Growing Winter Flowers

Welcome, on this frigid Friday. Mo and I are wearing our down vests and praying that the power survives gale winds. Just between us all, I am a bit frightened. How long can we survive 5* temps, -20* windchill if the heat goes out? 

Last week I planted my winter into spring bulbs. But I started planting at Christmas, with the amaryllis bulbs.

The red amaryllis, now in its 7th-ish year, I think, was raring to go. I trimmed the dried leaves and replanted with fresh soil in its blue and white pot. Sequence below from December 30 to today, February 3. Well worth the minimal effort of summering outdoors on the deck.

Then a Christmas gift to myself, post-holiday sales. This is the blue amaryllis.

It arrived from China, squashed and pitiful, very small. 

I started it in a water forcing vase, but it just sat there, brown and sad.

Replanted it second week of January. Put it on the cool but sunny windowsill. I see a green nubbin, but noothing more.

In late December I planted these tulip bulbs. They were saved for a friend who never got to plant them--- grocery store Easter tulips, as I recall, red and yellow stripes. I had planned a longer colding off but they were happily sprouted! Planted and kept on the deck til the weather got super cold.

Last week  was the big planting session. So many sales, I got carried away.

Some I started in water, like the hyacinths I bought last fall and left to chill in my unheated entrance. They too were very early to sprout.

One large vase, the recycled Costco forcing vase with most of the hyacinths, 

The blue hyacinths have very beautiful deep purple papery bulbs.

and one a plain but functional glass hyacinth vase. I do love watching the bulbs grow in the clear glass vases.

The usual paper white narcissus, BIG batch of bulbs--I only expected six. For some reason this year, I wanted them in a crock, but then later as they grow, will put the crock in the  big beach found belljar.

Nicer crock than it looks at first glance, a Macomb butter or lard jar from Illinois. 1910-1920?

                                         

Gathering the saved sea glass that anchor the bulbs grown in water. Also a bag of not used marbles.

All were planted! So far just tiny sprouts, the house is very cold, less sun than usual.

Final sales after the hols tempted me to add a few more new things to try. These bulbs were planted in soil in my McCoy flower pots. Tiny tete-a-tete daffs, again so many! I hope they are late bloomers and are Easter flowers.

Fringed tulips, I ran out of fancy pots! The tulips went in everyday garden pots, then out on the deck for colding off. Again, hoping for a later bloom.

Here is Mo supervising the planting and settling of pots outdoors.

Some I loaded in the sink to get well-hydrated,

...now they are by the [cold, drafty] back door. A cold period is needed, though I am a bit dim about exactly why, since as mentioned, all the bulbs except blue am were well sprouted.

It will be so interesting to watch what blooms and when.  Have a great weekend.

other years:

love

lizzy

gone to the beach......

We are not thrilled with the Snowy Owl paparazzi! Owl has disappeared, I am pretty sure he disliked the crowds on our usually empty beach,. Too bad of these people!

PS a tiny quilty note: lately I'm attracted to the simple, often brown 4Patch and 9Patch quilts I see on Instagram. Utilitarian or beginners'' work? Scraps used? So charming. Maybe something to make?

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