diva,
just a note:
cardoons are a winter plant for us. I don't know when to start sowing the seeds though. My neighbor gives me babies from his big plant and they love our winters here. I only have a few babies but I can spare one. If you like, I'll tag your name on it. This is a beautiful plant and gets really huge, you will need to give it at least 4-5ft expanding room. The beautiful blue blooms make great cut flowers and last forever.
My tropical beds for 2004
Lisa Please tag that sucker for me! I was just re-reading this thread and thinking its prob. too late to start seeds. Do they die over the summer or how does your neighbor keep his big one? I've grown regular artichokes before but not this beautiful - they die in the summer. I'll come pick it up sometime.
diva, mine started dying about a month ago, but it shoots up pups. I'll mark one for you. I might be your way soon, maybe we can meet somewhere.
Diva the other red canna with the smaller flowers is Futurity Red..its on the market..nice dark foliage but small flowers.
Kyle, you are truly an inspiration. Probably have tour buses coming by your house, huh?
I want to know what he does about dogs!
Thanks Eclipse I am going to put Futurity on my "wanted" list so I can remember to look for it.
Lisa I have a nice person offering to mail me some seeds of cardoon - may just start a bunch for next year. But keep that pup for me anyway!
Eclipse could you 'splain bout storing tropicals dormant over the winter? Does that mean no light, no water, pots, peat moss, or what? I would like to take a few of my specials in in case we do get a freeze! Thanks! :) (I subconsciously mixed all your garden photos into my own Garden pic file, I think so I could pretend to myself that they are mine...)
LOL@ Diva..yu sew crasy!! LOL I take most of my tropicals to the basement in winter.Temp is about 65F a few windows (small) and a few flour. lights(shop lights with full spectrum bulbs).The brugs get watered twice a week,along with most of the bananas,hibiscus,palms etc.The eE's go totally dormant except the alocasias.They go under the lights.Low light cool(not cold ) temps and less water will force the plants to slow growth down almost to a sleep till spring.I don't care what they look like in winter..I only want to get them thru till spring.When the nights reach the mid 50'sF then back out they go.
Out there in the midwest, can you grow Acanthus? It, too, has a great tropical look to it...I used to grow them in Seattle.
Do you mean Bears Breeches? I have Acanthus Spinosus
*sighs*
A sight for sore eyes ..................
Sorry Rootdoctor...just caught up with this...Yes, Bears Breeches.
Kyle...you never cease to amaze!!! OH, and thanks tons for the seeds...way way generous!