Working 9 to 5

Not much time in the garden. Spot watered as needed.

Here are pictures of my old garden in Ossining, NY. The northern perennial border, a different animal altogether from our tropical gardens [photos: me]

Salvia and yellow pal whose name I forget

Astilbe

A lot of Hyssop. 

You better WORK!

 A lot of work today in garden after a week of flu. Unpotted 7 gal potato tree and knocked off about 2/3 of old soil. Call me crazy, but it was smelly, compacted soil. [Perhaps I had been a little eager to keep this heavy drinker moist. If the days are overcast and a little cool a light hand with the water is warranted]. I think that cleaning, and sometimes trimming the roots back significantly breathes some life into a plant. In a large trash bag, I mixed 1.5' of potting soil, a bag of perlite, some plant dynamite and 1.5 cup (or so) of Hydrosorb a polymer that absorbs water and releases it as the soil dries. With the cleaner, smaller root ball, I filled with the new soil mix, it sits about 2" below lip of pot. I then watered her in. After 2 water cans, it started draining freely.

I planted some U402, some b. heracleifolia 'Nigricans' at the base of the tree. They have proven up to being in exposed winter sun. By the warm season, their host, the potato tree, will provide them some life-saving shade.

 

One potato

I'm posting these as "before" pictures for what I think is going to be a vigorous grower. 5 days having been pruned, fed and watered for even moisture, there are signs of vitality in this diamond in the rough (I'm hoping).

Leaves are already getting glossier

I look forward to appending this post with the tree after a month. More Later! 

More to do about orange

Just out of the shower-- a gaggle of begonias

Orange blossom special

Cirrus in the morning

The blood orange, responding to some citrus fertilizer stakes I planted a few weeks ago, has a nice flush of miniature blossoms. Their fragrance is strong, luckily it is one of the sweetest there is.

I was hoping to run down to Hollywood to by a bromeliad achmea 'Harvey's Pride' as was suggested by a comment left here. I'll have to save up for a week or do before shelling out the $65 for one. It's supposed to be a handsome, wind-hardy specimen.

As to the sorry looking potato tree I bought yesterday at Jesse Durko's, the semi-woody trunks and branches remind me of it's cousin brugmansia. The leaves are thicker than brugmansia. Hopefully, it will not be as prone to fungus, mites, etc. I'm trying to find out the native geographical distribution to get a sense of it's culture. How and when should it be pruned? I'm shopping now for a sizable pot for it. It will replace plumeria in southeast corner near handrail. I'll want to keep it trimmed to not block bougainvillea's sun but it should offer the begonias protection.

Be careful when fertilizing, a heavy hand can cause irregular growth that can work against the goal of a healthy, well proportioned plant.

Solanum Macranthum

Early am walk with Ricky. [foto: me]

Bought a very scrappy looking Potato Tree at Jesse Durko's, a 15gal for $75. The price isn't bad actually, but it's definitely a fixer upper. VERY leggy but with 2 mature trunks. There was new growth coming out of bottom and sides. I trimmed off wild skinny fingers back down to 1/2" branches. New growth comes seems to come where the branch has been cut. It needs a large pot with rich soil.  Same family as brugmansia, Solanaceae. It has the same narcotic properties evidently. The brittleness of the branches are similar to the brugs too. 

The dragon brings some warm sunny days

On the dog walk, clarodendrum quadriloculare
it's that time of year. 

 

The truth of the matter

PS. Arte Hodes is still alive. Green leaves appearing.


Writing here, I generally want to post my photos of a healthy, happy terrace. I am embarrassed to publish the obituaries of my victims. Their number is so great, I wouldn't be able to count them on 10 or more hands. This is especially true of my efforts with begonias. As I've lamented many times before here, part of the problem is the harsh environment of an exposed terrace, a good part is due to my impatience. Part of the problem is due to my not following the advice of the many thousands that have gone before me.

I'm writing this with a heavy heart as b. 'Arte Hodes' and my 'Selph Mahogany' have passed. They were killed by my reckless repotting -- shocked to death. At one point they were full, beautiful plants. Now they are gone. I loved both of these begonias. I am going to buy mature plants the next visit to Palm Hammock.

I am too enchanted with begonias to give up on trying to grow them.

Eden

Haven't had much time to post in the last few days. The cooler weather has slowed growth somewhat so it's been quiet time anyway. The  duranta however, is still growing in it's fractal manner-- one branch becoming 2 or 3 which becomes 6 or more, growing outward ever more delicate in the branch size. It's providing some shade for the Caribbean Queen. I still plan to purchase the giant potato tree this weekend for foliage, bloom and scent.

Begonias all round. Photo taken at (my favorite), Palm Hammock Orchid Estate, Miami FL 

Diffusely lit, cool morning

What a pretty boy! Male staminate flower on b. Caribbean Queen 

Lightly overcast cool morning. Fed by watering can everything I didn't get to yesterday. Gave the gardenia (and oak leaf croton) a systemic insecticide.. as it's loosing all of it's leaves. It's a new plant, $40, it is blooming nicely, but 2/3 of it's leaves have yellowed and are starting to drop. I planted it by the book: light bleach and rinsing of pot, plenty of drain holes in bottom, a 2" layer of lava rock, weed block, fresh potting soil.. if it's a fungus or insect, perhaps the chemo will help.

