Our previous thread was getting a bit long, and thought it would be a good time to start a new one as we look forward to the Promise of Spring. It won't be long before our gardens literally Spring to life. Share your day, family, pets, indoor plants, memories, jokes.....anything on your mind.
What is everybody planning to grow this year? Share your tips and tricks.
Anyone is Welcome to join us! The more the merrier.
yay! I am first! I am winter sowing and playing in the basement gardens. cold here, no snow, no rain..
What all are you Winter Sowing? We're just starting to plan our veggie garden and have a wish list a mile long, haven't had one for years and am excited at the possibilities. I can't wait to sneak a few veggies in containers too. My mouth is already watering for homegrown tomatoes.
Max seems to like hub's quilt a lot more than he likes laying in his own bed.
This message was edited Jan 22, 2013 11:41 PM
Hi Fruity,
I lost this thread a while ago and just found it again.
Hi Debra and Kris!
I am also looking forward to planting a garden this year...never had the space before but now I do and I hope to plant several things...including several varieties of tomatoes. YUM!
Also can't wait to my see my flowers bloom this year...working on my 'flower gardens' and thanks to my generous DG friends I have some to look forward to...mostly some daylilies!! Maybe they will bloom this year..might be next after they get settled good.
We are just getting cold weather and with some things already blooming and daylilies coming up, I'm afraid spring is going to be 'confused'.
Hey,all. I saw my first crocus and daffodil yesterday. The crocus may have been blooming several days before I saw them as there were several. There was one daffodil open and one about half open. About a week ago I saw my first hellebore. It's white with a pink flush. I saw some willows putting out about a week ago. I am concerned that all our warm weather may have jump started a lot of plants and trees and set them up to be hurt or killed later as it is far too early for spring yet. But nothing anyone can do at this point. Just wait and see what happens.
Wow...MI just really became wnter! Abiut 8 inchs of snow and single digit temps. However indoors I have started seeds...and I have bulbs that are starting to to green inside! So.....even if MI is not ready for Spring, I am!
I wonder if I could make it in a place where there was REAL winter!
No snow or rain here...
I don't dare plant anything yet, because I know as soon as I do, it will freeze! So I am anxiously waiting till mid February, when it will be safe to take things outside!
Del Rio, TX 50°F Current: Clear
Wind: E at 5 mph
Humidity: 86%
Wed 77° | 57°
Thu 82° | 55°
Fri 82° | 54°
Sat 72° | 59°
Crystal
It was 4 degrees here this morning when I left for work. Truthfully, I have been asking myself more and more why I live in the NE....
I am going to start winter sowing my tomatoes, cucumber, bunch onions, and some herbs. I will be setting up cold frames this week for when they get tier 2nd set of true leaves.
Sitting at my new friends house downloading some things.
By the way she has joined DG. I will see if she will come and chat with us tonight. Her name is Gwen / first1girl from Kellyton, Alabama
This message was edited Jan 23, 2013 1:22 PM
That's great, Elfie. I've sent her a note hoping she'll join us.
We must be having a heat wave compared to some of you. It's a balmy 32.
Meant to check and see if there's any leaves poking out from Spring bulbs.
It won't be long before my lone Hellebore will be blooming.
Kris, I saw her name on the list of new people to DG and sent her a D-mail. I was glad to see another person close to us.
Not sowing anything yet, Hubby says it is too early.
How you all doing???
BBBRRRRR!! 6 degrees here!! Not my idea of nice weather by any means!! Picked up a few packs of Mixed color sunflowers, mammoth russian sunflowers and choice mixed colors morning glory the other day!! Have some things ordered and have stuck some daylily seeds(some acquired from Fruity!!) in small pots to see what happens!!
Pics below are some "mixed hybrid" daylily seeds that I received & started last year (kept in basement for now), some noid canna seeds that I started last year, and some white datura seeds started last year!! Hopefully all will make it to go outside IF we ever get around to seeing warm weather again!!! Why is it that nice sunny days seem so short , while these dreary frigid days seem to last forever!!!!
Sounds like just about everyone is more than ready for the "back-breaking" task of gardening to begin!!! I know I am!!! LOTS of hard,time consuming work, but OOHHH the beauty in the end is so worth it!!!
Have a great evening everyone!!
OOOPPPS! Guess I forgot to add the pics!! Here they are!! (White datura, noid canna , & mixed hybrid daylily all started from seeds last year and kept in basement for winter!!
Hey Charleen! How are you doing?
Kris, sure hope your neighbor stops in and says hello! Will be nice to meet her!
Hey, Linda. thought I'd pop in, let you all know I was still alive....
