17.11.09

two weeks after pinching the avocado's apical meristem, it is looking quite a strange plant. the combination, i suspect, of overthrowing apical dominance and increasing exposure to fluorescent light has resulted in a vegetative growth spurt. (vertical growth has been so very little over the last couple weeks.) but while i had hoped that axillary buds lower on the stem would be inspired to put forth new leaves, all the energy has gone into enlarging the existing leaves -- the higher the leaf, the higher the priority given. the result is a skinny-stemmed plant with 4 large leaves. the length of the top leaf is nearly one half of the plant's height. goodness gracious.


avo, nov 17th

gigantic avo leaf, nov 17th

perhaps if the pinch was made earlier the plant would have produced leaves closer to the base.

05.11.09

highest point of avo plant, nov. 5th

02.11.09

the avocado's leaves have been maturing nicely.

avo plant, oct 29th

plants perceive light as a ratio of red to far red light frequencies. far red is what stimulates a plant to grow taller, while the red makes a plant grow fuller. both are important. sunlight gives a hefty range that is tough to match while growing a plant indoors. incandescent light gives primarily far red while fluorescent is rich in red. combining these types of light can make for an adequately happy indoor plant.

i am going to try to up the avo's intake of fluorescent light.


avo plant with wine for scale, nov 2nd


this afternoon i decided to attack apical dominance.
the story of the pinch:








severed apical meristem