Melissa if you put the cord into the pot holes like the letter U, let the bottom of loop touch pot bottom and the two end up on either side of pot. This makes removing the cord when repotting much easier. 😀
I'm in northern Canada and we're just coming out of about a week of ~ -23°F (-30°C) 😆 It's warming up this week though, which is exciting! I get to take my dogs out dog sledding 🥳 Your Alocasias look amazing! I would love to see a video on Silica and how you use it 🥰
Find it so relaxing to watch your repots, listen to your small talk and advise. Your reactions to dirty pon and insects. seeing the cats moving around. Just nice . have a nice December Melissa.
I love your repot videos so much! So relaxing!🩷 I’m excited to see how your pollinated alocasia does!! I know how much more complicated and different it is to pollinate an alocasia versus an anthurium, and I hope one day I can try it out too!😍😍😍 best of luck for your corm babies and the new babies to come!💚💚
I’ve been using silica for a long time, it really is great for plants. I like to use mine as a foliar spray, and spray my plants each time they get watered. I like to do it this way, instead of worrying about mixing it with other nutrients. If you do so, make sure you add the silica first and let sit for 20 mins before adding fertilizer, etc. it helps prevent pests, I’ve only ever dealt with spider mites but my plants still get them occasionally. Winter is the time they get spider mites the most. I love, love your alocasias! Seriously, you’re an alocasia magician.
49:19 She is so gorgeous!! I recently got a black velvet pink&albo variegated ❤. She is only a little tiny baby and I’ll pay $220 AUD for her and I cannot wait to get babies.
I'm also attempting to pollinate alocasia! I've read it's quite challenging because unlike anthurium, you have to cut into the spathe to access the female part of the flower! Also, timing is everything. 😊
I couldn't help myself with that 6th pink varigated BV corm. It was visible each time you turned the plant. I kept saying out loud, ' there's another one!' And eventually, 'Oh no, she's gonna miss it!' Glad you found him in the end 😂
You are the Alocasia queen your plants live in luxury, they look so healthy and beautiful... would definitely love to watch your silica video, I tried silica to prevent my monsterra Thai con from browning and a few of my plants got yellowing so I obviously didn't do it right. Got scared and put me off from using it.
I watched so many of your videos early on before I started using Pon and I have 90% of my collection in Pon (72 plants in self watering pots) and my plants love it! I really like yours and I began ordering it when I could no longer get Lechuza and you can’t keep it in stock either, bravo! I have my own fertilizing routine but I will be adding Silica to my routine. I have found that applying Rootmax to the roots of my plants when potting them up, even when using Pon, has also really helped my plants to thrive. Anyway, I love your videos and learning from you and I love your Pon.
Hey Melissa, from Greensboro, NC. Yeah, I woke up this morning to a dusting of snow - 40 degrees - but it feels like 25....buuurrrr❄️🌬 Thanks for the video.
i love love love your alocasia collection! im newer to houeseplants and i think your turning me onto alocasias, im a little nervous for myself.... but super excited. these plants are so cool!
aw welcome!! alocasias are a fun genus! I've always loved them but after trying pon out they have done so much better for me and I got really into the variegated varieties this year which isn't good haha. I always recommend a regal shields to start with...they're so easy going but they get huge!
Yayyy a long video!! Been working OT at work, 8 days straight! today was my Friday!! 🎉 your plants are SO beautiful !😍😍 Maybe keep the corm let that grow and pick which one you’d want to harvest from for your shop? So you technically get two pretty plants?😁😍 I was starting at the BV corm in the back like 👀👀👀! Wow! You got so many! Sooo excited for you! Digging for corms is so fun!😁 Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!
Thank you Sierra!! 🥹 sorry you had to work such a long stretch 🙏🏼 get some rest this weekend!! Good point with the corm 👀 I can’t believe I didn’t see the BV corm haha but definitely excited that it gave me so many good ones 🥹
Melissa have you thought about getting a small heated green house. I finially got one and love it. I can get to it easy and just need to heat when it is really cold. You wouldlove the extra room.
