farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #45 on: January 05, 2012, 07:15:30 PM » |
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sorry last one...everyone should come out and visit LA right now the weather is finally normal and just gorgeous. Next week mid 70s F (24C) all week with lows in high 40s (9C).
Farmer D
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #46 on: January 05, 2012, 09:03:02 PM » |
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David Wood your blooms are amazing. Can we just agree right now that Acapulco Gold is probably one of the best CVs out there based on the fact it is so easy to grow and it is a super prolific bloomer. Have you had so many blooms on at once? Did you even think you would get that many? I can't wait to see how many more you get as your plants keep maturing and we all keep figuring stuff out continuously. What a way to start off 2012!!
Farmer D
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Very interesting Darren, for sure Acapulco Gold takes some beating, everyone who sees one bloom loves it never mind 9 blooms, if it has one drawback its the branching, they are not that strong for me and to get it the shape I want I have had to stake and tie quite a bit, on a scale of 1 to 10 for the bush I would give it a 6 where as say Bright Horizon Transcendent and Cosmic Gold I would give a 10, Peppermint Drop Bridal Path a 9, so a 6 for AC is quite low, saying that its still fantastic and I think the bloom a sure fire 10 and as an added bonus its quite easy to take cuttings from.
Yes I think its great we can all learn from each other, there is no way I would be getting the results I am getting now if it weren't for what you have written and shown can be done with these hibs so thanks, lets just hope it gets better and better.
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David.
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #47 on: January 05, 2012, 10:26:49 PM » |
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Very interesting Darren, for sure Acapulco Gold takes some beating, everyone who sees one bloom loves it never mind 9 blooms, if it has one drawback its the branching, they are not that strong for me and to get it the shape I want I have had to stake and tie quite a bit, on a scale of 1 to 10 for the bush I would give it a 6 where as say Bright Horizon Transcendent and Cosmic Gold I would give a 10, Peppermint Drop Bridal Path a 9, so a 6 for AC is quite low, saying that its still fantastic and I think the bloom a sure fire 10 and as an added bonus its quite easy to take cuttings from.
Yes I think its great we can all learn from each other, there is no way I would be getting the results I am getting now if it weren't for what you have written and shown can be done with these hibs so thanks, lets just hope it gets better and better.
David that is interesting you mention the branching. I believe John from Houston was having similar issues with Black Dream where as mine never did any flopping. I can say that my AG since day 1 has been more open of a look than I would prefer but at the same time it grew strong and tall fast with the branches never having any strength or size issues. This summer it has been excellent to start branching out more to increase the fullness of it's size so it doesn't have as much of the bean stalk look at all now. So I guess the question again is why mine never encounter those branching issues? Seems logical that being planted in ground with a free range root system maybe the plant can then grow more aggressively with more strength. Also of all my CVs this one seems to react the most and best to daily spraying with Supernova. I have never seen so much new branch growth on any other CV I have except Some Like It Hot (which is too much branching and might require a major trim job). But all the new branching quickly curves upward and grows thick enough that I've never had a need for staking. The only drawback to AG for me was it got so tall that when we have a strong wind event it probably would have either blown over or lost a lot of main branches. With one 6 ft stake it was perfect back when we had our 10 yr wind event in November. I take it you're not spraying SN daily on your plants like me. I also wonder if the tremendous heat there keeps your plants a little bit off from peak performance over time and that too adds to the thinner branching. My thinking is just to give it more time to mature and I hate to say it but down the road upgrade to a larger pot if possible. Either way you've done a magnificent job with all of your plants and it shows in every picture being a head turner. Great job David!!! Some bush shots from summer and fall Farmer D |
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #48 on: January 06, 2012, 01:00:14 AM » |
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So I guess the question again is why mine never encounter those branching issues? Seems logical that being planted in ground with a free range root system maybe the plant can then grow more aggressively with more strength.
My thinking is just to give it more time to mature and I hate to say it but down the road upgrade to a larger pot if possible.
