What's outside of your picture window today?

@loribmt. @artist01, @ gingerw, @ sueinmn, et al
Unbelievable, Lori! What joyful, singing colors. Thanks. elizabeth

@sueinmn, @loribmt, @artist01, et al.....
great suggestions. I don't have any houseplants now except my few orchids growing in a bit of bark. And, require repotting once a year or so, no soil, just bark w/a touch of orchid medium, and 1 tablespoon or water per week in each. Lots of love, little care, and no soil. I'm getting some hens and chicks and a couple of other succulents just for joy and you never know what they will surprise you with to make you smile and feel good.....like your lovely flower...'
nighty night all.
elizabeth

Awesome photos, @loribmt! You have an artist's eye for photography! Love getting your pictures. The colorful corn cobs are so wondrous to see! ❤ Laurie

@loribmt. As you all know, I know nothing about keeping houseplants alive, but I did read years ago that you shouldn't water them at night - only in the morning. Probably from a story in an ancient copy of Reader's Digest, and we know that everything we read in the Reader's Digest is TRUE! giggle. Can any one of you gardeners set me straight on that fact? Thankyou! Laurie

These photos are beautiful, and remind me of pre-Covid times when I helped host an autumn banquet, and we always seemed to return to the bounteous harvest theme to express our feelings.
Hmm - About to embark on a short road trip Tuesday & Wednesday - will seek out a roadside stand for some awesome color.

Sue

Although we live in a heavily forested area, it's spruce for the most part, with some alder: neither turn pretty colors. I love the big old growth spruce, but hate their needles, which are everywhere. When I take the two-hour drive to Portland (our state's largest city), I am treated to lots of vine maple, although last winter's ice storm took lots of them out. I will be going there today; it will be interesting to see how many vine maple survived the ice storm.

We have pine squirrels and packrats that keep invading the unfinished parts of our attic and the garage. They've destroyed lots of things. However, Wiley the Limping Coyote hunts for them most mornings at the edge of the large area we mow, and the numbers are far lower than they were. Thank you, Wiley!

You’re right, Laurie. From everything I’ve learned it’s not best to water plants at night. The problem after my transplant is that I can’t be around freshly disturbed dirt for the possibility of fungal infections. So by watering at night, the dirt and anything released into the air has a chance to settle down for a few hours until I’m near them again. It’s my concession to being able to still have plants in the house! LOL. I had to learn to adjust my life style so my plants need to bend a little bit to help me! 😂

Typically houseplants need to be watered (like gardens) early in the day if watering gets the leaves wet, because wet leaves overnight encourages disease and insects on them.

Did anyone's Granma ever raised African violets, you may remember her pouring water in their saucers, letting them sit an hour, then emptying the remaining water into a bucket or pot.

What? Why? Essentially, it doesn't promote bacterial or fungal growth on the soil surface! In fact, the water wicking up from the bottom usually doesn't get all the way to the surface. (African violets are notoriously susceptible to fungal diseases and tiny insects.)

I would like to point out this is the watering method my daughter's pulmonologist and my ID doc recommended to us if we were going to continue to raise houseplants.

My method (most of my plants are fairly large) - pour water in the saucers, let sit 1 hour, use a turkey baster to remove the excess. Once every few months I carry them to the sink for a 30 minute soak.

Andi's method (smaller pots) - 1/2 fill a rubber tray with water, soak plants 30 minutes, then drain and return to their saucers. Another advantage - nutrient don't wash out of the soil, they get sucked in. So if you use fertilizer, use half strength and half as often as recommended.

Between this and gravel on the top, it's a pretty safe way to have plants around, even if you are immunocompromised. I take it a step further - my HEPA room air filter sits right below the plants.
Sue

@sueinmn It's a safe way to have houseplants, unless you have a kitty! I miss my houseplants, but Tessie Belle had a field day with mine. Heck, she even upended my jar with fake sunflowers in it!
Ginger

@loribmt. Well, okay then, Miss Lori, I guess with a good reason like that, I'll allow you to continue with your bedtime plant watering! 🤣 Gosh, as a transplant survivor, there are so many cautions you have to be aware of. I'm happy you're so good at following all your many restrictions in order to keep yourself healthy. Good on ya', kid! 😊