I have had people telling me last night that the tenzicut@downtotherootsmagazine.com email is 'timing out' on some people and I have noticed I am having problems posting on Yahoo. If you have emailed me and have not heard from me, I will do what I can from this end, when I can. I always answer emails, so if you do not hear from me, it means I did not see it. 

November 28, 2008 

oday it finally snowed again. Supposed to snow for the next few days. 

The other morning I repotted a couple house plants which desperately needed it (or they were going to die I think) and trimmed one up.

One plant I knew nothing about as it is not an edible one. I tend to only have plants which are usable as well as pretty. I was given two Kalanchoe as gifts and frankly I did not have a clue what to do with them. It is a succulent plant with thick leaves and flowers that appear in clusters of red, yellow, pink, orange and even bi-colored varieties.  You will find them in the stores and garden centers from now till February. Kalanchoes tolerate most light levels and they prefer temperatures between 50-70 degrees F., which is why it worked out in my office at the newspaper for almost a year with no natural light.

Never allow the plant to stand in water or dry out completely. Usually a once a week watering is sufficient. Water carefully near the bottom of the plant--do not water the leaves-- only the soil. After all the flowers have died, remove the stems and cut back to the second or third leaf below the flowers on the side stems. Repot the Kalanchoe in late February or early March after the flowers have finished blooming. Measure the diameter of the current pot, and repot in a new plastic pot that is an inch or so wider. The addition of a little limestone will also benefit the plant. At this point cut back on the watering and do not fertilize until new growth begins. Then start watering regularly again, and fertilize every 2 weeks with a standard houseplant fertilizer.

Similar to a Christmas cactus, Kalanchoe needs a short day period to bloom again the next December. This means the plant should have NO light from about 5 p.m until morning, starting in September. You can place it in a dark box at 5:00 or a dark closet, but make sure to remove it to a lighted area during the day. Reduce the watering, and keep it in a cool location that stays about 55-65 degrees F, no higher. If you can do this for 6 weeks, there is a good chance it will bloom again for you.

The other plant/s I dealt with rather quickly was the Jade plant 'seedlings' which are clones from a plant Bren's dad had for many years (like 30?) and his mother had some she gave us. Jade is also a succulent. In their native environment jade plants can grow up to 10 foot tall! Jade plants are slightly finicky, but given the conditions they need, they are a good houseplant that will last for years and years. You can water too little, or too much and the plant won't be very happy.

The soil should not become bone dry, but yet you don't want it to be moist either. I water a little more in the winter since it's so dry in the house. Light can be bright to average, but in the summer you may want to avoid the hot direct sun. A sunny southern window is great in the winter. If you notice brown edges on any of the leaves then it may be getting too much direct sun. If the leaves look a little "withered", it's not getting enough water. If you notice new leaves forming then it's going through a growth spurt and you can water more freely for a time. Try to establish a pattern to your watering--once a month is generally a guideline.

You can trim your jade plant or "pinch" it to encourage branching. The removed stems or leaves can be left out for the ends to dry for a day or two, then place the ends in a pot with commercial potting soil that you've mixed in a little sand. Plant the cutting an inch or two deep and give it VERY little water until it roots.