Anybody's welcome to stay and chat, or join in, even if you don't plan to participate in the Houseplants / Tropicals trade that will begin in May.
I picked up a pretty Geranium today that has blood-red blooms just starting to open. Now the fun begins, either dividing it or propagating starts.
CLOSED: Spring is Just Around the Corner March Chat
Angie, are the Adenium obsesum 'Harry Potter' indoor or outdoor plants?
Anyone know anything about starting geraniums (Pelargonium) from seed?
I received some in the Round Robin - they are 'yellow' and I'm desperate to see them bloom!
http://gardenofeaden.blogspot.com/2012/02/how-to-grow-geraniums-from-seed.html
Amanda, this is what I got when I Googled growing geraniums from seed...
Debra I got some great MG seeds sprouting from you right now. Can't wait to put them out. Everyone is going to be sick if this weather continues. Gonna be a great flea season, tick season and pneumonia season. Ick...
On that note I will head out to weed.
Linda Kay it's an indoor plant in my zone but I'm not sure about yours.
Susie you are not resting, I am gonna call the doctor and they will haul you back to the hospital! Don't be messing around with pne... I can't spell it too many letters all in the wrong places...rofl..
I have a really wet spot for the giant plant (can't remember how to spell that either), if they arrive, I thought they would be here by now...getting worried......
Oh I forgot about the hp swap, but it is March so should have time to get stuff going by May that is 6 weeks away, sides I have a ton of stuff going wild. Thanks for the reminder there Fruity. Watering is really going strong with all this warm weather, usually by the time the spring warms up the sun has risen in the sky and doesn't come thru the solar windows, but not this year! Talk about a warm house.....
Yellow car is done, but not picking it up until Friday since I have to take off of work to get it. Taxes getting done tonight.....fingers crossed cause I think it is going to be ugly.
I use to have this idea I didn't mind paying taxes because that meant I made money, then I found out if you "REALLY" make money you don't pay taxes.....hummm.
Amanda, you are not the only bleeding-heart type around here! Ask me my thoughts on climate change right now. :/
It has been cloudy all week. 90 a week and a half ago, and last Friday it only got to 43!!! How is someone supposed to garden in this mess?!
The good news is my roses are LOVING this spring weather. All the bushes that made it through last summer and covered in buds and growing like crazy! DA Evelyn is going to put on an awesome show by the looks of things. And I haven't even fertilized yet this year!
DSD has been in town all week volunteering for South by Southwest, a HUGE film/music festival here in Austin. The hours she is keeping are a little crazy. I remember being that young once. lol! Now I'm in bed by 11 and up by 7am.
Happ, I'm hoping to be one of those types of people in a few years once I get my degree squared away. Of course, not all of us mind taxes because we can see the benefits (such as when DH was laid off last year) and having drivable roads is nice...plus my college expenses are really low right now. I don't see the point of compiling wealth - it's not like you can take it with you!
I AM HOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had to turn on the air conditioner and Ralph and I are thinking about moving into the bedroom for the summer. Otherwise the power bill is going to be unreal!! It is a big bedroom so we will have lots of room.. but geez,,,,,I should have stayed in the RV. This year is going to be really bad.
..................sticking me head out....from under the table! howdy all! jist hanging round till its warmer. dont trust all these 75's!
Let me describe our weather from the past couple of days: rain, wind, rain, snow, rain, hail, rain and sun. Did I forget rain?
Happ Jim Won't let me do much at all YET , But He TOLLERATES < (MS) Me Telling Him What Needs To Be Done :) so all is Great :) My Body won't let me do much right now anyway . but i can sits in the sunshine :)
& WORK ON MY TAN :) HEHE .
well off to lay back tomorrow is another long day Here .
I've missed you like crazy, Jax! Hope you had a Happy Birthday earlier this month.
