Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads for novices and addicts - Jan 2013, 3 by splinter1804

splinter1804 wrote:
Hi everyone – Has anyone heard from Colleen? She hurt her back toward the end of last year and then a couple of posts but since then nothing? I hope she hasn't overdone it and hurt her back again.

Bree – If you're having trouble getting bark in your area why not ask some other growers where they get theirs or what other materials you could use. I'm a bit reluctant to suggest anything as my climate is very different to yours and you would be better advised to ask someone in your own area. I have heard of Queensland growers in the tropics using Quincan Gravel or Scoria and I had one brom friend up on the hinterland inland from Cairns who grew beautiful brom's in plain river gravel, so you're not just limited to bark.

It's good to see your Ae. Orlandianas putting up pups, you must be doing everything right so don't alter anything that you're doing or change their positions.

Ian – It's a pity you couldn't have got a bit more rain; it's so tormenting when it just rains for a short time like that which seems to promise better things and then nothing!

I like your use of “Tec Screws” to fasten plants to trees, I haven't used that method before although I've used them for many other things and find they are “better than sliced bread”!

I've never used Dolomite in my brom mix so I have no knowledge of what quantities are required so can you help us all out by expanding on what quantities to use e.g. how much Dolomite would you mix in a builders barrow full of bark mix?

I had the same problems trying to get the Brunnings Orchid Mix at Bunnings down here. All of a sudden where there was once pallets of it there was nothing. When I enquired I was told that Brunnings had stopped supplying all of the larger outlets such as Bunnings etc. It seems it was because of some deal that was done between the new Masters Super Store and Brunnings which sounds very much like Masters want to have a monopoly on some of the Brunnings products. This seems ridiculous to me as the alleged new Masters store down here won't be built for another two years, so maybe someone's telling “porkies”. I have managed to track it down at one of the local nurseries,/pet food supply stores and when I asked them about continuing supply they said it was one of their best sellers and they would be continuing to sell it, so I guess the question is, do you have or are you getting a Masters store in your area? Can any of you other growers who do have a Masters store in your area tell me if they sell this product?

Just out of interest, I just copied this off the web:

WOOLWORTHS' hardware chain Masters has attempted to trump the Bunnings sausage sizzle by pairing up with McDonald's to sell Big Mac's and cheeseburgers at its stores.
The eight Masters stores to be built in NSW will include a full McDonalds outlet including a McCafe and play area, the company announced today.

The first Masters stores -- intended to be a more upmarket experience than Bunnings' workmanlike warehouses -- will open at Gregory Hills, near Narellan, and Rutherford, nearMaitland, next year.

The next six will come in Ballina, Hoxton Park, St Marys, Warwick Farm, West Gosford andWagga Wagga if rezoning and council approval is successful.

Masters plans to ultimately roll out as many as 45 stores across NSW.
The Masters stores, tipped to cost up to $23 million each to build, will be 40 per cent bigger than the average Bunnings and sell hardware as well as kitchens, lighting, curtains, flooring, gardening equipment and bathroom fixtures.

As well as the above stores in N.S.W., there will also be ten Queensland stores at Rockhampton, Cairns, Morayfield, Toowoomba Sth, North Lakes, Tingalpa, Springfield Central, Upper Coomera, Nerang and Rutherford.

Trish – It looks like you're getting the rain you wanted but with an unwanted accompanying wind as well which really isn't too bad. It will blow the odd plant over and break a few leaves, but it's when the wind is hot that it really does the damage and fortunately you've been spared this.

I don't use Roundup any more mainly due to the fact that the company that makes it (Monsanto) promotes genetically modified crops which I personally don't agree with and this is my way of protesting (Call me a “tree hugger” if you like).

I have since found a good reliable weed killer called “Richgro Beat-A-Weed” that is a natural product which generally won't harm children, pets or the environment as the active ingredients in it are Acetic acid and sodium chloride both harmless to animals and humans.
http://www.richgro.com.au/faqs/beat_a_weed_faq.html

Shirley – What you say about getting Brunnings Orchid Potting Mix at Big W ties in with what I've been told as Masters and Big W are both Woolworths owned.

I really don't think they make the brom's that will withstand the extreme heat we had here the other day without showing some form of burn damage, Even a couple of my Ae Recurvatas which I've always said were “bullet proof” had a bit of burning which is something I never thought I'd ever see. The good thing though is that in most cases, they will survive as they are the most resilient plants I know of.

I'm posting a pic of my Neo 'Jasper Pink' (Pic.1) but it doesn't show the true colours as it has finished flowering and I “bumped up” the fertilizer to encourage more pups and in doing so the extra nitrogen has robbed it of is colour, however you can still see the marbling effect.

I'll finish with some pic's as usual, Pic.1 is Neo 'Jasper Pink' for Shirley, Pic.2 is Nidularium Longiflorum, an old favourite which is easy to grow and flower in those difficult shady areas. Pic's 3, 4 and 5 are random pic's I took around the yard yesterday morning after an overnight drizzle.

All the best, Nev.