I'm thrilled

With my new Blueberry Thrill! Thanks www.hypnoticblooms.com. :-)))

This is the first flower, just one day out of the shipping box.

That is gorgeous! I just got my new babies from Robert today--one of them has buds (can't remember which one now!) so hopefully I'll have a new pic to share in a day or two! I was so excited, my plants from Robert were the first ones to show up and they were all big and beautiful. Hopefully my other orders will arrive shortly, I'm getting impatient since I paid for them months ago!

Alice, you are going to love your Blueberry. Wait till the second or third bloom and you will go crazy!!!!!
Liz, do tell, what did you order?

The ones I got yesterday from Robert were Millenium Superstar, Kiss of Death, Heart's Desire, Tsunami, and Night Runner. And I realized there's actually 2 of them with buds, very exciting! I've got a few more coming from him that weren't quite ready yet, and then I have a big order from Matt and one from HVH that I'm waiting on (it's been so long, I don't really remember what I ordered from either of them!)

LOL, I had to check my order to figure out what I am waiting on also.

I can't wait to see everyone's pics. You all pretty much know what I ordered.
Had to cancel my plants from HVH, cuz money is too tight around here right now, and the postage is humongous from CA to FL.

The postage is a killer right now. I too have started to place orders from west coast places and when I saw the cost of the postage hit the cancel button real quick. What a shame, I am sure this will hurt many growers.

Well, HVH has me to keep them in business! LOL And Kell and Karen too!

LOL, oh yeah!

Ardesia, great Blueberry Thrill picture! My plant is just teeny, but it has its first little bud, and I can hardly wait :-)

I'm still waiting on mine from Matt and HVH too - I spoke, via email, with Cindy last weekend, and she said she's in the midst of scheduling all of the spring shipments now - it sounds like a HUGE job. When I ordered some more wake-up spray, I accidentally (just fell into the cart, i don't know how, lol) ordered a Purple Magic and Heavy Metal (since my HM expired over winter ):-*( She went ahead and sent those with the spray, and boy are they beautiful! PM has about 10 buds, some near opening (can hardly wait!) and HV had two blooms upon arrival.

Probably good I haven't received the rest of the other's I've ordered from both Matt and HVH yet though - I've been in and out of the hospital for the last couple weeks, so I haven't been out in the garden or online. I sure did miss a bunch of all the beautiful blooms, and am glad to be catching up with all the pictures now!!!

karen

Had twins today but I only picked the one with petaloids. Yippppeeeee

Beautiful!!!

Ardesia,
Great growing! love the petaloids! Very Nice! The more you pinch the bushier the plant will get on this cultivar.

Thanks, going out to pinch it right now.;-)))

You know, Robert, nothing makes more difference in the number of blooms per year . . than the pinching you recommend. Every pinch, as you know, multiplies the number of bloom tips and therefore, the number of blooms. Customers don't much like pinching out that tip . . until they try it on a consistent basis and see what a difference it makes in their bloom count. Of course we see some stubborn seedlings here that seem never to branch despite repeated pinches, but hopefully no hybridizers let those get out into commerce. Probably Robert does what I do . . every time he walks an aisle of growing hibiscus, he can't resist pinching some tips without really thinking about it. I can't seem to train a helper to make it an automatic impulse, including Susan, but my green thumb is proof I do it every day. Yes, the plant gets bushier and prettier, but we grow these for the blooms, and you can just promise folks more flowers if they learn this "trick." Er . . Robert knows all this, I'm really preaching to you guys who buy and love these flowers.
health,
Barry

Thanks Barry
I should have made it more clear about the pinching and it takes a while to develop the habit of doing it. I walk by every bench every day looking for that extra pinch! Especially when they are small 4" pots or liners which many people order to save money, this is very crucial time for plant development and even if there are buds (which I know I cant wait to see them bloom) I always pinch them and know they will come back in multitudes, also it helps the plant branch better in it's early stages of growth by moving the concentration of growth, usually out instead of up. My daughter helps me in the GH alot now and she used to ask about the pinch (where, why and how much) but now it is instinct for her as we re-arrange our stock. But as barry said there are stubborn cultivars that want to continue to go up and up no matter how many times you pinch. One would be much happier seeing 3,4,5,6 buds instead of 1 or 2. It is a wonderful habit for everyone to get into but occassionally you have to sacrifice the 1 or 2 tiny buds developing on that tip. Good luck to all that will give this a try. And I agree with barry, If you get in the habit you will see it is worth the sacrifice and if anyone has any questions on this feel free to email or call.

Robert

I'm one of those people who has a really hard time pinching...especially if it's one that hasn't bloomed for me yet! I know I should, but it's really hard to force myself to do it!

Hi Liz,
I know! It's hard to get in the habit but I did get tired of getting leggy plants from some 4" pots I had gotten when I first started growing. I had to cut them and train myself to pinch the new branches. BTW on the KOD I think I pinched it before I sent it, anyway when a new branch appears let it get at least 3 to 4 leaves on it then pinch the tip. Do this to at least 2 to 3 new branches. This should be enough to make it full and bud much more. I PROMISE you wont regret it. If you need anything just let me know!

Robert

Thanks Robert! I know I won't regret it in the long term if I pinch them properly, but it's that short term gratification I'm having a hard time with! I should just go pinch anything that doesn't have buds, and on the ones that have buds maybe leave that one bud to flower and pinch out some of the other branches. I'm obsessed with having photos of the blooms from all the plants I own, so if I can get just one bloom out of them to photograph then I can be happy without blooms for a little while!

