She's about to...55

All the EEs are in the middle of the room, on top of the triple dresser I use as an island. All around them against the walls and on the extra long plastic covered sofa are the brugs, patiently waiting for Spring.

Here are the most recent cuttings, from Faye, Dj, co-ops, and other DGr's.

These brugs are the ones most recently cut on, they are leafing out already..

and on down that wall..

There is more in there, but I have to show you the VINE wall, across from all the brugs in there..

we start in the corner, alba moon vine in the basket there..

Here it joins up with the other vines, passion vines and lavender moon vines, and other kinds of vines..

There is a fancy shelf thing that holds cuttings of various types, and above it the vines fight for the lights amongst themselves.

Here you can see all the way down to the closet door, where the strictocardia and goji berry are coming OUT of their room to climb that leader wire..

On that shelf is another experiment.. I large root piece I cut off, and planted, I can't wait to see if it sends up a plant..

and then we see the moon vine..

And the passion vines, and in the blue caddy we see the beach morning glory I grew from seed LAST winter.

on the bottom shelf these things popped up...

One last shot of some brugs, thanks for letting me take you on a mini tour..

Wonderful tour! Keep up the good work, Debra. My oxalis is blooming in the basement under the gro-light. Blooms in winter make me happy. Your things look great, girl!

Thanks for giving us a tour Deb

Has anyone heard anything from Maggie recently?

Debra, love all your plants, they look really nice and healthy!

Maggie posted in a few of the other rooms a few days ago, that she is home, but that is all I know!

WOW! Debra, you look like you are giving what's his name there in Wichita a run for his money....rofl. Beautiful plants and they all look so happy and healthy. I am so bad about watering, so I have some crunchy leaves, thinking about taking off Friday to get some stuff done.

I haven't seen any other posts from Maggie, since the one that says she is home, hope everything is going good for her.

Ok, I am going to stop complaining about the weather, except this weekend we are to hit single digit with winds of 30 miles an hour, OMG! Need to stop tonight and buy more straw and put a blanket ontop of some more things while it is 40 today. Poor little plants I feel so sorry for them. Need to make sure I have water and food for those poor birdies also.

Have a great day you all!

Fruity I got an Elvas as well and it is getting ready to go here. That's a stunner and I'm glad I got it.
Happ I put mine out in the summer, but even though they get fertilized and watered etc., the bulbs are getting smaller instead of bigger like they are supposed to. They ones that came in in the Fall and have rested aren't even thinking about pushing up leaves much less buds. I don't know what I'm doing wrong with them. They were large, premium bulbs when I started and I talked myself into spending the extra money because I thought I could keep them over from year to year. Not working at all and I'm not sure it is worth the effort to keep dragging them in and out if they aren't going to come back bigger and better or at all. :))

I like the Amaryllis photo shared on here. I just saw one face to face for the first time in Lowes. It and it's amigos were escaping the packaging. I've seen portions of them outside of the package before but not a huge stem and bloom.

This message was edited Dec 8, 2010 1:05 PM

I feel like bustin' loose, feel like bustin' loose ...

rvnsbrk, I have mine in pots and just sit them under a tree and whatever happens happens. I got several babies coming up the side. I hide them in the garage behind something so DH doesn't know they are there to go dormant and I have not went to see how they are yet. Need to check that. Don't give up I am sure we can find real instructions on how to grow them. I know one of the guys in our mg group overwinters his and gets them to bloom every year. I will see him in a couple of weeks and I will find out.

Happ I printed out the article on DG that Jill wrote a while back. I did it all according to the "book" and still no luck. Same for my Mom. :0)

That Elvas is gorgeous. Mine that my older daughter got me THREE years ago ( A kit) has put out nice leaves, I just bring it in and out, in and out every winter, it just throws LEAVES. I am hoping this year will be the one. It reminds me of a Crinium. The "Kit" said to just sit it in this glass thing with some water. well, It looked like it was going to rot. So it is in a pot and has been in the same pot for all this time.

