Hello all. Just beginning a new thread to make things quicker. We came from here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1176206/#new
Post all your bromeliad pictures here, drop in for a chat, or ask questions, even if you think they are silly. We're all here to advise and admire all things bromeliad.
Picture is a garden bed at the home of Maureen Green in NZ.
Sue
Hello. A new start. Always a good thing.
I have some of my garden broms out at the moment. Hope you can see them crammed into the one pic. Don't know what they are, but they are doing well. Just click on the pic to make it larger.
Karen
This message was edited Jun 4, 2011 4:23 AM
Karen you pic is all aechmeas and I think bottom one is weilbachii, top right is polyantha and top left I'm not sure about but I will have another look. any other takers??
Nev I love your orange recurvater. I hope some of my seeds you sent will produce some of these. I love the orange one. Our recurvaters are also flowering at the moment - pink ones like in the pics - we were told they were aech recurvater benrathii "pink beads".
We repotted all our new babies today and recorded names and took photos but again I have left the camera downstairs and its too cold to go down to get it. Having said that I am sitting here with no jumper on so not too cold like dalfyre in NZ. I think I might stay right here in SUNNY QLD (not rainy windy NSW haha). I promise I will start posting photos tomorrow of new ones.
Wendy
Hi Wendy, thank you. Good to have you back home. I am off to see Neville tomorrow to get a tillandsia "fix". Will have fun, I am sure :).
Karen
Sue - where in NZ is Maureen's gorgeous garden...
I am pretty sure it would have to be North Island for a start :)
too chilly here in the South Is.
Wendy, lovely sunny day again! Glad you've gone back home. Tee hee.
I can only pic A. weilbachii on Karens pics, but the top left flower looks a little orlandiana, but not the foliage, so none the wiser for me I'm afraid. Its a nice time of year with all the Aechmeas coming into flower. most of the year, most of them are green, so its good to see a new flower every now and then.
Karen, you lucky duck. I'd love to be off to get new Tills! I went to the markets this morning, and although broms do seem to be on the rise, as far as plant stalls are concerned, there wasn't anything there I didn't already have, or something similar. There was a species guzmania that I might contact the seller about later, but it didn't stun me enought to buy one at the time. What does that say?
Theresa, Maureen is in Maungakaramea, which is not far from Whangarei, but quite a distance from you! A winter break would be nice though? If you ever plan a visit that way, try googling her name for info, or if you get stuck, let me know and I'll get the details to you. Shes a lovely lady (as are most brom growers) with a lovely garden and a fountain of information to share. The closest NZ bromeliad society I can find for you, is the Wellington Tillandsia group, so I guess Christchurch doesn't have many growers? I think you might be a pioneer! Thats something to be proud of.
I've been planting Aechmea gamosepalas as protection for some of the other softer leaved broms in the garden. The gamosepalas never seem to discolour or look shabby, so I figured they can be sacrificed in the areas where other green leaved broms get marked.
Anyway, what a glorious day! I'm inspired to cook dinner now. Must be the fresh air!
Sue
Sue we had quite a chilly overcast day here today so I guess I brought that weather home with me. We went to the Beenleigh markets and found a stall with some lovely big tillandsias. Of course I got 3 at $12 each. they were a fasiculata acostae, capitata maron and rodrigueziana. The man said these were all species so we may try to collect some seed later. the rodrigueziana is already flowering - a very tall multi bract spike but a bit to go before flowering completely. will post a photo when it happens. I am getting quite a collection of tillandsias now and have a lot of pups on the large ones including the capitata peach, creation, flabelata, tricolour, kirchhoffiana, and krukoffiana. I even have a hair pup on the tillandsia Australis. Is this plant a bit cold sensitive???? it seems to be suffering a bit from being out in the rain etc. Should it be moved in under cover??? I hope someone can advise. and the flabelata pups got a bit of sunburn while I was away. should this also be undercover instead of out in the sun.
Karen you will be able to come to my place for a till fix soon. Maybe we can start swapping cause you probably have a few by now that I haven't got. Send me a list of what you have and what you want and I will let you know what I haven't got and what I have.
Wendy
Hi everyone,
Wendy - I don't grow many Till's so I can't help you about Til. Australis but I do have Til. flabellata and I find it is a bit soft in the leaf and possibly cold and hot sensitive. I grow mine beneath the leaves of large Vrieseas to give them some extra protection. They are all growing beneath 75% beige shade cloth, and that along with the added shade of the vrieseas seems to provide the conditions it likes, as I have four plants and they all flowered under these consitions last year.
