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Deep Cleaning in the Greenhouse

When cleaning my home or work space doing the drains is the dirtiest chore on the list. Almost all of the dirt and grime funnels down through the drain. If the drain is clogged, civilization as we know it, stops. 

Today my task was to clean window sills and ...drains. The University of Minnesota Conservatory Greenhouse, where I've been volunteering, continues its summer push to deep clean the surfaces and plants to help keep them free of pests and diseases.

Integral to a thorough job of cleaning includes lifting the drain grates and flushing out the accumulated soil and organic muck (dead leaves, seeds, etc.). Hiding out of sight under the grates, the muck is potentially a fertile reservoir of pest eggs and bacteria. 

There were approximately a dozen drains in the four greenhouses of the Conservatory. Each drain consists of a heavy cast cast-iron basket covered by a round iron grill. I lifted, brushed, and washed each component.

While I was working from drain to drain, I spotted this blooming Burbidgea (golden ginger bush), native to the island of Borneo.

Golden bush ginger (Burbigdea schizocheila)

Now clean floor drain, one of a dozen in the greenhouse

There are over 30,000 species of orchids in the world, the most abundant of any other type of plant. There are so many orchids in the collection that there are always beautiful blossoms to admire. Today, I found a lovely vanda orchid hanging is its basket. Vanda orchids are a large genus, with 90 species. They are native to Southeast Asia.

Vanda sp., Orchidaceae


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