I don’t know what the hell is in the water in Montreal, but here we have yet another mighty nice platter from the land of Les Habs and poutaine. The Routes are two-thirds of the Scat Rag Boosters plus Spaceshit/Sexareeno/Del-Gator Skid Marks/Colonel Lingus/Dorito Dan (That’s all one person. You need to take notes to keep track of these guys). Twin guitar wall of slop/static delivered over pounding skins that’s as close to blues as it gets for North of the border. The B-Side throws some wild harp playing into the fray for a slow stomping chug-a-lug of a track. Both sides are magnificent, think Scat Rags crossed with the Gang Bangs mean streak. This record makes it an even dozen singles for Goodbye Boozy without a clunker in the bunch. That’s pretty remarkable. And as always, pressed in a limited edition of 300, so start looking. (RK)
Man, best shorty I've heard in a coon's age. Nothing innovative or hat-pop-offa-bean wild on here, just some great groovin' rock 'n roll (like that ain't enough???) that's having too much fun to be concerned with what might be trendy this month in those trend-spots I keep hearing aboot (yup -- Canadia alert). Band contains a couple Scat Rag Boosters, and you can sho-nuff hear it. Drummer does that cool, off kilter stutter beat that Jamis (Mystery Girls) and That One Guy (Deadly Snakes) employ when they wanna' draw extra shuffle action from a 4/4. Special alert -- unexplained alliteration subtext contained within. Almost (nearly) makes me wanna' dance! Look out, ladies! (TK)
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“According to an adviser, Donald Trump has finally realized that people “f**king hate him” which is why he caved and gave Democrats everything that they wanted in the debt ceiling deal.
Axios reported, “A Trump adviser says that after a tumultuous seven months in office, it had finally dawned on the president: “People really f@&@ing hate me.” For someone who has spent his life lapping up adulation, however fake, it was a harsh realization. This is a man with an especially acute need for affirmation.” MORE
To help end the stand-off over the distribution of migrants across the bloc, the EU should “stabilize” all other elements of migration policy, by securing borders, developing a partnership with Africa and putting more pressure on smugglers, Merkel said. The success of its migration policy would also depend on EU countries’ willingness to show solidarity “with no if and buts,” she said. MORE
April 11, 2013 in Good To Grow, [Thursday - Plants 101] | Tags: Good to Grow, houseplant advice, readers helping readers, what to do about a tall Norfolk Island Pine | 2 comments	
I hope you don’t mind a random email asking for your advice. You had helped me earlier with my corn plants – several are sprouting new stalks!
I have a Norfolk pine in a fairly small pot that is now about 8 feet high. During the warm months in Virginia, I put it outside on the back deck.
Question – I was told that cutting off the top will kill it. But I don’t have an alternative if it doesn’t fit in the house, other than giving it away and I’ve had no takers so far.
I also told a story about how someone snapped the grow stem off a ten-foot-tall Norfolk at one of my client’s office. Sad day. More about that in a minute.
Martha from Plowing Through Life wrote, “That’s a terrible story! How could someone chop off the top of this lovely plant?!! They do not like being pruned this way. That’s the main growing stem, and once that’s broken, the tree won’t grow from that point. It will start growing sideways and end up looking awkward.I’ve never had to bring this tree down to size (haven’t been that fortunate!), and I’m not entirely sure what needs to be done, but I believe that air layering might be the way to go.Also, I would try to limit the growth by limiting the pot size. Don’t give it too much space, so it doesn’t create more roots and keep on growing! Perhaps some root pruning to discourage it from growing more, as well. Not sure about that last part because I don’t remember if this plant has a sensitive root system. I’ll let you decide if that’s a good idea or not, Liza!”
Cass McCain wrote, “It will not kill your Norfolk to prune it back. It may, however, lead to a less symmetrical appearance as the tree forms new leaders. Personally, when I’ve been forced to prune these, I’ve pruned down below eye level to minimize the loss of symmetry. You may be able to root the cutting, but they don’t propagate well this way.”
Ginny Burton, of Burton Optician in DC, wrote, “I don’t suppose you ever found the culprit. Probably not, or you would have wound up in jail for assault. What a perfectly horrid thing to do.
As for the question you were sent, I agree with Martha that keeping it pot bound is the best idea. And maybe keep it inside in the summer to discourage its getting taller. Otherwise, donate it to a nursing home where some patient will love to be in charge of taking care of it. I definitely would not prune it.”
Joseph Brenner wrote, “A friend lopped his a few years back. The tree survived, but attempted to produce several main shoots in place of the one.
>>>>Cutting off the top won’t necessarily kill the plant, but it could. Usually, cutting the growing stem distorts the beautiful symmetry of a Norfolk – it will forever grow crookedly after that.
It’s a problem when houseplants get too big for the house. There isn’t much that can be done. You can try cutting it back and hope for the best. Or you can donate it to a church, because more often than not, they have the room and the personnel to care for it. Then you can start over with a small tree and do the whole thing over again.Is that helpful?
