Wednesday, February 9, 2022

My Failures


I'm a bit late posting today. I didn't get up until 7 a.m., so I had a bit of a lie-in, though I was also awake for two hours in the middle of the night so that's probably why. Our mysterious sleep cycles!

I'm now at the point where I could test out of my Covid isolation -- I need two consecutive daily negative tests and then I could rejoin the world. Unfortunately, yesterday's test was still positive and although I haven't tested today I doubt it would be any different. So it looks like I may have to serve my full ten days, through Sunday. I'd also need to be symptom free to "get out of jail," and although I mostly am, I still have a bit of congestion and tiredness.

I spent more time in the garden yesterday, neatening some things up, and taking stock of some of our plants. I'm debating throwing out a few that seem to have lived their best lives.

I seldom talk about my plant failures, but here are three:


You may remember a few years ago I rescued a mostly dead ficus tree discarded in freezing January weather. I cut it back and this is what it looks like now. Not a failure, exactly, but I expected it to grow more upward than outward. It's not a very pretty plant.


Remember the "rescued" prayer plant? Well, I'm putting "rescued" in quotes, because that isn't what's happened at all. The plant looks worse and worse. It put out a new leaf but that quickly died, and the others are slowly turning brown. I think it's toast. I intended to give it until spring, when we have more light and warmth, in the hopes that would coax it to do something else -- but it may go in the trash any day.


Finally -- and I'm really bummed about this one -- there's that crassula that I dug out of the garden, where it was getting mangled by the dog and shaded out by other plants. I put it in this pot on an indoor windowsill and it seemed to do well for a while, with lots of new growth. But then that growth began to shrivel, and I don't know why. I put it back outside, thinking that restoring it to a familiar environment might help, but the jury is out. I put it in well-drained gritty soil with cactus compost, because supposedly it wants dry conditions, but I wonder if it's been too dry. Or too wet. Who knows?

I'm reading "Oh the Glory of It All" by Sean Wilsey, a memoir of growing up in his well-to-do and well-connected but eccentric San Francisco family. I remember when it came out in 2005 and I was struck by the fact that someone several years younger than me was already writing a memoir. I've always meant to read it -- along with "The Tender Bar" by J. R. Moehringer, another memoir that came out around the same time, and that I still haven't read, and that is now a movie on Amazon Prime that I still haven't seen. The Wilsey book is good so far -- I'm about 100 pages in -- but I gotta wonder how his family felt about it. He's not pulling any punches.

(Side note: Every time I see author Sean Wilentz's name in print I get him confused with Sean Wilsey, even though Wilsey is 20 years younger. Neither here nor there.)

(Top photo: A ring-necked parakeet resting in the winter trees above our back garden.)

58 comments:

  1. I was worried 10 minutes ago when you hadn't posted....glad you are ok!
    I see that I ( and others) advised cutting the ficus back when you first got it.
    Advise now would be to take off the top few inches of the growing bit and put it in water until it roots. I am sure I have had success doing that in the past with a ficus. You could then start a nice new plant and watch it grow!

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    1. Yeah, that might be the way to go -- this one is so misshapen!

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  2. That’s the pits about your symptoms and positive test results. So glad you’ve got your garden... except the failures. (But that’s not on you, that’s on the plants.) What’s growing on the ficus looks very nice.

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  3. Human doctors don't always provide the best treatments and so it is with plant doctors like yourself. Wearing a white coat with a stethoscope round your neck might help. "Wilted petunia coming through! C'mon guys! Clear the way!"

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  4. I wonder if you could sort of 'braid' the trunk around what is left of the other so that at least it is upright. You can offer every plant a second chance, but I suppose you have to accept the fact that not all of them will take advantage of it. Call it 'free wilt'.

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    1. the braiding is a good idea, but loosely so it doesn't strangle itself when growing thicker, keep it in place with plant ties until it grows into position.

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    2. Hmmmm...that's an idea. Or even without the braiding, just pulling that branch upward so that it grows more vertically...

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  5. Ficus that have been exposed to cold don't do well. They're very temperamental about changes in environment. So I'd say that, rather than a failure,you succeeded in getting an offshoot going.

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    1. I've had a couple of ficus trees in the past and they drop their leaves quite readily, as I recall!

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  6. Its Not A Failure If You Are Still Trying Your Damnedest - Please Slip An Extra Treat Under The Pink Blanket For Olga Girl - Her Daily Quota Has Fall Off A Bit These Days

    Cheers

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    1. Well, I'm about done with trying on these plants!

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  7. Even your so-called plant failures look better than plants left in my care. I love plants but I am terrible with them so thank the goddess Carlos has that Green Thumb.

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    1. Yay Carlos! Dave is good at plant care too, so we have double-barreled green thumbs here!

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  8. I love that you have parakeets in your garden and that you are feeling well enough to garden despite the test. I hope the next is negative.

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    1. Fingers crossed, though I'm not sure when I'll even take it! There's not really any point (as I explained in my post today) unless it's just to go to the grocery store.

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  9. Apparently, once you "top" the main stem on a tree it will not grow upward again--only out. I made that mistake with my ficus. I did, however, manage to root a few sideshoot branches fairly easily. Just make sure you scrape the stem a bit before you put in water.Like you, I feel the need to rescue other people's cast outs.

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    1. OK, good to know they'll root that way! It's funny that ficus are so particular as houseplants, because when they grow outside (like in South Florida) they get HUGE and they're not nearly as picky.

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  10. Thank goodness you were vaxxed -- I'm sorry that you got COVID but it's good to know that you are mending so quickly. I think that sooner or later we are all going to get it, and having a mild case seems to offer plenty of good immunization. You're doing the right thing to stay mentally fit while you recuperate.

