Blooming Apple Blossom Amaryllis

Blooming Apple Blossom Amaryllis

Do you ever wonder whether some blog posts actually turn out the way the person posting says they will?

I do as well. I thought about that as I was doing dishes earlier tonight and enjoying what I call my birthday Amaryllis bulbs, all starting to bloom in a pot in my kitchen. It may be cold and drizzling outside but these lovely flowers are brightening, and warming up, my home.

Quick recap. These Amaryllis bulbs were on deep discount after Christmas so I picked up three to add to my other Apple Blossom Amaryllis bulbs. I have a couple of pots full of bulbs that summer outside, then come inside in fall to bloom - well, not quite sure when they will bloom, which is why I splurged on these three as a birthday gift.

Amaryllis are native of South America and usually easily found mid-fall through Christmas. They come in a variety of colors and shapes. Two of the more popular ones include the pinkish Apple Blossom and the red ones usually featured during Christmas.

As I said in my earlier blog post, you want to pick Amaryllis bulbs already showing a little bud at the tip of the bulb. This is what all three of my Apple Blossom Amaryllis bulbs had when I selected them. The bud is thicker than the leaves that will develop after the flowers.

This Amaryllis bulb bud guarantees a bloom once it grows. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Although most Amaryllis bulbs planted and watered at the same time will grow together, two of the three Apple Blossom Amaryllis bulbs took off once they were in the pot. I tied them up once they were 6 inches tall to make sure the weight of the flowers didn’t make them tip over.

Two of the three Apple Blossom Amaryllis bulbs in bloom. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

At the other end, the Apple Blossom Amaryllis buds had several flowers inside each of the flower buds. These will bloom for a couple of weeks and get replaced by new flowers.

I tied up these Apple Blossom Amaryllis stalks so the flowers didn’t pull them over. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The Apple Blossom Amaryllis flowers are keeping my Christmas poinsettia company. I think they nicely brighten up my kitchen sitting next to the poinsettias.

Apple Blossom Amaryllis sitting next to my Christmas poinsettia. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Frankly with these flowers as company, I enjoy washing my dishes!

Charlotte

Best Gardener Gift Idea

This is one of our custom gardener gift sets, ready to ship for Valentine's Day.

Best Gardener Gift Ideas

Periodically friends will ask what is a good gardener gift idea and I have several to recommend.

Most gardeners don't have enough good gloves. If they do, they are worn by now, or held on to in spite of the frayed edges, because they have some sentimental value. The best gardening gloves have reinforced fingers but still breath through cotton. I also like the longer cuffs to cover my arms when I'm wrestling shrubs and especially rose bushes.

I've packaged a pair of my favorite gardening gloves in this custom gardener gift set to make gift giving easier. 

Sneak peek at what's inside this custom gardener gift kit, the book has a charming book mark.

Isn't this adorable? Cute bookmark is attached to the book so you don't misplace it.

In addition to the wonderful leather gloves, this custom gardener gift set includes a beautiful book with fun recipes; four fabric coasters; thread snips that can be used in the garden to dead head flowers; some wildflower seeds and our long-lasting, handmade gardener soap.

There are also three Bluebird Gardens honey samplers but I was going to leave that as a surprise.

Sorry, it's no longer avaiable, I sent it to a colleague as a thank you gift.

Charlotte

New Missouri Garden Journal and Calendar Garden Gift Idea

Finding a guide to Missouri gardening used to be almost as hard as finding vintage gardening books in mint condition. "From Seed to Harvest and Beyond: Garden Journal and Calendar" is a brand new, 76-page spiral-bound book written for, and by, Missouri gardeners.

The journal includes graphs for designing gardens, container gardening, planning a flower garden, monthly listing of gardening chores, pages about pests and diseases, and a place to write your own gardening notes.

I ordered one because I wanted to try their planting guide. The one I hand write I can barely read, not that my handwriting in their journal will be any better but at least I will start with something legible.

Cost for the journal $15 each; another $7 for shipping available from University of Missouri Extension. 

To make this a fun garden gift, add something personal – handmade jam or whatever your gift specialty is, or pick up seed packets still available at most garden centers. This time of year they are usually on sale. Most seeds are viable for at least 2 years.

You can also order a lovely free catalog from Baker Seed Company, Marshfield, Missouri. They specialize in rare and heirloom seeds. Their catalog would make a great companion to this garden journal and calendar.

Plantable Wrapping Paper

Between tissue-filled gift bags to brown paper bag wrapping with jute cord, decorating gifts is almost as much of an art form as the gifts, and well wishes, themselves.

In the US, annual trash fro gift-wrap and shopping bags totals 4 million tons, according to Use Less Stuff. Half of the paper America consumes is used to wrap and decorate consumer products, an approximate 25% increase in household waste from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.

One solution, plantable wrapping paper. I didn't get around to making any so I bought this package from bloomingbulb.com.

The paper sheets have flower seeds sandwiched in between. After decorating a gift, and the danger of frost is past in your planting area, the wrapping paper can literally be buried to grow flowers, either in a bed or a pot. Instructions included on each gift tag.

 Now that's a gift that keeps on giving!

2015 Missouri Department of Conservation Natural Events Calendar

The 2015 Missouri Department of Conservation's Natural Events Calendar is out for 2015. The 10x14-inch lovely yearly calendar has beautiful nature photography and natural events listings: when hummingbirds migrate, when columbine flowers bloom, when chiggers start biting.

I tend to use mine to mark major gardening and beekeeping chores.

Here's a sneak peek at mid-year:

I have a special garden place to release turtles so I have my eye on this photo on the back for possible framing.