WOOO HOOO Who Let The Plants Out?

Well, this is no big deal to all you Southerner's who already have beautiful plants coming up and flowering in the gardens *lol* but it hit mid 50's today in Maine and that is VERY exciting for this time of the year. My houseplants were crying "can we go out and play" so I put a few (less than 1/2 *lol*) of them outside to take in a little Vitamin D. They seem SOOOO happy and looked so cute out there I thought I would share a picture of my babies soaking up the sun today.

Come On Spring!

Kim

i am glad their mom let them go out and soak up the sun. they are doing the happy dance! nice plants!

kelly

So much work to truck them all out there and I'm sure I'll have to truck them all back in tonight as it will be cold I'm sure but since I had the day off I thought they'd enjoy being outside with me. I am going to try leaving them out this summer for the first year as I've heard they do much better. It's such a long winter inside the house here in Maine and there is only so much window space.

Kim

They look great Kim! I bet they really enjoyed their time outside. :)

They look wonderful and happy out there! Every now and then it's a good idea to give in to their whining... Houseplants don't ask for much, so it's hard to avoid indulging them every now and then :)

I definitely am a fan of leaving most of my hosueplants outdoors all summer. They absolutely love it! The only ones I am careful with are the orchids. Those tend to go in and out a lot, as I worry about leaving them outdoors all the time (though I know they love fresh air). I could just be overly paranoid :-) Unfortunately, when the summer is over, there is MUCH plant whining when they are taken back indoors. Just be firm, ignore the sulking, and everyone will be fine :-)

I'm so happy to hear that you all "understand". I worry about them being overwatered by mother nature though and I worry about bugs on my babies. Does this happen if you leave them outside? I feel so "out of control" by letting go like that. I know they would be happier for it though. Feeling a little uneasy *lol*.

Kim

kim i took mine outside today also. i will bring them back in tonight. i have a question for you and will d-mail you.

kelly

Okie Dokie :)

Generally, overwatering isn't a big problem for me since I use pots with excellent drainage anyway. I do have one decorative pot though with a tiny hosta and I leave him under the overhang of our front porch. That way he still gets to be outdoors but doesn't get all the rain.

As for bugs, those definitely are a bit of problem. Being outdoors, bugs happen. I buy a general purpose bug spray in the fall and hose the houseplants down before I take them back inside. Inevitably I will miss a few creepy crawlies, but it's not really a major thing. A couple of flies here and there, and maybe a spider. Not a huge deal. I do have earthworms in my gardenia pots... But they can stay as long as they want :-)

Kim,
I LOVE that thingie for your hanging plants...so cool!!! I've got a mess of them out there since yesterday "hardening" off...they're going in the ground by Sun. These are cold hardy plants anyways...they were just to teeny to stick in cold - hard soil...so they've (along with a million others) best sunning themselves in an east window...in my Green House aka Living Room....LOL
Chantell

Hey Chantell, When do you think is a good time to set my house plants out and leave them? I have screened in porch that I put them all in and love to go ahead and do it but didn't want to do too soon. Should I go with the "April 15th" planting rule?

Yeah, that was a $9.99 steal at Marden's one day. I love it too. I actually needed a couple more but only 1 would fit in the car with the 4 of us. Oh the things I put this family through for the love of plants *lol*.

I can't wait until they can go outside to stay! I need some space even if it's just for the summer *lol*

Kim

pdoyle,
I don't rush the house plants...just the ones that are actually *suppose* to be in the ground. I have a very large ficus...and tons of Cacti and Succulents...for them I'd wait till the latter part of April...unless it truly looks like night time temps would stay above 50. Just my personal opinion.
Kim - $9.99?!!! UGH!!!!!!
Chantell

Kim what is the plant in the clay pot with the two tall stalks?

carol

Carol,

Believe it or not, that is a Spring Peach Brugmansia that I overwintered in the house here in Maine (on top of my microwave in the kitchen). She's just getting her new "wig".

She was so pretty when I brought her in last fall. I grew it from a cutting that someone sent me and I just couldn't let her die. She only had one flower but I cherished it to no end.

Here is a link to her in all her glory:

http://www.jakesplace.biz/kimskreations/TEMPLATES/KimsHouseplantsTemplate.htm

Isn't she cute?

Kim

I put over half of my houseplants out on the porch already....sure looks rather empty in my house now... I live in NC and it has been in the high 40's if not the 50's at night...so far they seem to be loving it....my azeala's bush's are already bloomed, they look so pretty....


Char

AWWWW that is AWESOME to hear. We are SO the last ones to get spring. It is still VERY cold here. Our daffs are up about 2 inches. I see some peonies trying to stick their noses out a little. My daylilies look TERRIBLE but they are starting to green up a little (other than the ones that aren't showing up at all). Maine is such a hard state to live in. We seem to get spring/summer last and fall first. I try everything I can to not get depressed during our long winters *lol*. The day I took those pictures above was a "fluke" in our weather pattern. It was a "record setting" day for us in Maine during the month of march.

