Beautiful Claire !! I keep saying that someday I am going to have to move down South. Even with my greenhouse heated, it would'nt stay warm enough in the winter for this lovely plant.
Patricia
Mucuna Vine starting to bloom
Hi Clare,
that is beautiful..haven't chatted for a whilte....I'll have to add that to my collection too. Right now I am willing my jade vine to make it through the winter.
LOL...Red...I knew I might see Miss Kay here..hehehehe..
Rj
Thanks, guys! I forgot that I still have Thunbergia mysorensis that is growing quite well. It has taken several years to become a decent size and should be flowering any time now. That will be fun to see.
HI Clare, I love that red vine....but my favorite is purple and that purple vine is gorgeous. I want to live in Southern California. Can you accomodate a small family and 2 pets? and my plants of course . lol
Maureen
Oh NOOOOOOOO! Caught AGAINNNNNN! LOL!
Kay
LOL, Maureen! Unfortunately, I don't have either vine anymore due to lack of room, and I can't even accommodate the plants that I want to have! Thanks for the kind words though!
I wonder when I'll get to the stage to "just say no" to new plants...lol..I'm so out of room .
Rj
Rj, I hear ya! I'm so there, but I still make exceptions for the really special ones!
Yes...me too. I've decided to remove the "brug forrest", and that will free up quite a bit of space. I grew a whole bunch of brugs from seed several years ago. They are too high maintenance here. I will be keeping a couple of favorite trees, but that's about it.
That's exactly what I did. I went from around 40 brugs to around 15, and I'll probably get rid of 5 more next year. They are too high maintenance here too.
Here too. From mealy bugs, to spidermites...everything seems to have it's turn snacking on them. I did find one alternative, and that is cutting them to the ground in June- by fall they are 20 feet tall again and provide a nice fall bloom, missing most of the snacking party. I learned that from Hurrican Rita that flattened alot of my Brugs in September, and they were back and blooming in Dec of that year.
That's interesting, Rj. I had cut two to the ground as well with the intention of throwing out the root systems later, but time got away from me, and they grew back into full trees again before I knew it. I have big spider mite problems too, along with catepillars and grasshoppers munching the leaves constantly, and they just take too much water, fertilizer, clean-up, and pruning for my liking. It's not so bad when you just have a couple, but even having 25 was just too much work. I think that is why I turned to plumerias instead. Plumerias are fragrant and beautiful and require a whole lot less attention.
Yes - I agree. I am going to try the chop to the ground this year, but as you said 25 trees is too much. I have that many plus an entire armada of cuttings from various sources. Trying to find that one that is more heat tolerant and less susceptible to opportunist. I have found one that fits that description. It is a gold trumpet with serated leaves. It is unnamed. Bought it from a landscaper business who has a sale once a year. This brug bloom incessantly year around. That one is definately staying, and a couple of white ones I grew from seed. I just can't throw plants away, I can't even begin to describe why. I am giving some of them away to friends who need plants, but ya wonder if they are up for caring for brugs.
Same here with plumerias- I have so many of them. I brought a few cuttings back from Kauai this last spring. ForItuneatly some friends of mine bought 3 acres of land for their business, and am hoping to cultivate some of the brugs and plumerias over there.
I decided I am hexed with the inability to grow anything small. The brugs, any shrub will grow to behometh size- even a clerodendrum ugandense is trying to grow into its own hedge. Everyone remarks on the shell ginger which stands some 13 feet tall, black currant swirl daturas 12- 13 feet tall- they definately are a mutant strain. I think I'll start with liliput zinnias this year, as last year even the Zinnias grew to 6 feet tall. Of course our own DG forums on soil has nothing to do with it....I worked my soil from those threads like a recipe book.
Rj, it sounds like your golden trumpet with serrated leaves plus good bloomer is either Charles Grimaldi or Dr. Seuss -- both of which look nearly identical, and one is a seedling of the other. You are right that that one is a keeper. Pink Beauty is another one which seems to be immune to a lot of problems. My doubles and variegated ones seem especially susceptible to insect damage, but I'm keeping most of those. I have two whites "Snow Cone" and "Snow White," which seem to be good bloomers and resistant to problems. I have another B. versicolor Peach that gets ravaged by catepillars. I'm going to toss out my HG's as that is one flawed brug with a blooming problem.
