Hidden Valley Hibiscus Forum

Happy New Year to one and all around the world! Its great to see all that you do and the wonderful flowers you share.

Charlie and Cindy

Happy New Year to you too and to everyone!  Off to a fantastic start with a beautiful, large Bridal Path!!!

Farmer D

Charlie you asked in the Dec daily pics thread if I think I will have an abundance of blooms like last January.

I can say for sure I won't.  Since replanting all my hibs and figuring out the dynamics of caring for them has pretty much reversed to now watering them constantly for the most part, they seem to be very happy and in an almost pure growth mode.  Even during this colder than usual December they have all grown quite a bit, some pretty much like it was summer still.  Still spraying almost daily with Supernova and feeding them double doses once a week as well so far of Special Blend, SN & Quelant-K.

I wonder if I got those ridiculous amount of blooms last winter because my plants were highly stressed with the wrong soil and the clay prison holes they were in?  Really stressed plants = reproduce before dying mode thus put all energy into blooming as much as possible.  I've even read a few articles about how people beat their plants with belts and such to induce much more flowering - now that is a new dimension to domestic violence not to mention nuts...

Anyways my point being that they will continue to grow and probably not bloom as much until the seasons change at a minimum.  Who knows maybe they will stay in grow mode until their roots max out their new digs and then go into more of a bloom mode again.

As an example check out the comparative pics of my Valentines Day plant from last Dec to this Dec.  From out of control budding to some major growth in one year's time.  Interesting to say the least!

Farmer D

Here is Stardust today, 5 inch flower with thick petals.  Mine doesn't open completely, but we will see how the flower looks as it matures.  I am hoping to see some spots soon.   

Hi Everybody
Charlie I have some seeds off of Rodeo Drive here is a picture !!
Also I have another seedling that bloomed and it looks like Acapulco Gold , But its from Simple Pleasure & it has the same bush as SP you cant tell them apart . And I find that Simple Pleasure is one of the best bushes of all my plants & I have around 100 plants . It takes heat good in the summer & blooms in the house in the winter , also is full and beautiful , top notch !! I will post a picture of my seedling & my Acapulco Gold that bloomed inside recently . My camera doesn't take good pictures in the house , I guess the light is to low so picture quality is kind of bad .First flower is AG second one is SP seedling . From my experience Acapulco gold doesn't take heat to good in the south the leaves keep turning yellow and falling off , around here it's around 102 to 107 degrees in summer . thats why I really like this seedling it looks like AG but will do better for me in summer heat .

Chris that bloom would be pretty awesome with some spotting on it - great potential!

Mike I agree the SP is top notch and such genes are great to use as often as possible.  I have noticed the same thing with AG (gave one to my in-laws that is potted on their porch) and it did not like the heat all that much to the point I had to move it to a shady spot.  Of course my in ground one can handle anything including heat without any signs of unhappiness.

I got a first time bloom today from Tahitian Sunset Splendor - tough time of the year to produce a first bloom so that is a good sign.  Also a really pretty one from LBAL and apparently a tasty bloom from Crystal Pink.

Farmer D

HI Darren
A lot of these plants do much better in the ground than in pots , I did a test last year , putting the same plant , one in a pot & the other in the ground and the one in the ground did 2 to 3 times better than the one in the pot . What I am planing to do this spring is to plant a lot more of them in the ground then dig them up in the fall . down south that is a long stretch , around early April to late November .

Mike that really is invaluable information as you have comparatively tested out the two and the difference to me from what you're saying is more than I thought it would be.  My approach to this is that when I plant in pots I want to end up in the largest size pot I can accommodate for each plant.  In my mind it is a way to try and imitate being in ground to some extent but how much does this reduce the negative effects of being potted remains to be seen.

So far the results for me have been good with my young plants in pots growing very nicely - even through winter so far.  I prefer wider pots rather than deeper pots - I want those roots growing out sideways so the plant is more likely to become a wider bush but one can always prune to get a similar result too.  Whenever I uproot one of my hibiscus I am always impressed and reminded how vigorous and much space the roots need to support a healthy and robust plant.  They start wrapping around the inside of the pot so quickly it is amazing to me.

Farmer D

Darren, those are two nice Tahitians. Sunset Splendor looks great for a first bloom in winter. That suggests a lot of promise for it in the spring.

Erny

Happy New Year! Yesterday morning it got down to 28 degrees but it was a toasty 42 degrees inside my greenhouse. Hooray! :) Here are some pictures.

Happy New Year to you too!  Your plants look great - great job with your greenhouse!!!  Look forward to lots more pretty blooms - a joy to view.

