Sadly, it is nearly that time of year again up here in Minnesota, and preparations need to move into high gear to ensure another plentiful (and delicious) winter for the ever-hungry Odin.
Last years thread:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/gmas-indoor-winter-gardening-and-sulcata-brag-thread.112815/
Of course the indoor gardening never really stopped, much of it moved onto the deck, but as the nights get cooler the plants need to start moving in to get acclimated. and right now the indoor and outdoor temps are pretty similar. Last year I waited until later in the year, right around first frost, and I think the shock was too much for some of them. They all survived, but they had a rough month or two, so this year I am starting earlier. Also, we will still be able to take him outside for at least another month, maybe more, so, if the plants don't do well with the move, hopefully they will start bouncing back before we are relying on them full time *fingers crossed*
I dug up a small mallow I intend to bring in, and moved some established weeds into his garden trays, and while I mucked around in the garden and on the deck, Odin happily munched and dug
I brought in the massive amount of opuntia because we have a big storm moving in and a lot of rain projected for the coming days. We have had a lot of rain the last month and I lost several of them to rot during the wet conditions, but I saved most of the smaller pad growth and replanted them.
The aloe vera has been thrilled to have NOT been munched all summer and has reproduced like crazy!
Odin adores it, but because of the bounty outside we rarely gave him any all summer.
The new types of aloe I bought in the spring are doing so well that 2 of the 4 are flowering! And it has been nearly long enough to allow munching. He has yet to try any of them yet (bought from a gardening center) so I am curious to see if he enjoys them as much as the aloe vera
The darn agave is still miniscule, but still growing. At this rate I don't see him tasting any of that until next winter at least. Heck, maybe not until next decade!
And, yes, there is ANOTHER smaller pot of opuntia and even more aloe vera (don't judge!) along with a pot of sempervivum (hens and chicks, house leeks)
The hardy Macrohiza cactus that I started from seed is adorable, but just too small to put outside for the winter. I have more seed that I can't decide if I should direct sow outside, or sprout inside. Hmm....
More aloe vera and african violets, another thing he hasn't had all summer.
And MORE african violet.
And, of course, a few more types of opuntia. These were purchased from a garden center months ago also, so they are not yet nom-able, but soon!
And, as usual, all of my hard work made Odin very sleepy
Rough life this one has...
I still have the 2 hibiscus that will need to come in (one big and one small), along with his garden trays. The small mulberry bushes I will bring in for a while and then winter in the garage for a time, but I don't know that I will dig up and bring in anything else. I still have seed for everything that is growing in the playpen so I think I will just continue to seed his trays as needed. We shall see!
I am also looking into grow lights for some of the sun loving plants. In addition, my son is putting together plans for a much larger indoor enclosure that we will be beginning soon. So exciting!
Last years thread:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/gmas-indoor-winter-gardening-and-sulcata-brag-thread.112815/
Of course the indoor gardening never really stopped, much of it moved onto the deck, but as the nights get cooler the plants need to start moving in to get acclimated. and right now the indoor and outdoor temps are pretty similar. Last year I waited until later in the year, right around first frost, and I think the shock was too much for some of them. They all survived, but they had a rough month or two, so this year I am starting earlier. Also, we will still be able to take him outside for at least another month, maybe more, so, if the plants don't do well with the move, hopefully they will start bouncing back before we are relying on them full time *fingers crossed*
I dug up a small mallow I intend to bring in, and moved some established weeds into his garden trays, and while I mucked around in the garden and on the deck, Odin happily munched and dug
I brought in the massive amount of opuntia because we have a big storm moving in and a lot of rain projected for the coming days. We have had a lot of rain the last month and I lost several of them to rot during the wet conditions, but I saved most of the smaller pad growth and replanted them.
The aloe vera has been thrilled to have NOT been munched all summer and has reproduced like crazy!
Odin adores it, but because of the bounty outside we rarely gave him any all summer.
The new types of aloe I bought in the spring are doing so well that 2 of the 4 are flowering! And it has been nearly long enough to allow munching. He has yet to try any of them yet (bought from a gardening center) so I am curious to see if he enjoys them as much as the aloe vera
The darn agave is still miniscule, but still growing. At this rate I don't see him tasting any of that until next winter at least. Heck, maybe not until next decade!
And, yes, there is ANOTHER smaller pot of opuntia and even more aloe vera (don't judge!) along with a pot of sempervivum (hens and chicks, house leeks)
The hardy Macrohiza cactus that I started from seed is adorable, but just too small to put outside for the winter. I have more seed that I can't decide if I should direct sow outside, or sprout inside. Hmm....
More aloe vera and african violets, another thing he hasn't had all summer.
And MORE african violet.
And, of course, a few more types of opuntia. These were purchased from a garden center months ago also, so they are not yet nom-able, but soon!
And, as usual, all of my hard work made Odin very sleepy
Rough life this one has...
I still have the 2 hibiscus that will need to come in (one big and one small), along with his garden trays. The small mulberry bushes I will bring in for a while and then winter in the garage for a time, but I don't know that I will dig up and bring in anything else. I still have seed for everything that is growing in the playpen so I think I will just continue to seed his trays as needed. We shall see!
I am also looking into grow lights for some of the sun loving plants. In addition, my son is putting together plans for a much larger indoor enclosure that we will be beginning soon. So exciting!