Beautiful here too.
cold today here, will be in the high 50"s tommorrow.. got down to 28, not as bad as the 19 the other night. I already have trays outside I set up last fall in the dog run, but too cold for me to go check, maybe this weekend I will go peek. I have one grow tray all planted up, started my water bottle planters since we stil have old fashiond windows with sills. Almost got new windows, but put it off another year. Thank goodness.
Can't wait to meet your new dg member/friend, I know any friend of anyones in this room are ok by me..;)
sbish, your plants look great. I love being able to grow inside, don't you?
I have bulbs popping up, it is way too early. weirdest winter I have ever seen in my life.
I like gardening year round, i either need to move, or need to move LOL
I have been trying to talk sister in to joining. She thinks she would be depressing, I guess. I can't wait to se her plant room. And see my sweet Sadie girl dog, and all the rest of the critters, including my niece and her guy. I will be leaving work to drive down there on the 5th, go to dr with her on the 6th, and hang out and either celebrate or console her. Hoping it will be to celebrate, as last time was not too good. She sounds pretty good for being on chemo so long now.
on a brighter note, my new flowering shrubs are surviving the non winter winter, with the help of my laundry water, so far. I just gotta get that washer to drain outside this summer, without my help LOL
Debra, I love your growing room! What is the last plant please?
Sending prayers that your Sister gets a good report!
last plant is nuns orchid... thanks for the Prayers, we are going to need all we can get.
I got your swan seeds together.. do u want to play with some more stuff if I send it, Linda?
Charlies room, east end I even use his closet LOL
Wow Debra!!! Little bit of jealousy going on here!! Wish I could have my own room to go crazy in !!! Are those all established plants that need to be brought in for the winter or do you start seeds inside also???? I have a couple of brugs cuttings that I rooted in water and have now put in pots--hoping they survive till I can get them outside!! Want to get some more of different colors somewhere along the line! Bought a couple pkts. of mixed color morning glories that I want to get going in the spring also!! Had grandpa ott seeds that I got from my sister last year and loved them so going to look for other types of morning glories also!! Once you start with one it is so easy to get "caught up" in the planting craziness!!
Have a great visit with your sister!! Glad to hear things are going as good as can be expected!! Chemo & radiation are "ugly" things to have to deal with--brings ups & downs--hopefully more ups than downs!!! Continued prayers for you all.
This message was edited Jan 25, 2013 5:08 AM
Elfie - I hope your friend stops by. I would love to meet her.
Deb - please know you and Sissy have never left my prayers. Please drive safely to see her.
One question for you Deb - the first set of pictures, the first picture - what is the broadleafed plant that is kind of in the middle of the photo? I realize it is not a water lotus, but it reminds me of one.
Here's looking forward to Spring. ^_^
morning friends and sisters. Carolyn that big ole mama is a colocasia i think it is portadora or something like that. I got it as a bulb the first tropical swap i was in and now I have twelve of them if u want one say the word, they love to get big and have babies .. this mama has pumped out almost 30 pups in the last two years.
Altho we could be using this spare space called the ugly basement for storage , I use it to occupy my mind so I don't get depressed. Gardening keeps me sane.
I have slowed down on sending stuff out because of the weather, but i think i can send out a few of these if i clip the leaves and wrap them up good.they spread by runners so I keep them in pots.
You have a great plant room, Debra. What is that plant on the first row, second from the end?
My nun orchids are just sending up their flower stalks now.
Deb - I may just take you up on that. Of course when it warms up - we have another day in the single digits. Brrrrr.....
The flowers are pretty - what do they go to? I really love your cellar garden. Do you have a regular watering and feeding schedule or do you just check the first inch or so of soil for dampness?
Oh Debra, the temptation is there...I would love to have more plants from you!!
Debra - don't you have a thread somewhere about your winter basement garden? It's time you updated your pictures. :)
Sigh - now is the time when I start killing plants. The sun gets longer, plants need more water than they did last month. Some get overwatered, some not enough. Our house is old and breathes so it's not warm enough for some and too hot for others. They move around inside about as much as they do on the back porch in summer. Court makes fun of the "dance" my pots do on the porch. It's serious business, all this dancin'.
Sleet and freezing rain today. Court is home from work early. School was canceled. Treacherous he says the roads are. I don't care for these ice storms we have down south. Never had them up north, but as the climate change causes temps to increase northwards, ice storms are not as uncommon as they used to be.
Can't believe it's Friday already! O well. Going to sit tight and think of the promise of spring. Thanks for the new thread Frootz.
xox
A.
I made Debra a morning Glory....
Nice morning glory!
Amanda, my son and boyfriend of daughter were passing Greensboro about 1PM when they called. They did not mention ice, but probably didn't want to worry us. They are on their way here. Daughter said it is really coming down in Charlottesville. Here inCentral SE Alabama it is 63 degrees and overcast.
Charlene, that is awesome!
