BROMELIADS FOR NOVICES & ADDICTS JULY & AUGUST 2012

Hello on a grey but dry day.

Wendy, I knew you had given me the name marion oppenheimer before and it is on file. I was just too lazy to look it up. I took all those pics yesterday. So thank you again. And I agree, both of you should be taking it easy . This is not the season to be jolly, or to work too hard.

Had a wander among my broms this morning, and none look too hard done by, just some colour lost and a bit of leaf burn here and there. Could be much worse considering the neglect.

Some lovely neos here today too. For colour, they are truly amazing plants.

Karen

hi everyone. we had a lovely day today trying to catch a feed of whiting for tea. unfortunately we tried everwhere we could think of but only caught 1 keeper and lots of littles. however there was a professional fishing crew over there towing 6 boats o nets so the area is constantly thoroughly raped of anything that moves. there is so much green zone out there that the few spots left over are not enough to sustain pros and recreational fisherman as well. there must have been 15 - 20 different boats all in a small area playing musical boats drifting down and motoring back up the front again. not sure if anyone else was catching. we did see lots of dolphins and turtles so it was nice in the warm watery sun until the cloud covered up late this afternoon and the surface chopped up a bit. until then it was like gliding on a glass surface.

anyway we didn't do anything in the yard this morning other than collect a bit more vrisea seed before it blew everywhere. it was vr angela x forrest so should be some very nice babies in that lot. tomorrow is my first day in a new walking group so I must be off to bed early to build up my energy hahahah.

I took some new photos today to upload for you all tonight but alas I'm on the big computer so I could prnt out a couple of things and didn't remember that I can't upload pics on here, so I'll have to keep them for when the laptop is turned on to download and save to a memory stick. don't you hate technology. can never have everything working perfectly can we?

Pic 1 is nid tapestry, pic 2 is vulcan and pic 3 is ruby lee

Hi everyone, just a quick post tonight … it’s been a long day.

Colleen, pleased to hear you are feeling better.

Wendy, I wouldn’t mind trying some of your seed. I reckon if 7 year old Emily can do it, I can probably do it too … mind you, the seed will have to come with instructions (for dummies). And since you are now into pitcairnias, tillandsias and cryptanthus, I would be happy to take some of your neos and vrieseas off your hands. Just thinking of you, of course, and saving you some time and effort in looking after them all. Lovely billbergias in your pics too, it’s just that the angle’s a bit rough on the neck. Also, sounds like you had a nice relaxing day today even if you didn’t get too many fish. Hope Johnny is feeling better.

Breeindy, thanks for the ID on your brom pics.

Karen, good to hear your broms are not doing too badly. At least we seem to be over the worst of the winter. I for one, am really looking forward to Spring.

Well, that's it for me, G'night
Shirley

good morning. Birds are singing, no wind is raging, and we had a drop of rain overnight to wash the dust off. The fernery renovation is going well, and I have a whole day to devote to it today. I am a bit tired though, as I couldn't sleep last night, for ideas, and woke early ith the same ideas fighting in my head, so I am up and about to make ANOTHER list and prepare some more drawings and plans. I have decided to ask the experts about my ideas on irrigation, as it has always been a bit hit and miss in the past, and while I have the opportunity to start again, I might as well get it right!
Anyway...Wendy, sounds like you had a nice day out even though the fish were scarce. Seems to be the way of it now. I can't see alot of difference in your Tapestry and Vulcan, is it in the flower? Vulcan looks alot my Rubens. I must go look them up and see if they are in the registry?
Karen, I too am happy about the way the broms can look after themselves. Of all the plants I have, they are the least time consuming. That means for you, no guilt if you can't get to thm momentarily!
Shirley, what a nice eclectic mix of plants there! I even spotted the Kale! I hope your day was a good long one, and not a disastrous long one? Its a bit hard to tell through the written word. I hope today is not so long for you:) Spring will be welcome here too, but I must admit, I am enjoying the respite from the vigorous growth in spring and summer, and the weeds have slowed somewhat, which gives me time to do other chores, and the garden is looking quite nice. I must go look in my old DG diary and see what pictures I have in there. Much will be out of date now!
Hi Nev, Colleen, Mike, Bree and anyone else looking in.
Sue
pic is Leo amongst the Alcantareas

oh Leos so cute, is it a staffy?
Camelot Nev sent me.
Pot of Gold.
Treasure Chest is looking really nice and shiny red.
Maona Beauty and an unknown one which looks like Maona Beauty but redder in colour. As you can see i like reds. hehe!

