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April 5, 2009 · 6 Comments

Snow Blooms

Climate

squill emerging in snow

You can’t keep a spring bloom down for long.

I went outside to take photos of this morning’s short-lived snow fall and what to my wandering eyes should appear but blooms! The squill (Scilla siberica) in my front yard has started blooming. There are not many blooms yet — and they looked a little chilly this morning, but I’m not complaining. My neighbor’s crocus are also in bloom. So, perhaps spring is creeping up on us  even though temperatures are predicted to be well below normal this week.

Related posts:

  1. Fall Bloomers: A Sign of Zone Creep? Maybe it’s the heavy rains we have had this fall...
  2. A Quick Way to Plant Bulbs It’s not too late to plant bulbs for spring blooming....
« An Early Spring?
When the Question is Soil, the Answer is Compost »

Comments

  1. buzzybeegirl says

    April 5, 2009 at 8:00 pm

    I am just amazed that snow is still falling. Here in Tucson everything seems to be blooming about 2-3 weeks early. I look forward to your spring photographs =-)

  2. mynortherngarden says

    April 6, 2009 at 6:14 am

    The interesting thing is: This is two to three weeks early! (Earlier than last year, at least.) We’ve had what felt like a brutal winter, but apparently the plants think otherwise.

  3. Coleen says

    April 6, 2009 at 8:06 am

    When I walked through the garden yesterday, I was amazed to see that my daffodils are budded. My scilla is not quite open yet, but I have hope!

Trackbacks

  1. Another Bulb in Bloom « My Northern Garden says:
    April 16, 2009 at 7:12 am

    […] couple of days ago because — as has happened before — I forgot I planted them. Like the squill that are also blooming, the plants are small (the iris flowers are disproportionately large) and you […]

  2. First Blooms | My Northern Garden says:
    April 4, 2011 at 12:16 pm

    […] also detected the foliage, but no blooms yet, for the squill that is often one of the first signs of spring in my yard. It usually blooms about the first week […]

  3. First Blooms says:
    October 5, 2018 at 5:18 pm

    […] also detected the foliage, but no blooms yet, for the squill that is often one of the first signs of spring in my yard. It usually blooms about the first week […]

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New plants. Gear. New zones (yikes!) The trends th New plants. Gear. New zones (yikes!) The trends that are driving what you’ll see at nurseries in 2024 is my topic next Tuesday, Dec. 5, in a webinar hosted by my friends at @mnhort.

It’s free for hort members, and only $5 for nonmembers. Sign up at northerngardener.org! 
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What’s your new plant zone? Be sure to check you What’s your new plant zone? Be sure to check your zip code over at planthardiness.ars.usda.gov because there are some portions of the Twin Cities and a whole lot of Minnesota that is still in zone 4 or zone 3. I have more on my blog. Find the link in bio or stories. 
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#hardinesszones #zone5a #zone4b #zone5 #zone5 #mngardening
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As to which is which, it’s in the leaves. The Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera bridgesii) has a rounded tip on its leaves. The Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncata) has a pointed tip. The Thanksgiving cactus blooms sooner though I have had mine bloom in November, December and April! 

They are not desert plants but are native to the rainforests of Brazil. Water them when the potting mix is dry to the touch. Fertilize monthly from April to October for best growth and bloom, and let them get slightly pot-bound before even thinking about re-potting.

#Christmascactus #thanksgivingcactus #Schlumbergera #holidayplants #indoorplants #mynortherngarden
Most flowering plants sold in grocery stores and f Most flowering plants sold in grocery stores and florists are like bouquets. They’re beautiful but fade. But some of them can be kept growing in the garden. 

I believe this was a daisy mum (Chrysanthemum x morifolium) which is USDA Zone 5 hardy. It probably would not come back next year in zone 4, but it sure thrived in a container. Plants are forced into bloom to be sold as gifts — and I think this one was even dyed to give the bloom that more pure purple color it has in the before image. But, I love the magenta color of the second flush of blooms.

To get this to rebloom, I removed it from its original pot, cut off the blooms and put it in a larger container on my deck with fresh soil and occasional fertilizer. (A salvia grew in the same pot.) It didn’t start setting buds until October, so I knew it was touch and go on whether it would bloom before frost. I ended up putting the pot in the sunroom so it can finish its bloom and we can enjoy those amazing magenta flowers. 

What’s next? I may take a cutting of the plant to see if it will bloom again next year!
Are you a bonsai person? They’re not easy but I Are you a bonsai person? They’re not easy but I picked up a few tips from the bonsai curator at @longwoodgardens this fall. Link to blog post in bio and stories. #bonsai #gardentips #indoorgarden #mngardener
Why grow mint in a pot? To prevent it from taking Why grow mint in a pot? To prevent it from taking over your garden! Check out the roots one plant produced in one dry season in USDA Zone 4. If this had been in the ground, it would be mint everywhere. #mint #howtogrow #herbgarden #containergardening #mngardening
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Too many blooms weighing down your hydrangea? Clip Too many blooms weighing down your hydrangea? Clip a few off for dried arrangements. I follow the method from Laura of @GardenAnswer. Cut the branches at an angle between two nodes and put them in a vase with just 2 inches of water. That’s it! Don’t add more water. Just let them dry in the vase. You can leave them there for winter decor or use them in fall and winter decorating projects. Easy! 

#gardendecor #falldecorating #hydrangeas #FirstEditionsVanillaStrawberryHydrangea #driedflowers #easyproject
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