So pretty! I don't have any yellow Phal. But Dancing Ladies are almost open.

I have yellow, pale green, white, several shades of purple and an orange. I bought a small red one last week at Seasons.

I'm going to have to build something outside come spring so they are in semi-shade yet safe from the critters

critters?? bothering orchids?

hanging them in a tree would get them away from deer & bunnies, but wouldn't deter squirrels

I put orchids in hanging baskets, not planted, just set in them, and hang those in the shade, nothing has bothered them for several years that way.

Just want to tell you that food prices in restaurants have been going up. I used to go to Peking Duck Gourmet on Route 7 restaurant. I checked the prices. 1 Duck is now $79.00. And outrageously one of my favorites to go with it is the baby greens with shiitakes is now $35.00! NO way am I going to spend $35.00 for that. I can easily cook that! A friend and I went to a newly opened restaurant and the Pho that I ordered was $17.00, so with tax and tip I paid $22.00! Just for 1 dish and regular water to drink! At Eden Center in Falls Church, VA. Not going back there for sure-

Wish I have the courage to drive there myself--I would come although I do not have found many seeds to share. I still have not found my big plastic bundle of seeds. My friend M. is not available this time-I am going to ask the father of a friend, whose father works in FC and lives in Frederick HOW he drives every day----

A local independent restaurant owner here mentioned months ago how close she's cutting it on menu prices. And I realize, for them to change prices, they have to reprint all their paper menus and change their electronic menu board. An expense of its own there. We were glad to see another small location (local franchise in several states with maybe 20 locations) was almost totally full at lunch yesterday. Carabba's, too, was fuller than we'd ever seen it on Sunday here. Dining public seems bigger and bigger, but I think restaurants have to deal with costs never going back down and will have to adjust menu price. Carabba's two entrees, two drinks, well wowee, that did seem pricey. which also boosts the tip.

My crocuses are starting blooming today, after a very cold early morning with the water frozen. Then it warmed up. I weeded and took out some Bermuda grass and all kinds of other weeds forgot their names, but recognized they are weeds---until 3:00 p.m. It was really nice outside. I had a thick jacket on and it was nice. I went to Eden Center to get Tofu hua--soft tofu with separate syrup with ginger that leaks---it was so cold, and instead of opening the store at 9:00 am, they opened at 10:00 so waited 1 hour, without knowing when they are going to be open. Waited in the car. At 10:00 they opened the door with about 20 people waiting in line-. I hurried home and ate the tofu hua so nice and still hot.

I bumped up the thread for ideas on increasing participation here. Please join the discussion and share your thoughts!

I will try again inviting my neighbors for Spring swap----I'll be going to watch the total Sun Eclipse on April 8th---in Texas. Do not know yet when I'll be leaving. I'll be going with Maria who had come to the Swap at Rick's as my guest, when I left without taking my stuff, with Marilyn. Maria loves gardening but she also loves traveling-more than gardening I am afraid. Another friend: reaction: "---- so far to get plants?"

It's as much about the party as the plants! I enjoy being able to "talk plants" without somebody's eyes glazing over after the first half-minute. It's not all plant talk, of course, we're just a chatty bunch! And then there's the pot luck table...

But that reaction is why I think it's important to try encouraging people to check out the website (and our forum). Coming to a swap might (hopefully!) lead to their doing so... Chatting on some of the forum threads, though, would almost definitely lead to more interest in getting together in person. (or so I think! worked for me, anyway)

Not a yard question. What is this white stuff on these leaves? I feel like I should know the answer already. What should we do to get rid of it?

Mealybugs!
On pothos I wipe with alcohol water spray. Or spray liberally.

It's been surprising to me how many plants will tolerate spraying with alcohol. Any leaf with a shiny or "waxy" finish (citrus, pothos) or anything succulent-ish even seems able to withstand full 70% OTC strength, and most plants will handle a 1:1 dilution of that with water. ALWAYS TEST on just a couple of leaves/stems first! A squirt of dish soap (Dawn) can only help, too. If it's just a few mealies, you can touch each one with a q-tip dipped in 70% rubbing alcohol -- but be sure to go back every few days and hunt for more, in order to break the life cycle.

If that's not mealy bugs in the photo, it's at least sticky looking residue on the plants, aka "honeydew" that drips from foliage infested with aphids, scale, or (again) mealybugs.

Yup...my hoyas in my office get 'misted' on the regular!!

I got a nice load of hellebores yesterday at Black Creek. They are now at $14.99 with a few selections at $19.99 - not like the $10.99 price when I first started going there years ago, but not much inflation compared to everywhere else, and certainly not the $40-$45 price tag I saw for hellebores at Merrifield the other day!

I'll be planting them out and about in my gardens when the rain stops - looks like it is going to be a few more days. In the meantime, they will get a good soak in their nursery pots. I'll be using my power planter auger - see how it does digging holes for perennials vs smaller holes for bulbs.

I'm hoping this rain makes it easier for me to clean up the dead plants from last fall. I have some major cleaning up to do.

me too. I left virtually everything, as they say it shelters insects. But when we see 50s, I think insects are coming out and it is ok for me to take down standing dead stems.
also rain is great for the leaf compost.

The rain will make it less annoying to go for my PT appointments this week... I thought I was all done in December, but I stepped on a tiny but significant bit of black ice 2 weeks ago, twisting knee, ankle, and everything in between. Nothing too bad, and I'm healing OK, but the new knee doesn't seem quite right, and I need some help to get it bendy again.

Now I"m going to to head to the basement and set up my new LED lights for seedligns!

Ohhh Jill!!

Yeah, I know, just as I was starting to really go go go! Surgeon doesn't seem concerned that I knocked anything askew (I didn't land on my knee but rather upon my well padded tail), as he didn't order an x-ray before faxing the PT order.

No worries, come spring the dirt will be flying! I'm so excited about being able to DIG again