Thank you, Rita. Hope your household has a Merry Christmas and a very prosperous New Year.
Tropical Garden #115
Rita, here is a pink-blooming Pudica:
http://www.bigloveplumeria.com/product_350214_en
Didn't really intend the message of a Merry Christmas to be for Rita only. I love all of you and enrich my life everyday.
Oh, Christi, we knew that - we love you so much, too!
For all of you.. Merry Christmas.. just a few more days, and I can start getting ready for SPRING! LOL
Begonias, (sigh) yes, but I had to learn the technique the hard way. All my lovely lush Gryphons have pretty much petered out because they were planted in the ground without the key ingredient. Pots. (I did take cuttings so I have new plants on the way)
Since pretty much all the shady areas that are nice for begonias are under my massive live oaks, well you know there are just going to be oak tree roots competing. So I am using a massive cheat and sinking large nursery pots with a mix of soil, compost and potting mix into the ground to plant the begonias in. They do well, and are easy care as to watering with the micro-sprinkler system at work plus the roots are insulated from temp fluctuations, too. Also easy to transplant if any need moving. So . . .that's my secret for things that demand lots of moisture and nutrients but want to grow in the shade.
Of course things like bromeliads, ferns and even the spiral gingers seem to do fine without the sunken pot treatment.
Rita, this is another of the starts you sent in October - any IDea?
dyzzy, that is a White Shrimp Plant - Squirrel's tail (Justicia betonica)
http://wildlifeofhawaii.com/flowers/962/justicia-betonica-squirrels-tail/
Ah Ha! So the secret to keeping the the Gryphons happy is pots?? Who knew? Mine is in the ground and living but only marginally, it looks sad. I will let it stay there at this point and when I start fresh in the spring the begonias will all be potted and planted under the Live Oaks. Recently a woman came up to our plant clinic booth and showed me a picture of an unbelievably huge Gryphon. She wanted to know if she could "cut it back like any other shrub". After explaining about it being a begonia not a shrub I suggested she either bring it inside it we have cold weather or plan on throwing a blanket over it on cold nights. Her response was "oh no, I will just get rid of it if it freezes, I don't intend to baby anything". I smiled and politely asked her to get rid of it in my direction but the weather has been so warm and our plant clinic is closed down for the season so I guess I won't see the monster Gryphon. I was disappointed that I could not convince her that she had something special, it was disposable to her.
Rita, thank you but my secret to mixed containers is to just find whatever is around and put it together. Mother Nature doesn't plan things out like the books tell you to. Who really cares if there are thrillers, spillers and fillers, it is all hype to sell more plants. The only thing I pay attention to is to make sure the plants have similar needs for water and light, that is how they would occur naturally.
This balmy weather is perfect for being outside but it is time to bake the cookies.
Alice, I know just how you feel about people's attitudes toward plants - here where I live, they don't bring anything it - it either lives outside or it doesn't. Everyone tells me I'm nuts for dragging all my cold-sensitive plants into the greenhouse, but I pay them no mind. I figure they have more money than brains!
When a freeze is predicted, I boldly go and ASK them if I can take those vulnerable plants to my greenhouse - I've never been told 'no', so if you know who the lady is, go ask her for the Begonia!
Well I'm glad to see the above info on the Begonia's. I've got a few in the ground. B. heracleifolia 'Nigricans' for one that get's huge in the pots but did not like being in the ground. Got it from a gal here in town who has 2 plant sales every year and her's was in the ground and was huge, so I did the same, but she didn't have her's under oaks, but along side the side of the house, with shade from overhanging branches and the house both. I'll keep the ones you and Elaine set me in pots.
Here's a new one Purple Snow...
I am wondering if there is something more going on here with the begonias. Perhaps it is the pH - too acid maybe? Potting mix is generally very basic. When I pot up hydrangeas they always have the prettiest pink blooms. Test results show my soil is neutral but maybe begonias are unusually sensitive to something in or missing from our soils. Even my hardy B. evansianas (?) are not as lush in the ground as they were in my previous home. It is interesting to note that Elaine, Martha and myself all have similar growing conditions with Live Oak canopies and sandy (although mine has marsh muck mixed in) soils.
Kay, I would have loved to beg that woman for her plant but she was not the approachable type.
