Two More David Austin Roses. 15 March 2025

 I added Munstead Wood and Desdemona because they are described as among the most fragrant.  This is a week after I received them and planted in containers.  I kept them on the North side of a shed until this week, so the already existing buds would not sunburn.

I also pruned and replanted Vanessa Bell and Silas Marner into moveable containers, so I can situate them better and take better care of them.

Resuming Blog. Quilt completed Jan 2025.

 I haven't been able to post during the past couple of months.  I'd like to continue the garden diary.  We'll-see how it goes.

The spam bot comments have bern overwhelming,  Even though I appreciate comments, it's too much to moderate this form of automated pollution.  So, I have turned off the comments.

Image is a quilt I completed in January.  The fabrics were scraps that I didn't care for.  I think it tirned out OK anyway.

Moving Lavender, Sage, and Rosemary Cuttings Outside. 30 Dec 24.

These are the lavender plants I started from cuttings last summer, plus one that was broken off from a 24 year old plant during cleaning up, plus one bought this fall at Winco (Godwin Creek Grey), and a French lavender that I potted to compare survival with one kept outside all winter.  

I decided to start keeping them outside, as long as the weather stays above freezing.  They are probably OK with that too, but being in containers might be less hardy.  They are drying out too fast in the sunroom, so being outside in cool and rain might also be better.

Spanish Lavender.  Also culinary sage cuttings that I took last summer.  They are doing great too.

Godwin Creek Grey, and the rescued TLC start.

The French Lavender.  Also, the Hesperaloe that I'm overwintering to plant in Spring.

The Rosemary starts.  I also rooted these cuttings last summer.

Up-Potting Pelargonium (Geranium) Seedlings. 30 Dec 24.

 I up-potted the Pelargonium seedlings.  These are the series Maverick, colors Scarlet, Coral, and White.

They were starting to look crowded, and the tops a bit weak, so I gave each a new pot.

Before.

The roots weren't all that crowded.  Not root bound.  There were 2 to 3 seedlings per cell.

I potted them into 3" round or 2" square - but- deeper, containers.

Considering how fast they've grown, I could have waited another month or two to start them.  Still, that just gives them a better head start.

Repotting Lavender Seedlings. 27 Dec 24.

 I repotted the lavender seedlings.  Now each is in its own 2x2 cell in eight-packs.  Sine they grow slowly,  I think that might be enough until spring.  It's possible they'll need to be up-potted once before it's time to plant in the border.

I think that since mature lavender can handle frost and freeze, these young plants will be able to handle early Spring weather by March.  They'll be bigger than now, but not too much to care for.   

I'm glad I decided to grow them from seeds.  That gave choices I haven't seen in the stores.  The expense of buying this many plants would also have been too much.  They germinated quickly and easily without need for stratification.  Maybe that's a sign of good quality seeds?  (Swallowtail gardens, on-line).  

These varieties were described as first-year blooming, compact-growing varieties.  Bandera purple, Bandera Deep Rose, Blue Spear, and in the first group, Blue Vicenza which I think will be somewhat larger.  I think the first two are Spanish type lavender, and the second two are English type.