Late winter check on Cold-Building plants

[lucky1]

Canela (cinnamon) tree hates it; will keep it in house next winter.


Too cold for the Alii fig.


To my horror, 1 of 3 Calamondin oranges is loaded with "aphids". Found a ladybug on the window, placed it on plant.
Other 2 are completely clean. Looks like 2 different bug types? Help! Never happened before!


Succulents look a little shriveled up.


NOW THE GOOD NEWS...
Both C.revoluta are fine, one's desperately leaning south.



Jade Tree in full bloom.


New fronds galore ... first time ever in the cold building:





The boxwood outside is really beat up from cold winds.


Yucca filamenta are a little beat up from three -16C days in January...they'll be fine.


Would vaseline on a yellow board work this time of year for those bugs?
Barb

[Barrie]

Geez Barb ... all of them look great dispite a small aphid infestation. Hopefully that ladybug is hungry.
Never tried the vaseline/yellowboard before. We usually see fungus gnats this time of year, but so far none. (knock on wood)

Cheers, Barrie.

[oppalm]

Hey Barb - the plants look good inside the cold building. I think I'd be inclined to use an insecticide (or equivalent)
on the aphids before they get out of control.

Does the building have any heat ? is it attached to your house, etc. Can't remember seeing information on the building. Although I am sure you have been through this before.

THANKS. keep up the good work.

[macario]

Yeah everything looks good to me. You would never know you have aphids.

[lucky1]

Thanks guys.
Yup, will get on those aphids right away.
I'll try a can of Raid first and place a dry cleaner's bag over the little orange tree,
after I remove the ladybug (who's probably puking by now from OD'ing on aphids)

The other building isn't attached to house, it's 200 feet away. In use 6 months annually for a small recreation business.
When not in use (winter) I just turn the heating on a little bit, leave ceiling fans running to move air around. It houses all the plants that don't require a warm winter. A couple of plants are obviously in the wrong building

Those aphids must've come from the soil in that pot, presumably from eggs laid when plants were on patio?

We had lots of ants this summer, regular little black ants all over the patio.
I read somewhere that ants actually "farm" aphids, and protect them coz the ants get to take honeydew from the aphids back to the ant hill for their young.
So will nail all the ants this year too.
Barb

[lucky1]

My 1978 version of Encyclopedia of Organic Gardening said to use "Nicotine Water".
Just happened to have some of that around

Warning: those with a weak stomach should not view these pictures:

Instructions: soak cigarettes/ashes in water (in a large enough container to dip plant into upside down):
Yummy!


Place plastic bag around pot to hold soil when inverting plant:


Voila...


The Dog's wondering if she's next for a bath!


Barb

[Kansas]

Just to let you know, I used ladybugs last Summer and they worked GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!
I had knats HORRIBLE last year, I used Ladybugs this year and I have seen maybe 1-2 knats this whole winter inside.

[lucky1]

I found only 1 ladybug, too big a job for only one.
Doubt I could buy them in winter, but it's a great idea.
Barb

[Kansas]

OH MY!!! We have them by the hundreds sometimes in Kansas.

[Laaz]

Ummm... Barb next time you may want to get a bottle of Ultrafine & spray your plants with that. That water bucket looks nasty & will give your trees a bad hair day...

http://www.berkeleyhort.com/roses/r_oils.html

[lucky1]

Ha ha, was just using what I had on hand
Rodale had some good ideas back in '78.

Thanks for the link, the oil was recommended for overwintering insect eggs and fungal spores.
My "things" were moving, alive on that one little Calamondin orange tree.
I checked all the other plants, thankfully they look clean.

Barb

[Okanagan desert-palms]

Barb your jungle looks great. Looks like they are getting plenty of light.Those large windows sure help. That Trachy going in the ground this year?

John

[lucky1]

Thks John,

That Trachy going in the ground this year?

Nope. Easier on the nerves in winter.
Barb

[Cali-wanna-b]

I found only 1 ladybug, too big a job for only one.
Doubt I could buy them in winter, but it's a great idea.

