Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
|
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Grrr...
I hate people who over water plants!
I have been going to visit a lady 3 times a week for what seems like a hundred years, and in that time, her houseplants have been given the most appalling treatment. They get water whether they need it or not, they are never re potted, the top of the soil is caked with limescale......or what looks like it.... gross, and last week I could hold my peace no longer, When I had to hold one plant (not in pot, in bowl with no drainage over the sink and squeeze it out..... it was illiberally floating..I said enough is enough, I am going to get some potting compost next week and try to give your plants some tlc. and leave the watering to me! Over the years, not many have rotted away, surprisingly, but they have just never thrived. what should be a glorious plant, is a stunted wreck. Now some advice, when I get my hands on these plants, (they are all foliage, assorted nothing spectacular) what should I do with the ones that have been ....well watered? Should I withhold water for a while,or what. Some of the plants are Christmas cactus..... shudder.... They would have all died had it not been for my intervention over the years! |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Grrr...
Sheila wrote:
I hate people who over water plants! I have been going to visit a lady 3 times a week for what seems like a hundred years, and in that time, her houseplants have been given the most appalling treatment. They get water whether they need it or not, they are never re potted, the top of the soil is caked with limescale......or what looks like it.... gross, and last week I could hold my peace no longer, When I had to hold one plant (not in pot, in bowl with no drainage over the sink and squeeze it out..... it was illiberally floating..I said enough is enough, I am going to get some potting compost next week and try to give your plants some tlc. and leave the watering to me! Over the years, not many have rotted away, surprisingly, but they have just never thrived. what should be a glorious plant, is a stunted wreck. Now some advice, when I get my hands on these plants, (they are all foliage, assorted nothing spectacular) what should I do with the ones that have been ....well watered? Should I withhold water for a while,or what. Some of the plants are Christmas cactus..... shudder.... They would have all died had it not been for my intervention over the years! Sounds like SWMBO. Once a week whether they need it or not. Following my nose I have found plants with root balls floating in water - amazingly a little drying out and they survive. We now have two classes of indoor plants - hers and mine. Mine are watered when the show signs of drying out and I like to think that they grow better than hers. PS she doesnt read this NG or........ Malcolm (a long time lurker) |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
Grrr...
On 06/09/08 18:02, Sheila wrote:
I hate people who over water plants! That is not good. Don't hate anyone. I have been going to visit a lady 3 times a week for what seems like a hundred years, and in that time, her houseplants have been given the most appalling treatment. They get water whether they need it or not, they are never re potted, the top of the soil is caked with limescale......or what looks like it.... gross, and last week I could hold my peace no longer, When I had to hold one plant (not in pot, in bowl with no drainage over the sink and squeeze it out..... it was illiberally floating..I said enough is enough, I am going to get some potting compost next week and try to give your plants some tlc. and leave the watering to me! If you visit 3 times a week, how come the plants are so mistreated? Ed |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Grrr...
"Ed" ex@directory wrote in message et... On 06/09/08 18:02, Sheila wrote: I hate people who over water plants! That is not good. Don't hate anyone. I have been going to visit a lady 3 times a week for what seems like a hundred years, and in that time, her houseplants have been given the most appalling treatment. They get water whether they need it or not, they are never re potted, the top of the soil is caked with limescale......or what looks like it.... gross, and last week I could hold my peace no longer, When I had to hold one plant (not in pot, in bowl with no drainage over the sink and squeeze it out..... it was illiberally floating..I said enough is enough, I am going to get some potting compost next week and try to give your plants some tlc. and leave the watering to me! If you visit 3 times a week, how come the plants are so mistreated? Ed every time I go I have to drain the water out! |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Grrr...
