Sunday, March 31, 2013

Carnivorous Plants Update

All of my carnivorous plants are doing well on the retro dentist tray "bog"...
 
 
                        ...especially the sundews!

 
Very dewey!



My biggest, oldest tropical pitcher plant didn't respond to being cut back like I'd hoped, and the cut section died.
 
Luckily the smallest new pitcher plant fared much better.


I'm usually hesitant to trim off dying pitchers too, in case they're still "digesting something" and contributing energy to the plant...

...but they look crappy, so these three had to go.

I decided to lob off the big dead section as well...
 
 
....much better!
 

Lots of cute new pitchers being formed in this spring growth spurt...
 
...very cute!



                                                   Different shapes, too...


....all evolving to serve their purpose....

 
...as bug traps to feed mama. I wonder how the water gets in there?
 
 
According to this link they produce their own fluid if growing conditions are right. Guess my humidifier is doing it's job-also indicated by this flytrap happily sending up a bloom spike. Yay!

 
These three newer tropical pitchers had me concerned by just kinda surviving over the winter...



...but now they're beginning to produce some pitchers!

                       Very exciting!


Especially since an earlier effort dried up.


Hopefully they stay happier this time (I mean, it is spring after all :)

Saturday, March 23, 2013

New Evidence

Here in the Twin Cities there is plenty of snow left...

 
...looks better zoomed a bit closer....


...but it still doesn't exactly scream "spring".


Yet while awaiting a cab the other day I spotted something in this tree....


...with a closer look and some observation with my aging eyes....




...I'm certain it's a robin! He seems bummed about the snow too, but here he is, ready for the warm weather...



...sure hope he's smarter than that groundhog!

Friday, March 22, 2013

Moth News!



                                                                    July 20-28, 2013


                                Look what I ran across on the web! More info here. Count me in!

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Breaking News!

My tomato pollination worked! I have fruit!















There are more blooms opening, too...

...so I get to use the cosmetic brush I bought for "official" pollinating. Now we'll see if the fruit will mature in sheet-filtered southern exposure.


My air plant is doing exciting things as well-it has blooms!


Very cute! They kinda remind me of crocuses.

Even the african violet is beginning to bloom...

 
Spring has sprung! (In my apartment, anyhow :)

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Winter Tomato Blooms!

 
Along about February 20th I noticed my tomato plant had blooms! This was surprising to me, especially since the plant is in sheet-filtered southern exposure only (not to mention being winter!)
Nice! I'll take any blooms this time of year.

More than one, as well. I wonder if I can hand-pollinate them and actually get tomatoes?


 
So I grab a kleenex and give it a shot.

 
 The plant looked too droopy, so I'm staking it with a nearby support.
 
 
Here's hoping for spring tomatoes!

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Orchids Update

I'm glad to report that Phalaenopsis 'Happy Girl' is still happily growing and sending up a new bloom spike...
 
 
...looks healthy too, I can't wait to see flower buds eventually (apparently most everything that orchids do is slow. That's fine though, the flowers last and last, dying off slowly too.)
The old bloom spike is still green too, yet not doing anything. Huh. Oh well, green is good so it's staying put for now.
The other old spike is fully brown. I'll trim it off eventually, but right now I'm scared to do anything in fear of disrupting the blooming activities.


These two mounted orchids are doing well too, they are Oncidium 'Aliceara Alice'...
 
...and Brassavola nodosa, the fragrant 'Lady of the Night'...

...as well as this mounted Maxillaria Tenuifolia hanging out with terrestrial orchid Cymbidium 'Suzie Q'. Suzie pretty much looks the same as when I bought her (at least not worse!)...

...but Maxillaria has new growth! Yay!
 
Happy orchids make me happy!