The Critters, Bulbs, Seedlings

My fall pumpkins used for decoration have started to get soft on the sun porch. The critters will enjoy them in the yard. Hope the jays come looking for food before the squirrels devour it all. Suet will be put in the suet holder or the squirrels will take the whole cake away. Today was windy with temperatures in the 30's. Tonight in the teens with 7 below zero predicted. Snow storm possibly for Sunday-Tuesday. Glad to be inside by the fire.

Nice to see cardinals every day in the yard and once this fall a woodpecker. Added the nut and fruit mix today. Safflower seeds have been the seed of choice most of fall and winter to deter squirrels. It actually works but leaves lot of shells to clean up. I don't think I'll feed them during the spring and summer. They'll be plenty for them to eat with flowers blooming, insects, and trees with berries and fruit. Bird feeding can get expensive but I love looking out my window and seeing the variety of birds and their behaviors.

Fresh water. Broke the ice in the unheated feeder and added more water.

Carrot squirrel snack.

This is the problem with seeds. Most are on the ground from squirrels jumping on the feeder to check for black oil sunflower seeds. This causes the seeds to scatter. Plan for this fall, a hopper feeder that usually only opens for birds. Squirrels are to heavy and the feeder stays close. So they say.

Waiting patiently for the first hyacinth bloom to push up. Hard to wait for that wonderful fragrance.

Pansies and violas started on the window seal started to stretch so I moved them under the lights. I'm waiting for more seeds via mail and I'll sow more. Haven't started these in years. They're one of my favorites.

Gloriosa Daisies are staring to get their true leave. They're fuzzy. The blooms of these are yellow. I save some seeds from a bronze colored one from this fall. Hopefully they'll germinate. I fell in love with them this fall when ordered from Bloom Box for winter planters. Two other views of them below. Would have started them later had I known they would get so big this soon and they don't go outdoors until May. Everything except begonias germinated quickly. I sowed them 2 weeks ago. Wanted to wait but it got the best of me.

Salvia Blue Victoria

Pelargoniums getting their true leaves. Will be starting petunias, vinca (I think), coleus, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. Two types of begonias were sow but take about a month to germinate.

Took care of the birds, now I'll warm up.

Winter Bulbs

Spent some time yesterday planting more paperwhites. Hyacinths have been in my basement for 2 months and tiny bits of growth have finally started to emerge. I brought two vases upstairs into the warmth and light. Now patiently waiting until blooms emerge and their wonderful scent filling the living room. The last of the fall bulbs are on the unheated sunporch to be planted, tulips, narcissus, 4 amaryllis that I'll plant when spring approaches, snow drops which should already be in the soil and ixia. Today 7 amaryllis were unpotted and potted up in fresh soil. Two had given birth to healthy bulbs. Two had shrunk in size probably due to my poor care. I'll have to work harder to keep them watered and fertilized so that the bulbs can grow not shrink in size. Amaryllis can be expensive at thirty five dollars a bulb and I'd hate to loose any. 

The baby amaryllis bulbs had their own roots and weren't attached to the mother bulbs. It'll be fun watching them grown into amaryllis large enough to bloom. Winter bulbs are beautiful when hours of day light are short, cloudy, cold, and snowy making me hopeful for spring. Unfortunately I won't get to enjoy spring bulbs this March at the Philadelphia Flower Show. Due to covid, the show was rescheduled for June outdoors. Now to decide if I want to go.

I've had these before and loved the mini like yellow narcissus.

Nice sized paperwhites.

Planted the oxalis.

Spring bulbs chilling and developing roots.

Two purchases yesterday from Lowes. A dwarf fiddle leaf fig. Not dwarf enough for me. It can reach 4 feet.

Also bought a maiden hair vine plant. It's lovely and delicate.

First Snow

Putting out the heated bird bad yesterday was a good idea. This morning the other bath was frozen. Philadelphia had it's first measurable snow today for the first time in almost 2 years. Birds loved the snow until sunset when they retreated to their nests. Blue jays, black eyed juncos, a robin, cardinals, sparrows and another large bird visited the yard today. The bright blue bird bath and water seemed to draw them some how. Can't leave out the squirrels who ate corn and peanuts put out this morning. 

When the jays discovered them the squirrels retreated and snuck in to grab some between the jays trip back to their nest to deposit nuts for later. The birds were fun to watch today. Eating, swooping, and playing. One also found the suet put out yesterday. Didn't get any real good pictures as the best ones are when I didn't have my camera with me and those I did take were through a screened window.

In the yard.

They found the bird bath.

After sunset in the yard.

The sun went down. I had to shovel twice.

Planting Container Bulbs

Time to start planting my container bulbs. Then clean up the porch a little.

For my daughter's patio. Two containers.

Planted all but eight out of 100.

Still have these to plant on another day. Including amaryllis, paper whites, narcissus (for window box), more tulips, iris, snow drops, and ixias. Snow drops, allium, and ixias will go outdoors.

Ten containers planted. Many will be cut to take indoors instead of taking the whole pot in. All I think of is possible fungus gnats. Used Miracle Grow potting mix but it was dry when purchased and I didn't see anything flying or crawling. Saving Coast of Main potting soil for transplanting some plants already on the porch like my Chicago fig and lilac.

