demise

all over the place. I have been busy with some things, and preoccupied with others, and thus not paying enough attention to my plants. In the past several weeks I have lost my Norfolk Island Pine and rabbit's-foot Fern, because they simple dried up.

I've had to throw out nearly a dozen pots and planters from the little balcony garden. On close inspection, as far as I can tell, my plants have been infested with spider mites, aphids, tent caterpillars, slugs and perhaps worst of all, japanese beetles. I found the grubs in one of the pots when upended it into the trash.

A lot of the plants have mottled, sickly leaves. I had to throw out all my pots of Green Beans (having only eaten a dozen actual beans, they were few but tasty!)

Also threw out the purple Petunia.

Also my favorite herb, the french Tarragon has died, as well as the Lemon Thyme and most of my Swiss Chard (only one pot of that left). Of the remaining plants, the Marigolds, Rose, Nastrutiums and english Thyme don't look so good either, but I am loathe to loose those as well so haven't given up on them yet. Sprayed neem oil again.

I've rearranged the balcony so that all the possibly-sick-or-infested plants are on one end, although the space is so small any disease that can spread probably will do so easily.

Blah. Good news next post: some things are thriving!