Spring has sprung

[Jackie Ramo]

Well in the greenhouse anyway. !rofl

Just a few pics of what is in bloom there today.

In spite of almost killing it the orchid has this plus a second spike comming up
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/orchid.JPG

My Grandmother's castus that froze last year.... seems happy today
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/xmas%20catus.JPG

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_cyclmen.JPG

Not actually a flower but he makes my smiles bloom Buddy
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Buddy.JPG

[Terri]

Wonderful to see THAT kind of colour this time of year.

Hi Buddy :)

[flywheel]

Don't mix pictures 3 & 4 together. When the wife and I were dating I bought here a poodle puppy and a cyclamen and the puppy would walk by the plant and pull off all the flowers and buds. :mad: I'm not sure if the they are poisonous, she lived to be 16 years. Maybe spring will take a hint from your flowers, put 'em by the window so the outside plants can see. :)

Ron

[Jackie Ramo]

Ron your story made me laugh and brought back a wonderful memory. We had a toy poodle called Amber and one day when she was just a tiny pup I was out front putting in pansies. I thought I would be very artistic (<LOL>) and have a black and white border using black and white pansies ina pattern.

The pup Amber was playing beside me as I worked along. I was almost done when I decided to look back and admire my work.... Amber had not only eaten each blossom but had dug out most of the plants so I could no longer tell which was a black pansy and which as a white.

There she sat, wagging her tail with a big smile on her face, waiting for the next pansy..... lucky dog lived to be almost 17.

[marla]

Beautiful pictures Jackie, thanks for sharing. I have the day off today :smile:
In my plans was to go to the local garden center and find an orchid, or something blooming I need color in the sunroom. The christmas cactus has made a remarkable comeback!!! Mine is not fairing so well this year, shame on me I moved it's location, however one of my large jade plants has buds. My second born (daughter) use to eat the pansys as a toddler along with other flowers from the garden. Thought I had gophers or bugs till one day I saw her. The tomatos also always had little knaw marks, one day I caught her up in the garden, she'd just stand there not touching it and take a taste and move to the next. She still loves her salads

[Jackie Ramo]

I'm surprised to have so many blooms this early. Usually its Feb well except the Cactus. It is only half the size it was but stll substantial. I gave cuttings to my neices when they were here this fall. My grandmother used to daycare them so they were thrilled to have a piece.

Orchids are quite easy to grow, and require bright but not sunshine. They like a cool north window and no water around the roots.

Another bloom opened today
http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/hybiscus.JPG

[flywheel]

Ron your story made me laugh and brought back a wonderful memory. We had a toy poodle called Amber and one day when she was just a tiny pup I was out front putting in pansies. I thought I would be very artistic (<LOL>) and have a black and white border using black and white pansies ina pattern.

The pup Amber was playing beside me as I worked along. I was almost done when I decided to look back and admire my work.... Amber had not only eaten each blossom but had dug out most of the plants so I could no longer tell which was a black pansy and which as a white.

There she sat, wagging her tail with a big smile on her face, waiting for the next pansy..... lucky dog lived to be almost 17.

Jackie, sounds like Amber thought you were playing a game with her. :smile:

[marla]

Ok Jackie, you tempted me to much. Yesterday I went out to the local Home Depot, which by the way is not where I usualy would by such things, but I didn't want to pay the price at the garden center. Got to Home Depot and was looking at plants when a whole new fresh shipment of orchids arrived at a special price. So I took the dive and bought 2 orchids for less then I would have at the garden center. The women there seemed quite knowledgable and answered all my questions without hesitation, which I liked. We checked the roots on the plants and they seem in good shape. Also bought a Cyclamen, this at the garden center on sale for under $5.00 which to me seemed resonable. Now I will cross my fingers and hope I don't kill them.
Baldan's Kaleidoscope
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/borgpuppy041.jpg
Rossini
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/borgpuppy040.jpg
Cyclamen
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/borgpuppy039.jpg
and here are the blooms on my Jade plant. My sister-in-law in California has Jades planted outside, they bloom purple very pretty.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v729/grandmavis/borgpuppy045.jpg

[Jackie Ramo]

Marla how lovely, I particularily love that first orchid. Must be contagious because I picked up a pale yellow one today at a cheap price atthe supermarket !dude

I didn't even know that jade plants flowered, and so prettily at that. Reminds me my former real estate agent popped by before Christmas and promised me a nice jade plant..... hmmm I wonder if it would be rude to remind him :frisbee:

Oh just noticed the little dragonfly holders. how cute isthat!!!!

[Jackie Ramo]

Jackie, sounds like Amber thought you were playing a game with her. :smile:


Ron, Amber thought everything was a game. She made up her own. Counted all her toys (3 boxes of them) and knew each by name. By far the smartest dog I've ever met.

[The Other Lynda]

Jackie, that first orchid you posted is a cymbidium. They thrive on neglect, generally send up more than one spike, and are one of the few orchids that actually require a period of cold (not freezing, but cold) in early winter to bloom. You know, they bloom every year on the new growth. Every few years they should be divided. That's a really pretty one! My mother grew cymbidiums for years and years - at one time she had more than 300 plants.

