Hmm what's on my mind - any idea where I can get Dorstenia gigas fresh seed shipped to me here in the UK?

Natalie Imbruglia, she's usually on my mind, a natural beauty :)

Thanks Tracy, as I suspected there is just one choice in the area and I fear its not a good choice but I'll continue to look into it.

Good taste in beauties, Phil and with Natalie as well. :)

Well, this is kinda out there, but what do you think of the PR hype about JPs new toy: the MG aerogarden? Looks interesting.

JP: what comes with it? Are the nutes something you can mix up, or is it special order and proprietary? How long do the lights last, and are they energy efficient. Tell us more … or is this a Ron Popeil thing where you 'set it and forget it'?

my god, does Ron Popeil really look 80?

LOL DAVE! I have gawked at the AeroGardens....you can only grow about 2 to 6 plants at a time if you are using the inserts. This is too few for my taste. I noticed that Jericson can use the AeroGarden without the inserts as just a light. But if you are going that route, you may as well save your money for a good LED instead. I think they are great if you are only interested in growing a small number of plants.

Tracy

Tracy, you just saved me several hours of research, thank you!

So...does anyone know of a non-fatal way to make it so I don't have to water my Dendrobium tobaense and Dendrobium olygophyllum every flarning day? They're in small pots of fig bark now. Yes, I am absolutely abusing this OT thread.

Usain Bolt rocks the track! Even if he can't outrun a cheetah.

pagan

Dave I will attempt to answer your questions from the research I've done on them since I have been looking into them as well. Hopefully Jericson will jump in and clarify to help out.

It looks like if you are going to get an Aerogarden that you should go with the Extra or Ultra as the "grow bowl" accessory only fits these models (this includes Extra LED and Ultra LED). The grow bow was originally meant for strawberries but it does list bonsai and other slow growing plants. Without the bowl you're limited to 7 plants. Grow Bowl and Instructions

Nutes are provided when you buy the unit because you also get a pack of "gourmet herb seeds", or at least everywhere I look this is included. Nute strength is 4-3-6

As for lights, LED modes are newer and last, according to the manufacturer, at least 3 to 5 years. These are so new that they don't even have replacements for them yet. (If I'm not wrong they just started coming out in like 2013). The CFL bulbs in the standard Aerogardens burn out about every 6 months and apparently aren't very good as some people modify their Aerogarden to take stronger CFL. As a side note, there are clubs that MG has set up to get free lights and free seeds among other things throughout the year for a monthly fee. Comparison Chart for different Aerogardens

Now the differences between the Extra and Ultra models. They are exactly the same except for their UI (user interface) or control panel. Extra has a few preset options while Ultra can be customized more. For the extra you can choose between preset light options but if you want them to start at a specific time you need to hold the "Grow Light On/Off" button for 3 seconds at the time you want them to come on each day. Whereas the Ultra you can just put the time you want them on and off each day.

Best way to buy seems to be Amazon as they are much cheaper than directly from the MG Aerogarden site. Not to mention if you qualify for the Amazon card you can get $30-$70 extra off. (if you have questions on this please ask)

Disclaimer: I do not work for or endorse MG Aerogarden, I'm just a crazy that has done way too much research as I like to do with all things.

If you have any more questions I can attempt to answer them.

Nicely stated, Nicholas. You have done a great job with researching this. I have looked into them too but couldn't see myself only wanting to grow 7 plants. Perhaps this is perfect for growing JP's peppers. I am thinking that this is what he uses them for besides the coral sands experiment that he is doing with the tray of Adenium seedlings. I am having trouble understanding how he is using the AeroGrow with a tray of seedlings. It sounds like he is using the flooding feature. Hopefully he will chime in on this thread and enlighten us.

Tracy

Here are some off-topic babies...

My Hildewintera aureispina are almost a year old. I just love these guys.

And my small caudiciform gang

That looks like an Ibervillea lindheimeri, Phil. How old is it now? Echeverias always look better when I'm not the one growing them. Yours look ecstatic.

Pagan - yep your right with the Ibervillea. I only bought it a few months ago as caudiciforms are new to me this year so have been slowly looking for a few nice plants to get so no idea on age, but it's in a 20cm pot so it's a decent size.

It always amazes me that the echeveria above is sold on ebay quite regular for in excess of £50, and have even seen one or two sold for £80 last year, which is just madness, but sheer joy for the seller lol

I am also a fan of the aloe Kelly Griffin Hybrids but again they sell for silly money sometimes, hence why I only have 2 or 3 of them lol

Phil, those are gorgeous. The ibervillea is beautiful. What is the plant in photo at back left hand side (large ball on surface). Looks like a plant I saw at the fellas nursery close by.