I used to be the same as you -- not wanting to throw out any plant, but after I got so crowded, I made some rules to make my life easier. One of the rules is that, if a plant is particular susceptible to whiteflies, spider mites, catepillars, or any insect damage, it gets tossed out. Another rule is that, if a plant grows more than six feet a year, it gets tossed out. Basically, anything that requires too much of my attention to look good and grow well will get tossed out. I do, however, offer stuff to neighbors and my friends all the time so a nice plant doesn't just get tossed, but most of the time, it is infested when I toss it. You are so lucky to have friends that will let you grow some things on your land.
I too am appreciating the smaller, more behaved plants. Try adeniums, Rj, if you want to dabble in small. They, at least, stay small for quite a long time. It sounds like you've got some great soil there.
I am on an evolution to adpot some of those guidlines!
LOL, I especially like the 6 foot rule, which seems to apply to most plants here. I have not heard of adeniums...going to go check those out now!
thanks
Nice talking with you, Rj. Here's an Adenium. We now have an Caudiforms Forum over at Dave's, which includes Adeniums. If you are interested, I highly recommend Snowbelt: http://www.snowbeltadeniums.com/
I did look at those in the PF, and they are very cool! They look like that are drought tolerant too. I have a front dry bed garden, full Texas sun. Will they do good there?
Nice talking to you too..been a while since the plumerias. I did get a few out in front, but not the plumy garden I envisioned. I have some more grass and yard to get rid of this spring...hehehe
Hi Rj, you are right that they are very drought tolerant because they store lot of water in their bodies. I don't know about full Texas sun, but I would imagine that they would do just fine if acclimated. Hehehe...I dug out a section of front lawn myself last spring! Boy, was it a lot of work getting rid of that crab grass! Here is a pic that I found on the Internet of Adeniums and Bougainvillea in South Africa.
Oh that is cool! Thanks. LOL, yes I dug out alot of the front last spring, and I tell ya..it was a task. I will be doing so again this spring. I change my garden around like moving furniture in the house. It is never the same. Now that I have graduated botanical 101, I have to concentrate on landscaping 101!
Love those bougainvillea!
Rj, we sound so much alike! I change things around in my garden constantly. I haven't passed Landscaping 101, but I'm learning as I go. My most important rule to learn is to not plant things too close together! Here's a pic of the project in progress last summer in case you want to see.
This message was edited Dec 4, 2006 6:34 PM
I did this whole thing in about ten days.
I had to amend the soil too because the dirt was just terrible.
I probably planted everything too close together, but I ain't diggin' it up! LOL!
I find that trees in particular do much better when planted in the ground versus growing them in containers. That falls under the "Duh" rule.
That is great..see I learned something. I had too many things I wanted to put in. It looked great for the first 3 months and then the beanstalks were looking for Jack..haha. Is that a pond you put in ? I did the same thing last spring. Dug a big hole, and put in a pond. I love it. That one is in the back.
Here are my pics from this last spring. I bought the house late last year (but have lived there for 8 years). I was not allowed to change much in front. Jan 1st, my wheel barrow and tools were neatly lined up in front, and I went for the meatballs first, and expanded it by several feet. It appears that come this January, I will be expanding again, but minimizing the content in the existing beds. It looked really good at first...Sad to say it's much taller and needs work. I am lamenting because I have been on extra projects at work that have really taken the time from my beloved gardening. I had a reprieve the last week, but go back to the project again..I will find a happy ground.
http://davesgarden.com/journal/ed/index.php?tabid=1702
I think some of these have the back jungle in too
This message was edited Dec 4, 2006 9:30 PM
Those are amazing pics, Rj. I love what you've done and how beautiful it looks. I love the pond and the stone pathway too. The big hole that I dug may have looked like it was for a pond, but it was actually just for one big tree that I planted -- the Michelia chapensis. I had a pond but couldn't keep algae out of it, and I killed the fish trying to get rid of it. It was a disaster. Anyway, your place looks great, and now that you own it, you can design the garden as you see fit and as time permits. It is always so stressful for me to try to do it in a hurry, but it seems I am always in a hurry because my DH has a low tolerance for mess. If I had the choice, I would take my time with it. I would probably dig things up less that way. LOL! Don't work too hard:-)
Thanks,
I certainly learned not to plant seeds along with the other selected plants. it is hard to imagine those tiny things turning into huge plants sometimes.
