Australian and New Zealand Gardening: BROMELIADS FOR NOVICES & ADDICTS JULY & AUGUST 2012, 2 by weed_woman

weed_woman wrote:
Good morning.
Bree, that some nice pups there. I have most of those, but I note you are after an Alc. imperialis rubra. They get that nice red/purple colour in the cold weather, and then green up a bit through summer. I have a few, from grass pups to quite large. i am happy to send you one, for a swap of something else in the future. Dmail me your Address and I'll get one off to you on Monday.
hey Nev, thanks for all the info on pollinating billbergias. I'm not sure that I will be able to bring them indoors, as some are in the ground, (not sure if they are still in their pots), but with the tips from you and Wendy, i might be lucky enough to have some success. I'll have a go at making labels that can be tied on, to avoid losing the details. I had the same problem with vrieseas, but tie the label around the stem, and have no probs now. neos are another that I have trouble keeping the labels in and finding the right pod. Any tips on that? The pups on that A. nudicaulis seedling are just amazing, Nev. i can't use any fertilisers that have blood and bone or manure in them, as my silly dogs would upend the pots to eat the stuff! I really miss scattering organic life pellets around the garden, as I used to get better health and vigour from it, than from the prill type fertilisers. I haven't flowered my Acanthostchys pitcairnioides yet, and yes, those were Thunderbird seedlings from you, in the pics. I like the Aechmea ornata flower. Its alot like A. pineliana?
Thanks for the Billbergia tips also wendy. I kinda figured they'd ripen along the lines of Aechmeas. Is there any such thing as a cross between an Aechmea and a billbergia? I am having trouble accessing the bromeliad database and photo index. I guess you will be busy with your sale again today, Wendy? good luck with that. Our Aechmeas are flowering too, and i was out taking pics of Fosters favourite yesterday. My Red ribbons only had three pups after its good flowering last year, so i've removed them and will repot in better soil. The basket was beginning to rot anyway. So no flower on them this year.
I've begun tidying up in leisas garden. Its not too bad up there, just removing the leaves and sticks and old, dead Mums. I'm also re-writing any faded labels, although some have gone entirely. I did write a list when I first took possession of them, so i will have to go back through it and try to identify what's there. Sigh! I'v e ordered a load of mulch, which will come in the next two weeks, so I should have it all tidied by then and ready to top up.
Todays job is to top up the gravel in the bunker. I've roped hubby in for this one, as shovelling gravel is beyond me! But I'm good at direction! heh heh
photo one is Aechmea 'Fosters favourite'
Photo two is an orchid flowering in leisas garden this morning. i think its a cattleya?
Photo three is the Billbergia flower i spotted from the window (no ID)
Photo four is neo. 'Sam Smith' in Leisas garden. Its a small grower.
Sue