I haven't posted for a long time. We had a challenging winter with my mom being in the hospital for 2 1/2 months (she is in long-term care now). But spring is coming and I feel like taking some photos again. I thought I'd start with the cyclamen that was in my last post. It has been blooming non-stop since November although it is a bit slower right now.
The bougainvillae made it through the winter and had a lovely show of flowers on a different stem. Suddenly now though it has dropped all its leaves. I'm guessing I over watered it in spite of trying to be careful. I will give it a dry spell and hope it will revive. I don't know if this spray of flowers will open properly or not.
This orchid has bloomed for the third time. It has 14 flowers and buds. I bought some special orchid foliar fertilizer in a cute little spray bottle and give the leaves a spritz about once a week as well as watering the pot with distilled water.
The ladybug is on a leaf of a new orchid that unfortunately brought mealy bugs with it. I was preoccupied and didn't notice the infestation until it was pretty bad. I gave the orchids a total bath in soapy water and that helped a lot but I have killed quite a few bugs by hand as they hatch out. Some ladybugs woke up from their winter sleep and we have been putting them on the buggy plants. It really helps.
The white fluffy thing is a mealy bug. They like to be in the fork of a stem. This is celery I started from seed last fall. The celery plants got damaged by the mealy bugs but they are still growing and I think once I plant them outside, they will be OK.
I started some lettuce a couple of weeks ago. I keep it well away from the mealy bugs! Nice to have something new growing.
I hope you are all enjoying some spring weather.
I wondered where you'd been, though I know how difficult it can be when you have to take care of ageing parents. I can never quite believe the number of bugs that a few ladybirds can eat!
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