Ok the new thread is up and running for July and August. I hope all your broms are doing well over winter, ours up north are going great guns in the winter sun, it's the best time of year for us.
Here is one from in the brom house yesterday in the rain. An assortment of neos and good mix of colour.
We came from here http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1258272/
Look how my newest baby Pimmento hasnt got the pattern like its mother and all of the other babies shes had???
1st photo is mother 2nd is baby..
This message was edited Jul 10, 2012 2:48 AM
Wild Gossip pup.
Concentrica x Alba Marginata, past its best.
Treasure Chest is looking nice.
Hi everyone, still showers here in Brissie, some quite heavy ones tonight. I don’t think we saw the sun at all today and it’s pretty cold too.
Bree, nice pics. I love neo Pimiento, mine is just a pup … photo attached.
Tash, thanks for the new thread. Those are lovely broms in your pic too. Are the two in the centre front neo Raphael.
Nothing exciting happening here … $10 million lotto draw tonight … wouldn’t it be nice.
Bye for now, Shirley
Hi everyone.
Springer99 thanks for kind words about some of my plants, there’s not much wrong with yours! Nice plants.
Breeindy I get the odd Pimento that throws a no var pup from time to time as well. I think that concentrica is Bill Morris var its a nice plant, I notice it has a bit of that white algae growing on the leaves, I get that on some of my Neo’s
(It in almost in every collection I’ve seen) how I treat it is to use vinegar mixed 50/50 with water and wipe the leaf with a soft cloth I keep a plastic non transparent jar full of the mix in the green house at all times.
I think Nev will be having withdrawal symptoms by now!!!!!!!!!!!!
cheers
1 neo Chirripo 2 Ae Mend
Thanks for the advise, yeah my broms are under a palm tree as you can see by all the palm seeds in there middles, i hose them out every now and then but its been raining here so havent needed to water.
Aussie Dream, Prinsler and unknown.
Thank you Tash for the new thread. And what beautiful broms to start the thread with, from all of you. Mike, that Chirripo is gorgeous!
My Pimiento was damaged by a cat, but it had a pup which I've detached and its looking good. The mother plant seems to be recovering now too.
Vr. Ospinae is coming along nicely.
Not one of my favourites, but this is Vr. Rubyae
Vr. Fosteriana x Red Chestnut
Morning everyone,
sorry Mike, I usually sign off with my name, I'm Tash, I live up north past Cairns. I've been seeing your photos and looks like you have some really nice ones. I see you are from Tannum Sands, so do you know the Loughrans? they have some nice broms and we have been lucky to acquire some of them into our collection.
Must agree, love your Chirripo, we are picking up a pup we've been waiting on this weekend so can't wait to grow it up.
Shirley those two in the front row are our first two Neo Dream Baby pups, one of my favorites and behind them are two of the unregistered "Down's" series starting to colour up nicely as well.
No worries t all about the new thread everyone, happy to help :)
Ok off to get ready to go out, catch up later on
Cheers Tash
This message was edited Jul 11, 2012 10:25 AM
VERY NICE! Heres my Vr. Ospinae, i didnt know they flower more than once and grow a new middle after each flowering.
And heres my Vr. Fosteriana x Red Chestnut.
If anyone wants a Lila pup i have a few, mother 1st pic.
What about a Decora pup.
I guess everyone has this green one but i can get any amount of this.
What about concentrica x heart music, pup pictured.
Ring Leader, pup pictured.
Swap me something or just pay the postage.
This message was edited Jul 11, 2012 3:50 AM
Anyone want a Sun Valley pup or
I have a pot of minis if someone wants one, fireball and crosses.
This message was edited Jul 11, 2012 3:55 AM
This message was edited Jul 11, 2012 3:57 AM
Breeindy that ospinae actually has a new pup in the centre and that is what flowers the next time. the pups of that vrisea come out of the centre of the plant and you almost have to destroy the plant to get the pups off or just leave them there and let them flower next time.
Tash thanks for the new thread. I know I've done it before but I just couldn't work out how to do it the other night. senior moment I think.
I have some pics of a new area I've created to display all my billbergias. I haven't got the camera near me to upload them tonight so I'll get it done tomorrow and post some pics for you all. Mike I love that billbergia of yours. Those pink ones with spots are lovely. sorry I can't identify it for you but check FCBS for catherine wilson, and the parents used in the cross to create her. I think one of them is your plant. otherwise post a pick on moon billbergia and I'm sure Russ Holzheimer or Val Honeywood will be able to identify it for you.
