Dr. Suzanne

No she is not a MD, no she is not a PhD but she is a doctor of plants.  She has a green thumb and can wave a wand and make plants come alive again.

I’m not sure how she earned this degree.  My guess is years of practice and patience, years of reading and studying and then years of being out in the field – her own yard & garden and that of friends and of professional groups.

A short time ago a dear friend died who had a collection of African Violets.  They were carefully given to friends who were interested and loved plants.  I was one of those friends.  I come by my interest and love of flowers naturally.  I grew up on a farm with a mother who loved flowers and also vegetables.  She grew flowers, cut them, brought them inside and made arrangements for almost every room in the big farm house.  She considered it one of her routine jobs and one that she did with pleasure.  That pleasure was passed on down to her daughters, my sister and me.  My sister is an expert and can rightly be called Dr. Jean.  I’m still in the liking/loving stage, one that always has flowers but not the expert knowledge to go with it.

I took the two African Violets reminding the owners that I didn’t know how to raise and care for them but was willing to try.  That was sufficient (they were desperate).  I brought the two plants home, put them in an east window and began to read and study about African Violets.  After several days I noticed that one of the plants was overgrown and doubled over on itself.  This didn’t look good to me.  I thought it needed to be cut into two or more plants but I really didn’t want to do it.  It’s a touchy job.  I called my friend, Dr. Suzanne.   I explained the problem and ended by saying a definite “HELP”. 

We arranged for her to come over a couple of days later.  She arrived, went to the trunk of her car to get her materials. It reminded me of the medical doctor getting his/her little black bag.  She came up on the porch, put her tools on the patio table and came inside to get the patient. 

The first observation was that both plants had been overwatered and were about to drown.  Plant #1, the overgrown one was immediately taken out of the dirt and a diagnosis was made that it was in bad shape.  The root had rotted away in the too wet soil.  After careful consideration, Dr. Suzanne decided to take several good leaves to her house and try to start new plants from them.  The old plant looked like there were some live roots about ½ way up the stem.  So Dr. Suzanne decided to try to save this plant by replanting it in African Violet soil and in a terra cotta pot (the kind it likes).  After careful arranging the roots, leaves and packing down the soil, Dr. Suzanne declared it done and said that she was not sure it would come back to life but she had done her best.  The directions for me were to leave it alone for several days and carefully observe.  Hopefully that would give it time to adjust to its new conditions and it would begin to renew itself. 

Plant #2 looked healthy even though it was in way too wet soil.  Dr. Suzanne just replanted it in African Violet soil and put it in a terra cotta pot.  “Done” she declared.

Then I was given instructions.  They should never be in direct sun only indirect light, always water from the bottom and fertilize them regularly.  She even left me some fertilizer to make sure I started off right. 

So the two plants and I have been given a new lease on our lives together.  Let’s hope we survive and bloom.  Dr. Suzanne has done her part.

MBS:10/7/11