Farmer D

It is very interesting Darren and happy New Year to you. You know the one thing that has always surprised me about your cv’s, its not the magnificent bud count but the size of the plants, when I see all them buds I am expecting to see a far larger plant and then when I do it’s a bit of a shock, I know we have bought plants at the same time and mine in a pot has grown larger than yours in the ground with about 80% less buds. It’s like yours have forsaken some plant growth for bud production, even the growth they do have is far more compact, I just wish we knew the secret to why that happens, I don’t accept its all down to the food and SN, I am sure many others including me have followed your program with nothing like your success.
Of course I think it’s a given and accepted that being in the ground is a major factor like Mike says, but I have 2 other theories, first and maybe unlikely, is it not possible that there was something in the ground [that maybe you where even unaware of] that is a tremendous help to Hibiscus, this may account for you not having the bud count now same as last December as you have altered the environment.
My second theory is a bit bizarre, well about as bizarre as beating them up for buds haha but I will try and explain.  I have read a few times that cuttings do better individually when grouped together in a pot, not sure how they know [the cuttings that is] but apparently they do, now is it not conceivable that your cv’s do much better not just because they are in the ground but that you have many in the ground right next to each other, sort of like the same thing that happens with cuttings. I do know I put 2 Electric Orange in a large pot together and had a big increase in the amount of buds of each, so maybe not so bizarre after all.

Wow great blooms everyone!

David, it is interesting that your potted plants are getting so huge and with fewer blooms.  I have the opposite problem, in that my potted plants stay very compact and hardly grow because they are always flowering!  I think that you are seeing this growth habit mostly because of the relative N-P-K ratio in your fertilizer.  Lots of nitrogen and less phosphorous and potassium often leads to the growth type you are seeing, green plants that grow well and fewer blooms.  I would defininately try reducing the amount of nitrogen you are using and ramp up the potassium.  I use a very low nitrogen fertilizer and sea kelp (high in potassium) to induce lots of blooms.  

I had to take down my basement set up last night as I am moving to Oregon, but it looks like a few CVs decided to bloom anyways.  Braveheart surprised me the most with its rings of color.  

Thanks Chris, not sure it is the N-P-K [unless I have my sums wrong]. I am not allowed to import fert so I sort of mix my own, I can easily buy here Growmore products so I mix 1 jar of there 20-20-20 with 4 jars of 12-0-40; gives me 68-20-180 divide by 5 = 13.5-4-36. Chris is that right and about ok, I use half a teaspoon every watering, I can’t increase that as I get leaf burning and have even thought about halving it to every other watering.

What is a bit odd and may interest you is my own seedlings [produced here in my garden which I am unbelievably proud] grow totally opposite to Charlie’s; they are very slow and very compact and have had blooms on one at 12inches.
The only real difference between the two is my seedlings have a lot more Perlite in the mix [50%], maybe that has something to do with them growing slower [which I like] and so the new plants from Charlie have been put in the same mix as the seedlings hoping I get similar results.

Just been looking at Oregon on Google Earth, you certainly seem to like cold places haha.

That Wall Flower bloom is really pretty with the lavender halo.  Your plants look to be in great shape after being gone for so long.  Good luck with your move and it is exciting to know Portland will now be properly introduced to our world of exotic hibiscus.  Can't wait to see your new set up!

Farmer D

David I find this all very interesting too and Happy New Year as well!

That is some great feedback and thought provoking ideas from both you and Chris.

I am almost positive that my soil did not have anything special in it to induce those bloom profusions.  Just some big time rookie mistakes that accidentally and maybe even luckily resulted in the plants blooming like crazy but not for the right reasons.  I’m convinced after seeing such a dramatic change in my plants that they were both maxed out with space to grow their roots as I originally had only dug holes big enough to accommodate them when they were small 4” toddlers as well as being in a soil that just didn’t let in any air since there was no perlite at all.  Got to have uneven sized perlite and lots of it!!!

So I created an environment of high plant stress thru the wrong type of soil along with no room for my plants to grow their roots – my clay soil is that heavy (cement when dry and super saturated with no air when wet).  I would have to think that at this stage the plants would be in a race to reproduce as they sensed they were close to the tipping point if any other negative factors were to be added to their situation.  And being whatever energy they were producing couldn’t go into root growth it got redirected mostly to blooming along with the funky compact growth habits that we could all see in my pics.

When replanting this past spring I dug what are basically trenches (18” wide by 18” deep on avg) all the way up and down my entire planters for the roots to have a lot of freedom.  I have also greatly increased the amount of potassium too as I previously saw so many yellow leaves and leaf loss – especially during winter and heat waves.  Root rot has all but disappeared from my garden since but that is just the beginning.

Immediately upon replanting my hibiscus this past spring I saw some very different results in my plants.  First the new leaves were totally different than the existing ones that had grown on my plants in the old soil and conditions.  These new leaves were much larger, more flexible and softer.  Also the growth habits of my plants changed to being more open and much more vigorous in the vertical growth department.  They all of a sudden looked a lot more like the plants when you first get them from Charlie.  I’d always notice this drastic difference and wondered if this was just because they were growing in a greenhouse.  Of course there is still some difference but not nearly as much as before.

