Orchid Rescue

Now with four orchids, I'm finding it a little bit more of a pain to ensure they stay in top shape.

Orchids are very sensitive to environmental changes. Heat, light, water, humidity, soil texture, drainage, pests, mechanical damage......*pants*.

My phalaenopsis (actually a dtps) seems to be doing fine and dandy with its single flower. My Oncidium/Belleara (can't ID it) seems OK except the constant stream of spider mites hankering for a bite.

But my dendrobiums are a story unto themselves. My first dendrobium had its flower spike snapped off. It's incredible picky about fertilizer levels, and seemed to start dieing. Leaving yellowed and dropped a leaf. (Orhid leaves are large and a big deal to lose). And then one day, I actually noticed.



That green thing at the bottom (click for larger view) is an entire new leaf source. Just when I thought I might have my first dead plant.....there it is.

And my other dendrobium has its own problems. Attracts dirt like moths to light. Droops everytime I'm even a moment late on water. And didn't feel like it wanted its flowers anymore.

Well, after finding deliverance in the first dend......I checked to see if this one had any hope.



That "thing" in the red box above is another upcoming shoot. Saved? Keeping my fingers crossed!

MONSTER MAMEY

I like the taste of mamey fruit. Apparently, so do mamey seeds O_O

What the fresh heck is in my mamey?



Mamey seeds are impressing upon me the feeling of URGENCY. Nothing screams PLANT ME NOW like this:



Oh my, my hand looks noticeably ugly in that. I promise my hands are normally shaped in real life.

Sprout Mega-post

The most exciting moments in gardening pivots upon the new. New flowers. New growth. New plants. New home.

Well, I now officially have a small forest growing in my apartment, on a single wire-rack shelf. I shall regale you with each upcoming source of glory. And pictures when I can get to them.

1. KIWANO

They germinate. ALL OF THEM. Aaaaahhh!!! It's paaaaiiinful to pinch off seedlings so that a few can grow larger. It just feels wrong :(




2. WHITE SAPOTE

I'm currently going on FIVE white sapote seedlings. Three largest in one small container. Next two in bigger (but just as crowded) pots.



Another "single". The weird leaves blocking a bit of the view is a small peperomia.




3. LYCHEE

OH MY GOD it's beautiful. I swear it escaped from an ancient chinese painting. After having planted oh....twenty seeds....SIX of them are now coming up. And one of them is ahead of them all is already quite tall.



And now that there's green on the leaves, it goes outside, and I will gradually introduce it to full sun.



4. MAMEY

OH MY GOD it's stressful. My first mamey seedling will be a miracle if it lives. That "root thing" really was the root (sad face) and it decided not to die and branch its root for another try. So I checked on it......no I *can't* leave things alone.....and ended up breaking another piece of root :-(

In about a week, I will likey be vertical. If God loves me. EDIT: Nevermind. It's already there.





5. GRAPEFRUIT

When I get the gardening blues, I think of my grapefruit seedlings, just popping out of tasty grapefruits.......screaming "plant me". Well, know I have five of these things, and one of them is starting its first true leaves! It's special, so it gets its own pot.



6. CITRUS

Okay.....before I put labels on everything.....I had the bright idea of sticking citrus seeds into random unused small soil potboxes. The kind you but herb plant in from the store. Well, out of a circle of 4-(NOW FIVE!) grapefruit seedling, this "unknown" citrus is sitting in the middle. It's either a lemon, a key lime, or a kumquat.

I'm also trying to get a forest of citrus seedlings going in a rectangular planter. Lots of sour orange, a valencia, pink grapefruit, key lime, and lemon. I'm praying they germinate.

There are also a group of seedlings that I can't identify in yet another tiny container. Key lime or kumquat.....



You're not going crazy. The rightmost seed above is truly multi-embryonic.

7. MANGO

OH MY GOD IT WORKED. Open up a Julie mango. Eat. Keep seed thing. Open seed "container thing". Place seed curve/round up partly out of soil in a pot. Cover entire pot tightly with saran wrap....without blocking drainage. Poke holes in the cover to water carefully. Don't spill!

Surprisingly, I didn't have to water that much. I only watered.....uhh....three times before I noticed something pressing up against the saran wrap.....a sprout!

The wrap was for the humidity to encourage fast and healthy sprouting.






8. RAMBUTAN

I'm attempting to use the same technique I used with the mango to sprout my rambutan seeds left over from my lunch.

I'm crossing my fingers.....one of the previous rambutan seeds seems to have sprouted against all odds. I'm rooting for it.

EDIT: Nevermind. "Another lychee". Sooooo disappointed.....heh. Looks like My new rambutan bath is my new only chance :-(

Gardenia Growth

If it weren't for the camera that I had, I would never have remember just how much my gardenia has grown. I guess that's what it's like for some parents....

My Kitty And a Kitty

My family "adopted" a previously neglected orange tabby. I love it to death.








Oh.....and the latest stray that decided I'm "OK".

Basic Mamey Chicken and A1

Before the upcoming monstrosity of a post, I wanted to share with the world what I did with the edible portions of Mamey gleaned from the mammoth fruit specimens.

Chicken.

There is no "recipe". Just bake boneless chicken breasts until done, and add in mamey strips over your chicken halfway through.

When finally done according to your taste, top with A1, also to taste, and serve hot.

NOTE: Possible use of rosemary. Mamey strips should be "large" in your eye, as you don't wanna mash them.

Reaction: 90% positive. Mamey burns too quickly to really even measure it.