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Charlie
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« on: November 28, 2008, 07:52:16 AM » |
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Blue Ballerina is one of the most notable miniature flowers (always under 5 inches) that we grow. The stand out qualities that we like about it are how much it blooms and particularly the shade of darker blue color of the blooms. We have not grown or seen another variety with this color of blue. The plant is compact with many stems, and since each stem is capable of producing flowers Blue Ballerina is rarely without one or more once it reaches a mature size. It also sets seeds, which makes further hybridizing with Blue Ballerina an attractive idea.
Someone may want to comment about the effects of proper fertilizer on Blue Ballerina color, as this has been reported to have interesting and worthwhile results.
Dreamin' blue hibiscus this morning,
Charlie
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krustyart
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« Reply #1 on: November 28, 2008, 10:04:30 AM » |
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First picture is Blue Ballerina before I started using HVH Fertilizer.
Second picture is after I used HVH Fertilizer for two weeks.
Dispite it's small bloom size, Blue Ballerina is one of my favorite CV's. It is always covered in blooms even during the cold snap we have been having. It braches well and has nice glossy medium green leaves. This CV gets lots of second glances and comments from neighbors. It has been setting seed well from being pollinated with Purple Magic, Night Runner, Black Jack and Tahatian Taui. Blue Ballerina benifits from good nutrition and micronutrients. In addition to HVH fertilizer I use a "Palm Nutritional" from Home Depot.
ART |
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nina
Posts: 134
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« Reply #2 on: January 02, 2009, 03:06:09 PM » |
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Hi, Art,
The difference is fantastic!
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Nievesgirl
Posts: 975
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« Reply #3 on: June 05, 2009, 12:20:29 PM » |
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I can't wait to get one ! i really love the color of this cultivar
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~Kerry~
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Nievesgirl
Posts: 975
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« Reply #4 on: July 01, 2009, 03:00:06 PM » |
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I should be getting mine either today or tomorrow ! I could not help my self from buying it  |
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~Kerry~
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helixturnhelix
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« Reply #5 on: July 01, 2009, 04:25:00 PM » |
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Kerry, You will love it! It is a big bloomer its too bad the flowers dont last longer. AND best of all its a seed setter  |
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Nievesgirl
Posts: 975
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« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2009, 06:12:58 PM » |
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Kerry, You will love it! It is a big bloomer its too bad the flowers dont last longer. AND best of all its a seed setter I got it already ! YES ! no I need to wait till it blooms  |
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~Kerry~
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Charlie
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« Reply #7 on: July 02, 2009, 08:44:09 AM » |
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Hi Kerry,
If the Blue Ballerina you have now is the one I'm thinking it was, there is a good example of branching in that plant. If you look at it you should be able to see where the main stem was pinched about a month ago. It will be calloused over now but you can still see where it was. But now, look at what is happening - I counted 8 or so breaks where new stems are growing out of the main stem. This is why we pinch and prune. Not all varieties react to pinching with this many new stems but Blue Ballerina is good about branching. All those small new side stems will rapidly grow and most will bloom this summer. The more branches, the more flowers. Hurray!
Charlie
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helixturnhelix
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« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2009, 10:11:00 AM » |
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For me blue ballerina also branches very well. I bought her last year on her first online appearance I got some other 4' pot sized plants earlier this year (Bonnie Lass and LL) that were only one stem, so I pinched the top and now I see an explosion of growth! LL has at least 5 nodes that I hope will turn into branches, and Bonnie Lass has at least three. I think I will start pinching the tips when I get the 4' size pots as a standard now. I dont know if this is true for everyone, but I find that there is a lag period in growth after I transplant my baby plants into a bigger pot size. I might as well use this lag period to get more branches because I have significant new growth after about a month on the pinched guys, which is around the same time I start to get rapid growth on the unpinched. The most significant example of this is when I was impatient and bought a 'Black Dragon" from another online source, when I received the plant in the mail it looked like a stick with four leaves on top, about 7 inches tall, and was the most pathetic specimen I have seen. Needless to say I was pretty disappointed. I threw the plant in a pot and pretty much forgot about it, and just figured I would get another one from HVH when they are in stock. I decided to pinch the top of this 'stick' about two months ago and wow what a change! The whole stem is leafing out I see several branches forming! Perhaps this plant isnt lost afterall I love my 6' pot size plants, but I really enjoy the 4' because I get a bigger sense of accomplishment when I have a big beautiful plant that I grew from a small un-extraordinary piece of wood. I attached a picture of my 'Black Dragon' I just wish I had a before picture  |
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Nievesgirl
Posts: 975
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« Reply #9 on: July 03, 2009, 09:12:53 AM » |
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Hi Kerry,
If the Blue Ballerina you have now is the one I'm thinking it was, there is a good example of branching in that plant. If you look at it you should be able to see where the main stem was pinched about a month ago. It will be calloused over now but you can still see where it was. But now, look at what is happening - I counted 8 or so breaks where new stems are growing out of the main stem. This is why we pinch and prune. Not all varieties react to pinching with this many new stems but Blue Ballerina is good about branching. All those small new side stems will rapidly grow and most will bloom this summer. The more branches, the more flowers. Hurray!
Charlie
Yes ths most be the same plant you speak of. It has so many new branches growing at the bottom |
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~Kerry~
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helixturnhelix
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« Reply #10 on: July 07, 2009, 12:51:17 PM » |
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She bloomed today and I crossed her to belle du jour |
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Nievesgirl
Posts: 975
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« Reply #11 on: July 07, 2009, 04:04:06 PM » |
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She bloomed today and I crossed her to belle du jour Good luck with your cross I hope you get some seeds ! I can not wait for mine to get bigger I am saving up some $$$ to buy a few more CV's then I will stop buying before I run out of room lol |
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~Kerry~
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Charlie
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« Reply #12 on: July 07, 2009, 04:53:22 PM » |
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Did you cross Belle and Blue Ballerina both ways? Both set seeds so the odds of getting the cross are doubled. One of the challenges with blues is getting larger flower size into them, which Belle could do.
Charlie
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helixturnhelix
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« Reply #13 on: July 07, 2009, 05:12:30 PM » |
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I crossed her one way, because Belle was a second day bloom and I just used her pollen. Hopefully she was pollinated by gator pride |
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Nievesgirl
Posts: 975
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« Reply #14 on: August 24, 2009, 05:07:33 PM » |
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It finally bloomed for me today. I have to say this is probably the CUTEST hibiscus I have seen yet. So small and perfect ! I just love it so much. Now I can't wait for this cv to get bigger and have bush full of blooms.
I will post picture in a few mins
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~Kerry~
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