We heard a blurb on the radio this afternoon from 'powers that be' declaring Winter is over for the majority of us, and for many of us to expect another hot dry Summer again.
http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/15/us/warm-spring/index.html
Rain was all around us today but only a few drops fell. We could use some of yours, Ang.
Hey, thanks LK - I will be glad to look at that link. I have 4 hanging baskets with geraniums in that I brought in to overwinter. Every year I bring in more because I love the colorful blooms in January. :)
Caryana - I don't want to ask. :/
Jax! :D
Elfie - yer a gypsy now!
As for me - still intend to start obtaining more garbage cans for my downspouts - better start collecting the water.
And find native plants that thrive on neglect and tolerate drought!
DH was just talking about with him being retired and me hopefully getting to retiree we needed to do something different because propane is going to kill us, then we go to air conditioning (I can and have lived without air) but I am NOT living without heat...rofl.........can't imagine leaving our home for alot of different reasons, but if we do I am coming south...open the doors girls....LOL
Our utilities are sky high as well. DH and I plan on moving once I retire. We have compared our utility costs to those of his family members and my family members - we are paying 3X more than the rest of them.
Definitely - open the doors, ladies because we will be moving south!
If you move south I hope you like it HOT. I know I do, but last summer was just a bit ridiculous!
Carey, weather forecasters are predicting another hot one for us!
I know Linda Kay! :( I didn't buy many new plants because I was afraid that was going to happen again.
I'm excited! My Bee Balm is expected to be delivered today and tomorrow I get to make Corned Beef Brisket :D It's the only time of the year I am allowed to make it.
Carey
I LOVE it hot! I also like humidity in the air as well. I get cold at 68 degrees and have never been a fan of winter. I was always the first kid to go in when playing outside in the winter.
Our house is total electric, and our monthly power bills two years ago in the Winter before we started heating with wood again took a huge chunk out of our monthly budget. It wasn't unusual to have a $400+ bill every month. I nearly had a stroke when we got the highest one over $470. We have a modest two-story house that isn't big and have fairly new siding and insulation, double-pane windows, and I want to add storm doors this year. Our highest bill this past Winter heating with wood was $130, what a far cry less. Don't move to Virginia if your carrier is American Electric & Power. From June to September our heat pump runs non-stop with the A/C going and our monthly bill is around $200 with the thermostat turned up to 78. Manageable, but still.....
Growing up in SC, my Mom never let me go barefoot til May 1st. So much for that this year. I've been to the mailbox several times in bare feet and have been wearing flip-flops, shorts and T-shirts for at least a week. If it gets chilly like it did this afternoon when we had a dribble of rain, I shed shorts and put on a pair of pants.
Which Bee Balm did you get, Ang? I have Jacob's Cline and Raspberry Wine. Neither have shown much new growth yet. Keep the brisket, just give me a bowl of cabbage and a hunk of hot buttered cornbread.
Well Carolyn, since you and I were practically neighbors for a few years (I moved from the Poconos!!!) I couldn't wait to leave that snow and cold behind! It's nice to visit...and I'm jealous of the lilacs. I do miss their blooms.
It's not any better down south....our other house during the summer (AC) would run about $650....talk about having a stroke. Now we did have 3 units, a pool pump, and GH, but still......Now this new house is smaller with all the newest and best energy efficient everything and the last bill we got (hadn't even turned on the AC) was $298..??? I told my husband something was wrong...I was expecting about $150. I'm scared to think what it will be like in the summer...especially with no trees around.
GA Better plant some fast growing trees :)
Well in Missouri we have the best of the north and the best of the south, we have winters like Wisconsin (temps not usually as much snow excluding last year) then hot and humid winters equal to Georgia, nothing for us to hit 100 and over and humid to boot, funny how the wind stops blowing when it gets like that...rofl. There is a contractor that comes into our office all thru the year and he said he thought Florida was hot (where he lives) until he was in Missouri during the summer...rofl.