Barb, one lady bug can eat 5000 aphids in their one year of life. You are correct, you can not order them until spring.

Craig

[lucky1]

I'm sure the aphids are drowned in that toxic soup.
Or they've developed a new addiction.
Barb

[lucky1]

About half the aphids have fallen off the Calamondin.


The remaining aphids aren't moving.
Treatment didn't appear to hurt the orange tree...yet.


Probably needed more nicotine.
Will work on that...
Barb

[oppalm]

Barb let me know if you need some ciggarette butts. My mother in law is coming this weekend and she smokes about 3 packs a day. Seriously she spends all weekend in the garage smoking. She must have iron lungs.

[lucky1]

I'm good, thanks.

But I bet she doesn't have aphids
Barb

[oppalm]

But I bet she doesn't have aphids
Barb[/quote]

Good point. Maybe I'll start smoking cigs to ward off the aphids. Come to think of it , I smoked a bit in college and never had aphids. Of course I did alot of stuff in college and never had aphids. Not sure if it was the smoking or all the hours spent at the library studying.

Anyway - I appears your nicotine dunk worked. Keep us posted on the results, thats a nice little trick.

[Barrie]

I couldn't get past the smell My wife quit smoking after 42 years ... I'm still in shock

Cheers, Barrie.

[lucky1]

Barrie,
So you're saying you have no children, Barrie??
couldn't resist that
Good for her for quitting.
I've tried about 5 times ...didn't work ... my murderous rages would be too hard on my palms and a few others nearby.

So what the heck...don't want a long life, just a good one.

Kent, ya, I'm thinking of getting a patent (cough, cough).
Barb

[Alchris]

Barrie; Congrats to your wife. It isn't easy. It took me 33 years to quit.

Barb; Up until I threw the pack in the garbage can Dec 12/98, there was no way that I could quit. I don't want to guess how many times I tried to quit- cold turkey, gradually, nicarette, group. After going through all that hell and putting any one near me through it too, one day I just quit. It was relatively easy, compared with before. For almost 8 years, I stayed away from any source of cigarette smoke and was terrified of starting again. Now I don't have to worry as I am allergic to smoke. To this day I have no idea why it suddenly was easy to quit. If I could figure it out, I'd make a killing selling it.

Allen

[lucky1]

Allen,
that's encouraging! it really is, thanks.
Congrats on 9 years.

One day...Barb

[Okanagan desert-palms]

Barb I quit 3 weeks ago. I have tried before with all of the gums and patches your body is still absorbing nicotine thus a greater propensity to start again. I am now on "Champix" "Chantix" in the U.S. which shuts down the nicotine receptors in the brain .I kept smoking for the first week as usual and by day seven my quit day I had one smoke . My wifes sister told me about it she smoked for 30 years and hasn`t smoked now for 8 months. This is a wonder drug to get rid of the craving I was sceptical at first but it really delivers on what it says. Now I have more money for Palms LOL .

John

[oppalm]

nice palms. I have a friend who quit smoking about a month ago and is using Chantix also. He swears by it. Somehow this very nice thread about Barb's aphids has turned into a 12 step help program. Oh well - if we can't get rid of your aphids we will push some perscription drugs on ya'. What are friends for?

[lucky1]

John, 3 weeks? right after your vacation, huh?
This stuff is obviously better than the Zyban stuff.
Do they have to check your liver every year? (versus lungs...ahem )

Your doctor must know my doctor, ha ha, 'coz in front of me, right this minute,
I have the little Champix booklet (28 pages, half are French).

On page 11, "Side effects and what to do about them".
Nausea, vomiting (oh, cool), trouble sleeping (more time for palm care), headache, abnormal dreams (living in Florida), constipation, gas (no comment).

And on page 12 all the Health Canada phone numbers (in case they've allowed this FDA approval too early).
I wish you good luck in your quest, and hope it works for you.
Me? ah...sometime this year.

Kent, cute! Think I'll need more than the 12.

