Turn, Turn, Turn

Houseplants often get light from only one direction so they need to be turned from time to time to keep them from getting leggy. Sometimes their lean toward the sun isn’t noticeable until they’re turned—then as with this croton, it becomes obvious when you see only the backs of the leaves.

This weekend will be the time to turn the clock forward for Daylight Savings Time. Unfortunately, the east window plants will now get less sun but the west window plants will get more. Turn, turn, turn.

It’s good to “spring forward” in the spring, moving forward to better days.

Pentas A-Plenty

The deep pink penta is in full bloom, probably more than it bloomed outdoors. They do, as it turns out make good indoor plants; I wouldn’t have expected it.

I’ll take them back out to the balcony garden though when the weather warms for more than a day or two. It has worked out really well to have the various plants indoors since we have such good window space but I’ve never had this many indoors before and I’m eager to get some of the them out into fresh air.

This morning I trimmed some straggly branches off the Angelonias and look forward to more fresh new growth.

Breathing

Outdoor plants benefit from rain washing their leaves of dust and pollen; have you ever noticed how intensely green and clean the “world” looks after a rain? Indoor plants don’t have that benefit so gardeners have to fill in. Houseplants benefit from an occasional washing of their leaves with a warm, wet paper towel (or cloth) since they breathe through their leaves; they also benefit from the humidity. And, anything that’s cleaner is usually brighter as well—that means brighter color and that’s almost always good!

My smaller croton plant pictured here has spread out as it has dropped some leaves; new leaves are coming!

My breathing isn’t so good this week—probably a cold, but I don’t think that a wet paper towel will do it for me. I’m resting and praying for healing—quickly and completely.

Welcome Back Sunshine!

The sun is back and I’m rejoicing! The indoor garden is glad too since it doesn’t benefit from the rain. Though the remaining outdoor garden seems unfazed by the overnight heavy frost--even ice, the warmth is welcome.

I realize that I write about weather a lot; to a garden weather is everything (except in a very controlled environment) and to our lives—and all of God’s creatures, as well. Even in a building with no windows and plenty of artificial light, the atmosphere looks and feels different when it’s cloudy outside.

Oskar’s number one bud has shot up to a foot tall! Bud number two is progressing as well. Number one just might bloom for Christmas, if not the “first day of Christmas”, perhaps one of the “twelve days of Christmas”.

Morning Had Broken

It’s another rainy morning stirred by a cool breeze yet the first sunlight slides through a crack in the clouds. The growing light shimmers golden on rain puddles. The forecast says it will rain all day but the sun doesn’t seem to agree.

Alas, the clouds have won—for now, but the birds are still singing.

As I’ve chosen this morning to focus on the true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8)—rather than the radio’s bad news, I’m feeling better and singing. Like the sun vs. clouds struggle, it takes perseverance.

Indoors where it’s dry with plenty of light, the deep pink pentas are still in full bloom as are the Angelonias.

Outdoors, not only are the ‘Million Bells’ still blooming as I mentioned yesterday, but the UGO (unidentified growing object)—“the bronze-leafed plant”, is full of rosy new growth. Even the purple sweet potato vine sprouts miniature purple leaves. The purple sweet potato vine has held up to the cold better than the yellow green one; my guess is that the yellow green vine’s larger, softer leaves—perhaps even its lighter color make it more vulnerable. Darker colors absorb light and heat and don’t reflect it (as much), which is why we wear dark-colored clothing in the winter.

Golden Morning

I'm listening to the Weston Priory Brothers gently singing, and looking out at golden-lit pine tops while Cardinals and Blue Jays coast from one bare limb to another. Nameless smaller birds flit higher--in the pine tops, their smooth bellies reflecting the golden morning.

But then I see it; the Mexican Petunia curves up the balcony corner, branches (few as there are) reach through the rails into air, where last night’s incessant rain toppled it. So I run into the cold to right it. Brrr, a sweater isn’t enough; and to think that last night we were “sweltering.” I set the small pot with its giraffe resident up again. And again. Finally I’m hoping that the mono-filament line that gave the hyacinth bean vine height will now give stability to the Mexican Petunia.

The warmth of the morning sun on my indoor garden is more to my liking than the outdoor chill. Now that the pear leaves are gone, the bright light reveals dusty “Lucky Bamboo” and dracaena leaves. Warm water on a cloth or paper towel not only clears dust from the plants’ breathing apparatus but adds welcome humidity. Since dust always dulls color; their colors now shine brighter and that’s (almost) always good.

Snap, Crackle, Pop, & Stripes

Last night’s cold front brought more rain and much cooler temperatures. We prepared for heavy winds by taking the hanging baskets and wind chimes down but thankfully had no problems; sadly, others in the wider area had great damage.

