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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 - 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 tomorrow to watch this amazing flower as it unfurls. Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!
 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!
I am enjoying forcing my paperwhites and amaryllis this year. Hope you are too.
Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING!
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!
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
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!  Growing Celery from the Ends of the Stalks You've probably heard that you can regrow vegetables, like celery, from the cut ends. If you are anything like I am, you have probably been a little doubtful. I've tried before and gave up after a few days. I decided to give it another try and document the progress so we can all see what really happens when you try to regrow celery from the ends.
I placed this end of celery in a saucer (um.. a jar cover counts as a saucer, right?) yesterday. At the moment it is just sitting in a small amount of water. According to the experts, the outer leaves of the celery will shrivel and new growth will appear in the center. What they don't tell you is that the tiny celery stalks that grow from the center will not provide you with a supply of fresh celery for your family. You will need to plant the new celery plant in the soil to grow celery. According to the Old Farmer's Almanac, you should start celery plants inside 8 to 10 weeks before it is time to plant them in the garden. Of course, that means it is way too early to start celery plants for the summer garden in Maine, but I'm thinking I can nurture this little plant in a pot under a grow light. If you are interested to see how well the celery end really grows, subscribe to my blog feed or bookmark my site and watch for updates with photos of my celery plant. Until Next Time . . . HAPPY GARDENING! |
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