Australian and New Zealand Gardening: BROMELIADS GOING INTO WINTER 2015, 5 by splinter1804

splinter1804 wrote:
Hi everyone – Not much happening here, after my dental appointment yesterday, I managed to finish off my watering in preparation for the plant’s drink of Condy’ Crystal solution today. In the afternoon I did a bit of weeding in the front garden until the old aching knees told me it was time to pack it in. I’m managing to get back on top of things by doing as much as I can each day; a little every day seems to work well for me.

The relation between your tooth and your headache could be a reality as I once had a friend who was getting terribly painful aching in his left ear. After two different doctor’s couldn’t find anything wrong with his ears, it was finally suggested he visit a dentist who found he had an abscess on a tooth and the earache was what they call “referred pain”. Strangely his tooth wasn’t sore at all, just the ear. Once the antibiotics cleared up the infection causing the abscess, the earache stopped as well.

Neo. ‘Strawberry Cup’ is just a small Neo which has been around for a long time having been registered in 1973 by J. Carrone, from a cross made from Neo. ampullacea 'Midget' x carolinae 'Marechalii'.

That particular plant was a pup that was left over during repotting, and along with another left over pup called Neo. ‘Sarmentosa’ x ‘Cracker Jack’ were used as an experiment. I decided to see how they would go mounted on old bits of bush wood. (To answer your question; yes the roots are all that’s holding it on as shown in Pic.2.)

Both ups were initially tied on with fishing line which after about a year was removed when the roots were finally able to support the plants. I entered both plants in the Mounted Neo. Section at our 2013 show and won a first prize with ‘Strawberry Cup’ and third prize with the ‘Sarmentosa’ x ‘Cracker Jack’ (There were only seven other entries in the section though). Unfortunately they are now about three years old and at this stage neither has produced any pups.

To finish I have posted Pic.1 Neo. ‘Strawberry Cup’ (with the first prize sticker) at the 2013 show, Pic.2 Close up of its root attachment to the wooden mount, Pic.3 Neo ‘Sarmentosa’ x ‘Cracker jack’ (also at the 2013 show), Pic 4 Neo. lilliputiana (probably the smallest of the Neo’s) and finally a "trick plant" Ae. ‘Ensign’ (Albino).

This was an albino sport which was removed by the grower and tossed in the bin only to be rescued by her husband, potted up and unbeknown to her, entered in the show. It managed to sneak past the entry clerks and made it to the show table for judging. Obviously the judges dismissed it, as albinos aren’t eligible as they will die shortly after being removed from the mother plant.

However, what started out as a joke, proved to be a major attraction when the Show Marshall decided to leave it on the table to show people what can sometimes happen with a chance sport. It created a lot of discussion and I think everyone that came into the hall photographed that plant before it was eventually binned again on the Sunday evening after the show finished.

All the best, Nev.