By the way thank you Chris for your soil recommendation – so far I have used over 100 40lb bags and it has been worth every penny.  That’s a LOT of pennies…

So now my plants are growing into such beautiful, lush bushes and with such ease but so far not the profusions of blooms.  Before I felt like I had to do so much to keep them happy.  Now it is a joy to see them thrive no matter the environmental conditions.  I still see a lot of branch tip die downs but now immediately new branching pops up all over the place.  There is so much vigor and energy just waiting inside - nice that mother nature can assist with some gentle tip pinching to help induce more branching to offset the strong vertical growth.  My instinct was that these were such special, strong plants but tricky to figure out.  Minus freezing weather I think I have turned the corner.

So the only question is the blooming.  I’m curious to see with the branch tip die downs if that will result in buds too, not just new branching.  At a minimum I will have to wait until the warmer weather returns which looks like it won’t be for a while as the polar jet is supposed to dip back down thru So Cal starting next week and stay that way thru January.  So maybe spring?  If not much in the blooming department this summer then my guess would be that my plants will continue to focus on growing until they max out their root space and then redirect their energy to blooming.  Scary question there is how long will that be? A few years?

Your observations about better results when grouping plants closer together is one that I am a believer in.  I have done some light research on Morphic Fields/Resonance and find it easy for me to see such effects.  I’ve also seen where it works in reverse and things can also go negative with groups of plants too all from one starting it.  With my space constraints on my small property this really works to my advantage and I often wonder to what degree this affects my plants.  Don’t forget that you as the gardener also have a Morphic Field that Charlie has described previously as the “Fuss Factor” where those plants he pays more attention to seem to do a lot better.  Another reason why I try to spray daily so I can spread some love around the hibs…

Farmer D

That's a great read Darren but this bit ''  I have also greatly increased the amount of potassium too as I previously saw so many yellow leaves and leaf loss – especially during winter and heat waves."   has me a bit confused, I have always presumed and thought that there was no connection between the two and it was simply water [either to much or to little] not a Potassium deficiency.
Also when you have increased the Potassium did you not get a lot of burning, I always seem to.

David my understanding has been that you don't get burn from potassium.  Maybe from high levels of other items that are combined with a potassium supplement for instance like salt or nitrogen.  

My increase in potassium is motivated by the goal of producing much more lush and full plants that are much less affected by stress.  The natural soil here is such a heavy clay with poor structure I am suspecting it was inhibiting the plant's ability to properly take in potassium as the roots had somewhat penetrated beyond the confines of the original holes I dug and into the clay.  I've read that signs of potassium deficiency shows in mature leaves as yellowing edges or brown scorched edges which is what I had seen a lot here in the past.  My guess is that at that time there were other negatives adding to that and the eventual loss of leaves which were also eliminated once I changed out the soil and replanted.  So far I have not seen that at all since replanting and with the additional increase in potassium.

Also I have noticed that blooms from others such as yourself tend to be much more intense in color.  I'm thinking that could be a combination of warmer temps and more potassium than what mine were getting.  So let's see this year if I get some richer colors in my blooms.

One thing to keep in mind for you is the incredible heat factor you have their in Vietnam.  I'm sure your plants are sucking in water and whatever you add to it at very high rates unlike here where the weather and temps are much more moderate.  I can see how easily you can get burn in your plants compared to me where I probably have a much wider range of how much I can push my plants with the level of ferts I give them.  Though I don't believe it is the potassium that is specifically causing your plants in the past to get burn.

I know we both use Quelant-K (me for the salt free potassium) though I add it to my weekly water feeding sessions where you were using it as a foliar spray (not sure if you still are).  Maybe foliar spraying of potassium can cause burning?  I have no idea on that one...

Very interesting...

Farmer D

  

The blooms have been slow to come by lately and as you can see when blooms like Flirtatious are lasting 12 days and still looking great things are definitely in super slow mode for sure.  I figure with the solstice now 2 weeks behind us and with the 2-3 week effect lag on the hibs things should start to pick up now.

I am starting to see quite a few buds on many plants so very encouraging.

Cosmic Gold to me really looks it's best in winter.  Those deep colors really come out and boy does this cv have incredible form on all blooms even this time of year.  The older bloom below is an 8 day super fade special - it is pretty much white now with just some orange left on the edges.  Again this plant has been growing non stop all winter so far and budding up constantly.  Very happy with her!

Farmer D

Looks like things are going well in the greenhouse...plants blooming all the time even though outside temps have been down in the teens-20's lately.  I should have put up a greenhouse long ago.  Our Ex Tiffany Treasure has some beautiful colors in it.

