Australian and New Zealand Gardening: bromeliads for novices and addicts, sep, 2012, 1 by weed_woman

weed_woman wrote:
Good morning. Happy fathers Day to the Dads amongst us.
I'm glad everyone managed to find their way over here.
Nev, the first photo of the baby bird is great, and the second one looks like he has a beak extension, heh heh. Jens V. 'Pink Sensation' originally came from me, and I THINK I got it from Pinegrove. I'm not sure. Its a cross with plantation pride and platynema I think? I'd have to google it. I think my neighbour might remember, or I can look it up in my book later.
Ian, I have made the same mistake with pesticides in the past, and now do any sprays in the afternoon and hose them off the next morning. It means there is no sunlight to react with the chemicals and 12 hours coverage should be enough. As for the colour in the broms, definitely experiment with light conditions, even on the ones you say stay green and only colour for a short time. I have a Neo 'Fanfare' that is devilishly tricky to get the light right for colour, but when I do, its awesome. Still haven't worked out the exact requirements, but I now have a few in different areas trying to get it right. Your black Aechmea orlandiana can take full winter sun, but not sure about your summer sun up there. here, I can have it in sun all year around, and it IS black!
Colleen, good to hear from you. I'd give your back a rub if I could reach through the computer, you poor chook! Your shadehouse is looking great, and the colours in your Vrieseas are good. megan looks well, and what is the one next to it, on the left? It sounds like the boys enjoy themselves, what with lizard hunting. I remember doing that sort of thing as a kid.
Trish, your new brom looks lovely. I saw some Vrieseas labelled the same, when I went north a couple of months ago, but nothing as nice as that. Looks a little bit fosteriana x platynema or something. It could be from greenstock nurseries. You might be able to Email them with a picture and ask for the name?
Ok, I live ten minutes north of Coffs Harbour, NSW. We have temps from 5 to (0n average) 35 degrees, and fairly high rain fall for the last few years. We live on 2 and a half acres in a nice estate, but have gum trees galore, making a mess and smashing all thats planted underneath. I try to deflect the branches by planting palms underneath, which does the make a difference. I have extensive gardens as i went through a phase (as we do) But wish I hadn't made quite so many. I have two shade houses, the bunker and the brom house. Both face north and get light from morning till afternoon. I started collecting succulents, then a few bonsais, then Broms and also orchids (loved yours Ian) I also propagate everything i grow and have sales once a month from spring to Autumn to help pay for potting mix, mulch, pots and fertiliser. It has been sunny for three week, hence my mammoth effort to get so much acheived. Unfortunately i am starting to feel the strain, so won't be gardening today!
Here are the pics of the finished bridge. it looks like it isn't quite level, but it is. Its just the light and dark timber making an optical illusion. I'll give it another coat of oil today to try and even out the colours.
Sue