After an initial snap, crackle and pop of rain hitting crisp autumn leaves, this morning’s rain poured at a rare angle, completely saturating the garden.

Tonight a hard freeze is forecast so it’s time to find an indoor spot for the Tropicana Canna. They crave lots of light, humidity and water so wintering this one indoors will be a challenge. A location where the sun back-lights the leaves would be ideal to show off their colorfully striped beauty. It will also need elbow room to unfurl. I will however, wait to bring it in until the rain has had a chance to evaporate so it won’t drip off the leaves onto the carpet—and me.

Morning Sun

I love seeing the morning sun shine in; I even made a sitting area by the windows so I could drink it in and naturally, the plants came to join me there.

I’m hunting through thrift shops for small ceramic pots for my really small indoor plants since the terra cotta ones dry out much too quickly when they’re that small. If I don’t find any, I’ll go back to the blue and yellow box store—or maybe the orange one. I need good quality, color (the “right” colors of course) and a low price.

The afternoon temperature is forecast to be 70 degrees—I need to arrange my time and activities to sit in the garden to soak up the warm sun there while I still can. The stores and radio stations are already leading up to Christmas, “its right around the corner.”

It’s a Jungle in Here!

Saturday evening prior to freezing temperatures, I made “The Great Plant Haul.”
In an hour or so of clearing spaces, cleaning saucers, and heaving plants, I brought in all the plants that would still be too cold-- even under the covers. Though the freeze was too cold too soon (as was the snow on the upper east coast) I decided it was time to bring them in for wintering-over. For the most part, once they’re in—they’re in for the duration since it takes so much time and effort to haul them back and forth.

This year, I’ve brought in more plants than usual, wanting to “protect my investment”; maybe I won’t have to buy new ones next spring. As it turns out, some of the new to me plants do well as houseplants. For example, one houseplant book says that pentas bloom in December and January; what a treat to have them bloom all spring and summer then indoors in winter too (maybe they actually will)!

The plants are definitely too crowded so I’ll have to continue to discover better configurations to spread out “the jungle.”

Late Sleepers

I hadn’t had to cover the garden for a couple weeks but last night’s cold told me it was time. It’s usually a hassle to take everything down and cover it but this time, experience made it go quickly.

Since the temperature was to be only in the mid-30’s at 7 am, I left them covered until it warmed more, so they got to “sleep in." The sun doesn’t make its way over the roof to the garden until early afternoon.

I’ll have to bring more plants indoors soon—the ones that will last the winter in furnace-dry air. I’ve tried bringing oregano in, but it gets too dry; it has a better survival rate outdoors. I’ll need to plan a space for each plant that meets its needs for light and my need for it to fit in with the décor; I prefer to not have plants bunched up by a window without design.


I always bring the bougainvillea in. I just found some tiny beginnings of blossoms (bracts)! Bougainvillea’s space has been taken up by books during the summer as most any space in our home may well be. Oh well, it’s time to sort through the bookcases anyway. I used to buy books without knowing much about them; now I’m a lot more selective.

Warm & Cozy

It’s a cool blustery day! I didn’t cover the garden against last night’s 43 degrees and most seemed no worse for the wear since it had rained most of the day yesterday. However, since the Angel Face Angelonia tends to droop in the cold (the other variety has no trouble), I made a place for it last night in front of a window. I had to move a couple other plants around but it worked out fine. The Angel Face seems to be happy in its sunny spot that will get brighter as the pear tree outside drops its leaves. I'm happier in the sunlight too.

I don’t think the new neighbors will be gardeners, but you never know.

A Change in the Air

The hyacinth beans are forming. I managed to keep from deadheading the flowers so that the glossy purple seed pods could form, though they follow the flowers very quickly.

The temperature has dropped considerably—from yesterday’s upper 80’s to today’s low 60’s. Cloudy and blustery with no rain. I had to hunt for my sweater but even then, it was too uncomfortable to stay in the garden. I'd love to stay outdoors all day every day—as long as the weather is nice. I even took an official test one time, which assessed that I liked the outdoors a lot—but only on my own terms. It also said that I must have music so I’m indoors writing this post and listening to music. Still, I’m surrounded by my indoor garden, and garden colors.

A Good Home

My indoor garden has expanded to include several of my neighbor’s special plant “babies”. I assured her when she couldn’t take them with her in her move last weekend that I would take good care of them—I am a plant person. We have lots of windows here with good light—that’s one of the reasons we moved here. I’m carefully determining the best spot for each plant.

This one is a Dracaena warnecki.

Thanks for entrusting them to me G.; I’ll give them a good home.