I know that individual types of tropical plants require specific fertilizers/food. I started growing (and killing) tropicals in pots last year - I'm trying my hardest to figure out the ideal food and watering schedules for my Big Bird of Paradise, Cycads, philodendrums (pardon my spelling), gingers, palms, hibiscus, camelias (I add those to the tropical mix), etc.
Just wondering how you keep all these different plants straight as far as feeding and watering, what brand of food and potting mix you use, and whether any of you grow your tropicals in pots. Looking forward to hearing from you all.
Catt
Feeding Your Tropicals
Cattnap check with one of your local garden centers for the right types to use.They are more in tune with PH levels etc in your area. Different soils require different fertilizers.When I lived in San Diego it was a whole other game than growing plants in our soil mixes here.Tropical like low to medium PH but water from the tap is usually very high PH.
I grow strictly in containers, not in the ground. I expected more posts here about feeding, caring and growing tropicals - it seems that this forum is mostly about pictures I guess.
It is a slow time of year for me,my tropicals are just hanging on,waiting to go outside...
I try to do what I can in the ground.
CATT, I'm the least qualified to give much information because I've only been growing plants for a year. I put EVERYTHING in containers because I can't dig (old Arthritis got me) and I need to move them according to the time of year and the sun and shade. I put everything in Miracle Grow Potting Soil and use Osmacote Time Release fertilizer. So far I have had everything grow wonderfully well. The only plants in the ground were here when I moved here: Bouganvilla, Hibiscus, Traveler's Palm and Red Passion Vine. I don't do anything for them, they are huge and seem to get along fine without me! As for watering, I feel the top dirt, tip the pot up to see if it feels too light and then decided if it needs water or not. I never let them sit in water though, learned that the hard way. I don't know if this has been of any help, it's just my way of dealing with learning about plants and so far it's worked. GOOD LUCK and enjoy.
Pati
Cattknap, welcome to the tropicals forum. I hope you will find answers to your questions. Maybe when you have something specific that you need answers too, you might title the thread with a question. I know it helps me to respond when I see a question mark. I wish I could help you, but I did a good job of killing off a BOP last summer and the winter before, I lost most of my hibiscus. I'm trying to grow a Pink Princess Philo and it isn't doing much for me. I could benefit from answers to your questions too. I also grow a lot of tropicals in pots, mainly because all of them have to come inside for the winter. During the summer months, everything I grow gets Peters 20-20-20 or Scotts Excel and some plants get Osmocote if I remember to mix it in the soil. I'll keep coming back to see if anyone can help you and me both. I'm sure someone will come along and answer some questions soon. If not, I guess I'll keep trying. I'm bound to hit on the perfect fertilizer one day. LOL!
Here is a thread on feeding Hibiscus.
http://davesgarden.com/t/316649/
Thanks everyone for the info. I have had a problem with scale and white fly but feel that I have found some answers (whether they are the right answers proves to been seen). I have talked to growers and done internet research on potting soil, food, feeding schedules and light requirements. Because I have such a small sampling of a variety of plants and those plants have individual needs, I think I have created a lot of work for myself.
I went to a large garden show a couple of days ago and was able to talk directly with some growers of various tropicals. One thing they all seemed to agree upon was that most tropicals need well drained soil. One suggested using the cheapest outdoor soil (Evergro from Lowes), adding sphagnum moss/shredded bark (available at Lowes), clean sand and pumice. I added worm castings to this - worm castings have worked miracles in my front yard cottage garden.
I bought special hibiscus food from a hibiscus grower (Hidden Valley Hibiscus - www.hiddenvalleyhibiscus.com
I have fed my palms (cycads, pygmy, big birds, Majestic, Segos, philadendrum (not a palm but it got palm food anyway) with palm food, the impatiens, kangeroo paws, maidenhair fern, coleus and fuschias and various flowering annuals with all purpose food - both liquid and time released, the citrus with citrus food, the hibuscus with hibiscus food and the camelias with cottenseed meal. I've added worm castings to existing pots and watered everything thoroughly. I've trimmed, dead-headed and fussed. I don't know what else to do. I'm exhausted and poor after buying all the different foods, planting mixes and new plants to replace the dead ones, new pots for even more things to kill, etc.
Everything looks beautiful - I'm going to stand back, do a happy dance if all the stuff makes it and hope I've done all the right things. Thanks again for all the responses - this is a fun forum!
Cat
We have a blast in here Cat,I hope your plants do well,I am a big fan of the worm castings,compost is what I use the most.
Cat, mine are in the ground, so don't know if this will help. I use Palm food on most of my tropicals and a bit of iron because my soil is slightly alkaline. The palm food has extra magnesium because palms need that. The BOP needs regular watering to flower consistently. My citrus plants get citrus food. I think down here they have a special food for everything!
When we grew in the greenhouse, I used a balanced fertilize on everything alternated with Cal-Mag by Peter's. Not overwatering is the most important thing when growing in pots.