Feb 1, 2010

Overhaul is coming to an end

Has it ever happened to you that you save your post as a draft and forget to publish it? Well, It did to me. I intended to post the New Year Post and wrote the post down on 31st I had to go to office on both days (Yeah, I know the surprised expression on your faces, well that’s how bad my work is, anyways!); forgot to publish it and never came back, coz I had also mentioned that I wouldn’t be posting until the month end or February! So much for being a computer savvy! And would you believe that I work with computers every other day and help people fix them! Anyways, Belated Happy New Year 2010 to all of you. May be I’ll change that New Year post to something else and post later. I was lagging behind a lot last year and I hope not to be so this year.
(The pair of shoes below is my first project of the year)(The caps and gloves are for my sister and brother in law)(This purse is for a sweet friend from Germany who was generous enough to send me the Strawberry and many other seeds that I'm gonna sow this month)
The first month of January, I was busy crocheting! Yes, I love doing it. I learnt it three years ago and stopped it as my fingers started aching. Recently I realized that it was because I was holding the yarn wrongly and now that I learnt how to hold it right, I was off crocheting gloves, caps, and stuff for my family and friends.
Plantville is almost getting cleaned up and the overhaul is almost done. I finally found that Neem Spray worked really well on mealy bugs that had conquered Plantville. (This is some unknown larvae that seemed to reduce the beautifully flowering Nyctanthes)
Initially I did the mistake of spraying them once a week but observed that the bugs didn’t go away completely. They seemed to hold their stand on the plants.(Can you make out the mealy bugs on the bud on the left)
I later learnt (after a tiresome translation from German to English – of course with the savior, Google Translator) that I should spray it once in two days for two weeks and as the instructions promised, it worked! Thanks to my sis who brought that Spray (CELAFLOR Naturen Schädlingsfrei Neem) from Germany for me a year ago.

(Can you see the aphids?)

Next huge problem was Millipedes! Yeeew! I know you can feel the chill running up your spine when you see them crawling around. They had built mansions in every pot and were eating up some leaves! Thank god I reserved my veggies sowing after the overhaul; if not these crawlers would have eaten them up! Initially I had picked them (Yeeew, I know, but I overcame the fear eventually) and later read somewhere that detergent in water would get rid of them. That seemed to do the trick but not all of them were eliminated. There were still heaps of them around, so I finally got this insecticide which did the magic. I think it was Dichlorvos.

Meanwhile many plants were trimmed, repotted, and cleaned up.

(This is a new addition)(One of the three Oleanders that I planted. This one started flowering soon. The other two are yet to flower - one is a baby pink and other a double/red colored one)

Many started sending forth beautiful blooms as if the clean environment lightened them up!

(After vigorous cutting, and spraying, this hibiscus is now finally healthy and flowering beautifully)

(I wish the Mums bloomed still so beautifully, but its days are over. Though they're blooming even now, the blooms are small)

(It was strange to find this Jasmine flowering in January!)

(I've never seen this Ixora stop flowering... touchwood...)


I’ll soon update you on the veggies and other seeds I’m gonna sow. It’s gonna be an exciting month. Wish me luck!

And yes, I almost forgot, even the parrot population seems to have increased here. Many babies can be seen from my terrace, playing with each other.


28 comments:

Marion said...

Chandramouli, your crocheted pieces are fabulous! (I love to crochet, too, and make lots of stuff every Winter. Something about these long, cold days and the colorful, warm yarn just cries out to me!)

Your plants are beautiful. I know what you mean about the bugs. Several of my cuttings I brought in for Winter have little bugs flying around them. So far, only a few plants have died. I got 2 Orchids for Christmas and am loving these beautiful, delicate flowers. They're doing good in my cool house and are even budding new flowers and leaves!!

It's good to see you back. I've missed your colorful posts. Blessings!!

Chandramouli S said...

Thank you, Marion. Yes, I too love the warmth of the wool.

The plants are getting better now and I really admire you temperate gardeners who would have to overhaul almost your entire garden every year!

tina said...

You are so talented to crochet such sweet things. I taught my son how to knit but he hasn't ventured to crocheting yet-both good skills everyone needs to know. Your flowers are looking mighty good. I purchased a book on tropicals recently and FINALLY I am learning some of the flowers I see on blogs from your part of the world (like Ixora). You have a great evening.

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

Happy Belated New year to you too. You have been busy. I bet your family is happy you're crocheting again, how lucky are they?!
Glad to see Plantville is thriving and looking happy and healthy. Good luck with all of your seeds!

Chandramouli S said...

Thank you, Tina. I am still crocheting another pair of gloves for my sis which I messed up and gotta redo. My sorethroat and cold is holding me back. Been sleeping a lot for the past few days.
I love knitting especially for those wonderful cables that you can make but somehow I couldn't even knit a scarf properly. LOL! I'm clumsy.
Have a great evening!

I'm glad my sis and bro-in-law loved them.
I hope to start some sowing this week, if I get well.

walk2write said...

I'm so glad you're back to posting, Chandramouli. I love your crochet work. Do you follow a pattern or just go with your own ideas? Your terrace garden is looking great in spite of all those nasty crawlies. I hope you feel better soon.

Chandramouli S said...

