Losses

First I will say of a recovery. I thought my boston fern, which has been sitting ignored under the deck for months, had got fried in the heat. Walking past it the other day I just stopped and started pulling out dead fronds and stems, and then gave it a big drink of water. Now it's perking up again, but the center is all brown and the few fronds still green are pushing outside edge of the pot. I'm tempted to upend it, cut out and discard the dead center, repot the living sections. But all the times I've tried to divide a boston fern and repot in the past, I killed it. So I'm hesitant . . .

I had two parlor palms. One finally died, and I also gave up on the madagascar palm and tossed it out. So disappointing I couldn't keep that one happy.

But my other parlor palm is doing okay- though a bit dry and pale at close inspection.

And now the sad news. Which I'm feeling rather miserable about, as it must be my fault. I lost most of my fishes yesterday. I was doing a water change, larger than usual- thirty percent when usually I do fifteen to twenty percent. I think it had been two weeks, and I know that before that I had long neglected the tank, so I thought: more clean water is better! Except it wasn't. 

It started out fine- the fishes were acting perky, flitting around the siphon hose- one even got sucked into the bucket and bruised up, I put him back in the tank with regret, not sure if he'd survive that physical trauma. Last time I did a wc I had dosed some plant ferts, even though they're old and probably expired- and I was admiring how the plants look better- I hadn't noticed they were doing poorly, but now some of the crypts have redder stems, and stand up taller

-I tried to get a picture of a minnow by the crypt undulata-

Some anubias leaves had melted, and lots of vals, so I spent time cutting out the dead bits. But the green leaves still there on the vals looked healthier than before, so I think those plants were just ditching the old leaves and growing new in response to the changed conditions. Even my bolbitis fern looked greener and more upright.

Large anubias

Attempt at a quick full tank shot-

Then I noticed the water line wasn't quite up to the lower edge of the rim yet, so I went in the kitchen to fill another gallon. I poured it into the tank, and things went bad immediately. The minnows started looking super stressed, bending their heads and tails up, gaping at the surface, or crashed on the bottom not moving. Only one was swimming with normal posture. Their bellies bloated white (burst swim bladders?) and then some started spinning, randomly darting into corners and running their heads into the substrate. Disoriented? Starved of oxygen? I could only think that something was bad in the water, so my immediate reaction was to do another water change in hopes of diluting whatever it was. 

I changed another ten gallons. One fish died. Several of the others relaxed a bit, and the paradise fish- who'd been hiding under the bolbitis driftwood- came out to breathe at the surface. His fins clamped, but he wasn't writhing or swimming erratically like the others. I tried to figure out what went wrong. My first thought was the old ferts were gone toxic, but I'd put a bit in the shrimp bowl, and those guys were fine. And aren't shrimp more sensitive. Then I thought maybe something wrong with the tap water- the test showed very little nitrate (5ppm or less), zero nitrite but some ammonia (barely green in the tube). But again: the shrimps and snails in the bowls were fine.

Then I happened to smell my fingers. Strong sulfur odor. Realize if the prime had dripped on/from the cap, I got some on my hands. I thought I'd wiped or rinsed it off, but not good enough. And maybe I miscounted and that last gallon had an extra drop of prime in it, three instead of two. I didn't think one extra drop would matter in a thirty gallon tank. In fact I used to double dose prime in my first tank a long time ago- and while that wasn't the best thing to do, none of the fishes died suddenly like this. 

Because the minnows were dying, one after the other. While Tucker hid alternately in corners and under the driftwood. However much prime was on my skin could have been extra concentrated. (I know I didn't have any sunscreen, insect repellent or lotion on my hands). The other factor is that earlier in the week we had a power outage. It lasted hours. I was about to pull out the battery-operated air pump to run the filters overnight, when it kicked back on. So I thought the tank was fine. But maybe it was out long enough that some of the good bacteria colony died off, and it hadn't recovered all the way yet? Also, I hadn't vacuumed the substrate in a long time, and a few stems got disturbed, releasing some mulm into the water column. Any one of these factors don't seem like disaster on their own, but altogether I think it's what sent my little fishes into shock. Low bacteria strength, sudden release of ammonia from the substrate, accidental overdose of dechlor . . . 