Here is what I found for forcing yours to bloom. The last sentance makes no sense, but that is what I copied.

http://gardening.about.com/od/floweringbulbs/a/Amaryllis.htm


Here are directions for forcing your Amaryllis for holiday display, as well as general care for your amaryllis plant.


What You’ll Need
Amaryllis Bulb
A pot slightly larger than the bulb (½ - 2" around the sides of the bulb)
Well-draining Potting Mix
Bamboo Stalk
Patience

Planting a New Amaryllis Bulb
Choose a bulb(s) that’s plump and still has some roots at the base.

Make sure the pot you chose is just large enough for the bulb. Generally a 5 - 7" pot will work fine. The bulb needs to feel crowded to bloom.

Partially fill the pot with potting mix and place the bulb so that top third of it will be exposed when you fill in potting soil around the sides of the pot.

Place a bamboo stalk along side the bulb. The flowers can get top heavy and inserting the stake now will help you avoid damaging the bulb and roots later.

Water well.

Place the pot in bright, indirect light and keep the soil moist, but not wet.

A thick flower stalk should shoot up within a few weeks. The flat leaves will follow as the flower stalk matures.

Turn the pot every few days, so the flower stalk gets uniform exposure on all sides and grows straight.

You can feed your Amaryllis with a half strength water soluble fertilizer every 2-3 weeks.

When the flowers fade, cut the flower stalk back to just above the bulb. Keep watering the plant until it goes dormant in the fall. You can more or plant the Amaryllis outdoors for the summer, in partial shade.

http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/growing-amaryllis-bulbs.html

Here is another site, with more info.

REBUILDING THE BULB: After flowering, your bulb is exhausted. If you want flowers next year (many people prefer simply to purchase new bulbs every fall), you must allow it to rebuild itself. After the last bloom fades, cut off the flower stalk 3-5 inches above the bulb, BUT DO NOT CUT THE LEAVES OFF. THEY PRODUCE FOOD THAT WILL BE STORED IN THE BULB. Put your plant in a sunny window (a south-facing one is best), water when the top inch of the potting mix is dry to the touch, and begin fertilizing with a balanced, water-soluble fertilizer once a month. When the danger of frost has passed in spring, set the pot outdoors in full sun or knock the bulb out of its pot and plant it in the ground in a sunny location. In fall -- we often wait until frost blackens the leaves -- bring the bulb indoors, cut the foliage off just above the bulb, and store it dry in a cool (55°F), dark place such as a basement for 8-10 weeks. Then pot (or repot) the bulb and water it.

Thanks LK. Did all that stuff. Guess I am just going to buy them fresh every year and forget about it. Some of us don't have the touch I guess.

So much for having a quiet morning alone. DH went hunting at 9 and was back home before 11:30. He was one of the drivers and said two standers bagged 4 deer that will be donated to our "Hunters for Hungry Program". Then the wood guy showed up at 1 when our back yard still looked like a parking lot and several fellows scrambled moving their trucks out of the way. It sure would be nice if it was just as easy to stack the load of wood as it was watching him dump it in a pile. At least I did have time to clean the den this morning so it's ready to put up our Christmas tree. There's nothing like the smell of a fresh tree but now that we're using our wood stove again, it's better in more ways than one to go with an artificial tree.

Several baby Amaryllis bulbs from trades or swaps over a year ago that hadn't done squat are just now starting to put out leaves, Neener. Some are smaller than my thumb so don't give up on yours or I'm gonna feel guilty about showing pics. The four large bulbs I started with last year bloomed, and I too have followed Critter's advice what to do next. Mine spent Spring to Fall under the overhang of our front porch that faces West. Pretty much forgot about them, they only got watered occasionally and might have been fertilized three or four times. I never remember to do that.

Hmmmm, I guess I will try again. Follow the directions, see what happens.
Started off cold today, then turned warm. went to the nerusurgion guy, he said I can do one of two things. Get shots now, have surgery later. have surgery now, deal with pain later. I am like

HUH? what is the POINT?????
All I want is to be able to lift a 40 pound bag of wet potting soil or sand and up end it again. All I want to do is move my big ceramic brug tubs around when I want to. I can not STAND to ask any one for help around here, they just don't get it. Okay I am done complaining. No decision until after Christmas is what DH and I decided. meanwhile, DH said no lifting, if u need it moved call my son or holler at him. what eva!!


