Jodi, glad everything arrived ok. I usually completely cover the rain lily bulbs. Aren't the little bulbettes on each of them cute?? You can leave the plumeria be over winter to let it develop a healthy root structure. Enjoy!

The little baby bulblets growing from the bottom of the rain lily bulbs are the most unusual thing I've ever seen! They begin life upside down! I'm glad to find out I planted them at the proper depth! I had a feeling they were more like other bulbs...

I'll be putting the plumeria cutting on a heat mat. I think that will help it develop roots sooner.

Anything special I should do with the baby amaryllis bulbs? I planted them in new soil in a clay pot, just as I would an adult bulb... I've never had bulbs that tiny before! I'm afraid for them! :-) The leaves are kind of yellowy and tender... heat mat? Too soon to put under lights? Window sill with east exposure ok? Or is that too much light for the little guys? I really want them to make it!

Anyway... I'm going back to my beading table to finish my project!

Jodi, I don't do anything special for the babies, just try to keep their trays from flooding or overheating. I leave them outside and pretty much let them do their own thing! I have raised all my seedling up though. I used to have them completely burried, but understand, like adult bulbs, they do better planting only roots and a small bit of the tiny bulb they are forming.

Ok... I've got them planted right, too... now I just wait for new growth to let me know they're all happy!

Jodic...My seedlings seems to like to be planted with their tiny bulbs just below the soil surface. They stay in the 'mini-doughnut greenhouse' planted in the seed mix(80%)with vermiculite(20%) and a spoonful of itsy bitsy bits of charcoal from seed sowing until they are around 6 months old. At this time, for me, they are ready to be seperated. It is always a delight to see what's hidden under that soil.

Here is the batch of Supreme GardenXGilmar seedlings (6-7 months old) that I recently seperated. They just looked like grass growing in that container. But after the soil is washed away...behold the hidden treasure of pearls!

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Now they are individually planted in cell packs still with their bulbs just below the soil line.

Oh so cute!!
Maria my seedlings are much smaller than yours. I hope they grow a bit more, now that it's warming up.

Maria... how cute! They look like a tiny cocktail onion forest! That's a great picture of babies! I'd be so afraid of breaking roots if I had to separate those... how do you do it without hurting anybody?

Where do you find the vermiculite? I've looked everywhere, and all I can find is perlite and seed starter soil, which looks very much like any other soil, in my opinion...

Cindee - Give me a few more days on the jewelry making... I'm running behind schedule! We had 3 boxes of bearded Iris fans arrive, and I'm in charge of planting! We also just got a huge order for our homemade Pure Performance dog and puppy food, and we've been baking and packing non-stop! Needless to say, I've been outside working in the garden and running back and forth from cooling racks to the oven with trays of meal bars instead of at my crafting table working on my jewelry projects... I know there's no rush, but I did tell you it would only be a few days, and I don't want you to think I've forgotten! I refuse to just slap something together quick and ship it; my jewelry has to be well-made and meet my design standards before I'll let anyone wear it! Should be really soon, though... just wanted you to know. :-)

Not to worry, sweet pea. Sounds like you have your hands fuull.

Boy, do I have my hands full! But... it's a good thing! We've been slowly trying to build this dog food thing into a business, and getting orders is what we want! In fact, my husband just left to pick up more baking supplies... later tonight, we'll be baking again!

On top of the baking... a package of 200 Daylily bulbs/roots just arrived, and I have to pot them all up so they get a head start. They will be naturalized along a riding trail on the property.

After that, though, I'll have a chance to sit down and finish a few projects I've been working on.

Jodic...I do get to break some of the roots and every time it happens, it breaks my heart too. What I had learned to do before in PI when I'm seperating seedlings and rooted cuttings that are planted in a common container is to take out as much soil as possible through the faucet or hose. And then submerge the whole clump in a bucket/deep basin with water and a few drops of Superthrive. Under water, they are lighter and easier to seperate. I would then gently tease the seedlings from each other. Once I can feel that they have loosened up I start gently pulling one seedling at a time from the clump starting with the ones at the outer side.

I used to get my vermiculite from Lowe's which comes in that regular size bag (Sta-Green). Now that I use up a lot of it, I get them in big brown bags (4 cubic feet) from a greenhouse supply store. I think some Home Depot carry this big bags of vermiculite too. The HomeDepot in Valrico, FL that I went to last December had them.

