Community #MonsteraMonday

MonsteraMonday




@DreamMachine avatar @DreamMachine · 6d
It’s Wednesday at #TheWateringHole 🌿🌤️ Good morning everybody, or should I say good day [good evening, and goodnight!] ? After several days of ~95° 🥵 I am so very very grateful to be back down in the 70°s 😮‍💨 My plants, however, thought it was swell! As I was moving around my plants this morning I was thinking about the satisfying little tasks of plant care that are delightful. For me, one of my favorites is plucking off the totally brown and dried-up sheathes of cane begonia leaves. No force necessary, once they are brown and shriveled, I just touch them and they fall off in my hands. And I don’t *have* to do this, as they will fall off eventually by themselves, but it brings me joy. 🥰 Another one is when I water, and the saucer fills up but does not overflow, and later when I go to check all the water was sucked back up and the pot is the perfect “well-watered weight.” Do you have any small plant care tasks or activities that give you satisfaction or delight? Also, eeee, new Hoya callistophyla leaf 🥳 ⏱️Want to be notified of these posts when they come out? Ask to be added to the tags in the comments 💕 #TheWateringHole #brunchataudreys #happyplants #hoya #Greggers #greggang #newgrowth #prayerplant #hoyahangout #OrchidLovers #Orchid #TradescantiaNanouk #CalatheaCorner #AlocasiaAddicts #SucculentSquad #CactusClique #BegoniaBunch #DreamMachine #MonsteraMonday #Philodendron #tipsandtricks #EcoTherapy #crazyplantlady #PlantingOnABudget #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantTherapy #PlantAddict #plantfriendsarethebestfriends #adhdplantlovers #horticulturaltherapy #plantnerd





@Idplantthat avatar @Idplantthat · 1w
I normally wouldn’t make a post like this, but I wanted to share this with you all. Please take it as just me explaining monosilic acid vs. potassium silica. I’ve seen a lot of people who have been asking but don’t fully understand. So I just hope this can help. *Beyond the Hype: Monosilicic Acid vs. Potassium SilicateSubtitle: The actual chemistry of plant armor and soil health. 1: The Core Problem with Garden GossipThe Myth: "Silica is a chemical hype product that builds up salts and ruins plants long-term."The Reality: Silicon is the 2nd most abundant element in the Earth's crust. Nature uses it to build plant skeleton and defense systems.The Confusion: Not all silica bottles are created equal. Mixing up the forms of silica leads to terrible advice. 2: The Two ContendersContender A: Potassium Silicate (\(K_{2}SiO_{3}\))An old-school, industrial, raw mineral salt.Contender B: Monosilicic Acid (\(H_{4}SiO_{4}\))A highly refined, bio-available organic molecule.The Golden Rule: Plants can only absorb Monosilicic Acid. 3: Potassium Silicate (The Heavy Salt)What it is: Raw silica melted down with potassium carbonate.How it works: It is a massive, complex molecule. The plant cannot absorb it directly; soil microbes must break it down over weeks into Monosilicic Acid first.The Danger: It is highly alkaline (pH of 11+). It dramatically spikes soil pH and leaves behind heavy potassium salt residues.The Result: If you don't flush your soil, this is the form that causes the nutrient lockouts people complain about. 4: Monosilicic Acid (The Specialized Tech)What it is: Fully bioavailable, pre-broken-down silica (like PowerSi).How it works: Because it is already in the exact form the plant requires, the roots absorb it instantly within minutes of application.The Safety: It is completely pH-neutral and highly concentrated. You use tiny, microscopic doses compared to raw salts.The Result: Zero salt buildup, zero soil pH drifting, and instant structural armor for the plant. 5: The "Marijuana Hype" Reality CheckThe Claim: "Silica is just a gimmick popularized by cannabis growers for fast growth."The Fact: High-value commercial growers adopted it because they invest heavily in laboratory testing and plant tissue analysis.The Agriculture Truth: Massive commercial agricultural operations use bioavailable silica on rice, wheat, and sugarcane to prevent lodging (falling over) and combat high-heat stress. 6: Physical Structural Density vs. Fake GrowthSynthetic Hormones (e.g., Superthrive): Artificially forces cells to stretch and grow longer. This can create weak, watery, floppy tissues that easily snap or burn in high heat.Monosilicic Acid: Deposits a rigid, glassy matrix inside the existing cell walls. It creates "leathery" leaves and thick stalks that mechanically block pests and lock in water during heatwaves. 7: How to Safely Use Silica Without LockoutPrioritize Rainwater: Rainwater is naturally soft and slightly acidic, which beautifully dissolves nutrients and keeps soil pH balanced. The "Weekly Weakly" Method: Feed lower, consistent doses of premium inputs rather than heavy, shock-inducing concentrations.Routine Flushes: A clean water flush every few months prevents any potential trace mineral accumulation, completely invalidating the "long-term death" myth. 8: Summary: Work with Chemistry, Not TrendsChoose Monosilicic Acid for instant absorption, zero salt buildup, and complete pH stability. Avoid Raw Silicate Salts if you want to prevent long-term soil crusting and nutrient lockout.Look at the Leaves: Thick stalks and un-tearable, leathery leaves don't lie. The plant's physical structure is the ultimate proof of health. The Planetary Reality Check (Earth's Crust Chemistry)The Science: Oxygen (46.1%) and Silicon (28.2%) are the top two most abundant elements in the Earth’s crust. Together, they make up 4 out of every 5 atoms available on the surface of the globe. What is Silica?: Silica is simply Silicon Dioxide (\(SiO_{2}\))—a natural bond of the two most common things on Earth.The Logic Gap: Claiming silica is an artificial "hype chemical" is like claiming water or oxygen is a fad. Earth is silica. The True "Hype" vs. Actual Plant ArchitectureSynthetic Vitamin Blends: Products relying heavily on synthetic growth hormones (like NAA/Auxins found in Superthrive) trick the plant into rapidly elongating its cells. This forces fast growth but creates weak, bloated cell tissue. Monosilicic Acid: Does not manipulate plant hormones. It provides the literal physical building materials. It places a solid, glassy layer between the plant's outer cuticle and cell walls.The Verdict: One stretches cells thin; the other reinforces them with physical structural armor. Here are some sites to look into if interested https:// https:// https:// #TheThread #TheWateringHole #HappyPlants #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantAddict #NewGrowth #PropagationStation #SucculentLove #PlantTherapy #GrowLights #NewPlantMom #OrchidLovers #PetsAndPlants #MonsteraMonday #PlantCorner #BeforeAndAfter #PestControl #PlantShelfie #RarePlants #Hoya