On 6/9/08 22:39, in article ,
"Sheila" wrote: "Ed" ex@directory wrote in message et... On 06/09/08 18:02, Sheila wrote: I hate people who over water plants! That is not good. Don't hate anyone. I have been going to visit a lady 3 times a week for what seems like a hundred years, and in that time, her houseplants have been given the most appalling treatment. They get water whether they need it or not, they are never re potted, the top of the soil is caked with limescale......or what looks like it.... gross, and last week I could hold my peace no longer, When I had to hold one plant (not in pot, in bowl with no drainage over the sink and squeeze it out..... it was illiberally floating..I said enough is enough, I am going to get some potting compost next week and try to give your plants some tlc. and leave the watering to me! If you visit 3 times a week, how come the plants are so mistreated? Ed every time I go I have to drain the water out! I think you're on a hiding to nothing, to be honest. I had someone who helped me in the house twice a week for nearly 18 years. I do not exaggerate when I say we all thought the world of her but could I stop her watering my indoor plants? Unseen by me and in my absence she'd water them and leave them standing in half an inch of water *every single time*. I lost track of how many I had to chuck out unless I went round every week, twice a week, checking their pots. My absence on holiday for a week or two was Plant Cemetery. It didn't matter what I said or how often I said it, I could not persuade her that dryish compost is Good or that, when watering, standing things in the sink so they can drain right out is even Better. She truly believed I was cruel to my plants because I didn't water them daily - all evidence to the contrary. She thought I was mis-treating them if I didn't water them every day and could not believe that all she had to do was check the compost for dampness and POUR THE WATER OUT OF THE CONTAINER! We parted only when I moved to England and she remained unconvinced from Day One to Day one thousand and whatever! She still thought I was a house-plant abuser! My advice? Let all her houseplants die. Then maybe she'll listen. But I bet she won't. -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Grrr...
Sacha wrote:
On 6/9/08 22:39, in article , "Sheila" wrote: "Ed" ex@directory wrote in message et... On 06/09/08 18:02, Sheila wrote: I hate people who over water plants! That is not good. Don't hate anyone. I have been going to visit a lady 3 times a week for what seems like a hundred years, and in that time, her houseplants have been given the most appalling treatment. They get water whether they need it or not, they are never re potted, the top of the soil is caked with limescale......or what looks like it.... gross, and last week I could hold my peace no longer, When I had to hold one plant (not in pot, in bowl with no drainage over the sink and squeeze it out..... it was illiberally floating..I said enough is enough, I am going to get some potting compost next week and try to give your plants some tlc. and leave the watering to me! If you visit 3 times a week, how come the plants are so mistreated? Ed every time I go I have to drain the water out! I think you're on a hiding to nothing, to be honest. I had someone who helped me in the house twice a week for nearly 18 years. I do not exaggerate when I say we all thought the world of her but could I stop her watering my indoor plants? Unseen by me and in my absence she'd water them and leave them standing in half an inch of water *every single time*. I lost track of how many I had to chuck out unless I went round every week, twice a week, checking their pots. My absence on holiday for a week or two was Plant Cemetery. It didn't matter what I said or how often I said it, I could not persuade her that dryish compost is Good or that, when watering, standing things in the sink so they can drain right out is even Better. She truly believed I was cruel to my plants because I didn't water them daily - all evidence to the contrary. She thought I was mis-treating them if I didn't water them every day and could not believe that all she had to do was check the compost for dampness and POUR THE WATER OUT OF THE CONTAINER! We parted only when I moved to England and she remained unconvinced from Day One to Day one thousand and whatever! She still thought I was a house-plant abuser! My advice? Let all her houseplants die. Then maybe she'll listen. But I bet she won't. I won't give you odds Malcolm |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
Grrr...
