PHOTOS:Mary van Balen
My daughter and I have shared caring for her plant (a schefflera) for years since since she is, in her words, "a nomad." Such is the plight of an archaeologist. I did not mind, but worried when leaves turned yellow and dropped or an attack of some pest or other threatened to bring its end. Once I cut off healthy stems, rooted them, and carried the rest to the compost pile.
Most recently, after an unusually vicious attack by bugs, I cut the stems off at almost dirt level, and took them with me to my daughter's new apartment since she would probably be able to stay there for a couple of years. I intended to dump behind the garage what remained and then dispose of the pot since none of my efforts had eradicated the bugs.
I never got around to that, and the other day when I walked through the spare bedroom where it was kept, I was surprised to see tiny green "umbrella" leaves sprouting form the stump. Read More
My daughter and I have shared caring for her plant (a schefflera) for years since since she is, in her words, "a nomad." Such is the plight of an archaeologist. I did not mind, but worried when leaves turned yellow and dropped or an attack of some pest or other threatened to bring its end. Once I cut off healthy stems, rooted them, and carried the rest to the compost pile.
Most recently, after an unusually vicious attack by bugs, I cut the stems off at almost dirt level, and took them with me to my daughter's new apartment since she would probably be able to stay there for a couple of years. I intended to dump behind the garage what remained and then dispose of the pot since none of my efforts had eradicated the bugs.
I never got around to that, and the other day when I walked through the spare bedroom where it was kept, I was surprised to see tiny green "umbrella" leaves sprouting form the stump. Read More