davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #135 on: February 25, 2012, 06:53:33 PM » |
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I have always struggled a little with Vin Beaujolais, trying to find the right place with the right amount of sun, but I am very happy with its first bloom this year.
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David.
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #136 on: February 25, 2012, 07:46:53 PM » |
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I agree with Mike's comment about EO, I didn't know that it gets yellow spots either. I have planted mine in a sunny and hot spot so that has me really excited. It's first bud dropped right before opening last month which I see a lot when a CV first tries to bloom - after a few tries usually they make it.
David that VB is just awesome! How big is it? Mine have been more on the smaller side 5-6" mostly. I am working hard to get a lot more color in my blooms this coming growing season, VB included. So if it looks anywheres like yours David that would be very exciting.
Speaking of more color I had a really nice Best of Times bloom today. It is still on the mini sized side of things but the color really jumps out at you. There is something I have yet to figure out with this particular plant as it is not happy about something. I'm thinking a combination of in front of metal air conditioning unit so hot in summer and the soil might need to be upgraded as it seems very sticky. I even pinched the top recently to encourage some branch growth (has two big branches only since I got it last spring as a 6").
Farmer D
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #137 on: February 25, 2012, 10:09:55 PM » |
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I agree with Mike's comment about EO, I didn't know that it gets yellow spots either. I have planted mine in a sunny and hot spot so that has me really excited. It's first bud dropped right before opening last month which I see a lot when a CV first tries to bloom - after a few tries usually they make it.
David that VB is just awesome! How big is it? Mine have been more on the smaller side 5-6" mostly. I am working hard to get a lot more color in my blooms this coming growing season, VB included. So if it looks anywheres like yours David that would be very exciting.
Speaking of more color I had a really nice Best of Times bloom today. It is still on the mini sized side of things but the color really jumps out at you. There is something I have yet to figure out with this particular plant as it is not happy about something. I'm thinking a combination of in front of metal air conditioning unit so hot in summer and the soil might need to be upgraded as it seems very sticky. I even pinched the top recently to encourage some branch growth (has two big branches only since I got it last spring as a 6").
Farmer D
Darren I hope I am right is saying the sun causes the yellow [its actualy gold] markings on my EO, its been pretty much like that since I had it. You say your first bud dropped, well I had bud after bud drop for about 2 months then one day one opened and it hardly happens at all now. As for VB, its 5'', which is the best I have had, the thing is I remember seeing your bush last year and mine in comparison was rubbish, so I pruned it back to nothing and started again, its actually the only cv that gets a near every day spraying of SN, seems to be working and so far I am very pleased, quite a tricky cv to grow I think. |
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David.
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Charlie
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« Reply #138 on: February 26, 2012, 05:11:52 AM » |
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Interesting about Electric Orange - ours first bloomed in winter and did not show spots until the greenhouse got hot the following summer. Personally I like that extra feature and look forward to seeing it again this spring. I think it is more temperature related than sun related although of course temp and sun are themselves related.
David, another question if you don't mind. I know you deal with temperatures that rival those of Death Valley here in California and I'm amazed at how good your results are. We have customers who struggle with growing hibiscus in Arizona and rarely seem to get such good results as you do. What I am wondering is how you manage sun/shade. Are you able to keep most of the hibiscus in a lot of shade? If so, how heavy is the shade - filtered light or solid shade from a solid object like a wall?
I'm pretty sure that the humidity you have helps and that is something the desert growers don't get much of but they can control shade to some extent so I'm wondering how much shade you provide. Thanks.
Charlie
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Mike
Posts: 180
Cabot Arkansas
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« Reply #139 on: February 26, 2012, 11:53:10 AM » |
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Boy I have a real nice Belle De Jour today , And here is a picture of my Electric Orange bush its about 2 feet tall .
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #140 on: February 26, 2012, 02:23:30 PM » |
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Interesting about Electric Orange - ours first bloomed in winter and did not show spots until the greenhouse got hot the following summer. Personally I like that extra feature and look forward to seeing it again this spring. I think it is more temperature related than sun related although of course temp and sun are themselves related.
David, another question if you don't mind. I know you deal with temperatures that rival those of Death Valley here in California and I'm amazed at how good your results are. We have customers who struggle with growing hibiscus in Arizona and rarely seem to get such good results as you do. What I am wondering is how you manage sun/shade. Are you able to keep most of the hibiscus in a lot of shade? If so, how heavy is the shade - filtered light or solid shade from a solid object like a wall?
I'm pretty sure that the humidity you have helps and that is something the desert growers don't get much of but they can control shade to some extent so I'm wondering how much shade you provide. Thanks.
