Don't be fooled. Inside this thin coating of sweetness is a fiery core of total insanity.

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Plants in the House

No, not the greenhouse. The house house.

I spent the last couple of days pottering in the greenhouse, trying to make enough room to start seeds. I came to the conclusion that the only recourse was to just move some of the plants into the house.  I brought a couple of Begonias upstairs to the guest bathroom, which has a skylight and is quite bright even on cloudy days.


Begonia 'Midnight Twist'

The leaves on 'Midnight Twist' have a gorgeous rich red underside

And a lovely, shiny rich green on top


I bought 'Midnight Twist' over a year ago from Logee's, and I'm so pleased that it is still alive. In photos and in the description on their website, they claim the leaves are charcoal gray. Maybe it's been in too much bright light out in the greenhouse.

I think I also bought this second Begonia from Logee's, but I don't have a tag for it. It looks a lot like one called 'Northern Lights' on their website.


Begonia possibly 'Northern Lights'


I love the tiny hairs on the edges of the leaves.

There's a selection of plants sitting in my dining room now, in the only south-facing window. Still, it's a heck of a lot less cluttered than it used to be in my pre-greenhouse days, when plants covered this area, as well as the dining room table (unseen just to the left).

Begonias, Pelargonium sidoides, Chlorophytum, and Faucaria

Another tagless Begonia that has died back, except for this one tiny leaf that it has put out.

Pelargonium sidoides

I have room now for four flats, so I can start seeds.

I managed to move some of the larger pots around, and now I have room to stand in front of the wire table, and even a small space on the wire table to work. (I'll have to move that Agave 'Blue Glow,' it's only there temporarily.)


I hope four flats is enough. If not, I do have other options. I still have a handful of small portable greenhouses, as well as a makeshift hoophouse that covers part of a raised bed in the back garden. But I prefer to start my seeds in the greenhouse.

Do you overwinter any plants inside? Do you have a space for seed-starting?