Can you just imagine a potential forum member dropping in here, hoping to learn about palms, and stumbling on this Cold-Hardy Palms thread?

Barb

[Okanagan desert-palms]

Lol way off topic so in brief I had no side effects whatsoever exept my dreams are about buying more and planting more palms. Hey wait a minute I do that already . I guess no side effects is what I meant.

John

[lucky1]

Glad it's opening up the palm receptors in the brain. Good on 'ya.
Barb

[Cali-wanna-b]

Glad it's opening up the palm receptors in the brain. Good on 'ya.

Smoking is bad for me and if I buy more palms my wife is going to kill me. I might as well keep smoking.

[Alchris]

At least you would be choosing the manner and time of your death. Pleasure followed by a quick violent end or slow drawn out painful death.

Buy more palms!!

Allen

[Barrie]

"So you're saying you have no children, Barrie??"

None of my own Barb, 2 step kids (grown and gone, with kids of their own). Luckily my wife had kids at a young age.

Cheers, Barrie.

[lucky1]

Barrie, Your palms are your kids now
Me too.

Allen, in winter it's too cold to smoke outdoors in Edmonton!
Looks like your winter's fading...thank goodness.
Barb

[Alchris]

It is not that cold for some people. When she knew it was smoke outside or get out, my (expletive deleted) niece would go stand by the dryer vent and smoke. That included when it was -38*C. 14 days until she is gone. It is forecast to stay around -10*C to +5*C for high temperatures through the end of the month. With it being that warm, there will be room in the Salvation Army homeless shelter if she has been that stupid as to waste the money from her jobs on clothes, booze and drugs.

I have arrangements made for her 2 children in the probable event that she has not got a place for her and the kids. They are the only reason that I took her and the children in. It looks like I will be adding a 10 year old boy to my palm kids. At least until the end of the school year.

I may be an Ogre with my attitude towards her, but she is the only person I know that fits this phrase. 'You can tell that she is lying, her mouth is open.'

14 days and counting.

Allen

PS I'm sorry for being off topic, but I feel tremendous relief that I don't have to throw her children out with her

[lucky1]

Allen,
Oh, sorry what you're going through.
Sounds like she could have used some tough love ages ago.

But 14 days will go by quickly...
How sad that the kids have to see and know what's going on.
Childhood should be an innocent time, but it isn't for many.

Good for you for your commitment to the kids...family after all.
You're lucky indeed that Chris is such an understanding partner.

Happy to see a chinook heading your way...you'll have the enclosure lid off just to let the heat out!
We'll be counting down the days with you.
Barb

[Alchris]

Thanks. She has only been with us since mid November. It just seems like years. Her mother should have applied some tough love when she was 10 years old or younger. Not when she is 25. Chris, the babysitter and I have turned her spoilt miserable bitch 3 year old daughter into a slightly difficult child. I guess that we are making a little progress with my niece, although it is probably temporary. Although she has had 5 different employers since November, she has worked steadily with the exception of over xmas. When she was at her mother's she would work for 2 or 3 weeks before getting fired or not showing up and then she would ly around for 2 or 3 months.

I am worried about the 3 year old as she keeps coming on to me-- flashing her chest and genitals and asking me if I like them or asking me to touch her. I am hoping that this is only from watching her mother in action and not from sexual abuse. The boy just needs some positive masculine influence as well as reinforcement that he is 10 and not 20 years old.

I am lucky to have Chris. Her patience with my coming to the rescue of my family has been tried quite often. Every now and again, I remind her about the times we have rescued members of her family.

13 1/2 days and counting.

I am surprised that the shelter temperature is only 12*C. But the sky is hazy and everything is snow covered. I told Cameron, my G nephew, that we would inspect and water the palms together and he is visiting his grandparents this weekend. I may not be able to hold out until Tuesday before I open the shelter. I figure that 15*C is too warm for the Canna lily if the temps will fall to below freezing again.

Unfortunately I haven't paid much attention to the forum. that will change March 1st.

