cooler temp blooms

For the past couple weeks I've been getting some awesome blooms, even the hardies have rebloomed for me a second time this year. I love them all! Louisiana Flash...

Aztec Sun...this bloom is a bit over 7" across & this pic is it's 2nd full day, not the best picture, Jon where are you???

Jany's hib, I love her beautiful pink color & the darker pink circle on the edge. She's just starting to open here & her stem is very weak.

not a clue who this was

forget the name, anyone know it off hand? All for now, the rain has stopped & we have sun!

Hi Deb, your blooms are fantastic. Love the last one. All are soooo pretty. Thought maybe you were really busy getting your GH done. I'm trying to get mine cleared out....
before I need it! Your's & Dee's things are rooted. Will try to get them to the PO soon.

Judy

Hey there! Your last photo is of Dragon's Fire...and it's a beauty!

Beautifull flowers! Especially the last 3!

Nice blooms Deb. Sounds like you're enjoying the extended blooms and vivid coloration you can get in cooler weather. How much longer will you be able to leave them outside in Virginia this fall?

Jon

Debbie, your pix are really good. Please send me some on that sun.

Judy

Debbie, please send me some OF that sun. Been under the weather the last couple of days & its affecting my typing.

Judy

thanks everyone. I'm pretty sure there's enough "woody" stem to send you a cutting Judy. I'll let you know for sure. Jon has a point, we're getting down into the upper 30's this week, so mine will be coming in soon. I hate putting them in such close quarters, but hoping they'll be ok (fingers crossed...). They definitely need to be inside around 34-35 degrees so I'm pushing it now.

Hey right back at you dee, it's good to see ya again!

Debbie, if you decide to leave them out on a few more nights when temps are in the 30's, make sure they're damp before it starts getting dark. This will protect them, somewhat, from frost damage. They are much more likely to get some damage if their roots are dry. The added moisture in the roots and foliage acts as protection.

Would throwing a sheet over them help, Jon?

Judy

Funny you should ask Judy. That question reminds me of my "tepee" story. Two years ago when I first started collecting hibiscus we had a cold night in January. I used garden stakes to form a tripod around covered each hibiscus with a sheet. It looked like indians had settled into my yard and built tepees!!! I didn't water the plants and several of them had pretty severe frost damage even though they were covered. Last winter we had two mornings where it was around 33/34 degrees. I watered the plants real well before the sun set and left them all uncovered. There was no damage to any of them. I think I'm gonna stick with watering them instead of building tepees.

Jon

I'd heard that before Jon, but never practiced it, always afraid it wouldn't work. With all the rain we're getting now and temps getting lower & lower, I'm praying it will work, till I can get all mine inside. thanks for the reminder

Glad to hear you've tried the teepee thing, Jon. Reminds me of the freak Easter we had a few years back when it snowed a little. Had sheets draped over everything in the yard....sure took a long time to wash all of them.

Judy

I know what you mean Judy. I used to over protect everything I grew when I started gardening in May 2007. I've mellowed out a bit in two years and let nature takes it course now, much more often than before. My younger brother started gardening and collecting hibiscus this July. It's funny how I see him going through the "over protection" mode right now. I tell him after he gets a year or two of experiences, with successes and failures, it will all come much easier for him. At least I'm helping him avoid some of my mistakes...like trying to grow something at the wrong time of the year in Florida. Even though you can garden here 12 months of the year, you have to know the appropriate time of year to plant/grow things.

Think you really have plant/grow things down pat from the looks of your pix. Everything you have shown us is fantastic. And, you have a very good eye for colors. Does your brother live in Fla? It's good that y'all have this to share & that you've "been there-done that" & can help him avoid a lot of the "learn by your mistakes" that most everyone goes through.
Judy

But do you think snow is a problem? Here it isn't for some exotic plants. I works as a kind of blanket against the frost. Palms do it better here in the frost when there is a blanket of snow over them.

Thanks Judy. I've had plenty of failures growing things. I just didn't post pics of the failures. I have to laugh when I look back at some of the things I tried to grow here in Zone 10. I've come to the conclusion to only stretch the growing zone limits to Zone 9. If something performs only through Zone 8, or lower, I'm better off not to waste time and money attempting it.

My brother lives in Sarasota, FL on the west coast. He lives in Zone 9. Although our climates are very similar, the soil where he lives is almost all sand. I'm 12 miles inland from Ft Lauderdale so the soil here has more dirt in it. He's only 1 mile inland from the Gulf Of Mexico, so he has to amend his soil with lots of compost, garden soil and peat moss. The main thing I tell him, at this time of the year, is to leave some empty spaces and not rush to fill in every empty space. There are so many different things you can grow down here during the winter, and you don't want to run out of space.

Leeuwtje, I know very little about snow as we seldom see it here. That's the reason we run around like chickens with their heads cut off when we get a little snow. Or, run out & throw every sheet you own over your plants....just in time for the snow to quit. :-)

Judy

Leeuwtje, I know very little about snow as we seldom see it here. That's the reason we run around like chickens with their heads cut off when we get a little snow. Or, run out & throw every sheet you own over your plants....just in time for the snow to quit. :-) BTW I loved seeing your pretty country & hope to go back someday.

Judy

I believe a little bit of snow can protect things as long as the snow is brief and the temps don't remain below freezing for more than a couple of hours. The snow is moisture just like water. The same concept applies when they spray citrus trees in the winter on nights when below freezing temps are expected. Even though the water freezes it helps the plants retain moisture. The amount of frost damage is determined by how long the temps remain below freezing. If its just a couple of hours the damage is generally minimal.

Can't believe how many people complemented you and your hibs before I had a chance to do so Debbie, God I've been so busy lately I need 36 hour days to have more time to do things I want to. Anyway, all your blooms are all just outstandingly gorgeous Debbie, thank for sharing them with us.

Wilfred