https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXCUthNjtbT/?igsh=empxM3hydXZoaGto

 

I'm filling the bedroom shelves up again. What will my next obsession be? Begonias? More alocasias? I've still got so many holes to dig, dozens of bulbs germinating, Sabal seeds popping up like mad - @Bigfish the causariums and hybrids are totally fine! - lots to prop and chop, a few things to pot up, and I'm just not feeling it today. 

I really do need a coco coir and perlite sponsor 😂

And don't judge me for the music. First off it's a banger and my last 6 or 7 posts were Metallica. 

 

I'm growing up mom's ficus elastica tinekae or whatever the hell it's called, I ordered her a blue hydrangea and some sulfur for it, and got her a couple African violets. Her mom was famous for growing them. Bittersweet because I'm watching my mom's mind go down the same path my granny did in real time, maybe if I get plants outside her window she'll peel back her blackout curtains every few weeks or so. 

Lord. Just follow the Instagram lol. 

On 4/13/2026 at 2:28 AM, JohnAndSancho said:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DXCUthNjtbT/?igsh=empxM3hydXZoaGto

 

I'm filling the bedroom shelves up again. What will my next obsession be? Begonias? More alocasias? I've still got so many holes to dig, dozens of bulbs germinating, Sabal seeds popping up like mad - @Bigfish the causariums and hybrids are totally fine! - lots to prop and chop, a few things to pot up, and I'm just not feeling it today. 

I really do need a coco coir and perlite sponsor 😂

And don't judge me for the music. First off it's a banger and my last 6 or 7 posts were Metallica. 

 

I'm growing up mom's ficus elastica tinekae or whatever the hell it's called, I ordered her a blue hydrangea and some sulfur for it, and got her a couple African violets. Her mom was famous for growing them. Bittersweet because I'm watching my mom's mind go down the same path my granny did in real time, maybe if I get plants outside her window she'll peel back her blackout curtains every few weeks or so. 

Enter the sandman off to never never land!

I've expanded and have maybe a dozen alocssias, several varieties of colocasia, a couple begonias, and everything is cool except the Ensete bananas. The big one I bought keeps getting holes in the leaves, the last one I bought I had to cut down to solid flesh just like the last one - so fortunately Wellspring sent me a free one. They do videos of order packing and chose me this week and even gave a shout out to my wall of bananas so that's cool. 

 

On the palm level the Causarium and hybrid seeds I got from @Bigfish are popping like crazy. I had 2 of the Paupau bananas sprout and quickly die off but banana seeds are like such a gamble anyway. I'm branching out into tissue culture growing, I've started a pink Musa and ordered a white and yellow one along with some more philodendron. Also salvaged some more colocasia alocasia and a black Cardinal philodendron from the Blue Cart of Death, and I've got maybe 20 alocasia corms rooting out. 

Time for me to mix up another stink bucket of Bokashi compost, I cheaper out on my coco coir and tried another brand this last time and probably the hardest substance known to man. Papayas are taking off, and I've got some sprouts in mystery pots I didn't label. That's what happens when I go.in the grow.room after taking my night night meds - caladiums? Colocasia chunks from cleaned up rotten bulbs? We'll find out in a few weeks. A few bananas are throwing pups. 

 

So despite a lack of posts on here I've been busy. I joined the dark side and went back to that other social media site, I'm under Sancho B Plants and ofc Sanchosgreenpaws on Instagram and YouTube. 

🌴🌴🌴🌴🦜🦜🦜

I spotted small papaya plants at one of our local big box stores. They were about a foot tall.

On 4/25/2026 at 8:25 PM, SeanK said:

I spotted small papaya plants at one of our local big box stores. They were about a foot tall.

Yeah, we got those here too. But what pissed me off is I've been trying to unload some really nice canna for 10-15 bucks apiece and they took some raggedy ones and threw some marigolds in the pot for $70... I uploaded some more vids to YouTube and Instagram today too, cool things are going outside to harden off. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DX7o7fyR-S1/?igsh=dHMyOWQybDkxNHFq

 

Slowly emptying the grow room. Mekong Giant has 3 pups! 

I am really sad to see this once thriving forum turn to tumbleweeds with the occasional like here and there, but it is what it is. 

 

I am Sancho B Plants on the big evil site, and my YouTube and Instagram are both @sanchosgreenpaws

 

My current obsession is aroids, specifically alocasia. Still growing colocasia like crazy, papaya are getting big, still growing and potting palm seeds. Just diversifying and learning and growing, metaphorically and literally. 

 

Facebook also put me on a 30 day restricted list because I saw a picture of a literal indoor jungle, and I said looking at that made me need a Valium. They flagged me for trying to sell drugs over that. Cool. 

 

Anyway I'm not gone, just branching out. 

NSFW language

Night time video

 

But there's a few hundred plants on my carport. 

