A place to post and chat about plant pics...

They're photoperiod sensitive. I have days that are exactly 12 hours long, followed by nights the same length, with a variation of maybe 15 minutes throughout the year. I can grow Amaryllids and Criniums, both of which have local representatives (like the Eucrosia, for example), but Asiatic lilies just die on me without their extended cold season. The florist's trade here grows Stargazers in windowless rooms with HDL lights and air conditioning, where they can simulate northern conditions.

 

What beautiful flowers!

 

Well Lorax, I never knew that. I know that the bulbs start to shoot here in the UK around March time and just start to poke through the soil then eally take of in May and June flowering around the end of June early July, but I hadnt realised they needed periods of dark and cold to grow well. I have found that the same bulbs will push up maybe 3 years in a row and after that if they havent produced any new bulbs then they just die away and you have to replace the bulbs. This year I am growing my own from seeds that I save from last years pods with a view to them forming bulbs this year that may just flower next year or the year after, they are coming along nicely. Currentl we are getting around 4 hours of darkness at night and the blooms seem to love the long hours of sunshine, I have another 30 or so lillies all in bud just waiting to burst out, quite by chance this year I seem to have got the timings right whereby as on set of blooms finishes more are coming out to take their place.

Wish I had had as much joy with my delphiniums, they have been a disaster.

I seperated out the baby banana pups yesterday and potted them on, then in a few weeks when I know they are growing well I'll put them out in the garden. I carefully put the old root stock back into the flower beds to let it grow more pups.

Finally I managed to obtain a young Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia) I've been after one for ages, so Im now very happy. I am a little confused though as it says in my book to keep them pot bound to get them to flower when all of the Paradise's I've seen in Mexico are grwing out of the ground up to 20 feet ad always in good bloom...any ideas?? Apart from what I bought yesterday I havent ever seen them in pots before and was planning to plant it out in the garden and bring it in during the winter months like I do with my bananas.

 

well time to show off my veggie garden and some other stuff like Banana and Fuchsia my Swiss Chard and Kale beds my 1st home grown Rasberries and question about my Lavaterra . I wonder can I still transplant it into the ground from the pot where it seems to get tight soon. The lovely tiny winy CURRY plant flowers just blooming now. My lettuce beds ( one gets pink and then red and redder alter on) and the Russian Kale that has been growing since Feb and now still going strong so we let a few going to seed like our Chinese greens that make very dark leaves. The flowering SAGE (maybe) some have not seen the lovely flowers How about the hairstyle of my angel? And why some Fushia still have no flowers and the one that was 1/2 dead as some flowers? I maaged to keep them alive all winter in the basement so they are not from the shops ( greenhouse)
And those dark leafe plants in middle of my Daylilies they make flowers so when will they be ready for seed and my Delphiniums when to collect the see when its green or when it make the small dark stuff afterward its so difficult to get it right .I want some more next year. And my Lupin seeds I put them up fro drying and they pop open at night and then are EMPTY..I got some WHITE bleeding hearts from my neigbor with the bulb on the bottom but some don't like it do they love SON or SHADE there they grew under a Rhodo I put them under Bamboo etc..I add my 1st FINALLY blooming beloved Yukka I also got some tall Green leaves that you can see in the big planter with the chinese rubbarb... the neigbour said it makes orange and red flowers but she can't recall the name . they are +- 3feet tall and have small orgnion like bulbs I put tem in 8 different areas in our garden but most dont look to happy.. I need a name if possible Thank you. and for BEAUTY I add the new leaf of my Numbelo from the Hollyberry Lady seed making its 4th leaf now :-)

 

It looks as though you don't even have to go to the supermarket, Vic!

 

Nath, for the Strelizias, I'd say plant 'em out. I've never known them to need to be confined or bound or anything to produce blooms. Here, they go to about 15' on S. nicolae in lovely clumps. (Then again, like you, I've never seen them in pots except at the nurseries.)