Some bush shots from summer and fall
Farmer D
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Some good points there and I think the main one being that with yours in the ground it will be much stronger, for sure pot size is not an issue, its in a huge pot so hopefully it will get stronger as it matures. Another point which I failed to mention and which will surprise some is that it does not tolerate the sun as well as some of the others I have, I say surprise as AG is known as a sun lover, but no matter how much water I give it after about 4 hours sun the leaves will go a little limp, I know its very hot here and this may be expected but it doesn't happen on most other cv's I have, so like you say heat could also be an issue.
Darren I have just seen your photos of AG and there is no way my branches are strong like that, we talked about pot size and one of the reasons its in such a large pot was for me to try and replicate the conditions you have in the ground, but if I had branches of that length they would just fall over, thats why they are tied, also I have no where near the length of green branch you have, at half that length mine are brown wood.
I would say that my AG is more the norm, and yours like all your other cv's is the exeption, you just seem to have hit upon the most perfect conditions.
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David.
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Louis
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« Reply #49 on: January 06, 2012, 02:53:58 PM » |
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Happy New Year everyone. Absolutely stunning blooms from all. David, your AG is outrageous. Sigh.....gotta go where its warm. I really don't have much to show lately. I have been having a big problem with the spider mites. I just cannot control them. I am using Kontos and spraying each and every plant once a week with a strong spray, however, its just not working. Nevertheless, here are two to start the new year. first is a second day Black Dragon and the other is a first bloom from a cross between Wild Grape and Moonstruck. The bloom is about 7 inches. All of my last year seedlings are coming into bloom now, they are loaded with buds. louis |
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #50 on: January 06, 2012, 06:54:40 PM » |
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Very nice Louis, I like them both but I think you are going to have to give the x a name, maybe run a thread to name it, Charlie did that for Braveheart and it was good fun.
That's really weird about the Kontos, I have never heard of it not actually working, I think everyone has a few teething problems with it but once its settled down it works fine.
Maybe you got a dud bottle, doubt that happens much in the USA but here in the copy capital of the world it happens all the time.
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David.
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Nievesgirl
Posts: 975
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« Reply #51 on: January 06, 2012, 07:07:09 PM » |
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David I personally like the way your bush looks compared to Darrens ( no offense Darren  ) I like my bushes to look more fuller with height. David to get you ag to branch you will have to continuously cut small pieces from the tips of the branches. I did this with wild dream last year. It would not branch at all until I did that. I still have work to do with that plant. If you want thick branches like Darren you will have to pot your ag up and then let get bigger and mature. You then can put it back in a smaller pot if you want. You can prune the roots back so that it can fit in the pot you want. It's almost similar on how bonsai trees are. They take years to for nice thick branches and trunks, but since we are talking about shrubs I think you can get the nice thicker branches and trunk with in one year. If not you will just have to let it grow for a few years to get thicker branches. Some of the older hibiscus I have are 5-8 years old and have thick branches and trunks compared to my younger ones. The first owner didn't prune or repot so the plants grew like this in a pot. If she planted them in the ground lie Darren they would probably be the same size. |
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~Kerry~
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #52 on: January 06, 2012, 07:44:28 PM » |
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David I personally like the way your bush looks compared to Darrens ( no offense Darren ) I like my bushes to look more fuller with height. David to get you ag to branch you will have to continuously cut small pieces from the tips of the branches. I did this with wild dream last year. It would not branch at all until I did that. I still have work to do with that plant. If you want thick branches like Darren you will have to pot your ag up and then let get bigger and mature. You then can put it back in a smaller pot if you want. You can prune the roots back so that it can fit in the pot you want. It's almost similar on how bonsai trees are. They take years to for nice thick branches and trunks, but since we are talking about shrubs I think you can get the nice thicker branches and trunk with in one year. If not you will just have to let it grow for a few years to get thicker branches. Some of the older hibiscus I have are 5-8 years old and have thick branches and trunks compared to my younger ones. The first owner didn't prune or repot so the plants grew like this in a pot. If she planted them in the ground lie Darren they would probably be the same size. Thanks Kerry, thats sort of what I have been doing to get it the shape it is now, but where you say cut small pieces from the tips I have been pruning it right back to where the branch is strong enough to stand on its own without staking. I will try your way in March when I will be ready to do it again and see if it helps. As for the pot well I cant really go much bigger its in a 15x18 inch now with no sign of any roots coming out the bottom, so maybe that's ok anyway. |
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David.
