Coffee Time 2007

once again open to any topics

this was the last edition
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/675210/

How's the NFL playoff fever going there?

Now that is WAY COOL! Great pic Al. I love football if it's on, but I don't go out of my way to watch it. Here's a pic of one of my orchids that are in bloom.

How many of those do you have Neter? Did you start your WS yet?

I kinda dropped out on football after having been an active fan. Probably for the best because I'm a pretty avid fan of college basketball and baseball. Through in gardening, the kids and a job with a lot of night meetings and I'm pretty overwhelmed. You a Green Bay fan?

Yes Dave, I watch pro football and golf mainly for sports. GB wasn't much this year.

I have a few different types of orchids Al. They are somewhat challenging in the blooming dept. I had a bit of better luck this year. I'm not sure if it was having them out all summer or if they enjoy being under the lights in the basement once they came back in.

I enjoy watching golf too.

I enjoy the golf, too.

Hockey and football are too rough for me - any sport with helmets and I'm out of the room.

I really dislike sports on TV - I am not one to watch it on the boob tube. I don't mind being there in person and watching a game of some sort but to be honest I am not all that interested in watching sports.

So do I but golf is not offensive to me so if I sit to look at a book I don't feel I have to leave the room. The big plus is that it's quiet!

Anita, I don't have any paphs. That's beautiful. my orchids are doing better this year. I have something in bloom almost all the time. this pretty red Lc. was in bloom for Christmas...delightful cinnamon scent

pirl, I wanted you to meet the Celandine fairy. this is how Cecily Mary Barker saw the 'evil' plant. in case it comes back in the spring it might help you look on it a little more kindly (or maybe not LOL)

Orchid growing is definitely a learning process. Here is one of my phals

This one is not named, but I think it's a dendrobium

Ooooooh, those are so pretty! I have always wanted to try growing orchids but have been afraid to try. What if i kill it??? Maybe I'll just buy one and give to my green-thumb brother, then if it dies it's HIS fault! LOL

gram - love the fairy, hate the plant. Actually the plant is quite sweet and innocent until it gets growing!

Anita - I have orchids, too, but they're not in bloom now. Last year they were great.

understatement of the gardening world LOL...but definitely worth the effort

Pixie, just get one and try it. there are some that grow very nicely in a sunny window. and your thumbs look pretty green to me.

pirl, there aren't too many that bloom in the winter. most are spring & fall. what kind do you have?

here's the only other one I have in bloom. a miniature cattleya. it blooms 2 or 3 times a year and it's so sweet. (needs repotting badly...my orchids were badly neglected for a while and most are still alive. they just didn't bloom for a while. see, pixie. they're tougher than you think)

edit to add: you orchid growers should post yours over on the orchid forum if you haven't. very nice folks over there!

This message was edited Jan 6, 2007 9:20 AM

Den's and phal's.

I am waiting for this Amaryllis "Apple Blossom" to open. Went into WalMart to buy some wrapping paper and these were in a box blooming their heads off. I picked a bulb that had some nice green shoots and what looked like a bud coming out of it, brought it home and planted it. Here's what it looks like now.

I was so late transplanting mine that it will be awhile before it blooms. It's now about four inches high.

Pixie - when it blooms I hope you'll post photos.

I haven't had an amaryllis in years. My uncle has several that he plants outside for the summer and brings back in an forces for the winter. He has one that is about 4' tall. Please do post when you have pics. They are so beautiful!

My mother likes the Amaryllis - Grams, what kind of care do you give your orchids. Arlene, what about you? I'm not always lucky with blooms.

Anita, I have them in a light cart next to a south-facing window so they also get some natural light, water the smaller ones about once a week, the large pots about every 10 days, very dilute orchid food added to the water. I mist them once or twice a day (I try to use filtered water). I've been very, VERY bad about repotting. So that's one of my winter tasks. So far I've done 1.

I've been feeding three weeks, then skip a week, right through the year. They get filtered light. I water the same as gram and just repotted one about two months ago.

hey, guys, look what Nancy did with my phal. pretty enough to frame, huh?

well now, that's beautiful. definitely framable. hang it in any gallery

Pixie - I've always felt the same way about orchids. I have a gazillion houseplants and one day my friend walks into my house with an orchid for me. She said she thought I was ready for one. Ugh! Another needy plant! LOL. I'm keeping it alive, so far, but getting it to bloom is another thing. We'll see. I hadn't planned on caring for orchids until I'm past 60. You amaryllis looks very promising. Anita and Gram, your orchids are gorgeous!

Gram, I like the celandine fairy. Pirl, whaddya think? Hey!! You know where Mahopac is and you're not coming over right away? Sheesh! He he. It's okay. The creeping charlie is happy about it.

Nice photo editing Nancy!

Harper

Sof - I'm still digging and dividing daylilies, moving Japanese and Louisiana irises and preparing holes for the roses, due here March 8th. The more I try to "finish" the more I see that I can get done with the great weather.

pirl, you're amazing! I look outside and marvel at the good weather and go straight back to my 'winter' activity. In fact, it's given me an excuse to do less outside. I haven't, as I promised myself, sprayed the evergreens with wilt-pruf or mulched any of the more tender of the new plants that could use some protections against that freeze-thaw cycle (that I am still convinced will happen eventually).

Thanks, Harper. I thought it was pretty enough by itself, but just wanted to "play" with it a little.

Gram - I'm more determined than I am amazing. I'd just like to face spring without a list a yard long.

Love that orchid photo, nap!

Pirl, I haven't started making my list of spring gardening chores. You're still way ahead! I'm kind of lost about what big yard project I want to do next. So this weekend, I started priming the outdoor bare wood furniture. I started with my son's swing. I want to paint a dragon on the seat. I also primed plant stools and stands that I hammered together. I still have two chairs, and two benches to go. If I can get all the painting done and out of the way before spring, I'll be happy. Ugh. That includes finishing painting my deck that I started last May!

Gram, I'm still convinced that Winter is still coming, just a little late.

Harper

I have no doubt that winter will arrive - most likely with a blizzard. If I can work outside for the rest of this week, just four hours a day, I'll be thrilled to be sipping coffee, outside, as my neighbors are grumbling about "all the work".

You have a lot on your refinishing list, Harper, and I hope it all works out for you. Are you bringing the pieces inside to work on them, assembly line fashion?

Edited to say - not the deck, of course!

This message was edited Jan 8, 2007 7:50 PM

Pirl, yes, but not the deck, of course! LOL!!

refinish? - don't you have to restart

Oh Al! Go check your turf!

I'm watching the game - be sure to root for OSU, because if they win U of Wis. should end up rated #2 for the last ranking.

Hmmm this can't be normal. I went outside yesterday and saw parts of my plants turning green again and growing...I saw part of a columbine, part of my musk mallow and even some weeds starting to come through the soil. Yikes!!!

It's true. My Columbine are adorable right now - about 1.5" tall. I'm sure they'll survive this strange weather. Yes, more weeds, too!

Talk about a January thaw!