All the best, Nev.
Good morning everyone. Lovely sunny morning here.
Wendy, lucky you to get those tills yesterday. Was it from the brom man, or someone else? I do have a list of my tills, as I am taking it to Neville's today. I will be adding more to it today though. Part of the reason for going though is to get some tills for my sister's birthday. She loves them, and I thought I'd get her some. Then if Barry is up to it, will go to Fame Orchids to see if they still have those coconut balls. I think they are great!
Most of the tills that are starting to get little pups now are ones I got from you. However, I will get the list to you so we can compare notes. My till wall is almost full now, but only one side. Still have the other side to fill up yet.
Nev, was interested to read about Flabellata, as mine has browned ends. I think now it may be too exposed. Will fix that quickly. It is hard now with winter coming and the sun gone, as most plants won't be getting much or any sun during winter.
I hope this beautiful day is being shared by everyone.
Karen
My cryptanthus is multiplying well but a bit browned at the ends. Again, finding the right place for it is the challenge.
This message was edited Jun 5, 2011 3:41 PM
Nev, my flabellata and a lot of my larger tills have been growing well under shadecloth or on a planter under the back patio, but when we were going away I put them all out so they could get some rain. This would make Jens job easier when she came to water the seedlings and the the few plants left on back patio. Unfortunately some of the softer leaved tills did get some burn patches so I have now moved them all back under the back patio.
The till australis has been in the same spot for at least a year but suddenly it has brown tips so maybe it doesn't like too much rain. OR it could be that all the other tills around it are now getting bigger and it doesn't like being cramped so is telling me to move it.
Anyhow I am trying to work ou a place to turn into a till area. I am getting so many of the larger ones now in pots I need to keep them all in one place.
Oh today I collected a lot of seed pods from the alcantarea extensa, aechmea malva, and portea petropolitania. I also have an envelope full of seeds from an alc braziliana which has been stored in the fridge for a few months. If anyone would like some of these seeds please let me know and I will send them.
Wendy
Oooh, had a lovely day yesterday, tillandsia heaven. Got some great newbies, but haven't had a chance to sort through them or list them yet. Will do so today.
Wendy, I read something once about tillandsias - the more silver the leaves, the more sun they like, and the greener they are, the more shade and protection from sun and cold. Just how true this is, I don't know. Many of Neville's that are out in the sun have "coloured up", some more reddish, from the exposure to cold. He really has a H>U>G>E collection.
Karen
Karen, did you take pics for us?
Wendy, I would love some of the Alc. brasiliana (now known as imperialis green) and the Aechmea malva seed if you have any to spare. I can swap you with some foliage Vriesea seed.
Sue
Sue, I'll make up an envelope tomorrow for you. would love your vrisea seed. which one is it from???
I love all the achmeas flowering at the moment. The orlandeanas are all flowering. There was a brom grower up the road at Ormiston years ago who we bought a few from when we didn't really know much about them. He has since died and his wife has been in and out of hospital recently. We've always admired a very large poinciana on the footpath wth a large clump of orlandianas growing in the middle. We always joked that we would go for a walk one night with a backpack on and save a few now that the man has died and noone is looking after them. We nearly cried today to see the whole tree has been cut down and mulched. Wonder what happened to all those wonderful broms in the centre. Wish we were evil enough to have stolen some instead of just thinking about it. hope they didn't go through the mulcher.
Oh and we have a mexicanae coming into flower at the moment. this is the first time we have had one flower. Can't wait to see it. Anyone want some seed when that matures????? Wonder what we can cross it with????? any suggestions???? I'm addicted now as you can see.
Wendy
Oh have you all seen the new facebook group that Barry Landau has set up for brom lovers to buy, trade and swap anything to do with broms. Its called PLANET BROMELIAD NURSERY. Go to the page and up the top right there is a button to request to join the group. It was launched tonight.
Wendy
Wendy, that is sad about the tree being cut down. Too much of that going around, and I fear it will only get worse.
Sue, I haven't had a chance to take pics yet. I forgot to take any while at Neville's too. Getting dotty in my old age. There was a tillandsia in flower with the most beautiful lavender bracts. I did manage to get a pup from it. Will have to get my act together and put names to pics. No time again today as I have the optomotrist, then later the GP. Never ends, all these visits.
