Amaryllis

 

This is first time I’ve had 12 blooms at the same time. There are three flower stalks with 4 flowers each from 2 bulbs. Quite a spectacular display.

The blooms are also earlier this year than usual. I brought the bulbs in from outside the same time as usual – the end of August. But they were put in a cool room in front of a window instead of under a table. They were completely ignored until after Thanksgiving, as uaual, when they were watered and brought down to a warm room in front of a bright window. The old foliage was cut off and in a few days a shoot appeared. Other years they were left under the table and brought out after a shoot appeared. The little changes made a big difference.

The blooms will last about two weeks.  

 

Ah, Amaryllis

It was worth the wait.

Look, the other is one has a bud.

So, - still waiting


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LOCAL EARLY SPRING GARDEN EVENTS

Master Gardener Spring Garden Series continues at two locations. See brochure for details here. $7

at Lehigh County Agricultural Center

- Feb. 12, 2011 – 9 AM Heirloom Tomatoes,10 AM Composting, 11 AM Pollinators

- February 26, 2011 – 9 AM Community Gardens in Urban Settings, 10:30 Green Roofs

- March 5, 2011 – 9 AM Backyard Fruit Production from Apples to Zinfandels, 10 AM Flowering Trees: The Good, the Bad and the Scabby, 11 AM Pruning Landscape Trees and Shrubs

at Bethlehem Township Community Center

- February 21, 2011 – 6 PM Flowering Trees: The Good, the Bad and the Scabby, 7 PM Pruning Landscape Trees and Shrubs

- February 28, 2011 – 6 PM Backyard Fruit Production from Apples to Zinfandels, 7 PM Colonial Herb Gtowing with Mistress Rebecca

Adventures in Agriculture Feb 11-13, 2011 at Palmer Mall. Hours and location here.

Environmental, ecological, and home gardening information; farm products, and more. Displays, sales and information throughout the mall. Free

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And waiting

While waiting for the amaryllis to bloom…

I decided to pot the Christmas cactus in individual pots -

(See January 6, 2011 post here.)

Plants out of plastic pot, a gentle tug to separate; 4 pre-soaked clay pots, a little fresh potting soil; water; done.

Still waiting

Waiting

While waiting for the amaryllis to bloom…

I decided to repot the fern -

A knife around the inside edge to loosen the plant; a little root pruning; a slightly larger pot; fresh potting soil; done.

Still waiting

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Christmas Cactus

Last January I pruned the roots and trimmed my old Christmas cactus. (See post “Root Pruning” from January 27, 2010.)    I don’t prune the roots often because Christmas cactus doesn’t mind being root bound.

This plant could be Schlumbergera russelliana - that's my best guess. It is the granddaughter or great-granddaughter of the original plant I got 50 years ago. The flowers are brilliant red and it is usually blooms at Christmas. I have never seen one exactly like it at the garden centers.

After trimming last year, I took four cuttings and put them in a small vase of water. I planted them in potting soil about a month later. All four cuttings ended up in a single 4” plastic pot (because I was too lazy to plant four separate pots). Maybe you can see the tiny buds on the baby plants in the picture below.

I’ll transplant each one to individual clay pots one of these days. These plants seem to do better in a clay pot. (Plastic pots may keep the plant too wet.) Also Christmas Cacti tend to get top heavy. The weight of the clay pot keeps them from toppling over.

I will give three away.  I'm looking for takers.

I’ll keep one to start a new generation.
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Amaryllis

January 18, 2010

ANTICIPATION!

January 28, 2010 (2 plus inches)

February 1, 2010 (about 11 inches)

February 7, 2010 (20 inches)
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February 16, 2010 – (19 days to the jackpot at 24 inches)

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(This plant missed Garden Bloggers Bloom Day but you can see other beautiful blooms (and more amaryllis) at May Dreams Gardens. Thanks to Carol for hosting this fun event on the 15th of every month.)

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Confederate Jasmine

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Trachelospermum jasminoides

The Confederate Jasmine lives in a south facing window. (See November 28, 2009 post.)

There was some leaf drop after I brought it home. It seems to have recovered very well. I cut off some of the wild growth about two weeks ago.

I would have waited to prune until after flowering since the vine blooms on old wood but it sends out shoots rapidly. You can see the return of wild growth at the top of the above picture.

And now there are blooms – delicate, white and lightly fragrant.

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Variegated Ivy and Fern

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This was the scene from the window the other morning.

So, I continued to tend to the houseplants.

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The fern got a shower.

The variegated ivy got a trim. (It’s friend looks a little aslant.)

I watched Mr. Green Thumb e-How video about variegated ivy. (Stan DeFreitas, also known as Mr. Green Thumb, has experience as an urban horticulturist working for the Pinellas County Extension Service and has taught horticulture at the St. Petersburg College.)

I’ve got to get out more.

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Root Pruning

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I have had the red Christmas cactus for more years than I care to remember. I don’t remember how many new plants have been started from the original plant my aunt gave me when I was 16.

