Wednesday, November 29, 2017

The Orchids


I can actually keep something alive in the house. But, I now have about 10 orchids and that's enough. Until I see another special bloom like this one. It's beautiful. They're inexpensive at the produce market but beyond what I would normally pay for a plant who's care I don't know how to meet the requirements of until now. The orchid I bought from the Philadelphia Flower Show last March is alive and well. Actually she's grown since it arrived at my house in March and I don't regret paying full priced for it. These orchids sit on the table, shelf, and 2 in the window in my bathroom. What will I do when these beautiful blooms die? Take good care of them and wait for them to bloom again. Can't say I've provided them with humidity which is something I have to work on. The most expensive one sits on a small bowel of pebbles with water.






















From the flower show.

She's doing well so far. I'll put her back on the plant shelf when spring comes to avoid too much direct light. I water her when dry and make sure all the water drains and she doesn't sit in water. A bowel with pebbles is under it for humidity.

She's not planted in bark but soil. I'll have to find out what type to use when it requires replanting. That won't be anytime soon.



Also in the kitchen window but now new leaves yet.

I showed this one before. It's since starting to grow a leaf. It sat on the porch all summer. Thought it would die but it didn't and seems to like it under the plant light on the shelf.

Okay, not an orchid but blooms any day now.

Still on the amaryllis watch.

On the mantel from Thanksgiving.
The last orchid in the kitchen window. It's also grown a new leaf since placed in the window. Orchids from the produce market don't have name tags. At least I know they're phalaenopsis so I have some idea how to take care of them. 

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Planting Bulbs In The Yard



It's leaf time! And time to plant bulbs. The weather is beautiful today.














The first frost killed the pretty blue hydrangea blooms but of course not the ornamental kale.

Cyclamens love the yard but I haven't seem them bloom. They don't die back. It's been 3 years since they were planted.






Laying on top of the soil with many others when I came outside. They're nice and firm tulips. I'll replant them.

Several days of frost and that parsley is still alive. So are the chives.

One broccoli plant with a tiny floret.






My nephew brought my box of bulbs from the basement. It sure was a help.

Didn't get to plant them all. Some will be for the window boxes, maybe and my my parents grave. I have others on my porch for out front. Some will go in containers.


Smelly bulbs but beautiful blooms.


Hyacints in blue shades. I normally love these the best but also like white and pink. The forced ones are in the basement waiting till it's time to bring them into the warmth.

Yellows are my favorite. I have 2 bags of these.


Allium gladiator. Alliums have a smell also. No wonder squirrels don't bother them.

I'll plant these out front with tulips and some iris. That's another day.


I also have a box of all pink. Some will go on my parent's grave. Their head stone is black so the contrast should be pretty.

Staples to hold down the chicken wire layed over the bulbs to protect them from squirrels. Bought them months ago so I'd already have them.

Dug up  a lot of lilies that didn't do well last year in the shade to transplant to another location. They survived and are nice and solid. I'm surprised they didn't rot.
 








This fern must be evergreen if perennials can be termed as such. We've had 20 degree nights but it still hasn't died back. I'm thinking its because the leaves were insulating it. This year it may benefit from the leaves I hope to use the weed wacker to shred the leaves and put back into the flower bed instead of making leaf mold this year. Don't know what I did with the plant tag but would like more of this type of fern because it's done better than others I've planted. When I moved to this house over 20 years ago ferns covered the flower beds in the yard and were huge. Through the years they slowly died for some reason.

Iris, crocus, hyacinth, tulip, allium, and fritillaria.


Hyacinths. Squirrels don't like them either but they still will dig them up.





Cleaning out the container will be another day although I've read to leave these type of things for insects and wildlife that use these areas to live in over the winter. We'll see.

Haven't cover my hydrangea yet but have to soon to hopefully be successful and get it to spring and look beautiful another year. 

Surprised the paper whites have gotten this tall with the additional of alcohol. Bulbs have started to set.



Amaryllis Marilyn moved from the shelf to the table near where I sit so I can look at it every day.


Don't laugh but no fungus gnats after baking the soil, and adding plastic to cover the soil.

Thanksgiving blooms doing well still in the house.



Sweet potato vine still surviving. I want to put it in soil but it's doing well in water so maybe I should leave it along.

Sansevieria taken from a plant I transplanted. If it doesn't root in water, I'll put it in soil. No seed starting yet with the holidays. Maybe soon.

I see that phalaenopsis orchids like florescent light. This was supposed to be a mini orchid given to me as a gift last year but I don't think it's a mini. It's started to grow a new leaf in 2 weeks since being placed under the light on the plant shelf.

Second pot of paper whites in the living room window. The roots are so pretty.

I know you already planted your bulbs.