Season's greetings

Hot sun interrupted by passing showers, heavy at times. Tis the season, everything is getting butt kicked into growing. Even shy Selph has awoken and is putting out leaflets. All of the large pots of rhizomatous that I replanted are finally starting to show some growth. Very gratifying.

Sun then rain

Sunny morn, deep rain and thunder in the late pm. clearing  for the sunset. Lovely in the garden.

Honeysuckle

The honeysuckle vine is indeed a fast grower. Planted 5 days ago, it is already entwining the balusters. 

Some sunny day

Warm in morning, rinsed everyone off and gave a deep drenching. It was a hot, bright day.

The Espoma Plant Tone did not burn b. Selph despite my heavy handed application. Good product!

The growing season has sat down upon south florida.

The edge of summer

Upper 80's heavy humid air. The duranta is growing fairly fast now. Sending up sprays of branches with purple grape-like clusters of flowers on the ends. The plumbago is full and blooming as well as the yellow flowering plant i'll call coreopsis which is probably not it's name.  Even the gardenia, which I butchered after it's flowering is beginning to show it's shape.

I'm using a cake stand (4'x 14" circle surface with 3 tiers) for small potted begonias; little Fred, a pot of a cane begonia (S. Cecile? ) it's under the portico and gets 2 hours of am and an hour or so of pm sun. Maybe a good solution-- and it's portable, it can pulled in for a violent storm.

Planted a Honeysuckle vine on the middle hand rail with jasmine. it's supposed to be a fast grower which will help cover the railing.

with the humidity i'm not quite sure if i should hold back on the watering some even though the days are getting hot. The soil on the big pots i 'plant toned' is hard and has to be broken up. doesn't smell like chicken manure any more. I'll let it dry out a day or two more and water in good.

Using plastic pots

I'm going to use plastic pots. It's too hot for terra cotta. PHOE'S Reddie Freddie stays put, i'm going to force myself to wait until he fills that pot tight. Water twice a week at most and let the plastic keep him perfectly moist. Unfortunately, it's going to take a year probably - the wait is probably going to kill me.

Cloe seems perfectly happy in the terra cotta bowl and will remain there until it forms a dome of beautiful lime green, red-tipped leaves. A year for this too.

The Thompson's (Begonias the Complete Reference) say to let the plant fill the pot before replanting, I'm going to let the fu(*g plant fill the pots. TIGHT, nearly root bound- until the rhizomes cascades over the sides of the pot.

It's the new me.

There are 5 passion fruit on the vine.

Over and out.

Heavy Handed

E. Polenyi says that many failures in the garden are due to the gardener not following directions. That may be. unfortunately, following the instructions on a box has not always been my stong point. For example..Today, I very heavy handidly fed the larger pots and bowls the Espoma Plant Tone. If it doesn't kill b. "Selph's Miracle" it will be a miracle and the claims on the package of it be a non-burning food will be remarkably accurate.

I love the idea of Plant Tone and their other organic products, but the chicken manure- fabulous for the plants no doubt- stinks and Ricky my dog loves to chew a little mulch soaked in Plant Tone.

Heavy duty application in the citrus, gardenia and bamboo pots accompanied by heavy watering in. But the terrace stinks now. It'll take a few days to clear up completely.

The Begonian, the publication of the American Begonia Society, arrived in the mail. I am always a little disappointed by it. There are no articles geared to those of us learning to plant and care for begonias. The pictures in this issue were either blurred or not very interesting. The 'centerfold' was a muddled picture of a b kui. There is no place to write in comments, questions, or share info. It also assumes that the reader knows the individuals that are referred to by first name only. This makes someone like me, who's not a member of one of their ABS groups feel a little left out. 

Oh well, my membership will be good for getting seeds and i'll have the knowledge that in some small way i've helped support the cause of the begonia.

New clay pots

It was a clear day- hot in the sun. I was able to play 45 minutes of tennis at 4pm (day off) and that was all i could take.

New  4.3", 5.1",  6.7"  azelea pots. The 4.3" is perfect for starting out canes and small rhizomes. It'll will keep them nice and tight. I'm going to plant b. "Little Red" in the 5.1" again, a  perfect fit.

When I started the garden there was no water on the terrace, so i went to Home Depot and got a sink-hose adapter. I bought 2 25' sections of hose and I'm set. I'm able to water, rinse the leaves from above and clean the deck. The adapter cost less than $2 -- it's a life saver.

Restocked on my potting soil (miracle gro with moisture control).