Thank you, W2W. The hat with the cables is my own pattern but the others were free patterns from different websites.
I'm still recovering. Seems my throat still has inflammation on one side and is reddish as my doc says and breathing through a single nostril for most part of the day. Me being at office in AC worsened the situation, but luckily it was my off yesterday and today; hope I get a leave 'morrow - fingers-crossed.

PJ said...

Crocheting and gardening! So many talents, I am impressed. Keep up the good work and it is so good seeing you back aroudn the blogging fold. I always forget to post posts, or take photographs and forget to write about them until it is almost too late. :) All the best with the strawberries. I am sure you will get them to take.

Gail said...

Story teller, gardener and crocheter! You are a multi-talented man. Your creations are way cool and goodness what a treat to see the flowers you have blooming in the garden~gail

Skeeter said...

Your chrocheting makes beautiful treasures! I still have a pair of shoes my grandmother knitted for me when I was a child. I cannot bare the thought of tossing them as they were made with her sweet hands. I would watch her knit and crochet for hours but never learned anything but a straight knitting stitch! I so should have asked for more lessons....

Bugs, bugs and more bugs! What is a garden without bugs? Paradise! Good luck with the bug removal and also your sickness....

Chandramouli S said...

Prue: Thank you :)

Gail: Well, I don't if I'm good at them all but I sure love 'em. Thank you :)

Skeeter: I understand, it must be real special for you!

Right said about the bugs...
Thank you, I feel a lot better now - almost normal :)

Jan said...

I'm so impressed by your talents...the crocheted pieces are so lovely! You are definitely a man of many talents! I've been out of the blogging world for a while too, so am just getting around to say hi to people. I always enjoy your photos and flowers, butterflies, etc. Take care!

Anonymous said...

Hi Chandramouli, your crochet work is lovely! And your plants are looking good. You're lucky to see parrots in such great numbers. Good to see a new post!!

Chandramouli S said...

Thank you Jan :) So Nice of you :) I am a fan of your wonderful collages and bird shots.

Hi Kanak! Been quite someitime, eh. Oh yes, the parrots! Do I love 'em!

Rose said...

Hi, Chandramouli, I've missed you in Blogland! For some reason, the last two posts haven't shown up on my blogroll...

I am so impressed with your crocheting! My mother crochets, but I don't, though I've just learned how to knit. So far, I've managed to knit a very long scarf with many imperfections:) Knitting a hat or gloves looks so complicated to me.

Glad to hear Plantville is doing better and those nasty pests have met their doom. I don't know what that larvae is, but it looks a lot like our tomato hornworms--disgusting creatures. Good to see all your beautiful blooms; no blooms here--just lots of snow:)

Unknown said...

You express your creativity in so many ways!

Chandramouli S said...

Hi Rose! It's great to be back and alive in this Blogland!
Thank you :) I've always found knitting difficult, but I wanna learn it especially for the crazy cables that you can make with 'em. I simply love those cables! You should try crochet - it's simple and fun!
Yes, Plantville is comparatively free from pests (touchwood) than before. I'm now busy sowing! YAY! My favorite!

Thank you so much, Tim :)

Jana said...

Thanks for stopping by on my blog.

walk2write said...

Chandramouli, I have an award for you on my latest post!

Thomas said...

Wow, you're really good! I've tried to learn how to knit and crochet in the past but I just don't think my brain was meant to understand the patterns.

I love the smell of jasmine. It's one of my favorite flowers. Unfortunately, they can't survive in our climate.

TYRA Hallsénius Lindhe said...

I just love to read your post my friend it always put a smile on my face and a warm feeling in my heart. You are so clever!

Blessings and a Happy 2010

and

on Sunday...Happy Valentine's Day :-)

Chandramouli S said...

Oh, it's my pleasure Jana. I like your blog.

Wow! My Very first award. Thank you so much W2W. It'd take some time for me to boast about it my blog as I'm busy :)

Thank you, Thomas :) It looked terrifying to me at first but once you get started, crochet is so easy and fun.

Ah! Yes, I love Jasmine too!

Hi, Tyra! Thank you :) Happy 2010 and Happy Valentine's Day!

A wildlife gardener said...

I love...

1. That you are back blogging again...

2. Your beautiful crochet..

3. ...How kind you are giving them to family and friends.

4. Your beautiful plants...

5. Your web design page :)

http://ourlittlecornerofparadise.blogspot.com/2010/02/flocks-of-pigeons-at-barleycorn.html

tina said...

Hi Chandramouli, Thanks for your very nice comment on my blog. I've learned so much from you too! I like the new backdrop. Especially the brick background. Have a great day today! Thanks for making mine much brighter.

Anonymous said...

Hi Chandramouli,

Wow, really nice crochets and really nice collection of flowers.

Chandramouli S said...

I've been looking for such backdrop for long and jumped at it when I saw it in a website.
The pleasure's mine, Tina! Hope you had a great weekend. Looking forward to your new Wednesday posts.

Raja: Thank you, Raja. I admire you for your veggies. Though I love and want to grow as many flowers (you get what I mean. DUH! Of course, veggies flower too :D) as I can, I still fancy veggies.

Urban Green said...

Those pcs are fabulous. You are super talented, huh?
Thanks for stopping by my blog. And you are right, one cannot leave the blog-land :)

Antigonum Cajan said...

Caribbean greetings.

This the second time
you have changed the looks
of YOUR blog.
I disaprove since the
first was fine.
If it ain't broke,
in my intercontinental
opinion, why FIX IT?