Just this last year we decided to bring in some of the outdoor plants and winter them inside to reduce our costs replacing them in the spring. It seemed to work okay. Some were kept in spare bedrooms near windows and six went to the basement on hanging shelves I built near the glass block windows. I jury rigged up a couple of grow lights to supplement the sunlight when the sky was cloudy and seems 5 of the six made it. We had one tropical plants upstairs get a bit chilled during a late season cold snap as it was too close to the window, but it recovered and is outside now.

As to the lights I went to the local big box hardware store and just looked through their light bulb section but I’m sure that an online search would work as well.

Last year I was evacuated for a nearby fire (thank god my house didn't burn down), we were gone for 10 days and it was around 90-100 degrees. Our electricity was off, and so was our water system (they wanted all water resources to fight the fire).

Anyway, I lost 3 Hydrangeas that were is very large pots, and I lost a small (6 ft) Chinese Maple tree. Coming home to all that death was so depressing!

Since then I've been looking to replace the 3 hydrangeas, and I usually see them in the grocery store for around $8-12. These are usually sold in full bloom, as gifts, etc. in the grocery store, but they continue to live and grow. Well, I have not seen any in the grocery store for over a year now, so I went to a hardware/nursery store and couldn't believe that they were $40!!

So I look around for other options, that was just too much $ for my budget. I was not sold on buying seeds, the reports of too few germinations were not encouraging. One company sold baby starters (from cuttings) that shipped for around $8-9 and I bought one to see how it looked when it got here. It had 2 small leaves (that looked like they had been cut actually), and the idiot that I am, I damaged one of the 2 leaves when I was watering and moving it. But it still seemed healthy. Until .... The Cat.

I didn't realize the cat would go for it, (and I learned now that it is poisonous, fortunately my cat didn't get sick other than the initial vomit) - but he chewed up the other leaf pretty badly, and he ate the one that I broke. Anyway, I now have the plant protected, it is still too hot out for this young starter to be outside, and I did order one more since I did actually receive a live plant. Now it is just a matter of time (and no cat interference).

I'm in Napa, and the climate in the winter is mild, no snow, maybe 10 days total of below freezing all winter. But we do bring in the Christmas Cactus usually around Mid Nov through Feb. They seem to do OK inside, but outside they really do suffer. And the blooms in Winter are really wonderful, they seem to make my mother very happy.

A co-worker had one of those in the office, it was very healthy looking. But I never saw it in bloom before. It is very pretty. What is the name?

It seems to thrive on neglect, hates being overwatered and enjoys being pot bound.

Carnosa, princess and queen. My plain carnosa is going freaking nuts. Usually it blooms a one shot deal, this year it bloomed for 6 months. It came from a one stem 4 leave cutting and is a monster. The vines have vines and those have more vines and they are at least 20 feet long making a huge bushy gorgeous plant. The princess is doing good but it is blah and has yet to bloom. The queen I have had for three years and it was doing nothing until I put it under lights and is now finally starting to have new growth and hopefully bloom next year. It is under lights in the early morn, then I put it in the south window for natural light and then when the sun moves it goes back under lights until I go to bed.

I have been wanting to grow my collection but damn covid has me from going to the plant store.

Not a hoya but I did get a wicked deal on a zz (grocery store) but that is because the store put the wrong price on it. It was huge in a 6 inch pot with a small 4 inch price and it is bulging in its pot. 12 bucks so I snatched it quick because the same size was going for $30+ at the other stores.

I don't have much room in this tiny place but there is always room for more green.

Have you ever checked out Steve's Leaves?

https://stevesleaves.com/

I've found some nice rare plants at Logee's too.

https://www.logees.com/customer/account/login/

I must admit, I am a plant addict. But they have really helped lower my stress this past year, so I'm thankful for all my green kids.

That picture cracked me up while nodding my head. I am always checking my smaller ones. I look them over for any new growth, daily. Maybe if I stopped looking at them then they would grow faster.

I counted the blooms on my beast this summer.... I counted about 108 and I know there were more hiding in the middle. The scent was rather overwhelming. Part of me wanted to pick some off and part of me said I would regret it.

plants, etc!! love em. would love a Hoya - heart plant... so lovely.