Saving Poinsettias and More Great Tips

There will be two posts today, as I want to get out some information later on regarding an important organization and meeting next week. Look for it this afternoon.

Lola, a faithful reader in Florida, writes she has saved this poinsettia by repotting it in the spring and placing in outside in dappled shade. It sure looks beautiful and it is not too late to still save those poinsettias for those readers up here too! Repot and leave in the house until May or so, then put into the garden and I bet you too might get some really nice blooms like Lola.

I introduced Lola a few days ago, but it bears mentioning again. She is originally from Paris, Tennessee and used to pass through Clarksville on her trips between Florida and Paris. Sadly, her days of traveling are few and far between due to a hip injury-but gladly she still gardens and promises to share some great tips-just like some of you other regulars out there! She tells me she has pots all along a chain link fence which she fills with flowers, mostly petunias. She also uses large black tubs nursery's sell trees in to do some vegetable gardening. Some vegetables she grows are: squash, Egyptian onions, carrots and tomatoes to name just a few. Like Skeeter, Lola has spider plants coming out her ears amongst impatiens, geraniums and others. Another great tip Lola has is to use wreath holders to hang flower pots up. The hook works great.

Lola is a proud greatgrandmother to two little boys, Nicholas and Anthony. I love those names Lola. When I was pregnant with my twins I was told I would have a boy and a girl. The boys name was to be Nicholas Anthony! What a coincidence. When I had two girls I split the girls name I had picked out, Christine Elizabeth, hence my twins are Christine and Elizabeth. Had I had two boys, it would have been Nicholas and Anthony, I am sure.

I especially enjoyed Lola's email because she talked about her grandchildren and teaching them about gardening. Her grandson was just five years old when he planted, tended, harvested and ate corn all by himself (with a little help from grandma in the form of guidance). Her youngest grandson was in awe when he first learned carrots come out of the ground. Brings a smile to my face because it is such a special picture. We can all probably see it in our minds or perhaps these stories bring some memories of our own to the forefront of our minds.

Thank you so much for sharing Lola. I look forward to many more stories and pictures. I plan to do a post on children and gardening. All you readers out there (you too Lola, anonymous, dawn with peaches and anyone else interested), if you have a special picture of your children and/or grandchildren you would like to see on here-send them to me at ramseytina5@gmail.com.

in the garden....thinking about people and gardens and life and memories.