Amaryllis

Back to the nursery today to buy the mammoth amaryllis. Never heard of a mammoth amaryllis before today but have seen huge ones forced in the nursery greenhouse during the winter and was amazed at the size and blooms. I have to stay out of the nursery. Today was a lovely day spent walking around looking at the fall decorations, then inside the store where I bought 1 amaryllis, small pots for seedlings, and saffron bulbs for my brother. He always spends a lot for a tiny amount of saffron to go into paella at Christmas.  Maybe if he can harvest some in spring he'll have some for another dish in spring. If the squirrels don't get to it first. I'll tell him to plant it in a pot with  a screen to keep out the critters.

Today was plant hospital day. Trimmed brown tips off and picked off dead leaves of pothos, dracaena, and zz plant. Tomorrow maybe I'll tend to the African violets so I can get them to bloom this winter. Next Saturday the African Violet Society has a show and plant sale. Maybe I'll go. I have 2 tall  crown of thorn plants in the bathroom that are growing taller and taller. Don't know what to do with them. They bloom all year in the window. I'm late starting hyacinth bulbs for forcing. Maybe next year I'll locate a mail order nursery that'll send them out in September so I can have something fragrant and in bloom at Christmas. The ones I want to force from Color Blends won't arrive until the end of October. That's okay for fall planting in the ground but not early enough for Christmas blooms.

I trimmed her. She's not looking pretty but hopefully will grow more unblemished leaves. I also put pea gravel under the container and added a little water for humidity. Maybe that'll stop the tips from turning brown. The ones in the greenhouse at the nursery didn't have brown tips probably from all of the humidity. It's nice to be there as they tend the plants, watering and pampering them. I moved the zz plant to the table. It's usual spot was the window in filtered light which it seemed to love. I may move it back there this winter. It has grown new branched though since I moved her.

Trimmed but not as pretty.

Moved the amaryllis from my plant shelf to this corner not the basement this year. I just stopped watering them so they can rest until they indicate they want to bloom again.

Waiting for my daughter to comment on too many plants. She gave me the gift card. What did she think I'd buy?

Yes I also brought fresh flowers. Some for home, and a vase for work.

I'll take this one to work for my desk. Something to brighten up my day.

Did I take enough pictures of them? I'll see you tomorrow and show you my pansies and my pumpkin. Remember I told you about the squirrels eating my Indian corn. After I took the corn inside they started on my pumpkin. I could hurt them. No wouldn't do that.. I finally found a pansy color I like and they look healthy not too leggy or half dead.

Eye Candy For Winter

The approach of winter always draws me to houseplants. Something green to fill the house and another attempt at trying some of my favorites. Plants shouldn't come to the house to die. Hopefully these won't this winter but dare to make it till spring beautiful and thriving.  My Home Depot gift card from my birthday was spent along with a few other things form the nursery. Jade, ficus, coffee plant, and a piece lily joined the family along with another amaryllis.

I believe this is a coffee plant it had a tag but no name. This is my first time buying one of these. I love the green foliage.

Thought I'd start with a small ficus not a large tree. If it dies, I won't feel as bad. Hopefully it doesn't die. They'll drop their leave easy with too much water, too little, cold drafts. Let me stop. Don't want to stress myself.

A beautiful peace lily but I've lost count of how many I've killed. My strategy this time. Don't water it yet till the leaves start to droop some and then sparingly.

Those are cloth filled pumpkins in soft pastel blue and white. The good thing is that they don't rot and I can use them every year.

Brought in the dracaena from the porch last weekend. This should not be fussy. Lets see. Heat is not on in the house yet.

My goodies from Primex Garden Center. Winter Aconte, grit, amaryllis, and 3 plant sprays that'll hopefully keep my plants healthy and insect free this winter.

Thought I'd have to order these on line but they were at the nursery. Keeping squirrels from them so I can see the blooms will be an adventure.

Amaryllis black pearl. These are a nice size but the ones for almost 30 dollars were the largest I've ever seen. Didn't want to pay that price but I think I'll go back and get one this weekend. I want to see how large the blooms will be on a jumbo bulb. Hopefully I won't make any other purchases when I go. But, maybe some pansies. I haven't bought my normal share of them this fall. All the rain and heat has kept many at the supplier. Those I have seen didn't look too good. It's time for them though. I was disappointed to read that many apples won't be available for picking at Linvilla Orchards this season due to all the rain. That's sad. Apples are my favorite fall fruit. I'll still be searching for my favorites Ambrosia and Jonah Gold which have replaced my old favorites Winesap.

My princess had to have something. The last time I planted some she wasn't impress but can't stay off anything else I bring to the house.

Sprayed one plant. Didn't smell good. I'll try the systemic granules.

And what's going on with the other houseplants? Look at that dracaena. It didn't come here looking like that. This weekend I'll tidy her up and give her a trim cutting off the brown tips and put some pebbles under the pot with water for humidity. I really like her and hope she'll grow new foliage and survive. How can I forget the name of the plant next to her. Can't remember at this time but she's doing well and in I think her 3rd year. That's good for me. It's a ZZ plant. I remembered. That's a picture of me holding my nursing diploma over 30 years ago when nurses still wore caps. Where has the time gone?

Neon pothos is having a hard time. They say you can't kill them but you can. Each one is different. She'll get tended to this weekend also and I'll put some granules in the soil. If there's some insect cause her to sulk we'll see. There's a different one hanging in my kitchen window that's struggling also and a variegated one on the plant shelf under light.

Rattle snake plant has thrived since I brought it home. Good to see something is doing well. It's grown 10 new leaves any maybe could go into a larger pot but I'll leave it alone. It grew without a larger pot so maybe it's okay.

The satin pothos has actually done well since I bought it. It's lost a few leaves but not many and is growing new one. That's a good sign although she may have to be moved when the fire place is lit.

Have you started to bring your houseplants in? I have 2 on the sun porch. Asparagus fern and a bromeliad which I though would die after blooming but has grown a large healthy baby over the summer. I'm afraid to remove the baby. Fall bulbs are waiting to be planted. Maybe by November or when I feel in the mood. I'm waiting for my bulbs from Color Blends so I can force my hyacinths but think I'd better start the ones I bought from Home Depot. Placed grit or pea gravel on top of most of the houseplants. It actually does help prevent fungus gnats from laying eggs in the soil if they're in the house. My lemon plant also has to come inside although it needs repotting because the roots are growing in a mass from the bottom of the pot. Not a good idea to repot during this time but I'm going to. It's done well and loved being placed outside on rainy days. Maybe in a few years it'll give me some lemons. The smell of the blooms alone are worth it. Yesterday I had to remove corn from my corn stalks. The squirrels discovered it and have been eating away. Corn kernels all over my steps in the morning. Solve that and removed it. Would have loved to see their faces when they came back looking for it. Hope they don't start taking chunks out of my pumpkins. What can you do. They have to eat also. Critters are a part of gardening. Hope you're enjoying Autumn.

Fall

The first version. Not like I'd like it to be but I made the best of what was available. When more pansies arrive I'll rearrange it.

Balloon flowers bloom until frost.

Coriopsis

Planted the purple asters.

No blooms or seed pods on the hyacinth bean vine.

I'll put them outside soon. Last year  kids came through the block an smashed pumpkins. This year I'll remove them from outside the week before Halloween. Maybe I'll care it this year.