Cool and humid (68F / 20C)

The potato tree aka solanum macranthum

Cool, damp, mostly gray day. Spot fertilized (crystal MiracleGro 2 tbs per 3 gal can) in the early am. I am trying maintain discipline when it comes to watering the begonias. I need to see the leaves wilt a bit or at least a nice dry top 3/4" of soil. Bleeding heart, jasmine in boxes by handrail are always thirsty.

I don't know why I haven't put palms in large pots for shade. So many types that would do fine out there to choose from. I could tie them up with some sturdy fishing line to secure from wind.

A comment was left to my Wednesday post suggesting Solanum macranthum that, from research, looks to have gorgeous leaves and bluish-purple flowers. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like a very wind tolerant plant. Ocean breezes, often packing a punch are part of my terrace environment. I tried brugmansia and they didn't take to the wind so well. That plant was ultimately eaten up by spider mites. I didn't have the energy at the time to put up a fight. 

They also suggested bromeliad 'Harvey's Pride'. I might have too much direct sun for that I'll have to research it. Doing some research on this bromeliad I ran across: 

http://www.jacksbromeliads.com/ 

A great website. It's fascinating and someone's put a lot of work into sharing their love of these plants!

Good night

Sol de invierno suave

Most of my time recently has been spent at the office. I've not been getting up early enough to water, but the gentle cool temperatures buy me time-- I can spot water as needed by water can and give everyone a bath this coming weekend.

I can grow begonias on my terrace in winter. It's drier, cooler, the sun is gentler. Happy days are these.

The new 'Caribbean King' has a nice spot to acclimate to the new environment of a terrace behind the Vietnamese gardenia which is blooming. What's not to love about green velvet?

Side shoots coming off of main rhizome of Caribbean Corsair- one of my favorites

Regarding rhizomatous begonias

A rhizome is an above ground root usually horizontal in position, that usually produces roots below and sends up shoots progressively from the upper surface.  See below. 

This is the understory of the b. 'Caribbean Queen'. New leaf and flower stalks lead the growth of the rhizomes. Notice the bare rhizome following along after stalks have fallen off of root.

Many rhizomatous begonias, such as this B "Palomar Whirlwind" have beautiful leaves making them a valuable plant in and out of bloom.

Here is a shot of the rhizome of the 'Palomar Whirlwind' begonia above. When the pot gets tight, they will climb right over the rim. It's getting pretty snug in this pot.

Some rhizomes grow straight up in the air-- until gravity slowly bends them back down
b. 'Selph's Mahogany'

Ribs 'n cobbler

Perfect weather for outdoor dining in S FL now. I have a number of loose ends I need to tie up before setting the table. I had hoped to get up early enough to beat the sun and water everyone. But I didn't and then had to play tennis so here I am now midday. I have a few empty pots that need to be cleaned and put away. Keeping the terrace clear of unused containers or any other inanimate objects that distract from plants is imperative, though not always so easy in the workaday life. Moved around some of the begonias, vacuumed, did some spot watering to help out some wilting leaves. The garden was certainly presentable.

Exhausted from cleaning house and garden. But having eaten the tenderest baby back ribs, corn muffins, sweet potatoes, cole slaw-- and then some peach blueberry cobbler. (The fruit was perfectly ripe. Chile is putting out the most delicious winter peaches). It was worth every scrub of toilet, floor and after dinner pot. The evening air was cool and the sunset turned into two sweet candles on the table.

More later..

Lime is a refreshing color. I'll find name and post asap.

Nelumbifolia

We seemed to have made it through last night's cold snap unscathed, though I haven't looked under the protective plastic sheet I put over Burly Marx philodendron. They are very cold sensitive, anything near the upper 30's will burn them, mid 30's and KO. The past 2 years had a number of nights near freezing and Fort Lauderdale has fewer Burly Marx around town to show for it. The Plumeria looked wilted, I was afraid it had gotten bit, but it revived by the end of the day, after a 3 gal bucket of water. The begonias are all fine. 

b. Nelumbifolia Mexican species [photo: me at Palm Hammock Orchid Estate parking lot]

Winter chill 4.44C

My current begonia inventory, all rhizomatous:

Caribbean King 1998 Tim Anderson (Washington State x Joe Hayden)
Caribbean Queen 1998 Tim Anderson (Washington State x self)
Odorata Alba  1813 Species Guadeloupe
Caribbean Corsair 1998 Tim Anderson (Nelumbifolia x Black Velvet)
Heracleifolia var nigricans Species Mexico, Central America
Arte Hodes (Caribbean Prince? )
U402 Species Venezuela (?)
Pattern 1982 Shigemi Hybrid (B. Viriob x B. Verde Grande Seedling)
Selph's Mahogany (Heracleicotyle x unknown)

Repotted Selph and Heracleifolia as they were sharing a large Mexican bowl with an agressive Arte Hodes. I planted them both in fairly small clay pots. If there was one thing that I saw at my last visit to Palm Hammock Orchid Estate was that I've been over potting.

I haven't repotted the Arte Hodes which had been in the large bowl yet, it's wrapped in a wet paper towel waiting for a free moment to mix up some light soil. It's not very shapely as grew in a large bowl and the stems were supported by the rim of the bowl and haven't developed strong stems-- though it has beautiful leaves. I'll have to trim back for shaping. It's a tough plant, I don't think there'll be much of a problem coming back.

Selph's Mahogany, an erect rhizomatous begonia [photo me, Palm Hammock]

The year of the dragon