Yesterday was about gardening instead of walking, to seize the good weather and rescue the ancient root bound spider plant.
At first I was going to root prune and replace with new soil. Then when I depotted it, it seemed better to go radical, literally, and start over, with a mix of new soil in with what was clinging to the roots, since that's got a lot of microorganisms to preserve.
All that said, spider plants are tough old things, and can survive my well meaning measures.
Waiting for the arrival of the surgeon
In the middle of the action
Reorganized and in rehab
I also have to do something about the mass of zinnia and other foliage, now pretty much finished flowering,
Right here, the utility people will soon need to work, replacing the meters, so this will need to be away. Also my hibiscus is expected soon, and this might be her new place.
Meanwhile, since the yellow marigold is full of buds, I brought it in, to see if they flower in the house.
And I set up prunings from the new tradescantia in the old teapot. I found the trad. is too heavy for me to lift back up to the ceiling hook. I had to take it down to water, after I found it had no drainage saucer attached, oh.
So I put up an S hook, and now I can reach it better. I might also just set a bucket under it at watering time, to save lugging it up and down
On the right almost out of frame is the coleus, which is doing okay for now. Also there are very few leaves dropping from the ficus since it came in, but the house heat hasn't been on yet, and that might change things.
At this point, I was a bit tired from all the carrying and sweeping, so I decided to wait a day to tackle the zinnia situation.
And there are a few flowers still appearing hopefully.
And before we get carried away in the Northern hemisphere cleaning up, let's remember
Happy day, everyone, there's always flowers in one sense or another, if we can manage to find them.
You are very knowledgeable and attentive to your plants.
ReplyDeleteNice to read, though it's years of trial and error, a lot of error.
DeleteI have discovered that spider plants can successfully survive winters here outside. I had a pot of them on a tree stump several years ago and the babies rooted in the ground below. They are thriving.
ReplyDeleteI bet your plants are happy with the attention they are getting. I keep thinking my zinnias are done and then- whoops! There's another bloom!
I think your climate is much nearer than ours to the spider plant's origins. So much you can grow outside that here are houseplants. When Gary was in Florida a while back he said the plant nursery was full of houseplants!
DeleteThat's the same way I feel when I go to the more southern parts of Florida- the yard plants are giant versions of our houseplants!
DeleteI use an S hook for the only plant I have hanging. It works to put a deep bucket under it, it's what I do. I tried something more shallow and the water splatter. You had a very busy day!
ReplyDeleteMy back informs me that it needs a rest. After the zinnias are sorted, anyway.
DeleteGood work there. Also good to know spider plants are strong.
ReplyDeleteThe sage I transplanted isn't doing well. Today the other herbs and parsley what I'm saving will in the hall to acclimate before I transplant them.
I find that sage can stay out year round, like a shrub. Even under snow it has leaves. I hope your transplants do well.
DeleteWell done on the rescue -- that's always a good feeling!
ReplyDeleteIt's long overdue. It went from luxuriant to a bit sad quite quickly, and I've been failing to deal with it till now
DeleteI have a spider plant that was given to me by a friend.
ReplyDeleteI now have three spider plants as once it outgrew it pot I dissected it and planted in three smaller pots. In a year or so I’ll probably triple my number of spider plants lol
Love free plants. Your were very busy indeed. You have earned your rest
Every spider is a potential plant. I've given away dozens of spiders from this one.
DeleteYou take such good care of your plants!
ReplyDeleteIt's a relationship. They do good things for me. Looking out at a winter landscape is much better through greenery indoors. And they're alive, so in the absence of pets, they matter.
DeleteSpider plants are tougher than they look - and will even thrive standing permanently in water it seems. You certainly tackle big jobs all in one day.
ReplyDeleteI tend to get on a roll, until I just have to sit down.
DeleteWell done on the spider plant revitalization. Re the tradescantia: in a similar situation, I was able to rig up a pulley to raise and lower the plant as needed. The bucket beneath may be easier.
ReplyDeleteI met a new marigold today: Tagetes lucida, a Mexican species whose leaves taste surprisingly like tarragon. Who knew? Surprises abound in the plant world.
Re yogurt: I also start fresh every 3 or 4 batches.
Chris from Boise
Gary wanted to rig up some kind of mechanism and I know where that would end up, so I think I'll stick with the bucket for now. Yes, that's about what I thought about the yogurt, and I wonder if the probiotics get diluted in successive generations?
DeleteI must look out for that marigold. We tend to get a narrow range of, I guess popular, strains.
If I recall correctly, you saw my post re my experiment planting a tiny Cottonwood Tree seed and watching it grow over the summer. I had to transplant it, into larger containers, a couple of times. Your post here reminds me of all that. I love what you did with the spider plant.
ReplyDeleteIt's so cool to watch something grow in your care. The spider plant is very old, and I've given away a lot of descendants.
DeleteI haven't been able to look at your blog before. It's never shown up when I clicked on your name. I have a free afternoon so I'll settle in for a good long read.
ReplyDelete.
I'm glad you're here now, and I hope you enjoy what's here.
DeleteThe NYT just had an article about why we shouldn't rake our leaves! Did you see it? Good job rehabbing the spider plant!
ReplyDeleteI wish we could restrain our landscapers from noisily blowing and removing leaves, making everything unnaturally neat. I've tried, without success, since many homeowners are city people, terrified of nature and would like to fell the trees, to eradicate the leaves at the source.
DeleteGood granola is one of life’s great treats. I had it this morning with blueberries, black cherries and Greek yogurt - a fine way to start the day.
ReplyDeleteThat's a powerhouse meal!
DeleteThe last several years here, we have been encouraged to leave seed heads in the garden and leaves around the beds. The poor animals need all the help we can give them.
ReplyDeleteGood idea.
DeleteI have been able to single-handedly kill more spider plants than any person should but the one I have now is rewarding me with some babies. I'm excited about that and now must read up on how to start a new plant from one of the babies. I really miss having African violets here but for some reason the east-facing windows don't lend themselves to violets. I used to have them in a north window at the house and was constantly having to give them away because they grew so well.
ReplyDeleteI think there are people who can grow African violets and people who can't. I haven't had much success with them.
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