Today, I'm want to show you something that took me by complete surprise... AND has turned into my BEST Christmas present so far...!?!
Earlier in the year, (June-ish?) I came across some huge cuttings tossed in a skip bin at my daughter's college. After some hunting, I found that the librarian had been told needed to cut back one of her overgrown office plants.
Thankfully, she allowed me to take as many cuttings as I wanted before they went to waste and once I got home, I just threw them all into a bucket with some sphagnum moss, then I left them in the bathroom and hoped for the best.
Now, it's possible that I should have waited but as soon as I saw some fresh root growth, I decided (maybe a little to soon) to pot them up in some soil. After some second guessing, I was convinced that I'd done everything wrong and considered that the cuttings might not survive.
'Hmm, maybe I should have just left them in the bucket..? Oh well, no point worrying about it now, fingers crossed n hope for the best..!'
After some time, I mentioned to a friend, 'I don't know why I keep watering these...'
'Nah, just wait...' he replied, 'these kind of plants are like that, they won't do anything for months and all of a sudden they'll send up new shoots... just wait, you'll see.'
So I persevered and every time I watered the plants, I'd make sure to give this pot a really good soaking too.
Five months later, I finally noticed a little red shoot poking it way up through the sphagnum moss.
This first shoot sprouted from a cutting that I'd nearly thrown away after the re-potting but had decided to keep, leaving it in the original bucket with the sphagnum moss; this was now proving to be a good decision.
I'd managed to save at least one of the cuttings... phew!
A few days later, I noticed a bulge forming in the soil pot and when I moved some moss away, I found another shoot trying to push through to the light. This made my heart jump for joy because this meant that at least one of the cuttings that I'd planted in soil had also taken root.
Over the following days, I found Shoot #3 hiding next to Shoot #2 and it wasn't long before Shoot #4 and Shoot #5 found their way through to the light as well.
This was just unbelievable, I was so grateful Tomo had shared his thoughts with me that day, because I know I would have given up on them a lot sooner.
BUT now, watching those brand-new shoots stretch their shiny new leaves out to the sun, I finally felt relieved that the plant is going to survive after-all.
The photo below is of the last leaf remaining from the original cutting, with my hand in shot to give you a reference for size. You can clearly see why it caught my eye and made me take it home.
The new shoots will obviously need some time to grow into their adult leaves, however they already seem to be growing rather fast so I don't think it will be long before I'm showing photos of a full, healthy plant. (fingers crossed..!)
Since it's nearly Christmas, I'm making it one of my Christmas presents... and it's the best one I got so far!!!
Until next time... xxx
Be safe and stay sane... ❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for stopping by and reading my post, I really do appreciate your time.
All photos, stories and graphics are my own work unless otherwise noted.
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