Off to bed again.Goodnight all.
Wendy
Thanks for that information Wendy, i was wondering why it just keeps flowering and growing a new head.
I didn't know about the flowering habits of Ospinae either. Mine have never flowered, but I like the bunched up look of them in their pot.
Breeindy, you have some lovely broms there. Mine are a bit green now due to the lack of sunshine. They seem to be coping with the colder weather okay though. Some of the very latest ones I got are still holding their colour well, so its not all doom and gloom.
Karen
Neo. Hula Girl still holding her colour well.
Hi everyone
Thanks for the intro Tash and yes I know Sue & Goff they live about a kilometre down the road from me, do you live on the coast or part the way up the tablelands
The reason I ask is to enquire about your growing conditions and what sort of potting mix you use, do you use scoria or a pine bark based mix. I like to try and get a handle on what people are using in other parts of the country I don’t know many growers up your way. Neo Chirripo is one of my favourite Neo’s, one of the down sides of Chirripo is they often throw some dude pups (without a lot of colour a almost washed-out look) but when the dudes produce offsets they in turn can be stunners.
Thanks Wendy for the heads up on my noid Billy it dose look a bit like B amoena Var virids but the flower is the wrong colour my noid has a yellow stamen with purple sepals from memory it’s a large plant up to a meter in high, two weeks ago Val and Russ were up and I did not think to ask them!!!!! I will try moon billbergia.
Bree your plant is ospinae var Gruber and it’s not uncommon for them to throw pups right up top, expect a second pup next to the other, like most Patten Vriesea they are upper pupers and can be a real pain to remove with ospinae var Gruber they tend to pup at the apex after flowering, I’ve found that if you leave apex pup or pups get quite large almost full size then strip of the top leaves till you expose the base of the pups completely, remove them with a bit of mum attached they power on. Vr ospinae is a different plant its one of the few that don’t die after flowering but keeps growing and branching they can have quite a few flowers on at the same time.
Your N Hula Girl has nice colour Karen.
This message was edited Jul 12, 2012 8:38 AM
Hello everyone, it’s still raining here and we are in for a few more rainy days it seems. Quite depressing really as I want to get back outside and finish off the new shade house.
Mike, those are beautiful plants as always.
Thanks Tash for the names of your lovely neos … a couple more to add to my wish list.
Bree, those are lovely broms too … I am really looking forward to receiving my new babies, thank you so much.
Karen, your neo Hula Girl looks gorgeous. I have a small one and it is colouring up nicely but it does not have the lovely colours that yours has.
My pics are Neo Old Love Letters and Neo Painted Delight.
Cheers, Shirley
Hello everone. Another grey day here. Today is my partner's birthday, and tomorrow is my youngest sister's birthday, so I am taking them both to lunch down by the bay. We do this every year. So cutting it short so I can go get ready. It's a good hour's drive and I expect to be away most of the day.
Have a great day .
Karen
bromalong- Thanks for that information! yes it is a ospinae gruberi, I dont think i could remove the pup, the plant just keeps getting a branching flower spike then growing a new head which eventually just looks like the mothers head again once the flower spikes been removed. I don't want to damage the mother so i just let it go, wonder if the mother will eventually die. It doesnt seem to be growing that much in size. I just love the colour changes in it.
These are seperate flowering....
This message was edited Jul 12, 2012 6:38 PM
This message was edited Jul 12, 2012 6:39 PM
Great info on here as usual :) So does Vr Tiger Tim do the same as ospinae Var Gruberi? We have Splenriet which does this, but we only got one pup on each of our two mothers after flowering so didn't attempt removing them, just let them take over as the new growing centre. I was told, if you tie the spike to the opposite side, you will often make it throw another pup or two on the opposite side, where the light gets in. It didn't happen for us though. Our Werauhia sanguinolenta rubra has finnished flowering and hopefully is setting some seeds, so I expect a pup to for to take over the growing centre on that one too.
