From Mélie’s Garden
There seems to be a feeling of “Spring in the air” on Fishers Island. The days are becoming longer and I have noticed that my houseplants are responding to this new increased light. The plants in our house are primarily near windows that face southwest, so they get this good light most of the day.
The camellias are in full bloom and I have noticed blossoms nestled between some of the clivia leaves are starting to pop up. I was recently interested to learn that clivias are part of the Liliaceae family which includes amaryllis bulbs. Clivias have a dormant period in the fall when they should not be watered for about six to eight weeks, but once the days start to get longer, it is time to water again, and that encourages their blooms to start to grow.
In another room, the ‘Meyer Lemon’ and ‘Key Lime’ are already in flower and a ‘Petit Negra’ fig has buds swelling on its branches. All adding to exciting signs that it is the beginning of the gardening year.
We also have a small orange tree blooming that I grew from a seed I started growing twenty years ago from a sour orange I ate in Italy. It recently started to produce some small oranges, so it took a very long time to mature, but it has been worth the wait.
During this winter, I bought a wonderful new book written by Laurelynn and Byron Martin, who are the owners of Logee’s in Danielson, CT. Its title is “Edible Houseplants – Grow your own Citrus, Coffee, Vanilla and 43 Other Tasty Tropical Plants.” It is full of interesting information about different fruiting plants. But the book also has an excellent section on Plant Care that gives good advice on growing many different plants. This includes sections on selecting the right pot, choosing the right soil, fertilizing schedules, propagation, and treating pests and diseases. It is one of the most informative books I have read in my gardening years.
The Martin family has owned Logee’s Nurseries for three generations and the greenhouse there is an absolute treasure. It is full of wonderful plants to grow. You can find the Martin’s informative book on Amazon or in their store when you buy a selection of their glorious plants, which are also available on their website. Broaden your horizons this spring and try growing some new houseplants and extend the growing year!
