Insomnia Thread...

[Jananas Bananas]

Maybe! I love going to them they are always such a surprise. Something for everyone. DH looks at the manly man stuff and I go look at the girly girl stuff! ~J

[Willow87]

Wow Janan, you are so lucky. I love going to estate sales and garage sales. Drew, with my magnolia i have it in a mostly sunny for most of the year until it gets hot, then I move it to partial shade. I fertilized it alot last year so I dont know why. Its also in a giant container so that may also be a reason

[drew leonard]

Cam,

High Nitrogen Ferts? If so; could be the reason maybe! Check the P.H. also. Should be around 6

[Willow87]

Well the fertilizer I used was high in phosphates. Then I added some of my potassium fertilizer that i used for my bananas. I think the pH neutral to slightly alkaline because the water here is slightly alkaline

[The Hollyberry Lady]

I bet the blooms smell amazing, Cam & Drew!!!


I have a perfume of magnolia and it's beautiful smelling.


Hope you guys are having a good Saturday.


JaNan, be sure to tell us about your auction sale and let us know what you picked up...


: )

[Willow87]

It does have a wonderful and unique smell. Tonight its going to freeze so the blooms may die =( i would cover it with a sheet but the flowers are on the edge of the plant so the sheet would probably crush them

[The Hollyberry Lady]

A lot of perfumes are made from magnolia. It's so nice that you have your own little tree, Cam!


It's in a pot right now, or in the ground?


: )

[Willow87]

I want to grow a southern magnolia when I can. I've had it in a container for 3 years. Its a slow grower so it makes a perfect container plant. But sometimes I wonder if it would grow fast and do better if I planted it?

[The Hollyberry Lady]

I believe nearly everything grows better in the ground but I don't know much about magnolia tree growing. Make sure it's hardy to your zone of course, and then plant it out in spring. It'll just love it!


Here's a couple funny shots I just took of Henry...








: )

[Willow87]

The main issue with this magnolia and most deciduous magnolias is the heat here. Mine ends up losing all of its leaves no matter the amount of water I give it. It gets scorched in mid summer and by September its naked lol. I put it in partial shade during mid to late summer. The southern magnolia is the more common choice grown here. Though it needs alot of organic and rich soil. Henry looks so cute! He is posing for the camera lol

[The Hollyberry Lady]

He really is a poser!


It sounds like that type isn't the best suited to your conditions, Cam. I'd plant it in a full-shade position, or keep it in a pot. How cool anyway, to have a magnolia tree in a container!


You've kept it alive this long and it's now blooming...so you're doing something right. I'd leave it as is...until you get the other one you want.


Then you can sell that one on eBay.


: )

[Willow87]

My birds are kind of scared of the camera lol.
Its strange because they sell them alot around here, so I always thought magnolias liked any type of weather as long as it wasnt too cold, but I was wrong lol. I'll definitely keep it in a container because I dont know how long i will be in this house, and I dont want to have to dig it up, so I'll keep it to a manageable size. Its so big I dont know if I could sell it on ebay LOL. Its about 5 feet tall right now and bushy.

[The Hollyberry Lady]

I can't seem to recall if you showed us the whole tree Cam, but I'd like to see it sometime when you feel like it. It's just really cool that you have one of those. I admit I'm kind of jealous.


I bet it could remain in a pot for a long time to come...but you may choose to transplant it into something bigger in spring...although I'd research first and see if they mind transplanting because some trees don't take too kindly to it.


Henry isn't shy at all now, but he once was. He's now more like me though, and has gotten over it. He now says "that's not very nice"! I've said it to him when he's tried to peck at Buttons, my mom's bunny, or if he's in a mood and he juts his beak towards me threateningly. I didn't realize he'd picked up on it though and one morning he blurted it out, much to my surprise! He says things I don't even know he's learned, or picked up on! What a bird he is.


: )

[Willow87]

Ill post a picture of it tomorrow morning. It has a quite a few tiny leaves on it. The container is really big. I tried to get some seeds off of it the first year but the cones never produced anything. I may even try rooting some cuttings. Most people grow it as a large shrub or small tree because it doesnt get too big which is why I also like it. I've even seen magnolia bonsai online lol.
I think magnolias dont like to be bothered once planted, though I did transplant a friends southern magnolia and its doing well now.
Thats amazing, I wish mine could talk. Mine mimics the phone LOL

[The Hollyberry Lady]

My aunt's male budgie, Willie, mimics her dog barking! Too cute that yours mimics the phone ringing!


