Cabin Fever, Thinking Spring!

It's been below zero degrees two nights in a row now! While our frozen world is quite beautiful, we can't wait for spring! Even Rosie, the lab, doesn't linger long outside these days. We've been managing to keep the greenhouse from going below 40 at night with the help of a kerosene heater. More snow coming today.

I've been pouring over seed catalogs in my spare time. Need to get my orders in soon! Have already started planting some seed flats inside. Can't wait for the seeds to sprout! All that beautiful spring green. But, I'm greatly enjoying all the wonderful Rosemary in bloom in the greenhouse.

Started some more cuttings in the greenhouse too. Over the next few weeks I will be doing lots more. Growing from cuttings is so gratifying and easy to do. I have found most plants will grow from cuttings. Things like the Rosemary that have a woody stem, just take longer to root. Geraniums (Pelargoniums), coleus, and other green stemmed tender perennials root very quickly. Anyone can do it at home. Just get yourself some soil-less potting mix, without fertilizers mixed in. Use small containers, (I use grower flats divided into small cells.) a recycled annual pack or dixie cup with a whole for drainage will work great. Or purchase a domed planting flat. They're widely available at most places that sell seeds. Take healthy tip cuttings from your favorite plants. About 2" to 4". Remove the leaves from the lower 2 or 3 leaf nodes (where the leaves connect to the stem). Insert into the potting mix with 2 or 3 sets of leaves above the soil. Water well and cover with dome or tent with plastic wrap to maintain moisture level. But not too tightly, the baby plants need some air circulation. A great project with kids is to use an empty clear plastic drink bottle. Cut around the bottom so you have about 3" or so in depth for soil. Put a few holes in the bottom for drainage. Insert your cuttings and use the top of the bottle (without the cap) to form a mini greenhouse. Within a week you will begin to see roots on plants like geraniums and coleus. I have found that it is better not to use rooting hormone for these plants. But it does help with more woody stemmed plants. The enjoyment you feel watching things grow is something the whole family can participate in!



Happy Valentine's Day!
Think Green!