Amaryllis Competition Update

Oh, it was so wonderful - a Christmas Eve miracle! I was busy, tearing around and getting ready for company that day, when I went into the conservatory to get something, and I noticed that both stalks on the green amaryllis had opened fully, were straight and looked glorious. I started that growing Thanksgiving weekend, you'll recall. If I had sat down and tried to calculate a bloom date, I couldn't have done it. Well done, 'LemonLime'! My namesake, on the other hand, still sits - silent and stubbornly refusing to so much as put out a leaf, much less a flower stalk. 'Susan' the amaryllis is even lazier than Susan the gardener can be - and believe me, I can be world-class lazy when I decide to be. In the spirit of tolerance this season, I have not chastised her, but instead have moved her to the east window, next to 'LemonLime', who hopefully will lead by example, or at least shame 'Susan' into putting out, so to speak. If not, she'll officially be on notice!

Mission Accomplished??

Just before Christmas, our quarterly extermination visit occurred. This became necessary many years ago because just after purchasing our house, which had sat vacant for nearly a year, we found that mice from the fields surrounding us had taken up residence. (Just another good reason to own a cat - the premiere Early Warning System!) So from that time to this, we have had our quarterly visit. When the fellow was here, I pointed out the vole problem and asked to have a bait station placed out in the front bed. He obliged. Well - cautious optimism is in order here. We had a few inches of snow last night, and this morning and afternoon, there were no vole tracks anywhere. None. Not any. I am tempted to declare victory, but my Vermont ancestry will not let me be so immoderate. Time, I guess, will tell......

Voles - The Never Ending Story

Well, we have now had our first serious snowfall and what to my wondering eyes did appear? Vole tracks in the flower bed in front of the house! !@#$%^&*!! (Translation: "I am so bloody sick and tired of voles") On the plus side, it's easy to see where the run is. There's only one, and it goes between a dianthus and a lavender. We're due to lose the snow by Monday, so once it's gone, out come the granules again. By God, I am going to win this war no matter what I have to do. Within reasonable limits, of course. For instance, dynamite is generally frowned upon, but there must be other ways that won't get me imprisoned or run out of town on a rail. I think I'll run "control methods for voles" up the Google flagpole, and see who salutes.......

Amaryllis Competition

Now that the outdoors is disposed of, it's time to pot up amaryllis. Which I did over Thanksgiving weekend. After having an average of 5 for the last several years, and at one time 7 (yes, actually), I divested myself last year of all but two. Most of the discards succumbed to my perennial nemesis the mealybug, and a couple just got old and tired, not unlike their owner. The two I potted up recently are 'Lemon Lime' and 'Susan'. The color of the first is self-explanatory. 'Susan' is a lovely coral color, with just a hint of picotee edging. Performance? Ah, well - that's another matter entirely. Within a few days of being repotted, 'Lemon Lime' sprouted not one, but two flower stalks. 'Susan', on the other hand, has shown one tiny hint of a leaf and not much inclination to do anything else. I know neither one of them will be blooming for the holidays, but my namesake has so far been a disappointment to say the least. Will 'Lemon Lime' bloom in time for New Year's? Will Susan bloom at all? Stay tuned....