BROMELIADS FOR NOVICES & ADDICTS JULY & AUGUST 2012

That's a lovely well formed plant, Nev. Very nice indeed. And Sue, love the tubs. I love the old, used look on those sorts of things, even some "rust" colour or copper daubs? Or both with black streaks? Moss green? Oh dear, stop me someone, please.

Hello everyone. I'm still pottering around but not a lot happening here. Nice to pop in and see all your pics though. I have a few new pups on some of my plants which is exciting, and at least 2 budding up to flower, ones I haven't seen before. Did anyone see the Australian Gardening show tonight? I really enjoyed seeing the last segment showing the Catlans gardens.

Must get the camera out and see what is worth taking more pics of down the back. With the coming of Spring, I can feel my plant love stirring again.

Karen

Hi everyone, hope you are all having a good weekend.

Sue, I know exactly what you mean by getting side tracked in the garden … it happens to me all the time. I agree with Nev on not painting the laundry tub, I like the au naturale look as well. Good luck with your bridge building … and you got breakfast in bed … lucky you. Is that succulent an aeonium ‘velour’

Wendy, hope you and Jen enjoy your Brom Society meeting. And good luck with your new Honda CRV too.

Nev, those are nice pics of Vr Galaxy on the BCR, I especially like the albo marginated one. And yes, I do know better than try to move heavy things by myself but I didn’t ask Michael for help ‘cos he has a bad back !!! Mine is actually not too bad today … I have been using the wheat pack and that helps. I have been seeing a physiotherapist a couple of times a week for a painful right hip and have another appt on Monday so will have to have her work on the back injury too. Your neo ‘Rosella’ is a beauty.

Bree, I can relate to what you said about how you can’t buy just one brom … it’s to save postage, right :o) … that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Karen, yes, we saw the abc gardening show tonight about the Catlans gardens. We rarely get down as far as Jacobs Well but certainly looks like it would be worth the trip … maybe one day !!

We did a rather severe pruning (more of a massacre really) in the front garden today. Mind you, when I say we, my part was directing and supervision only. It looks a bit sad at the moment but in a couple of weeks it will start to take off and look so much better.

Hope to get to the market in the morning … need another brom fix.

Bye for now, Shirley


Pic is neo Bobby Dazzler

woot-woot, look at all the chatter in here! Nice to see everyone dropping in.
I have listened to your advice and think I will save myself the trouble and leave the laundry tubs 'as is'. There are hippeastrium bulbs planted in front, which will eventually hide the front of it when they get their new foliage, but not in time for the comp I think? I wish the judging was this week as there is quite a bit of colour there now, which will probably be gone in a week or so. nevermind.
Nev, if I am successful with any of the Billies and the chantinii, I will certainly send you some seed to try, as you seem to have the magic touch with growing them on. I put all the Aechmea seedlings (from you) that showed cold damage last year, into the hot house for winter, and you should see how lush and green they look! I will be putting them into the garden in morning sun, very soon, but hope they don't burn because they are so tender looking. Maybe I'll give them a spell in a bright spot in the shade house for a couple of weeks first? I think they are blanchettiana varieties, and the Portea Luiz something or other? I would have to check the label. I took a couple of photos of the nudicaulis flower and the bower bird seedling too, which i will post at the bottom. I wish we had a society here in Coffs, where we coud find out about showing plants e.t.c. I am going out with the Coffs garden club this week, to see some of the previous winning gardens, which should give me an idea on what the judges like.
Bree, love your new plants. My favourite is N. 'Running Red River'. I love 'Silver Plum'too, but wish it would get grass pups. It will be a long time before i can get seed to grow more! I had N. 'Rosella' but who knows where it is now! I have sold a few things on that I wish I hadn't, but I can always get them again, and it gives me something to shop for!
Karen, nice to see you back. i hope you are well and rested? I didn't see the gardening show, so will have to find the ABC online and see if I can watch it. I love going to the catlans, such good bargains to be had, and lovely people. I am glad you are beginning to feel the joys of spring, there's nothing quite like it eh? I hope you find something to take a pic of for us.
Shirley, I'd like to do a massacre in my garden too, but it would leave it a bit ugly for the comp, so I'll have to do my big prune a bit later than usual. There's nothing that is too out of control, as I have been snipping all winter, but a couple of wattles need cutting back to let some light in on the plantings beneath. I took the pics of Alc. heloisae for you so here goes.
the first pic is Alc. heloisae from above
the second pic is showing her side by side with Alc. imperialis rubra o show size
the third pic is Nevs nudicaulis seedling in flower, which reminds me of A.'Nivea' so I'd say gamosepala in there, Nev?
pic four is the bower bird seedling, which has definitely got gamosepala in it!
pic five is Aechmea recurvata 'Blush' coming into flower
Sue

Hi everyone, though it looks like you and me again, Sue.

I love the pics of your Alc heloisae, very nice. I did manage to get hold of one today but it’s a bit shabby looking. I am sure that, with a little TLC, it will come good. I will attach a pic. I got a couple of small broms at the market as well, neither of them named, which is a shame.

It was rather warm today though a cold start to the morning … guess Spring is well and truly on the way.

Hope everyone had a good weekend, bye for now, Shirley

Has anyone else noticed how much quicker DG is to load photos since the format changed ??

love all the pics everyone. We had a great time yesterday at the society meeting. peter tristram's talk was so good with slide shows. lots of the pics looked familiar as I have been to his place with Sue and Belinda. Got some lovely plants from him and other GC growers too. Prices seem to be cheaper at GC as the sellers are all older couples. The BSQ is too full of commercial growers and prices reflect their prices so we are going to join the GC one next month which is the start of their year.

Anyway I picked a few of PT's plants at the start and at cuppa time I was talking to Peter and said if a certain couple plants were still there at the end I would take them just so he didn't have to pack them to take home again. So he said give me $20 now and you can have them. I quickly peeled off $20 and passed it over as I think from memory those plants were marked at $30 or $35 so it was a good price. Then at the end when he started packing up grabbed a great white ($40) and a mac rolf $20 or $30 (can't remember) and said I would save him taking them home for a good price and he said $50 and it was a deal. so I got some really good plants. He showed us some of his seedlings coming on. he has the knack of picking unusual pairs to cross and they seem to work well. he is also doing some good variegated crosses. he thought if Chester can do it and he has the same parent plants then why can't he produce the same type of plants. So he set about it and has some nice stuff coming on.

I'll take pics tomorrow of the new plants I got from him as I still have to pot them up. We also drove up past Ipswich today to deliver our spa to it's new home. tomorrow we will start turning the area into a new seedlings area. we have some shelves to put up in there. we decided to go with free standing shelving so we can drop plastic blinds for winter. we will play around with how to set them out over the next few weeks. I'll take some pics to share of before and after (if I remember in the morning)

Anyway off to bed now. Night all
Wendy

Hi everyone - Well I've been flat out like a toe counter in a centipede factory. We had our workshop last Saturday and now I have to get plants ready for our monthly meeting next Saturday as well as preparing plants for exhibition and sales at our annual show the weekend after, so it’s head down and bum up.