Looks like we are going to get some rain today, I certainly hope so because it has been so dry, but I'll regret that statement when it brings the mosquitoes out just in time for Christmas. We always have a massive hatch a few days after rain. :-(
Forgive me ifI have already posted this, it is H. Susan's Sunset showing off in the house last week when I first brought her in. Now most of the leaves have turned yellow and fallen off. She is still blooming her head off but on naked stems now.
Alice,
I have amended the soil where that bed is also. Over the course of several years have added compost from the horse manure, some topsoil, and composted cow poo we bought one year when we ran out of horse compost. I also dump potting soil into the beds from old pots of stuff that's gone to the "Great Garden Beyond" LOL...Course it get's alot of Oak leaves. My Bat plants LOVE it under there as well as caladiums, Datura a trailing Salvia, 4 O'clocks, and Leea amabilis,.but I have some Japanese sages that I've moved from that area as they were not doing so well either, but just 15 feet away where the same soil, just looser and they did much better.
I haven't tested it, might try that.
Maybe the key is simply "looser" and/or less competition from the oak roots. My problem is I have a tiny piece of property and many massive old oaks. I can't think of anyplace that does not have roots.
Alice, the soil in all my shady areas is quite acid and the Gryphons did fine (you saw my many brag pictures of them this summer) until the tree roots re-invaded the bed they were in. I think begonias like acid soil just fine. But they can't compete for moisture and fert with anything else. Hence the sunken pots.
My big mama plant of 'Looking Glass' had a little rest when we had a few cold nights in November but it is sending out new leaves like mad now. I'm giving it half-strength fert so as not to encourage it too much when there's still the possibility of cold weather. All my little starts from you are going into big pots in the ground come February.
This weather seems too good to be true, hard to imagine this is what we took for granted as a 'normal' winter up until 2009.
Last year these clerodendrons had lost every leaf by now.
This year, well it looks like they may finally bloom. Every leaf terminal has a big cluster of buds - yay!
Rita your little yellow peppers are so pretty. Mine are "Yummy".
Mj, your phal is lovely, such a pretty color. I'm waiting . . and waiting . .. . and waiting on my little variegated phal to finally bloom. I've had it nearly 3 years and this is its first bloom spike. Growing orchids certainly takes patience!
Elaine,
Yup, I've been waiting on one too..got it from Lowes 3 yrs ago, and had to practically disect the poor thing it had so many rotted roots. Well the shealths are splitting, so maybe I'll find out what it is now.
And this H. multi flora ( or javenica depending on who you ask) that Cassie sent me had this pendicule FOREVER it seemed before the buds opened.
Nice Hoya!
KayJones, your brug is definately not 'Cherub', but there are dozens of cultivars just like yours, so it will always be a noid. It is mostly, or all, from the species Brugmansia suaveolens.
Elaine & Joeswife, there is no Brugmansia insignias; it probably meant insignis. However, there are no Brugmansia insignis being grown in the US right now. It is very rare and and all these are mislabeled. Most are common multi-hybrids, and a few are pure B. suaveolens.
Here is a pic of a plant I just started seeds of, Bomarea acutifolia. I have extra seeds to trade if anyone is interested.
- Tom
Saw some Bat Plants at the Farmer's Market today-- ANy advice for growing these? I know shade, but would love some pointers!
Thanks
Debi
That's a pretty thing, Tom. So it's related to Alstromeria, right?
Sadly, I've had a thundering lack of success with other Alstromerias here. They don't like the heat here in summer. It should do great where you are, outdoors in summer and greenhouse in winter. (I am originally from Vancouver BC)
Thanks for the info on the brugs. now I'm really curious what that little start grows up to be.
Mj, amazing hoya flowers - they look like little candies.
Help! I got a lovely Christmas cactus as a gift today - they sure have bigger, more gorgeous flowers than the last time I had one. Do I put it in the sun or shade?
Debi,
I grow Bats and have found they flower better if given a bit of sun. I've got them in the ground and in pots..and in both instances they get a few hours of direct to dappled sunlight, BRIGHT shade otherwise. They are heavy feeders, use any good Orchid fertilizer that is urea free. Keep moist, do not let dry out totally or they may go dormant. Even my potted ones stay out unless we are going to go below 45º, but the one's in the ground won't get knocked back till we get a hard frost. Those may take a while to come back in the spring. If you do have one in a pot go dormant just stick aside somewhere where it will not freeze, and in the spring set back out and water sparingly till you see you growth. Generally "No leaves, no water" but I do end up giving mine a little as it warms up.
Mine are still blooming and setting new buds now.