 

Oh Wow, Vicarious - absolutely wonderful! Everything is thriving! What a great job you are doing - I just love it. Terrific and beautiful photos.

If I was there though, you wouldn't be eating even one of those raspberries - I'd eat them all! I am looking forward to seeing more of your shots as the season wears on. Thank you for taking the time to load all your great pictures because I very much enjoyed them.

: )

P.S. Yes, go right ahead and transplant your lavatera into the ground - not to worry, it will be just fine.

 

Vicarious I love the Bananas but then I am a bit of a tropical plant freak! You have to be to survive a UK winter with shot days and dark nights, its the only thing that keeps me sane being in the conservatory with my plants and all the lights full on when its dar from 3.30pm til nearly 9 am. Still I will be home in Mexico for vacations this winter! Yippee!!

Lorax thanks for that, I really do't understand the pot binding thing as I've never seen that before and as English summers are often hotter than Spain I think I will risk the garden with it and bring it into the conservatory in a gran maseta when it goes cold.

I am over the moon today as a Ficus I rescued from a friend that was dying but had a surface root so I took a chance and planted it outside has sprouted two babies so I will have something to keep it going. My Papayas have suddenly started growing in the borders nthis week with the "Heatwave" as tehy call it here, its only 30 and like a spring day in Mexico DF really but the humidity is worse than Acapulco, I have to remind myself that England is an Island not a big country.
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I am posting my pictures from today as the Lillies are wonderful and too I found the first Tomato fruits growing in the greenhouse today, I was worried as I had resorted to putting potted Marigolds in the greenhouse to attract the bees. I am lucky as the man who has the garden that backs on to ours is a n old Mexican gentleman who keeps bees so there are plenty but it seemed that the bees always gave my greenhouse the cold shoulder, but he said put some Marigolds that are flowereing in the middle of the greenhouse path and the bees will come ad heh presto he was right. There is Mexican ingenuity for you.

If anyone knows what the deep purple plants are, I'd love to know as they grow all over Acapulco and by chance the people we bought this house from were growing them and I love them, I've seen them in Spain but nobody knew their name so any help would be appreciated.

Nath

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[/ATTACH][/ATTACH]Some more fotos from today, Hay que calorrasso!! ijoli!! Its is really hot today, I can't believe I am used to 45 degrees in mexico and I am meltinghere today in just 30 degrees. My Bananas are shrivelling up I have had to move them into the shade and water them with lots of cold water. View attachment 64457

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The deep purply ones are Wandering Jew (Trandescantia) - I have the exact same ones in my xeriscape garden in Loja.

 

Thanks Lorax, I might have known that tyou would have the answer,

Nath

 

Too funny, as I was reading the posts, that's exactly what I was thinking -Beth will know! Sure enough she did! You sure know your plants, Lorax - very impressive.

Those shots are fabulous, Nath - looks like everything is thriving. I am waiting for three more varieties of lily to open, and then I will have seen them all. I love that they will return every year. I know one lady who has lilies that are 10 years old, and are nearly 5 feet tall now! They are the most stunning things, that stop you dead in your tracks.

Anyway, thanks for all the great pics.

: )

 

Some of the last fotos didnt come out for some reason, her's trying again.

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Beautiful liles, Nath. So bright and cheerful. Don't ya wish they'd bloom constantly?!!! Your varieties are gorgeous - thanks for sharing.

: )

P.S. bananas look good too!

 

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Absolutely stunningly beautiful, Nath. Wow!

: O

 

Hello Nat yea ( what a PAIN to uplaod more than 3 pics RIGHT ? right I am sure you must be thinking ..what's the business with this ATTACH message next to the pics . Have you thought of making a permanent gallery online with some of the free sites like FLIKR Photobucket etc.?
I know how you feel by giving a TROPICAL feel to something in UK after 20 years in Hong Kong and 10 in South Africa I am DESPERATE in Canada to make something grow FAST and go green and last as long as possible. I am trying VERY hard we have had 25+C nearly everyday nearly every day since beginning June blessed we can say....
bye4now
Vic
other Pics following soon tomorrow or tonight...

