Heading out to sea

This shrub was suggested for the terrace by a reader. It is really beginning to grow on me. 

Big boy!  Giant potato tree leaf providing sturdy shade for the begonias

We've just sailed out of Port Everglades and I am feeling a lot better about leaving the terrace as I have a dear friend who has volunteered to come and water. It's a wonderful thing.

I'm especially glad for the Solanum Macranthum (aka potato tree). I've included a picture of a leaf with my hand for scale. One can imagine that large leaf surface will transpire freely sucking up moisture from the soil.

I watered everything in heavily yesterday as well as this morning, it's been clear and warm and I didn't want to leave anything to chance. A dry bamboo root ball is not nice. The bamboo will begin to discard leaves quickly. It will revive with water of course but it will take weeks. I am very happy to be avoiding this.

The first blossoms are appearing on the potato, a pale bluish-purple.

The scented bloom of the potato tree

Unknown shrub on dog walk, same texture as potato blossom. Small world.

New growth from splitting wood on unknown shrub. 

Fish and Poop

Guano and fish emulsion-- received 4 pints I ordered from Amazon. It's a 9-6-2 that can be applied to foliage or as a drench. It smells beyond nastiness. I watered a few down tonight giving the 2.5gal watering can a quick tip of the bottle-- an ounce or two. Have to go in to work very early, I'll get up very early on Sat. for a deep drench before embarking on cruise. We'll be going to Curacao and Aruba on a big cruise ship. The real fun being sitting on deck and reading. I've forgotten how to play bridge. The bridge players on cruises tend to be very friendly but very good players, disheartening to not win any rubbers. I know I've crossed a milestone in terms of age when I mention playing bridge. The potato tree, which is doing beautifully, is going to suffer without water for a week. I feel like pulling everyone out of the sun, but if rained they would miss it. I'd have a friend water, we're afraid the cat would stray and get locked out - whatever. All will be well. 

A pot full of color

Bougies along the handrail

A day off of work! And onto the terrace I went. I planted 2 coral colored and one orange bougainvillea along with a white plumeria and a Mexican Heather in a 20" pot. Crammed in the pot I should say and I'm not ashamed of doing it. The 4 large plants will grow in and keep each other nice and tight which they all like to be-- in a tight spot. I'm not sure how long the heather willl last, but it has a great low spreading habit and it's purple coloration has just a hint of blue which makes the color pop-- especially against the coral and orange bougainvillea.

Going on a week long cruise 2/25-3/3. I bought a product called "Vacation" which is supposed to make your plants go into an emergency drought mode.. I bought a pint, $14.95, not realizing that it is not concentrated. I will only get 2 gals or so out of it. Those 2 gals will go into the handrail planters as the Bleeding Heart sucks the soil dry in 2 days. The Solanum Macranthum will suffer as will the bamboo. The last time out of town for this period of time, even in the winter, the bamboo lost a good many leaves. Everything recovers of course. The Super Thrive claims to add some protection against stress, so I'll make sure all watering includes a few drops of this in each gallon. The otherwise delicate begonias will be fine. A good wetting of the soil and they will sit pretty for 6 days easy. I've got a nice wall of green dappled shade for the begonias on the east side-- alocasia, potato tree, duranta, bromeliad With a little luck, it will rain for a day or two while we're away.

A tightly knit family-- 3 bougies and a plumeria in a 20" resin pot

Nothing could be finer than to find a carolineifolia

(3/17 PS. I think this is the ubiquitous begonia 'gryphon' not carolineifolia)

A quirky little thing. $5 at J Durko's An erect rhizome -- almost like a thick-stemmed begonia

A species begonia in bloom. I'll have to look around for ID

Look closely for the beautiful inflorescence

Another angle of that beauty

I'm a fool for a blooming Selph's Mahogany

Like the pilgrims did

Up early to walk the dog. Dumped several watering cans of foamy fish emulsion with a drop of the Super Thrive onto small plumeria, bougs that were dry, b. Caribbean Queen and Corsair, etc. Watered in handrail planters and then finished them off with some fish stew. Stinks but a good soil conditioner, healthful bacteria and corrects too much salt in soil? They certainly look happy enough. Potato tree is greening out nicely, some of the leaves are 8"-10" long. Begonias planted at it's base and doing the wild thang and putting out some leaves! You go girls.

Plumeria outlined against early morning sky. Guten morgen Fort Lauderdale. 

A little crowded, but a lot of pretty blooming going on. Solanum Macranthum in foreground-- leaves getting BIG. 

Deep in the heart of tropics

Heliconia, some fantastic croton and schefflera top right.
With the right size / shape planters, what a gorgeous terrace wall this would make!
[R. Lyons Nursery, photo: me]

Sun sweet sun (coming out of a cold snap)

Xanthosomasagittifolium? 

This had been in decline and was heading for disposal, but with a relocation to a sunny spot, regular water and food, this beauty is coming back. The leaves offer unique shape, glossy texture and soon will be a bucket of tall beautiful elephant ears-- protection for my begonias from summer sun and rain

Support our troops.

