the arbor on the patio is over loaded.. hope it hangs in there with the next storm..there is passions vines, japanese morning glorys, black eyed susan vine, gloriosa vine and something else can't remember..
Tropical Gardens and Plants #107
this zinnia is a real trooper it has been fully blomed thru the past two storms and over three weeks..
have to show you this .. snow on the moutnain, giant green rinicus and giant kenaff and under that, a ginger, some cucmbers, morning glorys and black EE oh,.. the pond is to the right there.. used to be a tomatoe patch but those fried, I think I have 6 peppers and 8 tomatoes left in this area somewhere..
one more morning glory to show off and I will quit..
That first begonia I think the leaves were damp, but the new leaves on it do come out a bit shiny at first. It's very red on the underside.
The second one is red on the underside with red stems. I'll post them on the Begonia forum. Both seem to like a bit of sun also.
Kay I don't have Red Achimenes so maybe we could trade colors...
Debra Love your yellow zinnia, that's my favorite zinnia color, can I beg for some seeds of that one ?
Black Bat's blooming...
mj, that bat is crazy awsome..
of course I will save you some seeds.,. but it is really a light green one.. the camera doesn't show its color the right way.
Has everyone seen PDN's new catalog? He has some to die for stuff in there including a variegated ZIngiber 'Dancing Crane' with edible flowers and a Farfugium 'Kaimon Duke' which is very different. Lots of other stuff to drool over too.
I would really like to hear from you Rita! If just to say Hi and let us know how you are, and let us know you are OK. I seem to have lost one of my huge Xanthosomas while I was in Boston.
The heat here has not been like Texas; although it has been for so long. We get such massive rains(almost four inches in less than a week), the roots will not absorb water under such stress and drown.
I guess I will have to double the soil conditioner this year and add a couple bales of coarse perlite in the fall to the beds!
Next year I will be back with a vengeance.
We hope to hear from you soon!
Drew
This message was edited Aug 12, 2011 6:49 AM
Debra, I have a Duranta in my yard, but thanks!
James, I just have a small pup from my staghorn to send to Deb - sorry.
What is the PDN cagalog - can you post a link, please?
Sorry, PDN is Plant Delights Nursery http://www.plantdelights.com/
Drew, so sorry about the X, have you considered Perma Til, I believe it is manufactured or maybe distributed out of NC, it is expanded shale. I love it in my containers, it has made a tremendous difference and does not float like perlite.
This is one of my fav begonias but I can never remember the name.
Keeley's Gold Ti, the slowest growing ti in the world, I have had this for many years and it is still inder 1' tall. It may be a minature but I have another minature which is a great grower, this one is just pokey.
This message was edited Aug 12, 2011 9:27 AM
Unusual pink flower on a ruellia elegans.
Alice, that begonia is just gorgeous! May I ask for a start, some time?
Do you prune off the long canes to keep it in such a nice shape? Mine has several long, floppy canes. I'm getting ready to re-pot it and want to trim it up appropriately.
2 of my Amorphophallus Konjacs.
1 and 2 year old Konjacs with some Venus flytraps and pitcher plants in the background.
Alice,
Will you pretty please save me some seed from your red ruellia? I had one last year and loved it!! Saved some of the seed and I can't find them. I hate when that happens.
Paula, I will certainly try and find some, I have never grown them from seed but I see where mine does spread so obviouly it works. Dyzzy, I jdon't do anything to that begonia, that is the nonrmal growth habit which is why I like it. LOL I plan o taking some cuttings this week for a Master Gardener plant sale, I'll snip one for you too and get it rooted.
Tommy, your Amorphs look great. I really like the insectivores though! Been thinking maybe if I grow a bunch of those inside my pool cage they will help with the evil little no-see-ums that fly right through the screening.
Do they survive winter with protection, or would you have to start them every year?
