January and February are hard months for me. They are long and dark and cold. I always get to the end of January craving flowers and warm weather. This year I am trying to plan ahead so that I don’t fall into the same funk. I bought some cheap pots so that I can finally repot the plants that came in the gift basket that roster007 gave me last January when I was in need of flowers. I also have plans to water, repot, and care for all the other plants in our house. We do not lack plants for me to tend. Some of our plants are quite large since we’ve had them for more than 15 years. Most of the time they stand fairly neglected. This year I’m going to try to use them as a therapy against all the cold and gray outside.
That will appease my cravings for greenery and the smell of wet earth. But I also long for flowers. I bought a few paperwhite bulbs from a local garden center. They’ll bloom and provide some scent for the house, but paperwhites are all white which doesn’t satisfy the longing for color. So I keep staring at gardeningbulbs.com’s indoor bulb basket page and trying to justify the expenditure of $50 for the Christmas Flower Bulb assortment. I probably won’t be able to get that one, but I might be able to spare $25 for the Festive Flower Bulb Assortment. I can always plant the bulbs outside next fall once they’ve died back, right?
Then I think about how much money we spent over Christmas and how much we need to curb frivolous spending. And I feel guilty for wanting more things when I already have so much. The economy solution would be for me to trudge out into my yard and dig up a few of the thousands of bulbs that I have growing out there. They’ve been at sub-freezing temperatures for a good six weeks now, so they’ll probably be plenty ready to grow. The flowers will be familiar rather than exciting and new, but they’ll still be flowers in January which is what I need. Maybe I’ll take pictures of the whole process and document the growth of my January flowers.
Not being a gardener could you water the paperwhites with food coloring added to give them extra color? Or does that only work with cut flowers?
Not being a gardener could you water the paperwhites with food coloring added to give them extra color? Or does that only work with cut flowers?
Oooh. I have no idea if that would actually work, but you may have inspired me to do a science experiment. I have three bulbs. Maybe I’ll water one with red, one with blue, and one with uncolored water. Thanks for the idea!
Oooh. I have no idea if that would actually work, but you may have inspired me to do a science experiment. I have three bulbs. Maybe I’ll water one with red, one with blue, and one with uncolored water. Thanks for the idea!
Flowers really do seem to brighten a place up. I have a geranium I’ve managed to not kill and it’s been blooming a lot lately. They smell horrible, but the bright color certainly is a nice addition. I need to see if I can get the tulips I’ve had in the fridge for some months to bloom again…
Flowers really do seem to brighten a place up. I have a geranium I’ve managed to not kill and it’s been blooming a lot lately. They smell horrible, but the bright color certainly is a nice addition. I need to see if I can get the tulips I’ve had in the fridge for some months to bloom again…
What a great idea! I hate this time of year — less sunlight, nothing really to look forward to until Easter. It’s hard not to get depressed. I think I’ll go out and buy some plants to tend. Of course I can only buy the low-maintenance ones that can go 3 weeks without watering. They have to be pretty hardy to survive my house. I’m afraid flowers wouldn’t last too long around here. Good luck with your science experiment.
Julie
What a great idea! I hate this time of year — less sunlight, nothing really to look forward to until Easter. It’s hard not to get depressed. I think I’ll go out and buy some plants to tend. Of course I can only buy the low-maintenance ones that can go 3 weeks without watering. They have to be pretty hardy to survive my house. I’m afraid flowers wouldn’t last too long around here. Good luck with your science experiment.
Julie
In addition to the other reasons you dislike winter, is it possible you suffer from winter depression? I do, although I never noticed it until I moved to Germany and got even less daylight at these higher latitudes.
In addition to the other reasons you dislike winter, is it possible you suffer from winter depression? I do, although I never noticed it until I moved to Germany and got even less daylight at these higher latitudes.
Winter depression is definitely a factor. I have to make sure that I don’t squirrel myself away in my windowless office during daylight hours. I really crave sunshine in January and February. I crave it so much that I’ll often nap on my front couch at 2 pm when there is a patch of direct sunlight there.
Winter depression is definitely a factor. I have to make sure that I don’t squirrel myself away in my windowless office during daylight hours. I really crave sunshine in January and February. I crave it so much that I’ll often nap on my front couch at 2 pm when there is a patch of direct sunlight there.
Wow, I’d totally forgotten I’d done that!
And of course, unlike me, you’ve kept it alive and well.
(I was going to suggest food coloring too.
I can’t wait to find out if it works. I love Science!)
Makes me feel happy all over again to remember that I did that for you.
Good luck getting some color and flowers going during the cold grey months.
Wow, I’d totally forgotten I’d done that!
And of course, unlike me, you’ve kept it alive and well.
(I was going to suggest food coloring too.
I can’t wait to find out if it works. I love Science!)
Makes me feel happy all over again to remember that I did that for you.
Good luck getting some color and flowers going during the cold grey months.
sorry, forgot that I was typing from the second computer…
love, roster007 🙂
sorry, forgot that I was typing from the second computer…
love, roster007 🙂
Don’t worry. I figured out it was you. 🙂
Don’t worry. I figured out it was you. 🙂