Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads for Novices and Addicts - May 2013, 2 by bromishy

bromishy wrote:
Hi Everyone!

Another lovely day spent potting up brom pups, ginger seedlings, agave seedlings and fed certain broms and checked to see how my little vriesea and neo’ seedlings are doing. I also went around collecting more seed pods off some of my neo’s (I know I will have broms growing out of my ears soon) and have them ready to pot up some time after work during the week. I sent some seeds to my mum so she can try her hand at growing them as well as sent her some pups to pot up along with a Bunnings card and she was thrilled to bits to receive her parcel on Friday. These are the first broms she has ever potted up but we have gone through the process and she appears ready as she even told me she dreamt about them last night he he, like mother, like daughter as I often dream about my broms because it’s my “happy place”. If I have a bad dream somehow it ends with me smiling with broms all around me – I know I’m addicted to Broms hey LOL.

Hi Shirley yes I did manage to get up early on Saturday after that bottle of Chocolate Wine and went for a walk with Joe and the girls on the beach. I was dog tired but knew I needed the exercise and we ended up being out for at least 3 1/2hrs so I was a little sore come Sunday. We did some sitting on the beach while we were out with newspaper and coffee’s and watched people fishing etc. so it was really nice and relaxing.

Shirley that’s so kind of you to put my name down for a pup (whenever you have a spare) of Bill’ ‘Deliciosa’. I adored the pic you posted of it the other day. I only have a couple of Bill’s, mainly Hallelujah which I ended up buying two plants of because I liked it that much.

Shirley the Neo’ you asked about in Pic 3 - second from right and Pic 4 - second from left that I posted pics of back on 25/5 is Neo’ ‘Purple Glaze’. It’s one you have honed in on already with those sharp eyes of yours as I already have your name down for this one. It has coloured up heaps since you last saw a pic of it a couple of weeks ago. Shirley I hope you manage to find your camera and that it’s not somewhere in the garden where it can get wet. I put mine around my neck otherwise I know I would leave it somewhere hanging off a tree branch or something for the sprinklers to attack in the wee hours of the morning when they come on.

Hi Jean the Neo’ you asked about in Pic 2 – at the back that I posted pic of back on 25/5 I will have to check tomorrow as I just can’t tell from the photo, might have been the lighting with the camera as it looks that dark I just can’t tell what it is? The one on the Right in Pic 4 is Neo’ ‘Fosperior Perfection’ starting to colour back up as I had it in the wrong spot.

Jean great to hear you are getting more shaded brom space, there is just never enough when it comes to collecting broms so I will be horrified to see what our back yard looks like in another couple of years, hopefully its full of broms but the whole back yard does not look like one big nursery because I still want the back yard to look nice, long and open so we can enjoy the fresh are and see the trees in the wetlands along with the wildlife.

Hi Nev I know where did the weekend go??? Sounds like you got a few jobs done around your garden which is great. Nev that garden bed area looks great and once you have thinned some of the plants out you should have heaps of room to plant more broms. I luv planting broms under my gingers and heliconias because they are not messy and don’t damage your broms and give them plenty of filtered light so they don’t burn.

Nev that 36cm Whiting is not the first I have caught off the beach near us, I catch them often and have grown accustom to their nibble just before they woof the bait down and jump out of the water like a crazed giant herring he he. I could never tire of catching them and luv eating them cooked whole in a pan with a little garlic – yum! If only I could send you some, you know I would.

Nev that brom you asked about in Pic 3 – second from the right that I posted a Pic of back on 25/5 is the Neo’ NOID you asked about that I have already put your name down for. It’s the one I thought was Neo’ ‘Inferno’ but I just don’t know for sure?

Hi Tash fantastic mulched garden beds for your beautiful broms, they look lovely. I adore the toothy ones also as they are tough and look good among other broms or on their own as a special feature plant. I like to pot some of my big ones on their own as they really have the wow factor about them and are a real talking piece when people visit. Any pups I have just live with my other broms but I give them a bit of space so they don’t cause damage. Hope your fingers are on the mend soon.

Hi Bree your Pimento pup is cute even without the variegation and I liked your Neo’ ‘Gunpowder’ which is colouring up nicely.

Hi Sue pleased to hear not too much damage to your beautiful garden. I can’t believe how much rain you got. Ah yes the Chocolate Wine was beautiful and we are looking at getting a box of it with a friend. Who needs dessert when you can have a glass of Chocolate Wine instead? Luved your orchid pic and pic of your new Neo’ baby ‘Shep’.

Anyway time to head as early start tomorrow.

Trish

Pic 1 & 2 – Random Brom Garden shots
Pic 3, 4 & 5 – Vanda Orchids (my favourite) and Joe buys them for me