Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Let Me Out!

Does winter leave you feeling a little penned up?  This gerber daisy is definitely feeling a little confined on this shelf in the greenhouse.


There, that's better, now this little gerber can stretch her petals.


The plants in the greenhouse are nearing the end of their winter incarceration.  Months of being crammed in tightly with dozens of their closest plant friends can lead to lack of air flow, inadequate light, shared diseases, and insect infestations.  Luckily, liberation is in sight, and the days of crowded shelves and crowed floors is almost over.




I'm tempted to put the lemon, lime and oranges trees outside, but I've been tricked before.  This year I'll wait until nighttime lows stabilize.  I don't want to risk chilling those precious blooms which are already setting fruit.



Some plants perform quite well in the greenhouse during the winters months. This 'Firesticks' pencil cactus, seems pretty happy with it's greenhouse digs even if the remnants of last year's bubble wrap is blocking the sky view.


This bougainvillea always seems to bloom best in the greenhouse in late winter and then, nothing for the rest of the summer.  This year I plan on trying Nutri Star fertilizer especially for bougainvillea to see if I can turn that trend around.  


Judging from the 7-day weather forecast, the freezing temperatures are behind us here in Central Texas.  I think this purple flowered Philippine violet is on it's way out to a spot in the garden, but this croton will have to wait a little longer for it's shady spot on the back deck.



Here's a lucky, little nigella seedling that has recently escaped from the greenhouse to the garden.  The other less fortunate gailardia's will have to bide their time on the shelf until next weekend.



Sorry to leave the rest of you plants with your noses pressed up against the glass.  Your time will come soon.




3 comments:

  1. You are really fortunate to have space for such a great greenhouse, no such thing here in my garden in London - those plants that don't survive the winter outdoors doesn't belong in my garden! I would love to have a greenhouse, but with a postage stamp size garden I have nowhere to put it. Your gerberas are lovely, mine survive outdoors all year round, but perhaps they are a slightly different type? We are having unseasonal cold weather still, with snow and icy cold winds. My garden is 3-4 weeks later than usual and I am longing for spring. Hope you get your plants outside soon, spring is here before we know it!

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  2. I'm coveting your greenhouse. We are planning on building one, however I don't think it will be as large as yours. Looks like your plants are getting Spring fever:)

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  3. It must be great to have that that room, in your greenhouse. Keep on sheltering those plants, though.
    My mother used to say, "Don't plant anything tender, until after Easter". That was north central Texas. But, there were many times I was fooled by wonderful spring temps, and lost things. She was right. And, even then, things can get burned.
    We've had lows in the 20s all week...highs in the 70s. Just such dry air.

    But...saying all that...it's still March. Mother Nature likes to pull tricks. We can still have some cold weather.

    I have to say...this hauling tomatoes in and out gets old.

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