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Amaryllis Blooms Create Showy Display

1/29/2016

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First Bud Opening
Flower Bud Opening
Flower Bud
Bloom # 1
Two Blooms
Three Blooms
Apple Blossom Amaryllis
I've been holding out on you. My amaryllis buds have opened and I've been waiting until I had several photos of these gorgeous flowers before I posted them. Three of the blooms are now fully open with three additional buds promising a dramatic display of color soon. I'm not sure how the stalk will support six blooms at once, but I am anxious to see if they will all be in full bloom at the same time.

This amaryllis is called Apple Blossom. Those of you familiar with apple blossoms will recognize the soft pinks and whites of real apple blossoms. This may be the beginning of an amaryllis collection for me as these showy flowers are just the thing to lift the spirits and spur the imagination in mid-winter. Next year, I'd like to add some other colors to the collection. Amaryllis blooms range from white and pink to brilliant reds with many variegated varieties.

                                                            Until Next Time . . .
HAPPY GARDENING!
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Amaryllis Bud Opens

1/24/2016

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Amaryllis
Amaryllis - Apple Blossom
I'm happy to announce that my amaryllis bud has begun to open. This bulb was planted on December 28th and has grown to a height of more than two feet. The bud has been slowly swelling and finally split open in the night last night. I can already see the delicate pink of the petals and can hardly wait to see this flower in full bloom. 

Check back soon to watch this amazing flower as it unfurls.


                                                                                    Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!
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Nature Photography - Icicles Catching Rays of the Setting Sun

1/22/2016

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icicle at sunset
icicle at sunset
Icicle closeup
Closeup of the ridges on the icicle.
When the garden sleeps, I turn my eyes to the beauty of nature. I must admit that it rivals the natural beauty of garden flowers. These icicles came alive in the rays of the setting sun last night. I hope you enjoy their natural beauty as you wait for gardening season to begin.

                                                                              Until Next Time ... HAPPY GARDENING!
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Amaryllis Flowers for Winter Color

1/20/2016

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Amaryllis
Amaryllis (3 weeks)
I posted about  starting my Apple Blossom Amaryllis bulb back at the end of December and have been watching it's progress closely. I can't believe that in just three weeks it has grown to a height of 21 inches! Considering it took several days before it began growing, that is a growth rate of over an inch a day once active growth began.

The bud is now bursting at the seams. In fact, the end has begun to open a teeny, tiny crack. I expect it to open any day now and check it multiple times a day so I can photograph it as it opens.

There is also a second shoot that has begun to grow. I'm not sure if this shoot will produce another bloom or if it is just foliage. You can see them below.



amaryllis bud
Amaryllis Bud Ready to Bloom
Amaryllis Shoots
Amaryllis Shoots
I am enjoying forcing my paperwhites and amaryllis this year. Hope you are too.

                                                           Until Next Time . . .  HAPPY GARDENING!
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Paperwhites in Bloom

1/18/2016

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Picture
Top Cluster
Lower Cluster
Picture
Paperwhites
My paperwhites bloomed much sooner than expected this year. It seems they were eager to begin growing and burst forth as soon as they were given some water. It only took them 18 days to the first blooms.

Today it has two clusters of blooms that have opened. I'm hoping that is an indication of how other plants will grow this spring and summer here in Maine. 

I'm anxious for the other paperwhite bulbs to produce flowers. It should be quite the show as I have 5 or 6 bulbs in each container. These blooms are all from one bulb.
If you are forcing bulbs inside, I hope they are doing as well as mine are! Stay tuned for pictures of my amaryllis. It hasn't bloomed yet, but the stalk and bud are getting pretty impressive!

                                                            Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!
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Paperwhites Brighten Dark Winter Days

1/5/2016

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paperwhite bulbs
Paperwhites
forcing bulbs
Hyacinth or Paperwhites?

I am so happy to see my paperwhites sending up green shoots. I bought these in an after-Christmas sale and planted them on December 28. That means today is day 8  and the shoots are already 2 1/2 inches tall. As you can see, I nestled the bulbs inside a glass vase with rocks and colored glass around the bulbs to hold them in place. I keep the water level just below the bottom of the bulbs. Their roots grow down into the water and twine around the rocks to support the growing plants. If you are starting paperwhites (or forcing other bulbs) avoid adding too much water. Bulbs that rest in water 24/7 will likely rot. 

For those of you who are wondering, paperwhites are actually a miniature narcissus plant. It produces clusters of papery white blooms that release a heavenly fragrance. You can typically find bulbs for forcing on sale during the Christmas holidays. 

