Two Containers

Hi,

I am a new member and loving it. I wanted to share this picture of two containers that are attached. They were extremely heavy to hang up but seem to be doing well so far. The yellow one is called Sunbini or Creeping Zinnia. If I forget to water for a day it wilts but quickly revives with a good watering. This is one of the Proven Winners and has amazed me.

BettyFB

Oh, they are beautiful! I just love your Mandevilla. I have one but it doesn't seem happy at all. Is loosing some of the leaves. Can't see anything on it, it gets plant food on a regular basis like all my plants, it gets sun until about 2:30pm, but it really isn't a happy chappy! What is your secret?

Elsa

Hi Elsa,

Thanks for admiring my hanging basket. Did not expect to receive a reply from South Africa.----so exciting!!!! I have friends that live in Kenya in Machakos.

That is a Dipladena which is in the Mandevilla family and this year I am only using a liquid organic fertilizer called Algoflash. I cannot say enough good things about this fertilizer. It came from France and it is their number one selling fertilizer. It costs around $10 a bottle and it makes a little over a hundred gallons of fertilizer. I got mine on line from Wayside Gardens and Parks Seeds. I am also using it on my flower beds and roses , as well as containers. I visited a nursery in Mount Washington, Ky. a couple of years ago and he suggested I stop using Miracle Gro on my container plants because it causes a salt build- up that will eventually cause the plant to decline, unless you want to run water several minutes once a month or so to wash out the salt build up. So I switched to organic fertilizers and my hanging plants are doing much better for the whole summer and throughout the Fall till frost gets them all.

Also I have a red Mandevilla vine that is not happy and it had whiteflies on it and I was told to spray it with liquid soap daily and I have been doing this for the past few days and the whiteflies are gone and hopefully it will recover. My other 3 Pink Mandevilla vines are doing great.

Take care and Happy Gardening in South Africa---I have heard it is a beautiful place to live and visit.

BettyFB

Thanks for the info. I am using Nitrosol. It is also organic and it can be used as foliar feed as well as the normal way. Will see if I can find Algoflash. Is it made from kelp or doesn't it say?
I will try the soap solution just in case. My granddad used to use only soap on his plants. No matter what pest was attacking it.

Yes, South Africa is a lovely place to stay. The climate is something out of this world, especially in Pretoria where I stay. Lovely warm summers, not too cold winters, what more can one ask for? I must add my children would say " Snow Mom, snow" They have never seen the real thing. The last time it snowed in this part of the country was in 1981. The other day they saw some frost on the grass on their way to school, and they were sooo excited, thinking it to be snow. LOL!

Have a lovely day,
Elsa

Hi Elsa,

Thanks for telling me a little about South Africa. Sounds like a perfect climate for year round gardening. You are so blessed to live there. I looked on the Algoflash and it does not tell where the ingredients come from---but it has the main three, Nitrogen etc .and micronutrients. I would guess you have beautiful flower gardens, living in South Africa.

Got to run. Going to take my kitty, Miss Goldie , to the vet again. She has an eye ulcer that is not healing completely. Miss Goldie came from Washington State in the US and she is a Silver Persian with green eyes---like the one that can be seen on the Fancy Feast commercials in US. But I guess you would not have seen that commercial.

God Bless,

BettyFB

I've tried Algoflash, but I must have used too much. It caused rampant, soft growth and my plants were eventually overtaken by pests and disease. I swore I'd never use it again.

Hi,

I am being very careful not to overdo this fertilizer, now that I know you had bad results with you. So far I have not lost any of my plants. But I am mainly using Algoflash in containers. Thanks for the information.

Happy Gardening!!!!

BettyFB

Hi again,


Here is one of my hanging verbena baskets fertlized with Algoflash every two weeks. I do use it half strength. This is my first year of using Algoflash and who knows what it will look like in late August. I will send three more pictures of 3 gardens fertilized with Algoflash in early spring. I fertilized them 3 times with half strength Algoflash when the plants were very small. The yellow Indian Summer came up from seed from last year's plants. I also fertilized the beds with Composted Cow Manure in Early Spring and do not plan to fertilize the garden beds anymore this season. I am new to DG and I do not know how to send more than one picture at a time.

BettyFB

BettyFB - those containers are gorgeous! Especially love the second one - those colors are my favs!

I'm an AlgoFlash user too; have been using it for about 3 years now. I swear I can see the plants grow by the minute! I use it full strength every 2 weeks or so (I garden exclusively in pots).

Another product I've started using is Messenger (http://www.edenbio.com/garden/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=33&Itemid=48), as a foliar spray. My plants have never looked better! And in the two years I've been using it, I've had little to no problems with pests and diseases. Great stuff. No, I don't work for Messenger, but I really like the product.

Post some more pics ... please!!!!

PV

Hi PVick,

Thanks for the nice reply. I think I did overdo the Algoflash on one zinna that I started from seed in my backyard. It was getting to be over 3 feet tall and we had a heavy rain last week and a lot of it broke off but it is still quite beautiful. I will definitely try Messenger. I try new fertilizers each year. Thanks for the recommendation. I posted several pictures yesterday of my yard and flowers under Photos. Well I visited NYCity a few years ago and loved it --truly loved it. I was only there for 5 days and did not have the time to do all I had planned, as I was attending a crusade. I will have to return one day and visit other places in the state. I just love NY!!!!!

Betty

Beautiful arrangements and such healthy, happy plants, Betty. Welcome to DG!

They are healthy and happy baskets! I think you are on to something with the half strength Algoflash twice as often. That seems to be the current thinking on fertilizing if you live in an area with hot summers.