To all the tropical peeps; Please enjoy thought provoking pictures, gardens and other memorabilia from the world of heat and humidity.
We were in this universe earlier;
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1269701/
This message was edited Jul 21, 2012 9:29 PM
Drew, didn't you have some serious flooding in Charotte yesterday? I hope all your green babies are OK.
Elaine, glad to hear your DH is OK. I imagine the boats he sails are not small and a capsize can be pretty serious. Good to know all is well.
It is funny, because we are having rain all around us - within 1/2 mile generally - the humidity and the dew points have been off the scale, we just don't get the usual accompanying rain. We really need some here, the soil is powdery dry. However, the weeds continue to grow and grow, Chamberbitter is my nemesis. Has anyone ever used one of those blow torch weeders? I am wondering if by torching these evil weeds I might torch the seeds on them at the same time. Invariably when you are hand pulling them or using RU, some seeds will fall off. I would keep the hose in the other hand since burning anything in such dry conditions is not smart.
Clerodendron Ugandense - almost looks like it was photoshopped but that's the true image.
Poor little gold mac is still struggling but slowly it is making headway.
B. Irene Nuss is so heavy with the large clusters of flowers she just collapsed. This is my first year with her so I guess I need to figure out what she needs.
This message was edited Jul 22, 2012 9:42 AM
This message was edited Jul 22, 2012 9:44 AM
Alice, got caught with the P.giganteum and Monstera with the deluge, but it will probably be ok. The Giganteum is really wet though. Maybe some yellowing to come. Part of growing a jungle in pots in a temperate area LOL. That new guinea Gold is a beast to grow. I have killed three... NO MORE! That is a beautiful plant and it does look photoshopped. Great job. Begonia needed more sun for stronger stem? High phosphorous ferts?
Love that blue clero, Alice. I had one at our other house, and haven't planted one here yet.
Irene is gorgeous, too. Maybe she needs to be in a hanging basket? Seems like some of the cane begonias will stand up, while others have a lax habit no matter what you do. Especially the ones with heavy blooms seem to do this.
Here's my Rainbow Costus bloom - peachy with some red stripes inside.
Purple Achimenes getting up to speed - finally!
Blue ginger start, taking off like a rocket and already in need of a new pot.
Funny little ground orchids, blooming their heads off, usually won't stand still for a photo.
Monster brug bloom looking like a party dress.
Elaine, Here you go. I almost forgot about it!
...And the new side shoots
Hoo, and cool flowers, too! Glad I reminded you. It's such a beauty - how big are those leaves?
Now, more questions pop up as I look at that picture again. It's obviously a runner (or a walker?) - so when you go to take it indoors for the winter, will you cut it off and just take in the growing end with the last few leaves?
Leave the stalk that's along the ground out there to sink or swim? (so to speak) Maybe it will live through with lots of mulch? Or if you throw it on the compost pile? (evil grin)
This message was edited Jul 22, 2012 11:02 PM
I think I will leave the whole thing out there with shredded leaves burying it... or, bury everything but the last 2-3 nodes and place that in a pot to grow on next year for someone in Sarasota.
I may need to hire a bulldozer to clear space for yet another big plant. Am contemplating rousting out one of my huge white Birds of Paradise. They're really just way too huge for my garden now. Between them and the 5 or 6 tree philos along the east fence, . . . well, as I keep saying, it's a jungle out there.
Just took the cat to the vet for teeth cleaning . . . I've never left her at any vet before. More traumatic for me than for her I think.. Need garden therapy!
This message was edited Jul 23, 2012 12:54 PM
Elaine, you can layer plants, one in front of another - may the best plant win!
Just got a few more good pics of the Rainbow Costus doing it's thing. finally got it in the right amount of light, so the leaves are starting to show more of the pretty variegation again, as well as the flowers are coming along.
Drew, my former neighbor in Columbia used to fabricate a wire cage around his bananas and fill it with leaves during the winter. His plants always fruited with this treatment, I imagine it would keep your other trops happy too.
Elaine, How is your poor kitty doing? Boolie, my fur baby, walks around with this deflated football in his mouth. Every now and then he will bury it under the variegated ginger (grrrrr), then he will dig it up and carry it around for a couple of hours. Weird.
ELaine, that costus is probably the prettiest ginger I have ever seen. Awesome!
This message was edited Jul 23, 2012 11:38 AM
Just got back from the vet with the cat. I think she is high on something, acting as if she doesn't know she's home. Anyway, I am sure glad to have that ordeal over with. Once a year for check-up and shots is enough!
I will have starts of that ginger to share come fall, I'd imagine. Barring droughts (doubtful) or hurricanes.
I know it doesn't look like much, but I'm pretty proud of this, a sprout of a Phaius (nun's orchid) from a stem cutting!
Elaine, congrats on propagating that nun's orchid - I have the purple one and have tried this technique many times - all failures.
I'll come clean and confess I had about 10 pieces of stem cutting, and only one worked.
Next year when they finish blooming, I'm going to do this with half the stems, and throw the other half in the compost. Anybody want to bet which ones make the most baby plants??
Sure, I'll bite - the ones in the compost - they'll be easier to uproot, too! What color are yours?
Ivory petals, dark purple lip. Let's see if I can dredge up a picture. . .
Naturally, I can't remember if it was the first one or the second.