Has anyone heard from Colleen? It seems this back injury is hanging on for a lot longer than she originally thought it would. I can just imagine the difficulty she’s having trying to look after two young boys on her own with a crook back. However now the warm weather is coming it should make it a bit more comfortable for her.

Anyway get well soon Colleen and also anyone else who’s on the sick list.

Sue - These Nudicaulis seedlings that all the experts said would just be “selfings” are certainly proving them all wrong aren’t they? They seem to all have the Nudicaulis scapes and upright inflorescence and the Gamosepala flowers; and as you say, the ones with the white flowers do look a bit like Ae Nivea.

So far I’ve had varied flower colours right through from white, pale blue, deep blue/purple, mauve and purple petals, combined with the main body of the flowers which have been pale pink, apricot, tangerine, coral, deep lolly pink and magenta; so quite a cross section of colour. That’s what makes hybridizing and fiddling with seeds so interesting, you never know what you’re going to get.

Today I was looking at a couple of Bill’s I pollinated a few weeks ago and they still look like they might be making seed pods. Does anyone know how long they take before they are ripe? What about you Wendy, how long did yours take to ripen?

It’s easy to tell that spring is almost here, all of the Ae. recurvatas are starting to show some colour. The ones in my yard with the most colour are the ones growing in what’s left of the old Peppercorn Tree which had to be half cut down because it was dying. I had previously grown some recurvata pups on a couple of branches, but since the top half of the tree has gone they are getting unrestricted sun and are really starting to colour up nicely and in a week or two they should be a mass of bright orange.

Well that’s about all I have time for today so I’ll finish with a few pic’s which D.G. has got all out of order somehow. Pic 5 is Neo ‘Mesmerize’ a nice hybrid by Rob Smythe of Townsville, Pic 1 is Neo ‘Burgundy Moss’ which is unregistered so I have no idea who made it, Pic 2 is Neo ‘Rosatina’ x concentrica; one of the larger Neo’s with a diameter of about 22”, Pic 3 is one of the many clones of Neo Correia-araujoi which is a bit bigger still and pic 4 (a not very good shot) of the top of what’s left of my old Peppercorn Tree which is the home for a few Ae. Recurvatas.

All the best, Nev.

Hi all,

Wendy, looking forward to seeing pics of your new plants, sounds like you got some bargains.

Nev, sounds like you are keeping very busy. Your neo Mesmerize is very nice and I like the way you have Ae recurvatas growing on the Peppercorn tree. And as you said, we all hope Colleen is well again soon.

Nothing much happening here, so, bye for now, Shirley


pics are Ae Orlandianas Ensign and Reverse Ensign

he all. Nev I collected some more pods from orlandiana rainbow and washed and dried them for you. I also noticed that the orlandiana snowflake which is mounted on a branch up to right of rainbow also had some purple pods looking from the ground so I had to get the ladder and have a look. I collected quite a few pods and also washed and dried them. I just remember though that the sieve full of seed is still sitting on top of a large neo down under the tree. now I hope it doesn't rain tonight or the wind blow too much to blow them down and spill our seed. So I don't know if the two orlandianas pollinated each other or if it was any of the many aechmeas in the same area. the macroclamys was flowering in that same garden a while back as well as bert, echidna, comata and possibly even recurvata so could have been anything. I'm looking forward to seeing what we get from them Nev. I'll pack them up and get them in the post for you soon. did you still want a pup of hula girl also? I can make a small parcel up. what other pups did you want?

In regard to the billbergia seed pods, I was told to watch for a change of colour on the pod. you will notice the change when it happens and the seed pod also goes soft and squishy. I found if it was ready it came away easily if not it wanted to hang on if you know what I mean.

I took photos today of the spa area before Johnny started on it. The wall is all done and the floor has been cleaned ready for oiling tomorrow morning. then we'll organise our trolleys and shelves etc. I'd say another couple days and we'll be ready to set out our seedlings. I'll get progress shots as we go.

I'm babysitting in the morning so I need to get some sleep so I'll say goodnight now. talk again tomorrow.

Wendy

Heres mine Shirley. Reverse i think. Its the difference just the spines?

Hello. Spring is definitely in the air. Even we are chattering more than usual. Love it!

Got some pics but nothing new. Hope they look alright.

Karen

Billbergia Rocky Road is a big favourite of mine. This is actually the pup from my original plant.
Blanchetiana with new pup. Exciting stuff :)
Years ago I moved this plant and just dumped it (no pot) on an old rusty iron chair. It has loved it there and clumped up beautifully.
Vr. Angela budding up for the first time. This is still my original plant.
and Vr. Hieroglyphica recovered from an extreme bout of sunburn a couple of years ago. I am pleased it came along so well.

Hi everyone – Another nice day here again today and just when I thought “you beaut”, I’ll get a bit of work done and knock over a few more of those jobs for our show, I twisted my bloody knee and am now hobbling around like a cripple, so it looks like I’ll catch up on a bit of computer work I’ve been putting off instead.

Shirley – I love the two plants you posted pic’s of and Ensign is one of my all-time favorites. I’ve tried to grow it here for years with no luck. After three attempts I finally suspected it may just be a clone which didn’t like my conditions, as all of the plants I had tried were all from the same clone which was the only available in our local area. I had never had a problem growing other types of Ae orlandianas, just this particular Ensign. So I sent out an S.O.S. to a couple of my northern brom growing friends to see if I could get a different clone and bingo! I got two, one from northern NSW and the other from Queensland.

At this stage they are both growing extremely well under the same conditions where my other one wouldn’t grow. So the moral of the story is, if at first you don’t succeed, don’t give up. Try and source a plant from a different area and see if that makes a difference; it did for me.

Breeindy – I’ve never taken much notice of the spines as I’ve been too busy just trying to grow it; however the difference between the Ensign and the Ensign Reverse is just that, they are reversed; Ensign has white leaf margins and a greenish centre area while the reverse Ensign has green leaf margins with the creamy white centre area. I still like Ensign the best though as it gets much more colour (at least down here anyway)

Wendy – I’m looking forward to receiving the seed and quite frankly I don’t really care who or what pollinated them with what; they should be very interesting given the plants you had in flower at the time, but I must make a list of them too so we have an idea of who the other parent may have been.

I would certainly like a pup of Neo. ‘Hula Girl’ if you have one to spare and also one of Ae. Macroclamys if you have one. Send me a D Mail and tell me what would you like in exchange?

I’ve just harvested a few more seed pods from some (small) Neo. crosses I did using Neo ‘Small World’, Neo ‘Cheery Day’ and Neo ‘Break of Day’ as the seed parents and the offspring could be quite an interesting mixture.

There was quite a bit of seed so anyone wanting a bit, just let me know and I’ll send you some. I can’t guarantee the viability though as I haven’t even sown mine yet so you just have to take your chances.

