I recently made a trade for Pride of Barbados seeds. The orange and the pink ones. They aren't winter hardy in my zone and I was wondering if I could dig the roots up when it gets cold and store them in peat like bulbs?
Just trying to find a way to keep them alive in our cold winters.
Or some other way? I can't turn them into house plants, I don't have the room.
Thanks guys!!
Pride of Barbados Help?
I wouldn't direct plant this species in your zone. First, if you really feed and water this plant, you may be able to go from seed to flower to seed in one growing season. Me, I neglect them...........It's possible you may be able to overwinter a rootball (these are pretty tough plants), but doubtful. It would be better to keep containerized and overwinter. They can also take some cold.....if you are really diligent about the weather and it's predicted path, they can take a few hours of freezing with definite cold damage resulting but still live. My aunt has a simple grow light and keeps many hanging baskets overwintered. I think that is a much better way to go for this plant if you don't get your own seeds in one season.
BTW, you can also keep it in a container sunk in the ground depending on the application you are going for, and may reduce some of the "attention" containerized plants need. Just a thought.
I have started a pride of Barbados from seed up here (started seeds in peat pots with bottom heat, now potted in regular potting soil.) This is my first experience with them, but from what I understand they can easily be containerized and grown. I am putting it to the test. :)
More will be revealed.
-Joe
The root mass is extensive on those. If you were to dig it up the damage the the root ball would be extenisive. It would have to be potted up (wouldnt last unpotted) and with the damamge from digging up & the less than ideal growing conditions indoors I doubt it would survive.
In your area I agree with fauna4flora & would either keep it in a container or try to get seeds and start those in the house over the winter.
There is one species of Caesalpinia that you might want to think about getting, Caesalpinia gilliesii. While not as colorful as C pulcherrima, it is supposedly hardy to zone 7. With heavy mulching and the right location you could probably have that reurn as a perennial each year.
I grew one last summer in my garden (Zone 6) and take my advise do not direct plant them because they HATE to be moved. Although I took the utmost care of it while digging up (grew to 4 ft) trying not to disturb the rootball too much - it died. I was terribly disappointed. The container ones grows much (MUCH) slower - but I do like fflora's advise about keeping the container buried - I thought of trying that this year also... It's such a pretty plant who can resist?
I have some huge black pots. I am gonna plant mine in it.
I also have a huuuuuuge hollow stump. I may plant one as an annual in it for the front flower bed. Hmm.
So many options!!
Thanks guys!
Thats a gorgeous photo!
I noticed that they seem to thrive on neglect.
crimson, we'll have to post photos of our results back in here. :) I am delighted. I have a musa basjoo coming back outside. I have FOUR shoots! Now if I can add some tropical color to my foliage, I'll be as happy as can be. :)
-Joe
Hi, I also started a few from seed earlier this year and after about 2 months they're about 2 inches tall....They do seem to grow really slow in containers. I plan on putting them outside this summer, the back of our house is brick and gets full sun so it should get the heat and warmth it needs. Any ideas on how big a pot they should go in? They're in 3inch pots now.
ultimateshopper, thats a beautiful photo! What was your secret to growing it so well?
Steven
I doubt that in one year's time it would not need anything larger than a seven gallon pot. I agree with Rudd- I think they thrive on neglect! It's a pretty tough plant, I'm sure it would love good soil and fertilizer, but I would occasionally let it get good and dry now and then. Some species flower more when you do that!!!
Thanks! Maybe this is a dumb question but should I pot up one size at a time or just put it straight into a 7gallon pot?
I started to write about that.....I would pot up one size at a time to minimize risk of keeping too wet.
I agree with fauna, it needs to be dry by the end of the day. It does not like to be continuously wet.
