Australian and New Zealand Gardening: Bromeliads for the novice and addict. April 2013, 1 by bromishy

bromishy wrote:
Hi Everyone!

Hi Nev fantastic to hear all your loving family and friends are rallying around you guys with support, it is times like these that you truly discover who your friends are and it sounds like you are enjoying everyone’s company with those endless cups of tea.

Nev great to hear your broms are bursting out of their pots and that you will be able to separate them when you can and sell them off. It is mind blowing how quickly some grow from week to week and I have noticed that some of my pups grow heaps in a week, or if I take a pup off within another week or two more pups are popping up again. It is a feeling that I will never tire of because of how rewarding it is.

Nev the brom you asked about in my Pic 1 and Pic 2 on 21/4 is Neo’ ‘Purple Gray No.1’. It lost a fair bit of colour over summer but its colour is returning again slowly.

Nev I definitely have the brom seed bug but the word culling in not in my vocabulary yet because I am not at that stage just yet but am aware the day will come. I was thrilled to bits to find plump seed pods in one of my NOIDS that’s nicknamed ‘Pretty Pink Janice’ the other day, I got about 3 very plump seeds pods out of her that came away easily and potted them up over the weekend per your How to Raise Bromeliad Seedling instructions which I found ever so useful to have on hand as I was not at all sure of the best way to sow them in their green state, anyway all went well and hopefully these beautiful fresh seeds will germinate shortly. I have also found seed pods in my Neo’ ‘Moana Beauty’ which I will definitely want to try germinating as she is one of my favourites, so yes I am having heaps of fun trying my hand at growing Neo’s for the first time.

Nev fantastic brom pics you posted, who cares if they are oldish pics they are still broms and wonderful to look at.

Hi Sue thank you ever so much my parcel arrived in the mail today safe and well, the broms look very healthy indeed and no signs of any shock. I gave them a good soak never the less and will pot them up early this week. Thank you so much for going to all that trouble and surprising me with the other beautiful brom that I could not stop touching because I have wanted one for so long. I feel like I have been very spoilt today as aside from receiving your wonderful parcel I also got to work and found that a friend of mine had brought me a brom as a present, one that I did not have so I was over the moon. Anyway I will have to take a pic on the weekend for everyone to see.

Shirley sorry to hear you experienced internet issues and lost your thread and pics; I can appreciate just how annoyed you would have been.

Shirley thanks for your comments regarding Neo’ ‘Grey Nurse’ compared to your Neo’ ‘Jaws Too’, I will just have to remember to post a pic when it is fully in flower as hopefully this will make it easier to work out but at the moment it is just too hard to tell.

Shirley I will pop you down for pups of Neo’ ‘Midnight Moment’ and Neo’ ‘Grace’. I have a spare of Neo’ ‘Grace’ that is nearly ready to separate off mum that is colouring up nicely so will keep this one aside for you. I will have to put you on the wait list for Neo’ ‘Midnight Moment’ as I only took the first pup off her not long ago. Unfortunately I have a large list of people waiting for a pup from Neo’ ‘Margaret’ but if I am blessed with more than one pup at a time it may speed things up some, it just depends on how long you are willing to wait?

Shirley great pics of all your Alacantrias got to luv the frosted silver look they all have about them. If I had to pick a favourite it would be Alc. ‘Silver Plum’. I think I have Alc. ‘Imperialis Rubra’.

Hi to anyone else looking in or on the Sick List.

Take care and Happy Gardening!

Trish