Today I have had my first bit of snow! Got some snaps for the 'photo hungry mob'

calcareum f/Guillaumes




Bronze Pastel


Pacific Purple Shadows

Very pretty!

Yes, we are 'photo hungry', and what a great feast you brought us.
Wonderful photos Pia. Will you be getting more snow?

Chris, what are your snow levels like now?

I woke up this morning to finding all the frost gone, it was here for several days non-stop. Kinda miss the beauty of it.
Still no snow here.

Just looked at the weather forecast and it says we will get a couple hours of a little snow tonight, but after that I can't see any for at least a week!

I totally forgot to start a new chat thread for 2013, so I split the 2012 thread and sent all posts starting with Jan. 1st into the new 2013 Photos and Chat.
Can't believe 2012 went so fast. And can't wait to see what 2013 will bring us in new photos, ideas, and new plants.

Looking forward to more 'Snow on Sempervivum Photos'.

"Snow on Sempervivum" sounds like it would make a lovely haiku...

Wow, it really does Janet. What can you come up with? I have never been good at that kind of thing, but sure enjoy reading it.
Think you could come up with something for Sempervivum week, using haiku? What a treat that would be.

How is your pottery making coming along. I need to have a Janet pot of some kind for 2013, at least one.
My collection is growing, and I love each one.

It's been a VERY long time since I've written any poetry, Lynn. However, those photos are truly inspiring, so I may come up with something in the middle of the night!

As for pottery, my foot had healed enough that I was ready to start throwing, and then I was sick for the entire month of December. Finally two weeks ago I started a little "practice" on the wheel, and then hurt my foot again. Long story, but DH let a big pot of broth boil over on the stove; I ran in to turn it off and slipped and my foot slid under the stove and got all dinged up...sigh. I am signed up for pottery class again this semester, which starts in 2 weeks, so I MUST get some work done between now and May.

We are having our first grandson the end of April, however, so between that, the dog, work, and volunteering, I won't be totally without distractions this spring...LOL!

Wow, you have a lot going on Janet. Hope your foot heals quickly. How is that wonder dog of yours doing. She is such a sweet heart, and has accomplished so much in such a short time. Smart dog, wonderful, talented, and smart owner.

Look forward to seeing what new pottery do this year.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that you dream of the most amazing 'Snow on Sempervivum' haiku. Meanwhile we will all work at taking snow frosted semps to go with your poem.

Okay everyone, get those cameras ready.

Hope you all can help with this project for the Big Sempervivum Week coming up in March. The thread "Looking for poems about sempervivum" in Sempervivum forum

Hi all - I have a random question that I probably have asked before, just can't remember the answer...
What about moss?? I have lots of it in my semp bed and am wondering if it retains water? It looks pretty but its growing all through, and into and under my semps. Should I be concerned??
2nd question - in my new bed the semps are all lifting up, and not staying in the earth. Its cactus soil and seems funny - compacting more than what I thought...I was thinking that the plants are doing this because of several hard frosts that we've had?
Any thoughts and ideas would be great help...I'm thinking that I have to go through and lift up all the plants, churn the soil a bit and replant (I'd rather not have to do that!) but for my semps I will if I have to!

It probably is the freezing and thawing Greg. I have that problem in my raised beds during the winter. If it becomes to severe I just add grit/pea gravel around them. Works every time for me.
Can you give us a photo?

you know what, I will do that! I didn't add the chicken grit or pea gravel as a top dressing...the plants don't seem too concerned, but I noticed that on the ones that aren't doing this, there is better root growth. I don't think you'd see much in photos, they just were looking funny and then when I touched one it just flopped over because it wasn't really in the ground (this is a new bed and these are all new semps, so that's part of the problem)
Thanks Lynn

Gravel/chicken grit will help. Since we don't get snow cover for winter we have more problems with this. Just make sure the new plants don't start looking like they are suffering.

I did use some of them in the project that I finished today, and noticed that there is some (but not much) leaf die back, so I think they're fine for now. In a couple of weeks I'm going to buy pots and move most of them into terra cotta pots, since that way the beds can go back to being veggie beds (which is what they were built for) Also I'm going to make one more semp green wall (in the same way as this one, but with small changes depending on how this one looks after a couple of weeks)

You are a thinker and doer Greg. Keep up the good work. You sure don't want to be without veggies.

Greg, moss usually grows best in an environment that's a bit damp, so I'd kind of keep an eye on it. It won't hurt your semps, but make sure the soil isn't too wet.

I have problems with freeze/thaws pushing my plants out of the ground too. Once they're rooted better that'll help too.