I can't take the credit for that plant as I shot this picture in San Antonio - but as many have mentioned it thrives on neglect, absolutely HATES having it's roots disturbed. I was able to get a nice 4' plant to grow from seed last summer - the trick is to be able to transplant it to a pot when the winter temps hits that's why I'm going to bury a large pot into my garden with the seeds this year & all I'll have to do is dig up the pot with plant to reduce the stress/disturbance to the roots. They seem to flower when it's in direct sun and has had the opportunity to become pretty dry. What a beautiful plant and flowers - but be careful of the thorns - they blend in perfectly with the lovely green stems - but thorns don't develop until the plant gets to about 2 1/2 - 3 feet tall. Also I don't fertilize until the plant gets to about 2' - I discovered this thru trial & error!!
So if you started it from seeds, when should I transplant it into the ground, since it hates having its roots disturbed?
I have to wonder to what degree it hated having it's roots disturbed, I mean there are a lot of things in gardening that I think come down to your taste issues and/or how perfect you want the plant to be. I personally prefer to keep up-potting my plants that I intend to put in the ground until they get some size on them, but I have 5 acres and it's hard to keep up with everything, so I can't get out to baby and water a seedling I've planted. Changing its pot size shouldn't kill the plant as far as I know, but I ultimateshopper definitely has more experience with this plant containerized than I do.
I would have to agree on the "dry, neglect" advice for this plant. When I lived in Phoenix I saw many of these growing in vacant lots and along the roadside/parkway. No one took care of them, watered them or fertilized them. And they were huge! They thrived in very sandy soil, little water, full sun, and temps over 100 for months at a time.
I've tried several times to grow them in pots -- to no avail. I was probably trying to be "too kind" to them. I will keep trying as I fell in love with them in Phoenix.
Karen
Thanks for all your great advice everyone! I'm going to be more neglectful of them from now on, I think I've been too nice to them. hahaha!
ultimateshopper, did you pot up one size at a time or go straight to a big pot size?
Sorry for asking so many questions, I failed with these last year(couldn't even get them to sprout) so I really want to get it right this year :)
Thanks,
Steven
I'm glad this thread popped up, because it confirmed alot things for me- it's good to have compared observations!
Rj
Could have been your seed source SWG. These are legumes, and generally legumes really really really want to germinate. You can trade with me if you want. I have seeds for the pink Pride of Barbados. I had 100% germination.
Hi Steven, I did not uppot mine - believe it or not - I planted directly into the soil & let mother nature take it's course. Karen's right about the growth in pots. I did an experiment between direct sow vs container grown. The one in the container grew to about 13" over 3 months where as the ones grown in the garden grew to 4' in that same time frame. I live in zone 6 and we had pretty intense heat last year and alot of rain. I have 3 in pots but they are no more than 18" and not very great looking at all. As I mentioned it hated having the roots disturbed and I guess I didnt' take a big enough soil ball around the root and it died transplanting to a large pot. I sought the advise of several but the general consensus was this plant Absolutely HATES having it's roots disturbed and will often die. Unfortunately that's what happened to my four footer last year - I was soo sad!! This year I will direct sow like last year but have a 10" pot directly under the planting site. I will probably put some B1 root stimulator to reduce the stress of moving at the end of the summer.
p.s. unless you have hot temps you want to germinate it in a dome type seed starter on a heat source - I have a really old laser printer that gives out a fair amount of heat and never had problems germinating it - the seeds also love lots of humidity to germinate - once they do you can remove the lid so air circulates and doesn't encourage fungus - remember no fertilizer - although it may be tempting!!! When you do this type of germination I've used the jiffy peat pellets to germinate so then I can plop the entire seedling in the pot without disturbing the roots.
I am glad to hear this info also. I have had one in a pot for over a year now with no blooms. From the above advice, it is going in the ground soon. I may even get out the "whips and chains" to abuse it into blooming for me. LOL Thanks all... pod
Fauna - you're so lucky being in FL is an ideal place to grow tons and tons of these without having to worry about germination, growth etc. I grew up in the carribean and it's amazing that these grow as hedges and trees without any type of attention. They also grow easily & abundantly in San Antonio, Miami and AZ! I have the red, pink and yellow seeds they all germinate without any problem - it's what happens after that's a real pain! :)
That definately explains why mine looked so bad last year when I put it from the pot into the ground...it's just now starting to recover..that's..one year about...
