Dreaming of Cherry Blossoms and Butterflies

Callie pounced out the door today onto the warm almost 60 degree porch. I don't know who's more excited with our brief flirts with warmer weather. She seemed to touch everything on the porch, plants, and moving string including the one attached to my camera. She smelled and nibbled at the plants, stood on 2 feet and peaked out the window panes of the door watching anything walking, squirrels, birds, or neighbors.

Even the black weed fabric being used to cover the drainage hole in the bottom of my pots. I like this fabric because soil can't fall out and water can still drain out.

Stargazer Lilies the same brand and color purchased last season. I love pink ones and the fragrance fills the yard. They're 18 bulbs nice and solid. Some people soak the roots but I don't. Four to each pot and the remaining ones will be potted up on another day.

Lilies, tulips, and hyacinths. The bulbs have started to emerge.

Hopefull the peony will be able to be planted this weekend although snow is expected on Friday morning but just enough to cover surfaces. Maybe the yard won't be too wet by Sunday.

Fern from last summer put inside a plastic bag to take off the dead foliage. 

The next warm day I'll cut off some of the bottom and add fresh soil to get her ready for spring and hopefully more hours of daylight and her eternal clock will tell her it's time to emerge.

Although the porch is enclosed and this adds some protection for the cool season plants there, it's supposed to be in the 20's tonight. I'd hate to loose the blooms on the cyclamen so soon but they're not going inside the house. Next winter keeping track of temperatures on the porch will help me plan and know if I can grow some cool season vegetables like lettuce, greens, and radishes on the porch. Vegetables that don't need to be pollinated or produce things like tomatoes or cucumbers.

Clivia Miniata on the porch on not too cold days. Didn't give it the cold/dark treatment that encourages blooming so I'm trying to just give it some cold but tonight it's going below freezing so she has to come inside.

Broccoli seems to have enjoy her repotting and is growing just since I repotted it.

The kale has also grown.

Two window boxes that were never hung outside my bedroom window will go on the porch for cool season veggies. This will be planted first. It's started to get it's true leaves and it's unruly and looks like it should have been planted already. I think radishes may do better direct sowed.

The coleus will have to be separated.

This is what happens when you start to run out of room on the seed shelf. The radiator is the next best thing for seeds waiting to germinate. Cucumbers 2 types, ornamental sweet peas, more Swiss chard, and something else I don't remember. Should label the containers shouldn't I because you know you won't remember unless you recognize the seedling when it emerges.

A dark red lettuce starting to get some color.

Sage, pak choy, broccoli rabe, and 2 types of lettuce. My garlic chives have never germinated. I may have to direct sow some when it warms up.

The center needs to be pinched and each one put into it's own pot.

Ivy leaf Geraniums

Vinca growing slowly but surviving.

Look at my violas. It's only 2 but I'm as happy about those 2 as if it was a whole tray. The other's I started were moved to the window seal and guess what? They're doing good with cooler temperatures on the window sea. In the fall, the window seal only.

Glad to see they're some all green ones and of course the white ones. I believe white is versa and they usually form into a bush if given room.

Why are these in this little bit of soil? Maybe I removed the others and didn't fill the pot back up. I'll add some more soil.

Okay, those are begonias. I hate to show them. I've never done this bad with them but it's me not the seed. I didn't give them the attention this season that they require. I also have some others that took months to germinate. If they make it they'll be house plants they're the fancy type.