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Charlie
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« Reply #135 on: October 25, 2011, 05:00:36 AM » |
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Congratulations, Darren! Your "gamble" in leaving the garden on its own worked out pretty well from the look of the photos. I wish you had this garden back when Sunset magazine did a story on us. They sent a photographer who spent 3 days in the greenhouse taking photos but some shots of your garden would have really added to the final article!
Charlie
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #136 on: October 25, 2011, 07:41:17 AM » |
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Thanks Charlie!
I really spent a lot of time prepping everything to cover almost all possibilities including installing several drip lines to ensure proper watering while gone. So in my mind not much of a gamble with the exception of my potted porch plants that were strategically moved for protection.
Things worked out quite well for the most part. Just some sunburned leaves from the heatwave and spider mites on some of my Tahitians which I'm now in the process of changing out the soil to hopefully make them a lot less vulnerable going forward (cactus/palm mix for much better drainage so I can also water blast the leaves at will).
Farmer D
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Doll
Posts: 1036
Houston, Texas
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« Reply #137 on: October 25, 2011, 08:42:35 AM » |
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Darren, that must have been nice to come home to all those beautiful blooms.
My plants are really enjoying the fall weather.
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I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could.
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Louis
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« Reply #138 on: October 25, 2011, 12:03:24 PM » |
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Hi Everyone, Sorry that I have not been around much lately. I have flights every day and it keeps me away from home a lot. A lot of my plants bloom when I am not here, so cannot document them. I do glance in on occasion and marvel at the wonderful plants that have been shown. Congrats to everyone for the display. Here are a few from today. Second day on James Bond, a stunning bloom and bush, first bloom of Moonstruck from cuttings that I rooted last winter and a first for Prosperity, a really nice bright bloom. And last but not least, just a plain bud, you say  . well this is going to be the first bloom of the crosses that I did last winter. Its a cross between Moonstruck and Black Dream. Its a huge plant that I let grow with out pruning. I have 15 seedlings, most over 2 to 3 feet in height from last winters crosses. Anxious to see what develops. Stay tuned louis     |
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #139 on: October 25, 2011, 02:14:23 PM » |
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Louis great to hear and see from you. Tremendous blooms!! Can't wait to see your new crosses soon...James Bond is a color conundrum. John those are all such pretty flowers. This time of year seems like the best for the gulf coast. I'm still amazed at how different your Hot Pepper and everyone else's is to mine. Mine doesn't have any white in it, and the orange is a pinkish orange on mine while yours' and all the others look like a totally different shade of yellow to it. I really like your Black Dream too, that is some nice color there. Great stuff! Lynette great to hear your going for Scarlet Beauty, as I told John recently you'll love this one. It has a lot of different color looks with each bloom. Sometimes bright solid red with a wet and waxy look other times you get these gorgeous faint eyes in the grey and light purple realms. I advise not to place it in strong sun as the red pigment fades fast and won't last the day. Enjoy! Cloudy and drizzly day today so some wet blooms. By Thursday hot and dry. Long gone are the long stretches of unchanging weather that the hibs like so much...but the cool downs bring prettier blooms. Stunning Ay Caramba and Palm Springs today. Waiting on Some Like It Hot and Summer Fun to open but really slow with the cool day...Daisy Mae over 9"! Black Dream 18 blooms open, Valentines Day 12, Acapulco Gold 8 blooms Chariots of Fire - all the blooms are open now = 16!!    Farmer D |
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #140 on: October 25, 2011, 02:24:20 PM » |
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some more...couldn't resist putting a couple big pics here just to show how pretty they are (I apologize Charlie but your creations are so nice!).    Farmer D |
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #141 on: October 25, 2011, 02:49:30 PM » |
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Darren in one photo it looks like you have started to plant cv's in next doors garden, haha very lucky neighbours, oh I now see its the driveway view.
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David.
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Denise
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« Reply #142 on: October 25, 2011, 02:55:30 PM » |
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Darren- Is that Prosperity there in front of the white gate? Gorgeous! They all are!
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Maureenpm00
Posts: 57
Maureen Long Island NY
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« Reply #143 on: October 25, 2011, 04:07:09 PM » |
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HI Doll - thanks for the info - but i put myself on the list for cindy's heart probably 4 months ago. That's why i'm asking Charlie when i can expect to get my plant.
Charlie - hi, maybe i wasn't clear - but i did add myself to the wait list to get cindy's heart and i haven't heard anything. It's got to be at least 4 months. I was asking when i can expect to get it. Am I still on Cindy's list (I hope so).
tks.
