Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads for the novice and addict. April 2013, 4 by splinter1804

splinter1804 wrote:
Hi everyone – Well yesterday we got some good and bad news. The bad news is that my wife needs triple by-pass surgery and the good news is she can have the operation this coming Thursday. As the two of us have always looked at the positive side of things, we're looking forward to getting it all sorted out and everything back to normal again very soon. So if I'm missing from this forum for a day or two, don't think I've deserted you all, it's just that I have more important things I need to do.

Jean – Seems like you pressed the wrong button like I have on many occasions. Far be it from me to tell anyone what to do with their computer but as I was caught out the same way a few years back I will share with you what I know. When you delete something it isn't necessarily deleted, it is moved to the “Recycle Bin”; personally I think it would be better if it's called an archive file as it would make things a lot clearer. Anyway, while ever it's in this “Recycle Bin” it can be retrieved, you just open the recycle bin file, select the file you accidently deleted and then select the “restore” button which is on the left side of the screen; the file will then be restored to its original location.

It's only when you empty the recycling bin that you actually “delete” the files and make them inaccessible to you. The thing is that anything you enter on your computer is recoverable as long as you can get someone with the knowledge and the programme/s to do it. I know how important Family History is so I think it would be worthwhile taking your computer to a recovery expert to have the files recovered. You may have seen on the news where the police are always confiscating the computers of criminals, well this is because they have access to these experts that can find out information from deleted files and possibly help solve a crime.

I was once told by an expert that what ever you put on a computer is still on there, it's just a matter of finding it. There are also packages available whereby you can do it yourself and to find out more about them just type “deleted file recovery” into Google to see what is available. Here is just one example: http://www.pchelpsoft.com/data-recovery/?gclid=CK6OxeKetLYCF...

There are also a number of free do-it-yourself programmes available to down load and to see these, go to : http://pcsupport.about.com/od/filerecovery/tp/free-file-reco...

I'm certainly no computer expert but I hope this little bit of info. can somehow help to recover your files.

Sue – I'm not having much luck in finding a tube large enough to accommodate your pup (or should I now say plant) of Ae. Bromeliifolia Rubra. If I get time today I'll see if I can make something by cutting down and joining a couple of broccoli boxes together as I can't seem to find anything long enough. If I'm unsuccessful I guess you'll just have to wait for the next lot of pups, either that or drop in and pick it up if you're down this way in the near future.

Do you have a picture of the Neo. 'Brush Stroke” that's getting around up in your area so I can compare it with the one I have? If they are the same I think registering it would be a good idea even though we don't have names of the parents or the hybridiser, it would at least prevent future confusion.

That pic of Neo. 'Catlan's Leopard' isn't my plant, it was a friends plant from Brisbane. He swapped me a pup which unfortunately I lost to rot about five years back. However I now have another which is a beautiful big plant and is just starting to colour up. I'm happy to say this was a much appreciated gift from Jen as I'd been searching for a replacement from a reliable resource for quite a while. It has no sign of pups yet but you're on the top of the list for when it does anyway. Neo.'Champers' was one I swapped with the son of the hybridiser. It's a Rob Smythe hybrid bred from Neo. (carolinae x concentrica) x 'Painted Lady' as the seed parent and crossed with an unknown pollen parent.

As I said yesterday, how lifelike are those dolls. I can understand when you say there are documented cases of police breaking into cars thinking there was a baby inside when all the time it was a porcelain doll.

Your xNeotanthus 'Firefoam' is a nice looking plant, I haven't seen that one before and in fact never knew there was such a bi-generic hybrid as xNeotanthus. I also meant to ask, what date are you due home from your break as I'll hold off sending anything until after then.

Shirley – I'll try and get some seedlings posted on Mon 8th to you and Trish at least but if I don't I'm sure you'll understand, as things are a bit “up in the air” here at the moment.

There's no problem adding you to the list of others who want a pup from Neo. 'Champers', but I need to warn you, there are quite a few on the list.

Shirley, a xNeotanthus is supposedly a bi-generic hybrid between a Neoregelia and a Cryptanthus. I say “supposedly” as neither parent has been identified. Don't ask why, but for some strange reason, “Hummel” who was the hybridiser never listed the names of parents of any of the hybrids he bred, so I guess we just have to accept that he says it is a xNeotanthus.

I like your pic's of Neo's Pinstripe and NOID Neo (purple Trish), they are both nice looking plants, and once again, can you add those to my “Wish List” please?

Breeindy – I like the two pic's you've posted today. To answer your question about Neo 'leopard', there is a Neo 'Leopard' registered with the BCR but unfortunately there's no pic's shown. When I read the description though it says that the name was later changed to Neo.‘Rainbow Carcharodon’ and there are pictures of this, but they are nothing like your plant; so I think you Neo. 'Leopard' is one of many plants with unregistered “pet names”. It still doesn't alter the fact that it is still a desirable plant though. As for your Neo. 'Norman Bates', it's a beautifully marked plant, but unfortunately those savage prickles put it out of my reach.

A few file pic's to finish with today Pic.1 is Neo. Cruenta 'Broad Leaf', Pic.2 is a Neo. 'Gespacho' pup and the next three are some of my own creations starting with Pic's 3 and 4 two more of my Neo.'Concentrica' x ('Charm' x 'Cracker Jack') hybrids, Pic. 5 is Neo. 'Painted Lady' (sport) x 'Ferny Grove'.

All the best, Nev.