January Flower Photos of the Day

[farmer d]

That's Acapulco Gold all right. One other question - did the change in season and sun position also bring a change in the light that Acapulco Gold receives? I mean a dramatic change, like it's in shade most of the time now? That type of change causes Saffron's color to change from deep orange to yellow so maybe something similar is at work with the Acapulco Gold. Very interesting to see, whatever the cause. Perhaps next we will see what conditions bring the orange back into the flower.

Charlie

This AG gets sun all day summer or winter, only a few palm tree shadows for maybe an hour of the day.  I wonder if the age also has anything to do with it being it is probably around a year old (came as a 4 incher in April).

One other question:
Since my plants are outside and they all now seem to want to drop their leaves as they turn yellow with brown patches, is this normal behavior for the seasons?

I know trees lose their leaves, so do hibiscus qualify as plants or more like trees with their woody branches?

I'm trying to figure out if this is natural or if the Wilt Pruf and/or fertilizing in winter could be a problem I need to address.

Hopefully more blooms to come but a lot are falling off before opening.

Farmer D

[motherof4]

Charlie will you still have open houses this year at your new place??...lynette...

[Charlie]

Farmer D, that is a good question. Hibiscus are not trees and do not lose their leaves seasonally in the tropics. They do drop leaves when stressed and winter cold is the worst stress of all.

I just went outside to our hibiscus garden that has about 90 hibiscus in it and looked things over. Almost all the plants have lost some leaves and many are showing a few more that are yellow. Only 6 have lost most of their leaves but are hanging on to top leaves and I don't expect to see more leaf loss on those unless the temperatures freeze unexpectedly. One plant has lost all leaves but it is a very old plant that was struggling last summer and I think it is likely not going to survive. The others I do expect to survive but how fast they leaf out again will depend on what kind of spring we have. Last year was awful with little sun or heat until July, but that was the worst I have seen in this area. Normally, we will see significant improvement in May and by June all plants are coming back well.

We have always noticed a difference in outdoor garden performance between very young hibiscus and those that are older, woodier, and more conditioned to the cool to cold winters. Our very best performers have been the 5 year plus year old plants that we transplanted from big pots to the garden back in 2006. They are all still doing very well as they reach the 10 year age mark. Actually, the very best is a 20 year old hibiscus that was already here when we moved in. It takes winter totally in stride.

Worst performance is seen in those that have never been through a winter and spend their first winter outside in the garden. I think that  is the case with most of your hibiscus, right? This is why I have been so impressed with how well they've been doing their first winter outdoors. Those that survive and come back well this summer will be better equipped to take the winter cold next year.

I don't think Wilt-Pruf has caused any problems but could be wrong. Fertilizing is not the problem. Winter causes most setbacks for hibiscus. Please keep us informed and good luck during February.

Charlie

[Charlie]

Lynette,

We haven't settled the question of Open Houses yet. Since we are moving in late February we will be in our new house during the normal Open House season. It is easier to get to than the current house but is closer to Los Angeles than San Diego, being outside Hemet between Hemet and Menifee. We hope more visitors from the LA area will find their way down in future years.

But, for 2011 getting the plants from our greenhouse to the new house for Open House days poses a big challenge. In the past we could just run them over since each trip only took 5 minutes but now each trip will take an hour one way so that makes it a lot harder to do. What we have talked about is having one big Open House in August this year. That will be announced in the newsletter and the web site when we make a definite decision about it.

As new greenhouses are built on the property we will be able to have the Open Houses at the new place. Those should be great because we will once again be able to open up the greenhouses to Open House visitors the way we did in Valley Center back before 2006. Everybody loved that  - being able to wander about and select their own plants off the tables and to view new varieties before they are even named. We hope that will happen by 2012 but building big greenhouses is a big job and costs a lot so we shall see how fast it can be done. I know I'm going to hate the commute and being spread between 2 plant growing locations. Big motivation to get it done asap!

Hope to see you at the next Open House, whenever that will be!

Charlie

[Darkhorse]

Charlie, congrats on the new place!  I agree, that would be great to come to an HVH open house and be able to see the greenhouses as well.  I'm planning on coming down at some point-- maybe next summer. 

As a commuter myself, it's no fun!  The house I bought is 1 hr and 45 min from the stable where I teach lessons.  I'm down to one day a week there now for that very reason and have gotten a "supplemental just for now" job closer to home until my business gets going.  I thought I could do it indefinitely, nope!!! 

[helixturnhelix]

Wow Charlie, the new place sounds great!  Closer to LA is always a plus (since that is where the parents are)  I would really like to see the greenhouses, that would be really cool!

I was thinking about how you are going to have cooler winters and hotter summers, very similar to my parents in Santa Clarita.  You would be happy to know that it snowed a few weeks ago there and the hibiscus planted in the yard seem to be doing fine.  AND they got snowed on!  Granted it was a wet and warmish snow, but still pretty amazing.  According to the parents the varieties that are in the yard include:

First Love
Young at Heart
Long tall sally
Rainbow Sherbet
Chariots of Fire
June's Dragon
Fantasy Charm
Diamond Head

Perhaps more cold tolerant varieties!

When I had my cold snap over winter (30s in the apt) the varieties that looked as if nothing happened:

Sea of Tranquility
Confection Perfection
Raku
Cindy's Heart
Shockwave

These varieties might be good to plant in the yard at the new place this summer, plus you could play around with landscaping now that you have the FF plants! Good luck with the move

 

[motherof4]

Can't wait charlie....I luv the open houses....It will all work out and be even better..lynette

[farmer d]

Charlie,

Wow, that was exactly the information I needed.  Thank you so much for taking the time and care to address my questions.

I have learned so much this past year and feel bad that my hibiscus sometimes take the brunt of my learning curve but that is how we all improve. 

I look forward to seeing my plants improve and hope they all make it.  One thing I did change is any new plants I purchase I get at least the 6" since they will be living outside.  Obviously the more sturdy the plant the better it will survive the first winter.

Can't wait to visit the new house when things are all ready.  Congratulations!

Farmer D

[davidwood]

This is my unknown cv from Charlie, with all the talk of Blue Hibiscus it has shown this colour today. It does have a very blueish look  but I think that is more to do with light [very overcast] today. I have named it Grey Dawn, its usually more gray and its allways the first bud to open.

[Mike]

Here is my flower for today this is a real small Beavinue doesn't have the normal color but it's still nice looking .

[blupit007]

I have been a little pre-occupied lately... Don't think I have forgotten about all of you!  This is what I woke up to again this morning!  6 storms this year so far!  We beat the record of snowfall since they started keeping records!!!

[Darkhorse]

Wow Kristen, so pretty!  Although I wouldn't want to shovel all that out of the driveway. 

[blupit007]

Jordan, we are sick of it... Well... I know Matt is... we own one shovel.  It looked heavy from inside with my warm cup of coffee and pj's!

[Charlie]

Kristen, that heavy shovel comment made Cindy laugh. Poor dear needed a smile, not feeling too good after hernia surgery on Wednesday. I'm trying to keep her in bed but she's not one to lay around doing nothing.

Charlie

[blupit007]

Glad to have made her smile!  Hope you recover quickly!