Winter 2015

This has not been a bad winter at all here in Pittsburgh. We're into February already and although we supposedly have had more snow than average, it did not feel like it! This weekend was a bit of a teaser since it got into the 40s. It's been wet for sure though!

A few of my orchids have been blooming and have bloomed for a long while now. I doubt they will make it into the show at all. Haven't had much to report on... I still have not started my seeds yet. I do need to soon. I am just not in the mood for it this year for some reason!

Signs of a Harsh Winter

It's been a harsh winter. My garlic is now a good 5" tall now, but some of them appears to not have made it. I thought I planted more than this, but I guess not! 

Native plant: Anemone is in bloom!

More evidence that this winter was really harsh....even with inches of mulch over this hellebore, it is not quite as big as it was last year, however, it is blooming!

The Daffodils and Forsythia are also blooming today! Tuesday it is supposed to get really cold again :\ The pear tree has broken dormancy and sprouted some leaves already! We're ready for spring, but winter isn't giving up the ghost yet!!!

My hot peppers that I have overwintered aren't doing so hot :(

Lone Acorn Squash

Of all the squash I planted this year, this is the only squash I got! I have pumpkin plants growing, but I don't expect to see any pumpkins this year. I planted them really late. 

An Unusual Winter

It's been extremely warm this winter. I am not complaining by any means! I am SO glad that there hasn't been much snow. Phil, the groundhog, said there is six more weeks of winter. I'm A-OK with that as long as it stays as it has been! My garlic and hyacinths are peeking out of the ground already. They'll be alright though. I'm thinking I may not plant tomatoes this year as it is useless to plant any when all the stink bugs just eat them all anyway! My Bhut Jolokia doesn't seem to have survived the winter this year, which really sucks. I've started new seeds. I hope they sprout! I may have to get them their own light next year! I think I may do without the habaneros too since we have plenty in the freezer. That ought to last my chili making for a long while!

I Need a Greenhouse!

So I had my hot peppers on my enclosed front porch and I bought a thermostat to monitor how cold it got out there. It has dipped below 50˚F and the peppers are really showing that they are unhappy with this weather with droopy leaves and lots of leaf dropping and winter hasn't even hit yet! So I moved them into the actual house into my dining room as much as I was trying to keep plants out of there. I still have two Clivias and a Mandevallia out there. They seem to be holding up ok. I will probably move the clivias up to my third floor and find some space somewhere for the Mandevilla. Winter is so hard to do in this house. There are hardly any windows and if there are any, the window sills are so tiny! I keep trying to downsize, but I amit, I'm an addict :)

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention....I was at Lowes a few days ago and they had the new and improved Meyer's Lemon on sale for....$3! What's so new and improved about this one? It is self pollinated! Unlike the one I have already, which needs a pollinator for me to get any lemons! I couldn't pass it up. $3!