Years ago a friend gave me a small staghorn plant as a birthday gift, and I was thrilled, as they're lovely, and quite expensive to buy. When it grew, Ken divided it, and the plants continued to grow and put out "pups". When we'd remember, we'd put a spoiled banana in the top of the plant for nourishment...and they'd grow... Today we have staghorn plants hanging on the walls all around our yard, and Ken took this one down to divide it (into about 3 plants.) He thinks it weighs well over 30#, and I couldn't get the whole plant in my picture. That was quite a birthday gift all those years ago! Thank you, Shirley!
Ken apologizes that his hair's a mess, but he said I could go ahead and use the picture since we're all good friends now :-)
Also, I had a "better" picture for today, but refuse to post it here in protest. I'm still trying to redeam myself since my "Earth Day faux pas"... http://365daysintheyear.shutterfly.com/285
It looks as if Ken's being eaten by that plant! What a monster.... (the plant not Ken). Don't understand about the banana.... do you put it in the plant pot? Anyhow - great fun photograph and I'm off to look at the other pictures!
The banana has nutrients in it that are good for a staghorn...who knew... We just mush the soft banana in the top of the plant, and as it decays, the nutrients get absorbed. I'd say it works!
I like the way Ken is dominated by the plant and all squashed up in the corner ( nice composition by the way) He definitely is a sport to happily appear in your photo's!
Oh my that plant really is huge. I bet you have alot of friends who have also now been given the gift of a staghorn plant! The gift that keeps on giving.
Great shot Louise. It's the potassium they like from the banana peels. They grow really prolifically all through the bush here. I'll have to remember to get a shot one day of some of the bigger ones I've seen around here.
man that is a very big plant! its like you keep getting more birthday presents:) i looked at the pictures on your website. i cant believe you caught some tree vandalizers! i agree with you that it probably isnt a good idea to put that one up on here
My first staghorn came with instructions to feed it a banana once a month (we get a bit lax on that one...) I really don't know about all plants...the person you see in this picture is our green-thumb gardener :-) At that, I think he gardens by the seat of his pants. No expeerts under this roof!
Never heard of a staghorn. I spend more time on google after looking at pics on this site. ......... Ah, a warm climate fern. That's why I have never heard of it.
A reply to your comment on my pic. Modern?? I am thinking he got this in the very early sixties. I really can't come up with the exact year but that is my best guess. What can't be seen is the crank on the other side of the camera which wound the spring that ran the film through the camera. Yeah, modern. :-)
Since early morning, Denise & I have been discussing the new and evolving "365 Speak"... Her photo refrence is about the Happy Hour we all are now calling "Plan B"! And some weeks back, Denise coined "Onion" when we learn something new about you...
Hi Louise! I was just checking in this afternoon and was surprised and amused to see comments about "Plan B" popping up all over! Too funny. I am going to have to go back through Denise's photos and figure out where "Onion" came from -- I must have missed that...
I actually think it was Allison that coined the onion term (in reference to one of my pictures a LONG time ago!) - I was just very quick to adopt and use it! LOL!
hahaha, louise this reminds me of a movie i watched where the witch had very very long nails that stretch towards the victims...these leaves really look like very long nails. what a very unique plant for a gift!! you are lucky to have Ken as a "willing" subject for the photo, making your stories even more interesting too! I have seen the other photo in shutterfly...and you are right.
Thank you for your sweet comment on my rain drops picture, Louise! ;-) Just now, the sun is finally popping out of the clouds, so, who knows, the rain might be coming your way! :-) You must be taking really good care of your plants and giving them lots of love - that's why they grow so big! I can never keep house plants - I either water them too much, or too little, and they always end up dying or at Granny Emergency Care! ;-)) However, last year, to my granny's amazement, I managed to grow tons of veggies, including lots of tomatoes, broccoli and peppers! Bulgarian soil is really rich and good... Now, here in the US, we put up a small herb garden and our dill and parsley are already sprouting! It's such a miracle to plant something and watch it grow! :-)
It must be nice to be able to grow things. I never met a plant I couldn't kill, at least since moving to the Mid-Atlantic. All my plants flourished when I was in Los Angeles. I don't know if it was the weather or the Prozac I swear they put in the water.
I checked out squirrel whisperer website - they even have an infant "creeper" - just what the new grandbaby will need! Here's an idea - we all order one, shoot a self-portrait wearing it and post them the week you return to S. Calif. - okay?
Thanks Louise - it is a lovely wee church and in a beautiful part of Ireland. Alan's buried just at the door of the church...you can see the flowers on his grave just below centre right on the photograph. It was a good funeral.
Yes Louise - We do have so far to travel. To get to UK it's a 24 hour + plane ride. Same a US or Canada - about 20hours to LA & more if you go on to Vancouver.
We did an 11week round the world trip in 2006. We got good value - 17 flights in all on a round-the-world ticket. So we have to make the most of it once we're on the plane :D
haha Louise, i have "brown thumbs", i even killed cactus twice, can you believe it? thank God for my husband, our garden looks rather lovely in the summer time :))
I love that plant! And, Ken's hair, too! Sounds like it's taking over the yard!
Peek-A-Boo is a sweet kitty-------She follows me everywhere and uses me as a favorite pillow!
okay, I think "R" might be some more "365-speak" --- I'm gonna have to let Louise know, as I think she's the perfect candidate for keeping track of this sort of thing!
great shot first i thought he was hiding behind the plant until i read your "words" this plant reminds me of my diffenbachia plant . the mother plant is over 30 years old and we must have had almost a hundred or so it seems new pots made of this one. my husband cuts a slant into the stem keeps it open with some toothpicks puts a plastic bag around it filled with soil tightens it up and waters it to keep the soil wet until roots appear. after re-rooting we add it to the original pot to make it fuller or he cuts a hole section of the stem off then cuts it i into samll pieces and stands them up in a container with water to root . so we have given away many a pot and right at this moment i have 2 big plants. one is featured in my album Nature at it's best for viewing. back to you Louise i have never seen a leave like the one of your steghorn fern from the way you say it is humongous.
Tom Selleck doesn't need to worry about his hair!
HE'S TOM SELLECK!
And clearly he's "strong like bull!" ;-)
Love the plant!
You're right, that was quite the bday gift!
The gift that keeps on giving!
( Louise, I just told Slava a story on her turtle page, that you might like!)
Great plant, Louise. Too bad I am not closer!!! I would love to steal some of your "pups".
A reply to your comment on my pic. Modern?? I am thinking he got this in the very early sixties. I really can't come up with the exact year but that is my best guess. What can't be seen is the crank on the other side of the camera which wound the spring that ran the film through the camera. Yeah, modern. :-)
http://365project.org/kerri26/365/2010-04-23
We did an 11week round the world trip in 2006. We got good value - 17 flights in all on a round-the-world ticket. So we have to make the most of it once we're on the plane :D
Peek-A-Boo is a sweet kitty-------She follows me everywhere and uses me as a favorite pillow!
okay, I think "R" might be some more "365-speak" --- I'm gonna have to let Louise know, as I think she's the perfect candidate for keeping track of this sort of thing!
R = radioactive ... got it!