The beneficial mites Neoseiulus Californicus are very effective against spider mites and flat mites. Since I started using them regularly one year ago, I've never had spider mites or flat mites anymore on my alocasias and hoyas. I buy them from koppert (name brand is Spical Ulti Mite sachet) every 6 to 8 weeks. So worthy imo.
Here in Nova Scotia Canada it has gotten cold SO fast too😢 We had a few nice, mild fall days, and then the temps just dropped. Thankfully no snow yet and not insanely cold compared to some other places, but it still sucks 😂
I’m such a new plant mom and alocasia is my favorite! I’m watching this and it is mind blowing 🤯 I have no idea what this pons(?) and strata and silica stuff is. Suggestions on more I’m new plant mom stuff info?
Hey girl! I'm behind on watching so I hope you still see this. When the weather gets cold and I can't bring in plants, I use the old style Christmas lights (not LEDs) that give off a little warmth. Lay the lights over your plants and then cover them up. If I think the frost will melt and freeze again, I'll use the super thin plastic paint drop "cloth" under my cover so the water doesn't get to the plant.
We went to Islands of Adventure this summer and one of the restaurants had two of the most GORGEOUS and HUGE variegated Regal Shields potted in the front. I wanted to ask for a corm so bad 😅😂.
haha aww love that place! My husband wants to go back. I think the last time I went it was before houseplants so I'm sure seeing those would be so cool!
Love your sweater and nail color 😍 Do you know what will happen if the pollination takes? Is it just like anthurium and will grow berries/seeds? I unfortunately still get spider mites and I use silica with every watering 😫 Great video!
When I first started with plants, I was gifted a rose bush, I had it on my deck, I had thought a spider was webbing on it and I started looking closer and it had bad spider mites, it literally demolished my rose bush. I had to cut it back and thankfully it grew back out. I just got Maggie's organic pest spray from Walmart and it was really good. But now that I have so much more knowledge from watching you, I have good products and clean regularly 😁
I hope your Christmas was great! where did you get the self watering pots? I looked on your Amazon shop and didn't see them. But they are so cute and I need some more.
Make sure you use the right silica! You need the monosilicic acid version, not the potassium silicate one. xx many plant brands sell the wrong version that isn't bioavailable for plants.
@plantsbymelissa I have only about 40 plants and have been battling mealies and thrips.... I'm onto the beneficial nematodes now. They aren't cheap but anything to kill them! Plus I'm also spraying them with a spray from their "grow" shop. I'm coming to the realization that the pests are just a part of having houseplants unfortunately 😕
I was wondering, are you reusing your Stratham? I’m not familiar with Stratham and if it can be sterilized, but I’m wondering if reusing Stratham is creating the pest outbreak? Also, you should grab some Captain Jack’s vegetable garden dust. It’s easy to use you can just squeeze a little bit. It comes out in a “puff “ Around the stem of the plant and you water after, but I have used that and mixed it in a big jug of water and watered my moss poles with it that way the dust gets inside the pole and I think it worked because I’ve never had any ant issues, etc. again it’s by Captain Jack’s and it’s a garden dust mix a bunch of it in some water, even though it says that it can’t be mixed with water I did this and then I watered my poles… I would never use alcohol on any of my plants. I just think it’s too harsh.
When you add silica to plants not in pon, do you add it with your fertilizer or do you separate it? I’ve heard people suggest not adding it to fertilizer
The main stump went dormant - I have it in stratum but the original leaf yellowed off so it hasn't regrown yet. I have 2 baby corms that sprouted leaves that I found when I initially took it out of soil but they are tiny. Hoping it can regrow soon 🥹
I just found some spider mites!as well! Ughhh. I thought I was protected with the beneficial Insects that were still here since last autumn, but I recently put on a dehumidifier and I think decreasing the humidity under 70% might have killed most of the beneficials… I think the spider mites came with a Colocasia I bought that was in a garden outside… next time I’ll isolate new plants and spray them frequently with neem soap. Just ordered 4 kinds of beneficials again and I’m getting rid of the dehumidifier until next year. It was drying my poles way too fast and I had to water everything as if it was summer.