I can't wait to put them all outside permanently for the summer :)

Post a picture sometime Char :)

Kim

Char - yea for you...isn't wonderful when they can be put outside even for a bit?
Kim- beautiful, just beautiful!!! I think I'm the only one alive who doesn't have a brug...believe me, with all the C & S' and now Plumeria & Ginger...I don't even have the room. Matter - a - fact I'm getting ready to post some pics of some common plants I rescued last fall from Lowes - LOL. Anyone that I have trades lined up let me know if you're interested.
C

Chantell....we can fix that 'lack of a brug' problem....well...if it's a problem, lol!! ;)

Chantell - you are not alone! I don't have any brugs either!

carol

Hey girls...I have a couple of unidentified Pink brugs that I'll probably cut back when I take them outside this late spring/early summer, so I can send you cuttings of them if you like.....they travel really well and usually root incredibly easy in water.

That's it Nan...get me started on ANOTHER plant...I'll pass my title of enabler over to you, my dear...LOL I believe you've peaked my interest I may just have to take you up on that offer. Clueless as to what one does with them..but sure you'll share, eh? :) I swear I'm gonna take a few pics tonight to show ya'll my living room...just for entertainment purposes and this is AFTER I moved 4 buckets of stuff to the ground this past weekend...OMG!!!

(teeheehee and an evill grin!) You've got it, Chantell!

I'll be happy to share....but it will be a few weeks before I can even begin to think about bringing them up and out!
My house is a lot like yours, but everything's still indoors and will be for a while!

Ewww....Nan - just noticed 4a eh? OMG - that's what you get for introducing me to more plants. Ha!!! Teasing you...no rush...seriously!!! REALLY!!! Did you see my post on the Trade forum? Interested in any of those?

Yea, but the promise of spring is always imminent.....someone famous once said that.....'tis true!!

No, didn't see your post....I'll have to check it out!

Thanks for the offer Nan- think I will pass at the moment!
carol

You're welcome, Carol....if you need any in the future, just let me know.

I usually cut them back in the fall, and a bit in the spring.

Chantell and fancyvan, you're not alone. I don't have a brug either! :-(

i just got a brug. cutting from another d.g. garden member. i hope it does well as it is my first.
kim after seeing the picts on your website we all want brugs. lol . kim just see what you have started me on got me into brugs. and beads! what am i going to do with you? lol lol!!!!!

kelly

LOL Kelly U R 2 Cute :)
Sorry about that ...... NOT :)
Both are very beautiful and you deserve beautiful things! You Go Girl!
How is your new planter coming out? Didn't you love that site with the beads I sent you?
See how it can get expensive?
Think I need to dig my Brug out of it's pot and trim the roots and re-pot when it's time for it to go outside as the new leaves are curly leaves and that tells me it is severly rootbound in that pot.
Man, I can't wait until spring arrives here!

Kim

kim wishing you spring weather!!!!!!!!!! my fist rose of the season bloomed yesterday and i was so tickled. oh yes i see how it is expensive and addictive!!!!!!! i love the ebay site and the shipwreck beads as well! thanks so much!!! well i did something wrong with the planter more than once lol. i guess you have to make mistakes to learn. i made a bigger one today and will try and get pictures later in the week. i don't have a digital camera and use my hubbys camera phone when he is home. he works out of town a lot. i sure wish we lived close so i could get lessons from you! the one i made today turned out better than the last.

kelly

Yes...wishing spring weathe to all!!! And thanking God for rain...finally!!!

The only tricky part is when you have the 8 strands. Work on the livingroom floor (or I sit on my bed) and separate the 4 strands so they are not twisted. Starting with the 2nd of the 8 strands connect it to the 3rd with a focal, then the 4th to the 5th etc. The last strand connects to the 1st strand to complete the "circle". Now your back to the 4 strands. They are VERY moveable and twistable once complete and hold many various size pots.

Keep trying, I'm sure you'll get it Kel, I have faith in you :)

Kim

thanks kim i have to get some focal beads as i have none right now. mine do need those i think it would make them so much prettier. and what you said about the pony beads i understand now. the ones that let light shine through will be prettier! i am going to get those next. my wal-mart super center just opened in jan. or feb. and had a very slim bead selection last week. i am hoping when i go friday they have more in.

kelly

Speaking of Brugs (and you were!) here's one in bloom last summer/ fall.

Kylee....we can fix your 'lack of brug' problem, too, dontcha know!!

*drool*

Good Golly Miss Molly!!! Gee, Nan...not only do you get me started on another possible addiction but they get THAT size to boot...OMG! Very pretty, though...I have to admit!!! What's their scent like?

I smelled one at the Ft. Wayne Botanical Conservatory and I suddenly wanted to be a honeybee...

LOL!!!
Yes, they can grow fast, especially if you choose to plant them in-ground.
I did one year (though not hardy here, DH had to dig it up in the fall!) It wasn't even planted out until June, and it got to about 8 ft!

They get tall even in pots, if they're fed well - that's why they need to be cut back each fall!

The scent *is* fabulous....really can't even be explained, but the sad thing about it is, it's virtually non-existent during the day....it's quite strong at night, though, and if you've one blooming near a door or window, it's nice!

If you've several blooming at once, though, it can be almost over-powering!


This message was edited Apr 4, 2006 11:08 AM

oh wow!!!!!!!!!!!!! i love the pictures. i just planted mine in the ground and pray it does well. my aunt has a pink onet that bloomed beautifuly last year and she said hers got 8 foot tall last year as well. she just got some yellow cuttings from her uncle. i am hoping they all do well for her this year so i can get some cuttings from her.

kelly