This message was edited Jul 26, 2012 5:17 PM

Bree, I love the reds too. The brighter the colour, the more I'm drawn to the plant. Again, lovely neo's there.

Sue, good luck with the irrigation plans. Does pay to get expert advice, but one has to wonder about the "experts" sometimes. Goodness, Leo almost gets dwarfed by those Alcantareas.

Shirley, hope your day goes well and that you got a good night's sleep last night.

Wendy, I do love those nids. They have such lovely colour to them. I have Tapestry and Ruby Lee which are 2 of the best I've seen, but I must admit, I haven't seen many nids around.

Hello Colleen, Nev, and everyone else who pops in.
Karen

Hi everyone,

Only a short visit today as I'm feeling a bit crook after picking up a gut bug two days ago and have already lost 1.5kg. I know I need to loose some weight but I could think of better ways to do it. It makes you so weak all I want to do is sit around and do nothing.

Anyway I contacted Jack Koning a "brom friend" of mine who is a Vriesea breeder from Port Macquarie and he has kindly given me permission to post pic's of some of his beautiful Vriesea hybrids. These ones are all named after ladies and I'm sure you'll all enjoy them.

1 is Aussie Beauty 'Debbie', 2 is Aussie Beauty 'Julia', 3 is Aussie Beauty 'Eden', 4 is Aussie Beauty 'Kerry' and 5 is 'Melissa Dilling'

All the best, Nev.

Hello everyone, just a quick one tonight … I meant to post earlier.

The wind is blowing here tonight and it’s quite cool. We got a storm this arvo out of the blue and a little bit of rain.

Sue, I had to move quite a few of my broms out of the shadehouse while Michael does a bit of paving in there. They are scattered around the place, some of them sharing space with my succulents. The move was supposed to be only for a couple of days … but … hopefully, I will get them back where they belong soon. Apart from being rather untidy, they are not getting enough light where they are at the moment.

My day was a long one (literally) as a result of an early morning start and a late night finish … nothing disastrous … just lots to fit in. Much the same today … I really need to get an early night.

Bree, nice brom pics.

Karen, a good night’s sleep sounds great … will have to try that LOL !!!

Nev, hope you are feeling better. Those are gorgeous vrieseas, love No 5 ‘Melissa Dilling’. I’m very partial to the ‘pinkish’ vrieseas.

Does anyone know the name of the bill in my photo.

Till tomorrow, Shirley

Hello again
Hi Bree, Yes Leo is one of a pair of Staffys. we have mother and Son. I don't know why Lily missed out on the photo, because usually where there is one, there is the other. Your red broms are gorgeous. I have a Treasure Chest looking lovely at the moment too, an inheritance from Leisa.
Karen, the 'so called' irrigation expert was a disappointment. He talked over me very rapidly when I was trying to explain the set up, then told me to use what has worked in the past, so I ended up with micro jets again. I just thought there might have been a ore efficient way to get water to the benches, as I try not to water the aisles, which encourages weeds. Anyway, it is installed, but I haven't turned it on yet. I also put taps in each section so I can adjust them individually, and I haven't't added the micro jets to one section untill I see how it works on the others. I discovered the hair dryer makes putting the fittings together much easier, just direct the heat at the pipe for a few moments then push the fittings in.
I am attaching most of the shade cloth today, and then removing the old timber. I left them up so I had something to stand on while attaching the cloth.
Nev, sorry to hear you are under the weather. just go with it and do nothing. Rest and fluids! Thanks for the pics of Jacks Vrieseas, and if any of you get down near Port, try to go and see him, as there is so much variety, and Jack is very happy to share his knowledge in bromeliads and their breeding.
Shirley, glad to hear your long day was exactly that and not something more sinister. We had a bit of a storm last night, I wonder if it was the same one travelling south? looks to be a nice day again, so fingers crossed. The Glenreagh timber fest is on today, so Hopefully they will get good weather. I quite liked your mix of pots, and didn't think they looked untidy at all. I've just recently started to mix my collections, and now have orchids, succulents and bonsais together in the one area. I'm afraid I don't know what your Billy might be, but it has nice spots! I have a few and one or two might be similar, but they can have such different coloring when grown differently.
I'd better get up and start my day. Happy gardening weekend everyone, and get well nev!
Sue
pic is cleared out fernery

Hi everyone,

I hope you’re all fit and well. Still not 100% myself yet so just a few more of Jack’s pic’s today.

All the best, Nev.