@DreamMachine avatar @DreamMachine · 1w
Good morning Wednesday #TheWateringHole 🫶🌿🌤️ How is everyone doing in their neck of the woods? I, like quite a number of #greggers , have some pests in my indoor collection. Broad mites. (Booo hiss!!) They are minuscule, to a lot of people they are microscopic, 1/4 of a millimeter 🤏 small , but I can see them. They look like little dust specks moving around without magnification. They are notoriously hard to contain because of their size. Not only can they come in on a plant, they are so small they can float on a breeze through a window screen. 🦋🐝 How did I find them? I had a few very strange new leaves on two hoyas. They curled in on themselves, lost their shiny luster, appeared grey, and fell off (with my tweezer into a baggie) at a mere touch. I shall post those leaves. You can treat with neem, although it is a lot of labor involved, so this time and with the knowledgeable advice of @MusicalRedmint Susann, I am going PREDATORY MITES. This website DMV Beneficials is amazing. https:// They are a US-based service that offers free consultations to figure out what you’re dealing with and what would be the best predatory bug to help. If you have a pest situation and are feeling a little overwhelmed, reach out to them, they help people all over the states get connected with suppliers of good bugs. They also keep your budget in mind. And it seems like prices are not as bad as they used to be! I may be able to contain my pest issue for less than $50 😮‍💨😮‍💨. And if you are in another country, I highly encourage you to look around for beneficial suppliers near you 🦋🐞 And if you’re in Oregon or Washington, here is the supplier I will most likely be going with. You can check out their prices, only about $1 per sachet! https:// The mites I’m selecting are also microscopic, so you don’t have to see them in your house if that freaks you out. (I shall be bringing out my microscope though, and watching with interest on the sidelines because I am a grade A Weirdo. ) 🚩🍿🥳📣🙌👏 Well, how’s everyone else doing today? 😜😂 ⏱️Want to be notified of these posts when they come out? Ask to be added to the tags in the comments 💕 #TheWateringHole #brunchataudreys #happyplants #hoya #Greggers #greggang #newgrowth #prayerplant #hoyahangout #OrchidLovers #Orchid #TradescantiaNanouk #CalatheaCorner #AlocasiaAddicts #SucculentSquad #CactusClique #BegoniaBunch #DreamMachine #MonsteraMonday #Philodendron #tipsandtricks #EcoTherapy #crazyplantlady #PlantingOnABudget #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #PlantTherapy #PlantAddict #plantfriendsarethebestfriends #adhdplantlovers #horticulturaltherapy #plantnerd