Karen – I don’t know Bill. ‘Rocky Road’, but it certainly has nice colour. The pic of the plant on the chair looks a bit like one we grow down here called Neo ‘Stormy Forest’ and it just proves the old theory that brom’s do better growing “on” something rather than “in” something. As for Vr. Angela, well it can still hold its own against the best of them when it’s grown in good light, still a beautiful vriesea, and Vr. hieroglyphica, well it just keeps on going and going and is a beautiful “eye catching” plant.

I meant to tell you all that I heard from Colleen and she’s watching in occasionally and her back is gradually coming good. She also says that the two young grandsons have been really good and helping a lot, so isn’t that great?

That will do me for today and I’ll finish with a few more pic’s hopefully in the right order this time. The first is Nidularium ‘Litmus’ and if you look very closely you can just see a hint of blue starting on the edge of the scapes. Pic 2 is a Billbergia seedling from Bill. Hallelujah x Strawberry (not my cross unfortunately), Pic 3 is my Bill. Hallelujah very much in need of tidying up or even divided (I haven’t decided yet) Pic 4 and 5 are very similar and are two seedlings colouring up for the first time from a cross between Neo. Concentrica x ‘Burgundy Beauty’ (unreg.) and are obviously both showing the Neo. concentrica colouring combined with the smaller size of the Burgundy Beauty.

All the best, Nev.

Oooops!!

Nev made a "boo boo".

When you read what I wrote about Nidularium ‘Litmus’ I said "if you look very closely you can just see a hint of blue starting on the edge of the scapes". I don't know what I was thinking about at the time but I should have said "if you look very closely you can just see a hint of blue starting on the edge of the bracts"

If you check a brom. "glossary" you will see that a "bract" is: " a leaflike plant part, sometimes brightly coloured and located below a flower or on the stalk of a flower cluster".

A "scape" on the other hand is "the stem of the inflorescence, usually extending beyond the leaves".

Sorry about that.

All the best, Nev.

hello all, just a quick drop in. I have had a rello drop in unexpectedly and am finding it hard to get a moment to drop by. I love all the pictures and Karens chair bromeliads look great.
Wendy, it sounds like you got a fw nice plants at some really great prices. I look forward to some photos of the spa area and the new plants sometime.
Nev, I didn't pick up on the scape/bracts mix up. But I knew what you meant! Nice colour in those last two Neos too. Sorry to hear about your knee. Geeze, you should be more careful! heh heh.
Sorry to hear you are still suffering Colleen. Are you getting any treatment? I hope you are up and about soon, what with spring coming on.
Shirley, I've noticed how much quicker it is to load photos, and they also appear before I post, so I can see I have picked the right one.
Well, I went and looked at the champion gardens from last years comp, and there is no way my WHOLE yard could be that tidy all at once. My place is a continual work in progress, with a half finished project around every corner and a new one beginning. I like it anyway, and I think thats what counts. I've got one more paver to make, and the bridge was built on sat/sun, and just needs oiling. I will have to wait until the rello and her dogs have moved on though, as I need to clean the paw prints off first! They have had a ball running around and making full use of the yard.
I'll leave you with a pic of where it was up to on sunday afternoon
Sue

hi everyone. Nev I have done up a packet of rainbow seeds for you as well as a packet of snowflake. I've already put down a tray of each and can't wait to see what we get from them. I think I've almost harvested every pod on them both now. the ordinary orlandiana had no fertile pods so something in that garden really took the liking of the birds I think. I'll climb up and check the rainbow in the front yard to see if they also found that one. I've attached pics of rainbow and snowflake in pic 1 & 3.

Pic 2 is the spa area after it was cleared out and floor swept clean

I'm so glad we get to preview our pics as I noticed that pic 3 of spa area uploaded quicker than the snowflake so I was able to change the pic numbers.

Pic 1 here is of the new seedling area with the floor oiled and the back wall done in tin on bottom to block those cold & blowy SE winds and shadecloth on top half for air and sunshine. on the north side we've left the open balistrades on bottom with shadecloth on top half. The rainwater tanks are other side of that wall. there will be a bit of pure early morning sunshine coming through that open parts to warm the seedlings in early mornings. Pic 2 shows the older area with tin on right and the old spa area on left part. now the spa area is just a continuation of the older area.

Pic 3 & 4 are new vriseas from the GC brom meeting. Pic 3 is vr red chestnut x hunter. I know how big this one may grow know how big hunter is. it is already a good size so can imagine what it will become. Pic 4 is gulz x ingrid. I liked the vertical striping and lovely pink tips. looks like it will be really good.

I just had to include Pic 5 which is one of John Catlans hybrids. I love it as it is so deep dark red and it flowering at present. It is vr platynema x red chestnut x suckei. the picture doesn't show the deep rich colour but it will give you an idea. It is also a good size against some of the other vriseas around it. I really like it and hope Johnny will try some crosses using it.

Sue I love your bridge. Is that going to be a permanent water feature under it or just an overflow dry creek bed.

That will do me for tonight. I did babysitting duties today but it was only Rylee (1yo) so had a nice rest and read a new magazine once she went down for a sleep. Tomorrow we pick up our new car but have to collect cash to pay for it as that is what the man wants. had to ring the bank today to make sure they would have it ready for me. don't want that counted out in front of everyone in the building.

Night all
Wendy

wow isn't this loading so quick tonight. I love it.

Hello Everyone!

I just discovered this wonderful website and I am thrilled to bits. I really enjoyed reading everyone's threads and looking at everyones beautiful brom' photo's, so much so that I decided to register and introduce myself.

Hi my names Trish from Nth Qld, I am a keen gardener and my favourite plants happen to be Bromeliads simply because of their amazing colours / patterns that constantly amaze me, along with their easy upkeep and the wonderful pups they constantly produce.

I collect a bit of everything, but my two favourites are Neo's and Vriesea's.

I will upload a couple of photo's on the weekend.

Until then, I look forward to speaking to you all soon.

Happy gardening!

Trish :)

Hi everyone, great to see so many regulars posting and a warm welcome to Trish too.

Trish, you will find the members of this forum very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. I joined the forum at the begining of the year and have found everyone to be friendly and supportive and very generous with their advice. I started collecting broms about a year ago and very quickly became addicted to them, my favourites, like yours, are neos and vrieseas. My collection is quite small compared to many of the other forum members but I'm working on it :o)

Karen, great that your Vr Hieroglyphica has recovered so well after burning. My vr Hiero is the only vriesea I have had any problems with. It was one of the first I purchased and has grown very little and always looks rather poorly. I even repotted it, added a little fertilizer … don’t know what else I can do. Perhaps like Nev's Ensign, it's just not a good specimen and maybe I should get another.

Nev, I hope your knee is not too painful and doesn’t stop you from organising your spring show. Good to hear you are having better luck with your Ae Ensign and glad to hear Colleen is recovering.

Sue, your bridge looks good. I think we need you at our place ... you really get things done, as do Wendy and Johnny. We seem to take forever to get things completed.

Wendy, love the pics of your Rainbow and Snowflake. Are the aechmeas as slow growing as neos ?? Love your new vrieseas too. You will no doubt recognise my pic tonight … one of your babies, neo Bruiser … gorgeous.