1 is ‘Southern Cross’, 2 is ‘Yellow Moon’, 3 is ‘Michelle Cameron’, 4 is ‘Lemon Sorbet’ and 5 is ‘Kakadu Sunrise’

Hi Nev, sorry you're still not on top of the world, lets hope you get well very soon. thanks for the pics. V. 'Yellow Moon' would be my favourite. I keep telling Jack I like those yellow ones, but I don't think its easy to get yellows in them.
I finished the fernery renovations yesterday, and now just need to fit out with benches and a little bit more gravel, and then my sales area is all ready to go. Then I just have to fill it! Its a bit cold to propagate anything much, but there are a few simple plants I can get going, such as succulents. I am looking forward to the return of the warmer weather so I can do a few cuttings of this and that.
Anyway, today I did a bit of cleaning up, putting away tools and storing all the timber from the old fernery, for use to build bridges over a few mucky spots in the yard (maybe I'll start them next week....not)
I'll leave you with a couple of pics of the new bunker
Sue

This message was edited Jul 29, 2012 6:32 PM

Hi everyone no I hadn't forgotten about this site but have been a bit busy. Thanks Nev for the close up pic’s of bill Kip I'm not convinced that my plant is the same as yours will need to compare flowers, (growing conditions might explain the difference in colour but not the sliver banding on the underside of the leaf) have posted another pic of said plant, I hope Everone is doing well to many post to catch up on, some very nice plants have been posted by all some of Koning’s vriesea’s are real stunners.
your right about the yellow vriesea's Sue hard to come by, nice green house as well
1 bill noid 2 Neo fire ball and freinds Cheers

Hi all, I hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. It has been soooo cold here the last couple of days and it’s probably worse for those of you who live further south.

Nev and Colleen (and anyone else who is crook) hope things are looking up for you.

Nev, more gorgeous vrieseas … LOVE ‘EM.

Sue, your fernery looks great … is that white shadecloth ?

I guess everyone is busy watching the Olympics … so I’ll look for some green and gold broms to post.

Bye for now, Shirley


Neo Jewellery shop pup / ae blanchetiana

Hi everyone. facebook is playing up again. last night I gave up on it and turned the computer off before I thought about dg. anyway I sat in my office with my feet up and watched a heap of episodes of mastershef right up to the finale. I enjoyed sitting with my feet up doing nothing but watch tv. it was 1:30 by the time I got into bed. LOL

anyway I've given up on fb and back on the laptop. I've done a bit of uploading of photos and named them, organised into folders by genera etc. I still have to update my spreadsheet with all the new plants over the last 4 or 5 months. yep I'm that far behind in updating. I don't think I'll even try to update the pups taken off in that time. I haven't even been recording them in the notebook. only entering newbies but even that makes quite a few pages of names to be entered. I want to try to pull the plants together again so all the same one are in the same place. might even make dedicated areas like under the stairs which is a bit darker would make a good nidularium area. but then again in summer the sun can come through the stairs so not so dark then. hmm what to do.

the pics are 2 of the pitcairnias I got from Ross Little.1 is flammea and 2 is smithiorum. this should show you why I have taken to them. flowers can last for a long long time too.

Nev hope you feel better soon. Johnny is not well again. flu made a come back after our day of fishing. propably would have been better if I'd taken my shoes off and got my feet wet instead of him. he even spent most of today sleeping so that should tell you how unwell he is. And apparently Jen is also unwell with the flu. not even up to coming to the phone apparently although I haven't tried to phone. if she feels like Johnny she is probably resting up and napping.
Wendy

the kids visited yesterday and I have to share with you the argument we had with Emily. Rylee was playing with a bucket of blocks which included the magnetic letters. she pulled out an E and we said that was E for Emily. Em came back with E was not for Emily, M is for Emily. we couldn't convince her that her name starts with E. she finally said to Pa. "listen the first sound you hear is M for Mlee"

By the way Shirley, Emily is 4 1/5 not 7. She is going to daycare 2 days a week and they are obviously learning about initial sounds at the moment for spelling words.

Sue love the new shadehouse. will make a very good sales area. you amaze me the things you take on and manage to complete ...... renovating a house, demolishing and rebuilding a shadehouse. you are so clever. would you like to go to Hervey Bay and do the yard up at my parents house so it can go on the market? Don't know when Johnny will be able to get there to do it. Between infusions and hospital visits we can't seem to get there to do it.

Better be off to bed as an early start in the morning for clinic at 9am at PAH. Night all
Wendy

Pics are the fosterellas we have flowering at the moment. these are old pics of them but same as the ones now. 1 is elata and 2 is spectabilis.

