So, I hauled her out, scattering leaves everywhere, and set her against the fence where the butterfly bush next door and my Japanese maple would act as windbreaks and, with luck, keep her upright till she puts down roots and manages for herself.
This is the secret of her longevity, or part of it. She's well over 50 now, has been rootpruned and repotted twice only. But every summer I set her out where her roots can go through the pot into the earth and she gets a new lease of life. New foliage, looks very happy.
In the Fall, as late as possible before first frost, I bring her in after severing the roots. Then she manages over the winter, till she gets a bit tired looking in spring, and the cycle starts again. Ficus are long lived but this is a way to avoid an ever bigger and less manageable pot.
There she is, with friends.
And I took a look at the seeds I'd planted with crates over them
Morning glory and sunflowers. Doing okay. The basil haven't shown yet, but the marigolds are starting up.
Then out walking and bee spotting, on the wild blackberry, I think.
I also made the filling for pasties and had one yesterday. Mushrooms, yellow potatoes, cauliflower/asiago mash from a fancy food taste gift. Added to the previous roast onions and cauliflower leaves.
Then flattened into a Ziploc bag and frozen. This way I can break off what I need.
Today was less auspicious. I woke up about 4, decided I may as well make a pot of tea, brought back a cup to bed, set up a radio play.
Then completely forgot about the full hot cup balanced on the bed beside me, and turned to switch off the light.
So the rest of the night was occupied in stripping the bed, sponging off the mattress, dunking then drying the part of the quilt that was flooded, doing a load of laundry and then grumpily going downstairs to try to sleep on the sofa, the bed being uninhabitable. I did get to the end of the radio play. And I did see a dawn. So there's that.
Hoping the rest of the day goes well. Mammogram this morning if they haven't fouled up the system again, then movie this afternoon. Gosford Park.
About Howard's End, I did try to watch it but soon found that as well as great actors such as Thompson and Hopkins, it also featured two of my least favorite overactors. Vanessa Redgrave and Helena Bonham Carter. I tried, I really did, but I ended up returning it to store.
So that's us up to date. Now I have to empty the dryer before I go out, the last of the bedding.
Happy day everyone! Try not to spill the (literal) tea. The other meaning of spill the tea is fine. I love it.
That's one happy looking ficus! Too bad about the tea accident. Enjoy "Gosford Park" this afternoon! I remember enjoying that movie when I saw it.
ReplyDeleteOoh- I'd love to have a spill-the-tea chat with you!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a very rough morning. You did a full day's work before dawn. And now a mammogram and a movie? I think you will sleep well tonight.
Happy outing day to your ficus. You are such a good tender of your growing things.
Oh, no! This is something I can easily imagine myself doing. You will sleep tonight. I had no idea this could be done with something like a ficus. Imagine!
ReplyDeleteI have the same approach to plants as to food or art or craft -- just try it and find out.
ReplyDeleteDebra, this will be my third viewing! But there's so much going on that I notice more each time.
ReplyDeleteThat was quite the project, replanting the ficus for another summer. It looks well protected there with its neighbours!
ReplyDeleteMarie, so far so good. We had a lot of wind yesterday and she didn't fall down.
ReplyDeleteBummer about the unrestful night. I had a similar accident recently. No explanations, but the equivalent of half a washer load of water emptied onto the kitchen floor. I got it cleaned up, but part went to the basement, which never occurred to me it would run to the wall and down.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm sorry you didn't like "Howard's End." Hopefully "Gosford Park" will be better. Maggie Smith!
ReplyDeleteYour technique for managing the ficus is an interesting one. I wonder if I should do that with our avocado. I normally don't allow the roots to escape the pot -- I keep a saucer beneath it -- but maybe that would be a good way to get it some summertime nutrients.
Bummer about the tea. I'm not sure I've ever done that but I've come close.
Amazing. You move a tree twice per year.
ReplyDeleteI can see how you would forget your tea. Every now and then, I do the same at lunch which we are watching telly. But it’s not in a spot where I could easily knock it over. Thank goodness.
Steve, if Howard's end is presented by the library on their much bigger screen with legible captions, I'll give it another try.
ReplyDeleteThe discovery about letting the ficus tree take root was an accidental one, but it looked so healthy that summer that I let it happen every year.
About Gosford Park, stay tuned!