Mike I live on the coast and yes we use quincan (scoria) as a growing medium with a bit of coir chunks in it and I'm thinking about adding charcoal as well. Someone else I know just up the range on the tablelands, (30 mins away) uses straight river gravel, nothing else and her broms are very nice. Our biggest problem up here is well.... two fold..... the mix often gets too dry and tempts you into moving to something that retains more moisture, but then we get the wet season and it rains for 3 months with high humidity and everything rots out if it's too wet. So going off other growers experience as I've only been growing for about 18 mths now, is that it's better to have a dry mix and water more, than have a wet mix and massive rot issues.
This does become frustrating in summer, as that's our wet season, and it's either stinking hot with close enough to 100% humidity or it pouring down. For the weeks when it doesn't rain and it's incredibly hot, even with lots of shadecloth the actual heat starts to burn and wreck the broms, so you end up having to water lightly every 2 hours during the day, especially the vrieseas to keep them happy. Summer is honestly a crappy time of year up here for broms, they end up under close to 100% shade cloth to save them from frying and even then some still fall victim.
Winter is awesome up here, doesn't usually get below 15 degrees, nothing stops growing, any extra shadecloth from summer comes down and the colours look amazing. LOVE Winter up here. By memory it's about November or early December that we have to put up extra layers of shadecloth inside the brom house and over gardens etc or you will come home to brown and crispy things only identifiable by the tag sticking out of the pot.
Well I hope everyone has a great weekend lined up, I don't think we are up to much, just a few things around home.
Cheers Tash
Hi all, more rain here today ...
Karen, hope you enjoyed your lunch and managed to keep dry.
Bree, love your Vr ospinae gruberi.
Mike, you mention stripping the top leaves of ospinae gruberi to expose the base of the pups and remove them with a bit of mum still attached. Is that the end of mum???
Tash, lovely neo … what is its’ name. For some reason I can’t enlarge the photo for a closer look.
I don’t think we are likely to get to any of the local markets this weekend and probably won’t get much done at home either. And worse still, it is expected to rain most of next week too … bugger !!!
Anyway, that's it from me for now, Shirley
Yeah i can't enlarge you pic either Tash. Looks awsome though.
Is that pic of your ospinae gruberi Shirley?
I put my Broms in straight coarse bark, the bark i use for my orchids as i buy it in large bags. Im lower than Tash so its not as hot here but we still hardly get a winter. I keep all my broms out in almost full sun and my orchids are just under shadecloth all year round.
Anyone know what this one is, i love it but cant see a tag and forget where i got it.
Hi again,
Yes Bree, that pic is my ospinae gruberi, only small but looking good. I can’t take too much credit for it though as I only recently got it from Wendy.
I am only guessing, but your NOID neo looks similar to my neo Manoa Beauty, pic attached.
Shirley
yes you could be right i do have a Manoa Beauty but i thought this was it, maybe not.
Morning everyone, yeah I'm not sure what happened to my post yesterday it all went stupid as I posted and wasn't sure if it even loaded. So I'm glad to see the writing worked, but yeah I can't enlarge the pic either, Dave's Garden must of had a freak out as I sent the post in. I'll re add the photo now and see if it works.
I'll put up a photo of our Manoa Beauty as well.
So the first one is Manoa Beauty, then I'll do two pics of the one I put up in my previous post, when we got it, and now. It's a variegated form of carolinae that Allan Ladd sent me to get me started into breeding variegated seedlings. He said striated plants like this one give the best chance of variegation and that it should serve me well. I was most grateful for all his advice and his generosity to send me this one. It must be getting closer to flowering I think.
Hi everyone,
Back at last thanks to advice from Tash and some computer “jiggling” by my son. Hopefully all the problems are past now and I can get on with doing what I like to do best, talking to friends about brom’s.
It’s good to see you all putting up regular posts and pictures and even when I couldn’t take part in the discussions I could still occasionally open up the forum page and look at the pics and read the comments; but it was very, very frustrating not to be able to participate.
I had a phone call from Colleen a day or two back and she’s grounded with a bad back, so I’m sure you’ll all join with me in sending Colleen a big get well soon wish.
Bree - I have to agree with the others, your plant certainly looks like ‘Manoa Beauty’ to me as well. I can’t be sure but your second plant could also be a ‘Manoa Beauty’ which has been grown with more light or possibly even an immature ‘Painted Desert’, a bit hard to be definite though.
Tash – That’s a great variegated plant you got from Allan and it does look like it will make a good transmitter but with the added benefit of great colour and shape as well; you've certainly done a great job of growing it, but don't show Allan or he might want it back!. Also, don’t forget the “old fart” when you have a bit of spare seed will you?