Used systemic insecticide on the magenta bougainvillea and the smaller pinkish white shrub bougie in the iron stand I'm tired of seeing bare branches, leaves half eaten.

Virginia Leaper

Virginia creeper jumping out of the ground now two weeks after planting. The shoots are leaning against the masonry, no sign of roots digging in for the climb.

Clear skies projected for the next few days. Watered and showered everyone off. Need to research plumeria's water needs. Too much makes for yellowing leaves soon to fall?

Watching the garden everyday, growth for some seems very very slow, for others like the passion fruit or the creeper so agressive it's a little disconcerting. The bowls of rhizomatous are excruciatingly slow. I want them to be large domes of leaves-- maybe next fall, though that will be perfect for next years bloom period.

Time to plant Little Red, clay or moss-lined pot the big decision. The Thompson's grew their begonia's in greenhouses, the best results coming from moss-lined pots. I do not have the luxury such a controlled environment to keep moss pots from drying out during the day. Too hot down here.

Just an ordinary day

Slightly overcast in the morning, the day has ended in blue with scattered puffs of clouds.

Sent seed order with check to the ABS (so old fashioned, i love it).

Now on to creating propogation containers that will both hold in moisture and yet not rot the seeds. It will need to be covered and receive enough indirect light to spur the sprouting. I'm not sure Jiffy Mix by itself will be light enough of a medium. Space is going to be an issue.
Soiless potting soil for new arrivals?

Begonia Erythrophylla Helix / Red Fred joining the family

More young begonias to protect against the elements. what to do, what to do.

How to give them shelter from the storm?

Begonias and the heat

An exhaustive list of latin american rhizomatous species begonias:

http://absastro.tripod.com/program/latinam.htm thank you Houston! It would take a while to find pics for all of these, if they were to be had.

It's hot and sunny out. Had to leave the tennis court by 10:15, sun-wupped. Planted a  pup of Johannis in a low cobalt bowl, should be quite a combination when it grows in.

Later, drenching rain with some thunder. Summer is sliding in, safe.

Ordering seeds from ABS:

B. carrieae Ziesenhenne
B. kenworthyae Ziesenhenne

Pouring. Me- another cup of coffee

Wet, overcast. Probably heavy showers off and on. The water was blowing in under roof. Dragged Selph in from the rain.

Better to leave plants in the rain than to pull them out, waterlogged, and let them sit in 100% humidity?  It won't be possible to move the big pots for every rain shower in the coming months. I put Selph back in his spot. Put Cloe, some Sophie Cecile cuttings I started and a pot of un-id'd rhizomes on the table out of the wet. They are over-potted-- but what IS over-potted?  They've got to start somewhere..

Ultimately,  growing potted begonias, will come down finding the PERFECT balance of drainage and light moisture retention. Slightly moist and absolutely free draining. Using the Miracle-Gro potting soil with moisture control will be an interesting experiment.

White Plumeria

The plumeria is about 6' now. Anything higher, and even this may be too high, would make it a real target for the wind. There are a 8-10 3/4" trunks so even though it's lost it's leaves on the lower 3rd, it doesn't look leggy. I have it wired discreetly to the railing, but it still bends quite a bit in a strong gust.

Cuts can be made and regrowth from sideshoots will occur. I'll cut one inconspicuous trunk and see how she fairs. A friend has had success simply plugging a cutting into a pot.

This plant has white blooms. White is an interesting (non) color in the garden.
Found this organization specializing in their care:
http://www.theplumeriasociety.org/index.cfm

W x NW

Ocean air picking up, humid but slightly cool (S FL cool). There is some cloud cover. Not hot enough to warrant a daily soak, but washing off the briny important.


Reading E. Perenyi  "Green Thoughts"  during lunch at work. Her writing is unpretensious and she unashamadely shares her mistakes as well as the triumphs that come from them. Many times I feel I am a bad gardener when a plant dies in my care. b. "My Good Friend" which i wrote about last week is pretty much dead. There is a piece of a rhizome with slightly stiff stems but she ain't gonna make it. 


'My Good Friend'  got watered at most x2 a week, yet the soil was wet clay. The days started getting warm when she began her spiral downward, it may have been a function of the heat, too much sun? Maybe just not a plant for the terrace, which is what this blog is about.

Don't panic is the motto to adopt. I saw someone knitting today. It's probably a good side hobby, sit in the garden and knit, and wait and enjoy and learn.

