Thursday, December 17, 2009

A new acquisition.

It came from a trade for brugmansias. Clerodendrum thomsoniae, or Bleeding Heart Vine. When received, it was just a few cuttings wrapped in moist paper towel shoved into a ziplock bag. I wasn't worried. I stuck it in the cloner on December 6, the day after it arrived. I left it overnight in water to revive the limp leaves.





I'm very excited about this one. And as is usually the case, the trade was offered not because I was looking for it, but because I had something she wanted.

Mom called twice yesterday. She has some good news. My dad found an old wood heater at my cousin's house. He said I could have it. Not knowing the condition, he will check it out this evening and possibly bring it up on Saturday. The little heater in the basement has done a good job, but the fire only lasts a few hours before burning itself out. The "new" heater, if it's usable, should keep a fire all night since it holds a lot more wood. I'll spend the weekend splitting wood.

Tonight, I have plans to sort my new seeds from the swap. I've got a couple dozen new packages. Some are seeds I already have, but in new colors and varieties. It's like Christmas. Speaking of seeds, at the store yesterday, five pallets stacked 8' tall were seen in Receiving. Next year's seeds are here. With Christmas almost gone from the shelves, they'll start putting them out this morning. We also received a new shipment of houseplants. I spent 6 hours spreading them around the greenhouse. It's so lush now. I wish I had the ability to grow houseplants. I tend to forget about them and they die from neglect. Yet I can keep all my plants in the basement alive for 4 months. Go figure.

The forecast today calls for cooler temperatures, possibly reaching 50 degrees. It's currently sunny and 25, up from an overnight low of 21. Tomorrow, sleet, snow, and ice with a high of 33. The plants in the basement have been given a drink of water mixed with rooting solution. Some of them will be moved out to the hoophouse if we get a few warm days next week.

7 comments:

elee55 said...

What? Next years seeds are here?
Oh token, you are an enabler!!

Darla said...

So does that mean I should be seeing seeds when I go to the store? YIPPEE!!!

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

Our stores set up the seed display today. All stores in the SE should have them done within a week unless they have permission to wait. It's way early.

Unknown said...

The new vine sounds awesome!
I have Clerodendrum trichotomum, which is a tree with the most spectacular blooms and berries. It suckers like crazy, but I always have people wanting pieces of it. Now I'll need to start hunting down the vine!

Randy Emmitt said...

Tom,
Be careful with the new heater. It takes more wood and might over heat the basement!

Good news we passed out footer inspection in Chapel Hill today. Poured the footers just in time before the winter storm. She (the inspector) said she most would have given up and called an engineer before digging deep footers like ours, one was 66 inches deep with 2 dug out steps to get down to it.

Tom - 7th Street Cottage said...

Tim, in the spring, I'll trade you. :)

Randy, sounds like you had a good day. This is the same kind of heater I grew up with in the house. It's a big one. And it burns slow.

gld said...

Tom, hope the stove is what you need.

I think everyone is expecting a run on seeds because of the economy. I have ordered earlier than ever and still my onion seeds are on backorder. Park is notorious for that seems to me.

I can't grow houseplants either. I have decided it is because they aren't all in one place. If I had a huge bright window where all plants could be there, I think I would manage..........but I don't so I don't try.