Thanks Darren, its rainy season here now so I got stuck into a load of research yesterday and it looks like it’s a build up of Nitrogen in the potting mix that’s causing my burning.
Like you said even with small amounts each gallon there are a lot of gallons with this heat.

So what I plan to do for a few months is just foliar feed the fert once a week and see what happens, I will also switch the Quelant K to a drench rather than a spray, not that I think the spray was harmful but I have read that its difficult to give the plant enough Potassium and Nitrogen by spraying. Will see what happens and let you know.

Darren, you seem to have a good handle on proper plant nutrition. Personally I feel that potassium is the most important major to not go deficient in. Running higher levels of potassium (water soluble - not granular) in my fertigation systems has yielded great results from the past experiences of using a high N, low P and low/mid K ratio. Where you really see the results are during Santa Ana's and in winter when plants are under the most stress. They stay greener and on borderline tropical's, you see much less leaf desiccation. Most of us in SoCal with Hibiscus in the ground will see the benefits of healthy plants when this week's cold event hits. Frost (radiational freeze) damage will certainly be limited compared to those not using a heavy diet of potassium in their fertilization regiment.

Another great gardening gem is Dolomitic lime. Have you ever used it to amend your soil? It is the best soil amendment around IMHO - even if you don't have acidic soil like most clay soils do not.

On Nitrogen, a lot of people do not realize that all that biomass or extra green growth comes with a price. Over doing nitrogen leads to plant cell walls becoming thin which leads to weaker plant structure and an increase in insect and disease problems. It has become such a norm to want to grow things fast and green them up that high N level ferts can be found everywhere and are used in abundance in landscapes. Basically ratio's made for turf get used for planter beds too. Ideally I believe you should work to an equal mid range ratio with N + K with P half or 2/3 less in the mix ratio. I like 3:1:3 ratio's with minors. I run a 15:5:15 for example. But this is mostly because my soil is DG. People in FL have different requirements for example.

Len, thanks for the tip on Dolomitic lime.
Darren, where do you get your Quelant-K?

Erny

Thanks Len, a good read that. I for sure seem to have been giving to much Nitrogen and am getting all what you describe plus quite a bit of burning. In my defense I certainly was not trying to do it, but adding half a teaspoon to each watering still means they get a lot as I have to give a lot of water. I have decided to go down the foliar spray route for a few months to see if I can alter things.

Len I greatly appreciate your further breakdown of potassium and nitrogen effects.  I think that I am slowly coming to the same conclusion regarding potassium.  As I continue to spray Supernova constantly I more often find myself doing it to relieve the stress from those really cold nights and windy/dry days.  Of course I still hope it is a win-win as I will also see more blooms but the priority for me is to protect my plants best I can and that for me starts with SN spraying and higher levels of potassium.  My main goal during winter is to keep all my hibs in grow mode which so far has been the case.  I don't want any lost time due to the plants shutting down.

David I hate to say this but I think you are in one of the most stressful growing situations as whatever you do to your plants is magnified a lot.  I like the idea of going to a drench with the quelant-k, just be really careful with how much you start off with and gradually increase every few weeks as you see fit.

If it is any consolation I think I am starting to see some nitrogen burn in a couple of my potted plants so I will back off on the special blend for a little while for the potted ones.  Interestingly I have also seen a lot of aphids and white flies so far this winter which I had not seen during the last two winters.  I wonder if now that my plants are doing much better in their new digs that they are increasing their uptake of a lot more nutrients including nitrogen thus an increased vulnerability to pests?  Also I don't want my plants growing to quickly and getting that tall, lanky look so another factor to keep in mind when thinking about too much nitrogen.

As for the dolomitic lime I have not ever used it though remember reading about it here maybe last year or so.  I am thinking that my new soil should have everything in it I want and more so I won't need to amend it hopefully for some time.  I haven't tested my new soil for acidity levels which knowing myself won't happen until I see some unexplained problems down the line. 

So much to learn still but it feels great to see some really nice results.  This forum is doing exactly what it should be doing - what a great asset.  Thank you again Charlie!

Farmer D

My first bloom out of my 8 plants I have solar soul what a beauty :D

Rebecca that is one pretty bloom!  So glad to have you posting here with us - welcome!!

Yikes I just checked the weather forecast and it will be near freezing Saturday morning.  Len you weren't kidding when you mentioned this upcoming weather system.  Heads up So Cal!

Farmer D

@ David, I was not referring to you :) Like Darren said, you live in a tough climate which is counterintuitive really. I have rare plant collector friends all over the world. The ones in the tropics do not grow hybrid hibiscus because of the effort it takes to grow them and protect them. It seems the push to produce beauty has weakened the plant to where I doubt hybrid hibiscus could live outside a cultivated environment.

@ Darren, Dolomitic Lime while a soil amendment it is a great organic fertilizer. It provides two very important minors to plants. Magnesium and Calcium. Magnesium is essential for photosynthesis and Calcium is key in plant cell wall structure and building a stronger plant. I add it each Spring. The stuff is cheap at Home Depot and you do not need a lot since you are not wanting to change your pH.

