farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #30 on: January 03, 2012, 07:07:06 PM » |
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David I agree with you for how it looks now. It is supposed to eventually bloom in the 10-12" range so then we'll really see if it lives up to it's name. I'm a total clutz too so how could I have not have one with my name sake although I would say I'm a medium sized oaf though...so if it blooms in the medium sized range...
Some more pics from today...late afternoon seems to be the best time for pics here when there is no direct sunlight.
All those buds on VD are finally starting to go. It's interesting that if I can get one to open (in this case manually) it signals the rest of the plant to open up the others on it's own. Anyone else seen that too?
Farmer D
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motherof4
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« Reply #31 on: January 03, 2012, 07:38:19 PM » |
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Great blooms everyone...Ive only had a couple and been so busy have not had a chance to post them....I had a lot of blooms but it was so cold and windy for almost a month that they just fell off....darren I am spraying every day....trying to help my hibs make it through the rest of winter....the weather is so nice now...in the upper 80's....Darren I got prosperity in the store opening...and got a black dream today in the 2 gallon...  ...I also have big oaf....I have it indoors..its doing really good.. growing like crazy...and I finally have a couple small buds forming....David this is the best I have seen your hibs look...just beautiful....luv peppermint drop...I thought of getting one but already have a cherry apaloosa coming in spring...I think they are pretty similar........lynette |
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #32 on: January 03, 2012, 10:20:00 PM » |
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Many blooms again today, Acapulco Gold with one of its cuttings in the rear, a nice Cranberry Muffin and my favourite at the moment Sherlocks Mystery, the photo just does not do this bloom justice, its lovely.
But all my cv's as lovely as they are at the moment[thanks Lynett] are taking second place to the pod under my Saffron bloom, I think I look at it every hour and its well into its second week and perfectly green, not sure when I can relax and start to think it will be ok, the other 17 have all failed.
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David.
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Ernest
Posts: 1704
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« Reply #33 on: January 04, 2012, 04:25:38 PM » |
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Although I have had hibiscus in the ground for several years, I was ignorant about the need for fertilizer etc and thus had few blooms. Now that I am paying attention I am struck by how different the blooms look at different times and different weather conditions. Here are some from today: Donna Lynn looks completely different from the way it was last week--I never would have recognized it; Mr. Ace showing a much paler blue tint; a very red Belle du Jour--again I wouldn't have recognized it; Living Legend minus most of the bright red it had a month ago; Me Oh My Oh; and finally, the exception to the rule--Black Dream--the gift that keeps on giving.
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #34 on: January 04, 2012, 06:44:30 PM » |
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Very nice Erny, it will be like you have a new garden. Not sure if you are just using fertiliser or you are adding Booster as well, the Booster makes a huge difference, bigger and more blooms for sure.
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David.
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Denise
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« Reply #35 on: January 04, 2012, 08:14:01 PM » |
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Very nice Erny, it will be like you have a new garden. Not sure if you are just using fertiliser or you are adding Booster as well, the Booster makes a huge difference, bigger and more blooms for sure.
Ahh, so is Booster your secret, David? Your colors are stunning! Darren, do you use Booster as well? |
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #36 on: January 04, 2012, 08:39:38 PM » |
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Acapulco Gold blooming well today, 9 blooms and thats a record for me, a few other blooms as well but AC is the real eye catcher even in the pouring rain.
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David.
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Ernest
Posts: 1704
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« Reply #37 on: January 04, 2012, 09:53:42 PM » |
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Thanks David. I've been using HVH Special Blend and Booster together (half and half) for the past few months now. If I can get my plants looking half as good as yours, I'll be quite pleased.
Erny
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Denise
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« Reply #38 on: January 04, 2012, 09:57:19 PM » |
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That 9 bloom AG is crazy! I love it.
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Doll
Posts: 1036
Houston, Texas
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« Reply #39 on: January 05, 2012, 10:54:40 AM » |
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Everyone's pictures brighten up my day. I can't wait for spring to arrive.
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I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here as fast as I could.
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #40 on: January 05, 2012, 06:48:01 PM » |
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Ahh, so is Booster your secret, David? Your colors are stunning!
Darren, do you use Booster as well?
Funny you should ask Denise. I believe a little before you joined we had a little uproar on the forum over how much fert and booster one might use and how often. I was on the extreme high end of that at the time. Again since mine are in ground all year round with heavy wet clay soil I am able to really go overboard with both. I was also trying to maximize growth in my plants to get them much bigger so this winter they wouldn't struggle so much and shut down like last winter. The bigger and more mature the less issues and it was hard this summer getting strong growth being so cool here in So Cal for 2011. It worked really well and my biggest take away from all of it was that the booster really allows your plant to absorb much more water and nutrients. Mine kept getting yellow leaves anytime I watered but once I started adding the booster to the fert mix that stopped and the plants really took off. It's a whole different ball game with potted plants so be very careful with how much you experiment with. I find that spraying with SN seems to be the key to keeping your plants in growth and budding mode 24-7. Of course they need to be feed too on a regular basis. Right now in winter I am at a point where I can't even water mine anymore as I did last week and the amount of yellow leaves I got all of a sudden was astounding (with Bonnie Lass leading the way). They don't want much right now and also the effect of the booster has probably worn off so they are again sensitive to water. My new adventure come spring will be to change out the soil on many of my cvs with higher quality organic soil and feed them mycorrhizae to really strengthen the root systems and bring back more of a natural synergistic microbial soil environment (Kontos and ferts worked well but I can never find anymore earthworms and other stuff in the soil which used to be so prevalent). But I am only a novice so lots of experimenting and learning I'm sure then. Farmer D |
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #41 on: January 05, 2012, 06:56:48 PM » |
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Erny your blooms look awesome. Really pretty for the middle of winter. Keep spraying and I know you'll just keep getting more and more blooms. And I can't wait till summer - I bet your plants will be covered in buds and you'll be going bonkers!!
David Wood your blooms are amazing. Can we just agree right now that Acapulco Gold is probably one of the best CVs out there based on the fact it is so easy to grow and it is a super prolific bloomer. Have you had so many blooms on at once? Did you even think you would get that many? I can't wait to see how many more you get as your plants keep maturing and we all keep figuring stuff out continuously. What a way to start off 2012!!
Mine today coincidentally has 9 blooms also but I am all the way on the other side of the spectrum with hardly any color now from the cold. I bet we like each other's more than our own currently...
Farmer D
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #42 on: January 05, 2012, 07:03:57 PM » |
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Alright - we have been in the 80s F now for almost a week and a lot of those buds are finally opening. I also stopped spraying just during this warm spell to let those black spots of fungus dry up and I also figure with the warmth and sunshine the plants aren't going to shutdown just yet.
Dave (AZ) it is uncanny how my Flickering Flame is following yours to a tee. Now mine has a pretty orange border as well - just lovely.
Also Tahitian Lavender Rainbow is really quite a beautiful bloom - large size and very delicate in both color and petals. Still wish it would look like the advertised pics.
Enjoy!
Farmer D
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #43 on: January 05, 2012, 07:08:22 PM » |
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some more...
Farmer D
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #44 on: January 05, 2012, 07:10:30 PM » |
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oh-oh some more....
Farmer D
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