Comments on: A Tale of Two Flowers: Garden Bloggers Bloom Day February 2009 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/02/16/a-tale-of-two-flowers-garden-bloggers-bloom-day-february-2009/ Hardy plants for hardy souls Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:38:06 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Demolition http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/02/16/a-tale-of-two-flowers-garden-bloggers-bloom-day-february-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-57915 Demolition Mon, 09 Mar 2009 20:47:46 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/?p=1845#comment-57915 I always get tempted to buy cyclamen when I see them in the shops. At first I found they didn't thrive with me until I asked a friend how she keeps hers so well. While in doors keep them in a cool room and put then overnight in water when they start to dry out. This seems to revive them for the next week. At the end of their season once the frosts have finished, I put them in my garden still in their pots and forget about them. I have a sheltered shady area near the patio where they are protected behind a retaining wall. The summer plants tend to cover them during the hot times and come September I find I have buds on the plants and some will have started flowering. I then bring them indoors and keep them in a cool room and enjoy another season of colour. I have had some for about 5 years but eventually they do dwindle and look rather spindly. I also have a variety of small cyclamen in the garden again in a bed near the house so it is somewhat sheltered, but north facing. Each year I forget they are there and nearly accidentally dig them up, but they always surprise me in spring with their vibrant pink next to the snow drops and each year they seem to multiply. I have come to believe they thrive on neglect. Rae Davies I always get tempted to buy cyclamen when I see them in the shops. At first I found they didn’t thrive with me until I asked a friend how she keeps hers so well. While in doors keep them in a cool room and put then overnight in water when they start to dry out. This seems to revive them for the next week. At the end of their season once the frosts have finished, I put them in my garden still in their pots and forget about them. I have a sheltered shady area near the patio where they are protected behind a retaining wall. The summer plants tend to cover them during the hot times and come September I find I have buds on the plants and some will have started flowering. I then bring them indoors and keep them in a cool room and enjoy another season of colour. I have had some for about 5 years but eventually they do dwindle and look rather spindly.
I also have a variety of small cyclamen in the garden again in a bed near the house so it is somewhat sheltered, but north facing. Each year I forget they are there and nearly accidentally dig them up, but they always surprise me in spring with their vibrant pink next to the snow drops and each year they seem to multiply.
I have come to believe they thrive on neglect.
Rae Davies

]]> By: Kathy Purdy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/02/16/a-tale-of-two-flowers-garden-bloggers-bloom-day-february-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-57794 Kathy Purdy Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:36:50 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/?p=1845#comment-57794 Hi, Jennah--Mine is near a pretty cold window, and we keep our house at 68F, so even though it is in the kitchen it is on the cool side. I keep it moist, trim off the dead flowers, and just this week gave it a weak fertilizer solution, in the hopes I can encourage it to keep blooming. It doesn't have as many flowers as when first got, but it is still making new blooms. Hi, Jennah–Mine is near a pretty cold window, and we keep our house at 68F, so even though it is in the kitchen it is on the cool side. I keep it moist, trim off the dead flowers, and just this week gave it a weak fertilizer solution, in the hopes I can encourage it to keep blooming. It doesn’t have as many flowers as when first got, but it is still making new blooms.

]]> By: Jennah http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/02/16/a-tale-of-two-flowers-garden-bloggers-bloom-day-february-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-57793 Jennah Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:12:27 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/?p=1845#comment-57793 Ok so my cyclamen <a href="http://jennahsgarden.wordpress.com/2009/03/01/weather-forecast-a-crapload-of-snow/" rel="nofollow">doesn't look like that anymore</a> (got it for Valentine's Day). Have you had luck with yours? After hearing its optimal temp is 50 degrees, I'm unsure if it can make it in doors (generally 71 degrees in winter). Makes me sad bc they're so pretty. What sort of surgery should I do to make it last? Is yours still pulling through? My mom has ordered some hellebores this year. Didn't know they were (semi)evergreen. I'll have to let her know! Ok so my cyclamen doesn’t look like that anymore (got it for Valentine’s Day). Have you had luck with yours? After hearing its optimal temp is 50 degrees, I’m unsure if it can make it in doors (generally 71 degrees in winter). Makes me sad bc they’re so pretty. What sort of surgery should I do to make it last? Is yours still pulling through?

My mom has ordered some hellebores this year. Didn’t know they were (semi)evergreen. I’ll have to let her know!