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  11. Reading this post, a song from an old movie popped into my head. Did you ever see the 1970's movie "On a Clear Day You Can See Forever"? There was a song in that movie that I loved. Barbra Steisand starred and her character had a way with plants much like you do. She sang "Hey buds below, up is where to grow. Up with which below can't compare with". The song is called "Hurry It's Lovely Up Here". I might have to look that movie up and watch it again.
    I remember reading "Oh the Glory of it All" several years ago. I also wondered what his family thought of it.

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    1. I haven't seen that movie in ages. Maybe we should rent it?!

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  12. Don't give up on the prayer plant yet. I think it might survive nicely given some time and probably benign neglect.
    I'll keep an eye out for that book. I do love a memoir that doesn't pull any punches.

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    1. It's getting mostly benign neglect now! I honestly think I might pack it in. But we'll see.

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  13. The title of this post made me think of Jackson Browne's song "These Days." The end of the song, "Don't confront with my failures. I had not forgotten them.'
    I hope those plants spring to life in the coming days of more light and warmth. I'm very good at keeping false hope alive.
    Take care there.

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    1. I sure haven't forgotten these failures, since I see them every day!

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  14. I keep waiting to catch covid but still nothing, touch wood. I'm sorry you and Dave ended up with it. I know you worry about Dave.

    I saw your last post and omg the green looks wonderful to these starved eyes. The sun is coming back into our part of the world but still lots of snow and ice, with at least another month of snow, if not two. Sigh.

    I love your back garden and yes, I hate throwing out plants too. I bought myself an african violet last weekend because I wanted to see something pretty. This morning when I got up I noticed the cat has been happily pulling the flowers off of it. Obviously I need more poisonous plants in my house:)

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    1. Well, maybe not poisonous. You don't want to wake up to a dead cat!

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  15. We have had a number of plant failures over the years too. But I look at the ones that we have that are still thriving and just tell myself it is Darwinism.

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    1. Well, that's true. Adaptability is the key, right?

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    2. If they can adapt and survive my care, they could possibly take over the world!

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  16. I might not give up on those plants just yet...Best to you and Dave.

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    1. The ficus I'll keep, in all likelihood, and the crassula can do its thing outside. I'm about to give up on that prayer plant, though.

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  17. actually the ficus looks pretty good, The leaves look healthy. Maybe you need a flamingo disco light in your dark English cave. it certainly helped our plants!

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  18. Hey there,
    I think that all the plants will do better as it warms up and they get the right amount of sunlight. Perhaps the one that you really are bummed about (I can't remember the name) should go back into the ground rather in the pot. It has green leaves and the other ones deserve a second chance or make that, 3 or 4 chances lol.
    Today is another day that I am going to be on the phone. I am already tired and it is only 10:30.
    Have a great day.

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    1. Ugh...I hate having to make phone calls like that. I don't envy you!

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  19. Between you and Ellen I'm thinking that maybe I should start caring more about the plants around me. I mean, they're mostly Dr. M's domain, but as long as I do what he says we should be good, right?

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    1. Well, I'm a little crazy when it comes to plant care and rescue, I'll admit that!

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  20. I can't imagine only having three plant failures. I am the kiss of death for any plant that comes into my care! Okay... well maybe I've had three successes in my lifetime. I'm super impressed with your gardening skills.

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    1. Aloe vera, basil, and ..... I'm having trouble coming up with a third! Maybe moonflowers? (and anyone can grow those first two)

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  21. Prayer plants and I do NOT get along. I have tried repeatedly because I love the beautiful foliage and variety but to no avail. We are allergic to each other.

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    1. Yeah, I haven't had great luck with them in the past either. I never had one quite like this, but clearly it doesn't like me!

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  22. 7 as sleeping in? I usually get up at 8 with a couple of bathroom trips during the night. Oh, the joys of aging! :) Sorry that you're still testing positive; that virus sure does like to hang on.

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    1. I usually get up at 5:30! Partly that's because of having to get to work, but it's also just habit at this point. I've always been an early riser.

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  23. Good that you are feeling up to working a bit outside.

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    1. Yeah, I'm not sure I could do anything really heavy, but simple yard maintenance is fine!

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  24. Okay. Wanna talk about MY failure? How on earth am I just now noticing that Mr. Reed is a most excellent name for a librarian?

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    1. Ha! The fifth graders are way ahead of you on that! :)

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  25. Good that you are feeling a bit better, but don't rush it..you need steady improvement, not two steps forward and one back!

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    1. Yeah, true! We're taking it easy, more or less, and besides we're still isolating so I can't exert myself TOO much.

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  26. I suffer from anxiety and I find your calm and pragmatic attitude about having Covid really calming so thank you. I live and work in Vancouver, Canada in a frontline health-care job. The health authority here simply refuses to provide N95's to health-care workers, only ineffective medical masks. Super stressful. I also have an unsupportive manager. So I flail about and am finishing this week a four week stress leave. I fear going back but honestly reading your blog helps.

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    1. Well, I'm glad! Of course everyone is different, but I can honestly say that having Covid was (for me) no worse than having a persistent cold. I never even had a fever.

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  27. On that Ficus there is an upward growing shoot near the centre, next to the outward growing branch. Cut back the outward growing branch, but not entirely, maybe by half, and watch for more upward growing shoots. Your Crassula is probably resenting being moved. Give it time, trim off obviously dead bits and keep it warm in a sunny spot. Chuck it if it doesn't improve by the end of your summer.

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    1. I'm also hoping that time might be the answer for the crassula -- and letting it stay outside. I think maybe it was simply too dry indoors, especially with that gritty soil I gave it.

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