Bye for now, Shirley

Hello again. A bit cool this morning. Who turned off the heater?

Trish, a big warm welcome to you. Looking forward to chatting and seeing your pics.

Nev, I really like that cross between Neo. Concentrica x ‘Burgundy Beauty. I have always like those colours, but steered away from bigger plants. That this is a smaller plant really adds to its appeal, IMO.

Wow, Wendy, you have been busy. I remember you saying something about the spa going. Looks great. Congrats on the new car too.

Sue, love the little bridge and look forward to seeing it finished.

Hello Colleen. Hope you continue to take it easy and heal properly. Can't do much without a healthy back. Did Pat tell you we visited her at the craft shop? Wonderful place to visit. We'll be going back for more goodies.

Shirley, I got my Hieroglyphica as a very tiny pup, so maybe it grew into the conditions I have here. It doesn't seem to be a fast grower though getting sunburnt knocked it back a lot. I actually didn't think it would survive as every leaf was burned to a crisp.

A few more current pics of my plants.

Karen

Neo. Enchantment, still a young plant but colouring up nicely.
An unnamed mini neo.
Another noid, but one of my favourites.
Yet another unknown but I like this one too.
Neo. Buccaneer. No sign of this one pupping yet. Maybe soon. I like this one in a clump.

Hi Everyone, how are you all going, loving all the photos as usual :)

A big Welcome to Trish, I'm sure like Shirley said you will find this a wonderful forum and with loads of great information. Quite a few of us started right here, including me :) I'm up North past Cairns, so it's nice to have another North Queenslander on here :)

Sue that little bridge and water way looks amazing, you are so lucky to have a property to do that kind of thing on. I hope you don't cop the kind of flooding you had last time though :)
The new seedling area looks good Wendy and looks like you picked up a couple of nice Vrieseas.
Everyones Aechmea orlandiana's look good, we have the normal one, Rainbow and Reverse Ensign. Still never got the real Ensign, lol.
Wow Nev that clump on Bill. Hallelujah is pretty cool. I was only looking at our Hallelujah the other day and I was surprised how the pup looks quite different to the mum. I have noticed so many crosses are done with Hallelujah yet it seems to be quite a variable grower itself. Mine has taken a long time to give a pup it seems, (it probably hasn't in all honesty I'm just being impatient, lol) cause I would love to see it as a nice big clump. I'll find a pic.
Nothing much else happening, haven't brought anything new in a while, just a big Alc bunnings the other day. Before that I think the latest acquisitions were Vriesea Super Nova and Snows Of Manua Kea, both just babies.

Well pic one is Bill Hallelujah and the 2nd pic is just a quick snap in the brom house the other day.

Have a great day everyone
Tash

Hi everyone. What an eyeopener this page is.
I live in Mackay and started collecting broms in March last year and if it is different , I want it or at least have done. I have bought some duds and some good ones. The wet season played havok with some and crown rot took some. I love Cryptanthus with their variety of colours and spreading habit. I am also an experimenter and have recently started growing from seeds.I started Acanthrostaccys strobilla on24June and they are now 2" high, I have also started some Aechmea who knows which one and they are 1" tall. I am in the process of potting them on into1.5" seed trays. I tried starting Alacantrea regina alba syn vresia regina alba on the same day and they are just germinating. Yesterday I tried some Portea seed pods and found some germinated inside the pods. Sheesh what am I going to do with all these seedlings. I think I am painting myself into a corner. I don't really know what i am doing but it is working and I'll just keep at it and enjoy the rewards. Have a good one. Ian

Hi All

Thanks everyone for your kind words of welcome!

Welcome Ian, like you I just discovered this wonderful forum (yesterday).

I could not wait to get home from work today, run around the yard quickly to say hello to my Brom's, get back inside and make myself a tea and quickly log on to check todays threads and look at everyones beautiful welcome messages and Brom' photos :) This is the first time I have ever been part of a forum and if I had know it was this much fun I would have joined yonks ago. I can thing of anything nicer than meeting a group of people as addicted to brom's as I am.

My husband understands my addiction with broms' as he has a similar addition for orchids and we like nothing better than pottering around the garden together, and although brom's and orchids are considered companion plants he sometimes calls my broms' bottom feeders which I don’t like :( He has pretty much taken over my nursery to the point where I have had to move most of my brom's out into our garden, lucky for the brom's they have plenty of beautiful trees and shrubs to hide amongst and they are all doing really well as their colours are much more vibrant and they are pupping more. My Vrieseas on the other hand I am still holding with kids gloves, they all live in our large entertainment area which is well lit and well ventilated, but unfortunately I am slowly running out of room and have had to move a couple outdoors much to my horror, my husband keeps telling me they will be ok but I miss having them so close where I can keep a closer eye on them :(

I have some wonderful news to share with everyone - I am "Mother Brom" for the First Time to one of my Vrieseas where I discovered a pup on my Milky Way x Platynema. I am very pleased because I have only had the brom for an approx. 2months and she has not flowered yet, so I think this is great progress? When the pup gets big enough I will share a proud photo.

Anyway, I know I promised to send through some pic's this weekend but this forum got the better of me so please find attached a few photos of my following babies (I call all my brom's my babies):

Photo No. 1 - Neo. Sam Smith (this one happily lives with my Vriesea's).
Photo No. 2 - Vr. White Bands.
Photo No. 3 - Vr. Fosteriena Seideliena Rubra

I better leave it here; my husband’s hitting me up for a cup of tea and I would not mind one also :)

Until I thread next time, take care everyone, I look forward to chatting with you all again soon.

Trish

Hi all, still no rain here in Brissie … think it’s been 40 days now, gardens are starting to look at bit dry, shrubs and trees beginning to look wilted, some losing foliage. I should get out and water but every day the weather bureau predicts rain or storms and I let it go another day. Possible storm tomorrow and/or Friday is today’s forecast.

Hi Karen, love your unnamed mini in the second pic. I think your noid in pic 3 looks like neo Mauve Star, I will post a pic of mine and also neo Enchantment, a favourite of mine too.

Tash, your brom house is looking great and lovely colour in your bill Hallelujah.

Ian, welcome to the forum. I am way too impatient to start growing broms from seed, I am often tempted but … well, actually I have tried a couple of times but wasn’t successful. Lucky you with all those seedlings, you must be doing something right. I am sure you will hit it off with Nev, who is always looking for another male to join the forum as he feels outnumbered by the ladies … so he says :o)

Gee Trish, I reckon I would be reclaiming the nursery or at least part of it, especially for your lovely vrieseas. Better still, if hubby wants to use that one for his orchids, if I were you, I would be insisting that he build you a new one, but I don’t want to start any domestics, LOL.

Nev, hope you knee is improving.

It’s getting late so I’ll catch up tomorrow.

