While not as good as growing outdoors, a dash of color in winter is still nice.
'Palomar Prince'
Some begonias starting to grow now
Some kind of heracleifolia (from Ace last summer) now in bloom.
'Chantilly Lace' needs a bigger pot.
'Grey Feather' in a corner of the basement.
Various canes.
'Boyfriend' just starting to bloom
'Silvermist' - love the silver.
peltata starting to bloom.
'Cracklin Rosie' cuttings. Hope the pink comes out in this picture.
Various little canes. Powdery mildew is a problem.
A sprawler about to bloom. Colocasia 'Black Magic' is a companion plant and starting to grow for the coming year.
'Big Mac' is starting to get some bloom buds but looks to be weeks away.
They look great, Butch. Isn't it wonderful to see new growth and blooms at this time of year!
What do you use for mildew?
Shirley
'Erythrophylla' in bloom. 'Thurstonii' in front right corner. 'Dale Sena' is the rex.
This was given to me as 'Cachuma'. It is quite large.
Some larger begonias. 'Joe Hayden' from PHOE last year, Carolineifolia from GHW, and some kind of heracleifolia with oxalis (it was a freebie so I got the oxalis too).
Some cane cuttings: 'Orpha C. Fox', 'Cracklin Rosie', and I think 'Little Miss Mummey'.
'Pattern' with some ugly leaves.
Shirley,
I spray with Lysol disinfectant during the winter (not sure if it does more harm than good but so far it hasn't killed anything and does seem to help keep the mildew in check) and Neem when they are outdoors.
'Selby's Trash' is getting darker and a few more leaves. Can't wait to see this outdoors after a good summer.
Last but not least is a new purchase (not at Ace) of 'Purple Curl'.
What a colection.....they are beautiful. I love my coleus, and I will always be true to them, but I have to admit I have one eye that is starting to stray and admire them also. Have been given a few and am enjoying them to no end.
Hap
That is a beautiful collection of begonias! I would never have thought of using Lysol but will remember that :-)
Sharon
Butch,
Using Lysol for mildew is new to me. I have heard of using foot powder and cornmeal for fungus problems on plants.
Shirley
Hap,
I love coleus too, but generally I have to treat them as annuals here. Easy to root, but hard to get through the winter in the basement for me. If I were you I'd mix your begonias, coleus, and other tropicals if I lived in Southern Fla. I made a bed last summer of caladiums, some begonias (most stay in their pots), coleus, and even put in a couple of ti plants, plumeria (never blooms), and a brugmansia. I hope to improve on that idea this year.
Sharon & Shirley,
Someone from the GardenWeb recommended Lysol spray so I tried it and it works with some success. DO NOT USE LYSOL CLEANER though (I think it may be too harsh), just the aerosol antibacterial type for mildew and mold. In fact I sprayed several today. Rexes and lots of canes are very susceptible to mildew. Once mildew is on the leaves though, you can cut it off or watch the spots grow larger over time. Lysol just keeps it at bay it seems.
hc, that's beautiful Now about the Lysol.....it's not the Cleaner, so what does it say on the can?
Hap
Hap,
Here's a picture of it. I buy 3 packs at Sam's to save a little bit of money.
In your last picture, do the begonia pots sit directly on the ground, or do you have something under them? If sitting directly on the ground, do you have any problem with earthworms getting into the pots?
I love your grouping of different types of plants close to each other.
Shirley
Thanks, hc.
Shirley,
I put them directly on the ground. No telling what kinds of bugs crawl in and out. Millipedes, worms, sow bugs are some I've seen. The worst are slugs and snails. They all pale compared to rabbits and deer though.
The other thing is the splash of good old red Georgia clay on the pots. If weather permitted I would have them outdoors all year because they thrive a lot better than indoors.
Butch
Here are some canes in an eighteen inch pot from summer. If you saw them now, you wouldn't belive it's the same plants.
Beautiful plants Butch.
Patti
Hi,
Can't read when that pic was taken....in summer?
Hap
absolutely gorgeous. what a collection! i love the "boyfriend' with the red eyes. i guess i better add lysol to the shpping list.
i went to PHOE this past weekend that place is incredible eh. this is one of my new finds.
Hap,
The last picture was taken on October 20th. I hope that is the picture you're talking about.
Here is another one from the same day. This is 'Deco Twirl' from PHOE I bought back in early April.
Butch
hc......I din't tipe rite......
What I wanted to know if any of these flower in the summer or are they mostly winter blooming?
Thanks
Cass. I wanted to go to that PHOE......I thought it was in March. But I guess that is the Orchid show. Val wants to go to that too. Lets try and make a three-some.
Hap
I've used the lysol on my begonias after Butch told me about it. Works just fine, note of caution, I melted and african violet with powdery mildew though, so do a test spot or leaf before you spray.
Hap, both shows are that week in March.
Butch, gorgeous photos as usual - I especially like 'Grey Feather', similar leaf form to one I have, but the variegation on yours is reall nice.
Hap,
All the pictures except for the last two were taken two days ago. I have them under shop lights 12 hours a day. I think the blooms are a lot better in summer but most rhizomatous bloom in early spring (in this case late winter) so you take what you can get.
RCN,
I think the variegation on 'Grey Feather' is due to poorer light? Here it is in the summer lumped in with 'Maurice Amey', 'Benigo', and 'Magdalene Madsen' (on the other side of the pot).
This message was edited Feb 23, 2006 9:07 AM
Thanks everyone.
Rob's Violets have some nice smaller begonias. Here is some.
top row: Apple Pie, Dainty Lady
bottom row: Baba Loo, Red Doll
Some more
top row: Red Planet, Red Eye
bottom row: China Doll, Fairyland
