I had hoped to put out a few more plants before the equinox but I was a little worried about the temperature. So I decided to prepare the plants for the cold months and start out again in the spring. It was a good thing that I kept them inside because it got very chilly last week.
I had cuttings that needed planting and plants that needed pruning.
I brought all the plants outside, and potted and trimmed and set up new vases of cuttings.
Then I put some of the plants near the windows to get the sun in the morning.
Others get the afternoon light.
I will be able to start as soon as the weather gets warm again, since I worked out all the issues this summer.
To be continued next May...
The first round of plants did well. Two are still out there and they are surviving. My only disappointment is that no one is sending pictures of the adopted plants. I wish that part of the project worked better, but of course it is out of my hands. I guess I just need to let the plants go and hope that they are well.
I saw this bike a few days ago and I liked its lines and its color.
It is a Lotus which were made in the 80's. People collect them and rebuild them. It is surprising to see a bicycle like that abandoned.
Even stripped bare with its remaining wheel bent, it has a quiet grace.
Then I went to one of the many bicycle cemeteries. Usually the abandoned bicycles congregate on the bike racks. This cemetery is around the tree pit barriers, the carcasses sprawl around the sidewalk.
There were no rare treasures here, just the usual Schwinns and off brand mountain bikes.
This poor bicycle clearly had a rough life. Its frame had been taped over and the tape was fraying. Maybe it had been stolen, only to be left on the sidewalk, its chain fallen and rusted.
In spite of this, I thought it looked rather jaunty with its blue paint peeking through the shredding tape and its red lock.
I put a first group of plants out yesterday morning.
One of the vines broke off this plant. I hope it does not look too forlorn.
I do not really like these large handle bar beach cruisers.
But they are good for the plants to climb on.
By decorating abandoned bicycles with plants, I would like to bring a little more nature to harsh urban environment. But I would also like the plants to find new homes. I have put out two kinds of plants.
Pothus, or Devil's Ivy, has heart shaped leaves that have ivory streaks.
It has thick, light green stems with little nubbies that roots will grow out of if you lay them over soil.
Philodendron has dark green heat shaped leaves.
Its stems are thin and dark green. Roots will grow from where the stem has joints. Both plants are very easy to care for. Just place the pot on a dish near a window. Give it a little water. Usually when the soil is dry up to the first finger joint, the plant needs water.
Most of these plants should be repotted fairly soon. It is good to wait a few weeks for the plant to adapt to its new surroundings. The change in light and temperature can stress a plant out and repotting is a big deal.
Here is a link to some repotting tips
Please send me a picture of your plant in its new home!
I love nature in the city.
Plants push up from cracks in the sidewalk.
They take over buildings.
Intrepid
Persistent
Undeterred by concrete
Slowly covering everything
Spilling out towards the street.
I had learned of some artists in Toronto who were making plant walls by tearing posters
I wanted to play around with a similar idea. I grew plants from cuttings of some very easygoing houseplants. I made planters from FedEx envelopes which I stapled to the construction wall.
They were taken before I could get a better picture of them than this. I was glad the plants found homes, that was my ultimate intention. I just would have liked them to hang out a little longer.
The next time, I hung the plants a little higher around my neighborhood in Bushwick, where there is not much nature.
Perhaps the plants blended in too well because only a few were adopted.
Then I heard about two other Canadian artists, Caroline Macfarlane and Vanessa Nicholas. They would paint abandoned bicycles to brighten up the streets. Their project was called The Good Bike Project. My attention was drawn to the plant in the bicycle's basket. I thought to use New York's abandoned bicycles as plant stands.
Again the plants within each were adopted rather quickly. I think I have found a way of fixing the plants so that they could eventually be taken, but it would take a while for a someone to have a penknife and spend the time cutting them free.
It is a theory I will test in the next few weeks.
