Edited to add: All this plant talk has made me crazy. I'm going to Lowe's.

Sandi, you started it... poke poke....

I managed to get a 4" purple petunia for the day when we stopped at H.E.B. I saw all the flower racks outside and told hubby I was going to look for herbs. Well, no bronze fennel( I knew there would not be) so must get at least something right? He smiled and patted me on the back as I was grinning holding my little pot as we walked inside for our needed purchase. He knows the drill by now. Hopefully this will help a little with the petunia fever I have. Never had this type of garden variety bug before. Hopefully it will pass soon and this 4" pot will do. I don't know. Maybe this fever is fatal? I might should get some more later just in case

I only stayed home because the Lowes I wanted to go to is out in Bee Cave ("One foot in the grave, I drive Bee Cave.). Too much rain and slippery curves. I played in the GH a bit. Did you hear the weather will be in the 70s after tomorrow?!

We might get into the 70's here either Wednesday or Thursday! We endured 3 lows last week in the 20's, so that'll feel really good!

I bought some paperwhite bulbs at the last garden club mtg. They were huge, but had already began to sprout. I secured them in a bowl with water and some colored pebbles. They reminded me of claws! Yesterday, I decided to give them a shot of gin! I think it's supposed to keep them shorter. This evening they are starting to straighten a bit. They also look like they're about to bloom. Hope it wasn't a waste of good gin.

The gin was to keep them shorter huh? Gin tastes nasty and the plants must agree. I will remember that excuse when the bottle gets a little low. I guess better gin on the plants than whiskey. That would be a waste

IDK? It appears that the Paper Whites like gin about as much as I do!

They get pretty floppy without some kind of support, like tying the shoots together. We had a speaker who told us about using gin in the water. I wasn't sure how much to use. I probably used a couple of Tbsp. to a couple of cups of water. It was an afterthought since they looked so crooked and sad. Seems to be working. It has been so gloomy outside, I left them under the lights in the dining room for a few hours.

Weather was supposed to be Mostly Sunny today, but no sun so far, no 60's yet either. Quelle surprise! Forecaster wrong again!

We *might* get sun on Friday. It's gloomy but the temperatures are up. Out go the citrus trees!

I'm on the way out to open up the hoops. It's predicted to be cloudy tomorrow and Thursday. Sunny, Friday thru Sunday! I'll take cloudy, as long as we don't have cold rain for awhile.

Okay, I took the photo of the paperwhites, in a post above, last night a little after 8PM. Tonight I took a photo of them around 7PM. They have been in the kitchen, no bright light, but they straightened, stayed short, and nearly all are about to bloom. Could it be the gin I gave them?

Apparently gin affects paperwhites differently than it does people.

Good observation, Pork!

Gin comes from the Juniperberry.

Actually, the juniper berry won't produce gin. Gin is actually similar to many types of alcoholic beverages, and is distilled from grain. Lots of botanicals can be added to gin (lemon for example), but regardless, the juniper berry must always be the predominant botanical for the spirit to be labeled "gin". Did you know that London Gin simple means that the sugar content is limited and Dry Gin means the same thing?

Okay, you two are making me thirsty. Actually, most Texas would agree that gin comes from Spec's!

What is "Spec's"?

Went to Lowes again.