Late Night Bloomer   Bookseller cultivates a night-blooming cereus after hours…

The weaklings have been let go. Their color changed suddenly, losing  that vital deep green seemingly overnight. Then they stopped growing. What’s happening within the plant at the vascular level? Why is sustenance no longer being drawn up that particular vein?

Ten buds remain, but further prioritizing is taking place as we move toward “birthday.” One of a pair of twin buds hanging from the same side of a single leaf has lost its green. It’s slipping.  We know this happens often in the womb. Fertilized eggs don’t always take, are sloughed off. Nature’s own design.

Meanwhile, those  showing promise continue toward the future. The healthy twin sharing a leaf continues on verdant, elongating.  Some buds now measure over five inches. One even reached six. We’re looking ahead, always looking ahead.

First summer’s rains this afternoon have cooled temperatures and may slow bud growth.  Our birthday count may be off. So many variables. Nights are shorter now. We sense September around the corner.