Friends, I flew a little too close to the sun today. One ...
Friends, I flew a little too close to the sun today. One of my wishlist plants, hoya obovata, showed up on marketplace 15 minutes from me. Full grown, mature plant- I’m guessing 3-4 years old, beautiful, $20! I immediately drove over and picked it up without inspection. Got it home and took a good look at it outside (thank goodness didn’t bring it in) - moderate mealy bug infestation. 🙈😫 Within seconds I had my phone-a-plant-friend @DreamMachine on the line and together she helped me decide that the rescue project was big and risky. Next best thing, took a few healthy-looking cuttings , power sprayed them, dunked them in neem/castille, and put them in my garage to sink or swim. I’ll spray them every 3 days for 3 weeks and see what happens! Amazingly, the seller wanted to refund the $20 but we settled on her keeping $5 for loss of the plant and the fact I have cuttings. Lesson learned: don’t let your heart-eyes override your inspection-eyes! And don’t bring anything into the house without taking a good look first. Thanks, Nadia, for talking me out of a tree! Here’s the original (RIP 🪦) and the cuttings (🤞🏼🙏🏼). If they make it, it will be a great backstory!
Share your close calls and make me feel better! I feel like such a dummy! 💜 #TheWateringHole #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #mamalinne #plantgraveyard #PlantAddict #PropagationStation #PestControl #hoya #HoyaObovata
Share your close calls and make me feel better! I feel like such a dummy! 💜 #TheWateringHole #PlantsMakePeopleHappy #mamalinne #plantgraveyard #PlantAddict #PropagationStation #PestControl #hoya #HoyaObovata
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@MamaLinne Girl. Former nurse here. I had the creepy crawlies reading this. 😬 Thank you for sharing. I tend to be a “My eyes waaaaaant that!” Now I’ll remember to wait. Perhaps it’s good I’m not on marketplace. Here’s praying those cuttings stay healthy and happy. @DreamMachine is pretty awesome!😎
@MamaLinne girrrl, I think you made the right choice. Like surprise, here’s a HUGE amount of work for someone you just met (the plant). I would do that for my oldest and best plant friends only. I was tired even thinking about it! 😵💫 And while it’s not risk-free to take cuttings like this at least it’s substantially LESS surface area to treat 😮💨
A moment of silence for what could have been 😔
And we have to carry on. And sometimes we have to treat ourselves to some new healthy plant bébés ☺️☺️
And aw jeeze, you’re a sweetie @TryAnahaw60 🤭🥰
A moment of silence for what could have been 😔
And we have to carry on. And sometimes we have to treat ourselves to some new healthy plant bébés ☺️☺️
And aw jeeze, you’re a sweetie @TryAnahaw60 🤭🥰
Oh man! I am so glad you caught that before you took it in the house 🫨.
We all have days when we're stuck looking through green colored glasses and forget about practicality 🤦🏾♀️ thank you for sharing and reminding us to keep our heads about us no matter how high that dopamine goes when we lay eyes on a green beauty 💚
We all have days when we're stuck looking through green colored glasses and forget about practicality 🤦🏾♀️ thank you for sharing and reminding us to keep our heads about us no matter how high that dopamine goes when we lay eyes on a green beauty 💚
@DreamMachine yes maam! And they’ll live in my garage alone until they can decide if they’re going play nice! 😊
@MamaLinne
Oh my dear!
A few years ago, one of my sons brought me a flowering 💐 plant 🪴 but for the life of me I can't remember what it was!
Anyhoo...about 5 days later, it was completely covered in thrips.
Totally disgusting 😑 looking.
Luckily, this was before I began collecting baby houseplants and I learned my lesson after that.
Yikes!
But, it's awesome that you could phone dear Nadia 😘 @DreamMachine.
She's the best!
Oh my dear!
A few years ago, one of my sons brought me a flowering 💐 plant 🪴 but for the life of me I can't remember what it was!
Anyhoo...about 5 days later, it was completely covered in thrips.
Totally disgusting 😑 looking.
Luckily, this was before I began collecting baby houseplants and I learned my lesson after that.
Yikes!
But, it's awesome that you could phone dear Nadia 😘 @DreamMachine.
She's the best!
@CutePolypremum aww Joanie!! Have I not shared my # before with you? I will email you straight away!
@MamaLinne oh no! Glad it was just a close call. I hate mealies with a fervent passion. Not as much as I hate thrips, but mealies send a shiver down my spine This is a good PSA for anyone thinking of buying plants off FB Marketplace! Nurseries and professional plant growers at least have pest-management systems in place, but on FB it's just regular folks like us, maybe with a few too many plants so they're trying to downsize. At least it wasn't done intentionally or maliciously.
On brighter note, those look like healthy cuttings! Fortunately mealies are one of the easiest of pests to spot, especially on something like an obovata with minimal places to hide. In my experience they propagate fairly easily and quickly 💚
On brighter note, those look like healthy cuttings! Fortunately mealies are one of the easiest of pests to spot, especially on something like an obovata with minimal places to hide. In my experience they propagate fairly easily and quickly 💚
Great catch Deb @MamaLinne! My heart eyes definitely get me in trouble too 😍