We killed a plant yesterday
Jose K and I went to IKEA yesterday to get a poinsettia for Jose K's classmate who is going to be hosting us for Christmas.
We found a really pretty one, paid for it and were ready to leave.
Unfortunately, there was a traffic jam or something and the normally reliable IKEA bus did not turn up. We were at the Slependen branch which is about 20 minutes outside the city and we did not know how to get back to Oslo so we waited.
The bus is scheduled to leave 10 minutes past every hour. The 4.10 pm bus did not arrive so we decided to get some coffee. We returned to wait at 4.50 pm. The bus stop is outdoors and by then, it was nightfall and it was COLD! (We later found out that it was about -9 degrees.)
5.10 pm came and went. Still no bus!
After waiting in the cold for 20/25 minutes, Jose K and I could not take the cold anymore and we went into the building again. It was then that I discovered that our poinsettia had DIED on me. The 20/25 minutes proved too much for it. AAAAAAH..... Look at the poor thing. The withered leaves, the floppy red petals.
The IKEA bus finally arrived at 6.10pm and when we reached home, we tried to resuscitate the plant by keeping it near the heater and shining a light nearby it.
Unfortunately, nothing worked and we had to throw it away this morning.
I have since found out that the poinsettia is native to southern Mexico and Central America and it does not like the cold. The IKEA tag helpfully stated that the minimum temperature for the poinsettia is 18 degrees. Excuse me... daily temperatures in Oslo now hover between -3 degrees to -8 degrees. 18 degrees was like in early August.
We found a really pretty one, paid for it and were ready to leave.
Unfortunately, there was a traffic jam or something and the normally reliable IKEA bus did not turn up. We were at the Slependen branch which is about 20 minutes outside the city and we did not know how to get back to Oslo so we waited.
The bus is scheduled to leave 10 minutes past every hour. The 4.10 pm bus did not arrive so we decided to get some coffee. We returned to wait at 4.50 pm. The bus stop is outdoors and by then, it was nightfall and it was COLD! (We later found out that it was about -9 degrees.)
5.10 pm came and went. Still no bus!
After waiting in the cold for 20/25 minutes, Jose K and I could not take the cold anymore and we went into the building again. It was then that I discovered that our poinsettia had DIED on me. The 20/25 minutes proved too much for it. AAAAAAH..... Look at the poor thing. The withered leaves, the floppy red petals.
The IKEA bus finally arrived at 6.10pm and when we reached home, we tried to resuscitate the plant by keeping it near the heater and shining a light nearby it.
Unfortunately, nothing worked and we had to throw it away this morning.
I have since found out that the poinsettia is native to southern Mexico and Central America and it does not like the cold. The IKEA tag helpfully stated that the minimum temperature for the poinsettia is 18 degrees. Excuse me... daily temperatures in Oslo now hover between -3 degrees to -8 degrees. 18 degrees was like in early August.
PS: In case you were wondering, we're getting potpurri, chocolates and candies for Jose K's friend instead. Much safer this way.
posted by Bjorg @ 5:04 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Next time your potted poinsetta goes into hypothermic shock, sit the plant in a tub or pail of water. The water should reach halfway mark on the pot. Leave it somewhere fairly warm, like the bathroom - no direct heat needed. Just make sure the soil gets saturated with water. It should revive after 24 hours or so.
Thanks, that is good advice. Darn, we should have kept the plant.
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