Rick

Thanks Rick - not sure which you mean, the one on the left in front of Ibervillea is discorea elephantipes or the one to the right of that one but not directly next to it is calibanus hookeri or so the label said, although I trimmed the leaves a while back as they were insane lol

phil … love the comptons!

Grats Phil, now I've bookmarked the Comptons.

"tho shalt not covet thy neighbor's Comptons"

Just read a brilliant article which was an interview of Mark Dimmitt

He sums up some things nicely:

"People who grow at your level show an amazing dedication: the amount of time, money and energy spent. Why do you continue to put so much into plants? (I know this is a stupid question, but “normal” people may not understand, and I am curious about your answer since I am not sure how I would answer that myself)" (Interviewed by Kitty Katt)

"I’ve heard several people answer this question with something like: For those who share our passion, no explanation is needed; and for those who don’t, probably no explanation is possible.

I strongly suspect that the plant collecting bug is an abnormality similar to alcholism, gambling, and other obsessive-compulsive disorders. It isn’t recognized as a psychological disorder because no one has ever asked for help, so the phenomenon hasn’t been studied. In my case I think it’s Asperger Syndrome. Sometimes called the geek syndrome, it’s characterized by normal to high intelligence, poor social skills, and a tendency to become deeply obsessed with very narrow subjects. Many other plant freaks I know have similar quirks." (Mark Dimmitt)

Tracy

That seems pretty dead on Tracy, love the part about there being no possible explanation. Basically "if you don't understand it you never will"

So does the spouse's 'rolling of the eyes' count as not understanding?

Yep.

Let them raise a poha bush (your spouse). He or she will find it so rewarding, he or she will water all of the balcony plants all summer long for you. It worked here. Heh.

It might not be as good as if you had done it but....well, you gotta pick your battles. Maybe I'm getting those things mixed up.

They are also called cape gooseberries. It's a type of ground cherry but I guess any delicious ground cherry would do well as a replacement. I'm still looking for the "pineapple" ground cherry. I like all the different types.

So. Way off-topic.

Does anyone here run? How does one start? First, shoes. I tried looking online and was immediately overwhelmed. I only have cycling shoes with cleats (can't even walk on those) and tennis shoes (stiff soles, intended to let you stand, jump and sprint on the balls of your feet). And I never see anyone carrying a water bottle. What's up with that?

You did say OT, Dave.

Pagan

Does any know the name for this one. My friend gave me 3 cuttings and called it a pencil plant. They are huge now.

Chuchi, I'd recommend instead a good pair of walking shoes. Walking is better for your health than running; you can still get your heartrate up by walking, especially of you're out of shape (not saying that you are, of course!)

Cynthia, that's a Euphorbia tirucalli or as your friend calls it a pencil cactus/tree (has many names). As with all Euphorbia, just be careful of the sap. The sap can be irritating to the skin for some people and wear goggles if you transplant it or anything where a branch may snap because it can cause temporary blindness if you get it in your eyes.

Almost forgot, the second is most likely some form of Kalanchoe based on the tiny plants growing from each leaf. A different plant of the same group is call "Mother of Thousands" and for good reason as you see :)

Thanks, Nick. I am saving some cuttings off these and some of my Adenium seedlings to exchange with my husbands doc at the VA. She has promised me a bunch of hens and chicks and other stuff. These two have done the best of all the cuttings I got this spring.

Pagan I have heard the same that running is rough on the knees and ankles. Try walking or power walking. I'm in no position to give advice, just passing along what I've heard from my athletic friends.

Nice succulents, Cindi. The doc should be happy. I'm pretty sure if you search for the words burning corneas here on Gardenweb you will find a story about a woman that pruned a pencil cactus without knowing about the toxicity of the sap.

Tracy

A member here is permanently partially blind due to this particular Euphorbia.

How awful. I always wear glasses, but I will be very careful, and tell my friend.

P: try the Mother Runner series of books ...

Thanks Dave. I just bought Another Mother Runner. It better have tips. I just need sun in the winter. Cycling doesn't work with the white stuff on the ground.

Pagan

P: should connect you w/ my DW. You could talk running, (she has 2 half marathons now and was training for a full until she injured her knee … and keeps trying to come back too quick) she does a daily 5K … and perhaps warm her to all the "little ugly trees" I/we grow … ^_^

At least she didn't call them boring!

That was my problem with walking, Dave. It doesn't sound like something they let you do in a marathon which was what I was daydreaming about. I was thinking five years should be enough preparation for at least half of one.

18-24 months, you can do it … new shoes about every 3-4 months ...

