Non-Expertise - John Dunn, Consultant, Ambertec, P.E., P.C.

Back when F. W. Woolworth was still in business, among their many offerings were houseplants. There was a secretary at this company where I was working at the time who bought a coleus there and set it up atop her file cabinet. This particular plant was not in good shape at all.  

As it happened, and this was strictly by coincidence, my wife-as-yet-to-be (That's how long ago this was.) had just recently instructed me about this very plant. Under Judy's careful guidance, I had actually rooted a coleus cutting, potted it and gave it to somebody who was hospitalized at the time. Therefore, when I looked at the Woolworth plant, I could see its problems. The secretary seemed to sense that I was noticing something and asked me what it was so I told her.

The coleus plant is grown for its ornamental leaves. If it starts forming a seed stalk, that stalk should be cut off to keep from draining plant energy away from leaf formation and this one from Woolworth was full of seed stalks. Also, the plant was infested with white flies and with a sessile (non-motile) insect called "scale".

I pointed out these things, made suggestions about dealing with them and she was very grateful for the info. Unfortunately however, I got myself pegged as some kind of plant guru where I had in fact just blown my entire repertoire of plant knowledge.

Later, this same secretary bought other kinds of Woolworth plants and came to ask me for advice about them. I knew absolutely nothing about any of them and when I said so, she got angry that I was being somehow deliberately unhelpful. I couldn't convince her otherwise.

(Sigh.)

Comments

[Dick LaRosa]

Very instructive. Thanks.