microb's blog: Life is getting back to normal

What is normal.
OK, so the rain stopped about a week or so ago. I cancelled a group of friends coming for a garden tour due to muddy paths and garden debris.
It was a mess after a couple of weeks of heavy rain and wind. Road has still not been repaired. Bumping our way out over ruts and pot holes. Not sure when the county will come by to fix it.
Life is continuous raking, trimming and tidying. The fun part is having to pay attention to details and not cut down plants that have growing value, finding plants growing like crazy that I have not seen for months. Lots of potential for cuttings.
Yesterday I raked up 8 wheelbarrows of bamboo leaves and sticks. Large 5 inch diameter, 30 foot long dead canes came crashing out of the bamboo clumps so they have to be carried away and tossed (as in caber) over the fence to the green waste pile.
Our new dog is a distraction. Needs walking twice a day along the forest trails. Gives me an excuse to get out among the trees and tropical plants. Of course I'm being pulled along at a speed way above casual enjoyment but its fun.
Climate change is evident everywhere. I think with the hot summer days the ground has warmed up more than usual and then 30 inches of rain spooked all the plants into coming alive two months early. I have Orchid Cactus in bloom which does not usually happen until April. I have an Amorphophallus Dunii blooming and the should not happen until late March. I need to rush and weed the 70 plus Amorphophallus pots as the bulbs are starting to wake up.
Rachel Carson, Barbie and Black Asper bamboo are putting up new canes in JANUARY, Bamboo fun is becoming a year round event. Scary to see the first small running bamboo shoot coming up behind the house yesterday. Last year they started in March I think.
This week I removed perished plastic sheeting from part of the greenhouse. I pick up a 20 x 20ft sheet of shade cloth tomorrow to replace the plastic. This will allow me to convert the area from greenhouse for Orchid Cactus to seed and cutting propagation for tropical plants. Rain can get through the shade cloth so not so much need for watering.
Now that my friend is bringing regular seeds from around the world I have to have more seed bench space. Looking forward to propagating for future sales.
The new forest area that was being cleared for more fencing is on hold due to weather. Might get out there again today or maybe next weekend.
Having joined the Board of the Friends of the local Zoo I'm more involved with their operations. Still doing regular gardening but now have a project of re-covering a shade cloth greenhouse. The cover is rotting and the Orchid Society abandoned it so us new garden volunteers are taking it over. 30ft x 15ft. County will pay for the new cover. We just have to provide labor. We will then propagate plants for sale to raise funds for more garden work. In that way we will not take money away from the animal budget.
Ponds need attention. Cleared weed off one large round pond this morning. Could not see the surface and had remove a large dead Talapia fish. One small pond has a water lily blooming today and saw a butterfly. Clear blue skies and temps near 80f today with little or no wind. Cold, near 60f in the early morning. Start in jeans and then change to shorts.
Should be dry and sunny for the next week.
Next week Monday I pick up a load of Staghorn Ferns for the zoo and then spend Tuesday and Wednesday morning putting them on trees with a friend. Might be one or two for my yard.
During that trip on Monday I'm trying to arrange a Heliconia exchange with a connection made on Facebook. I like adding new plants to my collection by trading.
So thats the update for now. Its 1.30pm and I have to decide how I can "beat myself to death" in the yard this afternoon.

Just love that Bromeliad with the pink bracts below the bloom head. Its a first time bloomer for me so don't not whether that white bloom head will turn color. I think it should go pink.

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