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

weed_woman wrote:
good morning, Nev apologises for the late post, he got sidetracked and forgot to forward it to me earlier, but we don't mind! As the saying goes, better late than never.
Wendy, I am sorry to hear all is not well with Max. My thoughts are with you both and with Max too.
Ian, I too have mealy bug in the golden canes, but have had an influx of lady birds this year. I have never seen so many, and they are having a good old chew on the mealy bugs, and on the aphids that are just starting to appear on the cordylines. I scoop lady birds out of the pool, hundreds at a time, and have been relocating them to any plants with pests. seems to be working well. Also, I have the same trouble with putting plants in safe places! then I walk around in circles trying to find them again! It must be quite common by the sounds of it?
I am glad you take the photos with the name labels visible, as then it doesn't matter what order DG posts them. I like Neo. 'Inkspots'
Trish, I gave up writing a wishlist, and now just purchase on impulse! I have a small wishlist of sorts, in my head, so can recall what I want if I get somewhere where it might be likely they have the plants I want, which, unfortunately, is not often enough!
Hi Shirley, I did wonder why you thought it was quiet? You must all have come on at the same time. in regards to the Milton solution, I make it up to the ratio suggested on the bottle (too comfortable to go look at it) and you can use this to spray the seedlings, or to wash your containers and even the seed. Its the same stuff used for sterilising baby bottles.
I imagine your parcel will arrive today or Thursday, as its a bit slow from here. In their wisdom it goes 7 hours back to Sydney, then the 11-12 hours back the other way. I've tried sending things express, and it takes the same time, and three times as much cost!
Thanks for measuring Neo. 'Justins Song' is it a relatively new purchase for you? I will have a look on Ebay later and see if its still there.
Your little pot of Crypt. bivattatus looks very happy!
Bree, Neo. 'Hurricane Alley' is back on Ebay, with two bids, last I looked. I thught one might be you, so I decided to leave it this time. I think it looks a bit like N. 'Cliff Siverd'?
Nev, I saw this technique for growing Tillandsias at Barry Cables in Brisbane. He had polystyrene board and covered it with coconut fibre, held on by winding cotton or fishing line around and around. You spread the Tillandsia seed over it, and wind more cotton around to hold it on, then hang it in a shaded, airy spot and mist it daily, in the morning, so that its dry by night fall. You can have it on both sides, so a good space saver. I find the birds keep nicking
the coconut fibre, so I lose a few seelings, but it doesn't matter too much. You can thn mount the seedlings when they are big enough to handle.
Aechmea pectinata 'Kathy Dorr' was discussed on Garden web some time back, so maybe a search there might bring up more info? It does seem small to be colouring up, but as I only got it this year, I am not complaining, because my other one has sulked for years, although is showing a little colour now.
Thanks for the info on Cryptanthus. I'll pick up some African violet mix next time I am at Bunnings and re-pot a couple and see how they go.
Photo one is my Billbergia 'Estrella' seed pod, that something has had a munch on! I managed to get about 30 seed out of it, so hopefully they are ripe.
Photo two is an Aechmea nudicaulis. I think its variety nordestina?
Photo three is a baby A. chantinii, which will hopefully attach to the tree its Mum is sitting in.
Photo four is N. 'Rosey Morn' in the afternoon sun. I'm looking for things to cross, and wondered what a cross with N. 'Jewellery Shop' would do?
Photo five is Ananas tricolour coming into fruit. Unfortunately there is too much shade and the plant lost its pink tones.
Anywa, thats it for me.
Hello to all the lurkers!
Sue