Good morning. A brisk 7 degrees here this morning. Think I'l stay indoors till 9am when the sun gets a bit of warmth in it!
Nice to see you back Mike, and don't those fireball look lush! I've had some in the garden for yonks and they haven't done much of anything. B. 'kip' looks gorgeous. Of course, I know nothing about it, but I can see why you would keep that in your collection!
Shirley, its beige/biscuit coloured cloth, and until you asked, I didn't realise how white it looks in the photos. The old cloth was green, and as its in a shady spot most of he winter, I wanted to get more light in there. Possibly, I might have to put a extra layer up in the middle of summer, but I am thinking that as there is so much height, I might just keep a couple of large palms and ferns in there to put shade over the plants that might need it.
Hello Wendy, sorry to hear Johnny is still crook, and Jen too. I thought she had been a bit quiet around the traps. Give her a hug for me (when she is better). I was thinking about your stairway problem. Could you attach shade cloth on the underside of the stairs for summer? I love your pitcairnias, but my P. flammea is completely different. I'll have to send Ross a pic and ask what I've got. I do like the P. smithorium.It looks like a little one, is it? I also have fosterella spectabilis, and had fosterella albicans, which eventually rotted, but not before setting seed in every pot around it! I must go and pick a few out and pot them up, but I'll never be able to label them until I am certain! I'm afraid I can't help out in Hervey Bay, although a working holiday doesn't sound too bad right now. I imagine it would be a bit warmer there? I have plenty here to keep me busy though, and yes, the travel plans are still on the go, just can't live in limbo forever, wondering what to do, so am going on with life as usual, which involves doing things to suit myself! heh heh
Anyway, it is coffee time for me, so I'd better get my feet on the floor and start my day!
I hope all you unwell people stay warm and well rested and hopefully you will be back with us soon?
No new pics today, but I shall try and find something new to snap one or two of later.
Sue

Hi everyone, looks like a lot of people on the sick list … Nev, Colleen, Johnny, Jen … hope you all get better soon. Karen has been very quiet too, hope she is not crook as well.

Wendy, not sure why I thought that Emily is 7 years old rather than 4 … sorry ‘bout that. She is a very smart little girl. Hope Johnny’s hospital visit went well too.

Sue, I agree that it starts to warm up around 9.00 am, which is why I like to stay in bed till then. No wonder we never get anything done !!! I would love to be able to get things done around here as quickly as you do, but early starts have no appeal at all, especially in winter.

My pic tonight is Bill Pink Champagne

Bye for now, Shirley

Morning Shirley, looks like its just us? I'm with you, 9am when I can, but sometimes I just have to get up to get things done. Today I am setting up benches in the bunker. Hubby drove me into town and we picked up half a pallet of besser blocks and sheets of mesh, so I will be putting them in place. I made a little map when I was designing the whole thing, so I know exactly where they go, and will have to cut a few in half to fit. Then I have to organise the plants in there, according to light requirements and pricing. I haven't worked that out yet, and had a hard time getting to sleep for thinking about it.
I love your B. 'Pink Champagne'! I got the same one a couple of years ago, and boy has it been slow. It was an old mum and pup, and now is two old mums and a pup, but hopefully one of the mums will throw another one or two in spring, as I'd like to see it in a clump.
I didn't take the promised photos yesterday either (slapping my own hand) I got busy moving river rocks from one place to another. Its been an ongoing job in winter, for the last three years? I should have put them in the right place the first time! I am keeping any flat ones I find, to embed in concrete pavers at a later stage.
Anyway, hope all the poor flu sufferers are feeling better today? Best wishes for you all.
I will try and find something to take a nice pic of today
Sue

Im here to....
doesnt take long for my Broms to colour, heres my Alcantarea imperialis rubra i got not long ago. Photos when i got it and now.

This message was edited Jul 30, 2012 5:54 PM

Aussie Dream?
Prinsler?

Hi everyone. I'm still around, but have had Barry here for a few days, getting him to help with some chores that are too much for one person alone. Has been great getting it done. Managed to get my miniature peach tree out of its old split pot and into a new one with new soil. Its already showing new shoots so it was now or never. The other one has had flowers already. OK not brom stuff, but haven't done anything with my broms except spray the tillandsia wall with foliage fertilizer.

Nearlly 1pm and its up to 14C in my house. Better watch it or I might get too hot, hey. Hope all bad backs, shoulders, and flu sufferers are on the mend. Anything like that really takes it out of you, so rest up until fully recovered. Wendy, so sorry Johnny isn't recovering quickly. Will say a little prayer for healing for him.

Thanks everyone for the pretty pics. Such lovely sunshine out there, somewhere beyond the trees. Might get in the car and go find a warm spot. Take care.
Karen

Just love the stripes in this - neo. Heart's Music X Grace Darling.


