The warm up of the coming spring has started to wake up my hibiscus. Here is the first Black Dragon bloom I got from my little plant. What a spectacular color. I have more blooms to post, so stay tuned.
Spring wake up!
One of the darkest Simple Pleasures blooms I have gotten yet. It looks a lot like Heavy Metal.
Gabriel twins
One of my favorites, Saffron
I thought about you yesterday! Turns out I have a wholesale nursery about 15 miles from me....I can get 3 gallon Cajuns all day long for $10.95, as well as others! I am so excited to find a local source! Their plants are huge, green, and blooming right now so I can see the colors
blupit, can you tell me about how Black Dragon grows for you? I've heard it can be difficult. What do you think?
Karen, what is the name of the nursery & can anyone buy from them? That is not local for me but would be worth the drive. Think you are about an hour from D/FW metroplex???
I never find anything "good" in this area. Drove to Dallas last year & bought some at the Home Depot there & was thrilled to get them. Have a friend in Dallas who found those for me & he would be interested in some too. He has about 150 in his collection. Mine is MUCH smaller & thought I'd lost them in the ice storm last winter. Was very sick & I think the rolling black outs tripped the breaker in the GH & the heater was off & the next time I looked inside it was a brown jungle. Made me sicker seeing that. Stripped all the dead leaves & cut them back & started spraying with my friends "Magic" formula & most of them are coming back. Lost so many other plants that I was too busy clearing them out & that gave the Hibiscus time to recover. Was really disheartened but life goes on.
Hugs,
Judy
Judy, what is your friends "Magic" spray? I stored my HUGE garden variety in my crawl space this winter. It is dead looking but still alive. I just hauled it outside yesterday. The daytime temps are good, but still in the 30's at night. Just wondering what you used to wake them back up?
Ghopper, I got Black Dragon last fall at Logee's which in near my home. So I have not had it for very long. It was sold as a small 4" pot, at about 8" tall from the soil base. It is said that it can suddenly die due to over watering. I have only experienced it drying out quicker then the others in my collection. (and by that I mean, it starts to go limp in between waterings as I have a once a week schedule during the winter) So it so far has been the opposite for me... who knows what it will be like in the summer heat. I am thinking that since it seems to show stress due to lack of water in the winter for me, it will do the same in the summer but probably die if I water too much due to the wilt look? Im not sure. Im thinking that it may need more frequent watering, but at smaller doses.
Karen, that is really cool you have a Cajun supplier near you. What is the name of it? How is the TX weather? CT is starting to show signs of spring! Im excited!!
blupit you used KNO3 (AKA Potassium Nitrate/Salt Peter)
MgSO4 (Magnesium Sulphate/Epson Salts)
Disolve a tbsp of each in a gallon of water & add a few drops of Ivory Liquid dish soap.
Spray on dead looking branches & when they come to life you spray on leaves & buds 2-3 times a week. NEVER SPRAY IN THE SUN. The Hibiscus I thought I had lost during the ice storm are looking really good now & they truly looked like sticks when I first started spraying. Oh yeah, I tried to find KNO3 every where around here & couldn't find it. The best place to get it is ebay. Since it is used to make bombs you get funny looks when you ask for it. Paid $11.00 for a pound & half of that was for shipping. I was having trouble posting a picture but will try again. Hope this helps you. I've been using it about 18 months & haven't had any problems. At first I was cautious & just used it on a GV to see what happened. Now they all get sprayed. I do not spray open blooms but do the leaves & buds as it was called "foliar spray" by the creator. One lb will last a long time. Hope this helps your sleeping Hibiscus. And, someone on a different forum said some of his didn't start getting green leaves till July. Will try the pictures again.
Hugs,
Judy
This was the same plants 3-2-11. Had cut everything back & been using the spray about a week.
