Beyond Corsages

I was having such a good time in my art studio this morning that I didn’t want to leave so I’m running a bit late in posting today.

When I was a child I thought that the orchid corsages that all the ladies loved to wear for Mother’s Day and weddings were ugly. I couldn’t imagine why anyone would like yellow green or brownish pink flowers. Now that I’ve gotten to know some of the vast orchid family (the largest genus of flowers on earth), I’m smitten by them. From the yellow green and, brownish pink cymbidiums to the floaty white and fuchsia phalaenopsis or moth orchid, I can’t get enough. I love to paint them—especially the wildly colorful ruffled cattleyas in orange, magenta, red, photographing them at a local university greenhouse.

I attempt growing phalaenopsis—with hope, and I do well with growing their leaves once the flowers are spent. Alas, it’s orchid bloom season but my phalaenopsis isn’t blooming though it did make a new plant. I’m afraid to separate the two but maybe one day I will; I keep hoping the new one will bloom though if it did the flower stalk would come out upside-down. Maybe I can find some fertilizer* that’s not too chemically.

*My botany professor also insisted that, “fertilizer is not plant food—it’s fertilizer!”

No Bells

On mornings like this when I’m having trouble getting started—the nature of Mondays, gardening along with some lively music helps get me started.

While checking over the outdoor plants (brrr) I found that even the die-hard Million Bells were no longer blooming. However, I did find some new growth. In January. Outdoors.

Even the regular petunias in the same hanging basket have new growth. I’m having to rethink my whole concept of petunias; I’ve always considered them to be annuals to dig up at the end of the season and start over. None have given me any reason before to think otherwise. Yes, this winter has been milder than usual but we’ve also had some very hard freezes—and yet they’re eager to grow. It’s almost as though the petunias knew I was about to give up on them since they were so overtaken with bugs (the Million Bells in the same pot were untouched) early on last summer… I know, I know, as my botany professor said, “Plants don’t think!”

What’s This?

While tending the garden today I spotted this seedling coming up in a spider plant pot! It’s not unusual to find stray “weed” seedlings in outdoor pots, those brought by wind or wing but I potted the spider plantlets indoors with potting soil straight out of the bag. What is it? I looked more closely before I automatically plucked it out (I’m really pretty patient about letting things grow until I can see what they are). It’s a bell pepper seedling but I didn’t plant it! There are no birds or winds in here. We eat a lot of bell peppers for their fresh flavor, vitamins and color and the seeds do turn up in strange places but this is far from the kitchen. Who knows? However it got there, it seems I have a head start on spring planting!

We’re so thankful that not only is the sun back but the “rough weather” including tornadoes forecast for last night never developed because of a rain system to the south. Praise the Lord! Rain without trouble—a good thing.

Pushing the Envelope

Though a number of leaves have fallen—the pot dries out very quickly, this year’s Persian Shield has done better, longer than previous ones. Here in the U.S. Southern Piedmont the handsome purple plant is sold as an annual. For some reason they’re getting harder to find and can be a little expensive, so it’s good to be able to save money by overwintering it indoors. It looks a bit straggly now but in the spring I’ll prune it back—a little at a time since it tends to be slow to grow new branches and Lord willing, it will be even more handsome than before.


In looking on the internet I’ve found that the Persian Shield isn’t at all from Persia (Iran) but Burma (Myanmar). The common name likely comes instead from the shape of the leaves and maybe the metallic look (though I’ve been unable to locate any information on the internet about such ancient shields).

Apparently I’ve been “pushing the envelope” with these plants since they are classified as “tender perennials” and need to be brought in “when temperatures drop below 60 degrees F”, and I’ve found that they can stand up to a couple of freezes. I also read that I should let them dry out between waterings indoors—not unless I want them to completely wilt (http://www.guide-to-houseplants.com/persian-shield.html)! The best thing is to follow the guidelines for plant care to a point, and then sees what works best in your setting.

*That’s an orchid cactus behind the Persian Shield.

Harmony

What an amazing sight! This morning as many as four male blue jays perched in the same tree—and they weren’t fighting! Another amazing thing is that I think this is my first bird picture (though through the window); I was actually able to push the button on my camera before they flew (well three of them anyway)!

Happily, the sun is back and it’s supposed to warm up.

Remember Lazarus?

Remember Lazarus, the nearly dead spider plantlet I found and rescued last summer? I had noticed while watering that a stem (or “umbilical cord”) from the main plant had somehow dried up so I followed it to its end and found a shriveled gray-green, though more gray than green, plantlet. I planted it in soil and watered it—just in case…This picture shows a slightly improved version of its condition. As it began to revive, I named it Lazarus after the man Jesus raised from the dead after Lazarus was in the grave for four days.


