Orchids on an Outing

My Orchids went outdoors today. It's easier to water indoor plants if they're outside on a ledge where water can drain away.

Maybe they don't really enjoy a bit of time outdoors.

In my mind, they do. Cloudy day, no chance of sunburn.

Two different Paphs are in bloom and one on the right has a little bloom spike with a mitten and other tiny buds forming. The one we bought at Christmastime has finished and the bloom spike cut back in case it takes a notion to bloom again.

In other news, Tomato plants are tall and leggy and need new and bigger pots again. There are some suckers I could easily pinch out and root.


You need to see Exotica and Apple Blossom. Again. I never tire of them.

Progress on wiring the Mule Barn moves right along. We now have outlets along the shelves but no electricity. Yet. Getting down on the concrete floor to attach conduit and run wires was so miserable for He-Who that I took Buffy's nice comfy dog bed out of the Dog Hut for him to lie on yesterday. Hey, we do what works. 

Today he sat in a chair to attach the outlet wires and tomorrow we're starting on the over head lights and the switch and outlet by the door. Big heavy ladder in place, preliminary plan worked out -- moving right along.   

What Blossoms We Missed in the Last Peek

When I posted the Spring peek into the Greenhouse, I missed these beauties completely. I found them today when I moved out the Epiphyllums and relocated the Hippeastrums.

 Burro tail sedum blooms! I could hardly believe it.

How did I miss these?

They were kind of hidden and there are not many of them.

Sedum blooms were revealed when I moved these.

Once the bulky Epis moved out, there was room for all the Amaryllis pots in one place, or so I thought. I discovered another pot, the one that bloomed before Thanksgiving, when I was looking at the Bromeliads, the next project for moving.

Another Apple Blossom bloomed -- the one on the potting bench-- my favorite only because it has fragrance. I love catching that fragrance, especially on days like today when the cat barfed up on the greenhouse floor.

What I thought might be seedlings turned out to be mostly offsets of Exotica that I dug last summer. Some of these have bloomed and have another bud. One that has not bloomed finally has a bud tip showing in the dark pot with the yellow tab. I think it is Spartacus. My best intention is to have every bulb labeled soon.

Further DIY Adventures of Tedious and Tinkle in the Mule Barn

Spring just opened right on up while we were in the throes of watching the Mule Barn get built. Now we are inside trying to make it the fun place I dreamed of.

When we're done there will be more than 47 running feet of 2 foot shelving around most of 3 sides at desk top level. Meanwhile there are plants of interest in the greenhouse.

While I was hardly paying attention to the greenhouse, Benfica bloomed.

Nymph

Exotica

Appleblossom

None of these are new this year. As a matter of fact, Exotica spent a couple of years outdoors and I dug it up last summer. 

Tomatoes are still ripening back there and new 'maters  coming on.

I did manage to take time to root four new tomato plants from suckers and they've already been potted up to bigger pots. Despite all the excitement and activity I tried to keep the watering done and once in a while something got planted or repotted or at least maintained.

Persian Shield and Purple Heart,

Lemon Grass and Bromeliads.

 

Begonias and friends, a clump of Echinacea and some Rhipsalis still blooming.

One more look into the Mule Barn where I brought in a piece of garden equipment to see how it is going to fit. 

... and I finally located a pic of the Mule (and Buffy). 

Daffodil season has almost flown by without notice except when I go to the mailbox. Today I noticed that Minnow jonquillas have decided to bloom for the first time in years. 

There's lots to see and do in the garden while I am caught up with work with Tedious and dealing with making sure water drains away from the building properly.

We talked today about how Spring seems to have arrived and the always present possibility that a late killing frost will happen on April 15.