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

weed_woman wrote:
Good morning all. I've just heard the dawn chorus from the kookaburras, noisy blighters! Still, always makes me happy to wake up to the sound of laughter!
Well, it looks like there is only one large load of plants to come, but my fingers, hands, neck, shoulders and back are all protesting quite loudly! So, this morning i will concentrate on getting the weed mat onto the ground so I can unload this last lot into the new shade house, well, some of it. I need to be a bit choosy about what goes in there, as not everything will fit obviously. I bought home about 20 Aechmea fendlerii types, so I hope they get flowers like Ians! I don't have plans for them to go in the shade house, as they will cope quite well in a protected garden spot.
Nev, there are lots of pots with multiple plants, screaming for separating and potting, so it will be an ongoing job, and i plan to go through at least two trays a day, for the next 12 months or more! Just with moving them, I had to take off A. blanchettiana pups to stop the pots toppling over, and make them fit in the ute without damage, so i have about 20 to pot up!
I posted the journals yesterday so look out for them, probably tomorrow as they went express. Its the cheapest way to post anything heavy. I still have a few here to send on, which i will get to in due course. They were interesting to read, as they are from 1970's to 1980's, and there is an article on Neoregelia 'Tricolour' and also a photo of Neo. 'Fosperior Perfection' from mulford fosters son, showing it as a new sport in his collection, and heaps of other interesting stuff. i was too lazy to read through it in depth, but figured you like to do the research, so there might be some good facts in them.
Ian, another nice group of photos. I think N. 'Fall In Love' looks similar to N. 'Break Of Day' at least in colouring. It sounds as though you will be busy with more seed sowing? How well does your A. 'Fosters favourite favourite' do up there? I have a heap in the new plants, but they all look a little shabby, and i thought it might be from winter?
Trish, I just bought some mangoes yesterday, as the ones on our tree are only about an inch round. We only get them every other year, as the rain usually comes when the flowers are out, and they get anthracnose which causes all the flowers to abort, so no fruit. luckily we had a dry spell when the flowers were on, and hopefully we will get enough Mangoes to fill the bath tub this year!
Your night time photos look great, and I can see that its time you continued that garden extension along the fence line.
Wendy, have you seen the Tillandsia lindenii, pink, flower yet? You gave me one last time I was up, and its growing well, and I am curious to see what it flowers like. I got a few Tillandsia 'Creations' from the new collection, and they are huge, so hopefully not far off flowering. I think I will keep them all and use them in the garden for impact.
Well, time for me to get up, although still a bit dark to do anything. I could walk the dogs though, and deliver more pamphlets.
Till tomorrow
Sue
photo one is under the Mango tree
photo two is under the silky oak
Photo three is in the shade of the heliconias and the golden penda
Photo four and five is where the plants came from