Australian and New Zealand Gardening: BROMELIADS FOR NOVICES & ADDICTS - NOVEMBER 2012, 3 by bromishy

bromishy wrote:
Hi Everyone!

Yeah I know it’s been a while since I last chatted with you all – my bad lol; my week was really busy and I felt pretty exhausted by the time I got home to do the normal cook, clean, take the girls for a walk and go to bed early enough to not be too tired at work during the week. Also jarred my back somehow so have been taking it relatively easy around the garden, no digging holes or moving rocks around or anything like that lol, plus by the time I get home from work it does not leave enough time to get too adventuress around the garden other than a promenade here and there around the garden.

We got up early this morning to commence cleaning and making room in the nursery for my bromeliads so they have a safe place I can store them when and as I need. We managed to get a fair bit done between weeding, re-potting, moving pots and hosing out the nursery. I have attached a couple of picture so everyone can see what we have been up too (a work in progress). We need to install some proper shelving in the nursery but for now we have a couple of old shelves in there plus some wheelable pot holder stands that fit a good amount of medium and large pots, so I will be able to utilise these pot holder stands for my bromeliads in the interim.

I had a look at my wee baby vriesea seedling properly today and all the trays seem to be doing really well, I can see by the looks of things that a great deal of the seeds have germinated and I now can see the growth without wearing my glasses which indicates to me that they are doing great and growing ok.

Thanks everyone for the great info / advice regarding the garden trolley we are looking at purchasing, thanks Nev we will definety get one with inflatable tyres. Nev really like what you did with your trolley sounds like it gets a great workout with your grandsons, ah to be that young again lol. We will need to get one soon in preparation for any bad weather, cyclones we may experience. At least then I will be able to trolley them out of harm’s way into the nursery when I need too. I can see a great deal of them also been moved inside our outdoor covered entertainment area as there is plenty of room there too and my vrieseas are clearly happy there as growing and colouring up very well.

Beautiful brom’ pictures everyone, especially liked Bree’s Neo’ Fairy Tale (great colour and so healthy looking), Sue’s Bill Rosea in flower (wow what a huge beautiful flower), Sue I laughed my head off when I saw your pic’ of the Sphagnum Moss that had exploded in your microwave, I really needed a laugh that day and throughout the night every time I walked past our microwave I cracked up laughing thinking of your moss exploding – too funny! Shirley I really like your Neo’ Enchantment, I have one but it still has a bit of growing up to do, yours’ has great shape and colour. Sue your Citrus Butterfly pic’ is awesome, what a great shot and I luv your Vriesea Flammea Xmas Tree, what a fantastic idea, I am sure it will flower for you at the perfect time for Xmas. Bree you did great with your $20 buy for your Vriesea Black Beauty, you can definitely tell that it will grow up really well as your other pic of what plant should turn out like. Nev great pic of your Neo’ Prince of Darkness, this one has been on my want list for some time; that deep dark purple really catches my eye. And yes I agree Vriesea Angela is an oldie but still a goodie; I have a couple of these because I like her so much. Nev I could not help but drool over your bench of Vrieseas – very nice indeed.

Nev thanks for the great advice regarding putting a saucer under Vriesea Ospinae types, like Shirley I have a couple of Tiger Tim’s that never look happy as they have droopy lower leaves. I am sure the saucer with water under the pot will do the trick.

Bree, my NOID below of what I believe to be possible Neo Stormy Weather is shooting out some pups, would you like me to send you one when the pup gets big enough as this one I have in full sun with no scorch marks as you can see from the picture. Anyway let me know if you would like me to put one aside for you and hopefully by the time I go to post it I may have some other pups popping up by then? Bree I know you are mainly after sun hardy types and this is one that can handle the heat. I want to keep a couple of pups for myself but once I get some more pups I will let everyone know and see if anyone would like one. Let me know guys if you think it’s Neo Stormy Weather? Does anyone have a Neo Stormy Weather that I could compare mine too?

Wendy, hope everything turns out fantastic for the wedding and that the weather behaves itself. Also hope everything goes well with Max, he will be in great hands with Jen looking after him, and sounds like the vet school will work out what is wrong with Max.

It’s been raining here most of the day which has been great, I luv gardening in the rain and listening to the frogs going off all around me. I got to collect a fair bit of rain water for my vrieseas also which was great as it will do them the world of good getting a bit of the real stuff. I needed ringing out big time by the time I came in for my cup of tea, but it is the best time for pulling out weeds and great for keeping cool on a hot day, and I luv swimming in the pool in the rain it’s beautiful and refreshing and makes you feel so alive and revigirated.

Anyway I better head off before I run out of daylight!

Have a great week everyone and Happy Gardening!

Hopefully I will find time to chat with you all during the week - hopefully!

Trish

Pic 1 Neo’ NOID – possibly Stormy Weather?????????????
Pic 2 Nursery getting revamped
Pic 3 Nursery getting revamped - pooches helping
Pic 4 Neo’ George Prince
Pic 5 Neo’ Red Macaw