I'll have to check out Home Depot and Lowe's again... and there is a garden center in the area that I haven't looked at yet. Everywhere else only has perlite, AV and seed starter mixes. I haven't seen a bag of charcoal in a long time, either... Hyponex used to have bags of everything, and they were available at most large stores. It's getting harder to find all the proper supplies!

I really have to do something about my seeds too. I love your little bulbs... I need to do something about mine now... I will go and buy some soilless medium this week to layer on top of the flower bed, then I will plant a lot of seeds... And I will be successful. It is the plan. I want to make pictures for you to make you envious as much as you did to me.

Aren't Maria's little bulbs awesome?! It's like a little bonsai bulb forest! They're so cute!

Oh no! Looks like we're going to have a baby bulb competition! So far, Maria's in the lead! Soultan will have to plant fast to catch up! I can't wait to see more pictures... of Maria's bulbs as they get older and bigger, and of soultan's garden when his seeds germinate and start to get leaves!

Before I forget... Cindee - it's taken so long for me to get this package together for you... I threw in a couple of extras! I put in a couple of plant stakes that I made, and some extra jewelry goodies! I'll be mailing tomorrow morning, if all goes well... thanks for being so patient! I'll confirm with an email as soon as I get back from the Post Office, in the morning!

I don't like to compete... I am sorry. :o) I like fun and like to win, but I don't like to compete.

Naaahhhh...There would never be anything like competition with friends (for me anyway). I am happy if my friend is happy :-). I share his glory if he succeeds. I feel his pain when he fails :-(. The main reason why we are all "sticking it out" here in the forum through amaryllis season or not is the friendship.

My hubby once asked me, "Do you have to answer back every single post in that forum?" And I answered, "Go away, I'm talking to my friends!"

Oh, I agree!!! I came here to learn more about my bulbs, but I keep coming back to see my new friends!!!

I just want soultan to hurry and plant his seeds so we can all admire the babies sooner!!!

Funny you should mention that, Maria, about your husband... just today I was typing here in the forum, and my husband came to tell me something... he saw me typing, and said, "Never mind... I'll tell you later when you're not too busy with your bulb friends." :-)

LOL, Dennis is always asking me if I am referring to a "real" friend or a "virtual" friend when I talk about my plant people. I tell him "they are ALL 'real friends', just some I have never seen their faces. He shakes his head, then I remind him of a 'virtual' friend that hired me to paint him a mural, flew me to Missouri, put me up for a week and took me fishing every day. Then he goes "Oh Yeah, I forgot that's how we met". LOL Well that is a whole 'nother story, MY FRIENDS!

I have "real" friends, too... but none of them are into the garden thing like I am... not that you all are not "real"! You're just friends I haven't met yet!

And you all are friends that I can talk about plants with, and you understand what I mean when I say words like "compost" and "cybister" and "dormancy"... my "real" friends here don't garden, or if they do, it's only to put in a few geraniums to pretty up the front of their homes. And they have no inclination to dig any deeper into gardening... no pun intended!

It's nice to have friends that have the same addictions!

I don't have friends. I work too much and I am very shy and good-for-no-social-events. I like to stay home, or if I go to somewhere, I just like to stay back. It is interesting, when I go to a party and it is full of celebrities, I just don't go to them to talk to them. I wouldn't know what to say. Especially if I have not exactly positive opinion of their works. So it is really interesting, but I seem like a guy-full-of-himself, because actually the celebrities have to come to me if they want to talk to me... People are often amazed how shy I am and on the other hand how open I can become when I write... I can literarily write a perfect screenplay or a theatre play and cannot express myself in person. I make so many mistakes that I am ashamed of it. :o) So maybe that is why I don't have friends. I am not the kind that makes any. My best friend is my dog, and I adore him as much as he adores me. People usually stick to me, and not the other way around.

I must admit, I write much more eloquently than I speak... and although I used to be shy as a youngster, I have no trouble talking to new people now that I am older. This is not to say that I want or have to meet everyone at a gathering... I'm a homebody most of the time and actually prefer to be alone, just my family around.

The problem I find I have with people is that so many of them are not at my level with regards to intelligent conversation. I'm no genius, and I'm not a snob, either... but I can't handle conversing with people who have no common sense.

I hope that came out right...