The biblical Lazarus was a marvel everyone wanted to see (John 12:9). The people had seen Jesus raise others and they knew of the prophets Elijah and Elisha having raised people from the dead but those were “immediate” raisings--shortly after the person had died. This one though, was really big since, as the King James Version has Martha, Lazarus’ sister say, “He stinketh”. Not to be too indelicate but Jesus not only raised Lazarus from the dead but he rebuilt and restored that which was being destroyed by decomposition (John 11:39). The Lord’s specialty is rescuing the people he created from destruction. No matter how bad a person’s life “stinketh”, Jesus can clean it up (Hebrews 9:13) and make it new—transform it (Yes, he still literally raises dead people to this very day). He loves doing it because it gives glory to his Father—what motivation (John 14:12-14)!

Lazarus the spider plant, as it is now bears little resemblance to the gray, shriveled plantlet I found and rescued; now that it has life pouring into it again from soil and water—it’s like a new plant!

*You can copy and paste any of these Bible references (or any others) into the search box at http://www.biblegateway.com and the scripture will come up.

The Little Things

So often the little blessings of life, like my Penta flowers, get overlooked in the wake of the hurryings, the crises, the spectacular, and the major purchases. These tiny deep pink Penta flowers—little stars no bigger than my smallest fingernail tend to fade into the forest of greenery surrounding them but I’m taking time today to realize how blessed I am to have flowers blooming indoors in the winter. They’re a bonus really; when I bought them I had no idea that I’d attempt to overwinter them indoors and I surely didn’t expect non-stop blooming! It’s good to take time to enjoy the blessings of life and be thankful (even when it’s not Thanksgiving)—no matter how small. As I’ve learned from my earliest years—she who appreciates gets more. As I read scripture I see a strong indication that the Lord applies the same principle.

Times 2

Finally! My prayer plant has needed a taller pot to hold its trailing branches a little higher--out of harm’s way, so at last today is the day for it to move to its new pot. “But didn’t you already do that?” Yes and no. Yes, I already potted the other prayer plant in a coordinating pot, the other plant that bloomed, produced seed and grew a baby plant. Hmmm…I guess that means it’s been happy in the new pot. Hopefully, this one will be happy in its new pot too.

I’m rearranging my art studio (again) to function better, so I have to keep it short today. See you Monday—“Lord willing.”

Trying Again

I checked one of my favorite garden books, Crockett’s Indoor Garden, to see if there was something I could do better in getting my avocado to branch; last time I cut it, it continued reaching for the ceiling--with only one branch. Alas, Mr. Crockett only said that that’s the way things are with avocadoes—they don’t want to branch and don’t make very good houseplants.

I’m not giving up that easily; I like my avocado plants. Somewhere along the way I’ve seen a huge, bushy avocado growing in a home, so I’m going to keep pruning--not that I’m looking for huge. Sooner or later it just might decide to branch out. Today is the day, as you can see in these “before and after” the haircut shots.

Allow Me to Introduce

I’ve long been taken with palm trees to the point that nearly every time I see one I excitedly point it out, “Palm Tree!” My sister rolls her eyes but then, she sees them all the time and we don’t have all that many in my area.

Palms often turn up in my art representing the Tree of Life. I have no way of knowing what kind of tree the Tree of Life is but I do know that palms are Biblically significant since they were carved on the columns of Solomon’s Temple and palm branches turned up in the Apostle John’s vision of heaven. Meanwhile, it makes a good symbol.


So of course, I had to have my own date palm and at last, I’d like to introduce to you my largest plant, the pigmy date palm. I’ve had it for three or four years and it has done well in the sunroom’s southwest-facing windows. One garden book called it a “heavy waterer” and said it needs a quart and a half of water a week! But…not all…at once…I found out the hard way. It can’t hold all that any more than a person can.

I got a good deal on it at a certain large home improvement store but I should have checked it more closely—mealy bugs have been a constant plague. Unfortunately, I now know what to look for. I can’t deal with chemical remedies so from time to time I painstakingly remove them with a warm wet paper towel. When that’s not enough or I don’t get there in time, I simply cut away the damaged branch. It’s continually growing new branches, even without fertilizer. Incidentally, the mealy bugs have never migrated to other plants.

Though it takes extra upkeep, I’m very glad I added the beautiful palm to my garden.

Making Way for the New

Though today’s high temperature is forecast to be 66 degrees, it’s chilly out in the garden. The sun has withdrawn and a wind remains; the wind rarely stirs the large wind chimes so I know it’s strong when they’re ringing—and it’s not because I bumped into them.