That’s about it from me now as I have my youngest son and his family here from Bali for a couple of weeks so I’d better make the most of it as we only see them once a year.
All the best, Nev.
A few pic's to finish with, 1st is one I got from Jen. Neo 'Bold Streak' x Mc Williamsii, 2nd, one of my favourites Neo 'Purple Star', 3rd is Vr 'Megan' and 4th and 5th are a side and top view of what I think is a very much underrated plant, Ae. Rakete
Yes i think you's are right the 1st one i posted is Manoa beauty and the 2nd is a uunamed one i got from a friend.
Lovely broms Nev. Glad your back. Heres my bold streak x Mcwilliamsii , not as nice as Nevs.
This message was edited Jul 14, 2012 1:51 AM
Evening all, we had the sun shining here for a while today but it’s raining again now. It’s supposed to fine up tomorrow but not for long unfortunately.
Tash, that variegated carolinae of yours is really lovely.
Nev, great to see you back at last. Hope your computer problems are over now. Enjoy your time with your son and his family while they are with you. Love that Vr Megan … very nice, and the Ae Rakete as well.
Colleen, get well soon … have you been overdoing it in the garden? Hope you make a quick recovery.
Bree, your unnamed neo is very pretty.
My pics tonight are neo Shelldance and neo Little Africa
Night all, Shirley
Sorry i just have to post a picture of mine if i see someone post the same, i love comparing.
Shelldance...
Thanks for the heads up on your growing conditions Tash sounds like it’s a tough environment to grow broms in, down this way we have our own challenge’s our summers at times can get hotter because of the lack of rain days, we can get high 30’s with very low humidity for months some years then some years the wet sets in so I like your thinking re the dry mix. My mix is pine bark based with around 10% choir (the course kind) 10 to 15% charcoal and some polystyrene if I have it, that’s about my base for all my pottered Broms, I keep a close eye on the PH (6.5 is my aim)
Then refine that for the different types, course for the Aechmeas and Neo’s down to a finer mix for the Vrieseas .At least with quincan gravel not much chance of the plant being blown over by the wind but it must be a bugger moving box of them around no need to go to the gym!!!
Quincan is a bit hard on the pocket down this way, might have something to with the transport costs.
Shirley you ask if removing apex pup from Vr ospiae var gruberii will kill the mother the short answer is yes but you often get the odd pup before it heads off to the great compost heap (its heading there anyway) I like your N old loveletters & N painted delight my painted delight throws dud pups hoping to get a good soon to nice a plant to be with out.
Bree if leaving the apex pup on your Vr O var G works for you then that’s best (why fix it if its not broke) orchid bark would be a first class mix it has a pre set PH of 7 and is nice and chunky if I left my broms out in the summer sun I would lose 95% of them
Good to see you back Nev, that Vr Megan is a stunner is it one of yours!! The reason I ask is I was wondering how the paten leafed Vr performed down your way.
You haven’t seen Sue have you!!!! Must be into hiding,
Hi all, another weekend over and next to nothing done around the house or yard. Didn’t get to any of the markets either. Went shopping Saturday … should have been a quick trip but ended up being out most of the day. Didn’t buy any broms either though I did see a few at Bunnings which I would like, mostly vrieseas and alcantareas. The thing with Bunnings is they only give a species name, ie patterned leaf vriesea or hybrid vriesea etc.
Today we had our daughter and two granddaughters over. The girls potted up a few small succulents for me and helped me move a few pots around.
Bree, lovely colour in your neo shelldance.
Mike, what is the name of the neo in your last post ... very nice.
My pics are 1. Neo pink spider 2. Neo Susan Jan ? (not sure about this one)
Bye for now, Shirley
Hi everyone. Sorry I've been AWOL but am starting to feel a bit better. Oh boy have I been down and out. The poor little ones haven't had much of a holiday but I will make it up to them when I can. They've been little troopers. Feeding the chooks and cats and galahs and dog and making their beds and wiping the dishes even making salads and turning the meat for me. Absolute treasures. Had friends coming and washing and folding clothes and shopping and taking me to the doctors and the physio. The boys were over-whelmed by how good my friends have been. You wouldn't expect them to even realise that but they did. No pics from me but I am thoroughly enjoying all of yours. Will be back in when I can. Colleen
bromalong- love that striped brom, what is it? and love them both shirley, pink spiders awsome.
