Let's Rebuild Part 2: What Thrived, What Tried, What Died

I realize that, though more and more people are experiencing the total or partial destruction of their habitations and gardens, it's still not the most common experience out there (Phew!). My habitation is now 90% repaired, but my outdoor garden is still a shambles. I finally got out there and did a tally of what survived and even thrived with Hurricane Matthew, what limped through, barely, and what really died. Here are some results:
The Great Survivors: The Jamaican Leaf of Life, The Mother of Millions, Rosemary, Cabbage Palms

Mother of Millions, aka the Devil's Backbone in Bloom

These plants not only survived a Cat 4 hurricane (max winds on my dune were 107mph, or 172kph), but actually managed to propagate themselves or grow robustly after the storm. Interestingly, these are all plants native to areas that experience regular cyclones (or in the case of rosemary, non-cyclonic harsh sea storms). The mother plants were bedraggled, but had babies growing all over the yard and probably beyond.

The Scruffy Stragglers:These plants lived, but were sorely tested and very unhappy with Hurricane Matthew: Aloes, Elder Tree, Frostweed, Cacti, Buttonwood Tree, Lemongrass, Goldenrod, Gynura Procumbens, Garlic and Onions, Sweet Potato, Croton, Plumeria

Plumeria, MRobb

The Plumeria in our neighborhood mostly died, but we all cut off branches and are growing the branches. This is how plumeria survives, so I'm counting it with the Scruffy Stragglers. I really thought my little Elder was dead, but it just put out new leaves this week! The Frostweed also looked completely dead, but some little plantie voice told me to keep watering, and yesterday, it also starting sprouting new leaves. Time will tell. Someday it may look good again!

Frostweed and Leaf of Life, MRobb

The Walking Dead and the Really, Really Dead: Basil, Shiso, Mint, Lithops, Pittosporum, the Mystery Vine, quite a few orchids, Sage, Anthurium

No pics here, just too sad. I did plant some new basil today, as my kitchen can't do without it! I was just starting to get a good shiso harvest, but I may try growing it inside next year, in pots.

So now that I know how everything did, I can start planning with an eye to hurricane survival, just in case we all have to do this again next season (Noooooooo!!!!).

Wishing you all some wonderful Weekend Walkabouts!

Lithops Don't Like Cold Rain! (Polar Vortex Update)

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!