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Way back when...in 2015, one of my first posts was this how-to make a homemade Ivy topiary. I had roughly 8 inexpensive ivy plants I had put in my floral arrangements that year, and I didn't want to kill them, so I thought what a great idea for a topiary since they had so many long trailers.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Plants and PEOPLE are confused, lol.
I dread turning on the air conditioning,
when we have only had a few days of windows open.
Our gardening is way behind, but I had to get the house plants out of my claustrophobic kitchen. Because of our all house mess this Spring, we never got the greenhouse planted, and the weather prohibited taking the fragile seedlings from the kitchen to the greenhouse.
Anyway...back to the IVY TOPIARY....
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Here it is in 2016...already almost full in the 12" original pot.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
I think this was 2020, thick and full and already on it's 16", third pot. At this point it was trailing 30" from the bottom of the pot to the ground.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
This year, it was huge, but the pot weighs nothing because the plants have eaten all the dirt...I will have to transplant it to another bigger pot and somehow do an extension? I've done this three other times, and I know the root ball will be all roots and no dirt.
For now, I gave it a huge trim, it was touching the ground when perched on the bar stool. I didn't have my blogger brain on and forgot to take photos today of before...but as you can see all the trailers are cut and on the floor, and I have two glass jars filled with healthy cuttings for rooting.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
It's now in the 16" pot...and it needs to have new dirt in it again, which I will do later when it recovers from the trauma of being chopped. I clipped anything dead or scraggly off....and it is still so full!
I'm wondering if I can somehow wire another extension on it. Anyway, it's outside now and will be happy in the corner long as I spray and drown it regularly in water.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Tools just my scissors. When making cuttings for rooting, make sure you strip all the leaves on the stems below the water line. I picked only the thick plump stems, and cut off all the woody or thin bits. I had a grocery bag of throwaways, but I think I will have enough new plants for everyone I know for Christmas.
I'm thinking Holly and Ivy...LOL.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Here you can see some of the cuttings that didn't make it...anything that didn't look happy and rich green. The smaller jar is full too.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
I will have my kitchen back...with all the plants wandering to their new locations outside, but these cutting will come inside.
I love my blue jars, this is a two quart Ball jar from upper Wisconsin. I literally got cases of them from my mom-in-law and her friends.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
It was fun to take photos outside, the rich greens and sunlight after such a long dreary Spring.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
The reason these Liatris are on the porch is to harden them off a bit before planting. Inside the house was too warm and not full light, despite our having the huge windows and a fan blowing all the time.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Broccoli was ready to go into the ground weeks ago--but snow isn't really conducive to planting. Tilling isn't done yet. Hubby has other things he has to work on---we are dealing with construction deadlines, electrical, and plumbing. The all house generator will be installed next week and this week the plumber is coming to check the wall and floor construction for the basement bathroom.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
That sprawl on the chair is Dahlia bulbs for giant Dahlias? I didn't realize the plants were Giant, I have to figure out a wind safe place to pot these???
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| oldnewgreenredo |
The Elephant Ears went bonkers---I have them leaning to the house---but they will shift around with the light...they are like---LIGHT VANES...and sway and grow toward the light.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
This is my entire collection of other flower/starts..Coleus which are really plants.
Plantings will be slim this year as I'm used to growing all my own flowers. The budget will be tight. Another project will be these back stairs that need to be replaced with synthetic planking---this area never has sunlight for 9 months of the year and it just is rotting.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
We do have peppers, more Liatris, Japanese Eggplant, Yellow and Red??? not sure, labels got jumbled in the house upset. The Peppers on the left look fab, which is great. Hopefully the Peppermint pots I hid in the compost pile will revive and we won't have to buy any of those.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Last look at my Ivy starts, inside my home's color scheme. White clouds, blue sky, green grass and wood tones for the trees.
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| oldnewgreenredo |
Eighty degrees outside today will end our
Tulips Fast...so they are just saying
and waving "Goodbye" from
Midwest Gardening's Spring.
HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW!
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All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown. Please do not use photos without linking back to this blog without my permission. Thank you for your cooperation, Sandi Magle
Sandi
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If it's any consolation, you aren't alone with that funky weather. I do love the topiary and it's a very flexible form. You remind me I need to get my zinnia seeds out!
ReplyDeleteOh, Jeanie, I have nothing started this year, will be putting seeds in as soon as I finish my transplants...already so tired, I declare I'm getting too old for all this, LOL. Hugs, Sandi
DeleteI've brought all my seedlings back indoors and lit the fire today. It's so cold and wet and not conducive to growing strong plants. It's a weird year for growing things.
ReplyDeleteOh, golly---we have finally moderated this week, but who knows what will happen next week...Hugs and have some cocoa by that fire...grins, Sandi
DeleteWow, your ivy topiary is so lush and full now. It looks so pretty! Thanks for sharing at the #HomeMattersParty.
ReplyDeleteI can't find the photo--where I put 200 seed lights on it and all the trailers in the extra bedroom ---only place it fit...I hacked it back last year too...we will see if I can add to it. Thanks for looking, Sandi
DeleteSandi, you've done a bunch of seedlings this year! I was finishing reading your whole post and wow, it's a lot to be under construction and trying to garden at the same time. Years ago now, we put in a pool at our former house in California. I had everything growing in pots and in our side yards, front yard, front patio all crammed together. Our backyard was a war zone!
ReplyDeleteI hope your home/construction is finishing up and that you are out there happily gardening! I had broccoli in this year (two plants) and surprisingly, it produced quite a bit! :) I'm growing veggies in metal troughs. Love your ivy topiary! I made one small topiary into a big one split into two large lion ceramic pots at that same house. Loved those!! Anyway, that's what I shared for you at Share Your Style #390 a week ago now.
Happy gardening and summer,
Barb :)
www.frenchethereal.net
Thanks so much for your comment, Barb. Ideally I would be up to my 'pits' in gardening, but I tore a rotator cuff, and am in hold as to what to do about that. Construction is almost finished--but moving in is an issue now, as even one armed it's a real disaster at 75. Thanks for visiting, and I hope to try and get some more posts made despite the disasters here! Hugs, Sandi
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