Saturday, January 29, 2005

Spring is in the air!

It is warmer today -5 Deg. C. - and the air smells like Spring is coming! I didn't spend time in the greenhouse today - just checked all my new plants - and they don't have the droops yet - I have 8 baby Harry's now - hope they all take off. I even stuck some leaves in little pots and hope they grow as well. Yesterday, I took my first geranium cutting - from my appleblossom exotic geranium. I found a geranium website - www.holtgeraniums.com - owned by Marilyn A. Holt, who has a greenhouse in Abbotsford, B.C. - it is very informative - I read a lot of info on my "Stellar" Vancouver Centennial geranium...I didn't know it was in it's own class - and cultivated in Australia. My friend, Rose, gave me a baby two years ago and she called it the Maple Leaf geranium - but I entered it in the Horti Club garden show and won a 1st prize ribbon - and the judge told me the real name. I am going to try to slip it also. Apparently, "Stellar" geraniums are not very common. Mine has flowered all winter - bright red/orange flowers. The leaf is gold with a large bronze central splotch and looks like an autumn Maple Leaf. I have it in an old bronze pot and it looks great there. I walked outside this afternoon - it was so nice that I didn't really need my earwarmers and gloves on.
Enjoyment - growing 16 geraniums in January in Canada

Friday, January 28, 2005

The Last Friday in January 2005

I can't believe January is ending - it has been such a cold month - and a few weeks have been depressing for me as well - but - I have my greenhouse to visit and today while it reads -12 degrees C. on the therm. outdoors, my greenhouse is a lovely 70 degrees F. I have a new pink flower on a geranium that was a gift from a friend, Judi, on our anniversary in 2003. The flower almost looks like an azalea flower. I also noticed some little green berries on an asparagus ivy that are turning red now - what would cause that? Must research it. That asparagus ivy is going to my daughter's office soon - when the weather is warmer - supposedly next week. My Streptocarpella plant is also blooming profusely - the flowers are like little violets - I also have 7 babies from the mother plant and they are starting to bloom also. Some of them will be sold at our Horti Club sale in May and some will keep growing for our church bazaar in November. They are wonderful plants as they bloom non stop - no dormancy - they need little water and like to hang down - although mine sits on the shelf and seems quite happy there. Today - I might separate my painted leaf begonia - the leaves are quite hairy so I call it Harry.

ENJOYMENT!
I enjoy a big basket of dried flowers - statice and strawflowers - in my living room -all grown in my garden last summer - very special as the seeds were bought at Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C. on our trip there in 2003. I have already bought a packet of statice seeds from Rona this year - and they are from England! I'm sure they will be amazing flowers also. I am also enjoying my beautiful pink poinsettia that I purchased at Canadian Tire Store before Christmas for $1.99.

Thursday, January 27, 2005

Warming up!

This afternoon, it was so sunny and warm in my greenhouse that I spent a couple of hours in my " Florida room" soaking up the sunshine and repotting some plants - mostly enjoying the sun! I removed a lot of crunchy leaves from my plants - gave them all a drink - and separated a couple of Shamrock plants - I will have seven Shamrock plants - a lucky number - so I am sure they will all grow. They had completely died down and have been dormant since November, so hope the little corms will wake up and I did explain they have six weeks before St. Patrick's day, and I'm sure they received the message.
When I walked outside to the composter, the temperature read -12 degrees C.-at 4:00 P.M., so I hurried back into the sun and heat.
The geraniums are flowering nicely and some are getting quite leggy, so they will be perfect for cuttings next month.
I also started a couple of Kalanchoe babies - the pieces were knocked off accidentally when I was inspecting the mother plant for mealy bugs - my daughter gave me the plant for Mother's Day last year and it is flowering again and has really pretty yellow clusters. Maybe the baby can be returned to her if it roots and takes off in its own little pot.
That is all the news from my greenhouse on this cold January day...brrrr!!

Tuesday, January 25, 2005

I have my own greenhouse

I have had my own greenhouse for 20 years and how lucky am I. On a cold Canadian a.m. -27 degrees Celcius, I am able to look outside at the winter weather and enjoy last summer's geraniums and begonias inside and I never cease to be amazed. In February and March, I can start gardening by planting seeds in tiny pots and take geranium cuttings. On a sunny day, the warmth reaches my bones as I dig in my garbage can full of potting soil and plant a rooted ivy or separate a painted leaf begonia.
My greenhouse is a Lord and Burnham model - attached to the back of my house - heated by the house furnace in winter - by leaving the back door and kitchen and basement windows open. I have two large slatted tables under the front windows with shelves underneath to hold my many plants.
Next posting I will describe some of my plants.