Lettuce Contest Day 23

Here is an update on the race of the romaine lettuce: Team Red Wiggler (left) is unquestionably winning against the Team Potting Soil (right).
<--Day 23
The results are shocking. Clearly, Team Red Wiggler's compost-fed lettuce is more lush and larger than the feeble romaine grown on potting soil.

Both are being watered occasionally with liquid synthetic fertilizer, to make up for the basic deficiencies of plain potting soil. I am amazed at the difference!
<-- Day 16, for comparison

Lawn and Garden Forecast

It's a beautiful sunny day outside today. I took the dog for a walk on the slushy roads and noticed the streams of water making their way towards storm drains. I can see a few plants uncovered by the melting snow next to our garage. These Sweet Williams (Dianthus barbatus) are evergreen, so it is wonderful to see green things emerge in March.



Have you ever noticed the "Lawn and Garden Forecast" on the Weather Network website? I checked it today and you can all be happy to know the garden forecast here is "fair" for tomorrow. This is symbolized by the spade on the yellow background (orange = poor, green = excellent). I think this is the first "fair" for the year. The forecast also indicates that the ground is frozen and watering needs are "medium". Good thing the snow is melting, because our pipes are probably still frozen. Honestly, I don't know what kind of outdoor gardening tasks I could do this Saturday, other than shooing snowmobilers off the lawn. Incidentally, Vancouver's forecast shows no "fair" gardening weather for another 3 days, though Penticton's forecast for today is "fair", but poor for the next week. Poor them. They could be gardening in La Ronge!

Lady's Slipper Orchids from Near and Far

One of my most prized orchids has bloomed again. The last time Paphiopedilum "Magic McNavy" bloomed was November, 2005. The bloom usually lasts over a month and is very unique, so it is worth the wait. The flowers have a very waxy/greasy appearance, lots of dark hairs, and strange bumps. The description sounds more like an unattractive teenager than a flower somehow. The plant has lots of new growth on it, so maybe the next bloom will have two flower stems.

This particular orchid is described as a slipper orchid because of the tubular shape of the lower lip of the flower. The genus name is derived from Paphos (=a city on Cyprus where a temple to Venus stands) and pedilum (=slipper/sandal). Thus, it essentially means Venus' slipper. It hails from the tropics of the Old World (though I bought it on ebay from a guy in BC!).

Shockingly, we also have lady's slipper orchids growing wild in our back yard! The local pink lady's slipper orchids are of the related genus Cypripedium, species aucale. The picture above was taken in June, 2006. Would you believe the local orchid's Latin name also means Venus' slipper? (Cypris=refers to Venus because Cyprus was Venus' sacred island, pedium=slipper/sandal). Cypripedium was actually named first, by Carl Linnaeus. The Paphiopedilum was named a century later by Heinrich, who essentially copied the idea of naming the flower for a beautiful goddess' footwear.