Did you try Borax to get rid of ants.? It is not used on plants, but is given in the form of a sugar solution that will attract ants to feed on it. After a while, not directly, the ants will die because it will cause them severe diarrhea 😅
@plantsbymelissa I'm sure there is a main ant nest outside... trace their path... make a mixture of borax and honey or maple syrup, making sure to put it in a closed container with holes... try to target the nests inside and outside at the same time... I expect it will be a successful attempt because all sources will be eliminated at the same time....
Sure! You can buy them in a combo pack or separately. Smaller ones: www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNDNTT17?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzmeli0992-20&creativeASIN=B0BNDNTT17&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.3DGT1T05R3EUS&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_m_asin Larger ones: www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZNM3HJN?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzmeli0992-20&creativeASIN=B0CZNM3HJN&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.3DGT1T05R3EUS&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_m_asin
Suggestion fir ants I would take outside completely remove from pole throw away moss change out soil completely throw away old soil i know it's expensive but it's better for your plant prayers hun
Ugh, I hope they leave me and my moss poles alone lol. We are going to have someone come spray. They really seemed to be attracted to the nectaries on the philos. They were all over the splendid leaf. I have it isolating right now but I think I'll end up removing the moss. I already took a top cutting of it so less moss to work with :/
@plantsbymelissa sounds like a good plan sorry I would get rid of soil too they could have made a home there spraying is a good plan I forgot to mention that praying for you
Melissa if you put the cord into the pot holes like the letter U, let the bottom of loop touch pot bottom and the two end up on either side of pot. This makes removing the cord when repotting much easier. 😀
That’s a genius way to do it. I wouldn’t have thought of that.
Ah good point 😜 I’ll have to remember next time I repot one. Thank you!
Whoa pro tip! 🏆
Love the pink black velvet. She is stunning😍
I'm in northern Canada and we're just coming out of about a week of ~ -23°F (-30°C) 😆 It's warming up this week though, which is exciting! I get to take my dogs out dog sledding 🥳 Your Alocasias look amazing! I would love to see a video on Silica and how you use it 🥰
Thank you!! -23F oh my goodness that's so cold 🥶 Dog sledding sounds so fun!! haha. For the silica I add it every time I water so usually once a week.
@@plantsbymelissa I too would love video on how to use silica
Find it so relaxing to watch your repots, listen to your small talk and advise. Your reactions to dirty pon and insects. seeing the cats moving around. Just nice . have a nice December Melissa.
Thank you so much 🥹
That pink black velvet is so gorgeous. Wow!
Thank you! 🫶🏻
These alocasia s are gorgeous! Love your videos Melissa.❤
Yes it went from the 70s to 40s in just a few days! I live in NC and it's getting so cold at night, the lower 20s. Stay warm Melissa! 🥶
Thank you!! Stay warm as well 🫶
I love your repot videos so much! So relaxing!🩷 I’m excited to see how your pollinated alocasia does!! I know how much more complicated and different it is to pollinate an alocasia versus an anthurium, and I hope one day I can try it out too!😍😍😍 best of luck for your corm babies and the new babies to come!💚💚
Aw, thank you! I'll be sure to share updates🤞
Ooh can’t wait to see how the corms do 😊
I have been to flighty lately it took me four times to watch this video. Well worth it.
🥹🫶🏻💗
I’m so happy for you Melissa. All those corms that beautiful plant gave you will really help your shop.
Aw, thank you so much! 🥹
I’ve been using silica for a long time, it really is great for plants. I like to use mine as a foliar spray, and spray my plants each time they get watered. I like to do it this way, instead of worrying about mixing it with other nutrients. If you do so, make sure you add the silica first and let sit for 20 mins before adding fertilizer, etc. it helps prevent pests, I’ve only ever dealt with spider mites but my plants still get them occasionally. Winter is the time they get spider mites the most. I love, love your alocasias! Seriously, you’re an alocasia magician.
