Random Stuff...

 

Recently a friend gave me this cutting of a "ZZ Plant (zamioculcas zamiifolia), and it's still every bit as alive as the day I got it-yay!

 

It's in this "nursery area" for cuttings, located in the pot with my Norfolk Island Pine ( Araucaria heterophylla ). Works out pretty well for them...

 

...I'm even trying to root one of the pine's branches.

 

Mother pine isn't faring as well however, but I'm hoping she'll perk up with the increased humidity I provide in fall and winter for the nearby orchids. I'm thinking some soil freshening wouldn't hurt either, she's been in this same pot for 3 years or so.

 

 

 Looky here-my african violet has formed a seed pod on one of the blooms! I never thought about hand-pollinating violet blooms to get seeds, and I'm curious how this one got pollinated. Perhaps one of those spiders we all swallow in our sleep strolled accross it?

 

 

I saw this last week and it occurred to me-I don't think I've ever observed a tree with fruit and new flowers at the same time...in October. Is this odd, or is it just me?

 

See? Fall color on the leaves, ripe fruit, and new flowers in fall = weird, IMO. (Of course this may happen all the time and I'm just now noticing it, in which case I will quote Gilda Radner's character Emily Litella and say "Nevermind.")

Climate change or brain atrophy, either way fall is in the air. The leaves are changing and that's not all, but life a journey anyhow so this is inevitable whether you're ready or not. Luckily gardening teaches the willing student how to adapt to unexpected weather and such, and I'm still willing as ever to learn and grow. Bring it on, life! :)

Worm Bins Update

I haven't blogged about the worm bins in awhile, but they're still going strong. In fact, the tower bin is almost ready to add another level.

 

Still plenty of activity on the lid, but no sign of a mass exodus-the worms are happy.

 

I added some cellulose packing peanuts, which are made from natural plant cellulose and dissolve in water. Normally I would put these in the composter outdoors, but I don't have regular access to it right now.

 

 

            Topped with shredded paper, so the worms can keep my documents really secure  :)

 

Topped the paper with some celery scraps. This may look dry, but in 8 years of worm wrangling I've rarely needed to add any water or mist a bin. The worm activity keeps the bin moisture plenty damp automatically-easy peasy!

Here's the original homemade bin, getting very full but functioning very well all the same.

 No worms on the lid. As this bin has become more full I notice fewer wanderers.

 

 

First with the cellulose peanuts...

 

 

...then the shredded paper...

 

 

 

...then the celery.

 

 

 

I really need to empty this bottom bin of the worm castings, then place it on the top bin to start the worms migrating upward and begin the casting harvest process over again. But I really want to get down to one bin, so I'll look for a new home for this big one. Any takers?

 

 

Autumn Phalaenopsis 'Happy Girl'

Here she was a couple weeks ago in her blooming glory. And if that weren't exciting enough...

 

 ...there's a new leaf emerging!

 

 

 Then a week ago the blooms began to drop...

                                                       ...until an entire scape is bare.

 

 The other two scapes have blooms, and a couple dangling green thingys-more bloom buds perhaps?

 

                                       This week the remaining blooms are withering as well...

 

....sad to see them go. The blooming lasted nearly 6 months though, so I can't complain.

 

 

And who knows-maybe these buds will become more flowers.

 

                                                             I can't wait to find out!

Vanilla Orchid Mounts

 

I recently placed an order online and got these two vanilla orchids along with some accessories...

 

 

...I was delighted to get the green as well as the variegated at the same time.

 

I read that they like a lot of humidity, so I mist them daily until I get them mounted.

 

For the mounts I purchased two 30" tree fern totems from two different online sources. One came in a plastic bag, padded well and within a box, and the other was bare with cardboard wrapped around it to form a "box". I really appreciate the bag and box, though their shipping cost was $7 more. Definately worth it, IMO.

 

They are both very similar in size and quality, athough the bagged specimen is thicker.

 

I picked the sturdiest, most compressed-looking end of each to put the hanging wire through...

 

...then soaked the other ends in distilled water for a half hour or so.

 

I got these handy metal over-door hooks at the Dollar Tree, I really love that place! (My red hanging wire was from there as well, they had several colors to choose from.)

 

There! I used fishing line to attach the mossy roots to the totem, and eventually these orchids will become total epiphytes,  attached nicely by air roots along the stems. I'll leave them horizontal awhile until the process starts, I don't want to risk damage to the stems by tying them down. Like the famous ant, I have high hopes that these orchids will climb all the way up these 30" totems, then someday I want to have a large wooden frame hanging horizontaly over my bathtub and covered with orchids and staghorn ferns.....

....to do a take on this design from the actress Julie Newmar's bathroom. So tranquil and inviting!

                                       Plant life everywhere isn't just a hobby, it's my mission!

Late Summer Veggies

 

In August I decided to try planting some late summer veggies, although mid-August is really late for Minnesota.

 

 

I planted seeds I got this year from Renee's Garden , she has a fantastic selection of veggies, flowers, and herbs.

 

 

Wow! Germination the next day!!

 

A couple days later some thinning is in order...

                                      ...there! Much better growth when they're less crowded.

 

About a week ago I had this! The stir-fry mix really went nuts, so time for a harvest...

 

...there! If the temps hold out I should get another harvest too, not bad for a mid-August planting.

 

Thanks Renee!

 

 

 

Disclaimer: Renee's Garden gave me these complimentary seeds  in exchange for a review. The opinions expressed here are honest and all my own.

New Plant Mounts

 

I picked up a nice staghorn fern from Ebay, now I'll plant it into this wooden orchid box. I soaked some green moss in distilled water (to avoid toxins from city water supply).

 

 

Then stuffed moss into the bottom to hold in the soil around the fern's root ball.

 

Stuffed the side slats too...

 

...and in goes the fern. I took off the brown inner leaf, but left the brown "collar" around the base. (I didn't do much research on staghorn ferns yet, but I seem to recall that this part of the plant is important to leave intact.) I stuffed moss in all gaps around the fern, now on to the next project.

This is a slab of tree fern bark that I've hooked with part of a metal coat hanger...

 

 ...for mounting this spring-blooming cactus. This poor thing was failing in the soil, and in my research I read this: "Easter Cactus are Jungle Cacti-(Epiphytes) and there species came from high rainfall areas but Easter Cactus in there natural habitat grow in the branches of trees or between rocks/bolders etc. Large trees nearby would shed leaves around them along with birds nesting in the trees providing droppings." Sounds like mounting may be the answer. I used some of the moss and wrapped it with fishing line to hold it in place. Up close you can see the line...

 

 

...from a distance not so much.

 

Fern looks happier already!

 

Next time I'll mount a couple orchids. This is fun!