Creeping Fig - Updates

I had first purchased this plant somewhere in July 2009.
When I first saw it
I thought it was an ivy species only to realise later that it is the invasive creeping kind.
Sad to say, as much I anticipate the heavy uncontrollable invasion.
Nothing of that sort had happened.
This one was as mild & docile as possible and a slight change on the plant just put the plant on a shock and its totally die back and restart back at the root base.

This is the Varigated type of Creeping Fig (Ficus Repens)

The first 3 pictures here are the initial stages of the plant.
When the plant started creeping on the wall.
The green "wild side" started to take dominance and the white ones slowly fading off.

I made a big mistake by placing it on the hanging basket against the wall. I should have started it from ground to the top.
Eventually I cut off the ones crawling on the wall but that portion totally died.
Sadly the plant didn't really recover to the former glory.
Its still alive but barely making back to its glory days.

I manage to place it near the orchid side and it was somehow slowly picking up.
Until the rat menace took over where the rat start chewing on the base of the trailing vine cutting of the rest of the creeper which suddenly appeared be dead clinging to the wall.
It was a great disappointment as I was not able to do anything to save them.

Here you can see.
The plant had totally ditched the white variegation form from it's leaves.
It had pushed all the white colouration on one spot of the plant and had totally purge it as that particular part totally dried off.
Some plants are just wild and it will show its wild side when the opportunity strikes.

 These are my next experiment of getting to grow again from a different cuttings found along the roadside. I had tried many trials to get them growing strong but somehow they seemed to be very sensitive, slow and proves difficult when their environment is not according to their liking.

These are few things which I found that doesn't work:

1) They don't root in water (I tried many cuttings and they all died)
Contrary to what is adviced in some tips found in the net.

2) They don't root in Sphagnum Moss.

3) They don't do well in shade. They appear to be dormant but suddenly drops its leave dried and brown when left in shade in few weeks.

4) So far the successful rate of it are these in these containers (picture below)
I had added some fertiliser and they are growing slowly - not ready for any creeping session yet.

5) I found that they start well in growth with sand compared to other mediums.
But these are more like out 10 cuttings only 2-3 survives.

I have yet to discover more information concerning this.
Whatever that is said in the internet based information seems to sound easy (some that claim) but to me, it proves challenging and difficult.

I hope someone would able to give a clear cut approach in propagating this one
as I truly love this plant to adorn my garden walls.
Appreciate if anyone can share their experience on this.

Garden Oh Garden....

These are the moment I'm scratching my head and wondering what to say,
"Ahh...Hmm..."(sigh!)

Its ridiculous actually, I just reset the whole thing and its not what intend it to be. Another few weeks & I'm sure the whole thing would turn into a blob of plants, I hardly can see the base of the pot now (making it more difficult for me to water)

Somehow, it look pretty in their own mess but should I make it neat and tidy?
Again, I really don't have the time & energy to do it.

What do you think dear gardeners?
Share with me your thoughts & ideas of what should I do concerning this.

Would consider this beautiful & keep it or prefer otherwise? (neat & tidy)

Minority Repot

Have you seen Steven Spielberg movie (2002 sci-fi) - Minority Report starred by Tom Cruise & Collin Farrell? Its a futuristic movie about a psychic where her thoughts can be observed and their images manipulated - Tom Cruise and his crew arrest killers before they've had a chance to commit murder.
The twist begins when he is framed as a murderer but wait.. a crime which he didn't commit yet?

Ok..Ok.. where does gardening got to with this?
There was a scene where Tom goes to a gardeners house where the gardener tends all the carnivorous plants in her greenhouse- and that seemed to be interesting to note when it comes to hybrid plants, plants that guard at your gate, plants that cues and plays with your hand...

This is a short script a scene in the greenhouse:

Dr. Iris Henimen:
"It's funny how all living organisms are alike... "
[she starts crushing a mutated plant]

"when the chips are down,
when the pressure is on,
every creature on the face of the Earth
is interested in one thing and one thing only."

