I totally believe that too. Noticed that the plants were doing a lot better when I am happier and giving the room a loving happy energy. I also used to massage the leaves with olive oil which was great but now I don’t have time for that anymore LOL. It really does wonders for the plant
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So this exists, got my copy 5 or 6 years ago. Came out 1976, early MOOG synth stuff. I really like the book it came with, the descriptions and illustrations. The music itself is interesting, especially when you know the history of electronic music and the context of it being made in the 70s.
I think I had read at some point that there is loose scientific evidence surrounding music aiding plan growth, although I figure it’s one of those things that’s hard to prove definitively. It certainly doesn’t hurt them. I typically have some music going when I’m out in the greenhouse doing the watering, I’ve gotten no complaints (complants?)
They actually address the exact thing in the book (last pic up close). Interesting read!
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. You are funny.
What a interesting read for sure.
.may have to check it out myself… thank you for sharing
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Glad to see that being nibbled by a mouse earlier this year has not affected flowering. Lovely pink tinge to the flowers too.
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Haworthia retusa f. Geraldii
AKA Glass Leaf haworthia
Not the best specimen…a little wonky, a little ratty…but it was only 1 of 2 left. Give it a growing season under good conditions and it’ll fix itself.
Not rare or anything, just a nice color and I like haworthias clusters.
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I have never seen a lithops in bloom. Your thumb is all the way green. 
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I post about my p. brevicaule all the time, but this is interesting.
Grew vigorously from spring through early autumn. A month ago, growth stopped and it began dropping leaves. Beginning dormancy, normal stuff. Expecting it to fire back up next spring.
But over the last week - new growth. Very strange. A few things may be happening: it miggt be flipping to be a winter grower moving forward, I’ve had that happen. I also have plants which seemingly grow at random times throughout the year, mostly if not all being euphorbia. As far as I know, it’s not typical pachypodium behavior. Temps in the greenhouse have consistently been 80s in the day, low 40s at night, no abrupt changes that would “confuse” the plant.
Anyhow. Interesting. They also don’t look like new leaves, but flower buds. Might be wrong. This would be the first time 
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Long one today…
I originally put this together 2 years ago (
) and it has filled in aggressively. A lot of leaf damage from last spring when I redid my greenhouse, but that’s growing out now.
The species in the bottom right are the one I’ve ended up liking most, and I’d like to see if I can get that one to fill the whole thing. Wanted to try to keep them in place while extracting the others…ended up being easier and cleaner than anticipated. Bit of jiggling and gentle pulling, popped right out.
Dec 2023
Dec 2025
As for what’s left: a married couple who live in a house down the street that I pass at least once a day, every day, have opened a (licensed) coffee business out of their driveway. I have become friendly with them. Part of why they started their business was to drive a sense of community, a meeting place in the neighborhood, and I am a big believer in that. I noticed they had a few plants and told them how I do this for a hobby and I offered to make something for their stand. Coincidentally they want something low maintainence/tough to kill, and haworthia fit that bill while making for nice arrangement plants. So I did this and am going to let it settle and root for a few weeks before I give it to them. Kinda want it for myself but no, no! 
Lastly my therapist has been relentless in suggesting I start selling at a local farmers market. I’ve seen some of whats there as far as plants, and yes, what I do would set me apart. I worry about what I’d have to charge and have doubts people would pay it…but that is something to investigate and test. So maybe. My time working in the plant store gave me a sense of what sells and who’s buying it. Potting up these other haworthia pulled from the larger arrangement has me thinking harder about it. Not even fancy or done up super nice but I could see them selling easily.
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I feel there’s a lot of room in this world for you kid… Doing something you love and are passionate about… Who knows, roll that dice… I would buy a plant from you fo sho. I would kill it unfortunately, but then I’d buy another one from you.
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So much to love in this post. Glad you are able to share your work with your neighbors. 