]]> By: Jenn http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/02/16/a-tale-of-two-flowers-garden-bloggers-bloom-day-february-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-57626 Jenn Wed, 18 Feb 2009 19:10:13 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/?p=1845#comment-57626 There is nothing better to cure a wicked case of self obsession that a good dose of fresh air and dirty work. Anne of Tender Dirt She writes so beautifuly. I miss her web presence. There is nothing better to cure a wicked case of self obsession that a good dose of fresh air and dirty work.
Anne of Tender Dirt

She writes so beautifuly. I miss her web presence.

]]> By: Cindy, MCOK http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/02/16/a-tale-of-two-flowers-garden-bloggers-bloom-day-february-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-57624 Cindy, MCOK Wed, 18 Feb 2009 16:24:53 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/?p=1845#comment-57624 Kathy, that does look like a larkspur seedling near the colchicums. What a brave little plant! I love that pale pink Christmas cactus, too. Kathy, that does look like a larkspur seedling near the colchicums. What a brave little plant! I love that pale pink Christmas cactus, too.

]]> By: Kathy Purdy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/02/16/a-tale-of-two-flowers-garden-bloggers-bloom-day-february-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-57601 Kathy Purdy Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:26:53 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/?p=1845#comment-57601 Not all colchicum seem to do it. The byzantinums are notorious for it, & I suspect the others that do it have byzantinum in their lineage. The one pictured is 'Autumn Herald.' As for the cyclamen, see eliz's comment. Not all colchicum seem to do it. The byzantinums are notorious for it, & I suspect the others that do it have byzantinum in their lineage. The one pictured is ‘Autumn Herald.’ As for the cyclamen, see eliz’s comment.

]]> By: Kathy Purdy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/02/16/a-tale-of-two-flowers-garden-bloggers-bloom-day-february-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-57599 Kathy Purdy Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:21:27 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/?p=1845#comment-57599 Thanks for the info. I knew one of my online garden buddies had had good luck keeping one going. Thanks for the info. I knew one of my online garden buddies had had good luck keeping one going.

]]> By: Kathy Purdy http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/02/16/a-tale-of-two-flowers-garden-bloggers-bloom-day-february-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-57598 Kathy Purdy Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:19:07 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/?p=1845#comment-57598 Sue, hellebores can be slow-growing, which could be why your sister didn't want to share. For the same reason, they can be a bit pricey. I know they are available via mail order, if you can't find any locally. And they vary quite a bit in bloom time. Mine aren't the first thing blooming by a long shot. Sue, hellebores can be slow-growing, which could be why your sister didn’t want to share. For the same reason, they can be a bit pricey. I know they are available via mail order, if you can’t find any locally. And they vary quite a bit in bloom time. Mine aren’t the first thing blooming by a long shot.

]]> By: eliz http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/02/16/a-tale-of-two-flowers-garden-bloggers-bloom-day-february-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-57594 eliz Tue, 17 Feb 2009 03:44:03 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/?p=1845#comment-57594 Kathy, I keep my cyclamen as a houseplant, with no special treatment. I overwinter too many outdoor plants to bother w/ fussing with dormancy for aq cyclamen. I will say it is potbound, in a rather cold room, in the window, where it has happily lived and bloomed its little head off for 9 years. It's the same color as yours; I had less luck with a red one. Kathy, I keep my cyclamen as a houseplant, with no special treatment. I overwinter too many outdoor plants to bother w/ fussing with dormancy for aq cyclamen. I will say it is potbound, in a rather cold room, in the window, where it has happily lived and bloomed its little head off for 9 years. It’s the same color as yours; I had less luck with a red one.

]]> By: Sue http://www.coldclimategardening.com/2009/02/16/a-tale-of-two-flowers-garden-bloggers-bloom-day-february-2009/comment-page-1/#comment-57592 Sue Tue, 17 Feb 2009 02:12:25 +0000 http://www.coldclimategardening.com/?p=1845#comment-57592 Everywhere I go, people are talking about hellebores, and I just discovered them last year at my sister's new place. She's not the generous gardener I am, and says she can't dig any up for me, so I'm going to have to find some on my own. Happy GBBD! Everywhere I go, people are talking about hellebores, and I just discovered them last year at my sister’s new place. She’s not the generous gardener I am, and says she can’t dig any up for me, so I’m going to have to find some on my own.

Happy GBBD!

]]>