Cheese plant question

It sounds as though you are already doing everything just right. I should try and see if you can manouvre these 'sideshoots' into pots of their own while still attached to the parent plant, hopefully roots will grow and then you can remove the kids from the Mammy.

Cheers, Tony.

 

They are indestructible. I once found a stick on the beach while walking my dog. The stick had clearly been in the sea for some time. I was throwing it for the dog for a good half an hour or more before I realised there was a hint of root attached to it, so out of curiosity, I took it home and planted it up. Nothing happened for months, then it just grew and grew. We had it for a few years before my step mother decided to 'rehome' it because it was taking up too much space.

 

Those tendrils are roots. In the wild, these things grow to a monstrous size and drop down roots to the forest floor to get water and to propagate! What I love about them is the leaves are 'born' fully formed! Had one for years but it didn't like the moves I made. didn't know much about gardening at the time!

In the hospital at High Wycombe, there used to be a mostera deliciosa that was all of 50 foot high, had numerous main stems and a veritable jungle of roots hanging down. The Vauxhall dealership in Sunderland has a similar one but half the size!

Found this one on Google but it's half the size of the one at Wycombe!

 

I really like this plant, but am I right in thinking its kind of gone out of fashion?

 

I think they did for a while but I think they're back in. Last time I was at my least favourite shop, I noticed they had a few in.

 

I got sick of mine, growing wild, so i chopped the branches off and 6 months later, with no watering whatsoever it has grown 3 new branches - arrgh!

 

You get one plant living in more than one pot.
But the leaves just get bigger and better.

 

And?

FWIW I put mine outside in the garden during the summer. They will take quite a bit of cold (you'd need to check, but I think a light frost is survivable). Put it somewhere in the shade though.

Also, if it gets too tall just cut it right back; it will grow back with even bigger leaves. You can root the top bit (might need to air-layer before you cut it off?), or the Pups, but how many do you really want in the house?!!

Or grow it up a tree?

 

And flog them on Ebay! Yay!

Definitely back in fashion, if not for houseplants then for exotic gardeners who want them as temporary summer bedding. So May would be a good time to list them.

Sorry, I should realise that not everyone's quite as obsessed with Ebay as me.

 

I had no idea that not everyone's quite as obsessed with Ebay as me.

 

I just chop the root things off. If mine gets too big I cut a chunk off and root it in water and throw the old bit away.

 

I do that too ... ever since I discovered a root that I thought I had routed back into the pot had "Missed" and grown into, and under, the carpet ... made a right mess!

Wouldn't you be better off keeping the bottom half, rather than starting again from the rooting top half? You'll get much more impressive leaves, and it will start off with zero-height again.

Mind you, maybe even a single new leaf, and its stalk, would be too large?