The minnows all died by nightfall. 

Tucker was not looking good. Every time he went up to breathe, there was an odd raspy sound. Injury to his gills? I don't know. I thought this would be my last picture of him alive.

Surprised and relieved to find him still here in the morning. Even came to greet me at the glass, fins alert.

And his color looks good. 

And he's relaxed- more than I've seen in ages. I suddenly wonder if he found the minnows bothersome- all their quick activity. I'm inclined to think he's just happy to be alive, but it's probably that he finds the tank environment more calm now.

He even wanted to eat this morning. This past week I'd been giving him small crickets out of the garden- which I figured was safe- but he looked a bit overfull. So I gave him half a chopped up cooked pea. He snapped those bites up. I'm so glad.

remembered plants

Some pics from last year, that reflect this year. I lost one of my pink geraniums (it died) but the two looked so similar, I shrugged it off.

Never grew nasturtiums this year, so I look at this photo with nostalgia.

Right now my bay laurel (which comes indoors on the coldest nights) and basil (fading fast) look just like this. But what strikes me about this picture is the madagascar palm houseplant behind them on the other side of the window. Look how lovely the foliage! It's all dropped. The plant looks like a cactus stick now. It just barely started growing leaves back a week ago, but they're very small. I don't know if it's temperature not right for that plant in my house, or lack of direct sun.

I'm sad about my rosemary, too. It looked pretty good last year (this pic). Now thinner, needles anemic and yellowish. My first thought was: not enough sun, but I also suspect an insect pest might have gotten to it.

Sigh. Another plant I miss is the pretty, diminutive alyssum. I didn't grow any from seed this year- hoping a few might come up of their own accord in the front bed. Nope. Not a single one- or if they did, got choked out by the mock strawberry and sedums. This purple one was from the year before:

on lean water

Another new tactic this year- I am trying to use only meltwater from snow and ice outside, or collected rainwater, for my succulents and tender plants. Some of them really don't like tapwater. Like the spider plant. I think it's the flouride content. Others- the succulents- do poorly with the rich nitrate content in the aquarium wastewater I use. Most of them seem to be doing better now! 

My blue-green "ponytail" plant- I trimmed and replanted in the same pot most of the trailing stems, and it looks much nicer now. Wow, how it's grown.

Zygo (thanksgiving) cactus is still small, but has doubled in size again:

Still don't know the actual name of this pale green one in the crassula family. It frequently had leaves that withered and dropped, before I started using the meltwater.

Surprise! I still have a remnant of the echeveria- two small plantlets- I keep them very dry now. The one in red pot sharing space with some babies of the blue-green 'ponytail' which fell there of their own accord.

Madagascar palm the only one that doesn't look happy yet. Too much draft? Not enough warmth? (it's near a door so there's some draft). Not sure. I might give up on this one soon.

Other plants that I usually give lean water now too, or mixed with just a small portion of tankwater: creeping charlies, sansevieria, peace lilly- which has grown a lot!

and now even has new baby shoots emerging-

and my spider plants- no more burned leaf tips! This pot has several offspring from

my original plain spider plant- still vigorous and with new baby offshoots growing all the time

how are some houseplants

Looking at the group I bought during covid times. Most of them are doing well- in fact, the tiny-leaved 'wandering dude boliviana' is doing fantastic!

It's grown so much. 

All the younger angelwing begonias are doing well, too. 

Except the one with glossy leaves (richmondensis) got very leggy and keeps leaning. I trimmed it and moved to a brighter spot. Put the cuttings in water just in case they root. 

The older begonia still has that second shoot coming up in the pot. It's taller, but no leaves yet. 