Still, it felt good to be outdoors again doing some pruning and cleaning up. It’s easy to fall into considering gardening tasks to be a chore when I’m involved in getting other work accomplished or in a hurry to get out the door but today I’m reminded of why I enjoy gardening. In addition to continually discovering new things, I find that I can pray and think as I garden.

Today, I pruned away more of the leggy, Victoria Blue salvia stems with their sometimes shriveled leaves in order to make way for the new growth pushing up from the roots*.


*When I write about clearing out the old to make way for the new, I sometimes worry that someone will apply such principles to people—those who are “old” or otherwise considered to be “unproductive” but I never mean such things. Jesus said, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Matthew 7:12). The other day a person who has traveled the world told me, “Nowhere but in America--and maybe Europe, are ‘old’ people looked down upon—everywhere else in the world they are honored for their wisdom.”

Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained in the way of righteousness. Proverbs 16:21

Spots

The baby prayer plant has spots! Animals such as deer, tend to lose their spots as they mature but in some cases, plants gain them as they grow.

I searched the internet for pictures of the “rooster plant” and mostly cockscomb celosia came up. However, when I searched the croton family, I found my plant among them. One site said that in low light the leaves are dark green with yellow spots (like mine) but when they have stronger light, red and yellow predominate. Hmm…the rooster plant looks nice in that window but it seems that more light is needed.


I see a similar trend in my largest croton; since the winter sunlight in the southwest windows has been brief the new leaves are only green with a few yellow spots, contrasting with it’s gorgeous red and yellow spotted and veined fellows. Though the overall aesthetics won’t be as pleasing, it’s time to move it closer to the sunlight, swapping it with, possibly, the Hawaiian Ti plant that aesthetically, is perfectly suited to its window perch though it can get by with less light.

Spots can be a good thing. Plants show their maturity and health with natural markings and Jacob of the Bible gained his fortune in livestock by having the foresight to choose the spotted, dark-colored and speckled sheep and goats as his payment for years of hard work for his father-in-law. And God multiplied them(Genesis 30:26-43).

Nipped in the Bud

A low rumble vibrates the building as tree-trimmers buzz their way through Bradford Pear limbs—the extreme version of “nip it in the bud”. There will be at least one less large branch to blossom in the spring, yet the concern that Bradford Pears’ notoriously brittle branches when laden with ice or snow will fall on a car or person is valid.


Meanwhile we’re barricaded by the branch, fallen across the sidewalk—but yes, I remember there is another outlet…I just went outside to check it, but no, it’s blocked as well. So I’m praying for the safety of the trimmers in their mechanical buckets, and that I don’t have an emergency that requires me to get out quickly--I could though, eventually climb through the branches.

Now the grinding—the pulverizing, begins; branches spew out as “mulch” into the waiting truck.

Seat Upgrade

The rooster plant* is doing well in a southwesterly window; it’s even getting a few more yellow spots on its leaves and one has a long, fine point. However, like other tropical plants they need a lot of humidity. I mist the leaves with water daily but the small terra cotta pot I planted it in last summer dries out too quickly.


Today it gets to upgrade to a larger less-porous pot that will better hold in moisture, and give it room to grow.

The morning sun was most welcome after yesterday’s gray rain but it was only here for a short “visit.”


*So far, I've been unable to find the official name of the plant though I think it’s in the croton family. It’s an offspring of one of my friend G’s plants; her daughter called it a rooster plant and so it is. If you know its “given” name I’d like to hear from you.

Singing in the Rain

A young mockingbird either sang despite the rain or fussed because of it; I don’t know which since it didn’t tell me. By the time I, camera in hand, realized that maybe I could actually photograph a bird it had flown. Nevertheless, the raindrops on the branches are beautiful.

In winter it can be a little harder to get green in one’s meals but parsley though small is stalwart. This flat-leaf variety I grew from seed has survived temperatures in the upper “teens”! It’s nice to have some fresh herbs for seasoning. And as a bonus—parsley contains several vital nutrients including the vitamin C I’ve been looking for!

Just One

For days, maybe even weeks, this single Angel Face Angelonia has bloomed, just one—alone. It doesn’t make as much of a show as would several spires of purple blossoms, but it’s there, blooming indoors—in the winter.

Loneliness is often the lot of one who is determined to stand for what is right. Often it seems that just one can’t make a difference but history is full of contradictions to that notion. And so what if the difference isn’t huge? It’s right to do the right thing, regardless. So what if no one else is doing the right thing? That doesn’t get me—or you, off the hook since we all have to give an account to God one day for our actions—and inaction.