>>>>”The idea of giving it to a church is a really good one – I’ll start visiting some and asking! thanks so much,>>>>
>>>>Churches are great because they are so big. Make sure they know that if they put the tree in a bigger pot, then it will grow bigger. It seems obvious, but a lot of people don’t anticipate the growth that transplanting brings. It can stay in its current pot as long as they keep adding soil (plants eat their soil over time). Good luck!>>>>
So Martha, we agree on the lopsidedness, we both advised keeping the tree in its current pot. (Their root system isn’t the sturdiest I’ve ever seen.) That’s so cool how you nailed it. And you suggested air layering, which is another great idea.
Cass, I’m so impressed with you as well. I’ve never pruned a Norfolk before, but I will keep your advice in mind when that day happens. Thank you for that!
Ginny, I love how you suggested a nursing home like I suggested a church. I will totally add nursing home to my list when people ask about tall plants, that’s a great idea.
Thanks to you, too, Joseph for your first-hand account of what happens to Norfolks when the growing stem is cut.
So what happened to the Norfolk at my client’s office? I was so scared that she would die, but she didn’t. She did exactly what you guys thought she would – she started growing lopsided. She’s still alive today, and healthy, she grew another grow stem out to the side of the damaged stem.
I don’t know who broke the growing stem, and I’m sure I’ll never find out. But I have wondered from time to time if they got it to root. Norfolks tend to be slow growers. There are no easy ways to propagate them, or least none that I’ve heard of or tried. Most experts recommend just starting over with a new plant rather than trying to root a branch or try the air layering that Martha suggested.
I don’t think I’ve ever tried to propagate a Norfolk, but if I were going to make an attempt, it would be the stem in damp vermiculite. I’ve read that it’s not a reliable method – sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. One thing that made me so mad about the broken stem was knowing that whoever took it probably wouldn’t have luck rooting it, so it was for naught. Which I would’ve told the culprit if he had asked for a cutting instead of just taking something that did not belong to him. Rude!
I do love me some Norfolks. Here’s Peach in the foyer, a few days after her field trip to the front yard, where she got a spring shower:
April 4, 2013 in [Thursday - Plants 101] | Tags: Good to Grow, houseplant advice, how to grow succulents, reader question answered, succulent advice | 2 comments	
I came across your blog and instantly felt at home! Thank you so much for sharing your green thumb wisdom and artistry with the rest of the world.
I’m a very new green bud and live in Canada (British Columbia), the province that has an upside of warmer winters yet the downside of rather soggy, rainy weather….. What a difference with the place where you’re writing from – desert!
Anyway, every week I’ve been going through cravings for different plants as like these were different food flavours….. And recently it became succulents. I see lots of pictures of succulents being plunked literally in everything, from the ceramic mug to the coca cola can. However, I have a burning question – don’t these containers need a hole and a good drainage??? How is it possible to grow such a gorgeous plant in something that looks completely out of place for a container or is it done for commercial purposes?
Here are some examples (from Pinterest) of what she means, about succulents and herbs being planted in practically anything:
Claude from Random Rants and Prickly Plants wrote, “Well, with careful watering, it’s quite possible. drainage holes make it easier though. Some containers, like coffee cans or such, a nail and hammer takes care of that rather quickly. Other containers, placing gravel, broken pretty, even Styrofoam packing peanuts in the bottom of the container to keep the roads off of standing water.”
Ginny Burton from Burton Optician in Washington DC wrote, “I know nothing about succulents, but I think Claude is right. Anything that keeps the roots from soaking in water should work. They don’t need much water, do they? Could you just mist them heavily?”
Martha from Plowing Through Life wrote, “I think it’s best that plants have drainage holes in their containers, especially cacti and succulents that will rot easily from too much dampness. But if it’s a container that is not transparent that you have your eye on, you can plant the succulent in a pot with drainage and then place that pot inside the decorative container…like a coffee can or ceramic mug or glazed vase. Remove the plant and its pot when it’s time to water it, allow it to drain and then place it back inside the decorative pot. And because these plants don’t need watering very often, it’s easy to maintain.”
Carmen wrote, “There are lots of people that also buy special drill bits that can drill holes in different types of pots that dont have drainage holes. I hear it’s difficult to learn how to do this (lots of breaking pots), but with lots of practice, you can drill holes in just about everything. Succuleants also need very good draining soil with the pots as they rot so easily. But if you really wanna use a container that has no holes and dont wanna bother with making holes in it, then like ‘plowing through life’ says, use the container as a decorative pot and just plant the succulents/cacti in a pot with drainage holes that fits in the decorative pot so you can easily pull it out for watering.”
>>>>Hi! Thanks for writing. I’m glad you like the blog. As far as succulents are concerned, they definitely prefer to have good drainage. They will be happier, and you’ll reduce your chances of root rot (succulents can rot very quickly). That said, if you are a careful waterer, you can plant them in practically any container. Most of the ones you see out there are just good photo opps, and not for long-term planting. They can live in a container with no drainage, but you have to be very, very careful on your watering so they don’t rot.
I adore succulents. They’re beautiful, they’re easy, and they’re interesting. Good luck with them! If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to ask!
