July Flower Photos of the Day

[farmer d]

Farmer D

[farmer d]

Farmer D

[Kyle]

Darren, been feeding  light special blend (half dose) and equal booster all summer sometimes twice a day for the outdoor plants but it recently cooled off a couple days and watering had to cut back until it heats up again.     I don't use as much fertilizer as 1 would think due to fertilizer burn that I get.
Maybe the beneficials are contributing to flower color?
Maybe it's the carbohydrates I use sending the microbes in overdrive?
Could the mycorrhizae and bacteria be enhancing the nutrients or making the nutrients more efficient?
I think conditions might also be playing a factor in flower color because Tarzan and other colorful CV's  are pink most of the year until it heats up when they become rainbow or even grey for maybe 3-4 months of the year.
Overall I think sun and temperature are a big factor in the flower color which makes everyone's flowers unique?

Check out these summer Tarzan's.  I think it was cloudy this day and warm.
Kyle
 



 
     

   

[Kyle]

Space Oddity  and the blooms on Pink Panther are approaching 10".

[Kyle]

Tarzan about an hr before sunset and like I was saying Wow Factor no direct sun since March but opened 6 flowers the other day.   It's in front of a sliding glass door getting a good amount of reflected and indirect sun.
It won't profuse in the house though.
I only feed it Houseplant Formula because it draws up water from the saucer. 
Kyle

[farmer d]

Beautiful blooms Kyle!

Even after growing these plants for 7 years now I still find things to learn everyday and lately still some significant break throughs. No doubt the varying conditions each of us have in our different growing climates is the number one factor. Kyle you are very much into the science of feeding your plants especially at the root level. That is why I am curious to see if there is any correlation with what you do and the colors I see in your bloom photos.

It is interesting that you get fert burn and have to go half doses on your feedings of special blend and booster. I used to get a lot of fert burn with my potted plants and I now only feed them regular doses of special blend with some supernova added for additional potassium and micronutrients. Maybe the booster is a bit too much to include in regular feedings of potted exotic hibiscus - especially during the summer months when temps are highest and the plant's metabolism is fastest?

The thing that has dawned on me the most this summer so far is the degree to which exotic hibiscus are energy hogs. They cannot get enough and we have to be savvy to know how to get them enough without it becoming a problem for them. Again I have been inside the HVH greenhouse when it was 122F and the plants were loving it. But remember no direct sunlight in there - that is the key to handle those temps while the amount of energy they get from that heat must be a dream for them. I have talked to others who grow tropical plants and they all say that exotic hibiscus want the most feeding of all their plants. So energy in one form or another whether it be sunlight, heat and/or fertilizers. My experience here is any direct sunlight over 93F starts to have negative effects (yellow leaves, dropped buds, etc..)

Glad we can share our info and ideas!

Farmer D

[farmer d]

Farmer D

[farmer d]

Farmer D

[farmer d]

I got my first 11" bloom ever and of course it would be from Spring Fever. The plant is just as amazing as the huge blooms.

Farmer D

[farmer d]

Island Queen is a prolific bloomer - at least 3-4 blooms per day. On this day it had nine blooms

Farmer D

[farmer d]

Farmer D

[farmer d]

Farmer D

[farmer d]

Farmer D

[farmer d]

Farmer D

[farmer d]

Farmer D