It’s almost time for our first freeze here in North Carolina.
Many plants have been moved inside.
Now my job is to water and turn pots.
My workshop is a jungle. It is my inside garden now.
I enjoy weaving around among the flowers and greenery.
The colors are a comfort as the world outside turns brown.
The Schlumbergeras are starting to bloom.
I distribute these throughout the house.
Any bloom is a mood booster.
Flower
Just as the days get too short and the nights too long
and my garden outside dies from the cold,
my Schlumbergeras come into their glory
and bloom with explosive profusion
to show me that a FLOWER
can survive and thrive
inside in winter
and so shall I.
FLOWER
My Schlumbergeras are now blooming for the second time since I brought them inside.
I wondered, it is the daylength that has encouraged them to start blooming again?
I consulted the US Navy’s charts on Duration of Daylight for my area.
My cacti were blooming like crazy between November first and ninth of 2017.
The daylength for those days was between 10 hours and 42 minutes to 10 hours and 28 minutes.
Late January daylength has been just over 10 hours. Hmmm? I expected these to be about the same.
Even my babies that just rooted and pieces in water are blooming.
It could not be a change in temperature, because even the cacti in my cold workshop are budding and blooming.
Just when you think you know a plant, it surprises you.
Nice!
FLOWER
We have had three cold, wet days here in NC.
Neither I nor the bunnies have played outside.
They have kept busy chewing sticks, barbering each other,
eating, napping and tearing up their box.
I have played with my inside plants.
My Christmas cacti collection will be blooming for weeks to come.
I am so thankful for their vibrant colors.
I am just sharing today’s showoffs up close.
When it stops raining, I will be going outside to photograph all the bloomers that are still braving the elements.
It’s the least I can do for these tenacious plants.
FLOWER
Schlumbergera, Schlumbergera,
How lovely are your flowers? (Sing chorus twice)
You’re boring green, while others bloom.
When winter comes, you light the room.
Schlumbergera, Schlumbergera,
Schlumbergera truncata. (Hold the ….ah…tah…)
SECOND VERSE:
Schlumbergera, Schlumbergera,
You are the cacti favorite. (Sing twice)
In summer we, your care forget.
In fall we smile and savor it.
Schlumbergera, Schlumbergera,
Schlumbergera truncata. ( Draw out ah….tah….)
THIRD VERSE:
Schlumbergera, Schlumbergera,
You are the star of winter. (Sing twice)
Your colors glow and brighten us,
When winter temp’ tures frighten us.
Schlumbergera, Schlumbergera,
Schlumbergera truncata…
FOURTH VERSE:
Schlumbergera, Schlumbergera,
How varied are your colors?(Sing twice)
There’s Golden Charm and and pinks and white,
and reds and peach. Oh, what a sight!
Schlumbergera, Schlumbergera,
Schlumbergera truncata… (HOLD “ah” loudly and spread arms apart, while looking at them lovingly.)
This is my secret to getting them to bloom like this.
Sing with the FLOWER!
