|
Charlie
|
 |
« Reply #15 on: July 23, 2009, 04:16:23 PM » |
|
Great! Just remember, if the thrips are there you have to break an established life cycle situation. Spray twice a week for 2-3 weeks to be sure. Improvement in bud drop should be apparent within a week.
Charlie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
helixturnhelix
|
|
« Reply #16 on: July 27, 2009, 08:47:44 AM » |
|
Bud drop has decreased alot. Only one or two now. I thought my diamond head was dropping because of the heat, but it looks like its thrips! Lesson learned, thanks again charlie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Charlie
|
|
« Reply #17 on: July 27, 2009, 01:09:34 PM » |
|
Yeah, in our home garden we weren't getting many flowers and the fallen buds were everywhere 10 days ago. I've sprayed twice with Spinosad since then and today Saffron, my pride and joy out there, started blooming the way it does most of the summer. Here's a photo and besides the open flowers if you look closely you can see the big buds getting ready to open. High Voltage, Living Legend, Belle du Jour, and Acapulco Gold are all full of big buds now with many blooms coming in the days ahead. I will spray again this week to make sure the thrips don't make a come-back.
In the greenhouse where it is much hotter the rate of reproduction of mites and thrips can be shockingly fast. To deal with that I sprayed 5 times over 18 days and today noticed that all blooms are completely blemish free with no buds dropping that I could see. That should break the cycle for both those pests and it should not require nearly as much effort to keep them at bay for the next month or two.
Today's photo of the Saffron bush below.
Charlie
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
helixturnhelix
|
|
« Reply #18 on: July 27, 2009, 03:50:22 PM » |
|
Saffron is one of my favorites, its really a toss up between all the cvs you mentioned. Saffron = favorite orange Belle= favorite pink Acapulco Gold and Rainbow sherbet = favorite multicolored (though im sure bonnie lass will give it a run for its money when she blooms) Living legend = favorite red High Voltage = favorite white. I would really like to see garden full bush pictures of all those cvs  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
nina
Posts: 134
|
|
« Reply #19 on: December 03, 2009, 06:21:50 AM » |
|
A piece of wood is travelling to me. I wonder if I will manage to grow it. I would like very much to try it.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Charlie
|
|
« Reply #20 on: December 03, 2009, 09:29:51 AM » |
|
Hi Chris,
I'd like to see the same thing! We're working at it slowly but surely. This summer we added Rainbow Sherbet and Acapulco Gold to the garden but it will take a couple of years without serious freeze damage for them to fill out like the others you mentioned.
Looking at the Saffron photo from July that is posted above, I see a big difference in the same bush by the last weekend in November. With our long cool spring weather in southern CA most of the outdoor hibiscus do not really start growing until June but the long mild fall weather allows them to keep growing and blooming right up to December. Below I've posted July and late Nov photos of the same bush. The growth during those months is impressive.
Keep in mind this bush is heavily pruned in late fall each year and has to grow back. It sends out shoots after pruning but these become short, hard shoots that only grow about an inch between Dec and April, and then grow increasingly faster as we move into full summer.
Charlie
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Charlie
|
|
« Reply #21 on: December 03, 2009, 09:31:58 AM » |
|
Good luck with it, Nina. I'll be interested to see how it does in your unique conditions.
Charlie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
nina
Posts: 134
|
|
« Reply #22 on: December 05, 2009, 12:51:50 PM » |
|
Hi, Charles,
Saffron and allissum, what a nice combination.
I hope my piece of wood will come in a graftable condition.
ciao, N
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Charlie
|
|
« Reply #23 on: December 05, 2009, 01:30:16 PM » |
|
Hi Nina,
The alyssum popped up naturally the first year we watered this garden - 2006. After watching it for awhile we decided to leave it in. It reseeds itself and although it waxes and wanes during the year it looks nice often enough that we decided to let it grow as it wants, more or less.
We don't have time nor prefer a totally manicured garden look so our hibiscus garden is a riot of color with hibiscus, geraniums, alyssum, bougainvillea, iceplant and assorted wildflowers blending together. The hibiscus stand out because they are taller but the bogies are growing a lot and may make a background that is too much but what the heck, we like it anyway.
Charlie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
helixturnhelix
|
|
« Reply #24 on: May 22, 2010, 07:36:33 PM » |
|
My Saffron is branching quite nicely. I am debating whether to aclimate it outside to full sun for the summer or just leave it in the house in a southern window. The plant gets around 3 hrs of direct sun a day, and bright indirect light the rest of the day. All my other CV's are outside, so I am debating if I should just keep Saffron as a houseplant. Does it bloom well in the house as well as outside for you charlie?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Charlie
|
|
« Reply #25 on: May 23, 2010, 01:08:40 PM » |
|
Chris, all the crosses I've made with Saffron were on indoor houseplants. Specifically, in the office with its large windows. I think you can go either way with it and it will do fine. The big plant I have shown several times in photos is in all day long full sun so it definitely can be acclimated to sun.
Charlie
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
helixturnhelix
|
|
« Reply #26 on: May 25, 2010, 05:55:06 PM » |
|
Ah yes, I think that I will keep saffron in the house then, Although I am not sure exactly how much sun it is getting now that the sun's position is changing, but I would imagine that in a southern exposure it should still get enough sun. Belle is not liking being in full sun for 6ish hours a day, I moved her to a part sun place and I am hoping she does better there.  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