49:19 She is so gorgeous!! I recently got a black velvet pink&albo variegated ❤. She is only a little tiny baby and I’ll pay $220 AUD for her and I cannot wait to get babies.
I'm also attempting to pollinate alocasia! I've read it's quite challenging because unlike anthurium, you have to cut into the spathe to access the female part of the flower! Also, timing is everything. 😊
I couldn't help myself with that 6th pink varigated BV corm. It was visible each time you turned the plant. I kept saying out loud, ' there's another one!' And eventually, 'Oh no, she's gonna miss it!' Glad you found him in the end 😂
Haha I know, I was trying to be thorough but I almost missed it! 😜
You are the Alocasia queen your plants live in luxury, they look so healthy and beautiful... would definitely love to watch your silica video, I tried silica to prevent my monsterra Thai con from browning and a few of my plants got yellowing so I obviously didn't do it right. Got scared and put me off from using it.
A master at work, Plantologist Extraordinaire. Thanks.
I watched so many of your videos early on before I started using Pon and I have 90% of my collection in Pon (72 plants in self watering pots) and my plants love it! I really like yours and I began ordering it when I could no longer get Lechuza and you can’t keep it in stock either, bravo! I have my own fertilizing routine but I will be adding Silica to my routine. I have found that applying Rootmax to the roots of my plants when potting them up, even when using Pon, has also really helped my plants to thrive. Anyway, I love your videos and learning from you and I love your Pon.
I’m so glad it’s working for you! 🥰 thank you for the support 🥹🫶🏻
All of those corms is so exciting 💚
Hey Melissa, from Greensboro, NC. Yeah, I woke up this morning to a dusting of snow - 40 degrees - but it feels like 25....buuurrrr❄️🌬 Thanks for the video.
aw I miss NC and the snow. It definitely got cold this week. I think tonight it'll be chilly so stay warm! 🥰❄️
i love love love your alocasia collection! im newer to houeseplants and i think your turning me onto alocasias, im a little nervous for myself.... but super excited. these plants are so cool!
aw welcome!! alocasias are a fun genus! I've always loved them but after trying pon out they have done so much better for me and I got really into the variegated varieties this year which isn't good haha. I always recommend a regal shields to start with...they're so easy going but they get huge!
Alocasias are so pretty and you have a good way with them; yours always look so nice😊 it's pretty cold here in Seattle too🌨️🌄⛄
Here in the Portland Oregon metro areas.
Yayyy a long video!! Been working OT at work, 8 days straight! today was my Friday!! 🎉 your plants are SO beautiful !😍😍 Maybe keep the corm let that grow and pick which one you’d want to harvest from for your shop? So you technically get two pretty plants?😁😍 I was starting at the BV corm in the back like 👀👀👀! Wow! You got so many! Sooo excited for you! Digging for corms is so fun!😁
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!!
Thank you Sierra!! 🥹 sorry you had to work such a long stretch 🙏🏼 get some rest this weekend!! Good point with the corm 👀 I can’t believe I didn’t see the BV corm haha but definitely excited that it gave me so many good ones 🥹
@ yess!! The variegation is so good on each plant of yours, I am so curious to how the babies will turn out😍😍😍
You’re the sweetest thank you ✨🫶🏻
Your alocasia videos are the best. ❤
Melissa have you thought about getting a small heated green house. I finially got one and love it. I can get to it easy and just need to heat when it is really cold. You wouldlove the extra room.
You're so good at growing plants 😊
🥹 thank you!
“She always has to get her way” 😂 that's my queen cat, Margot, she will give me a tongue-lashing if things are not to her standards and wants. ❤
😂😂
The beneficial mites Neoseiulus Californicus are very effective against spider mites and flat mites. Since I started using them regularly one year ago, I've never had spider mites or flat mites anymore on my alocasias and hoyas. I buy them from koppert (name brand is Spical Ulti Mite sachet) every 6 to 8 weeks. So worthy imo.
love it!very good
Thank you so much! 😊
Here in Nova Scotia Canada it has gotten cold SO fast too😢
We had a few nice, mild fall days, and then the temps just dropped. Thankfully no snow yet and not insanely cold compared to some other places, but it still sucks 😂
Happy December! 💕🌱
Happy December!! 🎄🥰
I’m such a new plant mom and alocasia is my favorite! I’m watching this and it is mind blowing 🤯 I have no idea what this pons(?) and strata and silica stuff is. Suggestions on more I’m new plant mom stuff info?
