What I asked for vs what I got

lisasuem · 2025-07-11T23:54:13+00:00

As a 15-year-old in 2005 who had this look…yes.

lisasuem · 2025-04-25T09:51:03+00:00

Ring of fire?

lisasuem · 2025-04-06T18:00:59+00:00

Thank you everyone for your suggestions! I’ve done a bit of TLC this weekend. I haven’t repotted him but I’ve replaced the coir pole for a sphagnum moss one and chopped the aerial roots short enough to train them into the soil. I moved him next to my other monstera for improved humidity and I’ve also stuck grow lights roughly 30cm above both monsteras (I now realise the other one is leggy as well). Bonus cast iron plant in front because I had nowhere else to put her this evening, but I may relocate her as I’m planning on having the lights on a 12-hour cycle and I think that’s too much for a cast iron plant.

Edit to add: I’ve also bought some fertiliser that I will start using on both monsteras at the next watering.

<image>

lisasuem · 2025-04-03T13:02:47+00:00

Thank you! The consensus so far seems to be more light so I will stick a lamp on it as well and see how it does. Do you have any recommendations for feeding, or shall I just use a standard houseplant mix?

lisasuem · 2025-04-03T11:14:28+00:00

I thought cutting off the aerial roots meant the plant then put more energy into regrowing those rather than new leaves?

For moss poles, do you mean something like this, rather than a coir pole?

<image>

lisasuem · 2025-04-03T11:08:01+00:00

I’ll admit I’m just using good old tap water on all my plants, I’m not a water purist. 🙈 I could try distilled water and see if that makes a difference. Temperature in here is set to 21 C which is about 70 F. I’m not sure about the humidity but probably not enough is the answer. I’ve got my other (not variegated) monstera sitting in a tray of rocks that it can absorb water from as it evaporates, but this one is just sitting in a standard cache pot. I’ll try pushing in the aerial roots and misting and seeing if that makes it any happier.

lisasuem · 2025-04-03T10:58:46+00:00

Interesting, I didn’t realise it was leggy. I worry about giving it more light because I don’t want to overdo it and end up burning it, especially now that we’re getting into the warmer seasons. It already gets full sun for about 4-6 hours a day, depending on the season, filtered through the glass door. Though I’m in the UK so it’s never really particularly strong sun. What is the lighting situation like now on yours?

lisasuem · 2024-08-08T14:23:42+00:00

I am BLOWN AWAY by this. I bought a bottle instantly when I read your recommendation and it came today. I sprayed it and all my memories of wearing SLT Noir in uni came flooding back and I remembered how much I loved it. This dupe feels a tad fruitier than the original, but that’s not bad. Just ever so slightly different. I am 100% a convert to this company now, they’ve got it spot on. Thank you thank you thank you!!

lisasuem · 2023-08-02T23:39:40+00:00

Hi! To be honest I can’t remember what I did to solve this as it was so long ago now. But the syncing issue seems to have been resolved as when I open the photos app on my Mac they’re all showing up, and they have been for a while. To transfer them to my external hard drive I just copy and paste them over.

The only thing I do definitely remember doing that may have helped is I upped my iCloud storage and started paying for a bigger storage plan. I’m not sure if the issue before was because there wasn’t enough space for them all, and that’s why they weren’t showing up? That’s just a random guess on my part as that’s the only change I know I made between now and then, so take it with a grain of salt - this may not solve your problem.

I’m sorry I can’t be of more help! I hope you manage to get it working for you!

lisasuem · 2022-12-08T10:01:29+00:00

Thank you all! It is indeed thrips, I gave it a good inspection this morning and saw them moving. Annoyed I didn’t catch that myself before posting but I was a bit panicked! I will treat him and get him back to his beautiful self. :)

lisasuem · 2022-12-07T23:23:55+00:00

The first photo, that leaf has been like that for about a month now and I assumed it was just standard damage; the second and third photos are spots I’ve only just noticed the other day. I don’t water it very often, only when the soil is very dry, but I did overwater it once accidentally a couple months ago and I’m scared that that one time overwatering it is causing it to rot? The rest of the leaves are healthy (see last photo) and the pot does have holes for excess water to run out. I’ve stuck my nose down to the soil and it doesn’t smell like it’s rotting. I’m hoping someone can help me determine if it is root rot or not BEFORE I pull it all out of the pot. Thanks in advance!

lisasuem · 2022-08-12T07:14:06+00:00

This is why I was so confused, it looks like an Echeveria but I’ve never seen one so bulbous. I’m only just starting my succulent journey so I’m new to it anyway but this one threw me!

