Comments on: Robin’s Fabulous Flower Show Finds

By: Linda Belcher

Linda Belcher — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:50:51 +0000

Love your website Robin. I have a contact that is to send me some Trailers this fall. I have 5 new violets rooting now.

By: mammyt

mammyt — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 09:16:49 +0000

these discoveries are always so valuable. can’t tell you how much they’ve come in handy. thanks.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:45:10 +0000

I especially liked the clay pots. They were not only unusal looking but seemed to have some height to them which I like. Their vertical orientation would be a nice contrast to most horizontally orientated clay pots.

By: Lisa at Greenbow

Lisa at Greenbow — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:44:21 +0000

Nice finds. It looks as though you hit the jackpot finding those clay pots. They are gorgeous. I like clay pots too. CAn you leave these outside during winter or do you have to store them? I have run out of storage space so I have been buying the glazed pottery that you don’t have to store. They look nice sitting in the garden during winter to add a little color to the gray landscape.

By: RuthieJ

RuthieJ — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:14:57 +0000

Good stuff in this post, Robin! Do those Atlas gloves come in purple?
I love your African violets! I didn’t know there are varieties with variegated leaves. I don’t have a place for them in my house, so you’ll have to post pics occasionally so I can enjoy yours!

There were several colors of the gloves that I saw. I don’t recall about the purple though!

Robin at Bumblebee

By: Brenda Kula

Brenda Kula — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 16:03:55 +0000

I too enjoy digging my hands down in the dirt. I don’t like it underneath my fingernails, but there is always soap and time cures a lot of things! Terra cotta is a favorite of mine also. It is hard to find interesting pots, though. And if you do, they want the moon!
Brenda

By: Mr. McGregor's Daughter

Mr. McGregor's Daughter — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 21:35:14 +0000

I love Atlas gloves! I usually buy a couple of pairs at a time as I always wear them out so quickly. I’ve found them at nurseries, but never at big box stores.

By: Meems

Meems — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:53:55 +0000

Robin, Thanks for sharing all your finds with us. I give you an “A” for your Ikebana display- the snap dragon and the iris looking quite perfect paired together.

I’m a bit of a glove junky and always looking for new ones to try. I have some that I love from Smith and Hawkin but they are a bit pricey and never last as long as I wish. Your punch list is exactly the same as mine for requirements and the price works for the atlas. It’s a good thing you gave the sizing tip- I have large hands too– Oh that I was 5′ 10 to go with them. Big Sigh.
meems @ HoeandShovel

By: Kathy (New York)

Kathy (New York) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:39:43 +0000

Where do you get those Atlas gloves? Have you seen them in a big box store or Target, or can you name some mailorder sources?

I’m encouraged that Jodi found these gloves at her local garden center. I haven’t seen them there or anywhere else, but I also haven’t been glove shopping. A quick search of the big box hardware stores and Target came up zero. I did find them at: http://www.gardenbasket.com/atlas_garden_grip_gloves_1.html. I don’t know anything about this vendor though.

Has anyone else seen them? I might need some more too!

Robin at Bumblebee

By: Kate

Kate — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 15:07:20 +0000

Profuse thanks for sharing all your wonderful finds with us. I think your Ikebana arrangement is lovely.

Why do you feel that your plants do better in a clay pot, I wonder? I’d just like to know is all. I use clay and (shh . . . plastic) and my clay always dries out. Do you have any tips?

Oh, and love the tip about the gloves and the sizing for them. Excellent!

The clay allows the roots to “breathe.” This, and the aesthetics, is the reason I don’t usually like plastic pots.

Yes, plants in clay pots do dry out faster, particularly when they are outdoors. It’s important to soak a clay pot in water before using it so that the clay doesn’t keep drawing the moisture from the soil. Some people say to just “dip it” in water. I prefer to soak mine overnight or until I no longer see air bubbles formed on the sides of the pot. Some high-fired clay pots may not give off many bubbles. But the inexpensive pots most of us find at the local garden center really need to have this treatment. If you find that your clay potted plants are soaking up water, just immerse the whole plant–pot and all–in a bucket of tepid water for about five minutes. Make sure it drains really well.

Robin at Bumblebee