Eulogy.

I had to throw away Trent this morning. I was very...bothered.

He just wasn't doing well. His trunk was pliable. Very pliable. I just checked them a few weeks ago and they didn't move. I think the re-pot really did him in. Usually, my plants respond positively...or at least neutrally. For some reason, my aloes and euphorbias do not like my mix. Okay, hint taken.

I also think it's not completely my mixes' fault. I bare rooted them and their roots probably were shocked on top of having a ton of dirt on top of them. I'll have to remember to keep a semblance of a rootball intact for them next time.

Trent, you were a good plant. I'm sad that I couldn't keep you thriving. I'm going to try again ASAP.

In other plant news, the aloe I re-potted hasn't died. It lost a few "leaves" but it seems to be doing fine. I'm ignoring it for the time being. None of its babies survived, supporting my theory that my mix simply stays too wet for them. I'm going to have to work on less vermiculite, or no vermiculite, for my succulents and more sensitive plants. Lessons learned.

It was surprisingly irritating to throw Trent out. He had a sunny spot and good ventilation. Throwing him away bothered me in another way I didn't realize. I'm a big fan of nature and I see it as sacred. I have plants inside as a way of keeping the divine close at all times. I know that sounds totally out there, but seeing them thrive gives me several levels of satisfaction. I'm keeping pieces of the Earth happy, yay!

So, when one plant dies...I wonder. What did I do wrong? Why couldn't I keep this piece of Earth happy? So not only do I have gardeners' pride to contend with, I have a spiritual and moral pride to deal with as well. Phew.

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Coral was saved last night. I grabbed her, took her out of her pot, took out whatever wasn't clearly part of the rootball, and brought her inside. The soil I took off was sopping wet. She has not yet rotted, and so I gave her fresh soil. Her rootball was still moist, so I'm not watering her in yet. Her foliage looks good - I think her staying outside for now is a good idea. No signs of mealies. When I picked her up to put her back in the pot, I marveled at how much she has grown. When the Philadelphia Flower Show comes back in February, I will take a picture of the sized pots she was going in. She has come a long way! I'm hoping this is the last time I will re-pot her for a while...her rootball wasn't extensive and she needs time to grow. I realize why she isn't blooming - she's working on leaf production.

My pieces of Earth are growing pretty well, all in all. I'll take pictures tonight if I have time. I'm bringing work home with me and I may or may not be completely braindead by then. This post made me feel better about my indoor garden. I feel like I've been killing a ton of plants lately, but that hasn't been the case. Most of them are still here with me, growing away the day.