It just seems that there's a good percentage of people out there in the world that have to either lie or embellish everything they tell you about themselves, or need you to believe they know everything, or know nothing about a subject but think they do... I prefer to talk with straight shooters... people that won't lie to me just to make me happy. I like people that "tell it like it really is" and if they don't know something, they're not afraid to say so.

I'm real, and I guess I just expect others to be that way, too... unfortunately, not too many people are real... that's why I like it here... there's no reason NOT to be real!

Gosh... I hope that wasn't too big a mouthful ! LOL!

Shy. That is such a good word... Though I must admit, it might not be the right way to label me either... On one hand, I am shy as hell, and on the other hand, I step out there and bare my soul and sometimes everything... How interesting it is. I once went to a psychologist to ask her if I had attitudinizing problems. She told me that it was a stupid idea... I shouldn't listen to what others say of me. I look normal, act normal, just have a need to express myself, but I am not overt about it.
But as I see this OCD plant collection, what is it if not another need to express myself?

Exactly, soultan, you have found your own way to express yourself, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with this. You are sharing your love and admiration of Amaryllis with complete strangers in a very conversational, helpful, eloquent and friendly way. That's YOUR style. Everyone has a different way of expressing themselves. I personally have enjoyed getting to know you and sharing with you, so I hope you keep expressing yourself, my friend!

Me, I am gregarious, outgoing, I talk (too much some times) and help people without thinking twice. Different strokes for different folks. As long as YOU are comfortable in your skin, then that is ALL that matters! Dennis swears all critters know me by name and when it comes to strangers, I know NONE. That is MY way!

SAY, here's a barn dance next weekend, Soultan, wanna go? I could introduce you to Sadie Hawkins!! LOL! Love ya man!

Who is Sadie Hawkins? My ignorance is endless.
I express myself all right. I write theatre plays, novels, and movies... That is a way of expressing ourselves... That is why I said that just as shy I am, my work should indicate the opposite.

See how different we all are? And yet, we all have this wonderful need to share our love of Hippeastrums!

I have always thought that as long as I like who I am, it doesn't matter what others think about me. But I think that if I am happy about myself, it will reflect outward, and others will like me! I am who I am... what you see is what you get!

I picture Cindee as this wonderful, bubbly, happy person who loves to share of herself... she takes everything in stride, and has an incredible forgiving and huge heart. She's Mother Nature's helper!

I see soultan as a bit reserved, but very intellectual... he's more than willing to help others , but does not like to ask others for help... his quiet personality hides a very sensitive, giving and artistic person...

I see Maria as a very strong woman... she takes charge of her life, keeps her family and friends very close to heart... she's very spiritual, generous and loving, and has a deep inner beauty that shines through in everything she does.

These are just my impressions of my new friends... just my own observations...

Gardening is a great way to make friends, good friends! It takes special people to care for seeds and nurture them into adulthood and bloom...

AMEN, Jodi! I think you did us all justice!

You, well I was surprised you were a grandmother. Even more surprised you raise bulldogs. I saw you as this gentle, ever curious spirit, kinda like Maryann Faithful, if you catch my drift. In love with nature and all that surrounds you and so gentle! Creative yet shyly bold. You cherish your family and your goals.

This is fun to learn about each other! I think Maria is the same as you described! I know for sure you hit me on the head square on! LOL

Be well and happy, my friends and thanks for sharing!

Wow... Thank you, Cindee! I've always wanted to be thought of as that, but wasn't so sure I hit the mark. It's funny you mention Maryann Faithful... I'm very much into music. I love the music of the 60's, Classic Rock, Blues, Heavy Metal, and I really love the 80's hair bands! I wear pachoulli, lily-of-the-valley and rose scents, am a blonde, Aquarian, artistic... I'm comfortable in blue jeans and hippie shirts... I know how to do macrame... LOL! I compost! I like to fish, love gardening! I bead, do flower arranging, write... I'm forgetful, funny, and have a super sense of humor... I'm stepmom to 3, grandma to 2 with one on the way! Love my bulldogs! Have a jewelry fetish, I collect vintage and antique Sterling and Amethyst pieces, and also vintage Marcasite jewelry... That should complete the picture of me! I was born in the early 60's, missed the hippie culture, but I think some of it rubbed off on me... LOL!

Anyhoo... it's past my bedtime... going off to dream of large flowering bulbs!

