Orchids and Violets

Photo Hunters: Theme “Drink” - Geranium gets a good drink

jean — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 15:07:18 +0000

Took this photo a few minutes ago - the hand pouring the drink for this Martha Washington Pelargonium (geranium) is my husband Pat.

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tnchick, expatraveler, Bobbie, srp, Shawna, Pat, yoshi, dragonheart, maiylah, jennifer, Sue, Linda, Lauren S, jenny, michelle, Teena in Toronto, eph2810, Friday’s Child, PowersTwinB, Lisa Renee, Stacy, Coonie, TorAa, Frances, ChupieandJsmama, Beckie, Gotta Garden, Rach, letha

My Martha Washington Pelargonium is blooming!

jean — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 08:40:20 +0000

I am so proud of this plant. I had it in my flowerbed last summer - and in our heat, it wasn’t doing anything. I think that may be the way it is with the Martha Washingtons tho, they bloom in the spring mostly. As the weather started getting cool in the fall - and a cold front was approaching - I went into the yard and dug up everything that I could find that I thought I might save - including this plant. Well… in my sunroom, it flourished - getting fuller and bigger - and now it is blooming! I don’t know if you can tell from the picture, but it is just covered with buds.

Large potted geranium

jean — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 22:22:29 +0000

When I lived in Santa Cruz and then San Jose, geraniums would grow outdoors all year round, but everywhere else I have lived, they must be lifted in some way for the winter time. There is a technique that some say can be used where the geraniums are hung in a dry place by their roots to overwinter - that never worked for me - they just dried out and died and nothing would resurrent them. Really nothing ever worked for me until I got my sunroom. My houses did not have enough light for them to grow and flower in the winter. A couple of times I was able to make them survive the winter and then when they were planted outside, they would “come back” - but it was a real struggle for them as well as me.

My sunroom is an entirely different matter. This plant has grown and flowered - look at the flower buds that are about to open.

My Geraniums Live!

jean — Wed, 31 Jan 2007 05:35:54 +0000

For years I have tried to bring my geraniums indoors when it came winter, only to have them languish and grow sickly as the cold came and the light dimmed. This year, as always, I brought every geranium inside. The ones that were in the ground were potted up - the potted ones just moved inside. All of them are in my sunroom. It is the last day of January - and look at this guy - he is beautiful. All of my geraniums are healthy and blooming. I am as proud of them as I if they were my kids.