It’s almost certain that all of the above photos were taken moments after the containers were planted. Which is fine – I do that often, too. But because Pinterest doesn’t necessarily allow for instructions, there’s no chance to explain that the plants’ health could be in peril from overwatering due to lack of drainage.
You all nailed it. Claude, I’m impressed, but not one bit surprised. Ginny, they need a little more than heavy misting, but you still have the right idea. Martha, I wish I had thought to tell her about the old trick of putting a growers’ pot inside a decorative pot – that’s an excellent idea. I do that all the time in my plant business but I didn’t think to mention it to her at the time. Carmen, thank you as well for your input – tiny holes make all the difference in the world.
I’ll be back tomorrow with an all-new Ask the Experts panel. The Experts have been on break, so we welcome their return. You still have time to guess the plant puzzler – the deadline is tonight at midnight, MST (that’s 2am EST). Leave your best guess in the comments section or on my facebook wall.
September 20, 2012 in Plant Puzzler, [Thursday - Plants 101] | Tags: Friday Ask the Experts, Good to Grow, Liza's photos, Real or Fake plant puzzler | 2 comments	
You still have time to guess the current puzzler, in which I asked if these Orchids are real or fake:
It’s a tricky puzzler this week. For one, the flash on my point-n-shoot camera distorted the color of the flowers. The real color looked more like this:
So, are they real or fake? Leave your best guess in the comments section or on my facebook wall. The deadline is tonight at midnight MST (that’s 2am EST).
I’ll reveal the answer and the winner(s) tomorrow after an All-New Ask the Experts panel. Imaginary prizes will abound.
July 19, 2012 in Plants 101, [Thursday - Plants 101] | Tags: Good to Grow, Liza's photos, Peperomia, Plants 101, Swedish Ivy, terrariums, Wandering Jew, Zebrina | 2 comments	
Terrariums are great for teaching kids about plants and ecosystems. Great for brown thumbs. And great for plant lovers across the board.
I’ll be back manana with an all-new plant puzzler, as well as the answer to last week’s puzzler. Hope to see you back here.
June 21, 2012 in Plants 101, [Thursday - Plants 101] | Tags: cool vases at Hey Jhonny, Crotons in vases, get creative with vases, Good to Grow, Liza's photos, wildfires in New Mexico and Colorado | 4 comments	
Vases don’t just have to be for flowers. Look at this creative use of vases at Hey Jhonny, an awesome gift shop here in Albuquerque:
I’m not sure how many of you are interested in New Mexico’s fire situation, but in case you are, I thought I’d give you a brief update.
Romero Fire: Yesterday afternoon, Albuquerque’s skies filled with smoke as a fire started in the bosque (the area on either side of the Rio Grande) in Corrales. For those of you not familiar, Corrales is a sleepy artist/farming community immediately north of the city. We were told that 150 homes were threatened on the west side of the river, as well as structures on the east side on the Sandia Pueblo (the fire jumped the river). As far as I know, they haven’t determined a cause of the blaze, but since yesterday it’s swelled to about 300 acres due to fierce overnight winds.
The thing about bosque fires is that the river flows through our communities here, so fires have the potential to be utterly devastating (as opposed to the Whitewater-Baldy complex fire in the Gila, which mostly burned wilderness areas). There was a fire along the bosque in the South Valley over the weekend, and now this in the far North Valley.
For being a rural community, Corrales is still connected to a big urban area. I can assure you, living in downtown Albuquerque, it’s terrifying to see so much smoke in the sky. I can’t even imagine what it’s like for Corrales residents.
Fortunately for us citizens, our emergency responders, firefighters and officials are top-notch pros. They are well-trained and fast-acting. Hundreds of firefighters have been attacking the Romero blaze overnight and protecting homes. They have some crews only protecting Corrales homes, while others fight the flames and others build containment lines. You absolutely couldn’t ask for more professional folks. We are lucky to have so many dedicated individuals working for us.
You may think that the areas along the river would be green and lush, but what happens is that the brush overgrows during the spring, then dries out as the months pass. The dried out extra growth becomes fuel for fire. Firefighters also have to contend with the cotton that’s accumulated in the growth – it’s highly combustible and makes their work that much more difficult.
Whitewater-Baldy complex fire: Burned more than 296,000 acres (the largest in state history) and is now 87% contained. 12 structures (vacation cabins) burned.
Little Bear fire: This is the fire in Ruidoso that burned more than 250 structures including primary and vacation homes and businesses. It burned more than 40,000 acres and is 60% contained.
Blanco fire: This was started by an illegal campfire, burned five homes and 352 acres, near Bloomfield, NM.
I think there’s a fire burning near Espanola and maybe in the Santa Fe National Forest, too. And of course, our neighbors to the north in Colorado are also dealing with huge fires. Our prayers are with them.
I’ll be back manana with an all-new Ask the Experts panel, and a new plant puzzler. If you haven’t done so already, you still have time to guess last week’s puzzler, in which I asked if this plant was real or fake:
The deadline is tonight at midnight MST (that’s 2am EST). Leave your best guess in the comments section or on my facebook wall. The prizes may be imaginary, but the link to your site is oh-so-real.