September's Offering

After work a few days ago I walked the seven acre property and visited a few flowers, mostly cone flowers, to see how they were doing.  I have been harvesting the seeds for the last few weeks, and will be sewing them around the wooded perimeter of the property.   Let me introduce you. 

Apocalyptic Gardening with Bob; Geranium care and Dahlia tubers!

I thank you all for you comments about my geranium!  My goal is survival through the winter and with your loving support we should make it through. 

  I hunted up Bob's (dreadnought) comments that mentioned geraniums and thought the whole thing was informative for those of use who are very inexperienced.   Thanks Bob, please sue me after I've made my millions, since I didn't ask your permission first.  Smiles.  

"Geraniums will stand being dry more than they will being wet, especially in winter when its best to keep them on the dry side as they are prone to rot if too wet. For this same reason if you cut them back I would do it in the spring or early summer that way they will heal before the rot sets in. Your Dahlia will like plenty of water through the summer, the water needs to be able to drain away though. I see you have a saucer under the Geranium which is okay to catch any stray water but lots of plants don't like to be stood in water for a long time. The Dahlia will have its foliage killed by the frost which is okay, just cut this off 4 to 6 inches above the ground, tip it out of its pot and clean the dirt from the roots which are called 'Tubers'. They will look a bit like Potatoes and feel firm to the touch. Leave them upside down somewhere frost free to dry for a couple of weeks and then they need to be put in some sort of container filled with moist peat or compost and kept in a cool, dark but frost free place for the winter, the peat/compost only needs to be very slightly damp, you're not trying to grow them just keep the tubers from drying out. If that seems too much trouble throw it away and buy a new one next spring! By the way, the spider plant looks good. Bob."

Thanks again, Bob.  You are like the patron saint of gardening, or something.  And next year I won't throw out my Dahlia tubers.

My Geranium's Plight

My geranium is doing weird things.  Since this is my first geranium I suppose it's normal for me to be surprised by this or that.  It's just that with all the gardening books on the market, no one writes about how to deal with the important growing stages of the geranium.  I am a first time geranium potter, and don't know how to handle this.  You see, over the last week my geranium has slowly began to change color.  It's not drying up, not at all, it's leaves are just turning this beautiful red and orange.

  I am charmed on one hand, and slightly worried on the other.  Am I killing it?  Is this going to to do irrevocable damage to my geraniums psyche?  Will he blame me for things all his life, because I neglected to do the correct thing in this stage of his development?  Or do I just have a gifted and artistic geranium that needs understanding, no fences.  Was he really meant to be planted in a real garden instead of just a pot?  Nature vs. Nurture?  Sigh.  His blooms are doing quite well, the coloring is normal for fall, and I know that dreadnought left some comment to me about how to winterize geraniums....I think I will go hunt it up  

Until then, Happy Autumning.  

- Red Clover

Untimely Impositions

Yesterday morning I was surprised with something I was not anticipating for another month.  The leaves here in the valley are still mostly green, and I swear this year's contract allowed for no snow until the day after Thanksgiving.  

It's a good thing a little voice inside me said "bring in all your house plants" the day before.   And as I usually do when my instincts tell me something, I did it.  (I know, I know, I could have just checked the weather online.)  My plants are alive today as a result.  Maybe there is hope for this novice after all.  

Hello!

I found this on a neighborhood "flower stalking session." Anyone know it's name?

Welcome, those of you who have stumbled across my blog! It's a beginning of something I have had rolling around in my mind. You see, gardening has been creeping into my bones over the last several months. Though I have always enjoyed it, purused those home garden journals my mother gets occasionally, and have a sister who is a landscape designer, I have never done much of it myself...until now.

I was married about fifteen months ago. Without warning I started being drawn towards the plant section at every store; I picked up some pots, bought a few flowers at a university sale, and even a few bulbs at a dollar store (only one came up). From then on it was a slippery slope into the world of driving by nurseries and sighing, saving a dollar here or there to buy new soil, and watering that darn geranium. I am afraid I have been seduced into the world of gardening. Have you?

And so, I have begun to put together a Garden Book. And then I thought, "Why not begin my novice journey online?" You see, for anyone in the beginning stages of gardening I would be posting my adventures, finds, new flowers, plants, etc. From those who are certified green thumbs, and actually have earth to work with, I could gain insights and tips.

My posts will explore a variety of things in categories, such as:

Flowers & Plants

Herbs

Garden Tours (Which I will take and photograph in peoples gardens... unsuspecting gardens)

Pots

Do You Know What This Plant Is?

Planting Seeds (Shout outs for advice from fellow gardeners)

Vignettes - Garden Stories

Sound fun? I hope so. See you soon!