Bye for now, Shirley

Wow,newbies! yay! Hello Trish and Ian. Its nice to meet some fellow collectors and two at once is just awesome. Love your pictures,Trish, and laughed at your husbands description of broms as 'Bottom Feeders' It gave me a real chuckle. I'm sure we are all looking forward to pics of your broms and gardens, and Bree and i both like orchids too, so i am sure the rest of our forum wouldn't mind a pic or two of those either?
Ian, good on you for trying with seed. Acanthostachys strobilacea are one of the fastest broms I've grown from seed, and Aechmeas are quite fast too. I find the broms that have seed like dandelions (fluffy like the Alcantarea seeds) take quite a bit longer than the ones with seeds in a berry type. I hope you will show them off to us with photos? We LOVE photos!
Wendy, your seedling area looks like it will take no time to fill! Its a bit flash with the oiled timber floor! heh heh. I bet you're excited about the new car? The new bridge we made will mostly be a dry creek bed, as i don't want to give the mossies and leeches a new home! Hopefully it won't rain so heavily that it washes the rocks away, but in the past it has been quite heavy and I don't imagine it would have that much force. Time will tell.
Shirley, your Neo. 'bruiser' sounds like he could become a bit of a bully in your collection? heh heh. And I'm sure you are working quite well on expanding it too :). I tell you, I am about to run out of steam soon, so i'm making a last rush to get the last paver in, but looking out the window it looks quite bleak, and maybe we will get rain? I have been waiting for it, and have done a little bit of watering here and there. I think mother nature is trying to give me the chance to finish my project, but I got caught up with my visitor, as you do, so maybe she is sick of waiting and the farmers need her more? I think you should do some watering anyway, as it will prepare the ground for rain by wetting the surface, and allowing the rain water to soak in, instead of running off. thats my theory anyway. Besides, I find it very therapeutic to water the garden, how about you?
Karen, I have a little min Neo called 'Bucaneer' x johannis, which looks like yours. I've been trying to get a clump or years. It seems slow to grow, so i fertilised it, but then it gets lanky pups and loses colour, so I guess I should just leave it alone. I found a seed pod on it once and have managed to grow two seedlings from it, but so far both are larger than the parent, and plain green. If they don't start to impress me soon, they will be banished into the garden! I think your Vriesea heiroglyphica has done well to grow out all the damage. i find they respond well to regular liquid fertiliser at half strength, about every two weeks in spring/summer.
Hi Tash, your shadehouse pic is SOOOOO colourful. Your winter sun must be the best for Neos! I think the weather predictions for this year are for dry spells, so hopefully the flooding events are behind us for awhile. I am almost tempted to mulch the gardens that go under, but haven't quite convinced myself its safe to do so. I think all Billbergias are a bit slow to get started, and seem to do better in a clump. Maybe they need the energy produced by the extra stolons to grow faster? John Catlan recommends cutting through the stolons between mother and large pup, but leaving them in the pot, thus giving the mother energy to produce another pup. I am going to try it, as everyone wants a B. 'Hallelujah' and I don't want to divide my pots as I like the clump too much.
Nev must be busy with his sales plants, or maybe he can't hobble to the computer? I'm sure he will be thrilled to see new names (cause we can't really see faces eh?)
Hello to any lurkers looking in. Don't be shy.
Well, I'd better see if I've got any pics to share since i was here last
All I can find is a pic of one of last years winning gardens. Its just a small part of a lovely bush walk that had a few broms and Cliveas, ferns e.t.c in it. I visited them on monday, which was an eye opener, and made me realise I am not the competition type! heh heh.
Sue

This message was edited Aug 30, 2012 8:07 AM

Good morning everyone :)

LOL, so glad you are enjoying it Trish, yup I remember doing pretty much what you are, running in to see if there were any posts and it being one of the highlights to my day.... kind of still is, lol. (Just have more places to check now, ha ha ha).
Lovely photos, well grown by the looks and a big yipeeee about the pup on MilkyWay X platynema, very exciting!

Ian a big welcome to you! I think you and I have probably been into broms for around the same period of time! he he he. We got our first few years ago, but we were not collectors then, they were just a couple of plants to go in the garden. It was about Feb or March last year that we became brom obsessed! It is amazing what you can collect in plants and knowledge in such a relatively short period of time. Good on you about the seeds, it's fun huh?

Well we did a big tip out on the neo's yesterday to try and find anything starting to flower, as I am still at a loss for what I am going to be able to cross my Mac Tiger. Well I am happy now, nothing too fantastic is in flower, but that's ok, i will store the pollen from Mac Tiger for when I have what I want in flower, but in the meantime I do have some coming in that should be good to use.
I was a bit disappointed to see my Jewellery Shop is flowering too, bugga, it was looking so nice! Oh well, that will mean pups soon I guess.

I mounted my first two Tills yesterday as well, so I thought that was pretty cleaver and I was happy with the results. One is just a tiny one, the other is quite big and grows into a big stiff Till, not one of them itty bitty ones, so one day I might get a name on it. When it flowers in years to come. A friend of mine was given two of them, both old mums with a pup on each, so he gave us one, and when the pup was big enough I took it off in the hope mum might throw another. My friend said he didn't think it would, but no harm in trying..... well it is :)

Ok well, I hope you are all well, Spring is basically upon us
Cheers Tash

Welcome Trish heres my V. white bands.

Good morning, and a big warm welcome to Ian. Glad to have you and Trish aboard. More pics to share, yummy! I love seeing what people have, and what they are doing with it. I'm not into growing seeds but I get very excited when a plant sends out new pups.

Tash, I love the tillandsias. Most of mine are on cork, but I'm always on the lookout for a more interesting backing for them, such as a piece of naturally sculpted wood.

Trish, I love the vrieseas, but that Sam Smith is a beauty. I don't see a lot of orange ones that I really like, though they are around, for sure.

Shirley, I can't wait until my neo. Enchantment pup fully colours. It is one I really like. Mauve Star is a lovely one too. I have a few minis that seem slow to propagate, but others that are clumping up nicely in a short time (comparatively).

Sue, I hope my Buccaneer performs. It is a more recent addition to my collection. I love visiting open gardens to see what creative people do. So many people only plant natives these days for easy maintenance. This is great for the wildlife, but its nice to see some exotics thriving here too.

Nev, sorry to learn about your knee. I hope you are recovering quickly. Bring on the warmer weather to ease all these aches and pains etc.

Bree, nice vr. White Bands there too.

Lets see what pics I can find for today. Take care.
Karen

Neo. Grace red USA
Neo. Gympie Lavender Lace
The tiny Neo. Chiquita Linda
Another favourite, Neo. Pheasant
Beautiful Neo. Sweet Dreams X Painted Desert

Hi everyone – Again just another quick visit today, but I just had to welcome our two new members Trish and Ian. It’s really great to see two new members joining our friendly little forum and I’m sure you both will get heaps of enjoyment from being with us. I have been on quite a few forums during the past few years as well as some of the Face Book bromeliad sites and I can honestly say that without a doubt, this is the friendliest forum of the whole lot with everyone going out of their way to help fellow members. I think what makes this forum different is that everyone realizes that that nobody knows everything we are all here to learn and help each other.