Lived in San Antonio for years and I really liked it, DH likes Arizonia and Las Vegas but I think that is too hot, sides I have been in Vegas when it has snowed and when it was 114.....don't think that is the place for me. It would take semi's to move us, can't imagine. Austin was a beautiful city, use to go there to visit friends alot.
We sure missed our oak last summer (the one that fell in June and Kris and Ralph helped with it.) For almost 30 years we had enjoyed its shade. Got a small white oak planted to replace it, but it will be many years before it can even think of making significant shade. We have old red oaks around out house and when I go walking in the summer and come down the driveway toward the house, I can feel it getting cooler.
I am on TREC (electric co-op), and I think they are good altho some people complain that Alabama Power is cheaper. I can't speak to that, but I can only say they are the best at getting power back on when it goes off.
I am praying for all who will be getting the predicted storms starting Sunday. Two weeks ago last night there was a tornado just next door to my sister's house, and it cut a swath down the creek snapping off trees and mangling several houses and barns. Nobody hurt.
Fruity, I was a victim of that tale about no bare feet til May 1. I remember how I used to wait so eagerly for that day. And I would toss my shoes, at least for a while, even if it was chilly. It has been a long time since it was chilly on May 1! Now I love flipflops but my feet are much too tender for the gravel in my driveway and nearly everywhere else,too, outside to go bare foot.
Seems like the story was also that red bugs (chiggers) came out on May 1. I wonder who told the chiggers the date!!
Hi all! I'm Anita the lurker
Fruity I got Gardenview Scarlet and Marshall's Delight. I wanted to get others but I'm short on funds lately. I got them from dogwooderitternet :D
Hi Anita. Been a while since I've seen you around.
Hi Rvnsbrk! It has been awhile. How have you been?
Doing well all things considered. How about you?
Hey Anita - how are you?
I put in several types of monarda last year and saw them starting to come up already.
DH likes the A/C - me not so much....
evening to all Just wanted to say IT WAS A BEAUTY FULL Day Here . made CORNBEEF & CABBAGE For super tonight MMMMMM & I Ate to much Cabbage & Carrots :)
Hope you all had a great day & didn't over do the GREEN BEER :))) My feet hurt bad tonight so I'm going to go soak them before i take my shower you all stay well back in the morning .
Hey Anita! Glad to see you here!
Susie, that corned beef sounds good!
Rvn, I'm itching for spring! I don't want to clean up my garden but I'm ready to play in the dirt.
Hi Ms Carolyn! I have not checked my monarda yet. My zone has changed to 6a now so mine may be coming up soon.
all my monardas, pink primrose, Virginia bluebells ( blooming) gloriosa rudbeckias, and well everything is up and growing fast.. supposed to get rain but I have been collecting washer water in the meantime in jugs, the garage is full jugs of wash water from the laundry. I a going to get a long connector hose and clamp to lead the washer water right out the back door to the gardens. Joe has planted the beans, potatoes, beats, my peas are transplanted and growing, old fashioned pear tree is blooming, bradford pears are full bloom everywhere, redbuds are blooming and forsythias ( which I don not have) are full bloom along with the flowering quince. It is hot. We are running fans instead of the a/c with windows open. I have all these things in the basement to go out, but since most of them are so happy, I am keeping some of them inside there. All my violets are in full bloom. jonquils and hiyacynths are blooming. I have been sick for almost a week, and am ready to go outside and play, but too tired to really work at lifting the leaves. Son has brought me 11 florescent lights from a hospital he moved that they were going to toss. He also has brought some cool tables one with drop leaves on each side and on rollers. I have seed trays everywhere, have scattered a million seeds already, and the winter sow jugs need transplanting already. I am so tired just thinking of doing all this.
I have about five thousand morning glory seeds if anyone wants any. ugh.
Debra you seemed to have everything organized. I hope you feel better soon.
I just learned on one of the forums that ny zone changed. I had frost dates and planting times down to a science. Hopefully, I can adjust without killing anything. LoL