Hugs,
Judy
This is Voodoo Magic made 1-22-11. Notice how great the leaves & bloom looked for a winter picture & I think the spray helped. This was one of my "sticks" I've been spraying so you can imagine how devastated I was when I opened those doors to the GH & saw a brown, dead looking jungle. I was ready to take up knitting or go back to English smocking when I saw that. Had to try & have to say I'm pleased with the results. Happy blooming to everyone.
Hugs,
Judy
Thanks so much for the recipe Judy. Will look for the ingredients online now. It is pouring rain outside right now, getting about 2" an hour at the moment... If that doesn't put her over the edge, I don't know what will. Wish me luck!
Kristen
Kristen, the only thing you need to buy online is the KNO3. And, it is used for fertilizer so you might find it at feed stores. I tried there but they didn't have it. Epson Salts you can find any where. Wish we could have some of the rain you don't need. Are you close to a river? Stay dry & safe.
Hugs,
Judy
Judy, we live about 1 mile from the beach. Right on the Long Island Sound, CT shoreline... Beautiful day today. I have plenty of Epsom salts. Use it on the horses to soak their feet. Gonna look into the KNO3 though. Thanks
Kristen, I talked to my friend who gave me the recipe & he said use a TEASPOON of KNO3 & MbS04 & a TABLESPOON of Ivory Liquid to a gallon of water. And, he said you could increase it to 2 TEASPOONS of each when your plants really get off to a good start. I made a gallon jug last year & still have some left so I had forgotten what I started with. Any way...try it. I think you will like it. Got to go "play in the dirt." Have a good week.
Hugs,
Judy
Ah ha. New topics and posts!! Yeah. Love the photos and you can see the cool temperature influence in all the blooms. All the deep colors are showing up as they should whether its cool outside or inside.
Jon
This is my first year in Blanco Texas...about 5-6 hours South of trickiwoo in Fort Worth. This is also my first year planting Hibiscus and they are absolutely beautiful. I'm searching for a unique color to plant in the container next to the lovely red ones...any suggestions?
Why don't you take a bloom with you & go shopping to see what you like best. Or go where you got this beauty & put some smaller plants next to it. You will know when you get the right one. Jon has a good eye for combining colors. Personally I would probably use a purple or blue. I would think the surroundings would influence things too. And, the fact that you need to match living conditions if they are going to be buddies. Like your containers.
You do know there is an addiction called Hibiscusitus??? But, its too late now....only takes one to get you hooked for life. Have fun & let us see what you decide to do.
Hugs,
Judy
I would go with either a white or yellow standard type hibiscus or a purple hybrid type since I'm unfamiliar with purple standard varieties
Sorry I have not been on for awhile.....The nursery is Hughes Plant Farm in Tyler, Texas. They grow their own hibiscus and have the best selection in March, before they are picked through....They still have quite a few of the cajuns left. I bought Voodoo Queen, Me-Oh-My-Oh, Vermillion Queen and Bon Temps. I was incorrect about the price, they are $12.95 per 3 gallon. The bushes are HUGE. They also now have Stolen Kiss and more. I also bought Autumn Ferns for $2.75 each! This nursery is a sight to behold for plant lovers! Here is the a picture of my plants.....You can contact them at :
Hughes Plant Farm 19980 US Highway 69 S Tyler, TX 75703-8793 - (903) 894-7737
Thanks, Karen. Just as soon as this crazy weather settles down I am going to check out the plants. Have already told my Hibiscus friend in Dallas & I think we will go together as his car holds a lot more plants!!! Told him we could go in my car if he only wanted a couple or I would pick them up for him. But, he wanted several himself. I really don't have that many "good ones" & what I do have are still recovering from the damage from the ice storm. Now we have had hail & I've got 4 big golf ball size holes in the GH roof. Life goes on but that will go on my "honey do" list for my DS & GS to tackle before next winter. Thanks again Karen. Really appreciate this information. And, ferns are another of my passions!
Girl, you have probably gotten me into sooo much trouble & sooo much fun too! But, you are keeping me out of the pool hall & off the streets!~!!! Thanks again.
