Just thought I'd drop in - I've been pretty busy lately and haven't had much time to hang on forums. fora. whatever.
Nothing much is going on around here. I have seedlings that desperately need potting up. Lights that need replacing. Cuttings that need to be taken...... Oh, and pots that need to be watered.
Our temps have dropped a bit and so the balcony plants are growing again. Alsobia dianthiflora is continuing to bloom.
the streptocarpellas really have taken over one of the boxes. I'll be taking cuttings soon to overwinter them for next year.
tucked into the side of the strep box is the Sinn Tampa Bay Beauty x self, which is still blooming..... The flowers are opening up more recently, and I'm *still* hoping to get some seed from it. So far no success....... This is turning into one of my favorite plants for its ability to be care-free here in the summer.
also squeezed into the same box were some noid Achimenes hybrid rhizomes.
Well..... the foliage is pretty.... The flowers are small, sporadic, and it only started blooming in the latter half of summer. This is one I won't be growing again.
In comparison, Achimenes Purple King has been blooming its head off for ages. Flowers are more than 4 times the size. OTOH, it's less tolerant of sun and lack of water (and possibly heat) so I have splotchy flowers.... And this photo isn't all that great and the plant needs grooming, but anyway....
Episcia Strawberry Patch is very happy now - temps in the 80s, nice level of light.... It's growing as a "groundcover" in one of the boxes and creating a nice dense mat (which this photo doesn't really show...).
The Sinn leucotricha hybrids that I shoved in a box are looking like this.
What I did was took the 4 per pot compots and dropped them into the window box without separating them out. Of course, I'm now paying for my hastiness. You can see that some of them are still tiny, hidden under their bigger siblings.... I'll probably weed out the weaker ones.
I've got Chiritas blooming indoors. This is one that I got in a trade, but it bloomed out to be not what it was supposed to be. Hoping I can ID it at some point.
and Stardust is starting to bloom.
Sinn Purple Crest x self is being forced into some serious seed production for the GesSoc seed fund. It's starting to look really ratty at this point, so once it's done with the seed factory job, I'll let it take a break for a bit.
so I'm realizing that it's time to start thinking about bringing some plants in. The ones that go dormant will just stay out there until they die back, but the ones I want to keep growing? I like to bring them in before the days get shorter and the temps drop below 60 - that way they don't even notice it's fall. That means soon. That means bug and pest removal/control first. (I don't have extra space to isolate them. And last year I brought in a katydid. poor thing.) Just not sure when I'll find the time for it.....
Oh My Goodness, Key .... You must have the most beautiful balcony in town! I don't know what floor you live on but I would love to see a photo of your balcony! Those are wonderful plants! I even like the one achimenes that you say has small sporadic blooms .... the foliage is so pretty! Do those plants get direct sunlight out on the balcony? I have a large basket of the Alsobia Dianthiflora but I've been keeping it in full shade. I'm really starting to love the Sinningia's. So far I have the micro mini 'pusilla' that I got in trade from RainGazer and the S. 'Rio Das Pedras' that I got in trade from Jannich! They are sooo cute and spreading in their little jar terrariums!
That one you posted above, the leucotricha - I think I saw your photo of it on another post awhile back ... isn't that the fuzzy looking one we all fell in love with?
Well, you have a great day ... your plants look wonderful. I don't know how you do it working full time and tending so many plants too!
Lin
thanks Lin :-)
The balc is east-facing with obstruction, so these window boxes get direct sun from about 10-12 during the middle of the summer. That was just right for the streps and the bigger Sinningias, but a bit too much for the episcia, columneas and the achimenes purple king. The Alosobia is also getting more shade. Now that the sun has moved further south, the sinningias are not as happy but the others are loving it.
I love the micro mini sinningias too! They grow and bloom so readily and don't need much light or space, and are just downright adorable!
There you are! I've missed you posting but I know your a busy lady,but its nice to see you posting.
The pictures are great! Sinn Tampa Bay Beauty is a beauty! As they all are.My little Purple Crest is just starting to come out of its resting period of almost 3 monthes,I was begining to think I lost it.
Oh, I had one more pic to post. Guess what was on the raffle table at our last gesneriad chapter meeting? (and no..... I did not get it. My luck with these lottery things is terrible.)
Oh good, glad your Purple Crest is back. Mine really didn't do all that much for the first 2 years of its life. Then it bloomed a bit the next year. The year after that it had a dozen flowers or so, and the time between growths shortened, so all in all it's now a steady grower that blooms several times a year. I really like it.
Hi Keyring ~~~~~~~
Glad to see you could take some time to post some of your beautifule plants. They are all stunning! It's hard to believe you grow them all in window boxes! I gave up on my outdoor windowboxes a while back... too hard to keep watered and were looking so ratty. I must start to bring some of my plants in too... what fun!
Have a good weekend!
Karen
Ok Key .... what is that plant in the photo that you did not get at the Gesneriad meeting?? I sure like the looks of it!
What beautiful plants you have. They look so full and healthy.
Key,.Thanks for sharing your wonderful photos.What beautiful plants you grow so wonderfully both inside and out.Your streptocarpellas are gorgeous as are all your plants!
Keyring, I love your Alsobia dianthiflora. What family does it belong to.
I've managed to squeeze in some time to hit the arboretum and a local county park to get some sun (I've been stuck indoors for too long) and to practice using the camera. I posted those over in the mid atl forum.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/771229/ and http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/771621/
Lin, that plant on the raffle table is a Nautilocalyx. I didn't write down the name, but I believe it is N. pemphidius.
Karen, I always have ratty window boxes...... I manage to water only 1 or 2 times a week, even during the heat of the summer. This year I loaded the window boxes with water crystals and vermiculite because I knew the Achimenes would be a real challenge, as I hear they are happy in bog-like conditions during the summer. The Sinningias, OTOH, are fine with a bit of drought, and streptocarpella also. I may grow more Sinningias out there, as they like being in tight quarters (shallow narrow window box) and will enjoy the light and drought...
Joan, Alsobia is a genus in the gesneriad family. It used to be considered an Episcia, but was split out into its own genus. It seems to do better with heat and humidity, as mine never flowered indoors....
LOL... my window boxes were requiring water twice a day... morning and evening!!! That became too much for me!
Oh, I love that Nautilocalyx! I have one I got from the Violet Barn a couple of months ago. It's still very small and doesn't look real good right now. I'm hoping I can keep it alive. The one I have is Nautilocalyx Goteburg. That one you posted the photo of has gorgeous foliage!
