Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Murderer.

I have a confession to make.

I have a black thumb.

I am no good with plants. I mean I absolutely LOVE them. I love having them. But I end up loving them to death (fortunately, I am better with people).

Oh, sorry. You wanted proof? Here is a plant (sic: carcass) in my living room:


(As you can see, I also suck at focussing an AUTOMATIC camera.)

That plant used to look more like this (but way more leaves, even):



After less than a month in my home, it's turned into Nicole Richie's horticultural stunt double. The person who gave it to me said to repot it. And I did after it started to look a little tired. But it kept ailing. Til I frantically searched the net for answers. Seems my little Nicole was rootbound. She was growing so fast that her roots got all tangled up in a big, ol' suffocating mess. The roots were so dry and compacted that no water was even making it to them, even if I watered it.

Yesterday, I pinched off all the crispy leaves. I soaked the rootball in a pail of water, then broke up the soil all around it and loosened up the roots so they'd have some breathing room.

I'm not ENTIRELY sure if I'm imagining it or not, but today I thought I noticed the remaining droopy leaves perked up juuuuuust a touch. Which would mean they're finally getting the water they've been dying for. I will be ASTOUNDED if Nicole actually pulls through.

Then she'll sue me and go on Oprah.

4 comments:

JB said...

You should sing to it.
I hear that helps.

...or just whisper sweet nothings if you're not comfortable singing. You sound like you've loved it back to life, to me.

Ma Horton said...

Remember *Norma ? *

John Mielke Photography said...

1) Point centre of your viewfinder at the main feature of what it is you want to photograph.

2) Hold button halfway. It will beep when it locks the focus.

3) While holding the button halfway down, recompose the shot in your viewfinder. (IE: Move camera around until you like what you see.)

4) Push the button the rest of the way down and take the picture.

As for what to do with a dying plant... yeah, I can't help ya there.

:)
JM

Maria said...

I have a problem with plants also... for some reason no matter what I can never make them happy and they never survive for too long...

I will try to work on that.

Hope your little Nicole gets the mouth to mouth resucitation she needs!