May be some of you are rolling your eyes on seeing the title, “Of course, he’s gonna talk about another flower that bloomed in his garden UNEXPECTEDLY. Okay, so what time?”
Ermmm… It’s not the unexpected. It’s the Amaryllis again. It bloomed again! In India, or at least in the part of India where I live in, people hardly talk about repotting or replanting flowers (I mean flowering plants). As some of you might remember, the Amaryllis after the first set of blooms gave out just another stalk after sooooooo… long and bloomed again.
And then, the pot looked really pathetic. Even the leaves looked sick and all that. Then I decided to repot it.
I went online and did a bit of googling and ‘studied’ about repotting Amaryllis, but that was it. I never went about doing it. Every time I water my plants, I’d look at the pot of few aged leaves and dried leaves sticking out of few bulbs. I almost wanted not to water it and let it give up, but the gardener in me censured me. What the heck! Here, your share of water. I’d pour a mug of water in it and immediately turn to another pot that I’d care for intently, pulling out a wasted bud or a dried leaf.
The Gardener in me – ‘This’d happen every other day… Days rolled by thus that weaved into weeks… Weeds started renting the Amaryllis’ room, but the Watering Zombie didn’t care. He’d pour yet another mug and promise himself that he’d repot the bulbs the coming weekend and that never seemed to come. So, guys see what kind of a person you’ve known till now? A Watering Zombie! That’s what he was! [Shaking my head] I know, I know. He deserves a garrote!’
ENOUGH! Mr. Gardener! [whispering] He’s a mental. Hope you didn’t all that he said. I’m no WATERING ZOMBIE! Hey! I feed my plants, pluck out dried leaves, wasted buds, clean their pots…
The Gardener in me – ‘All plants?’
Errmmm… I don’t have enough time!
The Gardener in me – ‘Yea, like you don’t!’
[whispering] Ignore him. Anyways, so after weeks of ignorance, something great happened! My Amaryllis gave out a stalk with buds!
That too without food for weeks! Want to hear the unexpected stuff? Days later, a bulb nearby gave out another stalk! Now that was really something! I boasted to the gardener in me, ‘See? After all my laziness turned out to be for good!’
The Gardener in me – ‘[shaking my head] Some people never realize, do they? And then he started feeding them, not even looking at me once, guilty of his conduct.’
Want to hear more unexpected stuff? Remember the unknown fan-like lily variety that sat in one of the pots as if was some Japanese fern?
Do you see something?
Now?
YES! I’ll soon its identity! I’ll soon know who this inhabitant of Plantville IS! Do any of you know him already? May be one of his siblings live over at your Haven(s)?
22 comments:
can't imagine what would have happened if you had thrown some plant food it's way. *chuckle*
I love when laziness pays off :) How lucky to have it rebloom!!
Yay! Good for you! It goes to show that sometimes in India you just have to let things be! ;D
Waiting to see your 'Miracle Baby'...
[chuckling] May be they'd have given out double stalks? Wow! Wouldn't that be crazy! Welcome to Plantville, Keewee.
Catherine: Me TOO! But the Gardener twin in me wouldn't let me be. You heard him! Urrghhh! Sometimes he's a pain! [whispering] Hope he didn't read this comment.
Right said Sunita!
Me too, Shailaja. It's teasing me badly. It's opened just another inch and the bud below is fighting to peek out.
Hey, I found a 'Temporary Nursery shop' at CIT Nagar Platform and grabbed a few plants. I got a Desert Rose, Amaryllis Lilly, Coleus and a few more anonymous ones ;)
I have potted them in a Plastic pots this time. Just as you said, I am planning to take some snaps and post in my blog!!
Wow! That's great, Ally. Cool! Good luck with them. I'll be looking forward to your posts. BTW, how was Joshua's birthday? Had a bang?
And hey, where did you buy the plastic pots?
Glad to see you didn't give up on your amaryllis! Mine never bloomed at all, just grew huge stalks. But I'm not going to give up on it either; I'm hoping if I care for it, it might bloom next year:)
Ah, the beautiful jasmine in your last post--I can almost smell its fragrance through the computer monitor:)
Where else other than at Saravana Stores?? ;) My grandpa had actually got me the vegetable seeds and so I wanted something really big! You can hardly get the clay pots @ velachery and the Cement ones (big rectangle shaped ones) are so damn costly I felt! I happened to visit Saravana Stores for return gift purchase for Josh's bday and found these. The really big ones come for Rs.131 and you have a good collection too. I got 2 of those big ones, and 2 Medium sized (Rs 66), 1 very small(Rs.17) and 2 hanging pots(Rs.30)!
And yeah, Josh's bday party was a super hit! The snaps are yet to come. Shall keep u posted on tat.
