Lamenting the many, many colorless days this season, I headed to an unusual place to find some brighter shades. In the basement, I have sheltered some flowers that I hoped to keep alive. I planned to return them outside when the growing season gets underway in approximately five months.
There is part of my home's basement that is referred to as the back room. It was separated from the rest of the area.
It was not cemented and featured a dirt floor.
Long story short: When grandfather Stover was cementing and digging out the rest of basement, there was a stone in the back portion of the area. Grandfather decided to dynamite the stone out to continue finishing the concrete work. The blast blew out all the windows in the basement. Nonetheless, the stone remained and is still there today. Grandmother Stover was not thrilled with this attempt. I have a feeling that this disapproval halted any more blasting projects in the area.
Fortunately for me, this made an awesome place for some grow lights and a winter refuge for a few plants.
The dirt floor means that I didn't have to be careful with watering or any potting soil that might spill out. Dirt is dirt.
The grow lights that I put up featured different types of light. This casted a glow that picked up a few novel hues. That was the case when I photographed a cyclamen in bloom. The flowers were actually white.
It was not cemented and featured a dirt floor.
Long story short: When grandfather Stover was cementing and digging out the rest of basement, there was a stone in the back portion of the area. Grandfather decided to dynamite the stone out to continue finishing the concrete work. The blast blew out all the windows in the basement. Nonetheless, the stone remained and is still there today. Grandmother Stover was not thrilled with this attempt. I have a feeling that this disapproval halted any more blasting projects in the area.
Fortunately for me, this made an awesome place for some grow lights and a winter refuge for a few plants.
The dirt floor means that I didn't have to be careful with watering or any potting soil that might spill out. Dirt is dirt.
The grow lights that I put up featured different types of light. This casted a glow that picked up a few novel hues. That was the case when I photographed a cyclamen in bloom. The flowers were actually white.
A post on thespruce.com, described the plant as a "tuberous perennial, meaning it dies down to its thick roots (tubers) during its summer dormancy period and then regrows quickly each fall. ... It's commonly grown as a houseplant." A Wikipedia post stated that cyclamen species are native to Europe and the Mediterranean Basin east to the Caucasus and Iran, with one species in Somalia. Some of the varieties are known to bloom in the winter. If I remembered correctly, mine died back and bloomed at different times throughout the year. That may have possibly been when I forgot to water it.
Adding color to the basement darkness, was a black-eyed Susan vine. While they share the same coloring as black-eyed Susans, they are really different plants.
A post by Bonnie L. Grant, on gardeningknowhow.com described the plant as a "tender perennial that is grown as an annual in temperate and cooler zones. You can also grow the vine as a houseplant but be wary as it may grow to 8 feet ... in length." I had put mine outside during the summer and moved it inside during the winter. It has currently vined out in the basement into the floor joists and some gas lines. I surmised that moving it outside this summer might involve some pruning.
A post by Bonnie L. Grant, on gardeningknowhow.com described the plant as a "tender perennial that is grown as an annual in temperate and cooler zones. You can also grow the vine as a houseplant but be wary as it may grow to 8 feet ... in length." I had put mine outside during the summer and moved it inside during the winter. It has currently vined out in the basement into the floor joists and some gas lines. I surmised that moving it outside this summer might involve some pruning.
Among the blossoms, there was the plant whose name I can never remember.
I was sure it started with "diplo-something."
That prefix only brought up the dinosaur diplodocus in an internet search.
I added "flowers" to the search terms. That only brought up dinosaur planters. While cute, they were not the results I needed. Finally, I demined that the red flower is a dipladenia or rock trumpet flower.
A post on plantly.io said, "A member of the flowering plants, this species is a native of South Africa." It went on to provide tips on care and the difference between dipladenia and mandevilla plants.
The post also added, "since dipladenia are accustomed to warm temperatures, you must bring it indoors when the winter season comes."
So far, this plant has survived at least two years by being brought indoors in the winter.
I was sure it started with "diplo-something."
That prefix only brought up the dinosaur diplodocus in an internet search.
I added "flowers" to the search terms. That only brought up dinosaur planters. While cute, they were not the results I needed. Finally, I demined that the red flower is a dipladenia or rock trumpet flower.
A post on plantly.io said, "A member of the flowering plants, this species is a native of South Africa." It went on to provide tips on care and the difference between dipladenia and mandevilla plants.
The post also added, "since dipladenia are accustomed to warm temperatures, you must bring it indoors when the winter season comes."
So far, this plant has survived at least two years by being brought indoors in the winter.
Likewise, several begonias were overwintering in the basement refuge as well.
At least here, they were safe from hungry deer. Some of the begonias have been around for at least three or four years.
A planter of Shasta daisies was added to those plants that were "saved" from the cold.
A post on almanac.com said, " A European native, Shasta daisies are now naturalized throughout North America. Like clockwork, these daisies return every spring or early summer and bloom until early fall. "
The post additionally warned that the daisies were considered aggressive growers.
This was my first year growing the daisies. After reading the information, I decided that I will likely keep the daisies in their planter.
However, aphids have attacked some of the daisies. I have had problems with the little buggers before, but they usually resolve themselves. It's funny how I have never really had problems with aphids when the plants were outdoors.
At least here, they were safe from hungry deer. Some of the begonias have been around for at least three or four years.
A planter of Shasta daisies was added to those plants that were "saved" from the cold.
A post on almanac.com said, " A European native, Shasta daisies are now naturalized throughout North America. Like clockwork, these daisies return every spring or early summer and bloom until early fall. "
The post additionally warned that the daisies were considered aggressive growers.
This was my first year growing the daisies. After reading the information, I decided that I will likely keep the daisies in their planter.
However, aphids have attacked some of the daisies. I have had problems with the little buggers before, but they usually resolve themselves. It's funny how I have never really had problems with aphids when the plants were outdoors.
The blooms in the basement had me yearning for some spring blooms. I planted several poises including some white daffodils last fall. However, I was curious to see if I actually placed the bulbs in the flower bed. I had a feeling that there may be several white daffodils located two or more feet from the rest of the flowers.
A look back at spring photos in the past provided a timeline of growth. Last year, it was Feb. 24 for the first signs of green shoots outdoors. In 2021, on Feb. 28, there were tulip leaves popping up through the snow. In 2020, snowflakes, the flowers, were budding through green grass on Feb. 24.
While the weather outside is frightful, there are signs that we are progressing toward spring.
A Facebook post Monday, Jan. 23, by C&A Trees, a Clarion greenhouse, said, "Happy Monday! Two weeks from today we start planting in the greenhouse and 56 days till spring..."
Hopefully, it won't be too much longer until I view a little more color outside.
However, the timing of the growing season is up to Mother Nature.
Until then I will enjoy my artificial growing season and its blooms. That's just the nature of things 'round here.
While the weather outside is frightful, there are signs that we are progressing toward spring.
A Facebook post Monday, Jan. 23, by C&A Trees, a Clarion greenhouse, said, "Happy Monday! Two weeks from today we start planting in the greenhouse and 56 days till spring..."
Hopefully, it won't be too much longer until I view a little more color outside.
However, the timing of the growing season is up to Mother Nature.
Until then I will enjoy my artificial growing season and its blooms. That's just the nature of things 'round here.
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