Winter indoor garden

I had quite a few "mystery" plants this year. I planted basil in one pot and got a tomato plant, I think what happened was that I used the soil from the tomato plant from last year and somehow a seed from it must have made it's way back. I'm thinking maybe a smaller tomato from it that I didn't notice fell and that's where it came from. Also there is a rosemary plant, which I can't figure out at all. I have no rosemary seeds, I live on the 3rd floor of an apartment, and I didn't buy any rosemary plants. I put a packet of mixed flower seeds into the pot it grew from, but either way, it smells wonderful, lol. It also grew what I'm fairly sure is a daisy plant in with it, I think I'm going to have to separate them though, they seem to be competing for space now.

Now that it's very cold I've brought them all in, the tomato plant decided it wanted to keep growing it's cherry-sized tomatoes so I brought it in also. It's so huge now that it's having a hard time getting water to all it's ends. I'm trying to help it to create new roots at places to maybe fix that, but I'm not sure it's working yet.

I have a nice little nook in the kitchen that has a huge window that gets a lot of sun, and it's looking like this will be a really great over-wintering spot.



We have what I was told is Queen's Tears right up in the middle of the window, getting kinda skeptical that it really is but it's pretty. The tomato plant behind and around that, lol. Towards the front in the tan pot is the daisy and rosemary, the white and spotted pot next to the watering can is my mini-orange tree, we have the now three year coleus, and up on the stand is that strange plant that I got from a friend I worked with. Not really sure what it is but it's a lot of fun. Oh and you can't see them here cos of the coleus, but in the bottom of that stand is a small pot of the shamrocks that are still holding on somehow. I keep thinking that I've lost them and they bounce right back.

I also have a tiny cactus that I grew from seed, he's just about the size of a small marble now, and first sprouted about 5 or 6 years ago. I'll have to take a picture of that one soon, his little spikes are finally getting sharp, it's so cute lol. I saw in a catalog I was ordering from that they were selling packets of mixed cacti seed for 80 cents, I figured why not. The instructions said that germination could be anywhere from 1-3 weeks to 1-8 months lol! It was totally worth the 80 cents to just have this one little guy though. Pics of him next time :)

it's been so very long

It's been so very long since I've posted, I know. Lots has happened and nearly 99% of all the plants I had are now firmly rooted in my parents backyard in Springfield, MA. I however, am now in Eagan, MN, lol. I have a whole new entourage of plant friends, with a few oldies, although not as many as I would like to have brought.

First we have Miss Mini Rose- She's got great orangey-red flowers, and beautiful red edged leaves. I really thought I was going to loose this one to aphids and spider mites *yuck* but she pulled through somehow and is now enjoying the warm beginning of fall days and cool nights. One thing I really enjoy is that even though the flowers start out very bright, they fade to a pretty red and white look as they reach maturity and start to wilt. She'll be coming in soon for the winter. I tried to under-plant her with some pretty baby's breath, but it decided to all spill out one side, which actually made a very pretty presentation from the sidewalk, with it spilling over the edge of the balcony.

I also got a wonderful coleus- He's got dark red bumpy leaves with hints of green. And now that I've brought him indoors he's getting more green for some reason. This sucker just does not ever stop growing! I've made plenty more plants in this pot from the first tiny 4" one I bought. I've filled a good 10"-12" round pot now with him. It's pretty much completely full so I'm now stuck with trimming and throwing away, which I hate to do, lol. A few pieces may be traveling back to MA for x-mas and given as presents lol.

Tomato plant- This one's kind of funny, he looked very hardy and like he would produce plenty of tomatoes, but so far I've only had 2. My first was a battle with rot end that I did not notice soon enough. I added a few crushed eggshells and all was well after that. I thought he was going to pass on quite a few times, but is still pushing on and has 3 more tomatoes in the works, so I brought him in for the winter until he decides to call it quits. He's also under-planted with some cheery basil that's enjoying sitting in the warm house.

And even though my past endeavors didn't go so well with bell peppers, I decided to give it a go again. I just love eating these and they're fun to grow too. There's just something magical about a flower suddenly turning into a fruit or vegetable of some type, I dunno. I love watching the process. None of the peppers have gotten big enough to eat yet, but a lot of them turned from green to red. It was supposed to be a green bell pepper plant, so that's another thing that I'm not sure about. For now I've left them all on there, and none look like they're getting wrinkly or like they've got soft spots like when they go bad, so I've let it go for now. I brought this one in also and it's still producing more like mad. I think I spot 6 fruits total, although I haven't seen any new flowers since I brought it in.

And my mom sent me this picture of the magnolia tree I planted about 3 years back I think. I thought it was rather fitting on it's first year of flowering: it's about 3 years old and it grew 3 flowers. They were very beautiful and I can't wait to see how they come out next year!

Crazy plant that I have no idea what it is is still with me, that one traveled on the day and a half bus ride as one of my carry-ons, lol. Also, teeny-tiny cactus that I grew from seed made it out here too, and is actually noticeably bigger. He enjoys the nice dry hot morning sun that comes to my bedroom windowsill year round. The pretty shamrocks also came with me, well only one pot of them. The rest went with a co-worker from Big-Lots, Jean, and the rest stayed with my mom. I'd also like to thank my mom and dad, since all my new plants were bought with the money they sent me to get myself a birthday present with :)

well, most of the plants that i tried to overwinter on the porch seem to be doing well. (i'd have some pics, but the camera is MIA aparently...) the astible is coming back nicely, mint is sprouting, the plant with the spotted leaves started flowering, although the flowers are white and purple instead of pink and purple...not sure what that's all about. looks like only one of the foxglove made it though. i'm probably going to be brining a lot of them to plant back at my parents, cos there's just not room on this porch for this kind of stuff. plus it's not an open porch so it gets less sun. pics soon, i hope! :D

yay! the dafodills opened!!! :D very nice to see in the winter when i'm looking through my gardening photos and wishing for spring, lol.

monday october 3, 2005

hooray! my bell pepper plants are growing peppers! they're still small, but they are peppers!
















the garden at the new apt! so excited!!! :D

thursday july 28, 2005

well, we had this crazy plant that was blooming only at night, and my dad figured out what kind of plant it was: an evening primrose! (Oenothera biennis) they took a few pictures of it, they're a little bit blurry; but it's a huge plant, probably almost 4' tall. it's got branches coming off the sides, and the stem is probably close to 1" or 1 1/2" in diameter!

wednesday, july 6, 2005

the columbine bloomed and was gorgeous, i think we got 3 or 4 flowers out of it, but i think it's done for the year now.














and the rose bush i got for my mom for mothers day bloomed and got 2 or 3 flowers, in it's first year too! a nice coral-peachy color, and it smelled wonderful.


here's on of the rose buds, i thought it was cute :)











and the allium (jade eyes, i think) bloomed nicely too. i was getting worried cos it was so late in the season and it hadn't bloomed yet. hopefully they'll be a little bigger next year, but for their first year i thought they did good.