August flowers of the day.

[Charlie]

Whoa - where've I been? Sure an impressive display of blooms you all put up yesterday. You can tell it's hot where Jordan is with all the white markings that came out on the Purple Majesty. I haven't seen that since the height of last summer. And Uli, for what it's worth and with fingers crossed, the Magic Moments bud looks healthy like it might be one that opens. Impressive Lady In Waiting blooms from Ohio and I see Heavy Metal getting the spotted edge of summer in AZ. An abundance of blooms this year! My surprise favorite might be the soft looking Belle de Jour, demurely displaying her charms back in the shadows. And Chris you've renewed my interest in Sunkissed Blonde and Heaven Scent, can't forget the cheerful impact of the yellows!

Busy afternoon in the gh yesterday for me, but I did take the time to snap some photos, mostly seedlings. Here is one that has been showing off multiple blooms much of the time. It's a Black Dragon offspring.

Charlie

[helixturnhelix]

Wow Great new Seedling Charlie, Who was the mother?

[blupit007]

Jordan, Your BB is BEAUTIFUL!  Thanks for showing.  I'm biting my nails to find one.

[Charlie]

That's sort of interesting, Chris. The mother is one I used several times last year even though it will remain an unnamed seedling itself. Its designation is 08-0108 and it has a medium size red flower of no particular distinction. The bush, however, is vigorous, strong and upright. The cross is Saffron x Muffin Man and what I wondered was whether the brown color and gold spotting of Muffin Man would come through in any future crosses. I figured with the good bush and Saffron's genes 08-0108 would make a good parent but what I really wanted to see is if I got any browns or blues from using it. I wouldn't call this new seedling a brown per se, but I do think you can see the influence of Muffin Man in it although Black Dragon comes through stronger.

Charlie

[Doll]

Stolen Kiss bloomed today. Hasn't bloomed since spring. A little smaller due to the heat. It hit 100 yesterday!

Cindy 'Heart - Doesn't have as much pink in the heat.

Cindy's Heart and Stolen Kiss together

[helixturnhelix]

Great pics Doll

Charlie, I am looking forward to seeing what those other seedlings look like.  I like this one, but is it different enough and better than robin hood?  It seems to me like the colors are very similar, though this has a bit of white swirling that is cool.   

[Darkhorse]

Some photos from today.

It's A Wonderful Life with more yellow and tufting than it had indoors.

A very thrip-damaged Silver Memories.

Night Runner bloom and bush, showing thrip damage too.

Voodoo Magic bloomed x5 today!  You can only see three blooms in the photo.

A tufted Creole Lady.

[helixturnhelix]

Awesome Voodoo Magic Jordan

[Darkhorse]

Thanks Chris!  For me Voodoo Magic started it all.......  I can't wait until this cv gets huge.  I have plans to put it in my living room as a tree lol.

[Charlie]

That's a unique Stolen Kiss, Doll. I'm glad to see it can take the heat.

What a fancy 'Its A Wonderful Life' bloom! Big shoulders on that one. We didn't know what we were missing when J was out with no computer! Jordan, do you have spinosad? Gotta have it to get rid of thrips. They thrive on heat and their numbers build up fast when its hot. Hit the buds and tops of the plant every 2-3 days for a week or two with spinosad and they will be history.

The first couple of years I grew hibiscus I didn't know anything about thrips and thought those scratches on the blooms were markings brought out by summer heat. An Israeli horticulturist visited and showed me what they were - boy was I embarrassed...

Charlie

[Pachrian]

Nice blooms, everyone. I really enjoy seeing Voodoo Magic, it's one of my favorites and one of my first. Mine has been busy making a lot of new branches and leaves, no flowers since May...but soon

My Magic Moments did manage to open today...what a show. I admit I would have never bought it since I'm not into doubles, but now I'm so glad my friend mislabeled the cutting she gave me.

Sorry I couldn't pick just one, so here is early morning...mid morning...noon-ish:

[Charlie]

Great sequence and superb colors on that Magic Moment. Someone should do a tripod shot of a bloom opening by setting the auto snap to take one photo every 3 minutes while it opens. Or, a web cam over a bunch of plants, people could visit the site and watch flowers open!

Charlie

[Darkhorse]

Great Magic Moments flower Uli!  I love sequence shots.

I do spray Spinosad, for sure.  Lately I haven't as I ran out of my alternative product, and want to make sure to use the two in rotation so I don't create resistant thrips.    I spray 2x with Spinosad then once with this, one spraying every three days:

http://www.epinions.com/review/Garden_Insect_and_Disease_Aerosol_14_Oz/content_330374811268

It's .25% acephate in an aerosol.  We've mentioned it before.  It works well but man is it stinky.  I just ordered two cans.  Plus, I have some Safari coming which should help control the thrip larvae in soil.


Will probably be going for Kontos in a month or so also... more mites on Acapulco Gold today.

[davidwood]

Opening for the first time today. Dark of Night twins and Samba Dancer.

[Darkhorse]

Great photos David!  Looks like your plants are doing well now.