Elaine
my Christmas cactus get's a bit of dappled sun/shade. Too much sun tho and they drop the blooms faster.
This message was edited Dec 21, 2011 6:32 PM
If you have bat plants I'm DEFINENTLY going to raid your yard at midnight!
But Kay . . if you go at midnight, won't the bats be out flying around?
Thanks Tom for the information, I will tell the Brug lady I got them from she had them mis labled. She got them from a Brug grower too. My Cherub came from a well known DG'r here who sells and trades a lot, so you can be sure the Cherub Is a Cherub. Monster White came from a brug person on brug forum and was labled donnas monster white. I have no clue who donna is. Hope this helps.
I sure do love those hoya blooms. wish mine would bloom.
Thanks for the Bat info-- am still trying to decide if I want to call and order one from the farmers market lady next week, or wait 'til I return home from the horse shows in March. I think my neighbor is going to water for me so I hate to burden her with more! Elaine the cactus I have do very well under an East facing hibiscus tree with misting from the irrigation system.
I think I shall venture out and weed and take some pictures!
Debi,
Umm, don't know what to tell you there..I think underwatering would be more of a problem where you are, and alot depends on the size of the pot etc etc......Which circuit are you doing? I don't pay alot of attention to whats where now that I'm not showing anymore.
I'm not afraid of bats!
Elaine, can you grow the Alstroemeria psittacina at your place, I think that is what this one is. It does beautifully here and we are usually pretty darn warm (read hot as hades) and humid here during the summer. This one blooms in spring, dies down and returns to bloom again as the weather cools. It can spread pretty fast but it is easy to keep in check.
Elaine, I'm sorry the A. psittacina doesn't do well in your area - it spreads like wildflower in my yard!
It's fairly tame here, at least so far, but haven't seen and fall blooms.
Mine isn't blooming right now, either, Martha.
Went and took a look at my clump of 'Sweet Laura' which I rousted out, potted up and took some divisions to my daughter's during the summer. It had thin, pitiful foliage then, but look at it now! Maybe, maybe it will give me some flowers in the spring?? Since the first year I had this - 2003 - it has hardly put up a single bloom and I have tried it in a wide variety of different conditions. It's now sitting on the south side of the bamboo clump so it gets full sun at this time of year, but only morning and evening sun in the summer. We'll see!
First flower on the purple firespike that Rita sent me in the spring.
And my version of a 'White Christmas'. I'm with Rita, the snow can stay on the mountains. This is as close to a white Christmas as I ever want to get in Florida. Amazing, actually the caladiums usually disappear as soon as the nights get below about 55 but I have 3 or 4 still going strong.
Happy Holidays everybody - I sure enjoy this forum and all of your wonderful pictures of beautiful plants.
Elaine
OOps, forgot the picture
I'm doing the HITS circuit in Ocala--I'm in the office, Richard is outside.
Debi, Gosh, it's been a long time since I've been there or to the south. I've heard that the shows are suffering. I know I've had 3 cancellations this fall/winter alone to judge ( I just do local shows), and 2 Ride a Tests canceled for lack of entries. It's soooo sad. I came up thru the ranks of "Working hunter's" Field Trials, and a 4 ft fence was nothing, now days if it's over 2'6 they panic. I went to dressage and worked with Classical trainers', but now all they want to see is HOT HOT, not a calm happy horse, who is responsive but not so hot that only the most expediences rider can't handle. To me very sad...and discouraging.
So now I work with mostly with returning riders,and rehab horses. Hoping to make their life happier and healthier, and they don't end up in a barn with an hour of turn out and no one who cares a Crap about them if they don't make a buck for them. I actually try to stay away from the the shows these days, it just makes me sad what they are doing to get a ribbon, and points, to the expense of the horses. I'd rather just be out in my garden, and enjoy my "old men" that follow me around the yard, sniffing my pockets to see if I've hidden a carrot or apple away in there, and a scratch on the neck, a rub on their ears, a pat on their behinds. I love my "ponies" and will do what ever I have to do to give them a good life for all the joy they have brought me. And they don't owe me a dime.....for they have given me joy that I cannot even begin to describe here...
This message was edited Dec 22, 2011 7:28 PM
Awwww, Martha - you are such a loving person - this story brought tears to my eyes. I can't go to horse shows because I can just imagine what they are put through to win points and money for the owners. Thank you for posting this. We love you, Lady Bug!