Grant-- love the Rain Lily! I have a generic white one, and it finally bloomed August and continued through October. I never looked to see if they came in different colors-- cool!

I have all my edibles-- lettuce, bok choy, swiss chard in the ground and tomato seedlings in the house. I am wondering if my outside seeds are OK. My 1 and 5 gallon plumeria are in the "hot" room-- one wants to bloom-- and my 15 gallon are still outside.

Trying to limit myself this year because I picked up a new hobby (scrapbooking) and I have an infant.

Dale

Hi Dale and all,

Thanks for the reply. Congratulations on the baby, and the new hobby. I'm really impressed with the fancy things people do with scrapbooking these days. Amazing stuff.

Your outdoor plants sound great. I love leafy things like chard and kale in winter. I've even plopped an ornamental purple cabbage in my garden, though it looks totally out of place, LOL. Continued success with your tomato seedlings too--what type are you growing?

I love rain lilies too--they are so great in this climate, and some really are good stand-ins for tufts of ornamental grass. The white ones seem to be the best bloomers, but there are pink ones very easily available locally that bloom a LOT, plus more and more fancy hybrids too, though the pink and whites are the standbys.

Thanks again and keep us posted,
Grant

Grant,
I am keeping it simple with the tomatoes this year. Last year I bought an assortment of heirloom seeds off eBay and lost track of who was who, so I had delicious tomatoes but no idea what I was eating. This year for seeds I am trying aunt ruby german green, cherokee purple, and a variety of cherries. I am pushing Summer Winds here in Mesa to get in the new batch of heirlooms early, and will check the Phoenix farmer's market. I found someone who will give me 15 gallon plant containers, so I will be growing in compost/ steer manure mixtures and in the ground.

Grant, were you the one who posted pictures months ago of tomato plants in compost bins? Not sure if it was someone else. I tried it, and that plant is still thriving even though I never cover it and never water it!

Can't wait for Feb 15th-- will put everybody outside and watch the weather (just in case of a freak frost.)

Dale

Placed an order not too long ago for some of these seeds this year, here's just a few from the list that I'm especially eager to grow :)

Mirabilis multiflora
Mimulus cardinalis
Agastache nepetoides
Allium giganteum
Alyssum argenteum
Alyssum repens
Aster amellus
Crocosmia masoniorum
Dianthus gratianapolitanus
Phlomis cashmeriana
Talinum calycinum
Tithonia rotundifolia

Fun! Both of you have some really nice plants and purchases going. Keep us posted on how they all do. We love updates!

I ordered some of that dark-leaf ornamental rice from Park seed just for fun, to grow in a container on my patio. We'll see how it does. I've got lots of coleus babies started too, plus aloes, stapeliads, cleistocactus and more. This is a fun time of year isn't it? I'm glad I can keep things like petunias outside already, even as small seedlings, so that I've got more room on my windowsills.

Keep the updates coming,
Grant

Here is a link that might be useful: Ornamental rice from Park Seeds.

Well, Grant, here is my update-- a week ago I left my tomato seedlings outside overnight. Ouch-- I have one survivor. But the pepper seedlings seem to have survived! I am going to Maya's Farm at South Mountain for the Heirloom tomato sale this morning, and if they are too expensive, I will buy from a nice man who sells at the PHX downtown farmer's market.
I think my plumeria are going outside this weekend. One is days from blooming.
Starting some sweet pea seeds too, and broccoli rappini, not sure if I missed the boat on that too.
dale

Hi Grant! Love your new rain lily. I only have white, pink and yellow ones. Let us know how it does for you.
Funny thing about the white one. I bought a gallon pot of them at a flea market. The lady said it was multiplying onions. Later when they bloomed, I knew it didn't look anything like any onion bloom I've seen. This was a LONG time ago tho. I *think* I would know better now. Harold

Fun updates, keep them coming. I left my plumerias outside this year (some in pots and a couple in the ground). I figure it's thrive or die time, LOL. Harold, that's funny about your rain lilies being mis-labeled as onions--I can see how that would happen since their foliage is so similar.

I've placed a few other small orders from Annie's Annuals too and most of those have already arrived. I'm especially excited about the furry-flowered Aloe tomentosa, but am also trying a lot of other fun things. I also placed a smallish order with Select Seeds too--some for seeds and some for plants. I can't wait.

Keep the updates coming!
Grant