STITCH LINES...... Ramblings on life as a quilter, stitcher, traveler, photographer, gardener and lover of books, cats and fine chocolate....

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

My Winter Garden

I have enjoyed (and yes, even envied) photos posted by blogging friends who are in the southern USA  or southern hemisphere where the the weather is much warmer and flowers are blooming. Here in snowy cold eastern Canada we are in the depths of winter and the only blooms are on houseplants. I am tiring of  the cold, the snow and the ice. I'm ready for spring and colour! (I think I need a visit to the local nursery to enjoy some warmth and colour!)
Short of delving into my photo archives, the only blooms I can share with you today are those of my orchids. I have three which sit on my kitchen windowsill, I think of them as my "winter garden." I knew nothing about growing orchids when I got  the first one more than three years ago, and to be honest, still know very little. The only thing I claim to know for sure is that they seem to like where they are, a south facing window. The first one has bloomed almost continually since I got it, there was only one period of just over a month when it had no

blooms. My second orchid  purchase was a "miniature" orchid; it too has bloomed continuously. The third I've only had for six months, but so far, continuous blooms. So I guess I must be doing something right! I water them once a week, and give them fertilizer occasionally.
These blooms you see here are of my miniature orchid. The blooms are about 2" across.
Have you ever had an orchid? Do you have any orchid-growing secrets to share?

Peace,
Linda

"I must have flowers, always and always."  ~ Claude Monet




6 comments:

Linda said...

Nice to see flowers in February! I like the Monet quote.

Jennifer said...

What a beautiful orchid! Can't help, I'm afraid......I was given an orchid once and managed to kill it, but my late MIL grew beautiful blooms.

Vee said...

Lovely blooms... I have a new orchid and have never had one before. I water it every ten days with a titch of orchid fertilizer. (I think the directions were only a tsp for an entire gallon.) BTW, all hope for the amaryllis is gone...it did rot and then I knew it was time to let it go. I hope that I didn't cause it to rot by poking it checking all the time. Stay cozy in this storm...

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Love to look at orchids, but sadly I don't have good luck growing them. Our winter has been so mild that my Iris leaves are growing about 4 inches out of the ground now. Or, it might be something else I was given last year and don't know the name. No matter...it's not normal.
xx, Carol

Judith @ Lavender Cottage said...

Such a pretty flower on your mini. Orchids are not something I've been enamoured with because when they aren't flowering, they're rather boring looking. Perhaps it takes a person with patience to appreciate them. :-)

Chrysanthemum said...

I love orchids... I have had some that have lived in my home for over 5 years now... yes, they are rather plain when not blooming, but I have a bay window where they go to "rest", ie. the nursery, when they are not blooming. I tend to ignore them. Once a month, when I remember, I "nourish" with a bit of a soak in the sink. Add the fertilizer to water, put all the plants: at the moment I have 4; into soak for 20 (or more😲), drain the water and let them sit in the sink to drain, and then return them to the outer pot. I put layer of marbles in the pot to keep the roots out of the liquid. Orchids do not like to sit in water: they will rot. Overwatering is death...😮) Every week to 10 days, when I remember, I give them a treat: 2-4 ice cubes, depending on pot size. I just purchased a deep purple with white edges and am looking forward to the blooms for a long time.. two of the orchids have "rested" and are now ready to pop open with blooms. And yes, sometimes I do throw out a pot.😟.
At the moment, I have 4 orchids, 2 cactus,1 long suffering snake plant, which actually BLOOMED last year!, and a 37year old Deifenbachea plant. These are the plants that have survived. Just a touch of green!
I love potted bulbs at this time of year, but they quickly bloom and die.. I still get them and then in the spring, I plant the bulbs so they can grow into my garden in the years to come.

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