Sad to say, I have things just ready to bloom that will most likely be nipped by the frost.
Clero 'Shooting Star' just about to shoot. They are 9ft. tall will now lose every flower and leaf, and sulk until April. Even on the south side of the house it's pushing the zone on this one.
My variegated Ti are blooming, and some have berries which I've never seen before. If I'm lucky, the cleros will protect these a bit.
Elaine
"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Name: Elaine Sarasota, Fl The one constant in life is change
Thanks for the move and new thread, Ursula. I am in 'waiting' mode letting the orchids and tender plants dry out and enjoy the last of the warm weather here. In and out of the house, fussing over what can be moved . . .
Elaine
"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
dyzzypyxxy said:Thanks for the move and new thread, Ursula. I am in 'waiting' mode letting the orchids and tender plants dry out and enjoy the last of the warm weather here. In and out of the house, fussing over what can be moved . . .
I just unloaded two big trucks of blankets and old sleeping bags as well as flannel sheets. It's actually warmer here than they said it would be today, I've got windows in the house open and the doors to the greenhouse are open.....fresh air to make up for the closed conditions that will be for the next few days.
Brugs Equador Pink and Monster White won't look like this tomorrow....
Name: Elaine Sarasota, Fl The one constant in life is change
Yep, my brugs are my biggest headache, they are so big, tall and also fragile, even if I get them covered then if it's windy the coverings break the branches when they catch the wind. Oh well, they start very well from cuttings, too.
Temp here dropped from 75 at noon to 55 now, with a very brisk wind blowing. Here's my big NOID pink.
Elaine
"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
Name: Elaine Sarasota, Fl The one constant in life is change
Everything survived last week's cold snap, but this week we are forecast to have lows into the 40's for five nights straight. argh
Cleros still slowly 'shooting' - there is one bunch with an open flower, but it's 10ft. up on top of the bush and I couldn't get a picture. Red berries on the variegated Ti plant. The old faithful pink brug still opening buds. Couldn't believe it last night when I walked out to the patio and smelled that wonderful perfume! I hesitate to take credit, but I did change their 'diet' from last year. They're getting a dose of Epsom Salts once a month now, as well as the orchid spray with Pro-Tekt silicon solution in it all last fall. Very hard to know if it made a difference without a science lab to test leaf cell structure.
Elaine
"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
It's 75 degrees and 16% humidity. This is January?
Brug Charles Grimaldi seems to like it
As well as Azalea Happy Days
And Snow Azalea - don't know where the red cast is coming from. These arepure white
Name: Elaine Sarasota, Fl The one constant in life is change
Wow, those Happy Days flowers look like roses, Ted. Very nice! Love the white one as well. My CG brug has more buds on it, poor misguided thing. It's been 'almost frost' two nights this week. Warm now but raining a bit, and we are forecast to have a couple more cold nights Tues. and Wed.
Brazilian Red Cloak has not stopped blooming since early summer. Yellow milkweed, and monarchs hard at work.
Nice red coleus called 'Dipt in Wine' has re-seeded itself. This Thai Caladium is really confused. Its sister is still underground where she belongs. Seems I stuck a begonia cutting into that pot, too. The begonias are really loving the cool weather.
Elaine
"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill
I have some bad news here. One of my two Washingtonian palms came down with what I believe to be Fusarium Wilt. They are each over 30 feet tall and I have a Bismarkia palm growing right underneath of them. Here is a picture from a year ago:
Last week I came home from the gym and saw this:
Fusarium Wilt attacks both Washingtonias and Queen Palms (which are numerous around here) and spreads by infected tools and the wind. There is no cure. So, I had no choice but to drop them and have them hauled away:
I left the stumps so I could set flower pots on them. Now the Bismarkia stands alone and perhaps looks more majestic. Still, it is a sad day when you have to destroy that which you have been growing for 15 years.
Name: Elaine Sarasota, Fl The one constant in life is change
Heartbreaking, Jim, but you're right, the Bismarkia looks wonderful.
I'd paint or seal those stumps with something, though. They are inviting Ganoderma infection if you leave them open like that.
On the bright side, one of those guys you removed was sort of leaning towards the house . . . maybe it was a blessing in disguise?
I have brugs (! ! ) begonias and the crazy Shooting Stars clerodendrons are still shooting away! I suspect these brugs have had the benefit of the orchid spray with silicon stuff in it, because the other brugs out in the yard are not blooming.
Elaine
"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." –Winston Churchill