Hi guys!!!!!
How’s everyone doing? I actually want to know, so you can leave a comment. I want the real stuff too, not just the regular I’m fine answer that we’re so used to giving.
So, today’s post is about how I got my garden ready for spring this year. If you know me, then you know I’m crazy about flowers. If you don’t, well now you do. It’s not so much plants for me, as it is flowers, and that’s why my favorite season of the year is Springtime. It’s cold, but not too cold, rainy, and it also has one of my favorite things in the world - flowers.
I live in Arnavutköy, Istanbul and so I stopped by one of local gardener’s around me on my way home from working one of my jobs, and picked up all the flowers I wanted for this year’s Spring/Summer season.
My local gardener doesn’t speak English, but we communicate in the little Turkish I know, and it’s enough to get the job done. He’s right opposite the Arnavutköy Devlet Hastanesi, (Arnavutköy State Hospital) at the entrance of the city.
So as a newbie gardener, I must confess that I didn’t know the names of most the plants I picked out, except the roses, until I downloaded the Picture This app today. I just picked the ones I thought were pretty and colorful. I also only just learned the proper care for them. For full disclosure one of them died already, because of the wind. Sad I know.
I also picked up soil, and then transplanted into the planters I had at home. There’s a video of me transplanting on my YouTube channel, so you can check that out, before the vlog for this post goes out on Thursday, next week.
I picked up two Flaming Katy plants in red, and yellow, and they’re the prettiest things. They’re also called Kalanchoe, and these ones actually came with care instructions and a bag with the name on it. They were imported from Denmark. Kalanchoe’s don’t require a lot of water, in fact it is recommended that you allow the soil dry in between watering, as it is a succulent, but they require full sun.
I also picked up a few tenweeks stock plants, in purple and lilac. These ones have so far given me the most trouble, because I’m not sure if they’re still flowering and if I’m doing something wrong with them. They require full sun, and watering every 2-3 days, and should be done until soil is saturated with water and draining out, so I’ll be applying that method and seeing if there are any changes.
I picked up a few purpletop vervain plants as well. I find the name curious, because mine are red. So far they’re looking good and healthy, their leaves are green, and there are new blooms, although some of the old blooms are turning white and dying off. The purple top vervain requires regular water, (every 5-7 days) but you shouldn’t allow the water accumulate.
I also picked up a large white petunia, with white and purple flowers. I’ve had this plant before, but I planted it with a bunch of other plants in a large planter, and I think it caused it to not do as well. This time it’s flourishing in it’s own planter and is one of my favorite plants right now. It requires full sunlight, and regular watering, (2-3 days) but you shouldn’t let the water accumulate.
I picked up 2 Alpen Rose plants and I love them. Their flowers are currently drying out, but most of the leaves are green, some of them are brown at the edges, and so I think they’re healthy and hope that they’ll flower again. They require partial sun, and even though I’ve had them in the shade, I’m going to move them inside my house, to see if they’ll do better just in case it’s the sun that’s drying the flowers out. They require regular watering, (7-10 days) and as with the petunias, you shouldn’t let the water accumulate.
I picked up a Red Azelea as well, and this too is a favorite. It’s just so gorgeous with loads and loads of blooms that make me happy. These also require watering each week, and need partial sun/partial shade.
Last but not least, I picked up two roses. They’re so beautiful. There’s a light pink one, and one with deeper pink petals mixed with yellow. I have no idea how that was achieved, but when I saw it I knew I wanted it. It’s so unique and beautiful.
That concludes my garden tales for today. Follow me on Instagram for regular updates on my plants as I post them on my stories from time to time.
Thank you for reading. Please let me know what plants you have, and how you care for them. Also feel free to ask me any gardening questions you may have. I’m more than happy to answer them.
Love, Yoma.
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