I live in Vista and I show 4 nights in a row at 33-32. I am a degree or two warmer than what actuals show as I am up in elevation, but it will still be cold and freezing for many. :(

I am sure you are right when you say hybrid hibiscus could not live outside a cultivated environment here, its way to hot. Fortunately I have little to do other than look after my garden so they have a good chance, does sometimes feel its one step forward and 2 steps back mind but I suppose if it was easy I would get bored.

Just about perfect now for my Hibs [coldest night of the year last night 71f] and my camera has broken, will get another soon and have some nice pictures to post.

David I hate to say this but I think you are in one of the most stressful growing situations as whatever you do to your plants is magnified a lot.  I like the idea of going to a drench with the quelant-k, just be really careful with how much you start off with and gradually increase every few weeks as you see fit.

If it is any consolation I think I am starting to see some nitrogen burn in a couple of my potted plants so I will back off on the special blend for a little while for the potted ones.  Interestingly I have also seen a lot of aphids and white flies so far this winter which I had not seen during the last two winters.  I wonder if now that my plants are doing much better in their new digs that they are increasing their uptake of a lot more nutrients including nitrogen thus an increased vulnerability to pests?  Also I don't want my plants growing to quickly and getting that tall, lanky look so another factor to keep in mind when thinking about too much nitrogen.

Farmer D
[/quote]
Darren I think you are spot on about getting tall and lanky, I have always had that problem with about 70% of my cv’s so I will see if cutting back on the N makes a big difference.

I have been reading a lot about foliar spraying over the last few days and although most of it is positive one thing that has come up a few times is that spraying alone will generally not provide enough Nitrogen and Potassium to your plants, well as I intend to drench with the QK [1 tablespoon a week to start] the Potassium should be ok and I will spray my fert which will cut down on the Nitrogen, that’s the theory anyway.

David that sounds like a good idea with the spray/drench combo approach.  I was surprised to hear that so many of your plants get tall and lanky based on the pics of those beautiful bushes you have posted in the past.  Is it the great pruning jobs you do to get them more full looking?

With that heat I can totally see how your plants would grow really fast and tall.  I have finally started pinching some branch tips lately for my plants that are growing under various trees and have pretty much hit the bottoms of those respective branches.  I'm excited at how quickly new growth is popping up down low.  Looking forward to some much bushier plants...

Well Flirtatious is now on Day 15 for this bloom and still looking very nice!  Record for me.

Also an interesting VD bloom with orange edging which I haven't seen before.  I wouldn't have posted this pic as it is kind of beat up upon opening but the colors are unexpected.

Farmer D

Very winterized blooms - SLIH totally red and a mini VB.  Also notice how the pads on VB have come out half way up the stem.  Typical stuff for winter.

Farmer D

Got my new camera which coincides nicely with my first Bright Hope. A slightly sunburnt Dragons Heart from yesterday and a pair of Valentine Day twins.

Very happy with Bright Hope, its been in the sun all day and I think actually looks better than it did this morning, its ruffled up quite a bit and now has white showing,hard to believe its the same cv as 10 hours ago.

If you live in the So Cal area many locations might be below freezing tonight, maybe tomorrow night as well.  So please be mindful of the temps if your plants are outside.

David I really enjoyed your blooms, they are all so pretty.  I've never recall seeing white spotting on Valentines Day before - just splendid!

Got a very pretty and different looking Splash today - I really like it.  Kind of reminds me of Ay Caramba but with some magenta mixed in there.

A pic of my small Tahitian Lavender Rainbow - I found it droopy this morning after a cold night in the upper 30s F.  It is in the shade all the time with the low sun angle so it is getting the heat for the next few days.

Farmer D

Very nice Bright Hope, David.

Love that Cosmic Gold in winter, Darren.

Charlie

Had the first bloom from my Bridal Path graft and a little [well not quite so little] visitor to the garden.

That's one beautiful bloom, David! I like your flying friend too..


Charlie

Wow David that is a gorgeous Bridal Path!  Still is one of my ATFs no doubt!  And that butterfly!!!

Last night was by far the coldest night of the season - at least down to 32F, maybe lower?  The forecast is really unreliable as it was about 7 degrees lower than what was predicted - that's a lot!  Pays to spray the Supernova daily as the plants are getting whatever help they can.

Quite a bit of cold burn today, I'd say about 1/4 of all my plants had burned leaves/buds at the branch ends.  Interestingly any plants I had under something, even just thin bare branches above didn't have any burn.  My porch plants had the coldest temps when I went to bed as the digi thermometer read 30F at 2am yet they show no cold burn.  Wonder how cold it got?  Tonight seems warmer but still probably will dip under 40F. 