Also… I went for gold and my first alocasia is a Jacklyn 😆
Hey girl! I'm behind on watching so I hope you still see this. When the weather gets cold and I can't bring in plants, I use the old style Christmas lights (not LEDs) that give off a little warmth. Lay the lights over your plants and then cover them up. If I think the frost will melt and freeze again, I'll use the super thin plastic paint drop "cloth" under my cover so the water doesn't get to the plant.
We went to Islands of Adventure this summer and one of the restaurants had two of the most GORGEOUS and HUGE variegated Regal Shields potted in the front. I wanted to ask for a corm so bad 😅😂.
haha aww love that place! My husband wants to go back. I think the last time I went it was before houseplants so I'm sure seeing those would be so cool!
Love your sweater and nail color 😍 Do you know what will happen if the pollination takes? Is it just like anthurium and will grow berries/seeds? I unfortunately still get spider mites and I use silica with every watering 😫
Great video!
Thanks Tiffany 🥹 yes, it’ll produce berries like anthurium do. Kinda cool if it works out.
That’s was fun to watch you get corm for the first time from albo regal shield 🎉 l love alocasia because of you it’s amazing plants 💚
Haha I was so excited to find it. I can't wait to see when they sprout! 🤩
🥹🫶🏻 glad I could get you into them!
When I first started with plants, I was gifted a rose bush, I had it on my deck, I had thought a spider was webbing on it and I started looking closer and it had bad spider mites, it literally demolished my rose bush. I had to cut it back and thankfully it grew back out. I just got Maggie's organic pest spray from Walmart and it was really good. But now that I have so much more knowledge from watching you, I have good products and clean regularly 😁
Would be interested in buying the albo regal shield if you decide to sell it on your shop!!
I hope your Christmas was great! where did you get the self watering pots? I looked on your Amazon shop and didn't see them. But they are so cute and I need some more.
Make sure you use the right silica! You need the monosilicic acid version, not the potassium silicate one. xx many plant brands sell the wrong version that isn't bioavailable for plants.
Yes, I’m aware. I’ve used power si for a year now 😊
💚💚💚
Pleaseeeeee share your variegated pink velvet with us soon!❤
I showed the pink black velvet in this video 💕
@ oops 😅 I meant in your plant restock!
You can breed your own beneficial mites. I haven't done it but a UA-cam channel from Toronto explains how to do it.
I saw Genna’s video on it! I might consider it in the future but it was so interesting ☺️
@plantsbymelissa I have only about 40 plants and have been battling mealies and thrips.... I'm onto the beneficial nematodes now. They aren't cheap but anything to kill them!
Plus I'm also spraying them with a spray from their "grow" shop.
I'm coming to the realization that the pests are just a part of having houseplants unfortunately 😕
Wow! Those are big corms!!
Melissa, can you let us know what you do to your pon to prepare it to reuse.
I was wondering, are you reusing your Stratham? I’m not familiar with Stratham and if it can be sterilized, but I’m wondering if reusing Stratham is creating the pest outbreak? Also, you should grab some Captain Jack’s vegetable garden dust. It’s easy to use you can just squeeze a little bit. It comes out in a “puff “ Around the stem of the plant and you water after, but I have used that and mixed it in a big jug of water and watered my moss poles with it that way the dust gets inside the pole and I think it worked because I’ve never had any ant issues, etc. again it’s by Captain Jack’s and it’s a garden dust mix a bunch of it in some water, even though it says that it can’t be mixed with water I did this and then I watered my poles… I would never use alcohol on any of my plants. I just think it’s too harsh.
Melissa, how do you take care of powdery mildew?