I do think you should give the markets a shot. People will love your stuff and I do think that price will not be an issue when they see what you put together. My good friend was a lover of Cacti and made beautiful creations. The love she had for the plants was apparent as is with you. I do believe you will sell easily and people will appreciate the love and care you put into each one. 
LOL - I get that. This way you will share and hopefully be able to see it grow at their place
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First time I’ve beheaded a plant! Did it a few days ago, pictures today.
This variegated euphorbia ammak took some frost damage last winter. When its growing season began in autumn, new growth was coming in but it became apparent that the middle section with the frost damage was going to be too thin/weak to support much future growth.
Much softer and easier to cut than I anticipated. Being a euphorbia, it’s loaded with a caustic latex that causes skin irritation and blindness if it gets in your peepers. So double-gloved and glasses on. Glad of that, the stuff was absolutely pouring out of it.
Now to wait and see what happens. Should scar over and new growth from there.
Fun fact: this is also a seasonal post, as euphorbia are very close relatives of holly and poinsettia.
New growth that I cut off the top. Just seeing what happens, probably too small to support growing a new plant.
…and the damaged middle bit that needed to be removed. Unfortunately this is pretty much taking away all the growth I’ve gotten since I first bought it a little over 2yrs ago. Oh well. The plant lives.
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I waited until I got my new plant stand to show everyone my new setup AND my two newest additions! 
I normally buy flowers at the grocery store but I saw these two and went crazy. And, yes, the little saguaro lights up! 
I still have to Google the type of plant. But the bigger one I know is an Ellwoodii. Per Google, indoor ellwoodii can reach two to four feet tall but it is a slow growing tree. It fit perfectly in my Día de los Muertos pot!
My new setup is below. King Cuervo got the top spot. 
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Love it!!!
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Fenestraria rhopalophylla aka “baby toes”, one of my winter growers.
And opposite end of the spectrum, myrtillocactus geometrizans cristata doing its annual shift from sunmertime blue to winter lilac. Kind of a milky in-between color now. I’m really happy with the lighting in the picture, I was concerned with capturing the color accurately.
2 years in. I stare at it a lot. Possibly my favorite. Top 5 absolutely.
Edit: I almost forgot. I am watched through all of this.
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. Making sure it’s all getting done right lol…he’s got the inspector look down pact
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@TMAC I love how your beautiful plants grow and shine
I’ve got a quick question. I took some cuttings of Graptopetalum paraguayense and started growing them, but I’m not really sure what kind of soil they need. I used regular potting soil mixed with a bit of sand. Do you think that‘s fine or should I use something else?
This is the original plant
And here are the cuttings:
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Thanks! Here’s a longer answer than you probably wanted 
The key is to have something which drains quickly and doesn’t retain moisture too long.
Regular potting soil is typically too organic for most succulents and will hold too much moisture for too long. Sand is a good idea on paper but it’s often too fine/stays wet, unlike larger chunkier grit like rocks. You can get away with it but woth regular soil there is a much higher chance for rot to set in.
You CAN use the potting soil, but not too much. At most it should be 50% soil (organic material) and 50% chunky grit (perlite, crushed pumice, crushed granite, etc). Might be able to find a granite gravel or similar that would work well.
Those are general recommendations that should get you there! Along with the soil, making sure the pot has drainage hole(s) is critical.
Below I’ll tell you exactly what I use myself, but not sure how easy the materials are to find elsewhere, especially outside of the US:
The owner of the plant store I worked for also owns a nationally-available substrate company, based in coconut chip/coconut coir - can be used for most plants as a base, then specialized for succulents, veg, tropicals etc dependent on what ammendments you add. They mix and sell a blend that I’ve been using since I found the place, very few unsuccessful grows since. Have mixed several batches myself. Basically rehydrate one of these blocks and mix in the other components. It will hold moisture but just long enough.
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Thank you so so much!! That was a great lesson! 
I know now that I use too much organic soil. At least I already use a pot with holes so the water doesn’t stay in the pot forever. But I have to make sure the roots can dry faster.
I think I will look out for soil especially for succulents.
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