Project #4 - 1/4 & 2/4: Plant Growth

I killed three plants last year and found out quickly that if I can't take care of a plant how will I be able to take care of dogs, another human being (children or significant other), or even myself if I can't keep a plant alive. So this is in my best interest for this part of the project to keep a plant alive that was gifted to me by Jerry Allan last semester in Aesthetics of Sustainability. He made a valuable point last semester when he stated that there is always a read on the type of person you are based on your abilities to keep a plant alive no matter how busy your schedule is. His first suggestion was to put the bulb suspended over a vase of water which is exactly what I did. I kept forgetting to refill it therefore the plant hasn't been growing the way it should be. So I went out and bought a pot, some plant food and repotted the bulb for this project. Within days the plant was growing phenomenally.

As you can tell I almost killed the plant before As I sat in front of the plant I actually did some research on my computer on what type of environment and the type of nourishment the plant will need in order to survive. Keeping the kitchen temperature monitored and the shades opened while the sun shines through them, the plant has made tremendous progress. Here is a picture taken for the second week of observation:

I did make the mistake of turning off the heat when I left out of town for a weekend to go make beer for my company. I came home and the house was below 35 degrees and the plant was withered away and drooping down. I thought I had killed it. :( I then purchased a small lamp and put it on the plant while feeding it a whole bunch of water and plant food. That seemed to do the trick. What I did notice though was that the plant still has withered spots that appear to be dead. It has devastated me to the point that I am always looking over the plant to ensure it is making progress. I have already gone through two bottles of the indoor plant food which seems to be helping a lot. I also noticed that where the plant is supposed to bloom that that piece has died.

My main goal is to get this plant to full health and watch it flourish into a beautiful bloom this spring.