Still Winter

While waiting for the arrival of spring bulbs, store brought cut ones make me happy. The house was warm yesterday when I bought them and they were opening too fast, so now they rest in the cool kitchen window to hopefully extend their short life.

I usually pick the purple oxalis which is my favorite but can't resist white blooms although they're not aromatic.

New store bought cushions. After several years planning to make my own, I decided to buy them. What will I do with the bolt of fabric I bought and foam? Actually I have to different fabrics I bought. On a warmer day I'll declutter the porch. Time to start spring cleaning. It's cold today, in the 30's and the porch is unheated. Staying out here too long would make my arthritis flair and I'd pay for it for a few days. My daughter wanted to come help me clean up the leaves in the yard today. I'll wait until another day. It'll be nice to have help this year. It's too cold and I also want to give insects that use the leaves to hibernate in over winter time to emerge in the spring. This has been the second year leaving leaf liter in the yard. Birds also seem to enjoy it.

Iris are the first spring blooming bulbs to emerge on the sun porch. Last year it was snowdrops. I was supposed to save the bulbs and plant them in the ground.

Pulled some amaryllis. If they don't dry all the way out, I'll replant them if they send up foliage.

That's my ornamental sweet potato vine from last fall. I pulled 2. It's probably time to plant them before they dry out.

Still haven't planted them.

They still look okay and feel firm. 

Couldn't leave the calathea in the produce market for $7.50. If it makes it until spring it should make it. They like lots of humidity which I don't have. But on the sunporch in May, it would do well.

Expecting narcissus to emerge first in the largest container. Then it'll go on my daughter's balcony.

 

Tis Time

 It's cold outdoors today. I still have some bulbs to plant although it's almost spring. They'll go in the window box this week when the soil warms up some. It's now or never. I checked the top of the soil today, frozen solid. Probably just the top. In the past I've taken off the top of the soil and planted my bulbs and they still bloomed beautifully in spring. Today, didn't feel like that. But I did feel like starting some seeds. Vegetables today and maybe annuals next weekend. I'll start the kale with lettuce on another day.

Herbs to be started another day in pots. Rosemary can be difficult to germinate. I guess that's the fun with seed starting. Seeing what will germinate fast and what takes much longer or not at all.

Mustards will be direct sown in a container in my yard.

Didn't start the small bell peppers.

Hopefully I won't regret starting tomatoes this early.

Bought these for the pellets which were hard to find along with peat pots. My daughter picked up some pots today at the Dollar Store. If I like them, I'll get more especially for vegetables that don't like their root disturbed.

Used 16 of 36 pellets.

Spring is not far away when primrose arrive and my native honey suckle outside has started to bud out in Philly's frigid weather. Oxalis is not far behind. I usually find it around Saint Patrick's Day.

I prefer pale yellow flowers  but this white is giving the yellow competition. It's very aromatic and sweet smelling. Yellow ones at the store didn't look good yesterday.