Mid Atlantic Tropicals

Things have been pretty good here other than the heat. There was a good bit of damage at Hershey Gardens about a 1/2 hr's drive. I was out in the yard for most of the day. I look like a grub. Wearing my bathing suit with filthy long blue plants and knee pads. Every so often I throw my self into the pool for 10 mins then back into those pants & knee pads to do more planting and weeding.

I can't believe you're working out in the yard in this heat!!!

Monmouth and Mercer counties in NJ are under a severe storm watch as of a few minutes ago. Hope if any of you are up in that area you stay safe. Keep your eye on the sky.

Just finished watering the containers again. Lost 7 out of 8 hanging baskets. Sun dried the plants completely out and the soil was still moist. Crazy, never saw that happen before. In fact it is darn scary. Gotta run for now. JB

y'all stay safe!! I'm sure there's plenty to do "out there" but I'm simply not...maybe later closer to dusk. Need to repot the 4 tropicals that got blown off the deck in that mad mess Friday night....everything else fared well..thank goodness. Been cleaning house which needed much attention...sheesh!!

I used to trap them in beer and I couldn't help but laugh at the fact that they come out at night to drink beer. I have a weird sense of humor. JB

"happy hours" LOL

Special Request

Haven't heard from a number of folks that the major storm that blew through on Friday night may have impacted like ruby, aspenhill, greenthumb and pat, ssgardener, donnerville, Bec, hart, speedy and catbird to name a few...Hope they will check in soon and that they are all ok.

If any of you reading this have a way of checking in with any of the above or other DG neighbors, knowing that they may be out of power and cell phone service, please do so and convey our prayers and wishes for their well being.

You can report any weather and well being reports on our ongoing Chat thread (Your Neck of the Woods) here: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1268408/

Thanks,

Judy

Slugs Sall girl. My frat boys days ended before you were born. LOL I am old as dirt. But I had my share of fun, just don't talk about it.

tee hee

You know, maybe I should go get a six pack of good beer and taste it to see if it is fit for the slugs. This morning I went out to get the pooper scooper in the dog yard to pick up you know what, and I keep the scoopers hanging on the fence. I grabbed one and God forbid, there was a slug in the handle and I almost wet my pants. I just hate those slimy little *&()_)*& . And, to grab one and squeeze, Yikes. Well, I naturally thought of this group. So, Off I go to town. The only problem, the dog will drink the beer before the slugs get it. What a dilemma I am having. JB

Oh, I forgot the real reason I stopped in. I want to put this on the fragrant flower thread, but these young Jasmine Maid of Orleans are about three years old now and I have grown them from cuttings to replace their mother plant that I had for seven years. Just lost her last year. She was so big I had her in a muck bucket with holes drilled in the bottom. I could not find a planter large enough around here and to ship one would have cost too much. Here is a picture of the Mother plant and the one baby in full bloom. These plants live in the GH in the winter, but stay outside from April until late September. Enjoy JB

Sorry to laugh at your expense JB but I did...I can hardly bear to touch a slug when I know its there, very rarely would I touch one, but to have one surprise me like that, I think I would too! (p i m p)

Lookie what opened up for me this morning! A real Tropical......

I counted 15 flower buds on the whole plant. What a show i will have, for weeks and weeks
as they slowly open up. Both of my Epis have surpassed all my expectations this summer.

Pat---this is the plant that I gave you that callousy-looking segment from at Holly' Swap.
All you have to do is wait...and wait...and wait.....until they get insanely pot-bound.

The scabby things on the "leaves" must not bother this plant any......
Gita

Gita, your epis are stunning this year! I've been so enjoying the photos of them. Thanks for sharing them! Gotta say, they really are fairly homely plants... until they bloom... !!!

I missed getting a photo of the first lotus bloom this year... but I think I have 4 different ones budding up now! They're actually pretty hardy, but they sure have that tropical "look." :-)

Jill---

I do not do anything special. Seldom fertilize--water when i water anything else.
I am totally in awe that something so beautiful can come from some decrepit looking
calloused fronds.
It is miserably root-bound. I think--that is the secret. I would not dare re-pot it....

They DO seem to have their own time-frame to do whatever they are going to do.

I am thrilled!!! 15 buds! Can you just see that???? I an sure you will.....