I've used physan 20 with success. I had do to a couple treatments but it stopped the spread. I've gotten it on a few of my philos before :(
When you add silica to plants not in pon, do you add it with your fertilizer or do you separate it? I’ve heard people suggest not adding it to fertilizer
❤
If my Alocasias seem to be well in the soil from the store, should I still repot them in Stratium and them pon?
It's really up to you! If you like pon and want to grow in it then you can transfer them. I prefer to move them to stratum first :D
Melissa, how is your longiloba purple doing?!
The main stump went dormant - I have it in stratum but the original leaf yellowed off so it hasn't regrown yet. I have 2 baby corms that sprouted leaves that I found when I initially took it out of soil but they are tiny. Hoping it can regrow soon 🥹
A corm from the regal albo will pay for the beneficials 😂
haha very true!
I just found some spider mites!as well! Ughhh. I thought I was protected with the beneficial
Insects that were still here since last autumn, but I recently put on a dehumidifier and I think decreasing the humidity under 70% might have killed most of the beneficials…
I think the spider mites came with a Colocasia I bought that was in a garden outside… next time I’ll isolate new plants and spray them frequently with neem soap. Just ordered 4 kinds of beneficials again and I’m getting rid of the dehumidifier until next year. It was drying my poles way too fast and I had to water everything as if it was summer.
oh no I'm sorry to hear that :( Hoping they go away for you soon!!
I would like to pre-order a pink black velvet corm please! 😂😂
Did you try Borax to get rid of ants.? It is not used on plants, but is given in the form of a sugar solution that will attract ants to feed on it. After a while, not directly, the ants will die because it will cause them severe diarrhea 😅
I haven't used straight borox yet but I tried several of the terro ant baits. They didn't stop them from coming into the poles 🥲
@plantsbymelissa
I'm sure there is a main ant nest outside... trace their path... make a mixture of borax and honey or maple syrup, making sure to put it in a closed container with holes... try to target the nests inside and outside at the same time... I expect it will be a successful attempt because all sources will be eliminated at the same time....
Can you link me to all the self watering pots you have in this episode please
Sure! You can buy them in a combo pack or separately.
Smaller ones: www.amazon.com/dp/B0BNDNTT17?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzmeli0992-20&creativeASIN=B0BNDNTT17&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.3DGT1T05R3EUS&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_m_asin
Larger ones: www.amazon.com/dp/B0CZNM3HJN?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzmeli0992-20&creativeASIN=B0CZNM3HJN&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.3DGT1T05R3EUS&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_m_asin
Suggestion fir ants I would take outside completely remove from pole throw away moss change out soil completely throw away old soil i know it's expensive but it's better for your plant prayers hun
Ugh, I hope they leave me and my moss poles alone lol. We are going to have someone come spray. They really seemed to be attracted to the nectaries on the philos. They were all over the splendid leaf. I have it isolating right now but I think I'll end up removing the moss. I already took a top cutting of it so less moss to work with :/
@plantsbymelissa sounds like a good plan sorry I would get rid of soil too they could have made a home there spraying is a good plan I forgot to mention that praying for you
I have a stupid question 😅 why do Alocasia’s flower and pollinate when they make corms that can be grown? It doesn’t make sense to me.
That’s a good point 😂 probably just for breeding purposes so you can cross them.
@ OH!!! I never would have thought of that…little stinkers. 😆
would like to ask you ，How to fertilHow to fertilize a flower pot like this？
Self watering pots hold a reservoir so each time I add water I use my nutrients.
@ thank you 🙏
My alocasias and anthuriums are sad, they are losing their leaves 😭 and also I believe there s spider mites too
I just got 3 weeks ago 3 new alocasias and they have plugs. How do I remove the plugs I am afraid it will tear all roots off
I try to be as gentle as possible so it doesn’t shock. Sometimes some roots come off with it.
What su
I’m so excited to transfer my Alocasias to pon 🥹🥹 and hopefully I can find some corms while repotting them🥹🥹
aw hoping for some corms for you!! It's so fun to repot them ☺️🫶