Ha ha your memory serves you right, Donald Mallard. Those drowning plant pictures posted here five years ago were mine, and they were taken in the exact same grow spot as these more recent shots. To prevent another flooding episode this go-round, I went ahead and re-built the swamp tubes to give them another foot of height above the water level, which meant lugging in quite a bit more soil. That was one workout I was glad to be done with for sure.
Also this time, rather than plant in April as is done further north of the Equator, I planted just last month, in late August, so that the buds don't start to appear until December or thereabouts, long after the rainy season here is well and truly over, so that I won't have to worry about mildew and mold.
Thanks so much also for checking in, Hush, Ga Farmer, ColoradoOG and JahRastafarii. The plants are coming along fine with no insect damage at all so far, knock on wood, and I'll take some more shots when I next get out there. Reverend is right about listening to changes in bird-song while in the woods, to know if any people are about. Here I listen to the monkeys, since they have a special warning grunt that is only used when other people besides me are anywhere near. They are used to me now, and show no fear when they spot me.
I'm hoping to get at least one picture that features a flourishing weed plant in the fore-ground, but with a background glimpse of the monkeys lined up on a palm-branch, where they often gather to critique my efforts. It will be a somewhat difficult shot to line up, but I feel oddly compelled to document my tree-dwelling visitors, as well as my swamp grow ha ha.
Also this time, rather than plant in April as is done further north of the Equator, I planted just last month, in late August, so that the buds don't start to appear until December or thereabouts, long after the rainy season here is well and truly over, so that I won't have to worry about mildew and mold.
Thanks so much also for checking in, Hush, Ga Farmer, ColoradoOG and JahRastafarii. The plants are coming along fine with no insect damage at all so far, knock on wood, and I'll take some more shots when I next get out there. Reverend is right about listening to changes in bird-song while in the woods, to know if any people are about. Here I listen to the monkeys, since they have a special warning grunt that is only used when other people besides me are anywhere near. They are used to me now, and show no fear when they spot me.
I'm hoping to get at least one picture that features a flourishing weed plant in the fore-ground, but with a background glimpse of the monkeys lined up on a palm-branch, where they often gather to critique my efforts. It will be a somewhat difficult shot to line up, but I feel oddly compelled to document my tree-dwelling visitors, as well as my swamp grow ha ha.