I hope everyone else faired ok these last 3 nights - many areas got in the 20s for the last few nights.

On a positive note and this is quite remarkable considering the awful weather this past week my Flirtatious bloom is now on day 19 and still looking pretty good.  Maybe it should be named Indestructable.  It has been through 2 rain events, 2 wind events and now this bad cold spell.

Farmer D

It was better last night at 37F so no additional burn.  You know there is always a positive side to these things, kind of like what doesn't kill them will only make them stronger.  I guess this is another way mother nature is helping with some forced pruning for some more fullness next season.

Check out what the cold has done with this Black Dream bloom - amazing!

Farmer D

Very impressive Darren, the only time I have anything showing black they have burnt.
Valentines Day today, the only way I seem to be able to capture its true colours is to make it darker, Darren mentioned the other day about some white, that's just the camera, its all reds and pink, in normal light with the camera the pink looks a bit white.

Got a new friend in the apartment below me now, I sat her up in the chair yesterday and showed her the garden but she was not that impressed.

I believe when they are that young they cannot see too far yet.  It would be interesting to see if you put some blooms right in her face how she might respond.  Too precious!

Farmer D

Of course Darren, but I will try her with Cranberry Muffin later haha, its very nice today.

Hi Everyone!

My second "Charlie" Hibiscus bloomed today!  I was thrilled to go upstairs to the office and see Sea of Tranquility blooming.  Here are two pictures of took of the bloom.  Hope everyone is doing well!

Vicki

Very nice Vicki, even better when its a surprise, I had a nice Chariots of Fire today as well, also Peppermint Drop and a trio of Acapulco Golds.

Got myself in a bit of a pickle over the last few days, I fed by drench so Epsom Salts about 5 days ago not realising that Magnesium would give me false readings with my water meter, it now tests everything as wet when I can see limp leaves and know some of the cv's are dry.

Peppermint Drop, Bright Hope and a big fat green blued eyed worm, was about the size of my thumb, it was in an area I had not sprayed, fortunately the are never interested in my Hibs.

David as always I am amazed by the depth of color you get on your blooms!  Your COF with that dark and well defined eye just takes that bloom to a whole different level.  I love it!  Your garden is looking just great - thank you for posting your pics, a joy to view.

Today is day 26 for this Flirtatious bloom, it is getting close but still hanging in there even with the now hot and very dry weather here.  It has survived just about everything...

Also you can see the cold damage showing up about a week later on my True Love bush.  Strange how the leaves on this plant and my others that showed the effects of cold after some days are turning white instead of the familiar black I see usually the day after.  Oh yeah - this plant has been a very strong grower all winter long.  It is looking just great!

Farmer D

David, your Bright Hope is magnificent. I was pleasantly surprised when mine bloomed but yours is even better. You will have to carry us through this lean winter. I had lots of buds but now almost as much bud drop. Only a few PLWBs (Pathetic Little Winter Blooms)--none worth a photo.

Erny

Beautiful blooms as usual David.  Amazing what you accomplish in that heat. This one is supposed to be Serendipity.  I'm having strong doubts due to the prominent red eye and softer pink and yellow coloring. Bloom size has consistently been 8 to 9 inches and plant gets 8 hrs of direct sunlight inside the house.

dave

Thanks Dave and all, one thing about the heat here its never affected the colours, in fact my colours are generally very strong and my view on that is its because I get smaller blooms, the colour is then more concentrated [probably wrong I know haha].
If I had a 8inch anything I am overjoyed its that rare, stunning Serendipity if that's what it is.
Darren I have to say that the recent CoFire bloom was easily the best I have had in 4 years, it really surprised me, CoF and Cosmic Gold are the only cv's I have that will normally bloom 2 days the rest its just 1, can you imagine our gardens if all cv's where like your Flirtatious.

Erny how did your plants fair during that cold snap last week?  I would think your location might have been a tad colder than mine each night.  The worst I saw was one night around freezing but it was at least 5 nights that were really cold.

David - I never thought a hibiscus bloom could last so long.  This is double the longest I had last year.  I wonder if it puts out nectar the whole time too as I watch the hummingbirds go to it all the time?

Dave (AZ) that is a pretty bloom.  Winter really makes it hard to know what a bloom truly looks like.  I saw my Acapulco Gold blooms start changing colors in October and the weather was still very much fine up until then.  Something in the plants sense the change in seasons somehow.  I'd be curious to see what your Serendipity looks like mid spring.  Great choice on getting that cv!

Speaking of winter colors I had two fine AG blooms today that are super winterized and just gorgeous with the second one showing some rusty orange edging.  BD is so dark again - for me I like it best in winter and it looks like some more blooms are coming up fast.

