Rescuing "Grandpa" from a woeful end
Meet 'Grandpa' he's almost the same age as my Mum. As you can see poor old Grandpa is showing his great old age all seventy years of him. He's been passed on to my Mum by my Grandmother and Mum had him for years in an old clay pot. She didn't really like Grandpa much at all and well didn't bother with him. When I moved he was handed to me in a small pot looking the worse for wear, and somewhere during the move Grandpa ended up being lost. I found him looking forelorn and lost amongst the jungle that is supposed to be a garden, but as yet isn't. Now I have time on my hands the garden will become just that. Lots of work to be done but I spent fourteen years at my last place turning a horrible clay section into a palm tree paradise. I miss that garden, but not the neighbours. Here I've got at least an acre plus to play with. Lots of work and enjoyment as well.
Back to Grandpa. He was there in his broken looking plastic pot dried out and looking ...dead. I accidently dropped him and a small piece broke off ..and inside was a sign of life. Grandpa was clinging on to life...just. So I took him inside soaked him for two days in water to get some moisture back into his very dried out roots and the result is new growth. I've been nursing him very carefully for ten days. Today I'm going to repot him and give him a weak solution of plant food. I normally don't give plants names but Grandpa is an exception. I'd like to pass him onto one of my girls. I don't know how long chain cacti live for but I hope Grandpa lives for a very long time. Inaya has already put her name down as the next caretaker. That's cool. I'll take a photo in another week or so so you can see how Grandpa is doing. I love plants and gardening. Now at last I have some time!!! Yay!
Hi madbush. Seems odd answering your Monday post on Sunday evening! Poor Grandpa- looks as though there is life in the old dog yet, as they say. Hope his snippet that you have repotted thrives. I too love gardening - often plants that look pretty dead have a bit of life in them somewhere. Happy Christmas to you all.
ReplyDeleteHi Weaver,
ReplyDeleteGrandpa will make it I'm sure. He's a tough old plant so i think he'll pull through just fine. I'll be putting him into a slightly larger pot then go from there.
Happy Christmas to you too Weaver
Liz
What sort of plant is Grandpa anyway?
ReplyDeleteHi amy. He's Chain Cactus and old fashioned one. I think I vaguely recall it flowering one time with pink flowers. We'll see once he's recovered I guess.
ReplyDeleteHi Liz
ReplyDeleteI have a few similarly neglected pot plants, none that old however! Somehow I never get the time (or inclination) to deal to them. Have a few old cymbidium orchids that are decidedly on their last legs and haven't flowered for ages. Also have a wickedly spikey cactus about 1.5m tall that falls over as the pot is too small and not weighty enough, but the cactus is putting out heaps of huge flowers regardless!
Bridget
Hi Bridget,
ReplyDeleteYes i have some cymbiduims as well that I suddenly remembered that I ad. Well..they're kind of looking the worse for wear as well so I concur on the thing of horribly neglected and forgotten plants. Bad gardener person that I have become. LOL!
For Goodness sake, keep the cats away from Grandpa he doesn't look like he can tolerate another thing right now. I love to "bring" plants back to life. Say "Hi" to Grandpa for me. You are one busy lady. Chuckle !!
ReplyDeleteThe cats won't be bothering old Grandpa he'll be well out of their reach on my shelf in the Kitchen. He's doing just okay. I'll just have to nurse him along for a whil until he gets strong againn. I love plants.LOL!
ReplyDelete