Saintpaulias - African Violet Was On Life Support Day 3.5

Now a picture of health and thriving while just minuets from being under glass.

While still being administered twenty-four hour lighting with some minor variations

of light intensities. Blasts of diluted fertilizer with minor nutrients. Intermittent exposure

times to where it is not under glass. If it's not under enough stresses already, lets introduce

more, but in this case, stresses that make it stronger.

All it's stems are rigid with fluids. What leafs that are intact and even those who's leafs

have been trimmed still look viable and green. Adding nutrients to the water well below.

Have even entertained obtaining some mineral water off the shelf and adding more nutrients

to that. One of three lamps that I am using are the last non-LED lighting in this Florida house

that puts out some needed nurturing heat.

While here is a picture hours from being under glass, non the worse.

Saintpaulias - African Violet On Life Support cont'd

Subject over nearly a twenty hour period shows signs of being hydrated.
The glass enclosure  shows lots of moisture accumulation. Not sure how
much of that moisture is from evaporation from the well of water that
the specimen is sitting in and how much of that moisture is through
the plant's transpiration process. I've reduced the water in the well so
as not to have the plant touching the water and increased the illumination's
intensity and keep and eye on hydration and see how long the plant can
maintain it's hydrated state with just the humid conditions provided.

I also felt that by reducing the plant's leaf surface there will be less
moisture loss through the plant it's self. Will start a bath of diluted
fertilizer for dipping to give it some minor nutrients. Will also consider
preparing a bed of shredded sphagnum moss for it to root in. Still
debating whether to let it root in water or the sphagnum moss.

I took some cuttings from it's companion of another variety of African
violet for support and if all goes well some new plantlets to keep it
company in it's new journey.

My biggest concern besides human intervention at the moment will be
the balance of moisture and rot/fungus prevention.

Look Ma, no roots. Not that I had any viable roots, going on for months now.

Saintpaulias - African Violet On Life Support

Trying to resuscitate this nearly lifeless specimen that's been sitting on a friends
windowsill where there was no way of recovering. After surgery, which comprised
of severing all dead material until I found some live flesh. That left me less than a half
inch of material just below the crown. Then soaked this wilted specimen into a bath
of warmed filtered water with a trace of orchid fertilizer. I will keep it under glass while
giving it twenty four hour illumination. While monitoring it's decimated vascular condition
improves by providing moisture from it's humid greenhouse conditions along with it's base
standing in the food rich water.

With occasional close inspections for signs of hydration, while  also
giving it fresh exchange of air and capturing my own exhalations of carbon dioxide
into it's captured glass environment. Giving it all it requires to sustain life and put forth
new roots to see if it can get to the next stage of thriving.

Now all it takes is time and patience.

The Legendary Flower of The Underworld - Aspidistra elatior

Even this long time gardener can still be amazed and wowed. I planted these many
years ago and was told by this wise nurseryman that they have blooms but they
reside underground. As many times I would have to pull some out because they
would slowly spread and to keep them contained, Always remembering at the
back of my mind to keep on the look out for this elusive phenomenon. I must
of pulled up a nearly a dozen plants this go round, too, then surprise!

Elusive no more and not only enchanting, surreal and something one would find
on the bottom of some unexplored ocean trench miles below the surface of the ocean.

Only Microbes get to witness it's otherworldly beauty.

Also known as Cast Iron Plant known to be one of the first indoor plants kept in Victorian
times. Survive poor lighting conditions along with no doubt some major indoor
pollution from the gas the lighting used in those days.

Will have to re-bury these alien wonders of nature after this post. Can only image
what medicinal properties, hallucinogens that could be lurking in this curious terrestrial
specimen.

Enjoy.

Homegrown Winter Vegetable

This red pepper has gone thru five seasons and looks like it could go another one.
I have four more peppers hanging onto this year old plant. This pepper plant has
been the best and most carefree and best suited for our area. Pot grown with some
homemade compost and every organic fertilizer I can throw at it. What a beauty!

Although I must add that my Turkish tomatoes have been worth the extra effort.
A great tasting tomato is a thing of the past but this variety is the closest I will
ever get to tomato heaven.

 I also planted the rooted base off of some Cilantro. Like those first grade plant
demos, carrot tops that get rooted and get a second life. I hope to get a second
life out of some rooted cilantro. Once again, time will tell. This variety of Cilantro
is some of the best so far. Had some store bought Cilantro and meh!

Winter Gardening Activities

Moonlighting my walkway, by placing some of Florida's sugar white
sand while a near full moon guides me. This will give this walkway a
glow with or without moonlight. Just in time for a cold front that brought
some needed winter showers. Enough to collect thirty plus gallons of rain
water in order to top off a fifty gallon drum and also help settle the sand in.

Next morning cold temperatures as predicted, relative to Florida. Cold enough to bring
the few and chosen, like some tender seedlings and one equatorial Cacao tree, indoors.

My Winter Buddies.

Two Florida native orchids hang out with the Cacao Tree along with some Turkish
tomato cuttings and a Ming Aralia.

A World Under Plastic - Beaucarnea recurvata

In this modern world where everything is made of plastic. This
plastic conundrum can still bring wonder and beauty.

Take this Poneytail Palm plant cutting. Worlds away from it's island origins
and yet we can create an otherworldly island existence of it's own using what
we have collected around us. I happen to collect containers and rocks and both
will contain this tiny world of my making. Although there are so any elements
missing from this world and all the more reason to take a picture of it incase
this picture lasts longer than my original intentions.

What's another manmade island with some select stones along with some of
our Florida sugar white sand devoid of any nutrients, but best of all no humus
that could bring potentially deadly rot to this cutting.  Stones, two geodes and
a fossilized Tortoise shell. Imagine what worlds created those, will help weigh
down the cutting without having to rely on a moist base to do the same and
eventually setting down some roots.

A cover to contain some moisture and for the time being while the outdoor
temperature warm up it will have to make do with some indoor lighting.
Not asking too much right?

From work bench to where it can me admired, appreciated and looked after.
Just another world under plastic.

Florida Winter Gardening

Catching the winter light needs some shifting, planing and elevation of planters.

Some Cilantro harvested from our curbside market and with their
roots still intact this past Saturday gets a second chance on life by being
planted in my portable monstrous planter that gets placed in the low hanging
winter light. Along with my Sword bean and a collection of emerging pepper
seedlings.

My other white planter of tired Turkish tomatoes gets elevated
along with a major trim to see if they can be revived and ward off the impeding
fungus that only the weak, along with cool temperatures and low light bring.

My Lemon grass in the foreground is beginning to go to seed for the first time.

All the while the brown Anole lizards are lazying around taking in last winter rays
and any potential meal that might catch their eye and lightning fast jaws.

As I attend this impromptu gathering of edibles, I to catch some winter rays as my skin
converts them into vitamin D.

The Bases For All Plant Foundations...cont'd. - Taxodium distichum - Bald Cypress Knee

Like snowflakes, no two are alike and unlike snowflakes, this one looks like a
walrus.

The Bases For All Plant Foundations...cont'd. - Bambusa ventricosa - Buddha's Belly Bamboo

It's taken many years to get these bellies to show and well worth the wait and
no beer required.