Bloom Day February 15 2017

A mild winter means we have early blooms.

Tulip magnolia:

Star Magnolia, Leonard Messell:

Azaleas are opening much too early. Frost could ruin these but others are holding back, just in case. Mostly it depends on whether they're protected from cold wind.
This is Pink Pearl azalea:

Back when Loropetalums were first popular, the famous hort guy at UGA dismissed the white as not of any consequence. I did not agree and when Miss Billie offered me seedlings, I took them. Later he changed his mind as to whether they were worthwhile in the landscape.

White Loropetalum:

Rose pink Loropetalum:

Loropetalums tend to make trees when not kept harshly pruned into hatboxes and meatballs as landscapers in town do.

I let mine grow into trees and prune the bottoms:.

Some daffodils are just beginning to come up. The season is long if you plant different ones.
The early ones like Ehrlicheer and these Sweetness jonquillas are blooming:

This was not a good year for Hyacinths for lack of chill but some are blooming, just not very tall.
The darker pink one had an earlier bloom; this is the second bloom.

It's fun to have something besides the usual daffodils, hyacinths and iris.
Snake's Head Iris:

 The 3 Camellias below are seedling plants that I planted seeds some 15 years ago. They're not outstanding but they are a novelty.

The Camellia below is more than 40 years old and embarrassingly gaudy when cold doesn't take out the blooms:

White Camellias are my favorite.

Long may She Wave!

Happy Windy Bloom Day.

Bloom Day links are Here.

Narcissus Seeds

There is an ancient Daffodil that blooms early here of the 'King Alfred' type planted here about 50 years ago and of great sentiment.

It was the only Daffodil I brought inside this winter and spring.

The other day I found seed pods, some still with seeds about 2 mm. smaller than a daylily seed. I gathered what was left and brought inside.

These were the pods. I planted the seeds. 

I'll let you know next spring if there are any tiny seedlings. 

I always picked off seed pods. Now I read it doesn't matter.

Depending on whose advice you read, I could have Daffodils in 2 years or 5. 

I'll wait. 

March Winds and Daffodils

Remember in elementary school when we memorized Christina Rossetti's little poem about the wind?

It wasn't just the leaves trembling yesterday when I heard a noise and looked to see a gust of wind take out the greenhouse doors that I thought were well secured? Not only the doors but a roof panel and an end panel went to the ground.

There are no pictures to show. I don't have time to make pictures when we old people are struggling to get everything back together.  Everything is back in place, no real damage. Doors need new rollers.

What I do have to show is late Daffodils: Hillstar, a beautiful jonquilla.

A double with no name, not in a place where

I planted doubles before.

Thalia

Minnow

Hawera, en masse

He-Who-Mows, sweeping up debris and pine cones. 

Last of Tulips with newly blooming Daffodils.

Daffodils tend to be late the first year planted. Alyssum blooming.

Tulips will not make a significant appearance next year, if at all.

Daffodils will remain, on a slight slope with good drainage and sun.

 

 

There's no real interest in the greenhouse worth a peek right now that you haven't seen before. If the cold wind EVER stops and temperatures go to normal for end of March, plants will start moving out-of-doors. Easter Cactus is in bud and may bloom timely.  

 

Funny thing, earlier yesterday, we laid out an 8 x 10' space for a greenhouse add-on to the tool shed. My plan is to use storm windows that we took off the house to make a second greenhouse, unheated, for cool season plants like Gerbera Daisies to spend the winter protected from frost. He-Who-Mows estimated that the cost of another polycarbonate greenhouse like the present one would be much less than the materials to complete a home-built of a smaller size even with windows we already have.

 

Less picturesque, the kit, but probably the better plan as far as cost. The work will take about the same length of time.  For a while there when the wind gusts were so bad, I wondered if we'd be putting up 2 greenhouses, one to replace the one that was about to blow away.  We're already discussing measures needed to diminish wind damage.

Choosing Bulbs for Christmas Bloom

Christmas Bloom is a term used loosely here. Last year they didn't bloom at Christmas. One Amaryllis bloomed early. I used it, in bud, as a Hostess gift on Thanksgiving. They reported that it bloomed the next day.

The rest of the bulbs mostly waited until after Christmas to bloom. I gave away potted hyacinths in the cold and drear of January, cheerful little unexpected treasures. Start earlier this year.

Appleblossom with white Kalanchoe, a red begonia and a Bromeliad.

These were blooming in early March this year. I brought the Amaryllis to

bloom for the second year, proud that it bloomed even late.

I think the pot to the right holds Nymph, which bloomed 3 times in 2013.

Nymph is lovely but has a big blossom on a short stem, awkward.

 

Nymph

 

Benfica. How red is too red?

It bloomed in time for Christmas last year.

 

I lean toward the coral shades of Hippeastrum.

 

 

 

My winter notes for 2013 said to use pale shades. I tend to forget these notions.

Okay, pale shades it will be. How many is too many?

 

 

Blue hyacinths bloomed early February, here with a Tilliandsia.

Blue Jacket here; I think this fall I'll force pink and white.

 

 

Delft Blue, 2011

 

Gypsy Queen, February, 2013.

I'm torn between this pale apricot again or true pink.

 

 

Gypsy!