That was a good size hole for the tree!
You know what I finally resorted to for algae? Don't laugh....after trying all of that pond stuff, I bought algae block for an aquarium..It worked like a charm and better than anything designed for a pond....things that make you go hmmmmm.
Do you have a journal, or more pictures to look at?
LOL, you have a low tolerance mess person too eh? Boy I get griped at every time I bring some plants inside that are by the deck door, and too far away to the greenhouse to spend 1 or 2 cold nights. In the end...the plants win...! convert plants into $$ lost, and suddenly a clearer view is unveiled.
Yeah, they say, when you plant a tree to dig a hole twice as deep and twice as wide as the root ball and amend and backfill, and this was a big container that it was in. The hole was so big though that I think I made it a little wider and planted two things, one at each end of the hole and then backfilled.
I actually did buy algae block, and it worked well after I had drained the pond a couple of times, but my biggest problem was the pond filtration system. I had one which looked like yours, and the motor died after about a year, and that was after the main filtration system/motor failed so it turned out to be too much work to keep it going so we gave all the big fish away, and I was told that I could keep the little ones without it, but they were very unhappy. Here's a pic of it when I had it. It's empty now. I think, when the main filtration system can be put back into operation, this area can have a pond again. We are just renters here so the owner will have to spend the money to fix the problems when and if he wants to have a pond again. It was nice having koi and goldfish, but it was added expense and worry.
No, I don't keep a journal, but I've uploaded many pics to PlantFiles over the years. Thanks for asking! My main interest is in plumerias these days, but there are some fragrant plants that I'll never part with. You can see some of my threads and uploads here: http://davesgarden.com/forums/threads.php?user=Clare_CA
My DH hates it when plants come inside too, but I too remind him of replacement costs, and they get to stay;-)
Wow, what a beautiful pond! I hope you get to have it again! I must admit, I have mine shaded alot of the day, so algae is easier to fight. Also, in our climates we can add a couple of plecostomus..I have no idea how to spell it, but they vacume up the algae pretty good. I have an aquarium in the green house that houses folks and plants that don't like the weather (like we're having)
I have to read up a bit more on the plumerias. I had alot of blooms, but my seedlings didn't progress this year so well. I needed to pay more attention to them which I did not. Still, there are plumerias stuffed in every corner, around the house, on the front porch, back deck, garden, green house. I need to repot all of the foot tall seedlings in better draining soil. I'm really behind on things, and I'm a one income household right now....hoping to be 2 anytime ..it's tough! I shake my head in wonder every month wondering how I pulled it off again..haha. Guess that's why I'm geting so good at growing things from seeds. Right now I have Australian and African morning glory trees, orange sky vines, papayas, plumerias, alocosias, Rangoon, and double Rangoon creepers growing in the green house all from seeds (or pups re alocasia) Like I need another plant!
I think you pointed me to some plumeria care before, but I need to review it for soil composition, or soiless. The Plumerias I have permanentaly in the ground seem pretty happy.
okay..now for some viewing!
Wow, those are as good as journals.
I think I really am liking the spider plumeria..those are very cool looking!
And gingers!! you still have those? My collection really increased this year.
Argghh..more 30;s this week and winter hasn't even started. I see you have a ylang ylang..I just got one, along with a poison arrow sometinanother. You know what's weird, is that the clerodendrum ugandense leaves got burned from the cold, but I have a Jade Vine 20 feet up a bamboo ladder that hasn't even blinked. I did plant carefully, where the roots go underneath the sheltered part of the deck, and it is very mulched- but still, I was informed that would show signs of death under 60 degrees. Is it related to the Mucuna vine?
