Yesterday we put up the aluminum greenhouse. I learned many things. I learned the value of preparation, of clear instructions and delegation of duties. I also learned that it really is faster to take the thing down than to put up, unless you don't use washers.

Well, we pinched the pot mums last week and I can already see some lateral growth. This is a new sensation for me! Throughout my academic career, I was always studying events after the fact. The student of history and mythologist is more observer than actor, chroniclers of those that were responsible for great events. Here, now, I am the beginning of the process. I am the process. I act, and there is a visible response to my actions.

Today we continued to pot the new stock: snapdragons and cinerareas. They have not been assigned yet, so I don't know which ones I need to care for, but I am looking forward to it now! My interest in our projects, even if they are flowers, is starting to build steam. Seeing the results in my lilies, my mums and my poinsettias makes all the difference. This is the practical stuff I came here for in the first place!

Nothing new to report on my plants, they are all growing happily now. This itself is worthy of discussion in the context of how much trouble my classmates seem to be having with Pythium. Many poinsettias had to be removed but none of mine have developed any symptoms. However, this does not mean that the pathogen is not on my plants. The fungicide that was sprayed in the greenhouse may prevent it from spreading to my plants.

Peter postulated as to how the outbreak started, and his hypothesis is that spores on the floor came into contact with the hose when it was left on the floor. The water that was allowed to pool on the floor would have helped maintain not only the fungus itself, but also the algae that feeds its vector: fungus gnats.

I also forgot to mention yesterday that we planted snapdragons, but none have been assigned yet to students. Soon I will be reporting on that too.

The wire mesh is up above our curt mums now. This should stabilize them when their stalks get longer, but for now my Vyrons have yet to touch the metal. That's Zack's leg in the back.

Well, today I learned another good reason why you need to check on your plants constantly. You never know when they might get a spurt of growth and get too big for their britches, so to speak. Today I checked the Vyron and found that it had grown taller that the nametag! This is by no means a problem now, but looking ahead, and perhaps with other plants that need more space or in areas where disease transmission is a bigger issue, it can leads to further troubles later. Constant vigilance.

Thanksgiving weekend has given me something else to be thankful for. I am so happy to report that the Adele mums have recovered! Many were lost just after the transplant, and they remained wilted and sick-looking, until now! Just because there are setbacks, don't give up! Plants are more resilient than they

seem.

Well, as is plainly visible, the Vyron has grown so high that it has hidden the tag with my name on it! I must be doing something right, or more likely Vyron is just more hardy and idiot-proof than the Adele.

As for my lilies, they are starting to all sprout, some with more than one head coming up! However, I have noticed that some look different from the others. I don't know if this is a normal variation, or if a lily of another type was mixed in with mine.

Fertilizer on the Points

Recently I learned that if you aren't careful with the hose, and you spray fertilizer on the leaves instead of on the media where it is needed, you end up with a residue on the epidermis. I heard that the fertilizer should only be applied every other watering, to avoid burning the roots. From now on I will be more precise when applying fertilizer, and on the off waterings I will make sure that the leaves are sprayed down and any residues washed off if needed.

A New Project

I forgot to post yesterday, so today I offer a couple of entries. For yesterday, I was pleased and honoured when Peter asked me to take care of the raspberry bushes just outside the greenhouse. I have weeded them and removed a lot of dead material in addition to watering each pot, and I will continue to do what I can. As anyone can see, they are not in the best shape.


What did I learn? Pulling a thistle out of a raspberry patch is VERY tricky. I'm thinking of assembling a Lab Kit with gloves and other such items I might need.

Today I checked on my lilies and was surprised and pleased to see that they had sprouted! I am shocked at how fast that has taken place. I honestly had no idea how quickly bulbs can sprout up, far more quickly than seeds. They require more attention early.

Well, my Adelle pot mums are holding steady. Some have died, some have pulled through, and with frequent watering and some TLC the survivors should make it. Peter said that this batch of shoots was no good, and I've heard of other students whose crops have fared even worse!
Now that I've spaced out my pots and have started to check them twice per day, I hope to see some improvement.







The Vyron cut mums are doing very well. No signs of wilting or deficiency, and over half of the plants have grown taller than the crates they were planted in! I have certainly gained a valuable lesson in the selection of varieties: I need to avoid the frailer crops and stick to the stuff that can survive my inexperience!