December Blooms

It's Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, and I was happy to see a few plants in the sunroom are cooperating. While I have some dried flowers, too, these are the "live" plants currently blooming. First is the Fuchsia (F. hybrida 'Marinka'), which is budding, blooming, and fruiting.



Next, the Gerbera Daisy (G. jamesonii): It seems early for this friend to be starting to bloom, but it certainly brightens these December days.

Finally, the yellow Oxalis (O. vulcanicola 'Zinfandel'), which blooms year-round...outdoors from May through early October, and indoors through the other months. Its foliage is as striking as its flowers. A few other indoor plants are beginning to bud, but I'll include them next month.

Thanks to Carol at May Dreams Gardens for hosting Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

Winter 'Bulb' Storage Made Easy

Do you regularly grow plants from bulbs, corms, tubers, and rhizomes? Do you bring them inside for the winter (the non-hardy ones) to use the next growing season?

I've found over the years that growing these plants is a lot easier than I used to think. I'm sharing what I've discovered from experimentation here in my zone 5b climate and with my choice of winter storage. It might work for you, or it might not. You might live in a gardening zone that allows these plants to remain in the soil outdoors year-round. And if you have other methods that have worked well for you, please share them in the comments.

In addition to spring-flowering bulbs, like Tulips, Daffodils, Snowdrops, and others, I also grow many more that bloom in other seasons. In this post, I'll focus on Calla Lilies (Zantedeschia spp.), Cannas (C. species), Dahlias (D. species), and Gladiolas (Gladiolus spp.). In my experience, they all have slightly different growing and storing preferences/requirements. I referred to several sources on proper reference to bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers. This source is helpful, too.



First, let's take a look at Dahlia tubers. What seems to work best for me is to lift them from the soil after the first hard frost. I let them dry, then separate them, and place them in a paper bag with peat moss mixed with perlite. I slightly mist the contents, and repeat the misting about once a month until it's time to plant them. For the past couple of years I've planted them in pots in March to begin growing the plants for the new season.



The yellow Dahlia at the beginning of this post and the pink one above tend to bloom in August.



Next, the Canna rhizomes: I simply wait again until the first hard frost or freeze, and clip off the tops of the stems and foliage. I bring in the pot, store it in a dark corner and stop watering until spring. I don't dig them up.



In springtime, I place them in a sunny window in the sunroom, and begin to water the potted rhizomes once a week.



After the last spring frost, the pot goes outside for more growth. They bloom later in the season; here shown in the budding stage.



I use a similar method with Calla Lilies, though they seem to collapse and go dormant a little earlier than the Cannas.

Though I start watering them about the same time as the Cannas, they seem a bit slower to break the surface and grow in their sunny window.

Once outside in May, they quickly develop buds and bloom in early summer.



Next, Gladiolus corms: I dig them up, let them dry, and place them in mesh for winter storage.



In spring, I stagger their planting in the garden, starting in late April or early May, and adding a few to the garden each week through mid-May. They bloom in late summer for several weeks.

All flowers shown in this post are great cut flowers, too. I'm linking this post with Cathy's "Week of Flowers" meme at Words and Herbs. Happy planning, dreaming, and planting in the months ahead!

Blessings to You and Yours

Surprising Garden Remnants in Late-Autumn Vases

I'm pleased to have so many blooms still bright and available this late in the season. Still no hard frost, but the forecast says it's just around the corner, likely sometime in the week ahead.

Most plants in the garden are faded and flopped or dormant, but the ones shown here reside in protected areas near the house and the rock wall.

I'm joining in with Cathy's In a Vase on Monday meme, and she's challenged us with the theme of "11": She's celebrating the 11th anniversary of her meme! So here are 11 plants, in little vases, in no particular order. I'm including the common names and genera and species, but please forgive me for leaving off the varieties--some tags are gone at this late date.

Marigolds (Tagetes patula)

New Guinea Impatiens (I. hawkeri)

'Autumn Joy' Sedum (S. spectabile)

Mums (Chrysanthemum morifolium)

Fuchsias (F. hybrida)

Lesser Calamint (Clinopodium nepeta)

Impatiens (I. walleriana)

Lantanas (L. camara)

Zinnias (Z. elegans)

Angelonia (A. angustifolia)

Dusty Miller (Jacobaea maritima)

It's been a gentle transition this year from summer through fall. I'm thankful for these blessings.

And thanks, again, to Cathy for hosting! Stay warm, everyone. On to winter...

Wordless Late-Season Garden Visitors

Asian Lady Beetle

Eastern Boxelder Bug

Geometer Moth

Asian Lady Beetle

Cluster Fly

Asian Lady Beetle (and unknown moth)

Woolly Bear Caterpillar

Graceful Vases With Buds and Blooms

Center: Fuchsia hybrida 'Dollar Princess.' Clockwise from top left: Tagetes patula 'Durango Outback Mix,' Chrysanthemum morifolium, Impatiens walleriana 'Beacon Violet Shades,' Clinopodium nepeta, Zinnia elegans 'State Fair Mix,' Lantana camara 'Bandolero Pink,' Impatiens x hybrida 'SunPatiens Compact Hot Pink,' Zinnia elegans 'Zowie! Yellow Flame.'

Surprisingly, many plants are still blooming here in Southern Wisconsin. Just a very light frost has allowed the plants shown above to survive and even thrive...so far. It won't be long now, but I gathered some remaining buds, blooms, and foliage for some vases.



This vase (above) includes quite a few Zinnia (Z. elegans) buds and blooms.



Most are 'Zowie! Yellow Flame' Zinnias.



Dusty Miller (Jacobaea maritima) adds some structure.



I also included some Weigela foliage (W. florida).



More Zinnia buds.



In the lady vase: one bloom, some buds, and some foliage.



The star of her hat is a 'State Fair Mix' Zinnia (Z. elegans).



Some Chrysanthemum foliage and Cosmos (C. bipinnatus 'Sensation Mix') buds and foliage give her hat some height and personality.



Finally, another vase in another room displays more Zinnias and Dusty Miller.

We're having a warm autumn, and I'm welcoming the continuing options for cut flowers. Thanks to Cathy at Rambling in the Garden for hosting "In a Vase on Monday."

Warm Autumn Bounty

We aren't breaking daily high temperature records for October here in the Madison area...but we've been consistently warmer than normal. The community's had several frosts, but my garden has only briefly flirted with light frost.

Long story, but the location on a hill, in the woods, near the lake protects it a bit, and many plants near the house and other structures continue to flourish. I know this won't last long, but I'm enjoying the blooms and bounty as long as possible.

Most years, I clip a few Hydrangea (H. macrophylla) blooms to dry for display in the months ahead. I simply fill a vase with flowers and water, and let it evaporate/drain. I eventually cut off the leaves and the flowers retain their color as they dry.



Recently, I put a bouquet in the powder room, and it creates such a graceful statement.



The muted colors are so fascinating...



The shades of green and magenta and pink are very calming and lovely.

I also cut several other bouquets for display in other locations in the house, including this grouping of various Zinnias and a mix of foliage. With props, it celebrates autumn and the holiday ahead. Happy Halloween!

Will I have blooms for display next week? Time will tell. Until then, head on over to Cathy's "In a Vase on Monday" meme at Rambling in the Garden to see more fun creations.