Sunday, November 20, 2011

Indoor Gardening

I have just about put the garden to bed, bulbs planted, some perennials moved, north side grasses cut down and yard ornaments put away for the winter.

It is not over, indoor gardening is just beginning!

I love this glass and wire container from West Elm.  I put pond rocks in the bottom for the Paperwhites.  This tall container should hold those floppy leaves.

I have packed five Ziva Paperwhites inside this container and will not add water until about three weeks before Christmas.  They bloom quickly in the heat of the house and can be held over in an above freezing garage (to delay blooming) or cool sunroom.

I have planted Red Lion Amaryllis in soil eight weeks before Christmas.  This variety takes longer to bloom than Christmas Amaryllis and will probably need some decorative staking and a little moss to cover the soil.  The Dracena in the middle I brought in from the patio, such nice pink colors in the leaves, just couldn't leave it outside to die.



Red Lion Amaryllis
I hope mine will look this good, bought them at Home Depot in mesh bags, not a kit, and they looked like very healthy bulbs.

These are Christmas Amaryllis "Candy Floss," which bloom in about four weeks.  I have started them in decorative glass marbles with about two cups of water added.  One is so much bigger already that I wonder if the other one is still viable.

Candy Floss Amaryllis

The Christmas Cactus is blooming in the upstairs bathroom, more than one type of Christmas Cactus and some bloom at different times of the year.

I think the orchids may rebloom, both are sending up new stalks - one can only hope!

I bought some hyacinths this year that have been treated for forcing so I am going to try to carry this indoor gardening thing right into spring.