cool weather bloomer

I just learned that Ambrosia is a good cool weather bloomer. I have both cool weather and part shade. Does anyone have a cutting of this one? Are there any others that bloom reliably under these conditions?

another one not heard of. if is i may ? good luck....anyone where picture is?

Betty,
I gave away all my fall cuttings of Ambrosia, except for one that is too big to mail. If you come to the Knoxville (May 27) Roundup, I'll tag it with your name. If not, I'll try and get you one later in the year.

There are a lot of brugs that do well in more moderate temps in partial shade. The varigated ones seem to do well in partial shade, and all my brugs except for my versicolors bloom their heaviest in the fall when temps are cooler.

I would say, try any one that you can pick up at the GARU and feed it weekly to help force blooms.

nat

I have some, so I will try more rigorous feeding. I like that Peter's Bloom Booster.

I can get you a couple cuttings of Ambrosia if you are still looking for it.

Patricia

OH! That would be wonderful. You have mail

So anyone have a pic of Ambrosia? I love the name. LOL It must have a great fragrance.

Nathalyn, I remember last fall! I had so many beautiful blooms so late in the season. Yes, they all performed spectacularly in the cool of fall. Oh to be back when all is bright and cheerful in the world.

Ambrosia is a Susie French cross - Whiskers X Ecuador Pink.

Big blooms, great scent, good bloomer

Blooms are usually pure white, but at times will take on a slight peach blush

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/414304/ For more pictures

And yep, I'm missing my brugs. I'll be glad to get them planted - - hopefully in about 2 weeks or so.

Really nice tendrils on this one.

LOL Nathalyn, it looks like I loved it before too. LOL. What great pictures of it too. Your yard is great. I must say that is one great white. If I had room I would also be hot on the trial of one.
,

kell, there's some wonderful pictures of Ambrosia that come up with you Google it. The are huge white flowers with swooping skirts and long tendrils. Can't wait!
I had seen Cypress Gardens in the past and thought it would be a great white to own, but someone told me it like it hot, hot, hot.
2 others that like cooler weather and shade are Versi Peach and Valley Misty Pink - Vi told me about these.

Thanks Kell. Of course, I always have to delete out the pictures that show the big yellow 5 gallon buckets of manure tea, all the miles and miles of hose strung out everywhere, and of course - - "The Experiments" that don't make it!

This year, most of the beds will be simple - - brugs, ears, bananas, gingers, and a few dwarf cannas and coleus thrown in for color.

Betty, my Cypress Gardens bloomed non-stop HUGE flushes from mid-summer to cutting back autumn. It also wilted badly when it got hot, and I moved it under a big Oak tree where it remained the rest of the growing season - - in mainly shade.

Well, that's a surprise! It shows you get different opinions from different people but you are the one with the experience.

LOL Nathalyn. I identify. People always want to see sweeping pics of my yard, no way!!! It seems always to be a work in progress. I have a bunch of 5 gallon white painter buckets full of alfalfa sludge all over. I am too old to lug them full to each rose so I fill empry buckets by each rose section so no lugging needed.

I have got to say the white bucket look does not add to my tropical look. LOL. Maybe I should paint them all hot pink.

So tell me about manure tea. Is it as tasty as it sounds? LOL. Do you use store bought cow manure??

Oh Betty, you are making me lust for one. OK, I am off to google Ambrosia. I just love that name.

Betty, here is Cypress Gardens blooming under a crabapple that is also shaded by a huge Maple (not Oak). And I don't discount what others say they have experienced - - - and my Cypress Gardens is in a huge pot, not in the ground which makes a difference on heat tolerance.

Kell, my buckets are those big painter buckets too! I have orange, yellow and white ones! I alternate cow/hen manure (I prefer the Black Cow brand), alfalfa, and earthworm castings for my "concoctions". That alfalfa sludge is the WORST, especially if it sits too long! DH delights in showing and explaining my brews to anyone that comes to the house.

You know, spraying those buckets with some of that Fusion paint wouldn't be a bad idea. Maybe a nice green wouldn't be so noticeable.

wow, that's beautiful

WOW, another beauty, Nathalyn.

So what is the benefit of making manure tea rather then just topdressing the beds with manure like I do? Is it faster to work? Do you mix it with anything else?

I had to quit topdressing with manure as I have a digging, rolling doggie! After having to hose her off and replant things that she dug up several times, I stopped. All my in-ground brugs do get a generous amount of manure and an organic fertilizer in the hole when they are planted.

I also use soaker hoses buried under my mulch - - so unless it rains, it doesn't touch any topdressings anyway. But topdressing normally would be the easiest thing to do, and certainly should work as well as the teas.

I keep the tea concoctions going mainly to feed all my gazillion of things in pots. But I do dose my inground stuff probably once or twice a month.

I do mix in epsom salts once a month, especially for the brugs. And I rotate products because it seems that I have less problems with nurtritional deficiencies than I used to. And after seeing all the salt buildup, I stopped using Miracle Grow several years ago.

Oh thanks for taking the time to tell me all of this, Nathalyn. I am going to try the manure tea a bit on my brugs. Why not? LOL. I love trying new things. I add Epsom salts to my alfalfa sludge. I am also trying greensand to it. I read where roses love it, so of course I am trying it. Someday I will kill off my plants with soemthing new. LOL

Kell, my philosophy is " If the plants look good - - pat myself on the back. If the plants look bad - - blame it on Mother Nature".

Greensand is really good to help break up our Southern red clay - - but I bet you don't have to deal with that.

Sounds good to me. LOL. I f we had Bleu like Susie does, we would need to make no more excuses ever. LOL

My understanding is greensand adds micronutrients. Rj is my soil mentor. I am a monkey see, monkey do type of person. Though I do read a lot.

Found on http://www.ehow.com/how_15760_give-roses-spring.html

Steps:
1. Apply spring tonic in early spring, after any winter protection has been removed.

2. Mix together in a 5-gallon bucket: 2 cups alfalfa meal, 2 cups Epsom salts, 2 cups fish meal, 2 cups greensand, 2 cups gypsum, and 1 cup bonemeal.

and
http://www.nurserysite.com/clubs/peninsular/organicfertilizer.html
"we mix canola meal and alfalfa meal (not pellets) together for our Nitrogen component, and we mix greensand and kelp meal together for the Potassium component. The theory here is that the trace elements in each of the two ingredients should be complementary."


This message was edited Mar 31, 2006 2:29 PM

I have or have used all of those except for the canola meal. Kelp meal is supposed to be a great thing to use. I'll have to try your tonic! What you are doing is making your own organic fertilizer which sounds like a winner to me.

Where do you get your canola meal? I found some on one of the organic sites, but wondering if that is something available at a healthfood or organic grocery store.

Big thanks for the recipe!!

http://www.planetnatural.com/site/organic-canola-meal.html --> canola meal source

Thanks MaVie - - I order from Planet Natural usually a couple of times a year.

u're welcome Nat.

Good find Ma Vie! I went to my store that has everything today and they didn't have the canola meal. LOL. I did get kelp meal and some fish meal though. The kelp meal is $30 for 20 lbs so it better be good stuff. LOL .

Nat I just love that photo of Cypress Gardens under the tree.

Thanks Delisa. It had so many blooms that I had to use bungee cords to hold up the branches!

Beautiful Cypress Gardens, Nat. I never thought of using bungee cords.

Ada, I use bungee cords also to secure brugs in pots against posts, fences, etc. Hubby bought me a selection of my own to use to keep me from snitching his.