Love the chatter and am waving hi to all of you. It's great to see you, Char :) I just moved one of your clay frogs that was about upside down in the pot of kitchen Aloe and have a hummingbird propped up in another pot. Had Charley on our Christmas tree.
Ran errands today thinking I'd beat the snow. Almost did but the ride home took twice as long as normal and I was a nervous nelly concentrating on the roads and the teenage idiots in front of me. Only had 2" so you people living in snow country don't laugh. Normally I go nowhere even when there's a few stray flakes.
Crystal, I think Manda was about the end of the sleet line. We just had a little bit and the snow was fluffy, not like the heavy wet stuff we had this time last week. Hoping your folks have checked in since lunch. The storm is moving East and out to sea so they should be fine.
Must say your basement gardens look better than ever, Debra.
Charleen that is beautiful! Charlie hangs all the time on Kaitlyn, she is resting from her clipping right now..
All the duke clays are in my curio for now.. I sure miss him
no rain no snow just freezing in the nights and warms up to the 40's and 50's day.. poor plants outside think it is spring.
Goldhilla, that is a Swan Plant milkweed.. I am sending seeds to linda, do u ant to try some? it is now out in the main room.. blooming. it makes big tennis ball size pods with thorny looking spikes.
I would love to give away all these babies.. I just wanna keep the mammas..
I certainly do not miss the driving home on black ice and freezing streets, I always have a problem driving in the dark as it is, I remember when I went off the road to avoid 4 other cars sliding sideways at me on the way home in 09...seems like the older I get, the worse it is to see at night.. is that normal? LOL
Amanda so glad to hear from you, I move my plants around a lot too. I am slowly getting them all on ROLLERS . I don't think I am bringing them up this year.. If it is going to be dry , and hot, then, I am re-thinking my thinking.. i like gardening inside..
This house is old and we have not gotten the cracks and crevices caulked and sealed yet. I can put a lighter to them and watch the flame go sideways. I cover them up with plastic sheeting until I can get them done.
the flower above is the night blooming jessimine blooming again..
Yes, I would love to try the Swan Milkweed. Is that the milkweed pods in this last picture, or something else?
Before I had my cataract surgery I just could barely see at all at night. When I quit night driving, I could see 4 sets of head lights and could not tell which ones were the real ones. Now I have had both cataracts removed and I no longer use any lenses to help me see. I had worn glasses since third grade, then got contacts when I was 15. Contacts were a miracle to me. Then after the cataract surgery I can actually see. It is a wonder to me and I am so thankful. I have one eye for near vision and one for far vision so I do not require glasses. I already knew how to do this as my contacts had been fitted that way.
just ran across a Dear Abby I had saved from long ago:
Mirror
by Cary Fellman
My face in the mirror
Isn't wrinkled and drawn.
My house isn't dirty'
the cobwebs are gone.
My garden looks lovely
and so does my lawn.
I think I will not
put my glasses back on.
I love that poem..
I have an eye disease, it can't be fixed short of an eye transplant. every other year my X increases and the tris still don't help me read. I have been checked for cats, but it is just the veins inside my eye they are away from the wall totally in one eye, but still pumping blood so I have a blind sight with spasms of color and shades, and the other eye is now 30 percent declined. I have bi focul contacts and wore them for years, until i had an accident with them on and had to have them peeled off my eyes, and was wrapped up and blind for two weeks., i only wear contacts for a few hours for special occasions, they just help me to walk around and sorta see where I am going, but can't drive or read menues or see a movie with them. Good if I am drinking I guess.. LOL
My sister has had glaucoma for almost 10 years, we have ni idea where that came from, and they have stopped her teatments due to her cancer.. poor girl..
on a bright note, here is what I did tonight..
first i made the tags key tags and paint pens..
then I set the seeds out one per tag ( checking germination first)
then I got my basket of bottles (drives hubby nutz cuz I have several bottles everywhere)
took the lid off and squished it flat at the top to cut it all but a hinge
added my pearlite mix on the bottom, potting medium on top of tha, vermiculite and MYKE on top of that, sprayed it down in the sink, set my tags in, sprinkled with cinnamon, added the seed, sprinkled a bit more of the vermiculite and taped it shut.
that one is in the south bedroom in the windowsill. hen I made a tray of the rest of seeds. it is ontop the rolling clothes closet downstairs with a lamp over it. I havn't gotten my heat pad out for the two trays, seems to be ok without it right now.
the bud above is my calico vine.. that was march of last year, it had three beautiful big blooms and three smaller ones. By April it was cut back and taken outside. I see little swells on it now, so I am sure to see these again this march..
Hey Debra, do you start all your seeds this way?? And what is the cinnamon for???
I save bottle to start seeds in too , but I cut the tops off. Does leaving the tops on help them to do better???