Talk about UGLY--until they bloom!!!

That ric-rac one that you shared with me... do you know if it might bloom someday? or is it a "poor relation?" Either way, it's a cool little plant, rootbound in its little basket and apparently enjoying the "benign neglect" it gets here. LOL

I remember the size of the ric-rac cactus you donated to the conservatory... :-)

Check out this epi... gi-normous cascade of blooms drawing every eye at the 2012 Philly Flower Show.

'Deutche Kaiserin'

Jill--

Yes, the Ric Rac does bloom.
I have only seen it once, some years ago. No idea what it needs to repeat that.
It is huge--and, definitely, root-bound. Beats me....

Here is a picture of the Ric Rac bloom from --all taken in 2006.

Wow, that's really something!!!

What an education reading this thread has been. It has also been good for a few laughs too. I see that there are some like minded people here in regards to slugs!!! I absolutely hate them with a passion.

Did want to report to Donnerville that a couple of the African Violets and the Streptocarpus she shared with me are in bloom and bringing me so much delight. Some of my pots did the same as Chantell's did and took a plunge when the big winds came through.

Coleup, I am just now being able to report in on a thread. We had no power from last Friday evening until the afternoon of the following Friday. I can now officially say that I have lived through A Week From He**. John uses the term brutal to describe what we endured. I always considered power outages to be one of my very top pet peeves, but now I know that in times before I had only tasted the tip of the iceberg when going without power for a few hours at a time.

I am still feeling weak mentally and physically and can't for the life of me find any of my previous pep in terms of doing any of the things that need doing around here. I was able to water my plants twice last week and none look any worse for the wear. On Friday when the well was once again working, I gave everything an extra long drink of the wet stuff.

The tropical plant topic is very interesting and I have enjoyed what everyone has to say so far. I too have a special interest in plants that tend to fall in the tropical category, so look forward to hearing how others tend theirs. We too have had some plants get very damaged by some pest this year. It started with our Hosta, only in the back yard, the ones in the front weren't bothered. About a week or so ago I looked at a Hibiscus that has been destroyed by something, which looks like damage from Japanese Beatles, but we have only seen one of them the whole season. Another Hibiscus that is planted only a few feet away is as healthy as can be. We haven't figured it out and haven't given much thought to treating with anything. If I hear good results here from others and the solutions they use to treat pests, at least we can be ready next year.

Stay cool and remember that cooler temperatures are just right around the corner.....supposedly.

Ruby

Gita, I believe I've seen your Ric Rac in bloom at Rawlings Conservatory. I'll have to look through my pics to see. Ric

Yes 'cooler' temps - went from 104 at 2:30 today to 75 now...four hours later. I have to say - I had my doubts when leaving earlier but feeling quite blessed with the lower temps and mini-shower albeit short in length

Ric--I would love to see the ric rac at Rawlings--in bloom.

I think it blooms earlier there that one would think....may be the environment?

The one time I went there--it had already finished blooming.
I did not like the color of the fronds--kind of yellowish. me thinks maybe too much light in there.

The orchid Cactus like more filtered light. I also do not think they like 100* temperatures too well.
Neither do the Brugs. Put them also in either AM sun or in dappled sun.

Talking about brugs---what does your big Dr. Seuss look like right now? Mama wants to know...
Mine is in its second bloom. It has spider mites--I have hand-sprayed a bit--but I need to really drench it.
I also put a generous amount of Systemic Granules under it. See if that helps...
My Bush Beans are shot because of the mites! They do not produce much anyway.
WHY do I bother planting these? Or 5 tomatoes?
My pickling cukes are going gung-Ho. I have picked 6 beauties in the last 2 days.

Never seen so much Spider Mite damage before--on a lot of things. BUT--heat and dry will bring
them out like a 50% off sale at Macy's. Ahem--i never go there.....


The air outside is heavy--and ominous. We were told a T-Storm is coming...I believe it.

Waiting for the 2nd bloom to open on my Epi. Two days--i say!
Gita

I especially love the looks of the Ric Rac plant that Gita shared with me. Such a very cool plant for sure. Heck, everything she has ever given me is cool though.

