North Shore Gardener
Q: Last fall, I brought some of my favorite geraniums inside for the winter. I thought I would have a window full of blooms, but it was not to be. Now I would like to take some cuttings. Some of these are special colors, and I don't know if I can find them again. Any advice, and can you please tell me why the geraniums didn't bloom all winter?
A: You probably didn't have nearly enough light last winter for your sun-loving geraniums. They require a full day of direct sunlight to bloom well. Next year, consider using some artificial lights.
Take your cuttings now for blooming plants by midsummer. For best results, you're still going to need to provide sunlight, either God-given or artificial. Take a 6-inch cutting of new green growth and strip the bottom two leaves off the stem. Dip the cut end into a powdered or liquid rooting hormone and place in a pot of peat and sand or perlite. Keep cuttings out of direct sun until they root, which will occur in just a few weeks. Then, bring them into full sunshine, if you can find it, or use grow lights.
If you are doing many cuttings, root them in a flower box. It's easier to take care of them all in one place. Fertilize the cuttings using half-strength fertilizer as soon as they root.
Keep plants clean. Allow no dying or yellow leaves below soil level. Water well, but don't drown them. Pot cuttings individually after new growth begins. And don't worry! By the time they are ready to go in the garden, you'll have the flower box empty and ready for its original purpose.
Q: I am perplexed as to why the amaryllis bulb I planted many weeks ago has not stirred to life. I do this every season with success. Is it possible I have a dead bulb?
A: How long has the bulb been planted? It normally takes about 45 days to bring it into bloom, assuming that the bulb was not previously frozen or otherwise mistreated. You certainly should be entitled to a refund — or a new bulb.
Q: We are spending our winter in Florida this year, and we took a few houseplants with us, including a (miniature) phaleanopsis. We bought it last year, and it bloomed great for weeks. I did cut the blossom stem back when it finished blooming, which was probably a mistake. What do you think?
A: You should be able to get the phalaenopsis to bloom again. Some bloom once a year, others bloom twice. After bloom, cut the blooming stem back to about the third node on the flower stem. Incidentally, it seems that if you break the stem rather than cut it, it stimulates new growth. Try it! All you have to lose is a fingernail!
Of all the varieties of orchids, and there are hundreds, the phaleanopsis is one of the easiest to grow in New England homes. As a child, I remember being fascinated by women wearing orchids, usually the big frilly purple cattleyas, impaled on their shoulders at church on Easter or Mother's Day. But live orchid plants of any variety were seldom seen even in fine flower shops, let alone on the home windowsill.
Now orchid plants are sold at Home Depot and supermarkets and thought to be almost throwaway, seasonal, decorative plants. But, with a little care, they can re-bloom, especially phalaenopsis, which are very happy in our cool New England homes if we just increase the humidity.
Q: I'm looking forward to starting planting seeds. I've saved all my pots for the past many years as I buy annuals and perennials, but now I have too many cluttering up the garage! I think they multiply over the winter. Can they be recycled? Can I take them back to the grower?
A: I'm also tired of saving all the little plastic pots. You hate to throw them out, but you also hate to store them and clean them each year. Try calling a local school. Some teacher might like them for projects.
So eliminate the excess pots at your source. Use "usable" or biodegradable pots that you can plant along with the seedling, such as pots made of newspaper or pressed peat. There are even cow pots made of pressed cow manure! They're lightweight and uniform in size.
You can find usable pots at the garden center. Earth will thank you for not adding to the garbage pile.
This week's dirt
Take a walk around the garden on the next sunny day, but stay off the flower beds! Your big feet could damage plants that are just below the surface.
Who else is walking around in your yard this winter? Check books and Web sites to identify animal tracks. This is a great adventure for children and adults alike. Certainly you'll see squirrels' and rabbits' footprints. Are those deer tracks? Even the neighbor's cat and dog footprints can be easily seen. Spring is coming!
North Shore Gardener by Barbara Barger of Beverly is a regular feature of Friday's Lifestyles section. Reach Barbara by e-mail at nsgardener@comcast.net or write to her c/o Gloucester Daily Times, 36 Whittemore St., Gloucester, MA 01930. Previous North Shore Gardener columns can be found at www.nsgardener.com.
