indoor bulbs

Ringing in the New Year with Indoor Projects

/ Earth and Oils / 10 Comments

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope your holiday season was wonderful! As always, it’s over as fast it comes. It was a whirlwind December at work, (as usual–always choatic at the end of the year), and with pretty much the first half of the year supposedly just as crazy, I thought I would concentrate on some small indoor projects that hopefully keep my sanity in check!

Christmas in our household was wonderful. My daughter got everything on her list from Santa. The only thing we didn’t get was snow.

 

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After 8 weeks of germination, the apple seed my daughter brought home from school has finally been repotted. I hope it becomes a seedling in a couple of weeks.

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Here’s hoping something starts sprouting soon!

I also purchased two amaryllis bulbs on clearance at the store right before Christmas, so I decided to try and see if they will blossom for me now. These two were a little different from the amaryllis I potted last year. I had a disc of dry medium in the box, and I had to add two and a half cups of water. It became dirt right before my eyes! LOL

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Warning: This is not brownie mix! 

So, here’s hoping they bloom for me!

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The weather was warm right up until Christmas, and then this past New Year’s weekend, it became cold, snowy and windy. We really only have a dusting on the ground, but the wind chill really gets you!

Now is the time to start sketching out your garden plans. What do you have in mind? What are some of the projects you would like to complete this year? Stay tuned for my list!

 

 

 

Indoor Plant Kits and Some Points about the Poinsettia

/ Earth and Oils / 3 Comments

Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope that your holiday season is coming along just fine! I am actually looking forward to some time off here within the next few days. It will be nice to decompress after a quick and busy December! This is one of my favorite scenes of the season:

This little Christmas tree stand right down the street from me looked so pretty with the snow we got last week!

This little Christmas tree stand on the canal right down the street looked so pretty with the snow we received last week!

A couple of weeks ago, I purchased my first indoor plant kit! You almost always see indoor plant kits/bulbs at the holidays. Two of the most common and popular are the Amaryllis and Paperwhites. Amaryllis are big, beautiful plants that are most generally grown inside. They are said to bloom quickly and easily. Hopefully, mine will as well!  Paperwhites are small, beautiful delicate flowers that are, well, white. Both of these plants are very popular indoor plants that brighten up the long, dreary days of winter.

So, for $8.99 at my local garden center, I purchased this one:

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Now this is a kit and was extremely easy to put together. All the instructions are on the backside of the box.

This is what is supplied to you:

You have your bulb, potting mix, pot and saucer.

You have your bulb, potting mix, pot and saucer.

  1. Start by putting two inches of the potting mix in the pot.

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2.  Place the bulb in the pot and spread out the roots.

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3. Take the rest of the potting mix and place around the roots of the bulb. Make sure that the top 1/3 of the bulb is exposed.

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The exact reason why I need a potting soil scoop!

The exact reason why I need a potting soil scoop!

4. When you are done, make sure water it first with lukewarm water, and then place it in a sunny spot in your house. Make sure to keep the soil moist– do not over water.

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Your plant should bloom within 6-10 weeks. Enjoy, and take good care of it!

Fast facts about the Poinsettia

I love getting Poinsettia for family members, and myself, for Christmas. I really like the ones you can get in the grocery store that are purple and full of glitter! They are actually a very interesting plant with an amazing history. Here are some fun facts about this beautiful holiday plant!

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  • They are native to Mexico and Central America— they are actually shrubs/trees that can grow up to 13 feet tall in their native environment!
  • There are over 100 different varieties of the Poinsettia
  • They are NOT poisonous— contrary to popular belief, they are NOT poisonous to your pets, though if your cat or dog did get a hold of leaf, they would have minor gastrointestinal problems. So, be sure to keep them out of reach!
  • It became associated with Christmas in 16th Century Mexico— the star-shaped leaves are said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem.

I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season, and cheers to a great new year in the garden ahead!