Coleup, when reading about Gita saying something about a yellowish color to something, it brought to mind a question you had for me about the Prickly Pear. The ones I have bloomed in yellow a couple of weeks ago. I will tell you that even though I had a heck of a time with the thorns off those boogers, the repotting I did has been really interesting. The ones I repotted have all thrived in this heat and I am sure they are all breathing a big sigh of relief to be finally taken out of the large and very crowded pot they were in.

Hope that your does well for you.

Ruby

Prickly pears, there's one bunch I have not had a moment's worry over lately! I have the local yellow, and also this... and a bg red from AZ, and now a thumb shaped , rather than pad shaped, one. You'd never guess who gave me a thumb shaped prickly in exchange for a hunk of Big Red..

do gingers like sun or shade?

I want Prickly Pear, I just haven't figured out where I would want to plant it. LOL
Finally the Trop Hib is blooming again.

wow!!!!

Holly---NEVER seen colors like that before-----

I would call these "Rainbow".....Gita

I have a tag around here somewhere for that. I will see if I can find it.

Beau-ti-ful!!!!!

Sally - re ginger SUN SUN SUN - I read some where (I think...ugh) that they like their roots not as hot though...so mine are planted behind a larger pot w/vinca growing over and around their base.

thanks C-
that sun with cool roots thing though, what are these plants thinking??

These beauties seemed to thrive in that 90 deg. weather.
The Mandevilla 'Alice Du Pont' and Star Jasmine.

Soooo pretty JB!!!!

Holly, if you will allow me, I will put your name on one of the pots of Prickly Pear I potted up earlier. Please, please. Heck, those babies will live anywhere at all. On a couple of trips that we made to Harts, many years ago, John and I were amazed at them growing all along the hillsides leading to her place. My mother had them in several spots at her home too, and that is where these originated.

Our back yard Hibiscus are blooming to beat the band too. I haven't yet checked on the ones in the front yard, but they may be in bloom too. I really love a Hibiscus and am often tempted to stop at folks yards along my ride in to town and ask for seeds from theirs. If I were John, I would have already done that, because he will stop anywhere he sees something he likes and strike up deals with the plant owners. We have plants from several counties surrounding us. hahaha

For those losing their Butterfly Bushes, we have loads of those to share at the swap too. A couple of years ago, again he stopped in a neighboring town and was able to dig up loads and loads of baby Butterfuly Bushes which are all in pots already waiting for new homes. Our yard also sports several volunteer bushes too, probably thanks to the neighborhood birds.

Anyway.....as you can tell, I am anxious to get rid of some of our excess plants. We haven't done much with the Farmer's Market this year because he is spending most of his Saturdays on our roof taking off the old one and putting on a new one.

Anyway......all you folks have a good day and I hope that you are enjoying some cooler temperatures where you are.

Ruby

That Hibiscus is AMAZING!

I'm with John...I have no pride if I see something stopping by and asking an owner about it. I've been given plants...traded plants...offered money for plants. And like wise if someone asks for a cutting from my yard (or babies if avail) I'm happy to share. My next door neighbor is moving and came buy with 2 pots of herbs. She said I thought maybe you'd like these - yours look so lush...these are struggling. LOL Told her I'd be happy to give them a home (and water - as that's what they needed)...sweet lady!!!

I was quite suprised earlier in the week when watering and John asked me to water some things under a tree at the side of the house. Upon inspection I saw that I have several plus Banana Plants that must have come from Coleup at the swap. I have only potted one in a decorative pot and have it with my houseplants and it is growing leaps and bounds, along with some of the other tropicals that Cole so lovinginly shared with us.

Anyway......that was quite a surprise and now I have some more work to do in terms of getting these in better pots than they are currently in. Shoot, I could have been growing all these things to a lovely size. As it stands, due to every day being devoted to putting on a new roof at our house, there have been no trips to the Farmers Market for some weeks now, so my collection of to sell plants are all here and no idea when they may be sent out in to the world to sold again. I hope soon, because it is going to be way too many things to bring back inside this fall. I guess that a lot of them could be offered at the fall swap.

Anyway....always great to hear what folks have going on, plant wise. Keep sharing folks.

Ruby

I finally took a picture of the Big Musa Banana that Coleup gifted me. It is looking great and putting out a pup. Sorry that there is all kind of background mess in this picture.
A few pics of the Gazebo and the Big Portadoras,