Yes, that's the ones I have. I had a yellow one, but gave it away. I would love to find the white one, too.
hello everyone! gorgeous pictures as always. homer that picture in post number 9214996 is gorgeous.
ardesia your dog is so cute.
elaine i know how you feel about making room. i have been clearing out nasty vines, mother in law tongue and massive clerodendren quadricularis from the power lines. my neighbors house is in forclosure and a lanscaper was out there cutting grass and i talked him into hacking them back from their side. now i have sunlight and better airflow. i wish i took a picture of before. of course i am just making room for more crap back there.lol.
the first two pictures are of they area i cleared. it might not look it but before you couldnt see into their yard.
3. is a mock orange full of flowers and with this humidity smells wonderful
4. praying hands bananas
5 royal poinciana.
a few more pictures
1. milkyway tree
2. croton
3. cafe con leche
4. heliconia
5. star fruit hard to see because the are the same color as the leaves. i have a few babies if anyone is interested.
Cassie!!! Nice to see you again - we missed you!
Cassie, you're getting RID of Clerodendrum quadriloculare and I've been trying to find it! LOL Just goes to show that one man's poison is another man's food!
aw thanks, i am on here once in awhile but it is on an ipad and i can't post pictures with it. (not very savy). so i go outside every once in awhile to take pictures for myself to see how things have changed over the years. i love getting ideas on here from everyone, as well as sharing my pictures. your all welcome to come down and raid my garden anytime your in miami.
how many do you want? they get huge and are really invasive here.
the first picture is when we had a cold snap a couple of years ago and half the leaves froze then fell off.
Beautiful pictures Cassie and I love some of the names - Milky Way tree, Cafe con Leche, how very nteresting.
I am not very technical either, Elaine had to give me a tutorial on how to download photos from my phone.
Cassie - I love your plants, such nice pictures! I agree with Ardesia - the cafe con leche is striking. I just planted a Clerodendrum quadriloculare, it has grown very fast!! I see a trim in it's near future. . .
Dyzzy - is that a spiral ginger in your picture above? Do you have it in shade or part sun?
Hello Everyone!!
Drew, those are some very impressive plant pictures. It doesn't get any better than that, great growing!!! Thanks for the new thread
dyzzy, It seems as if there is not a plant that will not thrive in your garden. I am so happy to see the bloom on the rainbow ginger and am totally enjoying your gardening adventures.
You guys are having a wonderful summer but like ardesia, I am waiting for a little rain. I watched the rain clouds pass us by almost every day this week.
This is a Philo.Warscewiczii and a Warscewiczii Flavum, it seems as if someone has already raided my garden and cut the tip off. lol
Amorphophallus atroviridis no bloom this year.
This message was edited Jul 25, 2012 5:10 PM
Jeri11,I remember my dh commenting about the dynamite crape myrtle saying we should get a few more, it was a stunning red and a good accent tree. Thanks for trading with me. I would like piece of your red ginger and hope that I have something you would like in trade. Those were some nice pictures you posted, the Cajun princess is so pretty and the Spinach tree is also a new plant for me.
Joeswife, I am so very sorry to hear about your sister. It seems as if you picked the right time for your Florida vacation, wishing you all the very best.
mjsponies, love your Hoyas, these two from Lowe's markdown has been in bloom since spring, while the ones fron E-bay are just sitting there.
candela, lovely garden shots, that heliconia is a star. I was very surprised to see buds on my Caricature (cafe con leche) plant. phughes showed me a picture of her plant blooming and I thought mine never would, they are pretty.
The second picture is one from you.
Love these plants for their foliage. I got my Pic.# mixed up and posted the
wrong ones.
Guava
habenero peppers
floridabunnie, that was a nice Rangoon Creeper you posted, remember to prune, this vine blooms on new growth.
plumeria
Beautiful Rita - as usual. How do you manage to keep things so lush looking in spite of the lack of water? Everything here looks wilty although I am running the irrigation system every night and hand watering as needed during the day.
This is an old picture from the files of E. 'Just Beautiful', I no longer have this plant it was another victim of cold weather. I just followed Elaines instructions and planted the noid epi I presently have on a tree. We'll see what happens to that one.
This message was edited Jul 24, 2012 7:06 AM
Gorgeous plants, everyone. I must order one of those variegated Plumeria - just beautiful foliage!
Rita that second picture is a sancheza the flower is really pretty as well.
Ardesia I have a few cuttings of epi s but not a flower yet, I can't wait especially if that is what they Look like.
I've had some of those succulents for years - they are huge, but nary a bloom!
KayJones, I got a nice variegated plumeria at Tropiflora last year. They still have some with great foliage and red flowers. Probably safe to ship an unrooted cutting even at this time of year.
https://tropiflora.safenetserver.com/shop.cfm?page=display&ProductID=50042&CategoryID=55&letter=p&iPageNbr=1&src=alpha
Thanks - I will take a look!
Edited to add: there is no way I can justify paying $15 to have a 10" Plumeria cutting mailed to me - I will just enjoy your pictures, Elaine.
This message was edited Jul 24, 2012 10:21 AM
I also got some from ChefMike's coop but they look to be green & yellow instead of green & white. I believe he still has some for sale.
This message was edited Jul 24, 2012 9:08 PM
Kay, Become a VIPP member, just look at the bottom of this page and click on it. http://www.tropiflora.com/ $15 sounds unusually high to me.
If you are a VIPP they take a percentage off the shipping costs. I have bought things that were significantly larger than a plummie cutting and never paid anything like that for postage. Actually, I think their shipping is among the most reasonable out there. You could always join the program (it is free) then call and ask about the actual costs.
Thanks for that information, Alice. I will just keep looking at the ones you all have - so pretty!