[as she continue to crush harder, the plant scars her palm]
"Its own survival. "

You can click here to see the portion of the movie:
Minority Report Part 7

That reminds me of this Creeping Fig (Ficus Repens).
When I purchased it - it was all so docile and tame, and you can see it showing its colour - no, not the variegated white and green - the part where it shed its innocent whites and starts crawling on the walls.
This is how it looked like earlier when I first bought it: Click Here

I'm not saying that's bad, it just what nature would do when its left alone, creating its own environment when left alone.

And the moral of the story: Its all about Survival.






.
Does any of your plants wants to tell you: Leave me alone!
.
Well this one does, I dare not transfer this, the last time I did that - the whole plant dried up and dead. So this happened to be surviving in the pockets of other main plants. Somehow, it does serve as a good ground cover.
.
Click below for more information about this plant:
Red Flame Ivy (Hemigraphis Alternata)
.

.

This is one of my rescued plants,

Aluminium Plant. (Pilea Cadierei) Also known as Watermelon Plant.

I consider this as one of the difficult plants to cultivate. The whole this is just one plant and you tell me how on earth am I going to propagate this more?

.

Basic factor:

1) Requires light shade to full shade. (Does not tolerate direct sun without burning of the leaves)

.

2) Requires a sandy well-drained soil with regular watering.

.

3) Propagated by cuttings or division.

.

4) Considered as a poisonous plant. (all parts of the plant)
.

Creeping Fig - Ficus Repens

Nothing creepy about this fig, nor its not the type that you would look for it's friuts. I seriously thought this one was an ivy.

It suppose to be invasive where it creeps against the wall and seriously cause a nuisance. Somehow I was not sure about that and placed it against the wall but until now, none of the vines had attached itself against any wall. Probably I might use a sticker and force it to attach itself... see if I have the time to do it... (hehehehe)

I have not yet tried on propagating this plant, said that it is difficult. I noticed that there are roots coming out at the bottom of the vine but not seen any taking the soil or getting the roots in any form. Will follow-up on this matter.

Memoria Emotionalism

Im feeling blue...
or in this case...green...
moodless...
ahh..
wished I had a drop of zeal...



And the songs of winds becons me..
rings of chime..
above, aloft, about, upright...

But now..
its windless...



And waited...
And wreaths of memory envelops me...



From the bossom of the horn,
flowed sparklets of rubies...
A glimmer of hope...
my blue is turning green...
Yet time is so slow...

And so slowly she crawled ,

when my world is ruthlessly fast,

like a fish...

from morning to night...

again in all days of my life...

Clutters of rose hugging by my shoulders

and arm full of comfort

that grace often taken for granted..

That raindrops share,

upon the petals of care,

and behold a dream in a dream

an unawaken mood of my blues...

A stone throw...

glazed robes of royal and bright..

a friend with a helping hand..

to lift up upon a moss..

And Mountains peak a pair...

around the shrouded pearls..

upon a Man and his Woman..

standing side by side....

Extended a welcome...

a brace of outburst..

outpouring upfront...

entwined two into one..

From the North to the South,

To the East and the West,

From the Top to the bottom

and his sides and hers...

As there was seen against all odds,

entwined with barbs..

yet grace prevails..

raindows and dews behold..

There was three,

Love, Joy and Peace...

By the shore, maidens washed her hair,

and her mother stand guard her daughters...

by the valley lay thick inside the woods..

where hidden tigers found sleeping peacefully...

And then awaken these beast,

with piercing eyes..

of flames of red,

sparking in the dense forest...

The maidens frightened,

but flee away when mother protects

but behold a charming prince appeared

with blazing armor at the edge of the woods...

Then a charming fairy appeared

her gown flow freely innocent

that grace of green and white..

and my blue turned evergreen..

The tigers was assured their sleep

The maiden married the prince

her mother and his nation rejoiced

what the fairy accomplished

upon my evergreen day...