It’s been a long time since repotting and the plant looked tired. So I decided to do a root pruning and repot. I took 2 cuttings and put them in water to root. If I kill the plant with an inept root prune, I should have new plants to start – a little insurance so to speak.

I watered the plant thoroughly. I used a knife along the edges of the pot to loosen it. The root ball didn’t look too dense. I cut about ½ inch from 2 sides and the bottom. I put the plant back in the original pot filling in with new potting soil. After a thorough soak, the plant is back in the cool room that is its winter home. I’ll keep a close watch for the next few months and hope the plant is re-energized.

(More information on Christmas cactus care from Penn State Extension.)

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What I learned about orchids.

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Thomas Puviance, owner of Parkside Orchid Nursery in Ottsville, PA, spoke at the Bethlehem Garden Club meeting this week.

I knew orchids were epiphytic (a plant that grows on another plant but does not depend on it for nutrition.) I knew that Phalaenopsis orchids were one of the easiest to grow. And that’s about it.

Here's what I learned:

- Orchids are not difficult; orchids are different
- Orchid roots need air
- The roots take up water – think rain – absorbed passively through velamen (epidermis of roots)
- Water only when needed – you can judge by weight of the plant or take the whole plant out of the pot and look at it. When in doubt, don’t water.
- Leaf color should be the color of a lime – buy a lime and compare
- There are orchids that need low light, medium light and high light – all orchids need proper light to bloom
- Orchids need a balanced fertilizer – feed weakly, weekly

I visited the Annual Summer Orchid Fest at Parkside several years ago and was blown away with the beauty and profusion of orchids.

As beautiful and exotic as they are, it is not an area of gardening that I am ready to try. Maybe someday.

Photos of Parkside on flickr.
Information for 2010 Parkside Annual Summer Orchid Fest TBA. Includes links to plants for sale, newsletter and more.

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Houseplants

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Bringing in the houseplants in fall

All the houseplants that spent the summer outside are now safely tucked away in the house. When the temperature outside goes below 60 degrees at night, I know it’s time to bring in the houseplants.

The coleus cuttings will be houseplants until May. I start them in water. I know they can also be started directly in soil but water works for me. After they grow roots, I’ll pot them up. They will spend the winter under lights. I’ll do another batch of cuttings from them in late winter.

The Christmas cactus needed to be trimmed. After a light haircut, I rinsed the leaves with a sprayer on the hose. I sprayed with my homemade baking soda/dish soap/water solution (1 gallon water, 2 tablespoons baking soda and a little dish soap). I put them in a little used, cool room that gets no artificial light. I’ll wait for blooms to start in November.

The amaryllis is taking its yearly nap. They rest under the table in the same cool room as the Christmas cactus. I brought them in about the middle of August and stopped watering. I’ll take off the leaves as they die back. If there are any green leaves left by the end of September, I’ll cut them off. I’ll add soil and start to water lightly after thanksgiving for March blooms.

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The tuberose was disappointing again this year – no blooms. They are still growing in a sunny window. I’ll soon let the foliage die back and give them the same treatment as the amaryllis. Next year I’ll plant them in a larger pot and hope for fragrant blooms.

It’s sad to think about the end of summer but now I have one more chore checked off my long fall list. We had a good rain yesterday so I can get back to weeding, trimming and pulling. And then there’s the new garden – more about that later.

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Garden Bloggers Death Day

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I discovered Garden Bloggers Death Day through Donna at Mamma Mia Days. Hosted by Kate at Gardening Without Skills on the last day of the month, it’s sort of a requiem for lost plants.

Although I am late posting about dear Gardenia’s demise by spider mites, I decided to do it now to help me through its sad passing.

The story begins many years ago when I had a beautiful, three-foot tall gardenia growing in our bedroom. The scent was heavenly. It lived for many years – a gift from my grandmother taken from a cutting of her plant.

I have tried to replace it several times without any luck. Spider mites always win.

On May 1 this year, while picking up some annuals at my favorite local nursery, I passed a bench with several alluring gardenias. I had to have one. I brought it home and proudly set it on a table by the front window.

Imagine my disbelief when the leaves started to turn yellow and drop off. “It can’t be, not again,” I said to myself.

“Maybe I’m not watering enough,” I said to myself. “Maybe it needs to be transplanted to a larger pot.”

The plant continued to get worse. Little webs appeared on some of the leaves.

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“If I had only used the systemic houseplant insect control sooner.” “If only I had sprayed it more often.”

I sadly watched it die as I reminisced about the beautiful plant I had once grown. I mooned over it for days.

After weeks of clipping and spraying and general fussing, I finally gave up. Nothing seemed to help the damn plant. I decided to trash it and get on with my life.

Maybe someday I’ll try again.

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(“Gardenia: A Gardener's Challenge” by B. Rosie Lerner from Purdue Extension.)

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Have a fun-filled and safe Fourth of July everyone!

