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Bricks ‘n Blooms Weekly 212

ByStacy Ling Posted on
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Hi there!

I hope you had an amazing week!

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Random Things Happening Behind the Scenes at Bricks ‘n Blooms

More Amaryllis to Love

With each day, another indoor bloom appears on the amaryllis bulbs I planted in late fall. They are so gorgeous and really brighten up my home!

My amaryllis in the living room, ‘Velvet Nymph,’ is STILL blooming. Can you believe that? It has been weeks now! But a few others ones just started. Fantasy (the brighter pink and white flowers) and Sweet Star (the light pink flowers).

After seeing the larger grouping of Velvet Nymph in the living room, I think next year I am going to buy more of the same bulbs so I can do larger groupings like that for greater visual impact. I really love it.

A vibrant pink and white amaryllis flower called Fantasy with long green stems blooms indoors. The background is softly focused, with blurred pink flowers and potted plants by a window, creating a serene atmosphere.
A blooming pink amaryllis with large petals called sweet star sits in a pot by the window, alongside light purple orchids. Sunlight streams through the window, illuminating the vibrant flowers and the green foliage outside.

My Houseplants Are Thriving

We are in the middle of January and my indoor plants are doing so well! They usually start to look a little crispy and sad while they are in winter dormancy…but not this year! Want to learn what I did differently?

For starters, I’ve been much more on top of keeping the humidifiers going. It can be such a pain to refill them but keeping up on it has really helped battle the dry indoor air.

Second, I have been feeding my plants with the We the Wild organic fertilizer (worm castings) and the plants love it. I can’t believe how much growth they have considering it is winter and am really pleased with the result.

Third, I’ve been studying how the light in various rooms are affecting my plants. We have a lot of windows and I’ve learned some that plants like to be in certain north, south, east, or west facing windows in my home. If a plant didn’t look like it was loving a spot, I moved it around based on it’s needs and they are responding with new growth.

Fourth, I’m doing full soakings in my kitchen sink where possible instead of bits of water from the watering can. It’s more of a pain to do it this way given I have so many plants, but I’ve been keeping an eye on them daily and watering when dry to avoid overwatering.

And finally, I repotted a lot of my houseplants in clear nursery pots with a good chunky soil mix which helps with drainage AND has helped me SEE how the roots & soil are doing. The mere visual of seeing how wet or dry the soil is will do a lot for your plant care habits!

A woman (stacy ling) smiles while holding a potted plant in a cozy room. She wears a maroon top and gray pants. The room has a white bench with a beige cushion, a patterned rug, and framed art on the walls. Sunlight filters through the doorway.

Kitten Update

Do you remember that cat we adopted over the summer? If not, I’ll bring you up to speed. I was theoretically talking about adopting a some cats in late spring that could help police the gardens from critters (we had a rough year with rabbits, groundhogs, and mice).

The problems with us having cats is my middle daughter is very allergic to them. We used to have one when she was a baby and didn’t realize it was making her ill until after the cat passed away so we’ve never had a cat since.

Anyway, we’ve got a small cottage on the property where I house all of my decor, gardening supplies, equipement, office space, etc. and there is a small finished space where I thought MAYBE we could make a home for a few outdoor cats so they could come and go when they wanted while policing the beds. So leaning into that hypothetical thought, my youngest daughter brought home two kittens shortly after my sweet dog, Bodie, passed.

Since we can’t have them in the house with my middle daughter, we moved them into the cottage and they were both really sweet. When I got them to the vet though, we learned one of them had a severe heart problem and…they both had fleas!!!! Thank goodness I never had them INSIDE my house, right? So things could have been worse.

A person (stacy ling) wearing a maroon jacket and gray pants is sitting on a carpeted floor, smiling and holding a small black kitten. They have glasses resting on their head and are sitting near a white door with a wreath hanging on it.
Louis

I brought them back home went through serious flea management in the cottage – more on this another time, but what a mess this was. The gray kitten passed a few short weeks later from his heart and that left us with one. And because we were still battling a flea problem, our new baby had to stay out there in the cottage on his own (we took shifts and visited with him often so he was fine, loved, and very well cared for). But it took over 2 months to get rid of those fleas!

After lots of kitten cuddles and never letting him set one paw outdoors, my oldest daughter and I decided we wanted to get him into our home and NOT have him be an outdoor cat after all, but how can we do this with the dander?

She did A LOT of research on this so props to her but this is what we did:

  1. Bought this air purifier that works really well. We replace the filter once a month.
  2. She wipes him down weekly with this spray that helps clean the dander off of him which accumulates over time.
  3. We also moved him to a new cat food about a month before moving him indoors that supposedly helps reduce allergens. I believe this food has helped.
  4. We clean his litter box every single day with no exception.
  5. Vacuum daily.
  6. And my middle daughter doesn’t touch him and when she does, she washes her hands and showers really well. He is not allowed in her room.

Harry’s been indoors for about a month now and so far so good, we have not had any problems! I am so glad this worked out. He is such a sweet little love. Isn’t he a cutie?

A black cat with bright eyes lies on a bed with a beige and green blanket. The room in the background is softly blurred, with a hint of plants and furniture.

It’s Here!

My cut flower gardening accountability weekly email course is finally here! Get weekly coaching tips delivered straight to your inbox that will help you stay on track for the cutting garden you’ve been dreaming about. Join a private Facebook community of like-minded individuals where you can ask me anything and we can learn from each other. And so much more!

Registration closes end of the day on January 22, 2025 and our journey begins January 25, 2025! Let’s grow our cut flower gardens together! Sign up here!

