OK, since the other thread got too long and since I don't have any castors(they won't let me count the ones growing in the roadside ditches as mine) I will announce the start of the 2004 castor bean contest. Are we only counting tallest plant, or can we also have a biggest leaf contest? Oh yeah, and the winner has to send me seeds!
New castor bean contest.
Oh cool! This is my first year growing some...hope I can be a contender. They're only 6 inches tall right now.
This message was edited May 17, 2004 8:19 AM
And as the starter of last years informal contest,may I sneak in with the first pic? Yes! just under the wire!
Hey don't count me out yet!
I'm afraid to plant another Giant Thai for the contest. I haven't been able to get last year's stump out of the ground yet. LOL! I thought it would rot over the winter, but that thing was huge and must have rooted to China.
Brugie, it's trying to grow home, to Thailand!
Susie, you need seeds??? Let me know!
I have seeds harvested this year if anyone wants for SASE. Melba
Michele, I think Peggy is sending me some. I had a bunch from mine in TN, and I'm sure they're out in the garage in one of those boxes!
I have been wanting to grow castor bean seeds, never have before but noticed a plant in a neighbor yard. I am wanting to go for a more sub-tropic look and would love to try some if it's not too late to start them now. Anything reddish-plum colored leaf is my favorite look. I am soaking up all the info on the Brug, Tropicals etc. forums now for ideas, great bunch of people here at Dave's!
CoCo
May 17, 2004
email me if anyone wants seeds. I do have some available.
Never thought of that Susie, but I think you might be right.
Here's one of my babies....grow baby grow LOL
I want some of the ones other than red.....where can I find them.... my computer is to hay wire to compete... but I bought some at city park.....
Larry
I haven't started mine yet but I will this weekend.....
This is my first year growing these also, have four different types growing.. here is one. I thought the bugs had gotten them last month.
Can I join in? This is a pic when I first started the seedlings, they are probably 2-3 feet tall now.
You bet Mary,this is an anybody with a bean can join thing,just for fun!! they all are looking great!
I'll take an updated pic today. I got the seeds from Brugie, thought they were the red leaf type, but mind aren't very red, maybe they need more sun, but I don't have all day full sun anywhere in my yard.
I am finding new babies all over,we had a good rain here.
Castor Beans today
Mary, the red ones usually start out red. The beans are red too. I know I sent you some and now I wonder if they got crossed with another kind of castor. I guess it can happen. Mine came up red though.
How red are the beans? Are they as red as coral beans? The ones you sent me looked a lot like pinto beans, I remember thinking that when I got them. They definitely came up with green seedling leaves. There is a hint of red in the leaves, but not dark red like Gourds picture.
Mary, yours look good there.. here is one that is green with some pink.. my seeds are from Brugie too. I can't remember the name of that red one. Mine are about 8 inches tall and most of them planted in the same area.
MaryinLa: Love the setting where you have your castors and the pot man just puts it over the top. Too cute.
Mary, the only seeds I saved were from Red Spire, Green Spire, Dwarf Green and a few Royal Thai. The Red Spire were small seeds. All the others were blotchy looking, I think.
These were blotchy. My luck, now that I have entered the contest for tallest, it was the dwarf ones, lol!!!
By the way, Susie, I still have some seedlings in pots I could send you if you want some.
If they were blotchy and you asked for the tall one, they are probably the Royal Thai. The red ones don't get very tall, maybe 6-8 ft. Looking at your picture, I'd say they are the Royal Thai and if you want them to get really big, put them in full sun.
Well, that is about the fullest sun I have out there, so I'll keep my fingers crossed. Do you still have any seeds for the red ones?
I think I gave them all to rootdoctor. I didn't need them and figured he might be able to use them. He might have some left.
I have a castor bean!! Peggy sent me a red one, a purple one and a green one! I've planted them and gave them a good drink and will fertilize when they get settled in!
Thanks Mary for the offer. I also got the brug yesterday!! Thank you so much!
Thought I would bump this back up.
Happy Birthday Susie!!!
Here are my contenders for the contest this year.
Number 1 in back with the Cannas watching his back.
Fence is 5ft.
Contestant No.2 another 5ft fence.
Here is one of mine. 8 feet 7 inches!!!!!
oh oh, I have alot of catching up to do.. one of mine is about 6 ft tall and full of seed pods.. the others are shorter.. when's the deadline? Maybe I can feed these guys something.
root and rylaff, good job.. neat photos too.
No deadline gourd,and we like pictures of them All!!!!
No rules and no winner,we all win by getting to see everybodies Castors,LOL.
Great Lookin rylaff,gotta go get the MG out!
All the castors look great!!! About 3 weeks ago I had 2 of them planted behind a new pampas grass I put in last year! I didn't think they were growing very well so I took the tree spike fertilizers and hammered them into the ground. I think I used 4 of them! LOL They are going crazy now! They are over 6' and still going. Will they take over??? LOL
Heres a secret to getting the tallest castors...pinch out the blooms as soon as you can, the top branches out but continues to grow upward...easily doubling the height. SSHH! but thats a secret so don't tell everyone! OOPS! too late! LOL Thats how these got this tall, also helps to have zanzaberensis seeds.
Holy Cow!!!!
I don't think I'll win anything for size but how about presentation? LMBO