Farmer D

I thought it would be interesting to note that I was all set today to do my weekly feeding today when I noticed the first signs of yellow leaves this winter so that is now off for a while.  I've had the sprinklers on watering everything this past week as the temps have been around 80F.  Normally this has not been a problem with overwatering but with the cold snap we had the previous week I am thinking that the plants significantly slowed down there metabolism and resulting intake of water to the point that what they have been ok with for all year has finally changed.  I was wondering if and when this was going to happen and it looks like it finally has even with the new soil and digs for all my plants. 

It is tricky when the weather changes so drastically in a matter of days.  It's tough when there isn't much long term consistency with the weather, especially with those really cold nights we had for about 5 days in a row.

Here are some pics of some plants showing the subtle but definite signs of too much water from this past week.  Also a pic of Meteor Shower as it has completely shut down from the cold weather and lost all leaves.  Third plant of mine to do that this winter but the first one of decent size.

Farmer D

Darren, we had one really cold night during that week--actually had fairly significant ice on the car windshield in the morning. The other nights got down to the mid-30s. The plants in the ground seem to have weathered it well. Slapstick is the only one that lost most of its leaves but has some good new growth down close to the ground. A number of branches showed what looked like tip die-back and I've been going around snipping them off. Not sure if that is the right thing to do. The ones that really ate it were the 9 month old seedlings I have in pots in the back patio area. Only a few look totally dead but most of the leaves turned black and have dropped off. Interesting that none of the plants in the ground show black leaves like those in the pots. In retrospect I should have brought the potted plants in at night. I don't know what I was thinking(or rather not thinking) of.

Erny

Another nice Chariots of Fire and a pair of Cream De Cacao today. Looking forward to tomorrow, one of my seedlings should bloom and its the only one I have with very pronounced fancy foliage so here's hoping its a nice bloom.

David perfect timing with your COF bloom - I have a couple today so now we can see this one at it's extremes.  Mine are pretty much minis too currently so even more comparable.

A surprising number of blooms today! 

Farmer D

Farmer D

Sea of Tranquility hiding out in the corner of the garden with a surprise bloom today too.  Winter makes some drastically different colorations...

Farmer D

Temps in the high 70s for the past week have produced some blooms after 3-4 weeks of nothing. Most are small and look nothing like their spring and summer colors. The one exception is Silver Dragon. Darren, my Living legend looks just like yours. Also Titan Venus, Rainbow sherbet, and Valentine's Day.

Erny

More winter blooms:
Delta Dawn
Deep Waters
California Beauty
Daisy Mae
Summer Shore
Inner Compass

Glad to see your blooms are back up and running Erny!  Man that Inner Compass is so different looking I would never guess in a million years that is it.  I miss them summer colors...

Farmer D

Charile is it normal for solar soul to bloom light peach in winter will bloom bloom more deep colors in summer its a great plant got two flowers already this month so its great bloomer.

pics

Solar soul

Rebecca your Solar Soul looks very nice - the colors you're seeing are not too bad for middle of winter.  As the temps warm up eventually you'll see more color before you know it.

Farmer D

First ever bloom for Dynamo for me - I'm sure it will look tremendously different in several months.

Farmer D

I didn't realize it earlier but all of a sudden AG, BD & COF all have 8 open blooms a piece today.  Cool!

Farmer D

Darren, those bushes are looking good. I have a number of winter blooms, most of them small and only a few even remotely resemble their normal color patterns. Try to guess the identities before reading the caption--easiest ones first.

Erny

More:

Last group:

Hey Erny - pretty amazing transformations for sure!  Pinot Noir is just ridiculously different and Rockets Red Glare is no where close to the norm either.  Well at least we're one month past the solstice now...

Here is an interesting one - I found this the other day on one of my seedling heat mats in the garage inside of my mini greenhouse.  I never thought that this would be the perfect set up for some cold blooded creatures...an unintended lizard paradise! I guess it must be doing pretty well to have to shed it's skin.  Growing and hopefully eating some of the pests that I don't want to see.  I did see a cricket carcass near by...do they like aphids and/or white flies that would be awesome...

Farmer D

Farmer D

Melon Melange up high in the bush today, MM is now over 7 feet tall and after a long rest has started getting buds again. Also a Cranberry Muffin on a graft I did.

David you make me really miss my Melon Melange a lot - love the colors.  Great pics as always.

Farmer D

Aleksandr, that's a beautiful Infinity bloom. How are things in the new greenhouse?

Erny

Hi Everyone,

We have a store update coming up this weekend, and we have had to change our wishlist rules. If you have a wishlist that you want me to fill, please read the new rules, and make sure you follow the new directions. If you have any questions, email me!

Our store updates are getting bigger and bigger, which means a lot more work, which means less time to deal with special orders/wishlists. So hopefully these new rules will make it a little bit easier for us and you too.

I'm sorry we keep having to change things! Store update days get wilder and wilder every year! I hope everyone understands!