This message was edited Jul 30, 2012 8:02 PM

Hi everyone. nice to see all the posts.
I've spent hours tonight uploading all the pics off my camera onto the big computer. I bought a usb media card reader today so I don't have todownload to laptop, name, transfer to USB stick, move to big computer to upload and file in folders. now I can just put in the memory card and they are there on the computer. I had to name them all and file them tonight. didn't realise how often I photograph the same plants.
Pic 1 is the ae macroclamys when it started flowering back in February. I'll get a pic of the flower tomorrow as it is still looking quite nice nearly 6 months later. isn't that one worth the wait. I love aechmeas for that reason. you really get bang for your bucks ... worth the wait.
Pic 2 is cryptanthas marble green, a Margaret Paterson hybrid. it is a rabid pupper so I have a few potted up now and mum is just spitting out lots more.
Pic 3 is cryp wirley gig. I love the way this one twists and wirls. I was lucky to get a pot with 2 big plants in it so I already have 2 pots now. just waiting for some pups.

not game to upload more pics as it will proably crash. By the way Jen has been buying us plants on one of the fb forums. she gets a bit of energy and gets on the computer for an hour or so then has a bit more rest then back to check fb again. one lady has been posting pics on the forum of plants available for sale and Jen has been asking for pups for both of us so as soon as Jen is up to it I can see we'll be going back to Ipswich to pick them up. LOL

Anyway I'm off t bed now. hope these pics will upload.
Night
Wendy

good morning, glad to see a bit of action here! I'm also glad you all put photos up, because I STILL didn't get around to taking any! Today maybe? I spent a bit of time arranging besser blocks and mesh yesterday and started putting the plants back in. Some are a bit neglected and need tidying up and repotting, but its still a little cool for that kind of thing yet. According to the internet weather widget, its 5 degrees here, but that must be in town as it doesn't feel THAT cold here!
Bree, I'm not sure of the ID in your pics, but they are all lovely looking plants. Alc, imperialis rubra starts to show its best colours in winter, and if you liquid fertilise it in spring and summer, you will get very fast growth too.
Karen, aren't you lucky to get a helper. I hoe your peach tree does well? I had one that fruited every year, but the dogs were onto it and usually denuded the tree a day before the fruit was ready. Last year they ate the fruit when it was hard and green. maybe i should feed them more? Anyway, the tree is gone now, due to over watering with too much rain, so they'll have to content themselves with strawberries and mulberries this year.
Wendy, the Aechmea flower sure is a stunner. I'm glad to hear Jen is feeling better. Retail therapy obviously helps! I can't wait to see what you get. I haven't been collecting for ages now, but I actually feel like looking for something new! Its nice to have a bit of the passion returning.
Anyway, must get up and about.......and feed those hungry pooches.
Hi nev, Hope today is the day when you feel up to getting into DG and back to your usual self.
Heloo to everyone else peeping in.
Sue

Hi everyone, a big ‘get well soon’ to anyone who’s feeling out of sorts.

Sue, certainly sounds like you keep busy, wish I had your energy … and the motivation too. I must remember to take the advice you gave Bree and liquid fertilise my Alc Imperialis Rubra in spring and summer to get fast growth. I guess the same would apply to Alc Silver Plum and Alc Extensor as well.

Bree, that colour looks great. Do they keep good colour thru the summer as well.

Karen, I love neo Hearts Music x Grace Darling too. Mine has 3 pups coming along nicely at the moment, I will post a pic.

Wendy, hope you and Jen get some lovely broms when you go to Ipswich.

Well, that’s it for me for today, bye for now, Shirley


First pic is neo Hearts Music x Grace Darling, second pic is neo Nelson ?





This message was edited Aug 1, 2012 9:00 PM

Heres my Nelson..i didnt know Nelson is Pitch Black x Pitch Black.

Hi Shirley, not sure about being full of energy, but I do find it hard to stop and relax. It can be a pain, literally, as my back muscle are weak and it doesn't take much to leave me sore, but once I get my teeth into a good project, I keep going until its done........usually.
Liquid fertiliser for all Alcs is great. You will lose some of the winter colour as the weather warms, and also when fertilising, the plant will become more green. Just a normal fert, like thrive or something, made up at half strength and applied fortnightly is sufficient, and is better than giving them nothing. Of course, if you are short of room, don't fertilise, and they will take much longer to get big!
crikey, that N. 'Nelson' has wide leaves. Is it a big plant?
I did a quick wander around the garden with the camera yesterday afternoon,and the sun was quite low, so it was a little hard to get any good photos, but I think I managed a few
first is a Neo that I believe is 'Sunday Best'?
Second is a little unnamed Neo, but he's nice and dark, a bit on the purple side.
third is Vriesea phillipo coburgii
fourth is the underside of Alc. 'Silver Plum'
And last is a bloom on Oncidium 'Sharry baby' which smells like chocolate. Yummmmm
Sue

Hi everyone,

Sorry I haven't been "pulling my weight" on this site recently, but I just haven't been up to it. I've still been admiring all of the pic's though.