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Nievesgirl
Posts: 975
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« Reply #53 on: January 06, 2012, 07:51:54 PM » |
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Thanks Kerry, thats sort of what I have been doing to get it the shape it is now, but where you say cut small pieces from the tips I have been pruning it right back to where the branch is strong enough to stand on its own without staking. I will try your way in March when I will be ready to do it again and see if it helps.
As for the pot well I cant really go much bigger its in a 15x18 inch now with no sign of any roots coming out the bottom, so maybe that's ok anyway.
I also just missed your message about how ag is floppy and you stake it up. I am not sure why that is happening to your ag but Chris may chime in. The ag I got is small so I can't really comment yet on how mine will look. ( sorry if I skip and skim some messages I need reading glasses haha ) |
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~Kerry~
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helixturnhelix
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« Reply #54 on: January 06, 2012, 08:12:03 PM » |
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The differences in AG bush shape can be explained by the fact that one is grown under entirely tropical conditions (Daves) vs subtropical (Darren). Under subtropical conditions fall and winter weather is not usually warm enough or there is not a long enough photo-period (hours of daylight) for hibiscus to grow very much. Although there is usually little vertical or primary growth, there is still secondary or woody growth occurring. This allow Darrens plants to put more girth on before the growing season begins. The last two summers have been relatively cool in Southern California, extending the cool weather "bulk up" so a very sturdy AG may be an artifact of this.
In contrast David lives in an entirely tropical climate, where it is warm enough for hibiscus to grow vigorously all year. Therefore Davids AG is growing vertically at a faster rate than secondary or woody growth can occur, contributing to a floppier bush.
Although there are differences in bush growth, I think we can all agree that under both conditions AG is a prolific bloomer and has excellent color and form.
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #55 on: January 06, 2012, 08:22:44 PM » |
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I also just missed your message about how ag is floppy and you stake it up. I am not sure why that is happening to your ag but Chris may chime in.
The ag I got is small so I can't really comment yet on how mine will look. ( sorry if I skip and skim some messages I need reading glasses haha )
Thing is Kerry I have had this on a few of mine, P's Purple Saffron and Vin Beugelois [ long weak branches] being the worst, I have overcome it by basically pruning it back to nothing and starting to grow it again, Saffron I pruned back to just 4 inches and now a year later have a wonderful bush, strange how it does not seem to grow like it as much the second time, maybe the roots are so much stronger and can support stronger branches, that's just a guess mind. |
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David.
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #56 on: January 06, 2012, 08:26:06 PM » |
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Thanks Chris that explains a lot, and at least now I know its not my fault, I will certainly increase the amount I prune, this should allow the lower branches time to thicken up and with the speed everything is growing its not a problem.
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David.
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #57 on: January 06, 2012, 08:50:35 PM » |
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Nice Pocahontas and Thanksgiving today.
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David.
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Ernest
Posts: 1704
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« Reply #58 on: January 06, 2012, 09:03:49 PM » |
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Louis, those are two beautiful blooms. The caption on the lower one says Wild Grape X Moonstruck. Is that correct or is it Black Dream? Whichever it is the result is outstanding.
Erny
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Ernest
Posts: 1704
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« Reply #59 on: January 06, 2012, 09:12:41 PM » |
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Chris, your explanation about the different growth patterns in tropical vs sub tropical zones makes a lot of sense. I think Darren's point about growing in the ground also has some merit. The reason I say this is that I have noted , as he has, that some cvs that other describe as having poor bushes seem to do very well in the ground here in southern California. Another old veteran in the field told me that , in his opinion, proper soil pH was the key factor in bush growth. No doubt the growth patterns are probably influenced by multiple factors and it is probably next to impossible to sort them all out.
Erny
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