagle nest cam is back online and the chick has gotten really big. Today it was jumping up and down and practicing flapping its wings. Go see...
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14 comments:
Love the ferns! I'm off to check out the eagle cam..:-)
Fred The plants came from Lowes in Amsterdam.
Love ya
Matt
Beautiful ferns!! I'm jealous.
Ed, thanks, the eagle cam is so cool. One minute the baby looks like a plucked chicken, then it flaps its wings and looks like a big deal!
Matt, thanks bro, love you too
Dibear, thanks, I am having a lot of fun with them!
i was going to guess asparagus fern, b/c my mom had one yrs ago..then i seen on your link, that's also what it's called...;)...her's was always houseplant..so it never got too wild or out of control
and i've been checking on that baby eagle, and i'm glad we're finally able to see him or her again..i was afraid it might have flown the nest by the time we got back!
Anon, yeah, it is a kind of asparagus fern...a lot hardier than the ones from the grocery story, which I kill quite nicely every time I get one. lol
Love the little eagle! He is so entertaining.
I, also, thought it was an asparagus fern. Your house must be perfect for ferns. Mine is too dry, so they all die. Sigh.
Lucky You!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/
Linda, this stuff is tough. Really tough. Nothing like the ones you usually find. It sits by the window cold in winter, hot in summer, soggy sometimes, dried right out when I forget it, and it just thrives. Wish it was more easily propagated!
I have one that barely survived for several years in my dark condo apartment. Five years ago I moved to a rural area, and my living room now has wall to wall windows on one side. From two spindly little protrusions, this plant has become a living monster! I finally had to re-pot it but that was a waste of time as it filled the new pot in no time and is now happily overgrowing the pot with it's roots and little corms (not sure if this is the correct term, they look like little balls.) Does anyone know how to divide this plant?
Grannie, I am in the same boat. The one I inherited is a beast, has outgrown everything I have to put it in. I am quite seriously thinking of cutting it up with an ax. lol
I wonder if that (axe) would hurt it? Just saying......
Grannie, I truly don't know, but it is so big I have to have my son carry it in and outdoors in spring and fall...and it is nearly impossible to water it. I have grown several babies from its seeds and they grow ridiculously too.
Do you have the little balls too? I wondered if they would produce a new plant. I notice it puts out tiny flowers on the ends of the fronds, are those the seeds? Not that I need another plant, my sun porch is overgrown with other plants. Also, in the spring I use it to start various things for the garden, tomatoes (usually three different varieties), peppers, cukes, etc. Then it gets really crowded until planting time! I'm already planning my garden, keeps the winter blues away.
Grannie, yes, even the tiniest seedlings have the little round things, which I think are involved in water storage. I have never tried to start a plant from one. I used to worry about propagating them, but once I found out they would grow from seed I do that. The seeds form, sometimes, after the little flowers come. They are orange like an asparagus seed and contain a little black ball, which is what you plant. They take time and water to germinate. I know just what you mean about the garden bug. I am rooting little geraniums for our library plant sale and I grow lettuce indoors and have some started. Can't wait for garden time!
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