Still morning

The air is still. It seemed to have rained last night, the terrace looks washed. Supposed to be hitting 90 today. Skipped watering,  i did water one rhizome begonia who's name will have to wait until it's more mature and i can submit pics of leaves for ID help.

I'm wondering how pulmaria reacts to getting a few stalks cut back. It is starting to look a little leggy. The top 2/3's of it look full and green. It is sporting several beautiful white blooms.

'Selph' is a little sensitive to over watering. Probably not once established, but the leaflets are prone to rot off if the soil is too moist. have to be careful of this.

Take a rhizomatous begonia, cut off all the leaves, cut up the rhizomes and plant, even with an agressive grower, expect to wait.

Hitting 90?

A couple of  clear hot days have been forcast. I gave everyone a nice drenching to get them through the day.

A friend said recently that he thought the secret to his green thumb (and he has one) was simply watching the plants. Watching, paying attention to their needs. There is a fine line between this and fussing which can be a killer.

Some of the Carribean King rhizomes are throwing up leaves from the front of the bus, which is where most leaves form on rhizomes. It has taken quite a while seeing that these were quite mature, large rhizomes.

I'm trying to restrain myself from ordering 2 begonias from Glasshouse Works- Fred, a giant leaved rhizo with shiny beefsteak type leaves and b. 'listada' a species that has a mallet shaped leaf with a deep green body and cream highlights running across the leaves. 

I'm going to PHOE on 5/21 which will be the Miami Begonia Society meeting. I have to hold off until i see what they have. Though i don't think i remember seeing either the last time i was down there.

euphorbia?

Planted euphorbia in  moisture control miracle grow potting soil. It is a really nice soil, it stays light, slightly moist. Let's the rhizomes breathe and gives them moisture to grow.

Neoregelia 'Johannis' (species brazil) has some pups

Unpotted and pulled off 2 pups of bromeliade off Johannis and stuck them in the pot with the rubber plant and purslane. Purslane is a workhorse. It's overflowing the pot and is constantly covered with flourescent orange red flowers all day. The black-green mature leaves of the rubber plant are a beautiful contrast with the scarlet sheaths that cover the new leaves, a very nice contrast to the purslane and bromeliad. Kind of a  quircky combo though. Reseatted NJ back in her pot and all's well. Still a good looking girl. The pups didn't have much of any stolen so we'll see if they take. The soil in their new pot is moist and kept that way so maybe they'll take hold.

The rubber plant is a slow grower. A cliche indoor plant grows into a large tree down here and the dark, thick leathery leaves are beautiful. The terrace needs dark foliage to add some depth and mystery. Getting a pot of euphorbia today-- i have to find the name of.

A calendar of fertilization needs to be kept. I'm forgetting the last time i fertilized with Plant Tone, etc.

Not on the table

Warm. getting toward 90 today. Gave everyone a drink and a rinse to get the salt off. I've started thinking about the necessity of using a very mild acidifier every so often. Espoma has one for hydrangeas, but it's 5lb and I would probably used 1lb a year. It would be great to put a few tablespoons in with the monthly Plant Tone.

 The sun is getting too hot to leave begonias in sun for very long. The table gets morning sun for an hour and a half, but even that is scorching them a little. I definitely think the U402 would look a lot lusher in some shade. I've put Fred and U402 under the umbra of the bamboo. Need to watch the sun and see if and how long the sun would alight on them there. 

Drenched the magenta bougie with a systemic insecticide last night. I was starting to see a lot of black specks on the leaves, catepillar poop? see this page: http://www.weidners.com/caterpillar_information.html .

The other boug is starting to have the same on it's leaves, so tonight after sunset, insecticide for him too.

Bromeliade needs to be taken out and repotted. The pups are pushing momma out aside. I'll have to pull her out, separate pups and replant her. It would be nice to get some sort of mount and some sphagnum moss and mount around the garden.

The blistering sun is going to be a problem. What to do.

Get busy bee

Humid, low 70's I'm happy to see a honey bee going back and forth between my begonias on the table (Cloe, Fred and U402). It would be remarkable if one actually set seed and produced a hybrid! I'll need to re-read the Thomposon's words of wisdom on growing from seeds. There are now 2 bees circling around myself and the plants.

It was suggested to me by a friend,  that all FL soil is basically too sweet and  needs some acidifier in the food. I'll go by Home Depot and see if they have the Espoma Soil Acidifier "Turns Hydrangeas Blue".

I planted some sunflowers on either end of the terrace. I need yellow, and they're a quirky flower which will add some interest.

