It begins

It is that time of year, it feels a little later than in previous years but maybe I have just gone too soon before.  The first frosts are likely this week and so it felt right that I brought the tenders indoors this weekend.  It always takes me longer than I think so this year I decided to be prepared.

and it is always easlier with some help.  I say help, Flossy was supervising.  First task to move the tenders indoors is to create space in the conservatory.  The conservatory is very small but it is functional.  I have to move my grandfathers telephone chair into the lounge and stack the two armchairs.  I also push the round coffee table under the temporary tables. This makes a nice amount of space.  

Then the two tables are put up.  Position is everything and every year, without fail, I get it wrong.  I fit everything into the space but then find it hard to navigate to keep things watered that need some water.  This year I am determined to get this right and successfully overwinter everything.

I had already brought the succulents indoors a few weeks ago when it started to rain.  I did not want them to drown.  This helped make the move a little faster.

First of all I fetched in a couple of trays from the greenhouse to place the pots on.  Then the begonias were brought indoors.  Some already looked a little cold but I think they will be ok.

Next up were the pelagoniums.  Many of these have been successfully overwintered for some years so I would hate to lose them now.  Many of them will need potting on in the spring, but I am not doing it now when they are not really growing, they will just be sitting in too much compost and won't like it.

Then the randoms come in.  The bits and bobs such as the amaryllis and the Christmas Cactus that enjoy a summer holiday outdoors.

Finally the big b*ggers.  That is what I call them anyway.  The bananas, (musa lasiocarpa, musa sikkimensis and ensete maurelli), the brugmansia, the begonia luxurians, the strelitzia and the Sparmannia Africana.  I trimmed off the dead leaves from the bananas and trimmed some of the more straggly begonia stems.  I have taken a few contingency cuttings from the begonia, sparmannia and the brugmansia just in case.  

Once I have all the pots in then the game of tetris commences as I try and shuffle them around so they have enough space but that I can walk through and water everything.

The conservatory is where I work when I am working from home and I enjoy working with my plants around me.  Once the temperature really dips then I will move my office upstairs to the sewing room as that is easier to keep warm and I imagine that might be this week too.  Thankfully moving a laptop is not such an effort.

Have I got it right this year?  Time will tell.....

Take care and be kind

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