Unbloom-day - and Greenhouse Bliss

I was going to take bloomday shots and didn't - such a rainy foggy day it was. Also I forgot.

For the records, we still have yellow Encelia Californica blooming merrily and the non-native cape honeysuckle is feeding the hummingbirds with plenty of orange blossoms. But there isn't much else. A few sprigs of rosemary, that's it.

In another non-photo-op item, I'm happy to report that last night after a work-at-home day, I went out to the greenhouse in the pouring rain and potted on seedlings. It was heavenly.

I'm desperate to get the seedlings I blogged about recently into roomier quarters (2 inch pots - not so roomy, but still) before I leave for a week in the UK visiting family.

So I potted on most of a flat of Madia elegans, common madia, each holding up two long pale-green leaves like arms begging me to move them. And more Heuchera micrantha, and Rubus parviflorus, thimbleberry.

But when I lifted the mats of seep monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus, to see what could be done - they came away like wads of moss: all leaf and no root! I have so many so closely packed, I'm not sure what to do. So I tried various things with a section I scooped up: some one to a pot, some in clumps of up to six, and some in square inch clusters - maybe 20 plants!! And the rest I may leave till the roots get a bit deeper, if they do. Before I leave I'll post pictures, in the interest of documenting the different stages of growth.

Yes, it was such a delight to be out there all snug, happily pricking out the seedlings, with the rain pattering on the roof. The fluorescent workshop light Wood Rat installed is excellent, and so was the beer he brought out for us to share when he got home from work. I finished up some healthy looking heuchera babies while we chatted about our respective days.

Mine was a very good day indeed.

Comments

Gail said…
Unbloom day sounds like a good day! I can't think of a cozier way to spend a rainy day then in a warm greenhouse! Top that off with a good conversation and that is a good day! gail
Dear Country Mouse, I loved this post. I felt I was in the greenhouse with you completing a favorite task. Sounded like a perfect un-bloom day to me. Pam x
Anonymous said…
It's always such a mystery to me, how I'm supposed to guess from a plant's top growth when its roots are ready to be moved from their pot. It's reassuring to see that you encounter such problems too!
I STiLL don't have a greenhouse. I aspire to greenhousedom someday in the future. Your day sounds ideal. and a lot warmer than ours was. . .