Charlie
Charlie there is no one more surprised than me when I look at some of my cv’s and wonder how on earth do they manage to look like that in this heat and with that sun blazing on them day after day, I think a few things are key, first and I think has to be the most important is the humidity, it averages about 80% which has to be making a big difference, Charlie none of my cv’s are in the shade as such, just some because of there position in the garden receive more sun than others [Cosmic Gold 4 hours Dragons Heart 1hour for example], and secondly I believe nearly every cv can adapt, I have spent hours every day slowly introducing the plant to more and more sun, Electric Orange used to wilt after 30 minuets, it now has no problem at 4 hours in the position it is in, and that's the trick, spending a lot of time to acclimatize them and then finding the right position for it to perform, for example Hot Pepper is against a wall getting 6 hours of sun where the temperature can get to 140f, nothing else I have will give me blooms there so that's where it lives, I am sure it would prefer to be in another part of the garden where it gets less sun and is cooler but that place for example is taken by Thanksgiving which gets 3 hours and a max of 120f. I think every cv would like 2 hours of sun a day at about 80f, but in my case where it is a lot higher they will adapt and I think my situation is a lot easier than say Deb's who has to struggle through the winter. I know if I lived in Arizona I would be concentrating more on acclimatizing them than providing shade, I have tried in the past to provide and rely on dapple shade etc and it doesn't work that well, you end up with sunburn and odd looking cv’s, you have said in the past that Hibs are a bit like humans and its true, they may not like very strong sun but they will get used to it if they have to. Also very important is water, I have your DVD and its my bible, but the one thing I differ from you is where you tend to keep your potting mix on the dry side I tent to keep mine on the wet, I cant afford 1 day without water, I will get yellow leaves and it sets them back weeks, I know I run the risk of fungus problems but I have no choice, and I know this may seem odd but when its finished raining I will go out and water the cv's, I realised that no matter how much it rains its never enough to replace what I would normally put in the pot. |
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David.
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davidwood
David In Nha Trang Vietnam
Posts: 1054
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« Reply #141 on: February 26, 2012, 02:29:09 PM » |
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Boy I have a real nice Belle De Jour today , And here is a picture of my Electric Orange bush its about 2 feet tall .
Wow!! thats pretty fantastic Mike, stunning colour. I am pretty pleased with my EO bush but its not a patch on yours, have you had bloooms yet? |
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David.
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Mike
Posts: 180
Cabot Arkansas
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« Reply #142 on: February 26, 2012, 02:56:48 PM » |
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I had a few last year before I brought it in for winter but they were small then , The bush has grown a lot over the winter so I'm hoping to see a lot of flowers this year .
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Louis
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« Reply #143 on: February 26, 2012, 03:48:43 PM » |
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hey mike,
your belle is outstanding.
louis
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Ernest
Posts: 1704
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« Reply #144 on: February 26, 2012, 04:37:00 PM » |
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A few blooms today with their respective bushes: Bessie, Georgia's Pearl, and Black Dream. The Black Dream measures a full 8"".
Erny
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #145 on: February 26, 2012, 07:11:51 PM » |
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Mike that is one stunning BDJ! It says a lot when you can get solid growth over winter. Congrats!
Erny that is a stunning Black Dream. Really nice to see such size too. Also great bush shots, I can't wait for spring weather to arrive here in So Cal and see your blooms start taking off even more.
Sorry Deb but nothing too exciting today from the Hollywood hibs although another three stunning Prosperity blooms today. Wow!
Farmer D
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Denise
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« Reply #146 on: February 26, 2012, 08:04:42 PM » |
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I am so glad I got my hands on a Prosperity. It is simply amazing! I predict that one becoming a bestseller soon!!!
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Charlie
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« Reply #147 on: February 27, 2012, 04:45:06 AM » |
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Denise, Prosperity has already become a best seller this year. I don't know if that's due to the talk about it on the forum or if people just like the look of the bloom in the store photo and description. Whichever, I'm glad it has done well for people who already have it and hope it does well in all the many climate zones we ship to!
Charlie
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Charlie
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« Reply #148 on: February 27, 2012, 04:48:00 AM » |
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David, that's all very interesting. I'm sure you are right that managing the water the plants get when it is hot is the most important part of growing hibiscus successfully in hotter than normal places. Thanks for taking the time to explain how you do it.
Charlie
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farmer d
Farmer D
Posts: 5573
Hollywood, CA
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« Reply #149 on: February 27, 2012, 05:08:59 PM » |
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Barely in the 50s today which is really cold for us but more worried about tonight's lows.
Best of Times continues to impress. The pink eye zone is proportionately quite large and very deep in color. If the summer blooms can hold that color with normal size it will be extremely pretty.
Also a splendid Acapulco Gold.
Farmer D
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