As Shirley says I’m especially pleased to see another male member joining us; although we have Mike who is very knowledgeable and pops in from time to time but we don’t see him nearly as often as we would like. I’m especially pleased to see that you, like a few of us here are trying your hand at growing brom’s from seed. I have been doing this for a few years now and can really recommend it as a most enjoyable and interesting part of brom growing and if you would like a little booklet I wrote on the subject, just send me a D-mail with your email address and I’ll send it to you (and that offer goes to anyone else who would like a copy)

A lot’s been happening here lately with Sue re-landscaping her garden, making stepping stones and building bridges; is there no end to this lady’s skills? However I can still see a lot of places to put brom’s in the last pic you posted Sue. Not to be left out of the building stakes, Wendy and Johnny are remodeling an area of their home to make a seedlings growing area which I’m sure will certainly get a workout!

Shirley – I like the pic of your Neo Bruiser (one I haven’t seen before) it’s a beautiful healthy looking well grown plant and thanks for sharing it with us.

Thanks also for the good wishes for my crook knee. It felt a bit better yesterday and I spent most of the afternoon removing dead leaves from the Vrieseas in the shade house and while I was doing this, guess what I discovered? The Spotted Honeyeaters have got babies once again in this same shade house.

When their babies left last year I put their old nest in an empty pot and hung it in a corner, but they didn’t seem interested in it this year and built a new nest on top of another plant. They only had one egg and we got a severe thunder storm one night and they left the nest not long after and it still has just the one old egg in it. Well yesterday when I noticed the mother watching me closely and then disappearing up into the corner and then I once again heard the sound of baby birds begging for food and there she was on the side of the empty pot feeding two babies (at least I think there was only two as I could only see two beaks popping over the edge. Anyway she continued to fly in and out all day feeding her babies and not taking any notice of me whatsoever so she mustn’t see me as a threat- Ain’t nature great?

Karen – What you say about your Vr. Hieroglyphica is very true, plants will adjust better to climatic condition when started off younger. I found I could never do any good with Vr hieroglyphica; they would grow but only just. That’s why I tried a batch from seed and they just grew and grew and I have sold all except one as I didn’t have the space for any more and it’s still powering along. As for those couple of pic’s of my concentrica x ‘Burgundy Beauty’ seedlings, what I find interesting is that at certain times of the day the colour seems to look different, especially late in the afternoon when they take on a definite bluish hue which I don’t seem to be able to capture with the camera.

You have posted another nice batch of pic’s and pic No. 4 looks very much like a plant I’ve had for a few years now and is called Neo ‘Lambert’s Pride’ x [‘Charm’ x ‘Cracker Jack’], it’s not one of my crosses and I originally bought it in Bunning’s with the usual generic label stating it was a “Bromeliad”, but it wasn’t until I re-potted it I found a label down in the pot with that name and that’s what I’ve chosen to call it ever since as I can see bits of both parents in it and expect the label is correct. I especially like your pic No.5 and although it’s one I don’t know it appeals to me as it’s something different to the norm. I also like the pic’s you posted in your recent post today, especially the radial red Neo Sweet Dreams X Painted Desert. There seems to be more and more radial reds popping up in seedlings lately, I know I’ve bred a few as well.

Tash – Wow! What an improvement good light will produce with Neoregelias and what I wouldn’t give to have a bit of your climate down here. That shot of the Neoregelia bench in your shade house is just a magnificent kaleidoscope of colour. I know Vrieseas are your first love, but you really do a fantastic job with the Neo’s as well, so keep up the good work and keep posting the pic’s of your plants. Your Till looks at home in its new mount as well, but be careful you don’t get roped into joining the “VOMIT” club. The radial red Neo’s a beaut, what is its name?

Ian – Like you, Acanthostachys strobilacea was in the first lots of seed I ever planted, and like you I found they grew very fast, unlike Vrieseas which were like Guzmanias and the slowest of the lot. I’ll just give you two bits of advice and first is to keep good records of what you cross and the second is to remember that little seedling eventually grow into big plants and you will very soon have a space problem like anyone else that grows seed. Ruthless “culling” is an unfortunate necessity and you will see by the few pic’s I’m posting today just how seedlings can take over if allowed.

Trish – Growing Brom’s and orchids in the same shade house can be a problem, I know as I originally grew both and sooner or later a choice between the two had to be made, however it’s even more complex in your case as you grow brom’s and hubby grows orchids so without staring a domestic just let me say that I’ve grown them both in shade houses and in the yard as well so there is possibly a chance for compromise; and they do go so well together with the water in the vases of the brom’s creating a good healthy environment with well-balanced humidity which the orchids seems to love also. Also I’d like to say that I’ve found that Vrieseas are just as tough as Neo’s and in some cases even tougher when it comes to standing up to weather extremes, at least that’s what I’ve found down here anyway. Also as regards to brom’s being “bottom feeders” I don’t really know what hubby means by that, as both orchids and brom’s will grow on trees and both will benefit from foliar feeding (top feeding) as well as fertilizer in the mix “bottom feeders”, so you see they do have a lot in common. Again like everyone else you have also posted some great pictures of nice plants and please keep up the good work.

Finally a big “Get Well” to Colleen and anyone else on the sick list and no doubt you are all getting enjoyment from all of the postings of late.

I’d better finish as I said it would only be a short visit today so just a few pic’s to encourage Ian in his seed growing endeavors. Pic 1 is where it all starts very innocently and then it grows to Pic’s 2 and 3. Pic 4 is a few of the Acanthostachys I grew from seed and just when you're wondering if you’ve done the right thing or not, out of a batch of your seedlings pops something like Pic 5 which makes it all worthwhile.

All the best, Nev.

Hi everyone, thanks for the welcome. So many beautiful bromeliacs and their plants as well. I have been collecting fom Mackay, Proserpine, Bowen, Rockhampton, Gladstone and Dalby. I have also bought plants online and I am technically challenged. I am hoping to extend my bush house and set aside a special area, vermin proof, just for my seed raising adventures. Succeed or not I win because I dared to try. I just went out to take a couple of happy snaps and I will see if I can work out how to post them.
This 1 of my crypthansus, possibly red and green, I might be safer calling it a NOID.
Have a good one
Ian

Hi everybody, great to see so much activity and all the beautiful photos. I'm one of the lurkers. Especially nice to see some new faces. Welcome Ian and Trish. From the colour in the broms, it looks like Spring is definitely in the air. Just wish we'd get a bit of rain in Brissie.
Speaking of seedlings I had to pot up some of my babies from Nev today. They are looking great. Neo Thunderbird x self is eyecatching, dark red and very shiny. The Ursulaea macvaughii 's are almost a metre across and the Vr platynema variegata's are powering on. Thanks for the new seeds, Nev. They sound very interesting. Wendy's place is starting to look like yours. Seedlings everywhere! Goodness knows where they're all going to fit. Guess there's always the roof. Hope your knee is on the mend.
Sue, it's very exciting that you're entering the garden competition. Your garden is lovely and I think you've got a good chance of winning. You have so many quirky, eyecatching things around as well as the beautiful plants. Especially love your tub with the plates and flowers.
Shirley, sorry I missed you when you visited Wendy. The sale was very busy and it was great to meet so many nice brommies. Karen, it seems ages since we've caught up too. Tash, I don't know how you find time to do everything with a new baby. I love your Macho Tshirt. Very creative. Bree, Vr Whitebands is one of my favourites.
Haven't tried loading photos on here for a while so fingers crossed. Sue, you'll recognize the first one, your Vriesea Big Red and the 5th one, Pink Sensation (Plantation Pride). Shirley, no. 2 is the mum of your Vr. Galaxy. 3 is Jungle Jade and 4 is platynema variegata. Cheers Jen

Hi everyone,

WOW … great to see so many brom addicts on the forum the last few days.

