Re-potting House Plants

I am currently attempting to move through a "punch list". That is "a list of things to do". And mine grows every day!!! One thing I have been wanting to do is re-pot many of my plants, both my house plants and plants that I set outside. Many of which, are in the original pots they were in when they were purchased or given to me. I love gardening and having plants all around. And as long as they get attention from me, I have much success with them. While fall is usually the best time to do this, I decided that mid August is probably close enough. 😏 

I have also been collecting new pots. I like to go to places like TJMaxx & Ross to find pots because they usually have a beautiful selection of good quality pots and wonderful prices. One thing that you need to keep in mind when you go to either store is, if you see it, like it, you need to get it. You can always take it back if you it does not work for you, but chances are, it will not be there if you decide to think about it and come back to purchase later. 

And you will see an example of that below.

Beautiful Blue & White Pot Purchased at Ross

I found these beautiful blue & white pots at Ross. I should explain that I am sandwiched between 2 Ross stores. And I tend to go to both of them on the same day. At the first store, I see this pot and love it, and decided to "think about it". Went to the 2nd store, see that same pot in 2 sizes, decided to get one in each size. When I get home, I put them on the deck and set my poinsettias from last Christmas in them and decided to "think about it". That evening or next morning (can't remember) I decided that I wanted two in the same size. Rushed back to 1st store, sold out. Will not be getting anymore in. Rush to the 2nd store... yep, you guessed it, sold out! The smaller one was $7.99 and the larger one was either $9.99 or $12.99, can't remember. But definitely a BARGAIN!

I expect that the plant in the larger pot will grow into it

I did look at other stores, online, etc and never found these exact pots, but similar ones were going for $39.99 and up. Again, when you see something at these designer discount stores, and you think you might want it, go ahead and get it. You can always take it back, and I do that all the time. 😄

By the way, check out the poinsettias! Don't they look nice? They are left over from this past Christmas. I had to go to Home Depot the day after Thanksgiving and they had rolling shelves loaded down with beautiful poinsettias for .99 each. Yes, .99! 

.99 Christmas Poinsettias from Home Depot

They also had Christmas Cactus and small succulent gardens for a good price as well. The above photo was taken with my cell phone in.... February! I was using them for Valentines decor. I have never kept poinsettias alive that long, and was very proud that these not only seemed to be thriving, but were only .99 each!!! (I cannot say that enough!) By early April, they did not look this good. And I knew very little about poinsettias. I had set them on in the shade on the deck in order to get them out of the house until I decided what to do with them. One had gotten puny and I threw it away. The other four began to "come back to life" in their new spot! All lush green and beautiful. A friend, who recently moved back here from Jacksonville, FL was visiting and I showed them to her. She told me that they are hardy outdoors in that part of Florida and will grow as big as a house when planted in the ground. She said by Christmas, they start blooming and the to leaves are bright red. I asked her if she would like to take two of them home and put her green thumb to work and she accepted the challenge. I kept the two that are left and am tickled at how well they have turned out.

My last Christmas cactus was left outside (we are in the deep south, central Alabama, and we see very little cold here. Sometimes we will get a light frost in October, but often it is not until the end of November that we even get chilly.) until around Thanksgiving and it was full of beautiful blooms. So that is my plan with the poinsettias. Meanwhile, they seem to love being outdoors in bright shade. 

See how lush and green this plant has become. The pot is about a foot in diameter. When the leaves start turning red and it begins to bloom, it will be an amazing display in this pot.

I think that this poinsettia will look gorgeous in this blue & white pot when the leaves turn red.  I plan to display it on my hearth. (Would have been nice to have two of these larger pots and display them on each side... but I digress.) The poinsettia in the smaller pot will be displayed in the dinning room either on the table or sideboard. 

I did pot and re-pot several other plants, such as the Christmas Cactus that I purchased at the same time as the poinsettias and the succulents. 

Christmas Cactus (Pot purchased at TJMaxx)

Christmas Cactus

Succulents (they were in two pots, but each pot had some loss, so I combined what was left into one pot)

One of the succulents that had outgrown the succulent garden pots

My carnivorous bog plant I purchased sever months ago at Lowes

 I also took this opportunity to re-pot a couple of house plants.  The one on the left I bought several years ago for $1 at Lowes.  I found it on what I call "the discounted dead plant shelf". Some TLC turned it into a beautiful house plant!

Kimberly Queen Fern

Several weeks ago I found a couple of pots for 1/2 price at Lowes and knew they would be ideal for My Kimberly Queen Ferns. I love this variety because they just thrive in shade, sun, drought and shed very little.  I may bring these inside to over winter. 

If you have any tips or tricks for poinsettias, please feel free to share. I really have not fertilized these shown here. I am not sure what to fertilize them with. I did replant in Miracle Grow. That seems to be my "go to" potting soil and I have much success with it.

Just a reminder for when you do re-pot, remember to reuse...

OR

All containers and bags! 

Container gardening,Another one of those

Little Things in Life

Hugs, 

Missy

It's Been a While...

I have not posted to this blog in so long. For quite some time, I had lack of inspiration.  I have a photography business and just managing the website and blog for it keeps me busy.  I have also been ill.  God is very good and has blessed us so much.  I have shared this on my health and fitness blog and my business blog.  One day I will share it here.

We are taking life slower, enjoying the moments and looking for opportunities to serve our Lord Jesus Christ.

Edited to add...I am linking to Sally's Blue Monday.  :-)  

Container Gardening with Vegetables

I have always loved gardening.  We have a lot of shade and growing a vegetable garden is very difficult.  I decided I would try growing vegetables in containers.  We had fresh lettuces and greens most of last winter and spring.  :-)  Success!!!  I decided to plant lettuces again this year, only start earlier this time.  We are in the deep south, greens grow much better in our fall and spring.  In the late spring and early summer they tend to go bitter and burn up from the heat.  I purchased several lettuces, kale & broccoli.cell packs from a garden center and planted them in my large pots.

This a photo of one of my large pots, full of potting soil.  We have red leaf lettuce, broccoli & pansies.

Here we have kale (kale packs the most bang for the buck in nutrition!), romaine lettuce and some broccoli.  See my BLUE finial?  It will support the broccoli as it grows.  :-).  

I like to put a few pansies in my containers.  They do well through out the winter here.  It looks like someone else likes this pansy as well!  It is half eaten!

 
I picked a very large basket of romaine and red leaf lettuce.  I then mixed a couple of teaspoons of salt with some water in a large Blue bowl and let them soak for about 20 minutes.  This gets rid of any parasites on the vegetables and will keep keeps us from having a tummy ache.

Rinse and spin dry.

Chop, add any other veggies you have on hand, (I mixed in a large BLUE bowl) and add your favorite dressing.  (This salad has cauliflower, grape tomatoes, hoop cheese and apple pears.)
Yum!

Hugs,
Missy