Oh have you all seen the new facebook group that Barry Landau has set up for brom lovers to buy, trade and swap anything to do with broms. Its called PLANET BROMELIAD NURSERY. Go to the page and up the top right there is a button to request to join the group. It was launched tonight.
Wendy
Hi everyone, thanks for the Facebook group Wendy, I have asked to join :)
Pam the link is
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?sk=group_234292903252106
I hope that works.
Wendy i would love some seeds but I am so new to all of this that I don't have any to offer in return? Unless you would like some money? I brought a little packet of seeds off ebay a few weeks ago and I am follwing Nev's booklet instructions to see if I can get them to grow.... I have my fingers crossed and toes and keep checking them every day, ha ha ha ha.
Ohh gotta scoot, my little fella is calling
Tash
Thanks for that Tash. Facebook must have been 'taking a moment' this morning when I tried to find it..
Pam
Happy birthday for tomorrow, Sue.
Sue happy birthday for tomorrow. I posted your parcel today with the seeds you wanted and have added a couple of small extras for your birthday. Hope you haven't already got them but you can never have too many anyhow. enjoy.
The planet brom FB page is a good idea but I hope we can trade through this smaller more intimate group first and then on the FB group second.
Tash I am happy to send you some of that seed because there is far more than I could possibly use. Just dmail me your full name and address and I will send you a parcel. has anyone told you about dmail yet???? just click on my blue user name on the left and it will take you to a blank dmail form. If you get something really nice from those seeds you can send me back a little pup then OK.
Wendy
Hey Sue, Happy Birthday. Hope its a very special, wonderful day for you.
Karen
I honestly don't think I'm likely to do any trading on there Wendy.
I used to do a lot of plant and seed trading (non brom) once, but these days I'm lucky to remember what I had for breakfast sometimes, let alone be organised enough for any serious plant trading. Because the mail from here can be a bit slow at times I like to be sure I get live plants in the mail on a Monday to (hopefully) ensure that they're not in the mail over the weekend, and because we're out of town a bit I can't always be sure of doing that, so small, occasional trades (or gifts) suits me better at this point in time.
Happy birthday for today Sue. :)
Pam
Oh Happy Birthday Sue, I hope you have a fantastic day today :)
Wendy that is so kind of you, I just hope I don't kill them :- I will send a Dmail to you with my details :)
I have joined that facebook group too, I don't know anyone on there, but the ones who are talking that I have seen are not Australian but overseas. does anyone know if there are australian members on there? that's what i like about this group right here, we are all in the same country and the information is relevant especially for me..... being a learner at all of this :)
Thanks Tash
There are a few of us there already Tash, as for any others, I'm not sure. It's still a very small and new group, so I imagine as it grows a bit more Aussie members will join.
Pam
Hi everyone,
Yes I put my name down for the new group as well, and ever since, I've been flooded with facebook messages to say someone else has joined or wants something to swap and it's clogging up my emails, I've already had nine this morning and as Tash says they all seems to be overseas members.
As far as I'm concerned this more or less eliminates swapping anything as far as I'm concerned, it's not just a simple matter of doing a swap. It all has to go through the AQIS (Australian Quarantine And Inspection Service), and although I have never imported any brom's, I do know of quite a few growers who have, and they all seem to tell the same story.
Before you attempt a swap with anyone overseas, I recommend you read the mountain of AQIS regulations first, so you know exactly what's going to happen to your plants and what your responsibilities are.
Then there's the form filling out and fees to pay.
When they finally get into the country and are gassed to eliminate any pests or diseases usually about 30% or more are often killed by the process, (more fees).
Then they have to go into quarintine for a period (more fees) and finally they are inspected before being released (more fees). So don't rush in girls/guys as it's not quite as simple as it seems.
Read the regulations first "http://www.daff.gov.au/aqis" it may just save you some money and a lot of heartache.
All the best, Nev.
Thanks for the advice Nev, I really don't see myself importing anything, home grown in Aus is best for me :)
As for the bombardment of emails and stuff from that group Nev, you need to change the settings...go to that facebook group and look to the right of it's name, you should see a little box with "Edit Settings" right beside the search box. Click on that and untick everything. and the top option, "notify me when"..... change that to the bottom option "only post I am subscribed to"
Then you will only be notified when it is something you have commented on.
That's how mine is set. Just an idea to save on all the useless emails :)
Tash
oh just another thought..... only a thought.....
we could always make our own Brom Group on Facebook for australian members and that way we can all share albums of photos etc? Just an idea, lol.
