Let's Talk about Gardens

@sueinmn Great news, Sue. I can order through Amazon as a Prime member. And I'll try braiding my orchid's Rapunzel trailers!

@sueinmn, @artist76, @mayofeb2020, @contentandwell, Well, I've used bark mostly for my orchids, but Sue, I'm trying the orchid mix I have in my garden storage. Do you use bark at all, on top? And artist, I never thought to braid a one. But, might do a loving, gentle little braid or wrap after I spray the roots when, watering. I mostly, just enjoy seeing them grow.

I have a Vanda hanging outside on my crepe myrtle tree, inside the tree next to the wooden fence to protect agains wind and cold. The roots love it and grow pretty fast now that I'm watering more regularly, since I'm more active. They attach to the fence and the limbs and anything in the way of their movement. So, I move things around to keep them from attaching to pots of petunias or whatever! They're invasive little buggers.....love my orchids. I get some from the nursery when they're almost giving them away before throwing away. Can't stand the thought of tossing a living plant.....so, I pay a few dollars and let it die at my home and then toss it!

But, some do survive. Vanda is one. She almost died, but loves it since I put her outside and has doubled in size and bloomed a couple of times. Loves the humidity. She was blooming just before my son got ill a couple months ago....new bloom just peaking out....had a cold snap, 2-3 days below 30, and I lost the blooom. I was too busy to get it inside and protect it. Vanda did well, the bloom didn't. She'll bloom again.

I was friends years ago with a dear woman in Jax who was an orchid diva. Mary wrote a great litlle book on the care and love of orchids, and was considered the ultimate. Need to find her book upstairs and read.....I water mine about every 7-10 days, like Sue. Learned the hard way to be tough....love them for real, do what they need to survive, thrive, not what I want for them to make them happy and end up killing them with 'love'. Wrong kind of love!

Sue, due you spray them or run them under water and sit to drain in pan or just put in pan to drink? I do combination. Spray my hanging Vanda, water potted babies and let them drain into pots. Now, thank you very much, I guess I have to repot tomorrow! They do need it.
blesssings to you each.elizabeth

Thanks and hope it didn't sound like boasting, @contentandwell. I was just surprised and happy that another had noticed my efforts. I definitely inherited my dad's love of being outdoors and gardening.

After growing up on a farm and spending time feeding chickens, milking cows and working in their cotton fields, my mom wanted nothing to do with gardening other than enjoying the produce they provided and the beautiful landscapes and parks she drove to see.

Wishing you and others snow melting days with warmth and more sunshine on the way!

Thanks, @artist01, but after doing as instructed, all those terms are just purely Greek to me....you gotta' unnerstand, Laurie, I don't know how to get photos from my camera into the computer in the first place....some of us "primitives" are just too foregone to learn the language or interpret it. lol

Not boasting at all @fiesty76 If you can't share "feel good" moments with us, who can you share them with? We are about the "the good, the bad, and the ugly".
JK

I've been spending 5-6 hrs daily clearing and planting and clearing more flower beds. Walked over to meet a new neighbor who was building 2 lovely cedar boxes around his front trees near the street. Admiring his handiwork, he told me he'd been in "the business" many years ago. I assumed he meant construction. His wife joined us and as I told them how happy I was to be welcoming other "dirt lovers" to our neighborhood, he said: "Ah, you are the Flower Lady!"

So I told them that when I first started gardening, while seated on my rump because of weak knees, drivers would stop to ask if I was ok or needed help. Laughing, his wife said she understood because she'd recently had knee replacements.

They invited me to view their back where he'd constructed a new side gate and built a lovely pergola with a solid roof for shade. Smart idea for our sweltering summers!

Yesterday, my next door neighbor told me "Gary" had owned a landscape business, not my surmised construction! Oh, Wow! Now I'm feeling a bit insecure about my untrained efforts at plant landscaping. Even so, yesterday as I sat weeding by the curb, Gary stopped in his car to ask: "Maam, are you ok? Do you need help?" My laughing retort: " You, turkey! We haven't been friends long enough for you to be so presumptuous!" So maybe in time, I'll muster up the nerve to ask a few questions about plants and their placements.

In the meantime, today will find me back clearing and adding more spring beauties to the yard. Yay for Springtime and the revival of hope and happiness it can bring to all!

Spring is on it’s way! Mother Nature is already hard at work creating her garden.

This past year all of you have shared some great gardening tips and information.
I have enjoyed reading, learning, and even weeding alongside of you! I am thinking of going with flowers in pots this year.

@fiesty76, @ess77, @artist01, @mayofeb2020, @gingerw, @scottij, @funcountess, @2011panc, @katiejo59, @lioness, @jimhd, @fredm, @oxbeaux, @contentandwell, @parus, @Erinmfs, @sueinmn, @thumperguy, @januaryjane, and anyone that I missed. Newcomers are always welcome!!

How about you? What are you thinking and planning. Do you have a picture to share? Maybe you want to simply pull up a chair and enjoy the arrival of Spring.

@wyngnit
I think I omitted your name from my recent post. I apologize.

Please tell us how the garden is coming? When is planting time in central CA?

The plumber just left, beautiful day to fix our sewer pipe! The great news is that the sidewalk must come out. I lost a daffodil garden to the work, but plumbing is essential!

Here's my newest otter lant orange pansy