Sue - I like your new shade house, you certainly don't muck around once you set your mind to do something, I could certainly use your expertise around this yard at present as I just can't get motivated and still feel so weak.

Just a couple more of Jack's Vrieseas to finish: 1: Bullion ‘Green Gold’, 2: Bushranger, 3: Bushranger ‘Most Wanted’, 4: Bushranger ‘Stand and Deliver’, 5: Comboyne Plateau

All the best, Nev.

Hello everyone, very cold here the past couple of days … down to 4 degrees this morning and I had to get up early too. I have been cold all day other than for about 10 minutes I spent in the sun early this morning. Too bloody cold for me.

Bree, you certainly have great colour in your broms, your neo Nelson looks quite different to mine, they don’t even look like the same plant. I haven’t had mine long so maybe it will colour up more given better light.

Sue, thanks for the info on fertilizing Alcs. As for neo Nelson, I wouldn’t say it is a big plant, maybe medium sized and not a lot of leaves. If I get a chance tomorrow I will measure it across its widest point. Love that little unnamed neo in your second pic … rather fancy the really dark neos and your Sunday Best is another for my wish list.

Nev, hope you’re feeling better. I feel a bit fluey today myself … maybe just tired, hope so anyway. Again lovely vrieseas … wish I could take my pick … would be very difficult to pick just one though.

My pics tonight are bill Tarantella and neo Fiesta ?

Bye for now Shirley

Shirley- yes my broms keep there colour in summer as well, there all in pretty much full sun so they colour quickly but there is some broms i cant keep that need shade, which i dont have in my yard.
I could be wrong but i dont think your Nelson is Nelson, its awsome though, i like it better than mine. How big is it?
Heres pics of the Nelsons on the brom society international

Hi everyone,

I hope everyone's fit and well. Seems like I'm going to live after all, although still a bit weak after "Mr Gastro" paid me a visit.

I have so much work to do around the yard that it's difficult to know where to start so I think I'll just compile a list of jobs to be done and list them in order of priority and start at No 1 and hopefully work through them.

I still haven't taken any new pic's so a few old file shots today, just to keep the pic's coming.

1 is Ae Blanchetiana x Eurycorymbus a very large plant which takes up quite a lot of the garden. 2 is Edmundoa Lindenii 'Rosea', 3 is Vr. Fosteriana (Large Form) this plant is almost 5' across and still growing, 4 and 5 are a couple of shots taken just after a shower of rain freshened everything up.

All the best, Nev.

Glad to see you up and about after your visit from Mr 'G', Nev. I wish I did live closer, as I would gladly offer help in your yard, and could probably make some room there! heh heh. The weather over the last few years has really held me back from alot of projects, and just a few days of sunshine makes a difference to how much I can knock over, especially when I've been stewing on said projects for so long.
Shirley,I hope you are not coming down with the flu. Keep warm! I do like Bill. 'Tarantula'. Its one i hovered over alot when shopping on Ebay, but I've never seen one in real life. I have Neo. 'Fiesta' also, and I grew alot of seedlings from it, but they have all turned out to be rather wishy washy, so have been relegated to the garden to see if the pups are any better, otherwise, 'MULCH'.
Today is looking a little overcast, which would be right, as I was going to weed spray the drive ways, fertilise the orchid, pest spray the shade houses and bindii spray the lawn. Unless it clears up by ten, and the wind doesn't pick up, I'll have to find something else to do.
Nev, I can't believe how big your V. fosteriana is getting! All your plants look so happy. I think I have seedlings of the Blanchy x Eury? They are doing quite well, and are almost ready to go into the garden, as soon as the coll weather is passed.
Anyway, better go recharge the computer as it has informed me there is only 4% battery left. Darn it, no card games for me this morning!
Have a good day everyone.
Sue

Hi everyone. I guess my being very quiet lately is Natures way of trying to tell me something's wrong. Again. This time a huge abscess on my tooth. Face is swollen so all the wrinkles have flattened out. Tried my first food in 3 days this morning, some boiled egg. Hope I can keep it down. Painkillers are making me feel so sick. Hopefully, the antibiotics are finally starting to kick in so I won't have to take so many painkillers.