Wow, this plant really hates disturbance....I think my failure with them last year was most likely me :) I used the same seed this year and they came up fine. I'll pot them up another size before they go outside next month. This has been such a great thread, I've learned so much! Thanks everybody!
Steven
How much difficulty will I have moving a root bound POB from a 3 gallon pot to ground? Any pointers or suggestions?
Podster, if it was a recent nursery purchase you can ask them but I assume nursery grown POB are more tolerant to being transferred as they would have had a lifetime treatment of different solutions etc to optimize growth & reduce stress. But if it were me I'd make sure I had some root stimulator solution to pour on it after transplanting from the pot to the ground. Just my 2c :) Good luck - once it gets a home in the earth it'll be happy. In your zone if there's a freeze it'll die back but re-surface in the spring - so you won't have to ever worry about re-potting or transplanting!
Wanna hear about my experience with the plant? I brought one home from Albuquerque in years past. 2005 I think. Planted it in rich garden soil, it just grew taller, looks sort of lanky. Last winter I moved it to big pot with poor soil. And the result? It's putting out it first bud. Yep, flower bud. I'll post picture when that jewel open (anyday now). Tada!!!
ah haaa....then the one Patty just brought me will go in the front garden strip where the soil is well drained and not so rich!
Kim ~ did yours winter in the house? Putting on a bud already? I am impressed!
No Pod, this baby has been planted outdoor since I brought it home. Just about time I thought I'd sacrefy it to the compost pile. I thought I'd give it the benefit of the doubt. LOL, it becomes decidous during the winter. But the leave budded out in the early spring. It still looks pretty lanky still, but yielded ONE lonesome flower bud. So don't be so impressed just yet. lol.
One of my seeds sprouted then it rained. Hard. It snapped it in two, I was so mad.
I gave a few seeds to my friend Connie and am hoping hers do better than mine. If mine die she's giving them back to me, lol.
Im still waiting on the others to sprout. I saved a few back just in case. Good thing I did! LOL
I can't wait to see some blooms! Ive decided to pot them, maybe turn some into Bonsai. I dunno.
I'll remember the poor soil advice, lol.
-Jocie.
Jocie,
A friend was generous and sent me some seeds, none has germinated for me. Did you have to scarify your seeds?
Kim
I did some yeah. And soaked them over night.
The seeds were good and firm and healthy, I think if they don't sprout it is because of this cold snap we had.
Thats why I didn't plant all of them at once, I was scared to LOL.
Thanks Jocie,
I germinated Canna's seed once. Did scarify the hard-coated seeds, it took about 6 months before one single one germinated. Lesson learned TWICE. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Kim
Yea, I HATE filing those canna seeds!! LOL
I end up with raw knuckles and a teeny tiny pile of scarified seeds, LOL!!!
I read somewhere to use the fingernail clipper and clip a little bit off the edge. This seems to work really well, easier than filing.
Ill remember that for the flatter seeds. Thanks! ^_^
Lily_Love,
On the POB, I think they like really poor sandy soil. The ones I saw all over town in Phoenix were definitely uncared for and grew about 4' high and 4-5' wide, bloomed profusely in very poor soil. These were the red/yellow ones.
They are called Mexican Bird of Paradise there. The Mexican Bird of Paradise listed in PF is not the same one. This is the one in Phoenix. http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/83712/ If the Mexican BOP in PF grew in Phoenix, too, I did not see it.
I found out that in Phoenix California poppies are called Mexican poppies. Regional names are difficult, and I can never remember the Latin ones. LOL.
Cannas seeds are hard to sprout? Ah, nuts! I was told they were easy to sprout and bought some. Well, I'll just have to see how it goes for me.
Karen
The one I know as Mexican BOP is Caesalpinia mexicana. I've actually found it much easier to grow in my garden than C. pulcherrima. I've tried and failed on numerous occasions with C. pulcherrima both in pots and in the ground, but C. mexicana does wonderfully. C. gilliesii also does great for me. So if there are people who are having too much trouble with C. pulcherrima you might give one of those some consideration, in my experience at least they are easier (and C. gilliesii is slightly hardier too).
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/57631/
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2120/