The cats are not allowed upstairs. The have freedom to roam the basement and first floor but not the second level. Houseplants are upstairs during the cool season and could cause problems for the feline gastro-intestinal track. Plus, the office is upstairs and was off-limits to Mo due to her OCD. Yes, Mo was obsessive-compulsive. She was compelled to eat paper, especially newspaper.
She had always occasionally nibbled on the edge of newspapers and paperwork since she entered my home. A couple years ago Mo ate half a newspaper while I was gone on holiday. I called the veterinarian and he assured me that she would be okay as long as the newspaper was digesting. She drank a lot of water but it all came out in the end. Into the litter box.
As a result, paperwork ended up in my office. Otherwise, it had to be placed inside a plastic bag (usually the clear bag from the newspaper) to ensure Mo would not eat it. Sometimes she managed to open the bag and eat the paper anyway. Since she died in May I don’t have to do this anymore. Zozo doesn’t seem to care about newspaper but she will eat plants. I suppose it is a good habit for me to keep paperwork in the office. I would be tempted to leave it lying about the house and paperwork tends to reproduce itself when left unattended. I don’t know if the new kitten, Tillie, will have the urge to chew newspaper or plants. She’s only 10 weeks old and likes to chew on a cardboard box and her tail.
© 2010
Showing posts with label houseplants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label houseplants. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
SPRING, PART III
NOTE: Please read Anticipating Spring and Spring, Part II blogs beforehand.
Patience, persistence and a bit of luck will yield a great crop is the ninth step. Fertilize with half the amount needed for regular houseplants or it may burn the seedling. Be very careful to fertilize only every two or three weeks. Consider the seedling to be like a small human infant – too much too fast will harm it. You have to wait until the seedling grows large enough to transplant and that the outside conditions are warm enough. Soil temperature is what counts. A couple 80-degree days mean nothing if the soil is still 45 degrees. Let the soil warm and keep the plant inside.
The tenth step is letting the seedling “harden off” outside before you plant it. I place my seedlings on the unheated porch for about a week before I take them outside. The porch has windows so it warms up during the day and doesn’t drop below 50 on a late spring/early summer night. Depending upon the seedling, 50 or 60 degrees is the lowest it can stand. You don’t want to kill the plant after months of work. A couple days before I plant the seedling, I place it near the spot I will place it in the ground. It will become accustomed to the setting.
Finally, place the seedling into the ground. Don’t mess up the roots too much or they will break off. You should only disturb the roots if the seedling is “root bound” as in the roots are compacted in the container and have started weaving through each other like a mesh. Gently disturb the bottom half of the roots to fan them out a bit. Gently place the seedling into the soil and treat with care. With good weather, you’ll grow a fabulous crop.
Accurate information can be procured from the local Extension Service (in the US). You can contact your county representative to speak to a Master Gardner or link to their website. Many colleges have accurate information on-line and there are many books in the library. You should check with folks who live in your area. Oftentimes, they will have free or cheap classes to attend. Unless the local garden center is staffed by a horticulturalist, be wary of the advice they offer. It may be an opinion and not based in fact. I have taken classes and read a lot but a lot depends upon the humidity and angle of the sun. It is good to test your soil; too, it may show the need to add something to improve your crop. You can always buy small plants from the garden center if the seeds don’t grow adequately.
Grow Seeds Grow!
© 2010
Patience, persistence and a bit of luck will yield a great crop is the ninth step. Fertilize with half the amount needed for regular houseplants or it may burn the seedling. Be very careful to fertilize only every two or three weeks. Consider the seedling to be like a small human infant – too much too fast will harm it. You have to wait until the seedling grows large enough to transplant and that the outside conditions are warm enough. Soil temperature is what counts. A couple 80-degree days mean nothing if the soil is still 45 degrees. Let the soil warm and keep the plant inside.
The tenth step is letting the seedling “harden off” outside before you plant it. I place my seedlings on the unheated porch for about a week before I take them outside. The porch has windows so it warms up during the day and doesn’t drop below 50 on a late spring/early summer night. Depending upon the seedling, 50 or 60 degrees is the lowest it can stand. You don’t want to kill the plant after months of work. A couple days before I plant the seedling, I place it near the spot I will place it in the ground. It will become accustomed to the setting.
Finally, place the seedling into the ground. Don’t mess up the roots too much or they will break off. You should only disturb the roots if the seedling is “root bound” as in the roots are compacted in the container and have started weaving through each other like a mesh. Gently disturb the bottom half of the roots to fan them out a bit. Gently place the seedling into the soil and treat with care. With good weather, you’ll grow a fabulous crop.
Accurate information can be procured from the local Extension Service (in the US). You can contact your county representative to speak to a Master Gardner or link to their website. Many colleges have accurate information on-line and there are many books in the library. You should check with folks who live in your area. Oftentimes, they will have free or cheap classes to attend. Unless the local garden center is staffed by a horticulturalist, be wary of the advice they offer. It may be an opinion and not based in fact. I have taken classes and read a lot but a lot depends upon the humidity and angle of the sun. It is good to test your soil; too, it may show the need to add something to improve your crop. You can always buy small plants from the garden center if the seeds don’t grow adequately.
Grow Seeds Grow!
© 2010
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