Random pics and stuff...

just some random pics around the yard... not sure that there's anything all that interesting going on...

This is an actual Mansfield Cemetary cactus blooming in the back... not bad for a cutting that is a little less than a year old, huh? As you can see, he's already growing offsets, and the smaller cutting directly next to him is more typical of the cuttings that I have... still too small, but I expect big things from them next year...

And the winter may have killed my Variagated Agave americana... but the roots have evidently survived underground and are starting to resprout... how cool is that? I'll probably take one inside this winter, as they're evidently not as hardy as the unvariagated form. The web-sites aren't in agreement as to exactly how hardy they are... so we'll not take any chances...

And here's a common everyday thistle by the side of the road. I've always been fond of thistle. I have no real reason why, just am...

And here's the new growth on the Sago Palm... The other rescued sago may be showing some signs of stirring to life... but it's very subtle... anyway... as soon as these leaves get up and hardened off, I'll cut off the older beat up leaves, what few are left, and try to find a place in the yard to put this guy... where he'll sit for at least 3 months before he puts up another whirl of leaves... they don't grow their leaves one at a time, but rather in periodic bursts. Sometimes only one group a year, and never it seems more than 3 a year. hmmmmm.

Anyway... no day off for me this week... I've got to work on Monday for someone who's got a Dr's appointment... oh well...

Look what I found scrounging around...

I was driving to the grocery store on trash day about a month ago... when I happened to see these by the road.

two badly treated cycas revoluta... more commonly known as sago palm. (of course a real sago palm is another plant entirely, but that's what these are called) It would appear that our rather hellacious winter had killed all of last years more tender growth, and had prompted a home-owner to just give up hope, so out they went to the curb.

Where I picked them up. That's because I'm pretty sure that if there's any green left on a plant, there is a chance that it can be recovered.

Well, as I said above, this was a month ago. And they've been sitting there looking like... well like that up there. Nothing. I suppose some gardeners would be discouraged. I however grow cactus. I'm used to plants sitting around doing nothing but looking like an unfriendly thorny lump for long stretches of time.

But then today... I saw this...

See that in the middle there? It's new growth! Specifically, it's new growth on the plant in the top right hand side of the first pic.

The other plant... well not so much yet...

But I'm not giving up hope yet. It still has those green leaves after all. And even if it's main growing tip never stirs to life, the plant can produce new growing tips off from the roots...

And why go through all this trouble? Lots of reasons.

1) I'm an experimental type of gardener. I like to do things just to see what happens

2) This plant is considered pretty drought tolerant, and if I get it in the ground it is reasonably hardy in my area.

3) Cycads are some of the oldest species of plants on the planet

4) While they're technically not a cactus or a succulent, they are however prickly enough to fit into my Prickly Plant theme and finally...

5) These are damned expensive plants!

That price tag was from last year, they've gone up a little last time I checked.

I see from my tiny bit of research that they like sandy, quick draining soils with some organic matter mixed in. Quite frankly, that describes the topsoil that you buy from the nurseries locally...

Anyway... my experience is more in the cacti realm... any wisdom from anybody out there?