Valentine’s day is over now, and the chocolates are eaten and the flowers are
faded. But thank heavens for this holiday, which falls at a time of year when
many folks are feeling, well, just BLAH!
But didn’t those roses feel good! There’s nothing quite like flowers indoors in
the wintertime. It may, in part, explain the popularity of African violets.
Treated right, a healthy African violet can have flowers anytime, and if there
are several plants, you could have flowers almost constantly. Amaryllis are
good, reliable flower-producers too. The one I received for Christmas is just
starting to bloom now. The blooms won’t last that long, and they only come once
a year, but they sure are nicely timed. I also have a few orchids that are good
about blooming in the wintertime. My orchids don’t put on blooms very often, but
a couple of them just seem to know when the weather (and my mood) are at their
worst. The blooms of even the most ordinary orchids are really beautiful and
exotic-looking, and some of them last a very long time.
If you don’t have the time or the desire to grow your own winter-flowering
plants, consider buying your flowers. Cut flowers or flowering plants aren’t
just for holidays. They can really brighten up the house any time. Try to choose
a warmer day to make your purchase, clear off that cluttered kitchen table and
put a pretty vase or pot of flowers right in the middle. There’s nothing quite
like flowers for elevating your mood! I think they’re really special. And well
worth the, usually moderate, expense.
To read the rest of this story please go to:
Penn State Master Gardeners