The large garden center vendors such as Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, Target, etc., should only be used for:

Soil -- both bedding and potting ok
Manure ok
Mulch ok
Pots, baskets, etc. ok
Soil amendments such as Vermiculite, Perlite, Peat, etc. ok
Fertilizer ok

Whenever possible, they should not be used as a source for plants.

It is imperative to support favorite local nurseries. It is the greatest joy, besides eating, to explore new sources of plants that I might incorporate into my terrrace garden.

Craigslist is a source of ads from "backyard" nurseries.  As I reported on Sunday, one unnamed nursery in Davie yielded some great deals on the orange and coral bougainvillea as well as the white plumeria.

It got down into the low 50's for the past 2 nights. Chilly.

Nobody from a mass retailer here. Local plants everyone

Mr. Tough Guy

$8 from a down and out nursery in Davie, FL. The color coral, my very favorite.

Thorny fabulousness, orange bougie, no problem with the blazing sun and salty air. 

I bought another of the 26" resin pots, the same that I planted solanum macranthum in. Picked up 2 small  but well shaped plumeria at the cheap Davie nursery. A coral bougie with white plumeria should be a showstopper. 


The rain has stopped, the sun is back, all is well. I am excited to start feeding with some weak, smelly fish emulsion tea, with a drop of Superthrive per can. Grow, my children, grow. 

Black coffee

5A. Can't sleep. Coffee. Fish fertilizer on solanum macranthum and blood orange managerie. Plants currently tucked in with blood orange; bromeliade, philodendron, dragon fruit, begonia odorata alba, begonia U402, creeping fig. It's a handsome family. Having more than one plant in a pot, whenever possible, is a good idea in my book. A specimen is a specimen however and should be allowed to have the spotlight- ensconced in a beautiful pot of course.

I wish I were eating this for breakfast (blood orange upside down).

100% Humidity (STILL)

Gertrude Jekyll (1843-1932) genius. 

Still raining. Plants all look good, but with the rain, I don't even get the pleasure of watering. The Caribbean Corsair is looking very good. It's a beautiful begonia. More later.


http://www.ced.berkeley.edu/cedarchives/profiles/jekyll.htm

Dreary

Dank. Overcast, cool, rain off and on. No fun.

Here is a pic of the perfect specimen for bonsai I bought at R. Lyons nursery on Sunday. That's a thick trunk!

Used some Super Thrive in a can or two of water. It's supposed to be used when soil is dry, the soil was wet-- but I couldn't wait.


Interesting to see how this grows out



Richard Lyons nursery

Woke up early Sunday and drove down south Homestead to visit the Richard Lyons nursery. It is several acres of arbors, vegetable gardens, fruit trees, and a good many flowering trees that were strangers to me.

The owner gave us an extended 'golf cart' tour of the place, letting us sample ripe fruit and vegetables as we passed them.

We picked leeks, kolrabi, ripe star fruit, a lacy lettuces (bitter) for a few bucks. The trip is worth it for the fresh vegetables and fruit alone!

My purchases for the day, besides veggies and fruit were bougainvillea. I bought one bonsai ready specimen, about 12" tall with a 3.5" dia. trunk for $35. I'm going back for another of these. I also bought an orange bracket 3 gal plant.

This nursery is a great day trip. About a mile a way on Old Dixie Highway, is Shriver's BBQ. I haven't had hush puppies and collards that good since I was a child. My plate was a pulled pork, baby back rib combo. The flavors enriched me spiritually.


PS.

I have started putting 5-1-1 'Alaska' fish emulsion in my watering cans. I am very careful about measurement, I tip the bottle of fish oil over the water can for about 3 seconds and give the bottle a tiny squeeze. Then I fill up the 2.5 gal can and water. Although, it says it has been deodorized with mint oil, the pre-mixed smell of the emulsion is gagging.

Squash patch with bougie in front. Jack fruit behind? (they were coming into blossom)

A very inviting country lane

What kind of fool am I ?

This should be in protected, dappled shade on a hillside in Central America. Not on the wilds of my terrace.  I have a corner inside with high light. I'll start looking for a stand. 

Baby food

I've always been intrigued by the retro label on the plant food "Superthrive". It makes rather hyperbolic claims to increased plant health and growth. I've ordered 2 4oz bottles that I found on Amazon for $5.00 ea plus $7 shipping, cheaper than the nursery I think. Reading reviews of the product, there were people coming down on both sides: it's snake oil, it's a miracle. We shall see.

Also came across some very positive comments on seaweed emulsion as a plant food. I'll go to home depot over the weekend and pick some up. I need to exercise restraint in my dosings. Easy does it (but do it).

It's important to feed potted plants. I'll report my findings on these two food additives (they are meant to augment regular fertilization not replace it).

From dawn to dusk

Watered solanum macranthum first thing. It drained perfectly. The new leaves are getting larger with a growing sheen to them. It looks like the Neoregelia Johannis is getting ready to send up a spike. Looking forward to that display.  I've been watering with the watering can as in the cooler weather the soil is drying at different rates depending on the container material. I like the control of the water cans it doesn't create the deluge that the hose showering does. In the summer, under the tropical sun, I'll be glad I have the hose. 

Our first terrace. 92nd St.