Any news from Maggie?

I get that.

I haven't heard anything about Maggie ... been wondering.

Morning all been up & Down with daddy since 3 am & This last time I just could not go back to bed so I made my coffee & decided to see whats been going on with everyone here .

Debra I would say it would be so much cheaper to have HUBBY or Son to build you a few stands on rollers
& a ramp way to the door you take your plants in & Out & Less Painfull for you .
this is what my brother & I talked about for my project this spring .

last summer he built my GH & My Critter Barn for me . My critters dont use the barn they sit on the perches under the DOME > But they are covered :) & they can go to the barn if they decide :)

also I just wanted to say that everyone who Rec;d a card from me forgive the hand writing I cannot write as well as i used to . & My Printer is caput I would like to sit it at the doorstep of HP With a stick of DNT .
Better be carefull what i say someone else might just do that & I get blamed for it :)

well i guess i had better go check on my other forums before daddy gets up for the day you all have a great day .
susie

Deb I hear you big time on the asking for help thing. I've never been good at it and probably never will be. Another one of my many failings. :))

Maggie posted over on the Holiday/Christmas swap thread. ^_^

This is what Maggie said!

I'm here...just not as often as usual. I'm still pretty sore and I have a hard time lifting my right arm so I only do it when I have to...I have to lift it to use my computer. I have 5 incisions going up my rib cage under my arm and the top one is high. They had to stitch deep into breast tissue so it's very tight. If you've ever worn an underwire bra and couldn't wait to get home to rip it off because it was digging into your side, that's how my skin feels...only I can't rip it off.

Morning everyone! Debra, please take it easy! It is not easy having to deal with normal life's chores with a bad back, much less doing gardening chores!
Have you seen a chiropractor! He can't heal the problem, but he can adjust things, and keep them properly aligned! I have been seeing my chiropractor for 20 years, and I don't know what I would do with out him!

Oh Debra...I get it! I hate asking for help. And the surgery decision...good luck. I was given a surgery choice...I (jokingly) told the dr that wasn't enough options.

Yesterday I walked into the garage to fill a small pot with soil and my Amaryllis bulb (thanks for the info on those!) and I couldn't find the 2 bags I had. My husband put them in the attic! WHY?? Geeeez! I had my sister go get them and I put a giant DO NOT TOUCH/MOVE label on it. When I asked why in the world he stashed it up there, he said he didn't figure I'd need it until spring. What a dork!


I'd like to comment on all previous posts, but navigating on this phone is a pain so....I hope you all have a fabulous day and thank you for asking about me.

Maggie, you are part of this huge family wether you know it or not! You are missed dearly when we don't hear from you! Just knowing you are home, and on the mend makes us all happy as can be! Please take care!

Good Morning everyone.
Maggie it's so good to see you post again. I'm praying you soon have a full recovery and no more pain. Susie, Hope you will soon be able to do all the things you want to. I too understand not asking for help, and because I didn't, I do not have my 9 ft. Christmas Tree in the sun room. My arms are so bad that I'm having trouble lifting, I'm loosing strength in my arms and when I do lift, my arms ache when I go to bed. Any pressure on my shoulders cause so much pain that I cannot sleep. LOL you should see my make-do tree....I think I like it.
Susan, your Angels are on the way. PLEASE use caution when taking them out of the box. They are individually wrapped and tagged, then put in a large plastic bag. But if you should take them out separately you may lose the tags. If you will slide the large bag out of the box, you will see how to separate them. That box is FULL. Merry Christmas!
Love and Hugs to all
Faye

Make-do tree

Your make-do tree is beautiul, dahtzu!

Thank you so much Carol, the more I see it the better I like it., and that may be because of the other strange decorating I have in that room.