2020 Gardening

[Mad Dilys]

I had a bouquet of flowers before Christmas and it included 4 tulips. As soon as I saw them I thought they won't last 5 minutes...……… but not so they lasted more than a week and didn't drop their petals at all.

The secret? They were still attached to the bulb! The roots had been removed but the flowers, stems and leaves looked very healthy. I kept the bulbs when the rest of the flowers had finished after about 3 weeks and the petals were still attached to the stem, I don't understand why.

The plump bulbs I wrapped in Kitchen paper complete with the withering leaves and stem and I hope to grow them again next year.

[Grandad]

@Mad Dilys
Here we go again then MD, already thinking about plants and gardens and the new season.
A few weeks before Christmas while on the Thursday weekly shop at Sainsburys, I bought one of their 5 pound hyacinth kits with ceramic pot, compost and 3 bulbs. They have been very slow but are now showing 3 tight knit blooms inside the leaves and yet to open fully. They already have a nice perfume.
Immediately before Christmas my wife bought a pre potted hyacinth comprising 5 shoots in compost and a small wicker container. This from M & S. Within days in a warm atmosphere it had 'bolted' with stems nearly a foot high, small flowers and no perfume. They have already been confined to the grey bin.
I normally rate M & S's quality but Sainsburys have beaten them this time.

Too late last year, and before I disposed of the remaining annuals, I did take cuttings from the geraniums. Live or die were my thoughts. Well, of about 20 cuttings I have 14 that survived so I am now giving them a little TLC on my cold workshop bench. I don't have any kind of greenhouse.
On another garden subject, I did keep some seeds from last years Red Plum tomatoes that were very successful. I have also bought a packet of seed for a larger tomato and I will shortly be planting those seeda in trays for which I have bought transparent covers.
I will keep you posted...

[Mad Dilys]

You have been very busy, for someone who claims not too be a gardener you could fool me! Non gardeners don't usually take cuttings I think you are a secret expert - I remember your posts on Hostas too.

I checked the tulip bulbs today and they are completely rotten!

[Grandad]

You have been very busy, for someone who claims not too be a gardener you could fool me! Non gardeners don't usually take cuttings

No secrets MD, I am a confirmed non gardener. As I have told, we only have a small patio, I got rid of the grass years ago. We are gradually changing over entirely to perennials in pots with just a few beddings in summer for some colour.
Taking cuttings of most plants is really no big deal. I don't buy anything like John Innes for propogation, I just use a soil/compost mix from my local garden centre. £4 for a very large bag. If they survive I take care of them, if not, I re-use the compost mix.
Geraniums need cutting when they have still quite fresh shoots. I left it too late last year and they were almost becoming woody but I will still have enough for this year.
Here is a snap of the hyacinth. In a few days it will be really nice and is already smelling sweet. Well worth the fiver with the pot.

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[Grandad]

Remember that hyacinth that I posted a picture of just 4 days ago? Well this is it today and I wish I could share with you the lovely perfume. It is a joy to come down in the morning to such a sweet smelling kitchen.

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[Mad Dilys]

Fabulous smell I agree. In a previous house I used to put the early and late varieties in my roomy glazed porch. Every time I came home that wonderful smell greeted me for several months.

[LovelyLadyLux]

This is this morning here. Not in gardening mode today

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This kind of snow here is also super dangerous. It is very light and fluffy but gets super icy fast. Makes for very dangerous driving conditions too

[Ruby Slippers]

Looking very fairytale like, LLL!

[LovelyLadyLux]

Thanks RS it looks like a SNOW Fairy Winter Wonderland to me out there. It is accident central on the streets around here today. Temperatures are dropping and the snow is still coming down.

Maybe I should think Garden magazines today

[Grandad]

@LovelyLadyLux
Looks lovely LLL but please keep that snow and ice where you are. Our daytime temperatures are still well into double digits, just hope we don't have to pay for it later.

[Mad Dilys]

Been a high of 8c for us recently but just about 10c today. Daughter in Ibiza had to get the ice off her windscreen this morning, but other daughter in London has 14c.

[LovelyLadyLux]

This is this morning and it is a balmy MINUS 2 outside. Course the rest of Canada is hovering at MINUS 27 today so I probably shouldn't complain.

Lots more of the white stuff is schedule to fall all day today and tonight so I'll be out sweeping (it is still light and fluffy and I'd prefer to be out several times sweeping it away vs shoveling) several times 'til tonight.

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Can't even SEE now where I swept the back deck so I could hang the humming bird feeder and the same out front. Was all clear but by the time I finished and looked back at what I did it was already all snowed over. Guess I'll be back out in another hour or so doing it again. Much easier to keep it all down than going out for a marathon shovel session.