Take care
Karen

Hi everyone, still very cold here, so hard to get out of bed of a morning.

Bree, I am not sure of the name, I was told it was Nelson but like you say, it’s very different to the pics on the brom registry. It measures approx. 35-40 cm across.

Nev, good to hear you’re going to make it but you should take it easy till you recover fully.

Sue, don’t think it’s the flu I’ve got … just a bit of a head cold, bit achey and a sniffle … think I’ll live. It’s keeping warm that’s a bit hard to do at the moment ... can’t believe how cold it is. Thanks for the correct spelling of bill tarantula, though I couldn’t find it on the registry. As for neo Fiesta, when I first got mine it had a lot better colour than it has now. It went quite green and is only just starting to get back some of its former colour. I’ll post a pic of it when I purchased it … it was lovely and hopefully will be again one of these days. Do you really mulch your broms Sue, don’t think I could bear to do that, even if they were a bit ordinary. Have to admit to being a bit obsessive about my plants, even have to pot up the cuttings when I prune … guess that’s why I have so many plants. Mind you, I’m always on the lookout for more.

Karen, sorry to hear you have been crook, get well soon.

Have a good weekend everyone. Shirley

Pic is neo Fiesta

Hellloooo ... I know it's COLD but is everybody hibernating ???

Gee sounds like everyone’s bit crook, hope it was not a computer virus spread by Dave’s garden! I’ve been off the net so maybe that why I haven’t been hit yet famous last words, Hope everyone gets better quickly. And as for it being cold down south it’s been cold up here as well!!! Mornings have been down to 4 degrees. But the days have not been to bad low 20’s I’m helping a mate to refurbishing an industrial shed which is the reason for my not posting much on this site it’s a big job, so I will not be able to pop in as often. Sue sounds like your busy doing your own constriction work I’m about to in large one of my green houses as well (when I get time) they get away from you these Broms don’t they.
1 is Neo Kahala Dawn 2 edmoundoa lindinii 3 Alcantarea Tarawera .Cheers

Hi Shirley nice Vr is it Speckles I like the green mixed in with the snake skin patten

Hi everyone
Mike I've never heard of alc tarawera. if you ever get a spare grass pup please let me know. I'd love to give that one a go. It looks like a nice red one. We put down seeds of edmundoa lindenii years ago before we realised we wouln't get variegated seedlings from it. they are getting very big now .... probably full grown almost. I'll try to remember to get a pic tomorrow and post it so you can see. they are looking really nice now so we may sell a few if anyone is interested in them at our sale.

We were going to have a sale next weekend until we hear the weather forcast. Westerly winds arrive on Friday so temps will plumet and winds will blow. anyone would think it is ekka time. oh yeh it is next week. westerlies are just on time. anyway our carport is open to the westerlies which will wistle through under the house and out the back so if we went ahead with the sale we'd have nowhere to hide from them. With Jen and Johnny both recovering from the flu I wouldn't like to see them victims of that cold wind so best postpone for a week. We've started setting up already too. If anyone turns up early we'll be ready for them. We had one group turn up today to see what we had. they got a few and said they'd be back next week. Johnny sold my vr racinae that I was waiting for a seed pod to pop so I could grow some. Gone now. I'll have to wait for next one to set seed.

We are starting to pick seed off a really special clone of nova at the moment. Very big with nice fat leaves. I've put down 1/3 of a seed pod which filled a large square plastic container. They go a long way don't they? I have 3 seed pods now so that means 8 more containers at least. don't know where we would put them when they growup.

Shirley is that vrisea one of ours? looks familiar. That fiesta looks a nice plant. We have sunday best and I think that one pups quite well. not like some of the other sunday's.
Pic 1 is ae macroclamys back in February when it started to flower and pic 2 is the other day. still looks OK after 6 months.

Best be off to bed now.

Night everyone.

