Fantastic! I'll add some in the next day or 2.

Ok, here are mine, just a little under a year:

Before:

This morning (excuse the mess)

the arrowhead and spider plants have made great strides. The papyrus on the desk was, at the time of the earlier pic, just growing from a few stakes small enough to fit in a cup.

Before:

Today:

Last year sometime:

Now:

Philodendron vine & a little Syngonium, 9/19/15:

9/9/16, Philo in the back, Syngonium in the front:

That one took off, Tiffany!

Couple more.

Christmas cactus cutting someone gave me a year ago (cropped from a larger pic)

Now

Ficus cuttings a year ago

Today

Wow, just from a cutting!

Not to sidetrack, but I get a lot out of cuttings. Took this one this past spring. Was about 8" long with 2 leaves.

As it grew upright, I cut off any side growth until it reached about 2.5 feet. Then I let it start to fill out.

That's amazing...

All beautiful plants you 2. Thanks for sharing.

Neat idea for a thread; I'm going to make sure and get some "before" pictures this weekend to compare later down the road.

I've mostly only grown cacti which grow so slowly for me as not to be much different in size a year later. But my husband built me a plant shelf near my south facing picture window so I have added some small cuttings of things.

Lauren, I absolutely love your style!

Thank you, green hearted, for the very kind words:)

Not exactly a year apart (more like 2.5), but I like this then and now. The tree wouldn't fit in my truck these days no matter what.

day I bought the tree vs last week

Beautiful, well cared for plants!

Dave, is that string that's supporting your plant or some kind of wire?

It's clothesline rope. Did a full repot a few months back and added it to help stabilize.

Variegated rubber plant (Ficus elastica, 2 individuals)
7/22/14:

9/18/16:

Dracaena marginata & D. marginata 'Tricolor'
7/21/15:

9/18/16, just repotted back into the same pot. I leaned the tricolor one a bit more, to encourage a more dramatic bend in the trunk:

4/9/16: Various Begonias, little false Aralia tree, Aloe bellatula.

9/24/16

From another side, can't see it all from 1 view:

The backside

Added Haworthia radula:

5/1/16: Schefflera, Peperomia verticillata
9/24/16: The Pep is blooming & added more little pieces, added Euphorbia tithymaloides, & a little stem of Sedeveria.
The Pep leaves are so similar to the Scheff's. They blend together except for the blooms.
Finally found a place where this Ludisia (jewel orchid) has stopped looking suicidal.

Those begonias are so pretty!!! I have a jewel orchid, too. One is in water in my bathroom, where it seems perfectly happy, and the other is in a west faxing window just sort of hanging out....they are pretty easygoing plants.

A little more then and now since the rest of my plants came in today.

Last year

Today

Dave-that's an amazing F. Benjamina.

That ficus is absoluted stunning

Thank you both!

Here's what he looked like when I bought him for $21 in February of 2015.

Dave, my larger ficus is much smaller and in worse shape than yours in the Before picture, but you've renewed my faith that a ficus whose inner leaves are gone will come back like gangbusters with proper care.

This thread has been a real inspiration almost since I joined the forums. I took my Before photos right after you started this thread, and I think I'll hang your After picture and one or two of Al's resurrection photos beside my ficus to keep my aspirations fresh.

Thanks!

Glad they inspire you! That makes me really happy to know.

i can already tell how much you've learned since you've joined. It's awesome to see.

Folow Al's advice, and I promise your tree will turn out like mine (that's what I did).

Youll see the most growth when you place it in full outdoor direct sun during the summer months.

I'll have to work on that, because I don't want to get plant-deprived. My body can't tolerate heat at all, so I can't use the porch during the day most of the summer, and there's at least three months when it's still too hot for me in the evening. I should be able to rotate them in and out of the 70 degree living room for a few days at a time, because plants are adapted to cold spells... right?

[Edited to add that I apologise for turning this lovely thread into another ficus discussion...]

I love ficus, don't worry :)

maybe put them outside all summer and only visit them later in the evening when it's cooler?

any place you can put them outside and see them through a window?

I could fit a couple plants on top of the A/C, but aside from that there's no view of the porch from inside.

Most evenings from June through August (or longer in a bad summer) are too hot for me, which is why I loathe summer. I get symptoms of heat exhaustion even when sitting still. I get the worst cabin fever!

That's why I love winter and the shoulder seasons. I keep the apartment around 65 degrees, sleep with the window open unless it's below about 35 degrees, and am disappointed unless I get to wear my warmest coat several times.

You and I are the complete opposite when it comes to temps haha.

Im not comfortable if it's under 80 :)

I live in the wrong state.

So am I, Dave!

Me 3! Summer is my least favorite season. My ideal temp would be 40*-50* year round..can't stand the heat. neither can my son. we're very acclimated.

I like seasons, so I'd go for temps around 70-80 daytime and 50 at night in summer, and 30-40 during the day and below 20 at night in winter. High elevation would be best, but I've lived in enough tiny rural towns to last me the rest of my life!

I agree, night time temps should be below freezing...even 35* day time is ok, good fresh air.

"I agree, night time temps should be below freezing...even 35* day time is ok, good fresh air."

That's a bit too cold for me :p

I prefer around 70*F in summer with maybe a 50-60*F nighttime temp, and in winter I like it around 30-50*F. Cool temps make the air feel fresh and clean-when it's really hot the air feels too stuffy for me.

I think my ficus tree and I prefer the same temps :)

8/31/16, when I put this pot together:

This morning:

Yikes, what are you feeding these beauties...reminds me of Jumanji!

Baby leaves--lots of them--on both ficuses! Few back-buds, which is understandable given how depleted the plant has been. It's so nice to get some nice results after just a few weeks.

I know this is a Now without a Then, but here's a fuzzy shot of an adorable addition to Mama Schefflera (about halfway down the photo on the end of the closest branch). I don't think she's grown as much as a leaf in at least two years, so it's a big deal for the old girl.It's like they're trying to encourage me to have faith in them.

Anthropomorphize much?

Sometimes you really don't realize how much a plant has grown durning the summer until it goes back to its same spot.

last winter vs today. Same window. In the first pic it's not even at the center of the window. Second pic, it's at the top.

Same pot.

My goodness!!! Dave...Did you keep them all in your house the whole year or weather them outside?

It seems you are using a form of the 5.1.1 mix? I can tell)))))))))))) Great job for a place that gets mostly short days, lack of hot sun and winter for weeks on end!

Tiffany....How are you. Your plants never cease to inspire me. The colors and ideas you get just blow my mind..Love them all...

Thanks! 5.1.1 mix is correct. All of my plants spend may - until early October outside.

They obviously love it, but I'm finding some are outgrowing their indoor spaces.

Last year vs today.