Sticky Fingers

Monday, May 01, 2006

RIP plumosa

This morning I found something that looked like some sort of droppings near the two new plants. I wondered if I had brought in some kind of creature with my new acquisitions. Then when I got the wipes to clean it up, I thought that MAYBE it was just fuzz that landed there, because it didn't have the consistency I'd expected. But then again, since I don't know enough about the waste of various creatures - I haven't ruled out my first hypothesis completely. I will have to watch and see.

On my way home, I nearly bought a Gymnocalycium at the VERY EXPENSIVE plant shop in Central Square - it was busy budding and had already tried to bloom but was obstructed by one of those HORRIBLE glued-on straw flowers. Apart from ripping off all the straw flowers, what I really wanted to do was just detach one of the pups, which was barely hanging on since the plant was badly potted, but my conscience got the better of me so I left it. Maybe I will pass by again later this week and see if they will sell me the little pup for a tiny price.

Then later on in the day, while going through my usual inspection, I noticed that the Mammillaria plumosa that I rescued from HD a few weeks ago wasn't looking very happy. I've been looking for signs of growth without success, and today I realised that the plant was no longer firm. Uh oh! Definitely not a good sign on a plumosa. So I lifted it out the pot and sure enough, the whole middle was gone - rotted away into red goop.

These are the remains of my M. Plumosa - now gone off to the great garden in the sky. May she rest in peace.



I managed to take off the pups that were still hanging on around the edges - six of them (see below), and cut off their bottoms in case they had already been infected. All I can do now is wait and see if they survive - they aren't too big, but you never know. I have managed to grow a plumosa from a tubercule, so this might just work out.



P.S. Good thing I went back to take those photos - when I looked a bit closer at the "remains" I found two more pups hidden in the mass of feathery spines. So that's eight salvaged - at least a few should make it.

2 Comments:

  • Jade,

    Did it just rot on it's own? I was reading it thinking you were going to reveal some ungly created inside of the M.Plumosa having eaten it's way inside.

    You just reminded me I have a couple seeds of this plant and I have to try and germinate them.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at May 11, 2006 1:47 am  

  • It was all on its own - nothing had eaten it but rot. I think this had started before I got it, because it was in very bad condition in the store but I figured I would try to rescue it.

    By Blogger Jade, at May 11, 2006 7:59 am  

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