You made my day complete, Cindee! :-)

AHA! I knew there was more...artistic Amethyst wearing Aquarius, myself! LOL Feb. 16th

Awesome! I'm the 12th! Lincoln's birthday... The only thing I wish I could do that I can't is paint and draw... I can picture in my head what I want to draw, but I can't make it come out my hand to the paper! I make fabulous bridal bouquets and other bridal things, though... and I'm a whiz at wreath making and topiary decorating...

I used to spend hours in front of HGTV and DIY! The husband hated it... he'd rather watch Jerry Springer or Boxing! LOL!

jodik,

"I see soultan as a bit reserved, but very intellectual... he's more than willing to help others , but does not like to ask others for help... his quiet personality hides a very sensitive, giving and artistic person..."
WOW. Almost perfect. Except VERY reserved. Am I so transparent, or just write too much?

No, you're not transparent... I just have excellent reading comprehension! I tend to "read between the lines" quite often, and what I wrote is just how you come through in your writing. No, you don't write too much! I thoroughly enjoy reading about everyone here! I like the fact that we all put a little bit of ourselves into our posts... it makes for interesting reading, and it's nice to know more about the people we post with than just their gardening skills!

As I said, it takes special people to grow and nurture living things, and I think this group is pretty special! :-)

So far we were quite off season, so there was not too much to talk about the flowers... The time is slowly coming for that.

Thanks Jodic! I really never thought of myself like that. Or maybe I haven't really given it a thought. :-)

We seldom think about ourselves and how others perceive us, at least, I don't think about it that often.

It seems the busy season is drawing close... the posts will become less personal and more about the Hippeastrums... what a shame it can't be about both! :-) Oh well... we have had our fun, we got to know each other and what we enjoy growing in our gardens besides Hippis... and now, it's down to business!

The magic October 10th is approaching... That is the official cut-off date for me when bulbs traditionally flood the market.

JODI!!!!!!!!! What a doll, I got your jewelry, man you are really good. I certainly did not expect 3 necklaces! And 2 pairs of earings to boot! They are lovely and beautifully crafted. I will wear them and think of you! Thank you so much.

You are so very welcome, Cindee! :-) I am really happy that you like everything! I enjoy making jewelry, and it makes me happy to share it with my friends to enjoy... just as you like sharing your plants with others so they can enjoy them!

Now... I just have to convince Maria to let me share some jewelry pieces with her and her girls! LOL! ;-)

I'm happy that you're happy, Cindee! It was a great trade! :-)

Jodik,

How can you twist Maria's arm from that distance?

LOL! You won't have a hard time twisting me...I'm just 100 lbs.

From that distance? Or you can feel these kind of vodoo practices?

LOL Soultan!

Maria, her jewelry is very very nice! Your girls would love pretty new bracelets.

Oh and I almost forgot, she made me these adorable plant stakes too with clay bobs stamped with moons, leaves, a paw print....too cool! I'll get some batteries for my camera and take some pics for ya.

All these handmade things... Clearly, she sounds like someone who is bored out of her life, so she is doing these things... (And in fact, it is the opposite.) I wish I were so full of life if I had so much problems as her... You, Jodik, are an inspiration...

Thank you for all the kind words! I've always liked making things myself, and sharing them... giving a handmade gift is much more personal than just buying something. Not that there's anything wrong with purchasing gifts... I just prefer creating them myself. And... I'm cheap (LOL), and sometimes broke! Making gifts can cost less than buying things, especially with the prices these days...

I wish I could find my wedding photos, but they're packed away right now... I made all the bouquets, boutoneers, matching jewelry for all the bridesmaids, table decorations, decorated arch, gift envelope box, reception hall decorations, guest book, decorated cake knife... and I even bought a plain pair of white heels for myself and decorated them with pieces of Victorian lace... I saved a small fortune, and it was beautiful! Everything was in white and burgundy colors!

I do all kinds of crafting... I love the creative process! I'm not that full of life, soultan... I have good days, and some bad days... I try to take advantage of the good ones, and do as much as I can... Lupus is a very painful disease, but the pain can be masked... so I get up every day, take my pills, and hope for the best... then, if I feel ok, I get busy doing whatever I can handle that day... today, I planted more things in the new bulb garden! I plan to plant more tomorrow, if everything goes well.

