January was a mild winter month this year. We have seen little frost, perhaps just two days or so. There were some days of heavy rain and wind, and some days of bone-chilling cold. Over all, the grey was less intrusive—and by that I mean, feeling grey because everything looks grey—and we have enjoyed many days of fine weather, with blue skies and sunshine to boot.

Still, I didn’t venture to the garden except to close the back garden door, when the winds were strong enough to lift its latch. In my pots, only my parsleys, both flat-leaf and curled varieties, are still green and thriving. The Moroccan mint, too, is there. The other empty pots have been taken over by vigorous-looking dandelion seedlings. Ha! – Lots of weeding to do soon then!

My gardening in January was restricted to tending to my little plants on my kitchen windowsill. The smaller window, “the succulent garden,” saw the transformation of leaf cuttings of Sedum morganianum and Sedum rubrotinctum into plantlets. Now, I have five succulents there, along with the older ones Sedum pachyphyllum, Crassula ovata, and Echevaria agavoides.

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On the other window, near my kitchen sink, two softwood cuttings have also thrived. First is a Tradescantia pallida, given to me by a classmate in my horticulture class. Second is a Solenostemon. I’m not sure which cultivar. It has vibrant red stems and striking yellow green foliage with red underside (young leafy growth are also red).

Although these are just a few plants, it’s been fun gardening indoors. It is truly magical to see these cuttings—small (succulents) and big (softwood)—take root and grow.