A colorful bouquet of various flowers, including yellow, orange, red, pink, and purple blossoms, is arranged in a glass jar. The jar is placed on a stone surface with vibrant green foliage and yellow flowers in the background.

Preorder My Second Book Here!

My next book publishes with Harvest House Publishers on March 11, 2025! Did you preorder yet? The Bricks ‘n Blooms Beautiful and Easy Flower Garden Planner is available now for preorder and is a great accompaniment to my first book.

Colorful flower garden planner book cover with vibrant floral design, titled "The Bricks 'n Blooms Beautiful and Easy-Care Flower Garden Planner" by Stacy Ling. Release date: March 11, with pre-order option highlighted.

What I’m Shopping For This Week

It’s been a random week of stuff! Here’s what I’m shopping for this week!

  • These are the most comfortable pants on the planet. Size down cause they run large. I wound up getting the other color because the fit is fabulous.
  • I also bought these and let me tell you – I wound up ordering them in other colors because they are super comfortable and look really chic. Fits true to size.
  • I also ordered another fleece for the next gardening season. I love wearing these as a warm layer while I’m working.
  • How cute is my new denim vest? Runs true to size.
  • These look just like doc martens but are not for so much less! My girls couldn’t tell the difference either. Super comfortable and fits true to size.

These are the most popular products on my blog this week!

A cozy room with a wooden chess set on a table, surrounded by chairs. The floor is covered with an ornate floral carpet. A white piano and plants decorate the background, with a mirror and paintings on the wall. An arched doorway leads to another area.

What’s Happening at Bricks ‘n Blooms

It was a fun week on the blog!

15 Mistakes New Gardeners Make and How to Avoid Them

Don’t let your garden fail! ❌ Discover the 15 mistakes ALL new gardeners make (and how to avoid them) for a successful growing season.

A vibrant garden with an array of flowers. Prominently, pink zinnias stand out in the foreground, surrounded by white and yellow blooms, including black-eyed Susans. Lush green foliage creates a rich background, with trees and garden structures faintly visible.

Start Seeds Indoors Successfully: Your DIY System & 11 Essential Supplies

Learn to start seeds indoors with this DIY system! Get your seedlings off to a strong start with these 11 essential supplies.

Shelving unit with trays of young green plants under purple grow lights. The plants, in individual pots within the trays, show various stages of early growth—ideal for starting seed indoors. Some white plant markers are visible among the pots.
Starting seeds indoors under grow lights

Stop Guessing and Master Watering Indoor Plants Like a Pro!

No more over watering and under watering! Stop guessing and master how to water indoor plants like a pro based on their unique needs. Happy houseplants guaranteed!

A person (stacy ling) stands in a sunlit room, holding a potted plant. They are smiling, wearing a beige sweater and dark pants, next to an archway with a round window. The room features a piano, plants, and intricate rugs and furniture.

Winter Table Decor & Centerpiece Ideas: Cozy & Chic Inspiration

Bring the warmth of winter indoors! Explore cozy and chic table decor and winter centerpiece ideas to elevate your dining space all season long.

6 cozy winter dinner table and centerpiece ideas

Warning: This Creamy Spinach Artichoke Dip is So Addictive You’ll Never Share

Craving a dip that’s easy, cheesy, and oh-so-addictive? This creamy spinach artichoke dip is the perfect party appetizer or game-day snack.

A hand holding a thin, crispy cracker dipped into a hot spinach artichoke dip recipe in a white, oval-shaped dish. The creamy dip is topped with a golden-brown crust, and the background features a speckled gray surface.

Lasagna Gardening: The Lazy Gardener’s Guide to Starting a Garden

Lasagna gardening is the no-dig solution for healthy soil and happy plants without breaking your back! Learn how to get started with these simple tips.

A vibrant cottage garden filled with blooming flowers and lush greenery, leading up to a small, beige garden shed. The scene is sunlit, creating a serene and inviting atmosphere. Tall grasses and sedum autumn joy add texture and depth to the landscape.
Sedum autumn joy as it starts to bloom in backyard garden that I started from scratch with divisions and lasagna gardening.

Amazing Inspiration from Around the Web

I love finding cool inspiration from around the web and wanted to share some of what I’m loving right now.

Thank you so much for following along.

Enjoy a beautiful day! xo

An illustration of a pink flower with green leaves on the left, accompanied by the words "Stacy Ling" in an elegant, cursive font to the right—a perfect piece for any garden decor.
Stacy Ling

Stacy Ling is author of the best selling book, The Bricks 'n Blooms Guide to a Beautiful and Easy-Care Flower Garden, and writes the blog Bricks ’n Blooms from her 1850 farmhouse located in zone 6b northern New Jersey. She is a trained master gardener who’s been gardening for almost 30 years and enjoys sharing her passion to help beginners find their inner green thumb, as well as discover a love for all things plants and flowers. Stacy loves to bring the outdoors inside her home and decorates with a comfy, casual, and cottagecore style. Come grow stuff and create beautiful spaces with her.

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2 Comments

  1. Sweet Harry story ❤️Glad it is working out. Just wondering does Harry still go outside and police the critters? Also, I had to laugh that you are so “plant oriented” your first recommendation reads “ These are the most comfortable plants on the planet” and I wondered if they are just lounging around plants 😂🪴snuggling under blankets reading books, botany books of course!

    Reply

    1. Oh geez – I have a typo! hahahahaha that is so funny! I’ll fix it – actually – he has never been outside. He was so little we kept him indoors and were planning to train him to eventually go out but decided against ever doing that. So a baby in our family he will stay!

      Reply