Sue, I would probably find watering the garden therapeutic if I had more time to do it. We seem to be out every day doing really fun things … like dentist and doctors’ appointments, physiotherapy and acupuncture, to name a few. We seem to be falling apart at the seams lately and we never seem to get time to do the things we like to do. I did water all my pots and broms today and that takes hours. Truth is, I have way too many plants … and yet I still want more, more, more.

Tash, great pics, love neo Jewellery Shop. Mine got burnt a while back and I thought I might lose it but it has come back and looks quite good now.

Bree, vr White Bands is lovely too and another one that I don’t have. There are just so many absolutely beautiful vrieseas and needless to say I would love to get them all.

Karen, nice pics, as always. Are you keeping well at the moment.

Nev, I agree that Mother Nature is great. I noticed a couple of wallabies today at the back of the house and a tiny little head sticking out of mum’s pouch. Really makes you appreciate living away from suburbia. That’s certainly a lot of seedlings you have there. And dare I ask, what is the ‘VOMIT’ club ... I imagine the ‘T’ stands for till ... please explain !!!

Jen, great to see you back, hope you are over your flu bug. Love your vriesea pics. I have a vriesea which I purchased as ‘Big Red’ but it is quite different from yours. I will add a pic. Love the vr Galaxy I got from you. Your vr Jungle Jade and vr Pink Sensation are just gorgeous too. If ever you have a spare pup of either, I would love the buy them.

Just curious to know what size collections everyone has. I know Nev told me a while back he thought he had about 1500 and I know Wendy and Johnny’s collection is huge. I have a small collection by comparison, around 250 and wonder how many broms other forum members have.

Anyway, that’s it for me, bye for now

Shirley

Hi everyone. Welcome Trish and Ian. Love all those pics from everyone especially that nice red/orange one in your first pic Trish. Love that colour. And Ian so glad there's another one of us trying the seed raising. Nev will have you an expert in no time. Sorry I didn't pop in last night now. don't know what I was doing that I didn't get to log on here. I think I got caught up watching something on TV in the office and the computer got forgotten. I know I turned it off before I turned TV off.

I spent this morning putting seedlings and seeds into the new area while Johnny went to see his mum. In between seedlings, I managed to do some baking. I made banana bread and berry muffins (both gluten free of course) Then while they were still warm we got visitors so we then spent ages sitting downstairs chatting, drinking tea and eating freshly baked goodies. Then this afternoon we were just going to make a cuppa and sit on the verandah for a rest and another couple of brom friends from Cooran popped in so we sat downstairs and had more tea and muffins. Lucky I baked hey. Anyway after a lot of walking around the yard and chatting etc we had a lovely day but not much achieved.

Oh I did plant a tray of Acanthostachys seed that someone had given me a few pods of. Wow those seeds were big when I popped them out and washed them. It was easy to plant one seed at a time and make sure they all had room to grow. I'm glad to hear they are quick growers. I can get them through the new seedling area and out into the yard before I run out of room hahahaha. As you all guessed I've managed to fill the new area. I'm emptying each of the plastic covered houses one at a time and washing the plastic covers to let in maximine light. I've been wanting to do that for a while now so the new area and 1 new plastic covered shelf gave me the space to do it.

Nev today I discovered that the area where the orlandiana rainbow and snowflake are has not got a bert full of ripe seed pods. it seems to be just that one overcrowed area where birds and insect hang out that has the cross pollination. the orlandianas in other areas of the yard have no ripe seeds. Oh and the macroclamys seem to be getting really fat pods so they are possibly with ripening seed too. seems to have been a lot of crossing happening in that area around the same time.

pic 1 is the new seedling are this morning after I started setting out all the seeds and seedlings. Sue the floor was what we put down for the spa and when we took it out the area that had been under the spa was a different shade to what was outside it. So we had to clean it and revarnish. Now the smell is making Johnny feel sick so this morning a bucket of strong & hot pine-o-cleen was poured all over it to neutralise the smell.

Pic 2 is Rylee this week when we babysat her and she tried her new motorbike I bought her. I had to walk around beside her pushing the pedal down to make it go. when the back couldn't take anymore she stood up to complain and actually made it go. won't be long and she'll get the hang of it. We will have both girls again on Monday night and all day Tuesday. Their mum got a job at Dreamworld and induction day is Tuesday. Hope she organised daycare quickly as Johnny doesn't want to be tied down every day. We love having them but both of them all day every day will quickly become a chore. Rylee on her own was easy the other day when mum had her interview. and Emily is no problem alone either as she loves to help us pot and work in the garden but 2 together always seems harder for some reason.

Pic 3 is the area which is producing all the ripe aechmea seed. the snowflake is on the end of the branch to the left of the tree. it seems to be sitting on the red gutter on the roof next door. This pic was taken last summer so some plants are in different spots now.

Pic 4 is a groups shot of our concentrica seedlings. I particularly like these three especially the top one which looks a lot like Alan Freemans hybrid called Narelle. I'll take some more pics of the seedlings tomorrow. we've potted out quite a few different ones now and pumped some fertiliser into them so they are really growing on now.
Bed is called again now so I'll lot off and have a shower. Goodnight all. hope everyone is getting some rain tonight. It's not looking promising for us here but we can still hope. Facebook is full of comments about the thunder and rain on the roof but not here unfortunately. If we don't get any we'll be buying water next week. Ah well.
Wendy

Hi Shirley
You posted while I was typing so I'll fill you in on the vomit club. it stands for "very old men into tillandsias. The first time we heard it was from John Catlin so not sure if he first termed it or not. But it is often stated now so perhaps it is one of his sayings.