Bird, Squirrels, and Leaves

Every fall I wait for all the leaves to fall from my neighbor's Norway Maples hanging over my yard. They're raked up and put in bags to turn into leaf mold, or like last fall I didn't save the leaves, putting them out for trash pick up. I know that's a waste. Leaves break down into beautiful black, rich, leaf compost for the garden over time. During summer I purchased a leaf shredder so no more bags. I hoped to shred the leaves and allow them to break down over the winter in flower beds. But, for the first time, I think I'll listen to the environment and recommendations to leave the leaves on the ground. They have a purpose providing shelter and homes for insects over winter. I also saw another purpose today for the first time. I'm blessed to be able to still work from home during this pandemic.

When I take breaks, I go to the window to watch the antics of birds and squirrels drawn to the birdbath and feeders in my yard. The cardinal family are usually the first at the feeders in the morning with babies born this summer. Each looks different with some developing their red feathers for males and more less defined red for those that are females. I thought they'd leave for other nesting grounds this winter but they've stayed all 10 that I counted so far including an adult male and female. Likely introduced to the feeders and birdbath by their parents.

This morning I heard the sound of a hawk actually a jay and went to the window. This time 3 jays. One that I've never seen before with a huge crest standing up on the head. He was huge and probably the oldest. It was time for peanuts and I came out and scattered a generous amount on the ground. Hopefully they'll carry most away to their nests before the neighborhood squirrels discover the feast. Each blue jay swooped down, selected and carried off a nut. But for the first time one did something different. I have an umbrella stand on the ground with many square open slots. The jay took the peanut, dropped it from it's mouth into the slot, and took leaf after fallen leaf from the ground and covered it's nut. Obviously to come back later for a meal. Didn't know they hid their food like squirrels. So leaves have an additional purpose. Each blue jay selected a peanut then took off with it to their nest in surrounding trees. Each returning until all the nuts were gone. All the commotion alert the neighborhood squirrels that there was food and they arrived. Quickly selecting a peanut and scurrying off before another jay arrived. 

I've learned that squirrels don't care for safflower seeds as much. They leave those for the cardinals and other birds that visit the yard. I bought safflower seeds this fall after reading that squirrels detest them. It's kept them away from the feeder but when desperate they'll come and eat a few off the ground that fall from the feeder. Squirrels have to eat too. But I find them to be greedy and will eat all day and not leave the feeder if filled with black oil sunflower seeds.

Birds have really enjoyed the leaves this fall. Playing in them and searching in them for possible insects over wintering among them. So, this year, I'll only clean off my lawn table and bench so when it rains and snows the leaves won't leave a wet soggy mess on them. When spring arrives and hopefully bees and insects emerge and leave, I can rake and shred them and pile in a corner to continue to compost. Maybe by next fall I'll have leaf mold to add to the yard before next seasons leaves start to fall.

My possible self gift for Christmas this year may be a bird cam. Seeing what goes on at night at the feeder and bird bath should be interesting. The small bird baths (actually a plant saucer) draws a lot of wild life other than birds. Out door cats that stand on 2 feet to drink, and raccoons. Opossums also visit the yard but don't know if they can reach the water. When I put out the heated birdbath, I'll place the other saucer on the ground for other animals. It's amazing what creatures you can see in a urban city yard. Today for the first time a large woodpecker with a red topped head. Earlier this fall a tiny one sitting on the fence with the cardinals. It didn't come to the feeder though. Didn't know their diet was ants, insects, and nuts. Maybe that's why. Oh, my white and scarlet pelargonium seeds started to germinate today. The seed was fresh and only took 2 days.

Seed Starting

Actually felt like starting some seeds today. Begonias, pelargoniums, and drumstick primrose. Starting only the scarlet and white ones for now.
Begonias take a while to germinate and reach maturity so it's not too early. And pelargoniums may benefit from an early start and be a nice size by spring. This is my first time sowing primrose one of my favorites. I have them on the seed shelf but not on the heat mat with the others because they like a cooler germination temperature. I know that the light from the window seal isn't enough for seedlings but the primrose will be moved to the cool window seal after they germinate and get to some size. Can't wait to watch them every day for changes and growth. (I read information on the American Primrose Society about how to start primrose seeds and will do some adjustment tomorrow. Should have read the article before planting the seeds. I'll add grit which I have to the top of my tray after spraying the soil with a fungicide, then cover with a moist cotton cloth. The article I read said to start the seed starting in January but I've already started mine and to put outdoors so seeds are exposed to temperatures between 40-60 degrees and all the elements including rain and snow. The seeds must be kept moist. Don't know if I'll put them outdoors in the yard because I'll forget them but maybe will put on the sunporch tomorrow. I already have a fungicide. It seems the seedlings may not mature until the second year. I'll do some more reading on their site. You can read the article at https://americanprimrosesociety.org/primula-101/growing/)

 

African violet bought last weekend. I've had several this color but didn't take care of them and they didn't make it. They're a pale lavender color which I love.