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #144 on: October 25, 2011, 04:25:11 PM » |
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Darren- Is that Prosperity there in front of the white gate? Gorgeous! They all are!
Hi Denise - yeah that's Prosperity in the front next to my mailbox. I can tell you like the bright colors like me so this one is a definite must get as soon as Charlie has more ready. Incredible bush, grows very well and buds like crazy. Lucky mailman/woman huh? Check out this Scarlet Beauty that just opened...so different than usual as it has a really awesome pinwheel look to it and my first SLIH when I'm actually here! Farmer D |
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Maureenpm00
Posts: 57
Maureen Long Island NY
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« Reply #145 on: October 25, 2011, 04:37:07 PM » |
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Hummm.. i didn't know there was a page here where we could put our "wish list". How does it work, we list what we want and HVH puts us on the wait list? I recall doing something on the website where i listed myself as wanting Cindy's heart and i thought i was to get notified when it was ready for sale. Is that still being done now?
Farmer D - what is that gorgeous huge red/orange bloom you have on a couple posts above your recent post? It's a big pic, the first one and i love it.
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helixturnhelix
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« Reply #146 on: October 25, 2011, 05:03:17 PM » |
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I see several areas you can plant more hibiscus in your yard Darren. I was thinking about your spider mite probelm today and I think it is probably a consequence of the "high nutrient diet" your hibiscus are getting. I know Cindy mentioned that she has reduced the amount of nitrogen in the houseplant formula because excess nitrogen promotes spidermites, and I have a feeling that this might be what you are seeing. You should try reducing the amount of nitrogen those plants are getting until they rebound from the spidermites. |
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helixturnhelix
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« Reply #147 on: October 25, 2011, 05:11:00 PM » |
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Hi Everyone, Sorry that I have not been around much lately. I have flights every day and it keeps me away from home a lot. A lot of my plants bloom when I am not here, so cannot document them. I do glance in on occasion and marvel at the wonderful plants that have been shown. Congrats to everyone for the display. Here are a few from today. Second day on James Bond, a stunning bloom and bush, first bloom of Moonstruck from cuttings that I rooted last winter and a first for Prosperity, a really nice bright bloom. And last but not least, just a plain bud, you say . well this is going to be the first bloom of the crosses that I did last winter. Its a cross between Moonstruck and Black Dream. Its a huge plant that I let grow with out pruning. I have 15 seedlings, most over 2 to 3 feet in height from last winters crosses. Anxious to see what develops. Stay tuned louis WOW great James Bond Louis! I keep missing this one, but geez it is really awesome! I can only imagine the blue colors I can get using my fertilizer regime |
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #148 on: October 25, 2011, 05:36:03 PM » |
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Farmer D - what is that gorgeous huge red/orange bloom you have on a couple posts above your recent post? It's a big pic, the first one and i love it.
Hi Maureen, It sounds like you're referring to Ay Caramba. Here is the pic again, is this what you're liking? If so you can also check out the Ay Caramba topic under the Cultivar Discussion area on the home page of the forum. I'll post these pics there with the others from this summer. Farmer D |
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #149 on: October 25, 2011, 05:47:16 PM » |
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I see several areas you can plant more hibiscus in your yard Darren. I was thinking about your spider mite probelm today and I think it is probably a consequence of the "high nutrient diet" your hibiscus are getting. I know Cindy mentioned that she has reduced the amount of nitrogen in the houseplant formula because excess nitrogen promotes spidermites, and I have a feeling that this might be what you are seeing. You should try reducing the amount of nitrogen those plants are getting until they rebound from the spidermites. Hi Chris, That is really interesting - I must have missed that one from Cindy since I don't read that topic as much as I should though one day when I run out of room outside guess where they're going next besides my garden I'll build on my roof...yeah I see new spots all the time as I get more and more  As for the nitrogen that will work out well as I am already starting to gradually reduce the amount of fert I'm feeding my hibs as the seasons start to change. They don't show any signs of slowing down yet... Hey remember how Charlie mentioned that Constantino Garcia thinks that hibiscus can actually get used to high levels of fert over time? Sounds like a recipe for getting a lot less bang for your buck as well as throwing off the natural balance in the soil as well. So a good idea to cut back even more so. I haven't yet decided about next year and if I want or need to fertilize so heavily. I really got some tremendous growth and strength in my original plants this season so my guess is I'll be toning it down next year, but first let's see what setbacks this winter brings... Great stuff! Farmer D |
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