Sunday, March 13, 2011

Green Thumb Sunday

GTS (Green Thumb Sunday) - Something in which I enjoy participating... when I can. :-) Not always is there much blooming here during the Winter. Especially this Winter. However, you'll find a few items below (and can compare a couple of them from last Sunday, as a progress report!).


The two African violets below are the 'Kitchen Window Sill Sitters."
I posted photos of them last week, as they were just beginning to show signs of buds.
Today, one is in blossom. Is it interesting that two petals are smaller than the other three?



This "Christmas Cactus" was moved to the dining room. Pretty.
The first of my big amaryllis bulbs is getting ready to blossom (compare
to last Sunday's photo).

A second amaryllis has two stalks with buds growing...


And this is my ever-blooming begonia - variety unknown.
(I forgot to note the name when I purchased it.)
Looking towards Spring!!

7 comments:

Randy Emmitt said...

Shady,

I have a hard tie with your still being in winter. I know you are. Today it was almost 80 degrees and I saw 3 kinds of butterflies.

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Randy, We're having a hard time, too. ;-) However, Spring is gradually beginning to make itself known. I found daffs and Surprise lilies beginning to poke through the ground. A few crocus, too. (yea!)

Masha said...

You have such gorgeous houseplants - I have no luck with mine! I miss African violets: my mom used to grow them on her windowsill, but I have read that they are difficult to grow and have stayed away so far. Your begonia is so lovely, I have not seen one with so many blooms in winter.

Rosemary said...

Pretty

Shady Gardener said...

Masha, I keep my African violets in the west windows. My mom's grow better than mine. They have a little porch on the west side of their home with lots of indirect light (transluscent blinds).

Thanks, Rosemary. :-)

ShySongbird said...

Hi Shady, Lovely to see your house plants. I don't very often see African Violets for sale here, a few years ago they were very popular but seem to have gone out of 'fashion', such a shame they are lovely little plants.

I was given two Amaryllis bulbs at Christmas, exactly the same type and colour and bought from the same store, one flowered beautifully some weeks ago and is now over and the other did nothing for weeks and weeks and eventually has produced the beginnings of a leaf but no sign of a flower at all! Incidentally I had an elderly friend who could never quite remember the name Amaryllis and always called them Mary Ellis :)

Shady Gardener said...

Hi Shy, Thank you for your visit and your nice comment. I understand what you mean about violets going in and out of "fashion?" They seem to be much more available now, here.

I have something I can tell you about your Amaryllis bulbs. The one that is growing only leaves will most probably only do that this year. Don't ever trim off the leaves from either bulb. Set them in a bright, shady spot all summer - keeping them watered if it doesn't rain. The bulbs will grow larger and stronger. In the Fall, take them indoors and place them in a dark, cool (if possible) spot. The leaves will die, eventually, and you can cut them off. By February or very early Spring, repot the bulbs carefully in new soil. Set them in a sunny spot. They say not to water, but I do - a good bit. Then let them sit without watering for awhile. They should begin to grow after awhile. Then you can resume watering (when they're dry). You should have blooms from both bulbs next year if it goes well! :-)