I well know
that bringing houseplants outside for the summer can make trouble but I
usually take a chance. This year my favourite houseplant paid the
price. I raised and loved this key lime tree from a seed. It grew
slowly in the house so I put it on the patio in a sheltered northern
exposure in summertime and it did fine, grew more leaves than it would
have in the house and it looked happy and healthy.
In late
September it returned to its home in the south window and trouble
began. Leaves dropped continually and quickly, not just a few but
many. I sprayed it twice with gentle insecticidal soap but that didn't
work. Pyrethrum worked. It is one of the oldest insecticides and well
recognized for low toxicity to humans and wildlife but rapidly
knocks-down a wide variety of plant pests and it doesn't remain in the
environment.
For the
past month my beloved key lime tree has been recovering in the spare
bedroom at the window. I have kept the blinds slightly angled so it
gets lots of light but no direct sun. I think it is ready for full sun
now. You can see it has been ravaged but over a few months it will
re-grow most of the leaves. I don't think I will put it outside next
summer...I almost lost it this time.
Do you
ever attach emotionally to a plant? I develop relationships with
mine. This little tree sprouted from seed when I moved into my current
home which was the beginning of life on my own. This plant and I have
been through a journey together! I remember another plant, a Neanthe
Bella Palm, that arrived in our home as a seedling the year my first
son was born. That plant is almost 33 years old. I left it with
Craig, he wanted to keep it . He has a relationship with it!
The
Ficus Bbenjamina in my living room came from a girlfriend who returned
to the Faroe Islands almost 20 years ago. I promised I would take good
care of it and return it to her if she ever came back to Canada. It is
only a loaner but it looks beautiful in my living room until she
returns!
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