The moth around the flame

Spotted a moth several times now around bougainvillea. The cause of the cruelly eaten leaves? Why can't I get a thick foliage on the magenta boug? Even when it goes through it's flowering cycle the leaves just don't come back although there is some nice bloom coverage.

It is 78, slightly heavy air. There is the tiniest whisper of a breeze.

Partly cloudy at noon

Posted reply to responses to my SOS, indicating that I had followed the suggestion to repot the rex with much lighter soil. When I unpotted it, the soil was very heavy and compacted. The roots would definitely not be able to dry out nicely and breath.  I did not want to repot the small bowls, I want them to be tight before risking shocking anyone. 

Selph is sending up a number of leaves. I am happy about that.  Looking forward to a raucus, large leafed begonia climbing up on out of it's bowl – with erect rhizomes it should be a very interesting site.

I’d like to get a erythrophylla helix , old school begonia—need to consult the Thompson’s encyclopedia for culture.  I need to start exercising restraint collecting however ..  I’ll have to find good spots for everyone and there aren’t that many to go around. One of my favorite online catalogs for begonia:

http://www.glasshouseworks.com/trop-b.html

Gonna need a lot of shade

Breezy, in the low 70's, the bamboo leaves are russlin' it is lovely out.

I got several replies to my SOS sent to yahoo begonia group regarding the leaf burn and discoloration on Cloe and Fred and the wilting on My Good Friend.

The wasn't a clear consensus on the leaves but one responder suggested that i re pot the Rex, with a moisture control soil, and find a place with no direct sun.

Otherwise, the joint is starting to jump! The pulmaria is sending out a lot of new shootlets both from the side of existing stalks and from the base of the plant itself. The flame vine and passion fruit vines are looking robust. The new bird-of-paradise is unfolding new, large leaves.

The dog days of springtime

Hot by 10 am in the sun, which is becoming pretty direct as it creeps towards it's zenith.

Virginia Creeper arrived, 6 sized bare roots. Snipped a little of one of the vines, which looked dead, and it was a healthy green inside. Cold Spring Farms, they are very professional.  I think in a few days we'll see some green on the outside. I planted two with the orange, against the northern wall of the building. Hopefully heighth can be managed, and horizontal growth encouraged. Another planted with the macho fern, against the east wall between bougie and gardenia. Not sure about the growth of the vine around the branches of the bougainvillea. I planted two of the larger roots in a pot by themselves against western wall. The last with the Bird of Paradise which I'll keep against that wall. Still looking for another climber for to ensure the north wall gets covered and maybe at some point the large square supports of the the roof that covers a third of the terrace.

"My Good Friend" is showing signs of wet feet and rot. I trimmed all limp dead leaves, cleaned all debris around roots and am hoping some air circulation will lighten up the soil, which surprisingly has a lot of clay in it. I can't imaging PHOE using a heavy soil like that if there danger of being tooo heavy. Might not be the soil, maybe overwatering? it's been moved around lately necessitated by spring cleaning, which they don't like. I go to the Thompson's and see what they say. Then maybe to the oracles at the Yahoo Begonia group.

"Red Fred" is a healthy plant, but the outer leaves are crisp around the edges. U402 ok, trimmed some of leginness poking the cuttings in the larger rhizome pots. it might be very pretty  to have the delicate form of U402 poking out from underneath.

"PHOE's Cloe" is healthy, the outside of some of the larger leaves are a little burned. I've sent picks to the experts at the yahoo begonia groups. A lot to learn here.

Tossed the Croton, still had white flies, had to get it out of the garden.

Marching past the vernal equinox

The vernal equinox slipped by 10 days ago. I'm sure the plants noticed. My clock is set to observe the summer solstice on 6/21-- which we are racing toward. kind of a climactic day of the growing year,the longest day. July, Aug, Sept are big months too due to the wallop of heat and rain.

there is a strange browning around the edges of a few of Cloe's palmate leaves. It doesn't look systemic nor like an insect. It looks like light burn of some type. I wonder if salt build-up would do this? I'll post a pic to the yahoo begonia group. I've meant to post a pic of an unidentified rhizome i've had for a while too. I've tucked a few nodules of Dopey into Cloes pot, the first is putting out a strong leaf so we're good. Plants like other plants. There's nothing more lonely looking than a single plant in a yard or on a terrace. They were not mean to grow alone.

Cloudy with heavy warm air. Humidity feels in the 80%'s clouds coming from the west.

A question that needs to be answered: can Chalice Vine grow up masonry without support. Everything I've read so far indicates that it's an aerial root. Research.