So cool about magnolia trees! So your friend has the kind you really want...where did they get theirs from? Maybe you could try cuttings from their tree also. Neat that they don't get too big either...I like that.


I had a late lunch and need to make something to eat for dinner now, but I'm not sure what to make. Maybe just something simple...like a grilled cheese with a salad. I'm not starved but I should eat something.


I went out last night to my girlfriend's place and we played some old arcade games on playstation...like miss pac man. It was kind of fun.


Tonight I'm just hanging out but my mom next door invited me over if I want to go later on.


I'm going to offer Henry a bath if he wants one in the morning. I have a conditioner for his skin & feathers too that helps when he's molting...but I have to hold onto him to apply it and then rinse him off.


: )

[Willow87]

Wow thats so cool, i bet it sounds funny lol.
Well she got hers 10 years ago, one was in the front yard and one was in the back. the one in the front after 10 years was still only a foot tall and the one in the back is about 12 feet tall LOL. So I transplanted the one in the front to the backyard. I never thought of taking cuttings and I was just over there today LOL. Im going to try and read up about rooting magnolia cuttings. The flowers are huge and have a citrus like smell. The "Little Girl" Hybrids (Ann, Jane, Susan) are usually smaller types and bloom later than the saucer magnolias. Southern magnolias can get humongous, but they are evergreen.
I love playing arcade games, but now a days i play computer games lol. I had some flatbread sandwiches for dinner.

[The Hollyberry Lady]

Now my mom called and wants to go splitz on a pizza when she's finished packing around 10!


Sounds good to me because I'm not in the mood to cook or bother too much at all.


Yeah I like playing Q-bert on computer sometimes late at night...I was really good at it when I was a kid but have discovered I'm even better as an adult!


Shhhhhsh...or you'll get me craving to play a game and I'll be gone!


Video games can be very addictive but I really don't play them too often. Mostly when I'm with friends or bored.


Do you know how to play chess, Cam? I could teach you! I wish someone would have me a game online. I've played with strangers but it's not as much fun.


So I took the pod with the strawberry seeds, out of the aero~garden! I realized today they're not germinating because they don't like the overly warm atmosphere. I will put the pod back into the system once the seeds pop of course but it's in my cool bathroom until they do.


I bet they'll sprout now but it could be awhile until they realize the heat is gone and it's safe to come out now. We'll see...


I think yours and your friend's trees sound great, Cam. Now I want one too.


: )

[Jananas Bananas]

Good Morning Gang! Still sipping coffee and trying to shake the cobwebs out of my head! I sure did not want to wake up yet this morning, but the cats said that we has slept in long enough and were walking and purring all over us! That's hard to ignore, but I tried!

Got a few things at the estate sale yesterday, but not too much. It was a lot of fun. I will go take a few pictures in a little bit.

What is everyone going to do today? It is supposed to be beautiful today so I will get outside and probably work in my flower beds again.

Later! ~J

[Willow87]

Good morning Janan and Sherry.
Im glad you found some things at the estate sale, I saw a couple down the street yesterday but I didnt have any money LOL. Sherry I wish I knew how to play chess but I dont. I got my magnolia for around $17, it was already 3 feet tall.

[The Hollyberry Lady]

Hi Gang!


Hope you're all having a great Sunday so far. I'm just tinkering around doing a few things and making green tea.


JaNan, did you see my mom's new Easter egg...and Buttons? He was so adorable last night and very affectionate. I just had to take a couple shots of him for the pet thread.


I'm glad you had fun at the auction...looking forward to seeing your shots.


Cam that's amazing that you only paid $17 bucks for it. That thing is so nice and worth way more. You're lucky to have such a special tree like that. I can tell you love it though, so no doubt it's well cared for.


Wondering what might pop in my earo-garden today...perhaps those tomato seeds I sowed a few days ago.


I had fun at my mom's place last night...we were watching this comedy called "The Associate" with Whoopi Goldberg. It was actually really funny and I kind of ejoyed it...even though I'm not the biggest Whoopi fan.


So what are your plans today, everyone?


: )