Aechmea Fosters red ribbon....
A pup from a unnamed brom i have, love the colour...
This message was edited Jul 15, 2012 8:18 AM
Hi everyone. Colleen, sorry you have been so sick. Let's hope complete recovery is almost there.
I too have been loving the pics. Just gorgeous. None to show from me, but hopefully things will brighten up again in Spring, when the sun reaches the plants again. The cold is affecting a few, like a leaf burn, but nothing I can do. What will make it will do so, and what won't will do its own thing. I can't change the conditions here, unfortunately. Looking for a tiny ray of sunshine myself in the mornings to stand in is difficult. Its just that time of the year when the sun is too low, and doesn't reach us.
Not much going on here so will continue to read and post when I can.
Karen
Hi everyone,
I’m still trying to catch up on all of the posts I haven’t yet read and I came across the pic of the Billbergia NOID from Mike.
Mike – I think I may have the same tall growing plant which was identified for me some time ago by a well known brom grower and international judge of many years. She said it is Billbergia ‘Kip’ and this identity was confirmed by two other Billbergia growers.
Although yours seems to have much brighter colours, this could purely be a result of growing in a warmer climate with better light. Unfortunately, although it’s mentioned in the BCR there are no images of it; all that’s recorded is that it’s a Grace Goode hybrid of a crossing between Oeser’s Bigeneric Hybrid x Bill. Catherine Wilson.
I’m attaching two old pic’s (non digital) of a couple of mine, however as it’s just coming into flower now, I will be able to get a better pic of the flowers which I will post when they open in a week or two.
Hi to everyone else, love all of the pictures, please keep them coming.
All the best, Nev.
1st pic is Billbergia Kip grown in high light and the second is grown in low light
Sorry folks the striped Neo is N Arzac (can't find it on the FCBS data base) but that was the name it was given to me as, its not a large plant, about 2/3 the size of N Amazing Grace Nev thanks for the heads up on my noid Billbergia, it looks a bit like your pic will have to compare it when in flower and might ask Margaret P she has a good handle on a lot of Grace Goode’s plants, its one of the few Billies that I keep.
Tash I would be interested to know your reason for the possible use of charcoal in your mix, and have you ever seen the root run on your friends plants the one who uses sand for her Broms.
Colleen its good to known you have friends when things are down hope your on the way up.
what dose everone else use for potting mix
cheers Mike
Neo White ice (pic is not to clear it was raining )
Hi everyone, a nice sunny day here today.
Colleen, good to hear you are on the mend.
Karen, do you have tall trees close to your home that block the winter sun. We get lovely sun on the back patio on winter mornings. We generally have brekky out there in winter and I love to sit out there with the sun on my back and read or do a crossword when I have the time.
Nev, your bill Kip in the first pic is very nice … love the colour.
Mike, love your neo White Ice, very pretty.
My pic is neo Marble Snow. I bought a couple of new broms today … I did say I wasn’t going to buy more, didn't I ??? Will attach pics tomorrow.
Bye for now, Shirley
Good morning everyone. The day seems to be undecided as to what it wants to do weatherwise, so its wait and see.
Hi Shirley. Yes there are huge gums and ironbarks down the back that keep the sun out until around midday, then I get some restricted light on the clothes line (strategically placed) for 3 hours, then back to darkness as the sun goes over the trees out front. It is too low atm to reach overhead like it does in summer.
Mike, I do love that neo. White Ice. Its beautiful.
Nev, glad to see you still popping in. Hope that computer is behaving now. Also hope you are enjoying your visitors while they are here.
Hi to anyone else popping in.
Have a lovely day.
Karen
Hi all, my new broms ....
1. alc extensa 2. neo mini, very black, no name supplied
Shirley
Bromalong (Mike) Is your Neo. White Ice the same as the BSI Ice White River ? http://registry.bsi.org/?genus=NEOREGELIA&id=4975#4975. I;ve yet to add any Marble Throat hybrids to my collection and this seems like a good plant to start with. I see Micheals has this Neo available.
Thanks in advance, Scott
Hi Scott, Yes! That’s correct, the plant is Neo Ice white River sorry about that! The one thing I'll say, they do need good light, but not to much sun the lack of pigment in the centre can lead to sunburn, they are not a large plant and look better when kept compact and a little hungry and yes it's a nice plant to start the marble throat's off with
happy growing. mike