[Jackie Ramo]

Lynda, thank you. It has loved the neglect it gets and definately needs the cold to bloom well, it even bloomed last year after the big freeze in the greenhouse. I find the phals also like a cool period, although they don't like to be as cold as the cymbidium seem to like.

I divided it this year so it should be happy. I've had this plant for 10 years now and never knew what kind it was, so thanks again.

Here is the yellow phal I bought yesterday, not the best pic, but it reminded me of the tile piece I did. Hard to think this wasn't the model.

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/yellow%20orchid.JPG

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/normal_orchids.JPG

[marla]

Glad to here that the Phals' like some colder times, seeing as the area I have them tends to get a bit chilly when the house temps go down at night. If all goes well with these maybe I try more in the future. Love the new one Jackie, I saw a green cymbidium on another forum would love to get one like it, but I better make sure these live first. Jackie, this is the first year I've seen blooms on this Jade, it is very large about 16+ yrs, took from a broken branch on an origional one over 20 yrs. The branch that is blooming has weaved it's way directly infront of the south window, I actualy took the pic. from outside.

[Jackie Ramo]

IMO the biggest mistake people make with orchids is over watering. They seem to think humid means water logged. Water well once a week but let the water be able to drain away. I use pond water to water mine or fish tank water, this gives them a mild fertilization with each watering. Orchids need to dry out between waterings, well phals do and cymbidiums or mine, loves to be very dry <LOL> since it sits out all summer under the pear tree and never gets watered.

Its snowing here now, making the inside blooms all the more welcomd.

[Koidaddy]

Spring has sprung... my a#@! :grin:

It's so cold here today, -20 / -30 with the wind chill. Pumping gas this morning was unbearable. Cant wait for this month to be over!! Although it's been relatively mild this Winter, I've had just about enough - need the warmth of the sun on my skin again. My poor koi outside are soon to be koisicles if it doesn't warm up soon!

Where's my heating pad?
KD

[Jackie Ramo]

Is the water under the cover still open. Even my waterfall is ice covered

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/waterfall%20ice2.JPG

http://jackieramo.com/coppermine/albums/userpics/10001/waterfall%20ice.JPG

[clm]

I don't know if my water is ice covered or not....I'm going to check inside the cover in the morning. Last check was Wednesday evening and all was still clear open water. Condensation and frost on the plastic make it impossible to see in. I had to shut down both pumps on Tuesday. I had checked inside and the water level had dropped at least 10 inches so there's a leak in one of the pump hoses. I had checked prior to that on Sunday, so the leak is a fairly good one. The pond was completely open at that point, no ice at all, but the hoses are all under snow and ice not to mention under the bog filter covers, so safer just to shut them both down. Topped up the pond, sort of an odd time to do a water change with it being so cold but the fish were fine despite having their water level drop that much. I'll keep the pumps off now until I can pull up all the hoses to take a look, not anytime soon that's for sure.

Did I mention how much I hate winter.

Cindy

[Jackie Ramo]

Warmer tomorrow again, thankfully.

[clm]

Nice that it's warmer this morning...too bad everything is covered with a nice layer of ice :mad:
I had planted a very pretty pyramidal white pine last spring and it's a very tall but very narrow tree so I've just shook all the ice off it, fortunately it's the only tree I really have to worry about.
Going through 50lbs of birdseed a week now for all the outdoor feathered friends and that's not likely to change with the weather forecast I've seen for the next few weeks. I love to see them all though, the yard is alive with birds.
Off to check the pond in a few minutes, the cover has a good glaze of ice all over it too, but it's starting to slip off now that it's getting warmer.

Cindy

[Koidaddy]

Jackie, nice pictures, but don't you worry about the possibility of water spilling outside of your pond from your falls? With all the time you spend in front of that mirror perfecting your look, you could have a disaster on your hands in no time! :lol:


Seriously though, don't you worry?

KD

[Koidaddy]

... and I mean disaster with your pond. :wink:

[Jackie Ramo]

yes, I do worry but the pump has an auto turn off if the water levels drop and I am home, looking in the mirror, a lot, :frisbee: so the pond is checked each time Buddy chases the squirrels from the feeder... 10 times an hour I think.

I also check the skimmer and falls when filling the bird feeder so that is done daily. This is the 4th winter I've run the system. I don't recommend it for others but it has worked for me.

I hate to think of the poor fish under there in the dark though.

[Koidaddy]

yes, I do worry but the pump has an auto turn off if the water levels drop and I am home, looking in the mirror, a lot, :frisbee: so the pond is checked each time Buddy chases the squirrels from the feeder... 10 times an hour I think.

I also check the skimmer and falls when filling the bird feeder so that is done daily. This is the 4th winter I've run the system. I don't recommend it for others but it has worked for me.

I hate to think of the poor fish under there in the dark though.

... They're probably watching the latest release of "HumanFix" !rofl