Let's grow roots!

Last week we had 4500 unrooted cuttings arrive from Mexico. They are swaddled in plastic bags, each labeled with colour and type of plant, inside cardboard boxes with ice packs to help keep them fresh. (if anybody needs some for their lunchbox, let me know and we'll hang on to them!) Trays with many individual cells are filled with special soil for seeding and growing those wonderful roots that keep a plant alive! The unrooted cutting is dipped into a pink powder that gives it a boost of energy, placed in the soil then watered gently every few hours until roots begin to grow. Now the cutting is able to suck up the moisture through the roots and grow it's little heart out! In a few months there will be flowers on these New Guinea impatiens the size of my palm! Grow roots grow!

Last week we had some wonderful family members come help plant the rest of the violas into hanging baskets. We needed a few extra hands to get the job done. The day started off rather stormy but by lunch time the sun came out and the sweaters came off for a while! It's amazing the difference the sun makes in a greenhouse environment! In a span of 4 hours (not including our yummy potluck chili/salad lunch) we planted 1600- 8" hanging baskets each containing 7 plants.

For now they will stay on the ground, getting watered until roots are long and winding through the entire basket. As the weather warms, hangers will snapped into place and the baskets will be hung on pipes with a water dripper in each one.

Spacing Primula

Today we are bringing some potted primula into our warmer greenhouse. They get loaded onto our steel greenhouse carts like this. They are set in solid rows the whole length of the bench.

Every other plant is pulled back to create a diagonal spacing that allows the plants room to grow and the water to flow around the pots on the bench. In about a months time, these little plants will be blooming profusely, brightening up the atmosphere with their rainbow of colours!

Saturday, January 14

Today we're planting violas into little pots. They come in a variety of colours from yellow to dark purple and we plant 3 per pot. These cheerful fellows are bright, a sure sign that spring is close when they begin to bloom. My favourite is the yellow/purple mix!

This is what they will look like in a couple of months. Add a fancy little planter and it's a lovely little gift for someone!

Did I miss winter?

Things are looking green outside and the little primula hoping for spring is a little confused! I love the contrast of snow and colour, watching this sweet plant dare to poke it's flowers out in the temporary spring weather.

This is one tough parsley plant! It has survived the freezing temperatures and snow cover while staying crisp and green. I might just pick myself a few pieces to munch on and savour the taste of "fresh". :)