my basement "greenhouse"

     During the winter months,I always convert a part of the basement laundry room, into a little greenhouse. I have 2 grow lamps lowered over shelving to light my geraniums and other plants.. In the
Spring I set them outside and they develop new growth for summer. Also pictured is some English Ivy that  mom had..I save it every winter as it is not perennial and dies first frost outside. it holds over well for me inside though. It is a vigorous grower and so pretty with geraniums in plantings. I have to keep cutting it back and starting new.

    I also enjoy starting seeds for the garden.
these are new starts of brandy wine tomatoes that were sent to me by family out west. Bob is a master gardener, so when he said these were exceptionally tasty tomatoes, I knew that I  had to give them a try! Thanks  for the seeds Bob and Jill!

I was reading on Pinterest about how you can save the ends of celery stalks and plant them. They root and once growing well, you can cut off celery to use for cooking..looks like they took! Here are two plantings. You can blanch your celery by covering up the stems to prevent light reaching them. Blanching your celery will reduce some ot the bitterness and will make your stalks paler. Soil or mulch can be used for blanching and should be built up as the stalks develop from about a month before you harvest the celery. I will use cuttings for soups, if successful, that is!

This is a 4 year kumquat tree from seed of yummy kumquats, friends Bob and Kathy of Florida sent to us one year. I set it out on the porch during summer months...this year I will transplant it to a larger pot. I lost one tree last year as the squirrels tried digging up the plant Now that it's bigger and has thorns...they leave it alone.

In back is an inpatients plant I am holding over for Stephanie.