Juli Pomainville – Fruition

September 21, 2023Juli Pomainville

Timing a gorgeous Christmas cactus bloom

Plants don’t often bloom when we tell them to, but ever since a friend gave me some instructions back in 1997, I’ve been able to get my amaryllis and Christmas cacti to bloom on demand. When I took the time to mark a few dates on my calendar and follow through, I got lovely blooms for the holiday season exactly when I wanted them. That little bit of knowledge piqued my interest, and I’ve done a bit of research since then. This post and the previous one convey what I’ve learned about amaryllis and Christmas cacti and controlling their bloom time. A Christmas cactus in fool bloom

Christmas cacti have been known to live 100 years when cared for properly! Both plants naturally grow in the spring and summer, and bloom in fall and winter, so we need to recreate those conditions if we want gorgeous flowers.

GENERAL CARE

Before we talk about blooming, we should talk about general care. Many people hear the word “cactus” and immediately think “hot sun,” and “dry soil.” In fact, the term “cactus”is a misnomer. This plant is an epiphyte (grows on trees) from the Brazilian rainforest, not a desert cactus. It doesn’t like blazing sun or dry soil. While Christmas cacti are pretty tolerant in terms of water and light amounts, if your cactus isn’t blooming, it’s a sign that you’re not quite treating it the way it wants to be treated. Read more Timing a gorgeous Christmas cactus bloom

August 31, 2023Juli Pomainville

Timing a Glorious Amaryllis Bloom

Plants don’t often bloom when we tell them to, but ever since a friend gave me some instructions back in 1997, I’ve been able to get my amaryllis and Christmas cacti to bloom on demand. When I took the time to mark a few dates on my calendar and follow through, I got lovely blooms for the holiday season exactly when I wanted them. That little bit of knowledge piqued my interest, and I’ve done a bit of research since then. This post and the next convey what I’ve learned about amaryllis and Christmas cacti and controlling their bloom time. Let’s start with Amaryllis.

Amaryllis will bloom for you each year and believe it or not, you can use the same bulb for literally decades if you treat it right. These plants naturally grow in the spring and summer, and bloom in fall and winter, so we need to recreate those conditions on a timeline to get gorgeous flowers when we want them.

Timeline:

Start waking your dormant, bare bulbs 10-12 weeks before you want blooms (October 1 if planning for Christmas.) Note: If your bulb isn’t already dormant, start creating the artificial dormancy in mid-September.

Tip: For Christmas blooms, starting October 1 plant a bulb per week for 3 weeks if you want to ensure blooms happen on the desired date. Environmental conditions are naturally variable– the bulb, the soil, the moisture in the air, and a myriad of other things contribute to how fast a plant grows. Three bulbs will provide good insurance.

When purchasing an amaryllis bulb, go big. The bigger the bulb, the bigger the stems to support the blooms. Also, small bulbs may not flower for you as they may not be mature. Read more Timing a Glorious Amaryllis Bloom

October 30, 2022Juli Pomainville

Organizing Garden and Yard Storage Areas

This is an ideal time to evaluate your outdoor storage areas and make a plan to reorganize them. Use the following steps as a guide, but avoid moving anything until you have a detailed plan and the materials to complete your project.

Plan your attack

Make a rough sketch of your yard including all storage and garden areas. Think about tools that you’ve left in odd places. Do you need some sort of permanent storage there? If so, add it to the sketch.
Look inside each storage area and list the categories of tools and supplies stored there, such as hand tools, power tools, potting supplies, soil amendments, watering equipment. Don’t touch anything yet.
For each garden area, note the tools and supplies you use there. Then decide which storage area is best for which tools, considering where they will be used and whether the storage area will accommodate the tools. List the tools on your rough map, checking against your original list of categories to make sure you are providing space for each item.
Hanging hand tools saves space and offers convenience
Consider the tools against the storage space, if one already exists. If not, think through the process and make some notes so that you acquire storage that meets your needs. Stand in front of each storage area and look at it from all sides. What will you put where? Which things need to be within easy reach? Which items will be used at the same time? Do you need to strengthen the storage area against wildlife or weather? Make a repair? Do you need to add shelves? Wall hooks? Bungee cords or Velcro ties for bundling hoses? Jot down a “Needs” list for your storage space. Do this for all the storage areas on your map.
Think about your resources and set limits, if needed. Do you have the time, money and supplies to complete your project? Which storage areas are your priority? Decide which areas you will and will not organize at this time.