Plant care tips and tricks
My Hoya Obsession: A Journey of Growth, Bloom, and Discovery It all started four years ago with a single spark, an obsession that slowly grew into a full-blown passion for Hoyas. Among the many plants that have found their way into my home and heart, none has stood out quite like Hoya obscura. This particular …
Discovering Colasanti’s: A Plant Lover’s Journey with Procatavola Key Lime StarsFour years ago, my plant journey took an unexpected turn with a simple impulse purchase. A Dragon Wing Sansevieria from Vermeer’s. Like many plant enthusiasts, I flipped the tag to check the grower’s information. Curiosity got the best of me, and I looked up the …
My Euphorbia abdelkuri Story: A Tale of Two Weird and Wacky Beauties I’ve always been drawn to strange and fascinating plants, and Euphorbia abdelkuri quickly became a standout in my collection. When I first saw it on Thang’s pre-order inventory list, I didn’t hesitate. I secured my first plant almost exactly a year ago. That …
A Visit to the Toronto Cactus and Succulent Society Annual Show and SaleEvery first Sunday of June, I eagerly anticipate the Toronto Cactus and Succulent Society’s annual show and sale. It’s a tradition I’ve kept up for the past 10 years. It’s a spectacular event filled with rare finds, stunning specimen displays, and an inspiring …
My Hoya Compacta StoryValley View has always been one of my favourite stores. A warm, plant-filled escape from the bitter -20°C winters. Stepping through its doors feels like slipping into the tropics, minus the long flight or stressful airport queues. I visit once a month, sometimes more, because their restocks often include unusual or rare …
Story: The Hardy Opuntia humifusaYou wouldn’t expect to see a cactus blooming in the heart of a Southern Ontario summer, especially one that spent the winter buried under snow and battered by wind. But right now, on my small exposed balcony, my Opuntia humifusa is in bloom — and it is spectacular.I found the plant …
The Joy of Succulent Arrangements: A Personal Story There’s a quiet joy in collecting succulents and cacti. Something about their sculptural shapes, low maintenance habits, and sheer variety that’s both calming and addicting. While many people keep their specimens in neat rows of individual pots, I’ve developed a little trick of my own: arranging multiple …
Euphorbia Trigona: From $10 Discount to Towering Beauty When I first spotted my Euphorbia trigona at a big box store, it wasn’t much to look at. Just three small, 12-inch cuttings tucked into a plastic pot with a clearance sticker slapped on for $10. I had no idea then that this modest trio would become …
Finding My Lifesaver Cactus: The Unexpected Journey with Huernia ZebrinaAs a houseplant enthusiast, I’ve spent countless hours watching plant care videos on YouTube. One plant that always caught my attention, but felt just out of reach, was the striking Huernia zebrina, commonly nicknamed the “Lifesaver Cactus.” Known for its otherworldly star-shaped flowers with a thick, …
My Euphorbia ammak Journey: From Wishlist to Window Sill The Euphorbia ammak had been on my plant wishlist for years. It’s one of those striking statement plants, tall, architectural, and adorned with creamy variegation, that’s incredibly hard to find, especially in Canada. For the longest time, all I ever saw were tiny cuttings online, and …