Tash
next week people, but thanks for the early ones! Plenty of time for sending me pressies! he he he he he.
Oops Sue, thought I was late for your birthday but it looks like I'm early. Thanks for the Facebook info Tash about the new group because like Nev I got bombarded with notifications and friend requests. I like this group because it isn't too big. Jen
Tash, thanks for the instructions for stopping the 'junk mail' for the group. I can't see it getting much lighter.
Pam
Hi everyone,
you're welcome about how to change the settings to avoid all the junk mail from that facebook group ;) Yeah it seems like most members are overseas, so when we all go to bed they will be up and chatting, so it will save us all having an email account full of junk in the morning, lol.
A facebook group if we are all facebook members wouldn't be a bad idea as we could have individual photo albums in the group for each of us with of our plants and always have access to them by just looking through the albums. That way when each person shares a photo of a new brom, they could just add it to their album and we can all see them and go back and look at it whenever we want without looking for old forum threads. Plus you can set it to a private group or secret group to avoid outsiders joining or seeing it, then you just add the poeple you want too.
I know a few people with groups like that.
Just thought I would mention it as a possible idea
Tash
Hi Tash
A lot of us are already on facebook and are friends with each other so we can see each others albums. I had 58 emails when I logged on today mostly from that new FB group so I will be changing my settings.
I posted on fb tonight about the new version of IE9 I upgraded to today. Ever since I have been getting messages saying IE has used maximum memory. A lot of features just will not run now. So if you get the email offering free upgrade to the new version. think about whether you need it. I am now on my laptop which I have not upgraded because the big computer is just too slow now with the new version. Also the new version does not have the favourites button with all my favourite webpages saved. I had the brainwave to log onto the laptop and email the links to myself. Clever of me to think of that wasn't it????? LOL
Night all
Wendy
Wendy, about a million years ago when I was still using IE, I recall having hated the features of one of the updates, so simply did a google search for the earlier version and reinstalled it. I don't know whether you would still have the ability to do that?! Or there may even be a function whereby you can tell it to revert to the previous form? Or perhaps try doing a search on your computer to see if there's a file named something like IE8.exe.
Pam
Hi Wendy,
that's terrible about the update, yeah you could try doing a system restore to the day before you installed it, and then the install won't be there and your favourites should all be there again.
I use 3 browsers for 3 different purposes, I use firefox or Chrome most of the time as I can leave multiple tabs open that i like, (like facebook, this forum, brom resources etc) and then when I close the browser it remembers those tabs I last had open and so when I re open it, they are all still there, lol.
Tash
Also OMG........ that brom I showed you last month and I said I think it's about to flower (never had a brom flower yet) it is flowering!!! So excited!!!! I'll go take a photo :)
Tash
PS so do I just let the ants pollinate it? Don't have any others in flower....it's the first one, so can't cross pollinate..... so do I just let nature take it's course or should I help it in someway? thanks everyone :)
This message was edited Jun 9, 2011 4:46 PM
hi all. yesterday I stood on the back verandah and looked down on my tillandsias. I nearly died when I saw one of the larger ionanthas looking like it was going yellow and sick looking. I thought it was going to die but when Iraced downstairs to check on it I discovered that it was in fact starting to flower. I was surprised at the colour. It is called ionantha benito. Isn't it lovely?? I will watch it bloom and if it gets better I will take another pick.
Wendy
I'm jealous that Sue will be visitin Nev tomorrow and checking out his seedlings. We wish we were going too don't we Jen????
Here's another till flowering today. This is called lindenii blue. a simple flower but lovely colour.
Wendy
and I just had to show you this pic of one of our painted delight seedlings showing some lovely colour. this one is PD#25. We haven't named too many so far but all have unique number. this one looks promising. what do you all think? would you buy this???
Wendy
No Wemdy, it looks pretty plain .... you'll have to just GIVE it to me, to make room for something else. hehehe
And congratulations on your flowering ionantha - that must have been such a relief.
I should be good and post a pic with my posts like you ladies, but ......
Pam
Lovely photos, Wendy. If anyone is looking at out their garden this morning and thinking it looks a bit messy, check out this photo of my back yard. I'm sure it will make your few dead leaves and weeds seem not too bad at all! After 14 years we decided to take out our above ground pool that was set about a metre in the ground. This whopping big hole is the site of my new shadehouse. Stay tuned here for updates but I wouldn't hold my breath. Jen
