I don't know about you, but I find January is perfect for hibernating. The Christmas rush is over, the weather here on the prairies has been snowy and cold,and I've had a wonderful time hibernating, knitting, and looking through the wonderful seed catalogues that are starting to come in.
Well, that lasted about 2 1/2 weeks. Then cabin fever set in.
So how do you get some color into the house in the middle of winter? I started by changing a few of the pictures on the wall to some brilliantly colorful images of flowers and creatures that have been in my garden in past years.
This is a photo of an Emerald Bee that loved mainly red flowers. It didn't seem to care for yellow or blue ones near as much.
Digging out some brightly colored t-shirts that I only wear in the summer also helped. Ok...right now they are under layers of other clothes, but at least I know they are there.
And even though I know it's still too early, I did start a few seeds that take longer to germinate last week. I'm trying a couple of different varieties of winter-hardy dwarf apples trees, dwarf lemons that aren't as tart as some of their larger relatives, and a collection of avocado seeds. It's amazing how quickly an avocado seed will grow into a 3 foot plant. Getting them to sprout is the tough part, I find.
Next, I think I will get some pretty bulbs so that I have a bit of indoor color in a few weeks time. But for now, the urge to plant things has been fulfilled.
Well, that lasted about 2 1/2 weeks. Then cabin fever set in.
So how do you get some color into the house in the middle of winter? I started by changing a few of the pictures on the wall to some brilliantly colorful images of flowers and creatures that have been in my garden in past years.
This is a photo of an Emerald Bee that loved mainly red flowers. It didn't seem to care for yellow or blue ones near as much.
Digging out some brightly colored t-shirts that I only wear in the summer also helped. Ok...right now they are under layers of other clothes, but at least I know they are there.
And even though I know it's still too early, I did start a few seeds that take longer to germinate last week. I'm trying a couple of different varieties of winter-hardy dwarf apples trees, dwarf lemons that aren't as tart as some of their larger relatives, and a collection of avocado seeds. It's amazing how quickly an avocado seed will grow into a 3 foot plant. Getting them to sprout is the tough part, I find.
Next, I think I will get some pretty bulbs so that I have a bit of indoor color in a few weeks time. But for now, the urge to plant things has been fulfilled.
For those of you whose gardening season is approaching, you might be interested in the following articles:
- Growing plants from seeds - Save on the cost of starter plants in spring. Grow your own from seeds! Illustrated guide shows you how easy it is.
- Greenhouses & Cold Frames - extend your growing season; grow orchids & other specialties
- Create Raised Beds - raised bed gardening saves space, time, and money
- Container Gardening: create exotic patios and courtyards, lush rooftop jungles, or a balcony of veggies.
- Beautiful Flowering Bulbs - create instant beauty in your garden. Here's everything the beginning gardener needs to know in order to have a spectacular flowering bulb garden.
- Tomatoes: Grow tomatoes in your garden or on your patio. Includes everything from starting your tomato seedlings through transplanting, growing, diseases, & harvesting.
And if anyone would like some new craft ideas, take a look at the following:
