Just a quick update on those Lithops that were stuck outdoors during the Polar Vortex. Days of cold rain are not good for Lithops. The ones that I hastily repotted and brought indoors did all right. But the ones that stayed out, well, I lost a couple.
Lithops don't let you know when they are in trouble. You find out a week later when the top gets a little soft, and slightly pale. Hmm....you might wonder what went wrong and what you can do, but by the time those little changes are apparent, it's a Dead Lithops Sitting. A few days later, this happens:
You can see how the roots atrophy to nothing, and the plant withers from the base upwards. I'm glad I was able to repot as many as I did. And of course, all the indoor Lithops are fine.
On the other hand, you can have a plant that looks like it's completely and utterly dead, yet it's feeling groovy. My Catasetum tenebrosum is now dormant. But as hinky as it looks now, it will rise like a phoenix in a few months, ready to bloom again!
And the seedling trays are doing beautifully, lots of herbs sprouting.
And the Reiki experiment has begun, but that's for a later post. Have a reasonably happy Monday!
Yes, Lithops do not like Polar Vortexes (is that how the plural is written??) You wrote: "I lost a couple of the ones that stayed outside." So, some that were outside survived? Are they still outside? That would seem pretty amazing that any survived being outside through that Polar Vortex weather. I know some species can handle rather cold temperatures but the winter rain is usually a killer.
ReplyDeleteI know very little about Catasetum tenebrosum except that it's an orchid of some type. I'm glad it is doing ok for you. Since it is ok it must be a deciduous type which is quite unusual.
Nice to see all the seedlings coming up. When do you usually begin to put the herbs out into the ground? I'll be starting my broccoli, cabbage and lettuce seeds this coming weekend. I usually try to get them out into the garden in early April. Happy Monday!
Vortices, I believe...and Lithops sure don't like them. More than half survived outside, but I'm not planting anymore Lithops outside, the weather is just too unpredictable these days. I usually put my herbs out early, in late February, because by hurricane season (June) the winds are blowing too hard for most of them and they die. Not an easy environment for plants!
ReplyDelete