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/Dn6lG6WEMQs?si=HewTQLfKuOf-ZJoT

I guess I'm in manic mode again

I've mentioned elsewhere i wanted to plant some stuff outside so maybe mom would open her curtains once a month. I already need to move the hydrangea since the hose hits it. But I planted that out and a couple Jack's Giant sprouts, some alocasia California shaded under a giant oak, and one of the Colocasia Redemptions. I'll probably have to hand water that one, and I have so much more I can plant out but I'm done for the day. I also think I finally got all the damn wisteria and tore up the Bastard Bed pretty good. I had no idea just how deep those roots went, and I'm fighting crape myrtle and oak roots too. I probably hacked down 40 crape myrtle sprouts, they're everywhere. Anyway here's some pictures of plants and mud. 

Keep posting Johnny,I read them and I refuse to go over to the empire 

4 hours ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

Keep posting Johnny,I read them and I refuse to go over to the empire 

Copy that. I don't regret it but I don't like it. YouTube and IG are fun though. The empire and the live auctions are where the money is at though. Plus I can use words I can't use here. I do miss the good old days of this site though. 

 

I didnt realize just how dark this thing is in afternoon sun. Sorry for the off picture, Sancho was tugging me. When the crapes bloom against this black and pink, it should really make a statement. My Black Swan hasn't taken off like I'd hoped, but the Muck Hole isn't going anywhere. The other Redemption has also been slower and maybe got pushed too far into the sun too fast, the Black Magic were a spider mite treat, and if I'm not in the grow room it feels like I need a spreadsheet to remember what all is in there. There's some mystery colocasia too, and I've got a few pots of bulbs I potted up after I took my night night meds that are turning out to be some really dope caladiums. I'm still honked off about the rotten bulbs. Even after replacements were sent, which also rotted, I lost a ton of soil. I'll reuse stuff but I won't reuse anything that something rotted in. 

My redemptions are dark as well, full sun. I think to get them to realize their potential ,some afternoon shade might be needed. Mine look similar to my diamond head just with a splash of pink in the center.

On 4/26/2026 at 9:49 PM, JohnAndSancho said:

Yeah, we got those here too. But what pissed me off is I've been trying to unload some really nice canna for 10-15 bucks apiece and they took some raggedy ones and threw some marigolds in the pot for $70... I uploaded some more vids to YouTube and Instagram today too, cool things are going outside to harden off. 

Common practice at the big box stores. No different than the florist advertising roses $12 a dozen, but then he fills the bouquet with poison ivy and up charges $30.

21 hours ago, N8ALLRIGHT said:

My redemptions are dark as well, full sun. I think to get them to realize their potential ,some afternoon shade might be needed. Mine look similar to my diamond head just with a splash of pink in the center.

I need a cheat code to get them to multiply. This one will get a little shade, and they seem to like the 20-10-20 fert. I've downsized enough inside that I've been able to shut off 3 grow lights so that's a plus too. I've got them all on smart plugs and yikes I've been pulling some juice. 

 

21 hours ago, SeanK said:

Common practice at the big box stores. No different than the florist advertising roses $12 a dozen, but then he fills the bouquet with poison ivy and up charges $30.

Yeah but like $70 is insane. 

Photo dump. 

 

I've clearly dove headfirst into alocasias. I've managed to build a nice little collection of them in a very short period of time, between big box rehab separations and late night live auctions. And for those that don't know, they reproduce through corms that grow from the roots. Got some cool, cool stuff. I don't go all crazy for variegation like some of these people out there but best believe if I see a deal I'm gonna snatch it up, grow it out and flip it. 

I also found an absolutely huge Batik variegated/snow/blizzard alocasia at the local Cash Saver grocery store. I got a 5g, a 1g, and 22 corms for....well I won't say what I paid for it, but the corms alone will more than cover what I paid for it. Most of these should get to be a decent size, too. I got a couple begonias to just mix things up, one of them looked like hammered dog poop when it got here and the other one wasn't what I ordered. Chalk it up to the game I guess. 

 

Anyway they did a bunch of bloodwork today, I'm gaining weight like crazy, took some x rays of my hip since I've pretty abruptly lost range of motion. Sancho needs some bloodwork, both of our Dr's think we both have thyroid problems now. Waiting on benefits is painfully stupid. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DYnu-oFNQjE/?igsh=NGdtaTM0ZHdraWs4

I know some of yall hate the Zuckerpire and I do too, but my profile is public so... oh yeah they make you download the app. Jerkholes.

On 5/20/2026 at 10:18 AM, JohnAndSancho said:

Photo dump. 

 

I've clearly dove headfirst into alocasias. I've managed to build a nice little collection of them in a very short period of time, between big box rehab separations and late night live auctions. And for those that don't know, they reproduce through corms that grow from the roots. Got some cool, cool stuff. I don't go all crazy for variegation like some of these people out there but best believe if I see a deal I'm gonna snatch it up, grow it out and flip it. 

I also found an absolutely huge Batik variegated/snow/blizzard alocasia at the local Cash Saver grocery store. I got a 5g, a 1g, and 22 corms for....well I won't say what I paid for it, but the corms alone will more than cover what I paid for it. Most of these should get to be a decent size, too. I got a couple begonias to just mix things up, one of them looked like hammered dog poop when it got here and the other one wasn't what I ordered. Chalk it up to the game I guess. 

