What a difference a year makes. Looking back at my January 2020's 'This Month in the Garden' post, I see the shoots of daffodils and crocuses were pushing up through the ground and there were fat buds on hellebores, rhododendron, and Pieris. At the time, I didn't appreciate this wonderful beginning to the (disastrous) year. A walk around my gardens yesterday --dressed in so many layers against the bitter cold that I felt like Ralphie's little brother in A Christmas Story-- revealed no shoots nor fat buds, nothing but a ground that is frozen solid. This is one of the reasons I blog; I love to look back and compare years. The ground is now blanketed in snow from the 'great blizzard' that started today, Sunday, and is forecast to last until Tuesday. An event that hasn't happened for some time. I'm thinking spring may be a little late this year.
As with the every winter season in the Northeast, all gardening activities have moved indoors. I'm forcing bulbs, taking care of my houseplants, and planning my spring gardens. I showed some of the bulbs I had forced in my last posting. Here is a short photographic tour of more January (indoor) garden activities.
Amaryllis 'Aphrodite' may be my favorite. This bulb produced nine gorgeous blooms. |
As 'Aphrodite' faded, Amaryllis 'Barbados' opened its vibrant, velvety petals.
My little hydroponic garden on the kitchen counter has produced lettuce non-stop for more than a year now. I have a second one for herbs, but I am waiting for new seed pods. The Aerogarden systems are rather expensive (I think) but so much fun.
The lettuce doesn't need much attention. I just top up the water each morning and add plant food when the green light turns red. I snip off no more than a third of the leaves for our daily salads. |
Houseplants are not my forté, but I think I am getting better at caring for them. I've found that if I keep them well groomed, they don't look so bad. So I'm careful to snip off dead stuff daily. I purchased an inexpensive gauge that shows me when a plant needs water, and that really helps. I don't have a whole lot of houseplants because I feel this house doesn't have enough light, and I definitely have little room.
A few of my houseplants |
Every winter, Duane buys me a potted primrose to place on my writing table. |
January is for the birds! The first two pictures were taken earlier in the month -- no snow.
Red-bellied Wood Pecker |
American Mockingbird |
Two tufted titmice on the feeder as the snow fell this afternoon |
Grandson Jon visited last weekend. We 'shopped' for seeds and plants.
He browsed the catalogs for plants for a new miniature garden that he is
planning. He persuaded me to be more adventurous with seeds for the
Kitchen Garden. 'You have to try something new,' he said. We decided on
pak choi, that he loves to cook with, but I have never used. OK, only
one new thing, but you have to start somewhere. We did choose different
zinnias for the cutting garden, as I do every year. I decided to order
from Johnny's Selected Seeds because they have my favorite 'Zowie! Yellow Flame'. We
put together a substantial order, went online to place it, to find out
that Johnny's is selling to farmers only now. They stopped selling to
home gardeners because of the enormous amount of orders they were
receiving. Bad news for me, but it means that the new gardeners, who
began last year due to Covid, are still interested. That is wonderful!!
Oh, and I ordered from the reliable Burpee and Annie's. I received the Burpee order today. No 'Zowee!' though.
New seeds mean a countdown to spring. |
I am linking with Sarah at Down by the Sea for her 'Over the Garden Gate' meme. She has been watching the birds, too, in England this month. What have you been up to?
Stay safe and well!
Love,
Pamela x
Just a couple of inches of snow by mid afternoon |
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