Allen

[lucky1]

Allen,
Of course it feels like years (since November).
It would for all of us.

Re that precocious ? 3 year old, I'd have Chris talk to her a bit every day...that way, in several weeks, she'll have made an impact on the child re pride in one's self, etc. and a little dignity and decorum. She'll certainly need instruction before she hits adolescence. And, to be quite blunt, Allen, you should always have another person in the same room with you (I know it sounds insane), but you don't know how things can be "turned around" to haunt you years down the road.
I've had a tiny bit of experience with the subject through a friend's family, and she went through hell years later when "memories" seemed more than they really were. Enough of that!

Chris is a saint.

You may get that chinook arriving earlier...get ready to let the heat out!
Bet everything's looking good in there.
Barb

[Alchris]

Thanks Barb;

I have begun to distance myself from my 3 yr old G. niece as it is impossible to ensure that I am never alone with her. Her mother ignores her and the 3 of us are frequently in the house together which causes the little girl to follow me around. After 36 hours with her mother and without the Babysitter, myself or my wife near her, she has begun returning to her old ways. They were here about 1 1/2 hours today to clean up and change. She has become as uncommunicative and secretive as her mother and I noticed her sizing me up like a carnivore does with it's prey. I have started to ignore her and refuse to talk or do things with her. It is a pity. But I can't do much more for her in the next 2 weeks and I had better start covering my ass.

Enough about this. 13 days and counting

Allen

[Kansas]

Alchris, is this even a possibility.....
The mother, seems to me is almost a lost cause. I would #1 kick her out TODAY. Any time spent "saving" her is actually "enabeling" her to continue her ways.
Is it even a possibilty to go to Child Protection Services and tell them whats going on with the 3 year old? This way, YOU (and from the sounds of things, YOU are the most important thing here) do not get caught up in the middle.
Because I can VERY easily see the mother doing something like trying to get YOU in trouble and sueing you for messing with her 3 year old, as a way to get $$$$$ for drugs.
Sorry if I am out of line, as I really don't know the whole story and am not in your shoes, It's just that I DO care about YOU and want the best life has for YOU.

[lucky1]

Allen,
Ditto Wes' comments.
People with good intentions often get sucked into these people's BS.

Barb

[Alchris]

I didn't want to go into a lot of detail, but I have pretty much everything covered except the 'sexual abuse' angle and I am working on that.

I was kept in the dark by my brother and his wife as to Steph's history so that her con job worked and Chris and I took her and Brooke, her 3 yr old, off of their hands. I began to suspect that I was being kept in the dark when they started shipping Steph's junk to me and almost refused to let her have Cameron, the 10 year old, move here at semester break. Since I gave Steph notice to be out of our house by February 28th back in Mid January, I have slowly been finding out Steph's history.

Steph's mother is the children's legal guardian and Steph's older brother Shawn is the Social Services designated 'foster family' in the event that Social Services becomes involved again. This occurred when Steph ended up in jail and had the children taken from her.

Shawn is tough enough to handle both children and keep Steph from screwing up their lives further. He will be taking Brooke and possibly Cameron.

My sense of honor and 'my word is my bond' has been the only thing that I had a number of times in my life(except my wife Chris). It has cost me at times and is costing me now. I told Steph that she would be leaving Feb 28th and she will stay until then. But Feb 28th not the 29th.

The 'delay' allows time for Shawn to get set up and us to arrange for Cameron's schooling. It also gives Cameron an adjustment period. It also allows time for us to get as much info from the babysitter's family about Brooke to prepare a counselor for dealing with Brooke.

I have been the 'caretaker' in my family since I was 10 and Chris has been one of the caretakers in her family since she was about 15. She was the middle child of 11, they needed 2 caretakers. When I became totally disabled by depression and Northern Alberta Health Care in 1999, I had to distance myself from my siblings and parents as they still expected me to be all give and no get.

I will be talking to my sister-in-law this weekend and will likely call Social services on Tuesday. Thanks for the suggestion, Wes.

Allen