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Antarctic forest plant maintenance

 
Today I cycled to the greenhouse for the first time in 2023. The temperature soared to 88F. I packed a pair of short pants for the ride home, but I prefer to wear sturdy long pants for work at the greenhouse. I’m frequently on my knees tending plants or weeds, the extra padding of long pants is much more comfortable than bare knees on hard concrete or gravel. The ride was quite pleasant, although the breeze from the south was sharp at times.

The first task assigned to me for the day, by the Curator, was to collect some packets of beneficial insects -  Amblyseius cucumeris - from the pots in room C2 and relocate them to sick plants in room D4 (the desert room). One plant in D4, in particular, is beset by mites which are sucking out the sap and killing the leaves. One entire branch had been denuded. I attached the packets to the stems of the 4 plants to encourage the A. cucumeris predators onto the infested plants, to find the offending mites, and eat them.

My second task was to trim one of the ground-cover plants in D1, representing the Antarctic Forest biome of New Zealand and New Caledonia. This particular plant from New Zealand is noted for its unique blue pollen: Fuchsia procumbens. Since we’re in the spring season, the plant had many flowers each with tiny anthers sporting intense blue pollen grains. I was so lucky to see it!



My third task, and the most tiring, was to refill the bin for potting soil mix 1a. This is the most frequently used soil mix with a ratio of 3:2:1 of coconut coir, pumice, and sand. The coir is shipped in tightly compressed blocks which have to be rehydrated and broken apart by hand. My hands were very sore and cramped by the end of the day. I also had to find and transport the sand from a distant part of the building. I’m grateful I know where such things are stored. I didn’t have to ask anybody for directions to complete the chore. I finished the job with a pretty full bin of fresh mix.

While mixing the soil, Al and B were re-potting an unidentified desert plant. I guessed it was a cactus since each spine arose from a bud with a pair of spines. But Al said, “no, it is a euphorbia.” I was embarrassed to be wrong, again! I vow that I will learn to recognize a cactus from a euphorbia!!! This plant had “spikes”, arranged in pairs, with no areole bump = euphorbia.

Difference Between Cactus and Euphorbia - Comparison Summary

Having finished the soil mix, I went on to shore up the vine I’d repotted the prior week. I wound the vine around the tripod I had constructed, attaching it to the legs of the tripod with ties using stretchy green garden tape.

While on the bromeliad bench, my attention was alerted to a coffee plant growing on the bench, it had bright red coffee beans!

Also on the bromeliad bench in room C2, Al mentioned some of the cork panels are falling off of the trellis grid. The cork panels hold a number of Tillandsia plants and bromeliads. I found a step ladder to climb up on the bench and noted the fine wires which had been used to hold the cork had rusted through. But, running out of time and material I was unable to finish the job. Really, the whole display needs to be taken down and re-attached using non-ferrous wire.

Before I had a chance to clean up my mess on the bromeliad bench, I absentmindedly allowed the door to close and lock me out of room C1/C2. Director had pulled the wedge out from the door, allowing it to fully close as I went to find more wire. This is an example of how useful an ID badge will be.

Later in the afternoon at home, I completed the process to log on and update a temporary password for my U of M account online. With the account, I will be able to get an ID badge under the sponsorship of Director and the CBS department. Once the application is approved, I’ll head over to the student center to get photographed for the ID badge.

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