 

 

 

In 2012, I used two pink shades, Jan Bos and China Pink.

 

According to my notes, those in water and

those in soil forced equally well.

 

I decided that soil was the better choice as those will plant out into the garden with ease.

Most who receive them as gifts want to know how to keep them forever. Slip them from the pot into the edge of a rich flower bed up to the bottom of the leaves. Expect them back every spring.

 

 

 

Easily rooted Begonias are a given as

companions to Winter Bulbs indoors.

 

 

Here's my list to order soonest:

• 3 miniature white Hippeastrums.
• 3 palest apricot Amaryllis.
• 25 pink Hyacinths,
• 25 white Hyacinths.

Plans for Companions

• Root red and white Pentas starting now.
• Root white Kalanchoes. Some already in pots need best pieces broken and rooted.
• Root red Begonias.
• White Begonias are already potted.
• Christmas cactuses are already rooted. Some need bigger pots.
• Look for a Bird of Paradise not too big for coarse background foliage.
• Root more Persian Shield and Purple Heart. Purple Heart all in one oblong container.

 

Will you force bulbs for winter bloom? Have you ordered fall planted bulbs? Bulbs will be in the stores in another month or two. I'll find it hard to resist a big bag or two of King Alfred type daffodils, or some Thalia despite how a certain bulb vendor disparaged the big box bulbs on their blog.

 

Blooming Inside and Out

An updated version of this post is on Secrets of a Seedscatterer so you can see what a difference two days made in bloom.

Outside, Hyacinths in pink and blue, white Iberis and yellow Daffodils. Could it be better?

Hyacinths in the greenhouse, showing color.

 

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Blue Jacket

 

Fall Bulb Orders for Winter Bloom

If I ordered all the bulbs I'd like for forcing and for spring bloom, we'd not afford to eat for most of the winter. I look long and hard and make many comparisons before I actually order. A bit of cash needs saving back for impulse buys in town, too.

I ordered the following this weekend:

Amaryllis: Elvas, white with red brushstrokes, Nymph, a double white with traces of red brushstrokes  and Benfica, a dark red. Deciding on colors is so hard for me. I want them all.

Appleblossom Amaryllis last Christmas

I wanted pink Appleblossom again. It is usually easy to find in the big box stores. I'll take a chance on getting one that is properly labeled if I find them. One year I had all the same brilliant peachy orange color, Exotica, which was exciting but not really a Christmas color.

Hyacinths: Blue Jacket and Gipsey Queen, 15 of each. Gipsey is an orangey pink that is so pretty and Blue Jacket is a dependable forcer. Delft Blue did best in some Clemson trials one year . I've had equal success with the blues.  These will be refrigerated as soon as they get here for about 10 weeks of chill before they are potted.

Delft Blue, chilled and potted to bloom for Christmas, 2011.

I never met a Hyacinth I didn't like, and I've planted a huge number over the years in all colors. Some are still with me. I gave away many as forced blooms in the dead of winter.  Eventually they do disappear and need replanting but those in well-drained locations with lots of compost will last for years.

This vendor, which I shall not name until I get the bulbs and see their beginning performance, did not have Blue Delft. I admit to being swayed by a 25% discount this early in the season. The discount is for new customers. I found few reviews of this company but they were linked by what I consider a reliable blogger.

I kept back two Amaryllis from last winter in the pots in which they grew. Late in August, I put them in the tool shed in the dark. The bigger one still has some green leaves, however floppy. The other suddenly shot up a new shoot: leaves, not a bud. I brought it out and watered it and put it in a bit of shade in the greenhouse. That pale shoot is turning green. I may pull it from the pot without disturbing the roots, add some fresh potting soil and slip it back in place. Potting soil tends to settle.

I'm still drooling over Daffodils and Muscari in catalogs. White muscari that came in a mixed package at a big box store last year were magnificent additions to pots of Violas. they've already put up new foliage and it isn't even fall. Muscari make good markers for bulbs that come up in spring, so you know not to plant more on top of last year's if you are forgetful.

 

 

I do not think you could plant too many.

 

It's a while until time to plant daffodils here, so I can review all my previous bulb photos and dream and make lists right on up to Thanksgiving. My all time favs are Ice Follies, Hawera, Juanita, Tete-a-tete, Sailboat, Ice Wings and February Gold.  Maybe I need some more imaginative selections, which may be forced on me by sold-out vendors of the ones I wanted.

Fertilizer Friday: Blooms Herald Spring

Time for Fertilizer Friday with Tootsie again. I really need to get out there with compost and fertlizer and lime and wood ashes and get busy.

Blooming with daffodils is this native corydalis,

Here with wild geranium and daylily foliage.

We're nearing the end of Hyacinths, my fave bulb.

Daffodils come in waves of different cultivars.

Minature daffodils extend the season.

Shrimp plant that survived the winter with a

white Azalea in the distance. Pink azaleas are

showing color. Hydrangeas are still dormant.

Nothing to show from the Greenhouse, we put up shutters for a vent fan today. No recently planted seeds are up yet except for lettuces.


I put First Views with Town Mouse on my Seedscatterer blog.





Flowers and text are from the garden of Nell Jean blogged on Dotty Plants Journal in hot, humid Southwest Georgia.