The second photo is what I thought were hyacinth bulbs I saved from last year. But, the shoots look remarkably like paperwhites, too. I am shocked that they are growing at all, as they were forced last year and the bulbs were just left to dry in the vase. Typically, bulbs that are forced inside in the winter will not rebloom as they do not have time to build up a store or food via photosynthesis after they bloom. These little beauties are the exception to the rule. Stay tuned to find out what kind of flower they really are.


Amaryllis Bulb "Greens Up" before sprouting

amaryllis
Amaryllis Bulb - December 28
amaryllis
Amaryllis Bulb - Jan. 5
You might think the difference in color in these two pictures is due to the color in the photo because of  a change in lighting conditions when the photo was shot. While that does account for some differences, I assure you that the amaryllis shoot has changed from white to green as it prepares to grow. The shoot has not grown much, but I expect to see big changes soon. This bulb was also planted on Dec. 28.

                                                  Until next time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!
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    For more nature photography, check out my photography site.

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  • Home
  • Garden Thyme Blog
  • Themes
    • Butterfly Gardens
    • Moon Gardens
    • Sensory Gardens
    • All About Fairies
  • Flowers
    • Annual Flowers >
      • Alyssum
      • Cosmos
      • Geraniums
      • Marigolds
      • Morning Glories
      • Nasturtiums
      • Petunias >
        • Reviving Petunias
      • Snapdragons
      • Sunflowers
      • Sweet Peas
      • Zinnias
    • Perennial Flowers >
      • Golden Glow (Rudbeckia laciniata ‘Hortensia’)
      • Lupines
      • Purple Coneflower (Echinacea Purpurea)
    • Maine Wildflowers
  • Veggies
    • Warm Season Vegetables >
      • Beans >
        • Growing Beans
        • Growing Pole Beans
        • How to Make a Teepee Trellis
      • About Corn >
        • Growing Corn
        • What is Baby Corn, anyway?
        • Can you grow corn in containers?
      • Cucumbers >
        • Grow a cucumber in a bottle
        • Growing Pickling Cucumbers
        • Growing cucamelons (Mexican Gherkin)
        • Why do cucumbers blossom but fail to set fruit?
        • Trellising Cucumbers
        • Making Cucumber Relish
        • Powdery Mildew on Cucumbers
      • Melons
      • Peppers >
        • Growing Peppers
      • Squash >
        • Growing Zucchini
        • Spaghetti Squash
      • Tomatoes >
        • How to Harden Off Tomato Plants
        • How (and when) to Prune Tomatoes
        • Magnesium Sulfate (Epsom Salt) for Tomatoes
        • Blossom End Rot in Tomatoes
        • Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Hanging Baskets
        • 4 Best Tomatoes for Short Seasons - Early Tomatoes
        • 5 Early Maturing Tomatoes for Short Season Gardening
        • How to Ripen Green Tomatoes
        • How to Make Sun-Dried Tomatoes at Home
        • Grow Your Own Amazing Pomato Plant - Tomatoes on the Top and Potatoes on the Bottom
    • Cool Season Vegetables >
      • Cole Crops
      • Greens >
        • How to Grow Spinach
        • How to Grow Malabar Spinach
        • How to Grow Swiss Chard
        • Harvesting and Cooking Beet Greens
        • How to Grow Microgreens
      • Onions & Garlic >
        • How to Grow Garlic
        • How to Grow Onions
      • Peas >
        • Growing Garden (shelling) Peas
        • Growing Sugar Snap Peas
      • Potatoes >
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Containers
        • How to Grow Potatoes in Hay Bales
      • Root Crops >
        • Growing Beets
        • How to Grow Carrots
  • Herbs
    • Growing Basil
    • Growing Chives
    • Growing Lavender
    • Herbal Tea Garden
    • How to Grow a Culinary Herb Garden
    • How to Grow Herbs in Sponges
    • Colonial Herb Garden - Classroom Project
    • Herbed Butter
    • Making Herbed Oils
  • Gardening Basics
    • Seed Starting Basics
    • Grafting Basics
    • Soil >
      • Starting a New Garden
      • How to Prepare Soil
      • How to Test Soil Drainage
      • What Type of Soil Do You Have
      • Soil Mix Recipe for Containers
      • How to Make Compost Tea
      • How to Use Mulch
      • Control Blister Beetles
  • Birds
    • Hummingbirds >
      • DIY Hummingbird Feeders from Recycled Bottles
      • Annuals for Hummingbird Gardens
      • Perennials for Hummingbird Gardens
    • About Birdseed
    • Choosing a Birdfeeder
  • Fiddleheads and Fairies
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • How to Marinate Roasted Vegetables