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Forcing Bulbs

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I potted some bulbs in November. Watered and stored them in a box in the garage. My biggest concern was about water. Too much might rot the bulbs. But nothing rotted so I guess I did OK. I brought them into the house and put them in a sunny window on January 13.

Narcissus Grand Soleil d’Or is labeled as “Indoor Narcissus.” The package suggests, “Spread some pebbles or marbles over the (potting) mix for a nice appearance and to prevent the Narcissus from falling over when in full bloom.” I haven’t done that (yet). The growth actually started within a few days.

The hyacinth was labeled “Pink”. I used the same method as the narcissus. You can just see the bloom in the center of the leaves in the picture.

It was a simple project and fills some of my need to garden in these cold, snowy months. I’ll post a picture when they bloom.

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(More information on forcing bulbs from Penn State Cooperative Extension - Berks County.)

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Croton

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I reduced my houseplants by 50% last year.

Don’t get me wrong, I still have plenty of house plants. But, I had too many plants and was running out of space and time to care for them. I decided to simplify my gardening life – not as many plants to water, feed, repot, carry in and out. So, I gave half of them away.

What have I been doing lately? You guessed it. I’m lusting after new house plants.

One of the beauties is Croton (Codiaeum variegatum).

Croton’s bright pink, red, yellow and green leathery foliage would cheer up any room. They are tough tropical plants. They need warmth, humidity and high light. The leaves are poisonous if eaten. They may sometimes be bothered by mealy bugs, spider mites or scale. More information from Virginia Cooperative Extension.

I’m not sure they are right for my house. But, wouldn’t it be fun to try?

I’ve managed to control myself so far. I haven’t bought a plant. Hopefully, spring will be early this year and the busy time will take my mind off buying house plants. I hope I can hold out that long.

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Christmas Cactus

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The orange tinted cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) is actually a Thanksgiving cactus. A gift from a friend two years ago, this orange/red flowered plant is the second to bloom each year.

My 3-cactus collection spends the summer on our deck out of direct sun. I bring them in at the end of summer. They spend most of the year in a cool, unused (no artificial light) room in a sunny, south-facing window.
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Since they are out of sight I sometimes forget to water, but they don’t seem to mind - as long as I get there before they totally expire. I fertilize every other week in the summer. They may get a weak fish emulsion fertilizer a few times in the winter. Did I mention that I sometimes forget about them?


The white cactus (Zygocactus) bloomed in early November.

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The red Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) has set buds and will be in full bloom by Christmas.

I bring each plant into the dining room as they start to bloom. The three plants provide 2 or 3 months of flowers during the winter.

Of all the house plants, the Christmas Cactus must be the easiest flowering house plant to grow.

More information from Clemson University Extension.

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Venus Flytrap

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A young friend of mine requested a Venus Flytrap for her 9th birthday. You gotta love that kind of kid.

I remember having one when I was young. I was fascinated. I caught flies to feed it. Sometimes, I gave it a little raw hamburger. Sometimes, I teased it with a toothpick just to see the trap snap shut.

Venus Flytrap Dionaea muscipula is native to the sunny bogs of coastal North and South Carolina. They eat spiders, flies, caterpillars, crickets and slugs. Movement against the trigger hairs inside the specialized leaves cause them to close. The digestive juices inside the leaf dissolve the insect. In 5 to 12 days, the leaf opens and the exoskeleton is washed away by rain or blown away by a breeze. (Sounds like a Halloween story.)

According to The Garden Helper Fly Trap Tips:

… the growing medium must stay moist, but never soggy.

… Flytraps will consume 2 or 3 flies each month.

… purchase small crickets at a local pet shop as food or dead flies and insects may be used

… Never, never, never feed your Flytrap hamburger. The fat content in burger will be fatal to your plant..

… Artificially springing the trap… drains the plant's energy. If this is done too often, the trap head will become less sensitive and possibly die.
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I’m glad I didn’t read Garden Helper when I was a kid.

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House Plants

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It’s time to bring in the houseplants for the winter. They seem to adjust better to indoor temperature and humidity if I bring them in when the nights are warm and before the heat is turned on.

The other day I rinsed the Christmas Cacti and the Amaryllis with water then sprayed them with insecticidal soap.

I put the three Christmas cactus in a window in a room that is cool in winter and gets very little artificial light. I probably won’t do anything more, except water. I may give them a weak fish emulsion water once in a while.

The four amaryllis were put in the same cool room but out of the sun under a table. I will let them dry and rest for the winter. I’ll start giving them a little water about 3 months before I want them to bloom. When I see a little green shoot appear in the pot, I’ll move them to a sunny window and water regularly. Then I’ll wait for the spectacular bloom.

I have a few more plants to bring in this week.

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Here is the picture of the lily I thought was a tuberose. I'll plant the bulbs in the garden next spring.

I plan to buy tuberose from Old House Gardens http://www.oldhousegardens.com/bulb.asp?cat=SP&page=2#doubPearl
I am determined to have a blooming tuberose.

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