 

Anyway they did a bunch of bloodwork today, I'm gaining weight like crazy, took some x rays of my hip since I've pretty abruptly lost range of motion. Sancho needs some bloodwork, both of our Dr's think we both have thyroid problems now. Waiting on benefits is painfully stupid. 

The one thing I do see in this little nursery venture is lack of dead plants, your grow quality has really stepped up. Keep on growing John and sancho looking good!

2 hours ago, happypalms said:

The one thing I do see in this little nursery venture is lack of dead plants, your grow quality has really stepped up. Keep on growing John and sancho looking good!

There's been a few, I'm not gonna lie. I got a batch of rotten colocasia bulbs and I've lost some tiny palm and banana seedlings. And there was the great winter Papaya massacre..... but I've also learned a lot of stuff can be saved. I've had to decapitate a bunch of stuff over spider mites, there's been some root rot removal, but the chop and prop keeps going.

I will say this though. Getting into exotic aroids is a completely different world than palms. Lots of money, lots of egos. Everyone wants to be an "influencer." Everyone thinks they're sitting on gold.

I didn't realize it's been so long since I posted an update here after years of daily updates.

My brother got the central hvac replaced so I copped mom's window unit and put it in the grow room. The same grow room that I used to go check the heat every 2 hours, yes. If I was an intelligent and reasonable person I'd tie it to a smart plug and let it run for an hour or 2 before I planned to go out there, but if I was smart like that.....anyway.

The heat index in there regularly hits 130, I've been trying to keep some rehabs in there but it might be time to load them on a tray and put them outside where the heat index is only 105 or so.

I've made a few more sales, I tried a Whatnot live show but their shipping absolutely sucks unless you're selling tissue cultures and plugs. I've since figured it out but I stand on the hill that it sucks. They also promise the world to new sellers and deliver on nothing.

I've also been dabbling with various fertilizers and stuff - it's super cool when everything wants a different fertilizer and a different ratio and this one also wants this and that one also wants this and everything gets cal mag and I'm mixing a gallon at a time so I'm too impatient to add the silica since it takes 20-30 minutes to properly absorb into the water and blah blah blah.

Anyway let me see if I can just photo bomb for those of you who boldly and bravely refuse to submit to the evil empire. I salute you. I am @sanchosgreenpaws on Instagram and Sancho B Plants on the world's largest collection of AI slop and user tracking for those who care.

That Thai Giant is just insane. I have a couple more that are taking an eternity to sprout and a couple smaller ones, and they've been getting weekly feedings of 20-10-20. I just haven't had the energy to dig holes, but I need to dig a lot of holes. I need to build some trellis for the dragonfruits, they haven't even seen full sun yet and they're going insane. Hibiscus has chosen to remain a stick. The 5g Alocasia Batik is INSANE, I thought I was done rearranging lights until it got cool. I've got a 1g I should flip before it gets any bigger, and it ain't gonna be cheap. I've also snatched up a couple Portora and what we believe are Regal Shields, others have said Buddha's Hand. They came from Wal-Mart so I'm more likely to believe Regal Shields and of course I go through all the pots looking for multiples. My alleged Regal Shields had 2, straight to 1g pots in evening sun. The portora has a total of 7 (!) Pups, got a Stingray, I forgot the name of the gigantic yellow one, a couple Yucatan Princess, 2 Sebrina, a Zebrina, pink dragon, several Cuprea, Macro Camouflage, there's..... there's a lot. Unfortunately it seems like most sellers harvest corms before shipping after they advertise it as a corming plant so they can kinda go to hell for that. I'd do the same, i just wouldn't advertise it as a corming plant.

I have a few I've grown from corms, I've got some corms marinating but my confidence isn't high - they're from a big box Melo that was on a shelf a few plants down from the worst mealybug infestation I've ever seen and i still paid $10. Whatever.

Anyway, Sancho is on thyroid pills now so he's up to 8 pills and 2 supplements a day, he's catching up to me but he's got a ways to go. On top of all of my mystery health problems, now I've lost a lot of flexibility and mobility in my left hip literally overnight. The physical therapist won't see me until I have coverage, I've been on hospital charity. Hospital says I need to apply for Medicaid, Medicaid denied me because they're waiting on the state and SSDI, and bless my Dr- I was telling him about all this and he just bumped my anxiety meds up.

So anyway there's that.

Update: all this stuff is bigger now and I've added a couple more alocasias, another calathea, a couple couple more alocasias, the caladiums are blooming, I got a refund because they shipped the wrong bulbs (Heart of Jesus) and so I reordered the ones I wanted (Spicy Lizard), everything is bigger, monsteras (plural, cuttings) are exploding, it's just been too damn hot in there to do anything.

I need to pot up and separate a bunch of stuff, but even at 1am the heat index in there is still over 100. The gas company is coming out because they're claiming that little space heater used 150 gallons of propane and there's no way.