Propagation now in Pots

I thought I would give an update on my Propagation Post from November.

As you can see it has been going very well.  I have a big table set up in front of the sliding glass door in my basement and they really seem to like it there.
The Bat Wing Begonia's and the Wax Begonias were my most successful.  Between the two the Bat wings won by a small margin.  And this is very nice because as most of you know the new specialty begonias are very expensive.  The mother plant is doing well and seemed to have enjoy the trim.

As you can see she is putting out new leaves and enjoying the bright light in the school room...we gave her a heart to show how much we love her.  She was purchased from Kroger at the end of the year for $3.00 and worth every penny!

The Coleus and Inpatients rooted in the water, but each and everyone one died after the transplant to the bean cans I saved.  This year I may try rooting hormone on cuttings and then putting them in soil. 

I also rooted, in water Variegated Ivy it got transplanted to some hanging baskets that I had ferns in...I wanted it to trail down the side and look and pretty.  It is doing very well. Several types of succulents (that you can see in the photo) were just stuck in some soil I had about an 80% success rate with these.  I found that the trailing sedum type didn't do as well as the others. 

Also I must say in Georgia we will have several days, weeks even.  Where we have nice weather, during these times the kids were recruited to help me carry my transplants and all the ferns I divided outside.  I made sure they got the best organic soil, have been misted and watered on a regular basis...The plants not the kids.

Once they have been in the ground or at there outdoor destination I will post how my propagation experiment is progressing.  Hopefully this will help everyone who wants to increase plants without decreasing wallets.

Bird Bath Fix Up

Some of you know I am living in my Grandmother-In-Law's home. Rumor has it, it might be ours...but this is just a rumor. So what is a gardener to do? Reduce/Reuse/Recycle, that's what.

We (when I say we, I mean Me, my Son and my Daughter) dug up Mondo grass (Lilly turf) and outlined a bed. The Birdbath was moved from the grass it was just floating out in an ocean of green adrift. And the Big concrete pavers were in the back yard not making much sense with their location either. The little pavers I moved from my house...oh yes I did...my kids made them...Mama's don't leave things like that behind.

Around the pavers I put in a creeping Sedum, I am not sure of the name but it will cover this area by fall and in the spring it will have little yellow flowers, that came with me from the old house too.

OK, I did spend a little money on some soil...cant you see the lovely red clay soil, I have so elegantly stretched my leg out onto. It needed my Next Top Model pose to show its unyielding hardness. And I bought two packs of wax begonia's to go around the base, just to make it pretty.

We had a great rain here for mothers day and we will be moving the giant Azalea bush and filling in the space behind me. I will share the update with you...maybe I will update my pose by then.

Wagon Garden Camping

I wanted to share how well our wagon garden is doing...Yes, it came with me camping...I have to have something to fuss over.

Trash Picking

Remember when I was complaining about all the junk that was left around the campground from past campers...well...the kids and I went trash picking and we found this swing.

The frame was rusty at the joints and the paint had faded. The swing had lost most of its paint and the rest was flaking off. The chains were rusting out and needed replacing.

But under all this we saw potential. So we dragged it out of a heap of stuff (ruined my shirt) and started giving it some TLC.

We set the parts up on a ladder rack that was left behind...hummmm...with a tarp and some hay bails I see this ladder rack turning into a fort...OK getting of child labor subject. The kids and I got to work scraping and sanding.

Voila we have us a recycle swing. The bails of straw were found as well...good garden of peas! they were heavy. Not sure how long they will last...but they were free.

All the pots, signs, flags and what-knots where from my house. A friend brought me a Mum as a Trailer Trash (house) warming gift. I nabbed another one at the Walmart. I still need to fill the hanging baskets, it may not be my gardens at home but its something I can putter with and get some of natures beauty near me.

I guess we will do some more trash pickin'.I have been eyeing a stove left at another sight.

Drying Hydrangea's

Its amazing how cool these look...when its in the 90's...

My Lovely little hydrangea garden has brought me much pleasure over the years...The flowers Open up in June and go through a myriad of color.

I have enjoyed cutting, drying and crafting with these lovelies...

So I thought I would share the best way I have found to dry them...I like to do things naturally, if I can...so I let nature do the job for me...I just work very close with her.

Drying Hydrangea's


1. Most important, cut them when they are papery feeling. They kind of rustle when you touch the flour and they may be a bit green around the edges.

2. Cut them the day after a good rain or a deep watering.
3. Strip all the leaves off (Hold it at the neck and pull your hand down the stalk will take the leaves off).
4. Take them inside and take off any brown flowers, missed leaves...just spruce them up a bit.
5. Trim the stalk, do not trim them all the same length they are going to need air while drying.
6. Arrange them in a container of water making sure there is good air flow (this is why you trimmed them at different lengths)
7. Place them around the house away from direct sunlight and any AC vents.
8. Do not water again unless you cut them fresh.

9. Now have fun decorating or making gifts.

I would love to show photo's of my house right now...its all Blue! But alas my camera is not working...heading out to camera store for repair!

Painted Fairy House Pots

These are fun to make and set around the garden.

Materials
Terra Cotta pots
Polyurethane water base
Several different colors or crafting paint water based
Paint Brushes
Stencils
Sponges
Pencils
A Big Imagination

Instructions
1. Start with clean pots...a water bleach solution will get rid of any dirt and grime. Let it dry completely.

2. Coat all pots with polyurethane and let them dry overnight.

3. Gather the kids, and painting supplies and let the imaginations run rampant.

4. Once the kids and you have completed your creative huts and the paint is dry. Apply two to three coats of polyurethane, letting them dry completely. I know this part isn't as fun, but you have to protect these works of art, especially if you are going to place them in the garden.

Starting with Seed

 

For me gardening is as much of a therapy as is meditation itself.
I wanted to share with you all my knowledge, triumphs, lessons, crafts, discoveries and musings on the subject.
Let us begin with the seed. They are wonderful little things, full of life. Allow me to slip in here that most of my projects are suited for children and I would recommend a favorite book of ours at this most appropriate time.

"The Trellis and the Seed" By: Jan Karon. Is an inspiring tale of a timid seed, a friendly lady and encouraging earth. Read this the night before any seed preparation...you'll be glad you did. It will bring about that lovely world of wonderment, questions and inspiration from you children as you work with your seed.




Another book I would add at this time would be a good seed book. I use "The New Seed-Starters Handbook" By: Nancy Bubel. This book is a good reference guide and will help you on your way to great success with seed.

Not only is growing from seed economical it is great fun...what a wonderful feeling when they start popping out of the ground.

OK Sharing time.
Trinity and I got busy with some "Seed Trickery." We got those little things believing that it was Spring in February, of course having an unusually nice day for such behaviour helped.



We started with Nasturtium.

Trinity and I did a little scarifying with nail files. No it didn't include Halloween masks. Scarifying is the practice of scratching the seed coat to hasten germination. Gently file the surface a bit...perfect for little hands.

Then we plopped them in a cup of hot water and let them rest for 5-10 minutes. Pre-soaking cuts several days off germination.

While she and I sat busy with seeds, Alex fresh out of the tree prepare our containers. He added a layer of compost (to feed the Hostas sleeping...we are tricking them as well) then he put a layer of a light weight soil, you can get seed starter soil. He pressed the seeds into the soil then sprinkled some more seed starter over the pot and watered.

Another sneaky seed trick. Keep them warm. The wagon holds my big pots, resting in a warm garage at night and sunbathes during the day.






We repeated this with hanging planters.
The hanging baskets keep us company on our sunny school room porch till spring.