Other than raking leaves and working on clearing a path for the fence that we will {hopefully} start installing this weekend, there hasn’t been much gardening going on this past week. Late fall, and the calmness of it all, has been a welcome addition to the daily routine.
I did spot paperwhite bulbs while I was at the lumber store the other day though, so I snagged a few packs of those and then went hunting around for a proper container to plant them in. When we moved, I donated all the glass vases we had so I wasn’t exactly sure what I was going to plant the bulbs in. But, I end up finding an old bowl in the basement and decided to use that instead of buying anything new.
Apparently the town we moved to does have a small recycle center, so if I get the chance, I think I’ll pop by there this weekend and see what kind of treasures are hiding inside.
The goal is to have the family room / sun room area finished by Thanksgiving, and if I did my math right, the bulbs I planted yesterday should be up and beginning to bloom right around turkey day.
If you’ve never grown paperwhites before, they are insanely easy to grow. Basically, just set the bulbs {pack them tight} in a shallow container {without a drainage hole} with about 3″- 4″ or rocks at the bottom of the container. Press the bulbs in the rocks so they don’t move around and fill with the container with just enough water to cover the bottom of the bulbs.
Then, place the container in a cool dark area until the roots start to form. Once you see shoots sprouting from the bulbs, move the container to an area with indirect sunlight. In about 4-6 weeks you should begin to see the tiny white blossoms.
For now, I have my pot of paperwhites down in the basement. In the root cellar to be exact. {Did I tell you there is an old soapstone sink down there for washing vegetables? And a seed starting table that I can hang grow lights above? There are even seed drying racks for Pete’s sake! And canning shelves!} Gaaa. This house. You really do have to take it one room at a time.
Small but mighty. And I’m loving it. 😉 Winter flowers, here we come.
On the agenda for today:
- Stay in pajamas. ALL. DAY. LONG.
- Finish the roman shade for the upstairs bathroom.
- Try out a new creamy chicken soup recipe.
- Go to bed early.
Some days, they’re just meant for staying inside.
Have a wonderful Wednesday everyone, may it be a calm one.
~ Mavis
eileen says
Sounds like the perfect day…PJ’s all day! Snow headed our way tonight! Maybe I’ll have a PJ day with a little laundry thrown in for excitement.
Mavis Butterfield says
SNOW! Lucky you. 🙂 Have a great day Eileen.
Wendy Clark says
Sounds like a wonderful day to me!
Caitlin says
Old soapstone sink in the root cellar! I look forward to hearing more about that!
Margo says
I’m jealous. Was 95 yesterday and cooling off to 85 today. Guess I’ll go water my garden and pine for cooler weather next week.
Teri says
Are those your spinner gourds I see in the background? Can’t wait to see what you do with them. You are so lucky to have a wonderful soapstone sink. Enjoy your relaxing day!
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! I am waiting for them to dry out. 🙂
Jeanine says
You have a keen eye….and it will be fun to see what Mavis does with them.
Lindsey says
I love the look of paper whites, but the smell of them is so noxious to me that I cannot be in the same room with even one container of them.
Last night made the chicken dinner you posted earlier in the day. Loved it.
Pj says
I would like to hear more about how the recycle center worked in your last location. It sounds like something every town needs. How did it work? Who owned the property? We’re there any issues?
Celeste says
I am trying to find your recent post about box woods and where you ordered them … can you help me locate your post?
Thank you.
Mavis Butterfield says
Plantingtree.com Here is the link to the blog post: https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/gardening-in-new-england-planting-a-simple-boxwood-hedge/