FLORIDA CHRISTMAS FLOWERS


Last year, Jackie & John Ike gave me a BEAUTIFUL
Christmas Cactus, hot pink.
I forgot to take pics, and by the time I remembered to do so,
Blossom Drop had taken effect (I should NOT have
brought it into the house; lesson learned)

When I read instructions on forcing the next blooming period,
the first item struck me: Leave outside until frost is predicted

Seeing as frost is not predicted here in Florida, at least not 'til January,
I decided to leave it on the patio,
only taking it into a protected area if temps were predicted below 45 degrees or so.
This way, not only would it get the cold it needed,
it would also get a natural light/dark routine.

Also, no water except a small amount, with flower fertilizer.

Lo and behold . . . flower buds began to form (I am easily thrilled) . . .

8 December 2018

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. . . dozens of 'em! Even the lobes that CRUSA foster MICKEY IN FLORIDA
chewed off showed incipient buds; some of them TWO on the same lobe.




16 December 2018

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I knew it wasn't going to be a CHRISTMAS Cactus this year;
more likely a Valentine Cactus, but that's fine with me!

25 December 2018

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So I said to myself, "Self, looks like your green thumb
finally made its way down here from Wisconsin,"
where I had many green plants and several amaryllis that bloomed,
over and over again, for years.

I thought to start looking for bulb kits; many stores have those available as Christmas gifts.

On 22 December, at our lunch and doggie playdate, Jackie Ike brought in four of these . . .

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. . . two for me, and two for Patricia & Henry Yarnot-Mushinsky
(whose card and dogs you'll see later in this website).

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And that's what Christmas has been like on Lake Tarpon . . .
dogs, friends, flowers, fireplace . . . what more could a person ask for?


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