 

Hi Vic,

i hear what your saying about starting a gallery off, would be easier in the long run, I just need to have enough time to get around to doing it.

HollyBerry you are right I do wish my Lillies would bloom all year around but nevermind it gives us chance to experiment with other plants and flowers to replace them with at other times of year.

They have forcast lots of heavy thundery showers this week so I'm holding off on planting out my Strelitzia for another week, I hope they don't damage y illies too much, but the lawn and trees desperately need a good rain.
I have two more species of Lilly to go with Huge white trumpets but they don't like to get too wet as it spoils the blooms so I hope they hold off for another week

 

My mom even used to use a great big patio umbrella - stuck it right in the ground to protect her lilies from harsh rains. When the rain stopped she would remove the umbrella and the lilies would be just perfect.

It rained here last night, but my lilies are looking great today. I also put my banana plant outside last night in the rain too. It's also looking good this morning though.

Yes, it is nice to focus my attention elsewhere when the lily blooms have died back. I intend on collecting many lily seeds from all of my varieties, as there will be many new and wonderful colors I am sure, with all the pollination that likely took place. I have been noticing a lot more bees around lately. They are probably just loving my lily blooms!

Also have a hanging basket of everbearing strawberries, hanging on a tall sheppard's hook. Looking forward to gobbling delicious berries in late summer. As I was late starting the seeds, I won't have a harvest for a while, but it will be worth the wait. The young plant is really beginning to take off now. I might put it in the ground in September, who knows yet. They will return in Spring if put in the ground.

: )

 

I shall collect more seed this year and sow again in spring, I've found it takes a year to get them to form bulbs when growing from seed and they won't flower for 1 maybe 2 years depending on variety. But its certainly cheaper than paying garden centre prices for a packet of 2 or 3 bulbs. Just takes a lot more patience.

I like the umbrella idea, i just don't have enough of them, its coming down a monsoon out there at the moment with thunder and lightening, at least it will bring the humidity down it was a very sticky night last night. The papayas like it though.

 

Yeah, my mom was only using the umbrellas for a very small area of lilies, not tons like you have.

Planted out my ornamental cabbage a couple days ago - looking forward to seeing it take off. I also ordered some goji berry plants on Friday from Quebec, and they are shipping them to me today! I am bursting with excitement. The berries are raved to be The most nutrient rich food on the entire planet - loaded with antioxidants! The shrubs won't produce berries for 2 years yet, but it will be so worth the wait. I intend on treating them like gold! Can't wait until they arrive.

Someone even sent me some goji berry seeds from off of this forum and one sprouted for me a couple of days ago! I will grow my sprouted goji's also. The 2 plants I ordered are between 6-8 months old so they'll put on fruit much sooner than my seed grown ones.

I also made up a pretty pot of gorgeous succulent cuttings and put it outside in a shady spot just now. It has 'string of pearls', burro's tail, baby burro's tail, jade, echeveria, and a few more. They will be so nice as they grow - here's a picture of my newly created pot of succulent cuttings and plants.

The last two shots are my potted banana plant I put outside in the rain last night. My little Basjoo is loving it's new sunny spot...

: )

 

Guess what I just finished doing... that's right my mailbox planter is complete!

From bottom to top, there's bricks, rock fragments, sand, more rock, and finally a mix of sand, Miracle Grow Cactus mix, and some cheap soil thrown in for filler. I watered to get the mix to fall down into every crack it could so I could add more, but there was an exceptionally large hole I found with water and dirt pouring out so I filled it with more rock fragments. I got so excited, I forgot to drench my mailbox's wooden pole in sealing paint; hopefully it'll be a few years before it rots though!

Then I added various sedums and watered again; anyone know if sedums die in winter? I took some pictures of my melons taking off too.

Enjoy!

 

Yes, I'd like to know if sedums come back in Spring too...

: )