Off topic...PERFECT timing. Ok, I need help. Does anyone know anything about outdoor wireless speakers? Here is the situation:

I have an old stereo/radio system that does not have blue tooth. However, it seems one could connect some gadget to allow blue tooth. Then I looked at those rock looking speakers for out on our patio with the watergarden and hot tub. Are these any good? Is there anything I need to know...watch for? I am completely out of my element and hoping someone has something already set up that is working really good for them.

Thanks in advance for anyone that can provide additional knowledge with regards to this topic.

Great project! What specific stereo system were you planning to use? If you're going to end up spending more than 50 dollars for a dongle (something you plug into your existing contraption to add functionality) you're better off getting a Bluetooth-ready media player that you can put anywhere. This is what I did, although I used wifi.

I guess the bottom line is this: the amount of trouble you'll go through depends entirely on what sound system you are planning to connect to wireless speakers. Look at the brand and model number of your stereo system and type it down here so the audiophiles in our midst (not me) can have a look.

Pagan

Pagan, great idea!

The Stereo receiver is a Sony STR-DE505 - This has the radio in it so that I would definitely want to listen to the radio at times.

The Disc player is a Pioneer PD-4550 - not sure how often I would listen to this outdoors. But ya just never know.

I am open for other options too. Mostly I want to sit in my hot tub with music or sit on the deck and listen to music.

Pagan - You mention Bluetooth-ready media player. What would something like this be and does it come with speakers or do you use this device and then the wireless speakers pick up from that device? Oh boy...I am showing how very little I know of this subject.

Oh almost any media device these days are either bluetooth or wifi ready, LL. Your mobile phone definitely will be. It will likely have radio as well. So you just need a set of wifi or bluetooth speakers and connect them to your phone.

Pagan

Looking forward to this Friday eve, got myself a ticket to go see Jake Shimabukuro play live. Anyone not familiar with him, I guess a fair few on here lol, he is one of the world's best ukulele virtuosos and can be seen all over YouTube etc he's a great talent from Hawaii and cannot wait to hear him play live :)

Hm. I'm game. I'll look him up and see if I like. I'm eager to be educated.

Along with the Thai Soco's for the Adenium Grow Out, I started some other seeds...put them in on Thursday late afternoon and this morning all five of the Pachycormus Discolor are up and growing !

Bit surprised... ! Just got to keep them alive now...

I do have more of the P.Discolor seeds, though, just in case. :)

Phil, I watched his performance on TED Talks, playing Bohemian Rhapsody. That was awesome! And he's cute too. Heh

Pagan - yeah that's what got him noticed on youtube a few years ago and the rest is history as they say - he also does a nice version while my guitar gently weeps too amongst a load of others :)

Well what a performance last night frigging insane, what a talent and what a genuinely nice person too. He played bohemian rhapsody last night too aswell as a selection of tracks from his new album 'Travels' which comes out next month but is on sale at his gigs now. I'll be there, the cover of the Jackson's song, is a lovely piece too.

He stayed behind to sign stuff but I didn't wait in the line, I kinda get star struck asking for a picture etc so bought the CD and went - so if you guys get chance to see him live he's a must if your into ukulele music to lift the soul. Fingers crossed he comes back to the UK next year, legend!!

Phil, I went out and listened to his songs on youtube. You are right incredible talent for sure. I will be adding those to my music play list. I ended up buy a wireless blue tooth speaker and for now using my phone and spotify. might need something better than my phone to do this eventually as it is a sure drain on the battery.

Thanks for bringing up this young mans wonderful music. Always nice to hear new tunes.

Hi LadyLotus, I love my music, buddy holly, johnny cash I love, but I am a big fan of the ukulele, it's sheer feel good music. If you like ukulele music then I highly recommend listening on youtube to Israel Kamakiwiweoloe who is sadly no longer with us but he was a legend in hawaii and worldwide and for me underestimated musically. His voice is just beautiful and enough to make a grown man cry. I have several of his cds and dvds and the man himself was lovely and very spiritual which nowadays sadly is hard to come by, he's a must watch and listen to. He was very well known for a cover of Somewhere Over The Rainbow but sings many lovely songs and White Sandy Beach is another great song, listen and enjoy :-)

He's passed away? Awww......*sad face*

Sadly yep, he died pretty young due to his health. Both him and his brother skippy passed young due to their illness/size. Even though he was a big person size wise he had a much bigger heart and was a pure genuine talent.

He had a gentleness about him. Some saw his size, we saw just how delicate he was.

Indeed and it was all natural talent. You just don't expect such a pure angelic singing voice, I can listen to him all day :-)