Hi Rj,
We actually did have one of those algae feedling bottom dwellers called Pleco-something one summer. You are right that it did a good job, but I didn't realize that it would not survive the winter in the pond like the other Koi and Goldfish did. In the winter, the water would usually get very clear because I guess it became too cold for the algae, but by mid-summer, there was that stringy green algae everywhere. It was hard to fight with such a large pond, especially when you are trying to not hurt the fish and plants. I'm still sick about it. When we lost the filtration system/pump -- it actually developed a giant crack when the owner of the property put elephant ears in it -- we should have drained it then and gave away the fish. It's definitely not an easy thing to maintain in my book, and I wouldn't have one again by choice, but it was nice to look at when it wasn't all green.
Plumeria seedlings usually have a very strong root system, and the more room they have for their roots, the bigger and faster they will grow. Any well-draining mix will do. Any good potting soil with some Perlite or Pumice or cactus mix mixed in should be fine. I just use straight MiracleGro soil sometimes, but most of the time, I use Sunshine Mix #4. The ones that you have in the ground are probably loving it, but do throw a sheet over them or socks on the tips when you hear about a freeze warning because they will suffer damage at 32 and below.
I realize how much work it is to love plants and to grow them in areas which freeze so I really admire all that you are doing to protect your plants and fish.
Yes, I still have the Hedychiums. They were a nice fragrance in the garden this fall. I only have the fragrant ones though. Yes, I also have two Ylang Ylangs --- one tree is in the ground and the dwarf is in a container. I hope that the one in the ground will be all right this winter as this will be its first winter in the ground.
Where did you get your jade vine, Rj? You are right that, if it is Strongylodon macrobotrys, it should be dead. The Mucuna species above from Logee's was fairly hardy and did fine outdoors in temps above 35. The real Mucuna bennetti is supposed to be a bit more sensitive. Unfortunately, there is another Mucuna if you sowed these from seeds. Mucuna pruriens, also called Cow Itch, is hardy to 25 degrees, according to PlantFiles: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/75900/index.html When people sow Mucuna seeds, they are usually sowing this genus and species.
aah..I get those long green strands of algae too, particulalry in late srping. I end up having to get in there and pull them out.
I got the Jade vine from Zone9tropicals. Ironically I got a call at work from someone asking me if I ordered from zone9. It ends up that he was calling me "in house" and one of the partners works a few floors above me at Continental headquarters. After that surprise, he said that wasn't the oddest thing, was that they live around the corner from me, and would it be okay if they dropped my order by..lol..we have since become friends- They brought a Jade vie that was as tall as I was. I asked them how in the world they were going to ship that!! Anyway, they told me it wouldn't survive much below 60. It is doing great still.. small wonders eh?
I definately am going to try the one you have. I have two bambo ladder trellises in the front that I would like something spectacular on! I am coaxing a chalice vine right now, but don't know too much about it. I also have a Beaumontia Grandiflora that's working it's way up to the roof. I discovered that most peoples failure with this vine is the vine likes it on the dry size. I actually was aware enough last year creating the front garden, to create dry and wet zones..I'm very surprised how many tropicals prefer to be more dry at the end of the day.
Okay..thanks for the plumeria tip..that was what it was-..they need bigger pots.!
Thanks
Well, excellent find then, Rj! It sounds like you lucked out and got a super nice vine. I would bring that baby inside the greenhouse if you can.
Thanks for the tip of the Beautimontia grandiflora. I actually have that one, and it has been about six inches for over a year now. It is planted in the ground and barely surviving. I'll remember to keep it on the dry side from now on.
It's planted in the ground, so rather than uproot it, I'm going to chance it. If it's survived this last week, then it should be no problem.
I wrote some notes down on the Grandiflora. Interestingly there are two types floating around the online and nurseries tend to lump together, when in fact the two have different blooming requirements. Beaumontia Grandiflora and Grandiflora Murtonii.
http://davesgarden.com/journal/ed/
Rj, that link didn't work for me. It just brought me to a blank diary page, but I vaguely remember you saying this a while ago. I think the Murtonii likes it wet and the other doesn't? I'll look into this because I'm curious to find out. I got mine from my dear friend Don in Kansas.
Hey, look there's a third one: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/64248/index.html
Edited to add: I just found your notes here: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/51539/index.html
This message was edited Dec 7, 2006 9:25 AM
okay good..I couldn't open the one you posted ..must be a glitch or something.