Next to it, the rubber plant doesn't look so great. 

And 'friendship' pilea is struggling, so I relocated it as well. 

And the pilea peperomioides faltered a while back- all the smaller leaves at crown were looking dark and wilting. I think I had overwatered it. I let it dry out for over a week, then watered sparingly again. 

Seems okay now- new leaves are growing again and they look fine. 

Not so keen on the coleus 'inky fingers' anymore. 

It just doesn't compare at all to my dark velvety one (dang, where is that plant label? I think it was called 'black witchy' or something) which is still so stunning

I kept it all season as a grand houseplant. 

Swiss cheese monstera has more new leaves. 

Very funny how the new ones grow out all tightly rolled up and then unfold. \

Crown of thorns seems to have finished blooming for now. The flowers finally turned all solid pink, and a few days after I took a photo, started to wither.

houseplant checkup

First the ones that are doing great- I'm very pleased with my plain spider plant. It's done so much better since I've been careful to water it only when needed- not on a weekly schedule like I used to, but hefting the pot. When it's lightweight, I give it a good long drink. About once every ten or twelve days.

I cut off its one baby to give to a friend, and now it's sprouting two runners that will flower!

The striped one I got from the swap, is starting to standing more upright

My crown of thorns dropped its flowers. To be expected. Some of the leaves have slightly paler patches, looking a bit variegated- I need to find out of this is normal, or sign of something wrong. It does have new leaves growing! that's a good sign.

Madagascar palm next to it is looking so much better, by the way. Full of foliage now! It had just needed more sun.

Actually, that ails a lot of my plants. I have to be strict with myself and stop acquiring new houseplants, there's no place left to put them, and many as is, don't quite get enough light (lots of my african violets are kinda leggy). My angelwing begonia case in point. It grows straight up with the gorgeous leaves held out perpendicular. Not at all like I see it in photos. I still love it anyways- but I know my conditions for it are not ideal. 

I'm guessing now it might be called 'torch' 

the younger one by that name has narrower leaves, but coloring and speckles look the same. Here from two angles:

The other two are doing better- my 'richmondensis' has lots of new, healthy-looking leaves, 

and the 'frosty' one has a few. I'm not as fond of it now, though. Plants that are too pale or yellowish in pattern tend to look sickly to me. (I feel the same way about albino fishes, btw).

Of the other newer plants, the ficus (rubber plant) is okay, it has new growth but pretty slow, and the 'friendship' pilea is looking nice.

but calathea is still struggling.

And I have a few newer ones, now, too, though I'm half regretting it. My husband was out on an errand and found somebody selling starter houseplants at a stand. He sent pictures on his phone to see if I wanted any. Some were plants I have been wanting so I said yes! and "pick me out some nice-looking ones". This is what he brought home: 

They are monstera adonsanii, pilea peperomioides, and the last is labeled "Wandering Dude Bolivian." I'm curious about that label- yeah, I'm pretty sure it's a tradescantia- wandering jew 'bolivian' but the seller found the original common name problematic so called it dude instead. Hm, my husband doesn't like to hear me call the plant wandering jew either, so I've been referring to mine as tradescantia zebrina now instead.

As for conditions- well, I wish I'd had better photos because I would not have paid five dollars apiece for these plants. Pilea looks fine but the wandering dude is leggy and sparse, and this has got to be the saddest monstera plant I've ever seen. They're all in too-heavy, waterlogged soil. 

I suspected when I saw the pics off my husband's phone, that this was the same person who was selling plants from his house. Same varieties, pot size/shape, soil type. Yep, I knew it from the labels when he brought them home. With the earlier plants I didn't mind- the price was $2 per and I was willing to take a chance on them (have lost one already and might have to toss the other calathea). In Feb seller said they were cheap because had been kept in "a bad environment" and he was clearing out stock. So I'm surprised the plants are still being sold in rather poor condition, at a higher price now!