Hang in there, Rose. They'll bloom this year. It definitely will. I wish I could send you some cuttings! What's more pleasurable than to share your delight with others?
Good morning, Ally! Oh, may be I should check out Saravana stores. Sounds pretty cheap. I bought the big ones for 162 at Rathna stores. Glad to hear you had a gala time. Will be waiting for the posts.
They seem to be nearly indestructible plants and beautiful, too! gail
I agree with you, but may be I might divide them this year t enjoy more Amaryllis blooms, but again I argue to myself that that other pot can serve as a home for another strange species! Still arguing...
Wanted to ask you something in general.. WHere do you get the seeds for the plants from? I have enquired in so many nurseries and they dont seem to have it :(. Whats the flowering season for cape honeysuckle?
My friends are so impressed with your garden and your photographic skills :)Looks like we might tour your Plantville :D Your plants look so healthy, do you have any tips for me on that? What are the planting medium you choose?
What a pretty flower and they say...almost have to neglect them.
Actually it was quite a hunt, Ally, to get the seeds. Sometimes I was so fed up that I wanted to just shout at the nurseries that had their boards saying "Flower seeds are sold here" and when asked, they'd say, "No! We don't sell anymore." Of course there are a really few shops around. One is near my place in Lake View Road, two in Ranganathan Street.
The Cape Honey suckle would bloom profusely as the sun comes out. I'm not sure of its exact flowering season, as I started my garden only in last Summer. It bloomed in bunches last Autumn but they keep giving out blooms as long as they get sun, only you should make sure that you feed them with flower food or at least an all-purpose fertilizer.
I'm flattered by your comments, Ally. errmmm... I just point and click, so may be I should say that if my photos look cool it's luck or I don't know... May be, I'm getting better? Oh sure, but just that tell your friends not to expect a lot, as Plantville is hardly a really small portion in my terrace - pots stuffed together. For now (until I get my own house in the ground), my aim is to grow different kinds of flowers - especially the ones from our own ancient world and learn more about each. Hmmmmm.... Healthy? May be I gave you that impression because I didn't post the casualties/villains in my tiny garden space. You're welcome to see that for real and you'd change your views. LOL! But anyways, about the healthy plants, it's simple - I pick the flowers almost daily for pooja so that makes it flower continuously (similar to deadheading spent flowers), constantly pick out the sickly looking foliage and dried out ones, feed the plants with flower food and/or fertilizer at least once or twice a month, and most importantly, love them!
The planting medium I use is pretty simple - Sand + Manure + Red Sand in almost equal proportions, with compost for nutrients and water retention. I alter the proportions for certain plants depending upon their needs.
Dawn: Thank you, Dawn. Right said. I wish I always turn this lucky :D. Well, I think that's asking for too much.
Too humble you are!! I thank God for His abundance Grace and mercy upon you! Praise the Lord!
I started gardening only since Jan 09 so I m sure it would take time and patience to gain your expertise;) btw, what fertiliser do you use? and you are right, constantly plucking out flowers will stimulate - while I leave it that way ( I need to work on it). Let me try my luck with the seeds. I am off to my hometown(Nagercoil) for easter, let me check out for seeds over there!
Your plants are very lucky.. to have such a loving Master!! :)
Looks like your procrastination in this area paid off big time! lol I love when that happens, don't you? ;) Can't wait to see what your new bud turns out to be.
HA Chandramouli, I love the conversations, or arguments between the two yous! Good deal on the extra blooms from those mugs of water too. And now another surprise plant, you have the magic touch. :-)
Frances
Ally: Humble? I don't know ;) Thank you :)
It sure takes time. I use the all purpose fertilizer used for both vegetables and flower plants. You can check the seeds shops nearby or can buy them here in Ranganathan Street. You can also use liquid fertilizer - I tried that initially with good results. Yea, deadheading the spent flowers make the plant spend their energy on new buds rather than on producing seeds.
Oh cool! Hapy Journey. May be you can collect the seeds from countryside plants too! That'd be fun! Happy Easter!
Racquel: It did, Racquel and god am I glad it did! I LOVE when that happens. Who doesn't! I'm curious too about the new bud. It's looks pinkish... I'll know in a day or two.
Frances: That happens among the different personalities in me always. Now, don't go thinking I got MPD (multiple personality disorder) :P Just a normal, typical Gemini :)
Magic Touch? Well, I'll be glad if I really did. Hope you're right :) Thank you do much for the kind comments :)
I've been a great zombie today. I also read and enjoyed your new post about crows.
LOL! That's reassuring to hear, Wayne. Glad to hear that I'm not alone [chuckling]. Glad you liked my new post.
Post a Comment