PROPAGATING TIME
I always have a fear in winter that I am going to lose plants that I cherish and so I propagate them so that, even if I lose some, I might not lose all. Last year the parsley didn't fare too well even though it had been a massive plant when I put it into my little plastic greenhouse for the winter. Even so, one stalk survived and I planted it and it went on to produce a lovely display of little green flowers - rather like a green gypsophila. In spring this year, I bought another parsley and that too is now massive and I expect that too will succumb to our terribly cold and snowy winters that we get here, high up on the Pennines.
This year I went a bit mad, buying all sorts of herbs and today I propagated rosemary, lavender, applemint, lemon mint, lemon balm, and lemon verbena. I like lemon. Did you guess? I divided the huge clump of chives into one big pot and two smaller ones, and I took cuttings from the low hedge of pelargoniums that I planted this year. There are other herbs yet to be propagated such as sorrel, spearmint, and bergamot.
Sorry it is such a dreadful photo. The light was going and the camera flash would probably have just made it worse! I've brought them in for now to try and give them warmth and a head start. I wonder how successful I shall be. Usually, I have much luck with pelargoniums which accounts for the number I have!
It has been so cool lately, and showery, that it feels like autumn and my brain cannot seem to comprehend that we have only just left August. I keep feeling it might freeze and snow any moment. The way this year has gone, it wouldn't surprise me in the least.
This year I went a bit mad, buying all sorts of herbs and today I propagated rosemary, lavender, applemint, lemon mint, lemon balm, and lemon verbena. I like lemon. Did you guess? I divided the huge clump of chives into one big pot and two smaller ones, and I took cuttings from the low hedge of pelargoniums that I planted this year. There are other herbs yet to be propagated such as sorrel, spearmint, and bergamot.
Sorry it is such a dreadful photo. The light was going and the camera flash would probably have just made it worse! I've brought them in for now to try and give them warmth and a head start. I wonder how successful I shall be. Usually, I have much luck with pelargoniums which accounts for the number I have!
It has been so cool lately, and showery, that it feels like autumn and my brain cannot seem to comprehend that we have only just left August. I keep feeling it might freeze and snow any moment. The way this year has gone, it wouldn't surprise me in the least.