All of us have our crosses to bear... but just when you think life can't be worse, something good happens. Today, while I was out in the garden, 2 little hummingbirds were flitting around my Pineapple sage bush, sipping nectar and softly peeping... and they were not 2 feet from me... and they would stop in front of me and look at me... then flit away to sip more nectar... it was amazing, a true gift... makes it all worth while... :-)

That is why it is worth gardening. You can look at nature and think about yourself. It sounds pretty philosophical, but somewhere true... Sometimes I just sit out and simply just look at the green and think, shift away. It is amazing to live in a forest in the middle one of the largest metropolises of the world. I would have not pictured Los Aneles like this. Europeans often have the notion of this city similar to New York. No trees, just huge buildings. And it is the opposite. Huge city with little neighborhoods and a lot of vegetation.

There's a little gardening poem that I used to have on a plaque... I can't remember all the words, but the last part goes: "One is nearer God's heart in a garden, than anywhere else on earth." And this is so true... I do the same as you... sometimes I just walk around outside, looking at the gardens... enjoying all the green and the colors of the flowers... and the smell of fresh earth... and I think how lucky I am to be able to enjoy all this... and what a miracle it is how Mother Nature works, all the different shapes, colors, textures and scents of the plants... and how the birds and the insects all work together to pollinate and create seeds... and it takes away all my stress, and I feel calm and at peace... gardening is a true pleasure, and a real miracle. And the very best part is sharing these thoughts with others who know exactly what I mean! :-)

Jodic...I would LOVE to have some of your
jewelry...specially the girls! Their age right now is so into 'pretty things'. I am just scared that they would either lose them or destroy them. I would hate to see your lovely jewelry on Barbie. I had to lock up my jewelry in a box hidden on the very top shelf of my closet.

One time my wedding ring which I leave in my vanity table when I do gardening was missing. It was nowhere to be found. I knew it was the girls. After a couple of months, we had to do our spring cleaning and seperating of toys to be given away to Goodwill for 'other kids who do not have toys'. You know this 'sound or motion activated' toys started moving , ringing, buzzing etc. with all the fuzz going on in the kids bedroom. Furby sitting on top of Ana's headboard started talking in his Furbish language saying "Me no ay tay... Me no Ay tay" (I'm not hungry...I'm not hungry) And I thought that's strange, nobody even touched his mouth or fed him. So I went and checked him out. To my amazement, the missing ring was right in his mouth. Poor Furby... FORCED to have a wedding ring for breakfast! Ana and Em-em practically died laughing about it. Kids...

Kids will be kids! I know that well, having raised 3! Don't worry... I wouldn't feel the least bit bad if they lost or broke something I made for them... it's perfectly alright! Most of what I make for children is inexpensive, so it's no big deal... :-) Email me your address, and I'll get busy making them some "pretties" to have fun with! I'll even include a few things just Barbie's size! Perhaps Barbie and her friends would like new beaded necklaces! :-)

I'd be thrilled to make some pieces for Ana and Em-em! And for you, naturally! It makes me happy to create something personal for each person, and you have no idea how much I enjoy playing with my beads and supplies! It's another addiction, I tell ya!

"One is nearer God's heart in a garden, than anywhere else on earth."
-----------
Jodi, my Dad painted that on a weathered piece of barn board he left in the garden all summer. In the winter he'd bring his hand-made sign in the garage, sand it and re-varnish it for the next year.
Here's some of Jodi's beautiful jewelry and crafts, guys.
The pearls and jade stones are a knockout! And I love the earthy terra cotta and green stones and their square shapes for a nice touch to a casual sweater.
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I know I will be wearing this stunning chain and earings set A LOT. Amethyst is my birthstone (same as Jodi) and Look at the beautiful clasp. Georgous detail.
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Here's a couple of her fun terra cotta plant stakes making my blooming orchids stand up at attention.
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Jodi, my pictures hardly give your gems the proper show they deserve. I just cannot tell you how happy I am to have them! You are a sweetheart!!!

Cindee - You really made my jewelry and plant stakes look good! I'm smiling from ear to ear right now, and I'm sure my cheeks are rosy red from blushing!

I'm thrilled that you're so happy with everything! :-D

After I make a plethora of items for Maria and girls, I plan on trying to make some Hippi stakes with variety names on them... I'd be most pleased if you guys would be my test group to see how they work out! I'll let you all know when I've got some finished, and if you're interested, I'll see that you get some!

Thanks again, Cindee, for your wonderful compliments... and thanks again for the plants! They all look very happy in my sunny east window!!