Cindy

Cindy- It only make sense for you to have to change the process as your company evolves. I understand! Looking forward to the update :)

Me too!

P's Purple Dragons Heart and a nice Electric Orange today. I took a cutting from a Plumeria down by the beach a few months ago and that is blooming nicely now.

Ernest - thank you. Greenhouse is empty now. We have winter and it's cold now. I have not finished my greenhouse before winter and there is no heating in it. Hope spring to come faster and to put all my plants inside. Later I will make photo =)

Cindy, hope with new rules your work with wishlists will be easier  :)

Very nice Valentines Day today.

David your EO is outstanding & stunning VD quads!  That pink halo around the eye - didn't know that was part of the package with EO.

Farmer D

Thanks Darren, I very like your Erin Rachel, I love the way all parts of the bloom, pads pollen sack and petal are all nearly the same colour.

Just noticed Cream De Cacao down in the corner under the tree, its a little bit shaded there so managed to get a half decent photo, give it another 30 minuits and no chance.

Grand Slam & Deep Waters

David and Darren, that Electric Orange also has spots. I have never seen spots on mine even in the peak summer heat. David, that is the nicest Creme de Cacao that I have seen.
Aleksandr, those are two really nice blooms. It looks like your plants are doing well in the house. Maybe they will do even better in the greenhouse when it is ready. I'm looking forward to seeing more when the greenhouse is finished.

Erny

Aleksandr those are two lovely blooms!  I echo Erny's sentiment and can't wait to see you moving your plants into your greenhouse one day soon...

Farmer D

Thanks guys! I'm waiting to move into greenouse too!!
Darren, your blooms are great as always, keep going!!  ;)

Bridal Path at first opening and then about 6 hours later after baking sun all day. This BP is a graft and I am not sure how to explain [or maybe its my imagination] how its an improvement on the mother plant, it seems to have a glow about it that the other doesn't, not sure thats possible but I am sure it has.

Haven't been able to post in quite some time. My father became very ill in December and I had to move in with him to care for him. He passed away on January 6th and then I got sick with severe lung infection. Has not been a good winter for me or my plants. I simply haven't had the time to care for them properly. But I haven't lost any of them. Actually had a few nice blooms today.

David, I love your Bridal Path.

Very sorry to hear that John and was actualy going to write you an email as I was wondering why you hadent posted lately, for sure all your friends here on the Forum will be thinking of you today, you know its true what they say about time being a great healer, I lost my dad many years ago and once the pain has gone you are left with such wonderful memories, important now that you take good care of yourself and like I say we will all be thinking of you.

John, let me add my condolences to David's on the passing of your father. Caring for a sick or dying relative is a stressful experience and can weaken the resistance of the caregiver to the point where they become ill themselves. So I hope you are on the mend and will soon be over your infection.
Our recent warm weather has produced a few blooms to share. My Saffron looks just like yours.

Erny

A few more, The last is a King Protea bush getting ready to burst into flower.

Greetings everyone...

John - My deepest sympathies to you on the loss of your dad... So very sorry to hear that, and about your illness (lots of that "lung infection" sickness going on here in Michigan, too).  :'(

I'm blaming it on the CRAZY weather we've been having: Had a high temp of 61ºF and thunderstorms on 01/30/13 (3:25 AM) and dropped to 25ºF with 45mph winds and snow by 11:00 PM that night...  It's a whopping 14ºF now :P

Punxsutawney Phil had better NOT see his shadow tomorrow morning - LOL!

Lots of blooms, but no time for individual photos (work, work, work).  But, I have some "indoor jungle" shots (Yes, it really is a jungle now!)

Deb  ;)

Wow that's amazing, my plants are really stressed, leaves all dead or dying; one plant has died already. Brought a few in the house and they are just sitting there doing nothing.
Naturally when I buy a few hibiscus plants we are hit with the coldest winter in decades  :'(
The bigger ones that are left outside have been covered with tarps and I have Christmas lights at the base but they still look pretty sick. Maybe I'll have to give up on growing hibiscus. I hope they will perk up if spring ever arrives. I guess without a greenhouse it's a lost cause here where I live.

Geneva, (almost) all the hibiscus from HVH grow on their own roots which means that they can grow back from a few inches of live main stem unless the whole plant is killed by the cold. Before you throw them away I suggest you scratch the bark about 2 inches above the soil line - if there is bright green underneath then the plant is still alive. If it is brown or mushy under the bark that low down on the main stem then the plant is dead and might as well be tossed.

Then, if the tops look hopeless just go ahead and cut the plant down to about 6 inches in height or even lower if there is rot at the 6 inch level. Some will grow back, others will not but its worth a try. Do this after the last freeze has passed.

Good luck!

Charlie

PS. you might want to look over our pages about growing hibiscus in the house over the winter. Many people do this and learn to really enjoy the green leaves and perhaps even a few winter flowers.