Hugs,
Judy
Here is the beautiful Cindy's Heart!
An easter basket! Here we have Cindy's Heart, Simple Pleasures, and on the SP bush down low is a soft Space Oddity that fell off. (I am getting a lot of bud drop from all the plants in the office. But not the SP & CH that are in the living room. The two changes that have happened lately is a slight warm up for spring and less direct light... any advise?)
A soft Space Oddity close up. I also am getting a lot of messed up "lady parts" on all my blooms! Weird!
Simple Pleasures again with messed up "lady parts"
This message was edited Apr 26, 2011 9:58 AM
Very nice Kristen. Have always been quite fond on "Simple Pleasures"
Kristen, they are all stunning. Cindy's Heart is gorgeous & so is Simple Pleasures. Don't know what to say about your messed up "lady parts." Been seeing some on IHS that would have numerous pads but your's are sure different. Thanks for sharing with us.
Hugs,
Judy
First Cherry Appaloosa bloom. What a cool one!
a closer look
Kristen, that is gorgeous. Thanks for sharing this beauty with us.
Hugs,
Judy
Thanks Judy,
Here is my first Eye of the Storm. Much more pink and purple then I thought it would have. Real pretty.
another, closer
I just bought Gumbo File Hib this weekend without any picture to select from. Found out it is a dull yellow. Hope I like it more when it blooms.
I do have some Epson Salt that I used this past winter on my plants and found it did make a huge difference in the color and appearance of my plants. I was using 2 T. per gallon of water then cut back to 1 T. per gallon thinking I may be over feeding them.
Love all the pics here. I intend on getting more as time goes along.
Kristen, Eye of the Storm is really pretty. Like it a lot but I love those colors. Oh, heck, I like them all.
Peg, are you close to Baton Rouge? Or N.O.? You are in Hibiscus Heaven in La & should be able to get a LOT of good ones. Wish I was closer. Joined the Red Stick AHS & hope to get to go to their sale at the Dupont Nursery some day. Was planning on going this year but was sick. But, some day!!!!!???!! I think you will like File Gumbo.....wish I had one. I don't think there is such a thing as an ugly hibiscus. Jon puts a spoonful of Epson Salt in each pot & waters it in once a month. It replaces the nutrients that are washed out by watering. Good luck in your hunt for new ones.
Hugs,
Judy
I am about 30 miles from Baton Rouge. Duponts is a wholesale Nursery. Our Master Gardners Org. was able to purchase a few Cajun Hibs, but only those that they selected. We didn't have our choices. There are several nurseries around that carry Cajun Hibs that usually sell for about $15 each. The one I purchased at the MG sale has 2 healthy stalks. I hope to propagate it my the end of the summer.
Peg, check this out http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/231706/
I wrote DuPont last week to get prices from them on their Cajun Hibs and they replied that they don't sell them anymore?
Thanks Bulpit I am beginning to like Gumbo File more and more. Can't wait for blooms.
Bummer on Dupont's....
Dupont's sells hibiscus but only to nurseries right now. Have a website but they still do not have it up & running to sell to everyone. Wonder if they ever will??? And, I got a list of the ones they let the members of 3 La doll clubs buy & it was long. In fact it made me sicker to read it as they had so many I would love to have. Lot more than is on their web site. $15.00 is a good price for their hibiscus. They get that much or more for the GV here. Karen, I am sending you a Dmail. Happy Mother's Day everyone.
Hugs,
Judy
I talked to someone at LA Nursery, retailer, who carries the Cajun Hibs. She said none of them were out on the shelves today since all of them that they received had bad leaf drop. They wouldn't be ready until 2-4 more weeks.
I went to 3 different Cajun Hib retailers today who did not have any cajun hibs out.....they did have the regular hibs of solid color though.
I did get a couple of things.....used the master gardners card and got 20% off on anything that was not on sale.
Will try to sneak a pic tomorrow for you all to see.