Wendy

Hello bromaholics.
What a gorgeous day! Thats the only reason I haven't been in, just too busy enjoying the sunshine in the garden.
Sorry shirley, i didn't even realise you hadn't spelled tarantula correctly. I knew exactly who you meant though. I haven't looked at the registry for a long time. I wonder where it comes from? Yes, i am serious about mulch. Actually, i just bin the broms that stay a bronzy green. i grow them fairly hard, so if they are going to colour, I should have seen something by now, but on the advice of a wise man, I am hanging onto a few seedlings to see what the pups are like,as apparently they can be slightly different, and hopefully an improvement. I used to keep all my prunings to propagate from too, and hence having plant sales, but i am alot more selective now, as somethings don't sell well, and it gets expensive and time consuming looking after too many of something, for too long.
Gee Karen, you just don't get a break eh? I hope you manage to keep your food down, and that the swelling goes and takes the wrinkles with it! heh heh. get well soon and take care of yourself!
Hi Mike, sounds like you are busy, busy too? Our temps are similar to yours. 7 this morning and 21 through the day, which is lovely if you find a protected spot. I went to an undercover market this morning and the wind was howling through there, it was freezing. then i went to the open air one at the beach, not a breath of wind and gloriously warm. No, I didn't buy plants. I got honey, avocados and a couple of books. We will forgive you for not being in as much, just as long as you always post stunning photos as you do. I guess Alc. 'Tarawera' is a Kiwi hybrid? Tarawera being a place of volcanic activity over there. Put me on the list after Wendy. I did get seed for Alc. 'Red Ensign' another Kiwi hybrid, but they all deteriorated after germination, along with another batch of kiwi seed. I'm suss that they may have been treated?
Wendy, I put down seed from a variegated Edmundoa lindenii also, and they are huge. Of course, none are variegated and hopefully some will flower soon so i can move them on to make more room. I hope your next sale is a nice warm balmy day! And when those vriesea gigantea seedlings get too big, just send them down here for safe keeping eh?
Well, it looks like the sun is just about to drop behind the trees, and a cool breeze is picking up, so time to head indoors and close up the house for the evening. I noticed my time on Dg is set wrong too, and must still be daylight savings time, so I'm an hour ahead I think?
talk again tomorrow probably.
Sue
pic one is Neoregelia 'Turn About'
Pic two is Neo. 'Break Of day' in a clump

Hi everyone, Sue you are right on the money (again) Alc Tarawera is a kiwi vini colour it could be a long wait for a pup so far it's had no hair pups and it is starting to flower, sorry Wendy might have to see if I can pollinate the thing a bit like silver plum.
I had a conversation over the phone with Nev and we spoke about P.H and potting mix, as well as many other things!!!!!! So will post a little information on why I use dolomite to sweeten my mix this was from a talk I gave to a garden club,
P H and Brom mix.
In almost every publication about bromeliad cultivation I have read I’m told that they are acid lovers (sounds like the 60’s generation) this might be true about broms, but, I’ve yet to come across anything definitive about what is the optimal pH balance the mix should be? I’m sure its out there but to date I haven’t come across it!
From my own observation and experimentation I have come to the conclusion that a pH of 6 to 6.5 gives me my best results.
Heres an easy reference guide to pH, I clipped from the web.
pH is a measure of the acidity and alkalinity of the soil using a scale from 1 to 14; where 7 is neutral, less than 7 is acid and greater than 7 is alkaline. Fresh, clean water is neutral with a pH of 7, lemon juice is very acid with a pH of 2.6 and baking soda is very alkaline with a pH of 8.5. It is important to remember that pH is a logarithmic scale, so the difference between a pH of 7 and a pH of 6 is ten times the acidity, between 7 and 5 is a 100 times the acidity and between 7 and 4 is a 1000 times the acidity so it is obvious that this will have a major impact on the ability of plants to grow. pH is used as an indicator of the availability of other nutrients in the soil but only hydrogen ions are actually measured.
I use a simple pH test kit where you use a liquid indicator mixed with a sample of what your testing, and a powder highlighter, each test kit comes with a colour card then you match the colour on the card to your test sample that gives you a pH level. Most brom growers I know use pine bark as a base for their potting mix! If you test fresh pine bark you will find it to have a pH of around 3.5 to 4.
At that level I believe it to be almost toxic for your plant, it might survive, but I don’t think it will thrive! I use dolomite to raise the pH of my pine bark, I mix a nitrogen’s fertilizer (I know broms do not like a high level of nitrogen fertilizer) with dolomite mix it with the pine bark then add water by the end of four weeks the nitrogen is used up and the pH would have gone up, how much of each do you use! That’s something your going to have to play around with but as a thumbnail guide, one to one and a half kilos of dolomite per cubic metre of pine bark should lift the pH by one unit and a hand full of fertilizer. Now of cause this is not science but only what I have been experimenting with, {you know what science is? its an idea that’s tested and tried, put through trials and retested, its like the ten scientist in a room arguing about whether its raining or not so agree to test the theory! so half of them go outside, and when they come back they are drenched, after much debate they form a consensus that there’s a 50% probability that it’s raining and that’s science)

now a couple of pic's
1 Vr Lucky Len
2 VrElifi Nathasa