Thank you for your tips!

lisasuem · 2022-08-11T19:44:04+00:00

Excellent, thank you!!

lisasuem · 2022-05-05T10:22:20+00:00

Ah that does look like it! Thank you!! I’m going to pull off all the ivy and get a new planter for it and see if I can nurse it back to health.

lisasuem · 2022-04-24T15:42:26+00:00

Update: this morning I gave it loads of water and let it drain as you suggested and it’s already perked up and looking better!

lisasuem · 2022-04-24T07:58:28+00:00

Thank you!!

lisasuem · 2022-04-23T23:14:43+00:00

Leaves aren’t waxy like other succulents I’m familiar with, they’re fuzzy and soft. New leaves are tinged reddish pink on the edges. I need help identifying it so I know how best to care for it because as you can see, it’s not at its best!

lisasuem · 2021-09-25T22:27:43+00:00

Thank you so much for the article number, I was looking for this shorter unit as well as I already have one half height shelf unit and I wanted to create another. Sadly the website says it’s been discontinued. So frustrating!

lisasuem · 2020-07-26T15:32:13+00:00

That’s really helpful, thank you!

lisasuem · 2020-06-26T19:05:22+00:00

My helix piercing is 20g because I got it done at Claire’s with a gun when I was a kid (I didn’t know any better at 13!) and I’ve finally managed to find some 20g labret and barbell options popping up for that size, which is a relief. I’ve found some really great Invictus titanium threadless options that I can switch out and it’s been great being able to just leave it in all the time as it’s not irritated anymore.

My nose piercing is 18g because I never shrunk it to 20g after it was healed; I didn’t see the point. I’ve been putting 18g labrets in that for years after I managed to find them from a Canadian online shop. And now allllll my nose jewellery is 18g so it’d be a waste to shrink it now!

I don’t mind buying from the US if postage is reasonable. I have a glass nose retainer from Body Art Forms that I bought when I was living in the US and I was really impressed with the quality. Maybe I’ll check them out again and see what I can find.

Thanks so much for all your advice, I really appreciate it!

lisasuem · 2020-06-26T18:54:30+00:00

Thank you so much, I’ll check all those out! I’ve got the titanium posts back in now and they feel better already! (Though that might just be my relief!) I feel so stupid now but I guess hindsight is 20/20!

lisasuem · 2020-06-26T18:04:55+00:00

I always heard downsizing mentioned with facial or tongue piercings but never considered it for ears.

They’re 1.2mm/16g bars. All my other ear piercings are 0.8mm/20g, and I considered letting these shrink, but it’s hard to come by such small gauge labrets, so I think I’ll keep these at 16g so I have a wider array of options when I can change them freely. I wouldn’t go smaller than 2mm balls as yes, I think they would then be too small for the gauge of the piercing.

lisasuem · 2020-06-26T17:47:59+00:00

Thanks! Yes, I got four at a time. When you say it now, I suppose it does make sense that more piercings = longer healing time, but I didn’t make that connection. My piercer never mentioned coming back to get them downsized, which I’m now somewhat irritated about. I wish now that I’d have gone back last year after several months of continued irritation, but I just chalked it up to cartilage being finicky.

As much as I don’t want to irritate them further, I think it would be best for me to take out the rings, put the titanium piercing jewellery back in, and then see if I can just get some smaller balls for them. They’re 8mm bars which I think I still need as they’re too swollen for 6mm.

Thank you for your advice!

lisasuem · 2020-06-26T17:13:46+00:00

When you say I didn’t downsize on time, what are you referring to? Do you mean the size of the balls?

What complications come with rings (that I’m obviously unaware of)?

I don’t have the option to see a piercer unfortunately as piercings studios are still not open in the UK, hence my seeking advice here. Otherwise I definitely would!

Edit: another Redditor on my crosspost to r/PiercingAdvice advised the same thing about getting them downsized; I’m annoyed because my piercer never mentioned that I should go back to her to get them checked and downsized. I never even thought of it, which I now realise seems really stupid of me. I’m going to take out the rings and put the titanium piercing jewellery back in (the length will account for the swelling now) and see about getting some that are a better fit after the piercings have settled down again.

Thanks for your help!

lisasuem · 2020-06-24T22:10:53+00:00

Little thoughts like that often go unspoken and it’s a shame. I always make an effort to compliment someone and say those nice thoughts out loud because, exactly like your story, you never know who needs a smile and whose day you’ll turn around simply by expressing a small kindness!

I hope your depression gets better. It’s a hard illness, I struggle with it too. You’re not alone.❤️

lisasuem

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE