LOL, I can just see them chasing you down, they did look rather formidable. DId you check out the sale table while you were there?
Tropical Plants and Gardens #118
Shhhhhhhhhhh - one time, while visiting Stacey aka Floridian (GOD rest her soul), she took me to Shelby Gardens - I had SO MUCH FUN snitching seed pods and snips of plants. Of course, by the time I mailed them back home, I forgot what most were, and STILL don't know, regarding the seeds, but it was so much fun!
Went off sailing on the weekend, and here nobody's been gardening online since Saturday?
I have some interesting new blooms to show, anyway. Charles Grimaldi in bloom and second shot with the Agapanthus, just about over now.
My pink spotted Caladium had a bloom and I missed it, I think it was pink, too! More on the way. (it's a little spottier than usual from the hard water spots)
A spotty Billbergia putting out a jazzy bloom.
And the Worm Killer strikes again. Flower is about 9in. tall, and there's another one coming.
The last of my Nun's Orchids just about to fold. They've been wonderful!
Just about getting too warm for the Callas.
But the Cannas are just getting up to speed.
Last is another start from Rita that I lost the tag for. I'm wondering what it is - Anybody?
Your last plant is Justica coccinea - brazilian plume flower. She blessed me with one, too - I can't wait for it to bloom!
Such a cool billbergia Elaine, I have one blooming right now but the flower, while bright, is just eh..... I love the blues on yours.
My podreana vine has turned lavender! It used to be pink, I wonder what has caused the change, I did not think they were sensitive to soil chemistry but I guess I was wrong.
Alice, maybe it will turn pink again if you give it a bit of lime? That used to work for the hydrangeas . . .
Or maybe give it a drink of Epsom salts and see if it turns blue-r? It's a fun science experiment anyway.
My Thunbergia battiscombei from Mj is just going to town. I've GOT to get it planted soon! I went and volunteered to sew a prom dress for my neighbor's daughter . . . got to get that done so I can get back out to the garden.
Elaine what the real name of your "Worm Killer" thinkin I might need one...
That Thunbergia will bloom and bloom and bloom. It's an over achiever !
I've got to get out and get some pics...been busy......
Synandrospadix vermitoxicus is the botanical name for the 'Worm Killer'. It's one of those plants that was named by the indigenous people because they used it medicinally to treat intestinal worms (talk about kill or cure, huh??) So it doesn't actually kill earthworms as I first thought. It has great looking leaves as well as the big, spotty flowers. Then it puts on orange seeds like the coonties do.
I got it last summer from Tropiflora, and they've had them on special a couple of times since then, so check them out.
Definitely going to have to divide out some of the tubers in this pot of Caladiums this winter. Carolyn Wharton going to town. My Gloriosa Lilies are jumping up now, too. Appeared last week, and they're over 2ft. tall now!
My worm killer was dormant over the winter and has just sprouted again, I do not remember seeing any flowers or berries, maybe this year.
I noticed one of my gloriosas had jumped up in the air too but I do not see any of the pink ones anymore, so sad, they were pretty.
My worm killer had a maturing bloom with seeds already in place when I got it last summer. This year, the flowers came immediately after the leaves were up. I'll bet yours will do the same, Alice.
You had pink Gloriosums? Cool! I've got 'Wine and Red' that is sort of cream with dark red edges and now I'm looking for the pale yellow ones, bought an expensive tuber that never came up so I think I'm going to try for a plant that's already going this time.
Thai caladiums, which I thought were dead but popped up nicely!
Alice do you have your Worm Killer in the ground? or was it dormant in a pot.
Elaine my Lowes has not had the Thai's yet...or at least not when I've been there and that's usually at least once a week.
If my memory serves, my plant arrived having already bloomed, I believe I remember seeing a stalk that had been cut off. The plant was huge and actually went into dormancy not long afterward. I think Paula bought one at the same time I did.
I haven't seen any of the Thai caladium in the Jacksonville Lowes, either. They have buckets and buckets of the US varieties, but no Thai. I'm noticing less and less bulbs in bags, and more growing caladium plants. They must sell better that way to non-gardeners. Duh. I'm sure of it. :)
Carol
I got that pot of Thai caladiums last summer, and they flopped and disappeared as soon as the nights got cool. Since all my others went through this winter with leaves I thought the Thais had died, but no! They just like the weather warm. So I'd just keep an eye out from now on for them to show up. Lowe's will have them again as soon as the nights are warm.
I remember them showing up fairly late in the season last year, I had lifted my bulbs in anticipation of a cold winter that never happened thank goodness. They were replanted a few weeks ago and are just poking through the soil surface now.
I did pick this one up...Raspberry Moon..the leaf on the right is 10 in. across, the light was weird, it was cloudy and acting like it would rain...but it didn't.........
I have the white Caladiums, and put them in the greenhouse for the winter - they are just now emerging from the soil.
All mine stay in the ground year round. Their up about 6-10 in. If we'd get rain they'd probably be up more.
I put about 25 in the ground 2 years ago and they never returned, so now they go in the greenhouse.
Oh Alice, thank you, you are right. I was looking at that picture. I had this plant emerge a couple of weeks ago and did not remember what it was, just assumed it was an amorphus (?). But when I saw Elaines picture, I thought that sure does look like what I have, but the name was throwing me. Now I remember, and I thought it was dead. So, yea! I have something to watch and see what it does. Mine is only about 5 in. at the moment, how about yours? I guess I need to fertilize it, poor thing.
Ours are twins Paula, mine is up about 5" too. The fertilizer is a good idea. LOL
My ground soil stays too damp in the winter for caladiums. When I lived inland where the soil had more drainage it was never a problem leaving them in the ground but here they rot.
This is a cool little nasty, I love the colors on this one.
Same colorway is hibiscus Susan's Sunset, slightly torn up by the hummers.
I was a bad clivia mom and left this one int oo much sun. Poor plant.
My Clivias didn't bloom this year - maybe not low enough temps.
Off topic but I have a problem and maybe y'all have some ideas for me. Due to the warm winter we have about a million times normal numbers of mosquitoes this year. I notice there are many swarming around the potted plants by my front door. None of them have saucers that might hold water, there are no cupped leaves that might hold water, it is just the moist soil in the pots- which I do let dry out between waterings. I have sprinkled BT granules on the soil but they have not had any effect. I generally do not use any chemicals on my plants but I am ready to spray something, the skeeters are getting into the house especially when my pokey dog comes in and out. The plants are large, various philodendrons, begonias and ferns. Any ideas for me?
Alice, when it rains here, I take an umbrella and circle out from the house with the mosquito dunks and granules in hand. I put them down everywhere I see any water standing in puddles, plus in the ditch and down the drainage grates out front. I weight a piece of dunk with a rock, and tie it into a stocking or piece of netting so it doesn't wash away downstream. I know you have a lot of water all around you, but believe me, when it rains hard here, (someday soon!!) so do I! I've kept the skeeter levels down to pretty reasonable in general.
For your plants near the door, hm. Put a piece of dunk or some granules in a watering can and let it 'steep' for a day or two, then water all the plants with that for a few days. Sounds counter-intuitive, but maybe try using shallow saucers with granules in them, so the skeeters do lay eggs there, not on the soil. That way you can keep the granules working - they work better in water, I think. The water that wicks up will have the Bt in it, too, so if there are eggs in the moist soil the larvae will die.
Hang an extra piece of screening over the door until the number of skeeters reduces? We have a piece with a full-length slit in it that I put over the patio door when they are bad here, that way when we, and the cat come in and out it's not so easy for the skeeters to follow. You can buy them at HD or Lowe's, with velcro fasteners and magnets down the opening to close it after you. (but I made mine myself)
I'd also highly recommend a natural insect repellent I've been using for a couple of years. It's called "Herbal Armor" smells great, works well, and even takes away the itch if you do get a bite! It's made of oils of citronella, soybean, peppermint, lemongrass, cedar and geranium. I order it online, but you can get it sometimes in natural food stores.
Thanks, I may "steep" some of the dunk granules and water with that. I have them on the surface but maybe they need to be dissolved. I usually use them in all the brom throats, etc. There are dunks in all the bird baths, lotus pots, rain barrel and even the lily pond though there are fish in there too. Wish I had stock in the mosquito dunk company.
We haven't had much rain either, just a few drizzles once in a while so there are no puddles here, just the incoming and outgoing tide and naturally the highest tides are this month.
I'll look for rhe Herbal Armor, I have been using one called No Natz, made in Paula's hometown of Waycross, it smells pretty good too. Since these things are all natural I suspect I could spray them on the soil without doing any harm. Another experiment coming up. lol
I'd be betting it's the high tides that are hatching so many more skeeters right now, Alice. The eggs can lay in dry puddles for quite a while and still be viable. Then the tide comes in, and even if it's a bit salty (fresh water floats on top of the salt) it still re-hydrates the eggs, so they can hatch and a whole new generation is released. Yes the Bt granules and dunks must be soaked in water for some time before the bacillus is released and activated. Probably just wetting them in moist soil would not be enough.
I think mosquito larvae need a little plain water to swim around in before they can mature and fly, also. Otherwise, they'd breed in everyone's garden wherever we water the soil, right?
Do your pots have those "self-watering" reservoirs in the bottom? That might be a place where they could breed. I've found I have to put dunk pieces in my Earth Boxes to prevent the skeeters breeding in there, too!
No self watering pots, I have always been careful with anything that could hold standing water because of these pesky bugs. This particular strain lives and breeds in the salt marshes. Only good thing is that they do not carry some of the diseases that other mosquitoes do. Even the poor dog is getting bitten, they swarm around him when he lifts his leg, poor guy.
I wondered about those earth boxes, my son in JAX uses them. He has his inside the pool cage so there are few bugs although, he too says this year is the worst they have seen. My grandkids use paint brushes and Qtips to pollinate their tomatoes and cukes.
Yes, I was lured to the 'dark side' with the Earth Boxes. Another gift from my kids, the first two were an experiment and I was doubtful. I have a lovely big 3ft. X 12ft. raised bed with great soil in it. I planted peppers and broccoli in the Earth Boxes and the raised bed on the same day, from the same packs of transplants. They were 6ft. apart, so got equal sun, fert and water (or so I thought). The plants in the Earth Boxes were so much bigger, matured faster and bore a lot more than the ones in the raised bed it was ridiculous! I now have seven of them and that's where I raise my veggies.
The raised bed gets used for experiments now, like last year I planted the whole thing in sweet potatoes, and this spring we had strawberries (or, I should say the bugs, birds and critters had strawberries, we barely got a taste). This year I've decided to amend the soil heavily with compost and peat moss and try growing highbush blueberries. Yes, I bought a big piece of bird netting . . .
I use Watkins lotion and the spray can both. top of head to toes. Used to spray and lotion up ole' Duke too..
Beautiful blooms everyone. I finally have a little time to stay up late. here is a few pictures of things from end of March thru now, most everything is outside..
still have some things inside and lots of seed cups going again.. getting down to 39 tonite, Joe asked me should he cover his potatoe and bean plants.. LOL I told him no..
4th pic is philo cobra... last pic is the monstera and other philo cuttings Rita sent, they are finally starting to make new leafs.. they sit under the over hanging honey suckle and wine trailing roses there..
I did not cover anything. I figure it will toughen things up. up to 72 by 4 pm is the forcast.
I have found that spraying plants and surrounding areas with a mild solution of soap and ammonia and epsom salts seem to help with critters on the plants.. I put rose and boxthorn cuttings all over the premises and pots and tubs to keep squirrels and cats out of.. it is working.
all the columbines and iris are being generous with their blooms.. the little daisey garland has filled in everywhere ..so cute and dainty with white mini daisey blooms.. lilly of the valley, bleeding heart, tulips and daffodils are done.. gave the big p gigantum a pole now.. ( good bark branch with twines..) all the loniceras are either flushing or getting ready too,,.. John Clayton was first to show, Goldflame next and then Dropmore scarlet..
I AM PLEASED SO MANY THINGS EITHER ROOTED OR CAME BACK .. oops capslock
chitalpa tree ( a cross between desert willow and catalpa?) healthier than the one I just took outside..
mock orange is all a bud
virgina blue bells are all done now and setting seed, as are all the woodland vilolets, now the english wallflower and pink primrose are blooming crazy time..
I have no clue why these picture are not showing up right side up..
Beautiful, as usual, Debra!
Alice
Tell me about the No Natz, never heard of it, but if it works I would love to get some. Does it work on regular gnats? If so, I am buying stock in that company!!
http://www.nonatz.com/
Paula, I was mistaken, they are in Dublin, I could have sworn they were in Waycross last year. The owner is a good old boy and you have to live in the south to understand how affectionate a term that is. Give him a call, he will make you smile all day. He told me he developed the spray because they keep their boat in Savannah and the sand gnats were killing them. This stuff is made of coconut oil, lavender oil, rosemary oil, lemongrass oil and alcohol. If you call him he can tell you where it can be bought locally and I think it might be available in the convenience stores down there. I get it at the Beaufort marina store. Try it, it does help.
I am going to try it on the soil surface of the container plants on my porch, I don't think it could hurt.
My pink salvias have bloomed off and on all winter, but are really taking off now.
Rooting some cuttings of salvia 'Indigo Spires'.
Alice's Begonia 'Odorata alba' is loving this hanging basket, and it's right at nose level as I walk by. Soft scent like baby powder in the mornings . . . mmm. It's got a white caladium and variegated liriope in there for company.
Good morning everyone,
What a busy weekend...FINALLY got the front of the house landscaped! I am so sore!! Looks a lot better, I'll try to post pictures later.
Love the pink salvias Elaine.
Anyone want a Black lab?? I have a 10 ft. planter along the front of my house and just planted it a few days ago with varg. hibiscus white caladiums, amaryllis and a few other things. This stupid dog decided that was where she wanted to dig a hole. I could have shot her. She is on my BAD list! A hundred acres and she had to dig a hole to China in my planter box. Geez!!
Good morning! Your fur-baby found something either smelly or moving, so she naturally had to investigate. That's nature, so don't be mad at her! Perhaps she saw/heard/smelled a mole or vole, which would have eaten your plants anyway, OR, you planted on top of a tasty morsel she had buried there. To deter her, find a place that she can legally dig, then bury a bone several inches down. She will dig it up, and after she does, move to another safe area and do it again. Eventually, she will not dig in a 'no-dig' area. I used to train German Shepherds and this really works!
Funky flower on Caladium 'Jungle Rain'. Looks like the rain made the color run.