Tropical Growth

New growth is showing up in lots of places. These new shoots on the Hawaiian Ti plant have been making slow but steady progress for awhile but it seems possible that now that the larger one has made it this far it might just speed up.

The Hawaiian Ti plant is, according to one garden book very difficult to grow and to another, very easy. So I’ll give it the prescribed light and water and as always, pray for the best.


Its large, smooth leaves beautifully reflect the morning light, even on gray days like today.

More New Growth

The baby prayer plant is growing and now has four leaves! I’d like to say that it’s the first prayer plant I’ve grown from seed but the fact is that the seed planted itself—as it was created to do and I only watered it and gave it sunlight.


The bougainvillea has adjusted so well to its indoor spot that not only is it growing lots of new leaves (to replace the ones it dropped) but it’s growing new branches too! According to the Bougainvillea Growers International, they bloom on new growth!

I’m looking forward to today’s much warmer weather but not yet another day of water outage for pipe repairs. So far the water is still on.

Cut Backs

The hard freezes the last couple of nights have taken a toll on my outdoor garden; plants that have withstood temperatures as low as the upper 20’s have frozen in this front’s icy grip of 18 degrees. So it’s time to cut away the things that can’t come back*.

How can you tell which leaves will revive as the weather warms? If it’s limp but still green there’s a strong possibility that it will spring back and grow again but limp and brown, black or gray has virtually no chance. However, if the dead parts are cut off some plants will put up new sprouts from the roots—this is where continuous watering benefits; the root ball is often protected from the cold by the soil and water keeps it from drying out i.e. freezing (freezing is essentially dehydration).

In case you’re thinking, “Oh the poor things!” realize that the sweet potato vines are usually gone with the first freeze; the various plants that froze have lived far beyond their normal range. Besides, I did take some cuttings that are still doing well. The Sweet Williams always hold up as they are biennials. Victoria Blue salvia also comes back (sometimes) for a second round but usually only after dying back but this time the leaves have bounced back. The plants that really amaze me though are the petunias! The ordinary white ones are still blooming and growing; I’ve never seen petunias survive this kind of weather! The orange Million Bells look straggly but they’re still blooming as well. Maybe I won’t give up on petunias after all (most of the ones I grew this year had some sort of plague and didn’t do well).

*Wearing garden gloves is a good idea when cutting frozen branches since they can be gooey.

Hurdle Help

Oskar’s number two flower stalk never did reach back toward the sunlight; the opening flowers were too heavy to pull up. So I gave it a little hurdle help; to keep the weight of the flowers from snapping the stalk, I “planted” a stake in the pot. Then I gently lifted the stalk and tied it to the stake with some smooth string that turned up during my Christmas decorating. To those of you who know me and my practice of saving odds and ends for their future usefulness—I do actually use them.

The purple “stake” is one such “end”; I recycle as much as I can but find that reusing is even better. (We once lived near a landfill; its rain of ashes, stench and mountainous toxicity made a lasting impression on me). Stakes can be made of most anything, a dowel, broken handle; decorators favor tree branches.

Many people, whether those needing help or those who could be of help, often think that needing help is a sign of weakness. Rather, it’s a sign of strength to know when one needs some help to get over a hurdle. Even Jesus needed help in carrying his cross (Luke 23:26).

There’s No Denying It

I had kept Oskar away from the sunlight in order to make its “number two bud” last longer but it won’t be denied. Living creatures need sunlight for health and, in the case of people and animals—happiness (as my botany instructor always insisted, “Plants don’t think!"). I’ve known plants to reach for the sun—that’s why container plants need to be turned. Sunflowers turn to follow the suns path hence their name but I’ve never seen the kind of desperation that this amaryllis flower stem has displayed!

I’ve moved Oskar back to the east windows where the sun is strong on this frigid day (high around 35 degrees) but it hasn’t yet begun reaching in that direction. I’m so very glad for the sunlight myself.

We’ve had unseasonably warm weather but since it is winter we shouldn’t be surprised at the cold. However, we’re heartened to know that it’s only a “cold snap” and end of the week temperatures are forecast to be back in the 60’s. Though last winter was far colder with a good bit of snow, the temperatures then were also a roller-coaster ride with welcome warming reprieves in between.

New Sprouts

My husband’s herb seeds are sprouting already, beginning new life in the new year!

My newly planted indoor pots are also sprouting—this is the third one. I didn’t mark what I planted in each because I thought I would remember; I do know that the seedlings are either lettuce or parsley though.☺