Crotons and the Freeze of 2010

Rj, so glad you fern is OK. I remember that was your pride and joy of the garden.

(Doing the 'Happy' Dance)

Yep that's one of his plants that I covet (along with that darn rangoon creeper). Even the freeze couldn't put me out of my misery as far as the rangoon was concerned--mine is still alive.

OK, Patty. How do you get the RC to grow and bloom? Mine's a dud but it didn't die in our freeze.

I can get mine to grow but have not had any success at getting it to bloom and I've had mine for three years at least. I have threatened to take a machete to it and be rid of the hassle. I thought this last freeze had taken care of it, but low and behold it is still alive. The lower foot of the vine is showing green. Rj is the expert on the rangoon creeper. The only good thing I have to say about a rangoon creeper is that it was the plant that introduced me to RJ here on DG. I am so disgusted with rangoons. I have been trying for at least three years maybe more to get mine to bloom and it will not cooperate.

OK, Rj, what do we do?

Hap, I'll give the low down later today, in the meantime I do have the info listed here.
http://davesgarden.com/community/blogs/t/rjuddharrison/3308/

Oh that creeper is so yummy, just gorgeous! thanks for that info!!

okay..sorry hap, was leaving for work. The main thing that I do with this vine is.
Trim all of the branches (or most) off of the main trunk vine next month or spring time.
I use Nutri-star Hibiscus fertilizer granules. I measure about 6-8 inches away from the main trunk, then poke 4 inch holes (about 6) and fill the holes with the small side of the scooper. Fill in holes, water.

The Rangoon really likes well drained soil, but requires a bit more water because of the well drained area. It thrives in heat, the hotter it is, the happier the vine it seems.

Reportedly, the Rangoon mostly blooms off of new growth, thus the vine trimming in early spring. It will load up with an amazing amount of blooms.

Generally, Rangoon creepers take around 3 years to mature before it throws out a lot of blooms. If you have one in a pot, I recommend setting it on a patch of soil during the growing season, the roots will find they're way out, and increase the bloom activity, particularly with Nutri-star. Be careful applying fertilzer in the pot, go on the light side...they will burn..Just ask Patty, she's the Rangoon burner specialist.

That's about it, well drain, great sun, frequent water but no wet feet, Nutri-star as described once every three months during growing season, 3 years (in general) for mature vine blooms, trimm the branches off the main trunk early spring. This also removes kooties that tend to cling to the plant over winter. The vine is suceptible to mealy bugs and fungus, it needs a very well ventilated area.

Good luck!
Rj

This message was edited Feb 5, 2010 1:35 PM

Yeah right--sure it will load up with an amazing amount of blooms EXCEPT in Patty's garden where all it does is grow foliage.



yep I definately did overdo the fertilizer the first year I had my rangoon. I've overfertilized it, moved it to a sunnier spot, underfertilized it, watered it, not watered it, you name it; I've tried it and the darn thing WILL NOT bloom for me. I was really hoping that it had bit the dust so I wouldn't have to mess with it any more. It has become by garden nemesis and I won't stop until I finally get it to bloom. I'm wondering if my soil is just not acidic enough for it.

Patty, I believe we have a phrase that might fit this occassion, once said by Brian himself when he discovered he was amidst a group of plant lovers at one of Kauaii's largest Botanical gardens. Poor guy was thinking garden, Botanical, had no meaning..until he got there and saw trams to get us around. He was so mad when we were talking in the gift shop when he discovered the size of it that he said.....okay...here goes Patty...

Alls I hear you say is BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, Rangoon creeper!

You can now bring your machete !! lol

I'm leaving my classroom now to go get it RJ . . .will check back in when rangoon is in pieces all over the yard.

and Brian said it precisely

BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, Rangoon creeper!

oh ...I bet you can't even find it now....it blends with all of the other brown stuff...Thankyou in advance for mulching my yard with rangoon pieces! So thoughtful
Blaaaaaahhhh.....blah blah.....LOL, we still use that phrase frequently

I actually thought Brian was starting to move over to our side. I thought we had converted him ya know.

Yes, it's true. He does maintain the front garden pretty much exclusivly. But he is very much his own convert, and has experienced hysterical whines on several occassions when he whacked plants that were just coming in to their once a year bloom. If it doesn't fit his esthetics, whack, still it looks nice. Wayne and I drove up one day from plant shopping, and he stopped the truck short of the driveway and stared. There Brian was putting together a brand new lawn mower he'd bought, Wayne and I looked at each other, and he said..Randy, who's house is this, are we in the twilight zone!!?

How funny!!!! I think it's great that he's so into doing the yard.

I've tried growing Rangoon Creeper from cuttings, from a friend who has a huge vine (or vines, hard to tell). Hers is always a mass of blooms, can hardly see the leaves for the flowers. She must have got sick of me asking for cuttings and last year bought me a small plant. It's taken off but not really sure now it's in the best place for training. Hers is in an archway you walk underneath to get to the house.

I remember that you have some interesting soil there too, correct?

Soil? On my place? No, you must be thinking of someone else, LOL. My soil leaves a lot to be desired. The soil analysis came back with "sandy loam". Nearly burst my sides laughing when I read that. I'm more inclined to call it lateritic gravel with a deeper layer of inhospitable, porous, cack-yellow clay that dries like concrete in the dry season and consistency of soup in the wet. At least it's got good drainage, except where the water table is close to the surface. Well, I'm working on improving things, maybe with another couple of hundred years of hard work it might be starting to get better.

aah..must be..
your friend with rangoon has same type of soil>?

No, she's got really good soil, and good water. I'm eternally jealous.

lol, what does the rangoon look like? i haven't heard of it before.
Hap, i laughed so much with your story, i wish i could have seen it!! lol
isaac

Isaac, did a repeat performance today. While working in the yard I forgot Archie was out and I left the gate open. He went out like a shot. It took some time for me to miss him, so I went to the front to call him. (He has friends across the street.) He was nowhere. Walked way up the street calling him, no Archie. Got in the car and drove all around, no Archie. I was sure he was just gone or someone came by and picked him up. When in pulled into the drive, planning to out on foot again, a neighbor brought him to me in her arms. I screamed and sobbed. She probably thought I was nuts. The rest of the day was shot for me for I got so upset thinking I'd never see my 'little man' again. ACH, what mothers go through.

Oh hap, i am so glad to hear he is ok!! since i am not a mother i won't know exactly what you are going through(lol), but i also get very attached to animals!
isaac

Thanks, Isaac.

you mentioned you were wearing a chef's uniform earlier, are you a chef?

I'm a retired chef. The 50 pound sacks got too much for me to handle. It's a rough job and I miss it a lot. I ended up by achieving certification from the American Culinary Federation, I was known as a Certified Execute Chef, the first women of our county chapter to receive the certification. From my chapter, I was elected the Chef of the Year, first woman also to receive this award. Was very blessed.

congratulations!! i am not a very good cook, but i am learning, lol.
isaac