Every Chinese New Year it’s like this for as long as I remember. It is this time of the year that the people in Kuching are most worried about flash floods (King Tide + monsoon = floods). Last year the flood waters rose quickly causing lots of damage to property. Worst affected were those living in single storied houses in low lying areas.
Thankfully, my place is on higher ground and we’ve never been affected although the roads leading in have been inundated before. However, the orchids in the shade house do take quite a hit. Already, I’ve removed countless leaves affected with leaf rot due to too much water and poor air movement. I’ve got a huge Phalaenopsis amabilis from a nursery in KL that’s been reduced to nothing but a stump. It’s got a fairly big keiki but that too has been affected with leaf rot. It’s an RM20 plant so it’s not too bad, the keiki should also survive.
Tried putting plastic sheets over the orchids a couple years back but the orchids became too dry and I’m so lazy at watering. Plus, the sheets started collecting water (breeding ground for mosquitoes) so that didn’t work too well. Many of the plants are not affected though, it’s usually just the stressed plants which have been repotted or damaged by snails and the more sensitive ones such as phals. One of my most hardy orchids are actually Paph stonei-s, which I have potted in a mixed media of limestone, natural humus and some moss.
Normally, the rains would continue to fall until after Chap Goh Mei, which is the 15th day of of the new Lunar year. Friends in West Malaysia and Singapore have been telling me how hot and dry it’s been over on their side of the pond but it’s all wet, dank and gloomy here.
In November and December last year, the weather was unusually dry and we had surprisingly little rain compared to years past. I think all that rain’s been reserved to be dumped on us in February!
All my plans to go trekking this holiday’s been spoiled too. Can’t do much in this kind of weather! So I’ve been filling my free time just playing those silly time wasters on Facebook haha. I’m currently playing this game, Fishville and here are two of my tanks:
Anyway, here’s wishing all celebrating the arrival of the Year of the Tiger a very Happy Chinese New Year!
2 comments:
Hi and Gong Xi Fa Cai. I too had the sad experience of having an expensive pink phalaenopsis rained to death! Now I keep them under cover at all times.
Hi Elsie, Gong Xi Fa Cai to you too! :)
My phals always suffer during the rainy season, just have to be watchful as rot spreads fast!
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