On 6/9/08 23:13, in article , "Malcolm"
wrote: Sacha wrote: On 6/9/08 22:39, in article , "Sheila" wrote: "Ed" ex@directory wrote in message et... On 06/09/08 18:02, Sheila wrote: I hate people who over water plants! That is not good. Don't hate anyone. I have been going to visit a lady 3 times a week for what seems like a hundred years, and in that time, her houseplants have been given the most appalling treatment. They get water whether they need it or not, they are never re potted, the top of the soil is caked with limescale......or what looks like it.... gross, and last week I could hold my peace no longer, When I had to hold one plant (not in pot, in bowl with no drainage over the sink and squeeze it out..... it was illiberally floating..I said enough is enough, I am going to get some potting compost next week and try to give your plants some tlc. and leave the watering to me! If you visit 3 times a week, how come the plants are so mistreated? Ed every time I go I have to drain the water out! I think you're on a hiding to nothing, to be honest. I had someone who helped me in the house twice a week for nearly 18 years. I do not exaggerate when I say we all thought the world of her but could I stop her watering my indoor plants? Unseen by me and in my absence she'd water them and leave them standing in half an inch of water *every single time*. I lost track of how many I had to chuck out unless I went round every week, twice a week, checking their pots. My absence on holiday for a week or two was Plant Cemetery. It didn't matter what I said or how often I said it, I could not persuade her that dryish compost is Good or that, when watering, standing things in the sink so they can drain right out is even Better. She truly believed I was cruel to my plants because I didn't water them daily - all evidence to the contrary. She thought I was mis-treating them if I didn't water them every day and could not believe that all she had to do was check the compost for dampness and POUR THE WATER OUT OF THE CONTAINER! We parted only when I moved to England and she remained unconvinced from Day One to Day one thousand and whatever! She still thought I was a house-plant abuser! My advice? Let all her houseplants die. Then maybe she'll listen. But I bet she won't. I won't give you odds Malcolm Damn right you won't. I'm right and I know it. I've fought this battle several times since then and I haven't won it once. People who over-water just do it because they have to. I had to throw one out this week! I think we need a House Plants Anonymous, actually! -- Sacha http://www.hillhousenursery.com South Devon |
#8
|
|||
|
|||
Grrr...
The message
from jane contains these words: If the plants are on a window ledge or such, perhaps you could put them on a long plastic tray like you can get for window boxes. Then put a strip of capillary matting along it, put the plants on that, and then put the last piece of matting in a small pot of water (placed at the very end of the tray). Tell her to water just *that* pot and the plants will take what they need via the matting. And she can top up the water pot all she likes as long as it doesn't overflow! And arrange a small drainage hole in the trough so that any overwatering results in a minor flood? -- Rusty Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk Separator in search of a sig |
#9
|
|||
|
|||
Grrr...
"Rusty Hinge 2" wrote in message k... The message from jane contains these words: If the plants are on a window ledge or such, perhaps you could put them on a long plastic tray like you can get for window boxes. Then put a strip of capillary matting along it, put the plants on that, and then put the last piece of matting in a small pot of water (placed at the very end of the tray). Tell her to water just *that* pot and the plants will take what they need via the matting. And she can top up the water pot all she likes as long as it doesn't overflow! And arrange a small drainage hole in the trough so that any overwatering results in a minor flood? -- Rusty Direct reply to: horrid dot squeak snailything zetnet point co period uk Separator in search of a sig Well, the deed has been done, I have re potted most of her plants, she wouldn't let me touch the ones in wicker baskets with handles.....I actually managed to rescue a few little ones from them, and she now has strict instructions not to water them until the compost has dried out, and she must use a skewer to see if they are dry! She is just a creature of habit, although saying that, she has a rubber plant in the front room, in full sun, that she never waters, because she doesn't like it..... ( I actually bought it for her, think she has forgotten, I re potted that last year, and dunked it in water, it took up a whole washing up bowl of water..... it even croaked thank you to me..... |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
GRRR @#$%& | Gardening | |||
GRRR @#$%& | Gardening | |||
Grrr! Carrot, coriander seedlings munched! | Edible Gardening | |||
Grrr | Orchids | |||
Grrr & Brrr! | Orchids |