Extending Summer—Propagating Summer Plants

Goodbye, August…you were lovely this year, and I really, really didn’t want you to go. But September came rolling by with no regard for my wishes, knowing that I’ll eventually fall in love with her too. It will take a while; I hope she’s patient with me.

We have an old, chippy green shutter in our screened porch that’s been a perfect corner backdrop for potted plants. I have no memory of having bought it; it’s as though it’s been with us forever, and I’ve always loved it and have been glad we brought it home whenever it was that we did.  It has served us well~~

~~but for several years now I’ve wanted to add some plants to the upper part of the shutter itself…thinking…thinking…thinking… Small pots? Probably too heavy (and leaky). Those metal pots with the hook built into them? Maybe…but not quite clicking with me…thinking…thinking…Pinterest-ing…thinking, while at the same time bemoaning the waning days of summer. Eureka! A picture on Pinterest of a Ball jar used by a teacher to store chalk! (http://thecreatedhome.blogspot.com/2011/08/homeschool-classroom-makeover.html)

Picture a big, bright light bulb right over my  head—BIG AND BRIGHT. I have been positively enthralled with our geraniums this year (you can see close-ups of them HERE), and our coleuses have gone wild. Strong, and tall, and healthy. (I love coleuses because my grandmother loved them—they always remind me of her.) I had started to root some of the coleus, just because, and my thinking paid off! Hang Ball mason jars from the shutter and root them there! Voila—a way to root them AND add color and texture and interest to the upper part of the shutter!

I wrapped twine around the ridges of the jars, starting with a loop from which to hang them, added water, added cuttings, and I was pleased.

If you look real hard you can see the loop on each jar, hung with a S hook to the wire that just so happened to be in the perfect place (I wonder why it’s there?! It’s rusted and beautiful, so it’s been there a long, long time).

And now, be forewarned…the light and shadow play and reflections were just perfect on the days that I photographed them, so LOTS AND LOTS of pictures, to share how much I enjoyed taking these pictures.

And this is Miss Calliope Dark Red…I hope to winterize the plant too, but rooting cuttings are a bit of a back-up plan. I’ve heard of just taking the plants to the basement and not watering them much, but haven’t researched it much, so any tips would be very, very welcome!

This one has no tag, so I named it `Brushstrokes,’ because if you looked at it in my Porch in the Rain post linked above, you’ll know why. Each petal looks like it has a brushstroke of white on it. B.E.A.U.T.I.F.U.L.

Can you tell how happy I am with my “rooting jars”?

TWO perfect solutions in one!

So are you ready for fall, or are you extending summer as much as you can? And have you been successful in overwintering plants in cold climates (Ohio, in my case). Call to all gardeners out there: Your advice is needed!

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From my nest to yours~

Zuni