Amaryllis in July

Of 4 amaryllis brought up from the basement, this one bloomed. Another  has 2 feet of foliage but the bud holding the bloom died. Probably because they all were left in my basement too long. The other 2 haven't done much and just have tops above ground like newly purchased amaryllis. I'm excited that they will bloom again because some are pricey. Now to see if I can keep them year after year and see the bulbs grow larger. The bulbs did draw a few gnats this summer but no infestation. I re potted them in fresh soil and covered the top with pea gravel. I still saw a gnat trying to get in through the gravel. BT granules should keep them from multiplying. Don't need a fungus gnat problem with seed starting season approaching this winter. We have more of summer ahead, but it's almost fall already.

We're expecting a storm with showers this afternoon. It's hot in the 90's and humid with lower humidity arriving. My summer vacation has been quiet and I've been able to start trying to get rid of some things stored in the house and take them to Good Will, some for the trash. This week my daughter's first bicycle and part of an old yard table. Someone promptly took them when placed out for trash pick up. I'm glad someone else will use them. It's amazing what we choose to keep for years in a house. I have things that I packed when I left home after high school for college, moved into my first apartment, first house, and now they reside in this house. Thirty-seven years of living adds up. It'll take time to go through it all to decide what to keep, put out for trash, give away, or take to Good Will. Some people don't save things. It's a good practice not to. I feel that at a certain age people start to take an inventory of their lives and years left of living. Of course no one knows the time or day of our death but I would never want my daughter to be responsible for items I've collected. Less clutter makes me feel better how about you?

As always summer is the time for house chores and repairs for me. The only repairs I have planned are having someone paint the outside trim on the house, get some trees pruned, and have the chimney cleaned before my first toasty fire in the hearth. That's not a lot so I should be able to get these done by the time the leaves fall from the trees. It's easier to have trees pruned without all the leaves so that'll be last. Almost forgot, scraping, patching, and painting a wall in the living room that was damaged by water that seeped down the wall outside. I had the area repaired so it's safe to scrape and paint now. I'll show you that when I do it. A home owner's work is never done.

What's going on with the garden? Not much as is normal for me during July and August. Too hot and sticky to be outdoors. So some plants have died in the heat with no watering. Last week was the first day I watered anything in the yard. Hellebores I planted that were thriving are no more. Hopefully the roots survived and will emerge again before fall when the weather isn't so brutal. I've decided that except for fall bulbs, I won't be adding to plants in the yard in the flower beds except shrubs in containers. Its' a waste of money to plant perennials that disappear in harsh weather. My giving them a good soaking a few times a week when it doesn't rain would help but after several years I know that this won't happen. Next year, mulch and shrubs after spring bulbs are done. This is the plan for now but it's not spring again yet. You know what happens in the spring. You do know don't you. A girl's thought turn to spring and she gets excited with all the plants in the nursery and starts buying, LOL.

I planned to start vegetable seedlings for the porch but haven't. No desire to yet. Hopefully soon. Pelargoniums, palm, oxalis, bromelid, elephant ear, and my lemon tree are surviving on the porch. Some small annuals were thrown out between their wilting and watering, wilting and watering. I got tired of their drama. If the gardener behaves and stays out of the nursery buying plants they'll be plenty of room on the porch for lettuce, radishes, broccoli, and herbs when plants start coming inside this fall. The palm will remain on the porch. Having brought several in through the years for winter, none survived the dry heat indoors during the winter. It could possibly survive on the porch. Time will tell. Indoors houseplants that love the conditions in my house are doing well. One that didn't died. Oh well, disappointed but there was nothing I could do. Lost 3 orchids in the bathroom when my daughter knocked off all the beautiful leave that had grown. Unfortunately they share a rack that toiletries sit on and the toiletries won. Can orchids re sprout if they have root? I saved one pot to see if it would because the roots are still green. An internet search of good orchid sources have mixed information. I'll keep it for a while and see what happens. Hope you're enjoying your summer and the garden.