I potted up a few succulents yesterday and as feared a few of them are starting to show the stresses of being in bright shade instead of full sun. My Nananthus is infested by mealy bugs and other plants have spider mite infestations. I’m just hoping that some of my older or more unusual plants can hang on until my lease is up in December.

Even the balcony railing isn't very bright. The plants get a few minutes of direct sun only when it is setting in the evening.
Still things aren’t all grim. I grew Cuphea viscosissima last year and a seed found its way into my Aloe ferox pot and bloomed at just a few inches high.

So cute!
Anyway from this point forth I vow to remember that plants are the most important thing to me the next time I am looking for a place to live. I won’t be swayed by the view, the hardwood floors, the appliances. It has to be all about the plants or I’ll regret it. Someone be sure to remind me of this because I bet I’ll forget. There was a place just up the hill from me now that had a balcony that was at least 200 square feet and totally exposed. Oh the things I could do with that balcony. But the apartment didn’t have a washer/dryer and worst of all only had street parking. I am very much against the idea of street parking but sometimes I think of that 200 square foot balcony with city views and full sun and think maybe I could have lived with it. I know my plants would have been happier.