LOL... I understand completely ME TOO!!! With that being said here is one I am chopping up for propagation and I hate to because the plant is a beauty. It is not yet named.

Not named yet? Looks absolutely identical to Wallflower, Robert. I wish I had a digitized image to post for you . . but I grew it for fifteen years as a breeder . . Know the parentage of this one you posted?
MY 2¢
Barry

That's a milk chocolaty one. What does it look like in other seasons?

Hi Barry,

I've never had wallflower so I can't compare either. The parantage is on the tag at the GH so right off hand I am not sure. Thanks for the comparison, I will look into it. It's just a very nice bush completely full of buds. This is one plant, (as a grower I have to seperate myself from the collector side, since I only have 1 of the plants) I just have to suck it up and cut it up, when I just want to keep it as is. If anyone can understand what I just said good luck with it. LOL

Robert

Hi Ardesia,

I have not seen it in other seasons, but the growth habit is that of blueberry thrill. The plant itself reminds me of a blueberry thrill down to the leaves with the exception of the blooms of course. LOL

Robert

I'm with Liz, it's awful hard to get past that "but I haven't seen this one bloom yet", lol!

Robert that bloom is gorgeous!!

Oh Alice your Blueberry Hill is so pretty. I hate being on this forum. I am already looking all over and wanting all I see.

Liz, I am getting these from Robert.
1-Black Voodoo
2-Kiss Of Death
3-Black Jack
4-Night Runner
5-Bienvenue
6-Beau Vie
7- Hot Bikinis
and maybe Merci Beaucoup, I can't remember where we left this one onor off the order. I need to go read emails.

I am so excited!! I can't wait to get them.

Great list Kell, you'll love Robert's big, beautiful plants.

Oh I just know I will. LOL.

I am so glad I got my order in so early for Kiss Of Death, Black Jack and Night Runner.

So how are you doing Alice? I haven't seen you in awhile.

Up to my eyeballs in a mess; we finally went ahead with the renovation and Phil and I have spent the last 4 weeks living in the bedroom - just like a hotel with the coffee pot in the bathroom and all. I am so sick of restaurants and take out food I am actually looking forward to getting back into the kitchen. But, I love the new rooms and my new decks were designed for lots of hibiscus.

Are you still looking for a new place????

Gee, I do not think I would ever sick of going out to eat or even take out. If I never had to cook again it would be OK with me. The older I get the more things I knock off my list that I do. I just want to do things I enjoy. When I quit working so suddenly I realized I had the power to say THE END! LOL Poor Tom.

I wish someone would come renovate my mess of a house. And then renovate me. Tom thinks we should just put a cheap price on it and escape with no renovations. We do want to move but do not know where. We are so central to all we love to do so we do not really want to move too far yet the Bay Area at least the corridor by the Bay, is fast going down hill. So we are in a quandary. Plus with our health insurance we have a very limited area we can move to since I think we are pretty much uninsurable these days to switch. Plus I have such strict weather requirements. I want frost free winters and summers not over 76 degree temps. We have been so spoiled here. So you can tell I drive Tom insane and not with passion. LOL

Tom just brought me cheese and crackers and some wine. He is NOT the difficult one. LOL

Good luck with your renovations, Alice! Tussee loves all she did with her house. Makes me want to move even more. Post pictures when you are done so I can be so jealous of you. Your porch area sounds like you will so enjoy it.

Kell, all you need is to find a fellow gardener to buy your house, they won't even look at the house but they'll love your garden and make an offer on the spot! I'm with you on the weather requirements...my current place isn't quite ideal, we get a bit too much frost in the winter and too many days over 90 in the summer, but for now at least the 10 minute commute to work is worth sacrificing comfort a bit! But as soon as I can retire or find a job that will let me work from home all the time, I'm going to move up to the Sonoma coast or Russian River area (this will be many, many years from now I'm sure).

You must be a young chick. LOL. I am an old hag.

So does that area have frost free winters and cool summers? I thought it got to 100 degrees in summer and had frost.

I think near the coast is safe, I've vacationed there in August and with the fog, believe me it doesn't get above about 60! The Russian River area is a little farther inland so it's warmer, but I haven't spent too much time there in the summer so I'm not sure what the typical temperatures are. I'm so far away from moving up there that I haven't done that much research yet! LOL I'm not really that young, but I'm going to have to work until I'm 90 before I can afford to retire!

My husband is retiring early sometime this year. So we need to get game plan. Did I mention I am very lazy too? I need to research! Most of my looking has been south. I would love to go to Cambria but no Kaiser there.

Too bad if you really have to work so long. Best thing I ever did was quit working when I was 55. It was such a shock too, one day it occurred to me I could so I did. I was suddenly so free. Tom can't wait to quit this year, he will be 60. Watch us hate to be together all the time and divorce. Did I mention I am annoying? LOL I do not know how we got so old so fast. Our boy will be 26 this next month. Where did the time go?

I had a gorgeous guy flirt with me at work. He even asked me out. He thought I was "sexy". Mind you, I am 53. How old is he? 40!!!!!
My nerves got the best of me, and I chickened out.
My face may look good, but the body is that of a ....well...53 year old, lol!

I think you should go for it Cat! Although dating coworkers can be risky so maybe just enjoy some fun flirtation! But at the very least it makes you feel good!

WOW Cat. What fun. And he was gorgeous! What an ego lift. I say go for it too.

Yep Cat, you gotta go for it!! My (estranged) DH is 11 years younger than me :-)

What a nice ego boost!