I've trimmed back and brought the two big potted
Heaven White begonias that have been sitting on my outside kitchen window bottom since spring. They are to spend their second winter inside my home along with a few cuttings that I took in spring. Only three cuttings took and the plants are still small but that is no matter because, small as they are, they are very healthy and flowering well. They give so much pleasure, flowering as they do all winter and all summer long with their bright green leaves all shiny and fresh looking. I don't know where they get their energy and I feel quite exhausted for them. I'm hoping no living critters come crawling out of them though. I've give them a good inspection and a shake but you never know. I won't be pleased to find earwigs and spiders in my home. Lately, my beloved Ragdoll cat, Alfie, has been killing tarantula-like things that are appearing in my rooms from somewhere. It's the not knowing where the 'somewhere' is that worries me most! While I would never kill a spider outdoors, if they come inside it's survival of the biggest and, so far, they have been smaller than me and Alfie.
 |
| 'Heaven White' Semperfloren begonias planted in a border, 2012 |
If you want indoor flowers all winter, I'd try these. I water them as and when needed and the grow in the coolest room on an east facing breakfast bar. Receiving not much good light, they tend to get a little leggy during winter but I just trim them back a little. It doesn't stop them flowering and in spring they can be trimmed into shape and taken outside where they will soon grow bushy yet again.
I've so many jobs to do it is quite daunting and I cannot cope with doing too much all at once. I've brought in the
swing cushions to air out before I bag them up and put them back into the shed. If I didn't they would get damp and mouldy over winter.
I want a nice dry day now so that I can clean and treat my marble table and cover it to protect it against frost. I hope that day comes soon.
