Mid-Atlantic Gardening: PLANT ADDICTS CHAT #3, 2 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
I was on a mission today! had to do this as the weather is going to be very cold.
Tonight-42*--and 38* Sunday night.

Today--I HAD TO get all my Coleus cuttings taken, trimmed and planted.
It took a long time--and it was windy and cold outside--AND--I was freezing
my buns off sitting outside doing this for a couple hours.BUT--I am so glad this is done!

The bummer is that I promised myself not to take more than 2-3 cuttings of each.
I failed!.....They are all so pretty. Hope I can give away some of these next spring.
Also I hope they all root and grow. I trim them right...so--usually it is all OK.

Stashed 3 big pots in my shed for tonight--brought the 2 Clivias inside for the winter--
brought my 3, still blooming, non stop Begonias inside too.

Put a big plastic bag over and around, the Acalypha, Don't want to lose it.
I will TRY to take some cuttings from it--but I had no luck last fall. However--
the plant made it through the winter--amazing! I had a pile of leaves arounf it.
It is such a splash of color in my bed!! A real, rare gem! The colors are amazing!

Walked around my garden several times to see if anything needs to be still taken care of--
and I can say--that I can now relax a bit . The Coleus cuttings were on my mind
to get done for a long time already. What a relief!

Still have my two Brugs--both in bloom. Can't do much for them. I am sure they will
be trashed after tomorrow. Later this week--I will be cutting them up and potting some
of the cut stems, and then hauling the Mamas into the Shop for their winter's snooze.
Donner is waiting for a couple cuttings of the Maya. She has waited 2 years now...

Any requests? Be glad to take some extra cuttings. My space is limited though!
I have Dr. Seuss (yellow and insanely fragrant)--and the "Maya"--has variegated leaves
and cream white blooms that fade to a pale apricot.

Still want to take cuttings of the small Dragon Wing Begonias--they were in all kinds of
planters this past summer. It is in my shed. Will do it another day.
Need to find someone to baby sit my big Hibiscus, I bought, for the winter.
Olga offered--have to ask her if she meant it and if she is up to it. I have NO sunny spots.
***Should I cut the Hibiscus back now--or in spring? I've never grown one.***

Was hoping to mow the lawn today--but that can wait another couple days. I'm pooped!
All this rain just made the grass grow really tall--really fast. Hate mowing!!!

Up at 5 AM tomorrow. Have to be at work by 7AM. They sure "jerk us around"...
Some of the really early openers start at 5:30AM. NO regular hours @ the HD.

What does one do that early you may ask? The opener has to sweep the WHOLE
Lawn Fertilizer aisle and pull out and clean one of the bays. Then--fill out the Sweep-log.
One also has to walk the whole Dept. (inside ans outside) and make sure everything
is secure and OK. Then fill out the "Safety Check List" on the computer.
Sweeping is good exercise--I always work up a sweat doing it. Burn lots of calories too...

If I (or whoever opens) doesn't do this--they can get in deep doo-doo.

As of today--everything is inside--YEAH!!! Been working on it for days.
Not everything is "staged" yet--but that also takes time to make sure all plants are in an
appropriate spot for the winter.and not too crowded--HA! that's impossible in my house!!!
Once more--my LR and DR look like a jungle...I just breathe deeply walking through them.

Still have to locate a bunch of the CC's as they seem to multiply like rabbits.
And--they all have grown so big! So top-heavy they tip over. Most of them are in bud!
I refuse to propagate them any more--but how can I refuse a yellow CC--or a white one?
They DO need to be trimmed back after they bloom. I have so many different colors now--
thanks to JB. and my trash-picking.

OH, woe be me!!! What to do...what to do....????? Can't throw out the trimmings...:o(

Early to bed tonight. It is getting pretty cold in here. May turn on the heat for a couple hours..
then tun it off. Got my down comforted on the bed.

Thanks for reading my musings from today. Long as usual-- oh, well...
Gita

The "Acalypha' in August.