Debra, your ricinus picture made me laugh - that grows 15ft. tall in the ditches here! If you could water it enough, it would have supplied you with some shade this summer for sure. That's an interesting melange you've got there.
dyzzypyxxy,
The flytraps and Pitcher plants go in my fridge (put in zip lock bags first) around first frost. They would not survive up here in NY. Where you are they would be o.k. outside unless you get freezing temps.
really nice begonias, so pretty and compact. I also love the Amorphs, mine are inside cuz they started getting crispy..
I remember castor beans in california as a child, they were like trees.. I grow them cuz I have fond memories of them...( like living in california) LOL
ardesia and dyzzy, now you guys could get me on a begonia kick...like I neeeeeedddd another kick...LOL
so I'm down here waving my hands at ardesia too for a start of that cool begonia....surely I have something you'd like to trade for ???
Debra here's a Zinnia for you...with a little red Salvia in the background.
My first Orinoco banana harvest. Plant giving up the harvest; just above my right hand. They are small, but what a delicious creamy taste!
WOW! And I must add you are a handsome dude!
Wow, those look wonderful, Drew. Say what you want about growing foliage and flowers, there's nothing quite as satisfactory as growing something you can eat. Next best to that is growing something that smells great, jmho.
'Skeleton Rose' geranium hogging my huge urn on the patio. Smells very rosy, and also of citronella. Not sure if it's actually repelling bugs but if I can keep some cuttings going through the winter, I'm going to try planting it all along the edge of the pool next spring.
Anybody know about growing geraniums from cuttings? Do I use the older wood? Have had no luck whatsoever with tip cuttings.
Drew those do look yummy ! I might have to try growing them, I love bananas.
dyzzy, I've not ever tried to root the scented geraniums but my old fashioned ones I root from semi hardwood stems in a coarse mix.
Thanks Kay, Elaine and MJS.
I love your Yard, Drew. I divided the blue pot of portera and have ten pups now..
Hey Deb! What are you going to do with all those A. Gageanas?
This message was edited Aug 13, 2011 1:53 PM
uhm good question.. they are in the bean patch for now..
Hey Debra, when are you going away and when will you be back home?
Drew, those bananas look so yummy but what is that large plant in the pot?
I am leaving the 22nd and be back the 29th is the plan so far, sisters surgery is the 23rd. Neighbor to the north just chopped down the two volunteer mulberrys ( shade) and is now weed eating the north fence line, I expect to see some morning glory ( japanese) vines severed along with who knows what.
Before picture this am..
Hey Alice! I bought this from P.D.N. It was sold to me as Colocasia Gigantea.
However; they say on the site that it is NOT the "Thailand" version! This guy gets about 4' tall and offsets like a rabbit. The big guy died this past winter and all these guys started to come up!
dyzzy, I just cut them where it is hard and not so green, and stick them to 2nd leaf nodes in a pot of well draining medium. I cut of the tip another inch or two to make it not work so hard up there... this works for me..
PDN's open house is coming up, Sept, 9 -11. I am using every bit of my will power to stay away. Two friends want to go and the temptation is strong and I am weak. :-(
Alice, ya can't take your money with you - I say 'GO'!
LOL, have you seen Tony's prices?????
Worst part is there is this place called Big Bloomers near PDN and that place has much better prices but it is so huge and has such a vast selection that you can spend just as much there. It is a sickness I tell 'ya!
This message was edited Aug 14, 2011 8:48 AM
Thanks for the geranium tips, kids! I've got a couple of cuttings into the medium now, so keep fingers crossed.
Alice, I think the answer is to "GO" as Kay says, but don't take your money with you! Or maybe just take $20 and leave the credit cards at home?
Gloriosas have gone mad again!
Dyzzy, mine are going wild, too! They have been blooming FOREVER it seems!
I know, this is a strange summer. Mine usually bloom then disappear for a while in the middle of summer - like now - then sprout up again in the fall for another round of blooming until it gets too cool. But not this year!
Hate to even suggest it, but d'you think maybe they like just a little winter chillin?
Mine are blooming too, all over the place.. Love them so much..
"After" Picture
