Please note that on Ciao, I'll be spending sundays as my reading and rating day - the site is so s...
Please note that on Ciao, I'll be spending sundays as my reading and rating day - the site is so slow generally that the only way to avid meltdown is to do it all at once!
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I like house plants . They do not, however, seem to like me . Many innocent plants have entered my home, unaware of the neglect they would suffer at my hands - starvation, dehydration, abusive pruning - only to die a slow and painful death, and to end their lives unceremoniously dumped at the bottom of my garden waste bin.
It's not that I'm rubbish at gardening - my garden plants thrive, because I make a point of going out and looking after them . My house plants, alas, get forgotten about in the day to day business of being a mum, buried behind piles of junk mail and left to gather dust.
There is however one plant that has stubbornly refused to die - withstanding even the most brutal torture without turning a leaf - and that's my money plant, gifted to me by my mum .
The money plant, Crassula Ovata (or Jade plant as it is known in China) comes from the succulent family, the same family as cactus plants . Luckily, it has no prickly bits, so is safe for little kiddy fingers and cats that like to eat everything. Luckily for the plant, this also means it it able to store water in the leaves and roots to call on when I forget to water it!
It is an attractive plant with bright green, thick, succulent, rubbery leaves , which turn reddish brown on the tips if left in sunlight! Don't worry, this doesn't mean it's dying - money plants LOVE the sunlight, although they are just as happy sitting in a dark corner somewhere . They also flower, tiny white blossoms, although mine has only ever done this once , after I deprived it of water for a particularly long time .
I've never had to feed my plant, and I leave mine on my kitchen windowsill in direct sunlight . I water it a little probably once every two or three weeks, only a couple of teaspoons full at a time, and it seems to be loving it - it's grown a little, although these plants are pretty slow growers. It's also survived being covered in dust , though I did take pity on it and give it a wash with a wet cloth .
The money plant is believed to bring wealth and happiness to its owner, especially if it is given to someone as a gift rather than them purchasing it. I don't know if I feel any richer since having the plant (I've had it six months now) but I did win a tenner on the lottery a couple of times, perhaps the plant had a hand in this!
One of the great things with money plants is that once you have one, you can easily have more . Taking a cutting is simple - cut a piece about three inches in length and leave it overnight to dry - the cut end seals itself. Remove the bottom few leaves, and plonk the stem into a pot of moist soil or sand . Don't over water it - just give it a tiny amount once a week or so, and soon you'll have a lovely little money plant to give to a friend .
I would definitely recommend this as a house plant for people who perhaps don't have time to fuss and faff about with watering, feeding, and all that stuff . It's so easy to look after, and easy to get more plants from the original. I love my little green plant- although I'm still waiting for that lottery jackpot!
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Jul 8th, 2009
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