Night all
Wendy

good morning everyone. Geeze, its crowded in here! heh heh. move over Jen, let me squeeze in!
Lots of nice photos being shared. My favourites would be Tashs Neo. 'Jewellery Shop', Jens Vriesea 'Pink Sensation' and Karens Neo. 'Pheasant'
Glad to hear your knee is on the mend, Nev. and about that garden, its one of the local gardens that won the comp last year, but I agree, it could do with more broms!
Ian, I think you are doing exceptionally well, for someone who claims to be technically challenged. Now we know you can get your photos on, we expect great things from you! heh heh
Jen, you have got some great colour into those Vrieseas, your shadehouse must be in the perfect spot. Nice to see a couple of former babies doing so well. I don't think I ever had my Vriesea 'Pink Sensation' looking that good! Did I miss something? Where is Tashs Tshirt?
Shirley, sorry to hear you are falling apart! I hope you can keep it together for a while yet!
I'm not sure what size my collection is. I used to keep a record of every plant I purchased, and where it came from e.t.c. Since then I have sold a few, and gathered a couple more, but at he last count (a couple of years ago) it was around 200 varieties. I imagine, as individual plants, it could be 1000 or so? Not really sure, as there seems to be a bromeliad around every corner, and in every crevice these days! I've even taken to attaching them to trees!
well, almost finished with the bridge. The last paver will be ready to have the form work removed this afternoon, and meanwhile I'll keep adding the rock into the area, and then wash the bridge, ready for oiling. So one more day of sunshine if you don't mind, mother nature?
My picture today is another competition garden one, as I haven't taken any new ones this week.
sorry there are no broms in it. I guess they just need to be educated?
Sue

Sue, I enjoy seeing pics of other people's garden creations.

Wendy, like you, we didn't get enough rain to do any good. It just didn't last long enough. Thought I heard thunder. Mustn't have been overhead though. Seedling area looks great.

Shirley, my collection isn't very large, under 100 though I haven't counted. Until I find out what is happening with this rented house, there is no point getting more plants. Thanks for asking. Like most chronic illnesses, there are good days and bad ones, but mostly I am in between. I am just praying I don't get that dreaded flu. My week next week will be like you've described with appointments in all directions. Keep well.

Nice lot there Jen. Hope all is well with you and yours.

Ian, that looks like a nice crypt. Looking forward to seeing more.

Nev, glad to hear you are on the improve. What you say about capturing a plant's colours is so true. I've had some glowing at certain times of the day, but do you think my dumb camera can pick it up? No. Like that Gympie Lavender Lace (one I got from Jen) - It is such a beautiful plant, (well, I think so) the colours and texture are amazing, but the camera just doesn't pick up all of it. I got the red stripey one from Wendy, but I think she said it was someone else's seedling, not sure. It is beautiful and I'm very pleased with the colour in it.

Hello Colleen, and anyone else dropping in. Have a gread day.

Not sure what I've got left in the pic bin today. I'll go look.

Karen

Neo. Zoe, one Nev sent me.
A little spotty one from Wendy's. I have the name but can't find it quickly enough.
An aechmea budding up.
Possum holding two minis.
And Tillandsia Ionanthus.

Hi all, Just read through Nev's book again and this time it has got pictures. It is very close to what I have been doing. I got mould on my first attempt and painted each seed with vinegar. It killed the mould and had no harmful effects on the seedlings. I still don't understand why they got mouldy but some of the others have. I have also tried a dry mix of coco peat and seed raising mix, 50/50 and spray the seeds in with miltons baby bottle sterilizer tablets with reasonable success. The seeds are a little slower to germinate and need a weekly watering in.
I have at last count 300 different broms, but then I have had a few trips away and a few group meetings since then. I also have a heap of unnamed ones as well.I have to do a stocktake soon and check on my labeling system.The name tags keep either fading or dissapearing and I am not ready to engrave permanent name tags as yet.
I put some photos on my computer yesterday and the computer has them hidden from me at this moment. I will find them eventually.I remember the file name but cannot access it. Found some more instead.
Have a good one.
Ian
Black Magic 1 Macintosh2 NOID3 forgotten4 Ebb Tide.5

Ian, I love your cryp taffeta. that is one I don't have yet. Only just started collecting crypts this year and have about 15 or 20 I think? I have one of Margaret Patterson's hybrids called marble green that looks similar to your 2nd pic of Macintosh but without that darker strip down the leaves. I'll post a pic for you.

pic 5 is a favourite of mine crypt wirley gig. I have 2 big sized ones cause I like them so much. not pups yet though
Pic 2 is another nice one called voodoo. It also looks a bit like your macintosh
Pic 3 is an oldie but a goodie called 'it'. It's one I've had for a long time so have several pots full of them.
Pic 4 is another favourite of mine calle Marion Oppenheimer. I have 2 clones of it... a small one and a slightly larger clone

This message was edited Aug 31, 2012 10:58 PM

Hi all, we had just a very light sprinkle of rain last night, nothing since. We really need some more but a fine weekend would be nice. We had a lovely lunch today … fish and chips on the foreshore at Sandgate. It was very quiet, we had the place almost to ourselves. In a couple of weeks it will be so crowded as it’s a very popular spot, especially on weekends.

Wendy, Rylee looks very cute on her new motorbike, she has such lovely blue eyes. But, Dreamworld is a very, very long way from Dayboro isn’t it. Your concentrica seedlings look like winners, I personally like the one in the front on the left … with the yellowish colouring. How long ago would you have sown the seeds for these? Also, thanks for enlightening me on the “vomit club”

Sue, hope you got the extra day of sunshine you needed. Once you get your pavers and bridge finished, you’ll be able to take a bit of a rest … you must be just about exhausted, I know I would be.

Karen, cute possum.

Ian, I love your NOID crypt in pic 3 … stunning.

Hope everyone has a good weekend. My pic tonight is neo Tangerine, starting to colour up nicely.

Bye for now, Shirley

Hi everyone (apologies in advance for the long thread)

It’s been a couple of days since I last threaded, had a huge week at work and when I got home today I decided to vacuum the entire house pretty much inside and out  and got stuck into some of the gardening that I was going to leave for tomorrow (could not help myself) I think I needed a bit of fresh air. Going to be spending the weekend in the garden as 30 more brom’s have arrived, also cleaning up the nursery first thing tomorrow and tending to my veggie patch later in the arvo, lots of nice yummy things growing at the moment – Chinese cabbage, lettuce, silverbeet, celery, capsicum, tomatoes, many herbs and also avocados, lemons and the Bowen Mango’s have started to bud.

Thanks everyone for your kind welcome and valuable advice. Pleased to hear the great feedback on my Neo’ Sam Smith, in the whole 6 months since first purchased it’s vibrant colour has held strong with no hint of green anywhere in sight and it lives very happily amongst my Vriesea’s, I dare not move it because it is doing so well and I love hovering over it in the morning with my cup of tea before heading to work.

Hi Shirley, thanks - yeah I plan to claim back a small portion of the nursery mainly for my smaller Vrieseas to give them a better head start (have a few in there at present), all my mature brom’s appear to be doing better since I relocated them to the outdoors and the Vriesea’s are really thriving in our entertainment area. I do still have my ferns, white and black bat plants, pitcher catchers and various cuttings still occupying the nursery which is great. Oh, and in answer to what size collection everyone has – I think I have just clocked over about 300Broms.

Hi Sue – thanks - glad to read you liked my brom’ pics. I will chat with hubby to see if he would like to share a couple of orchid pic’s with everyone, he has some really nice one’s flowering at the moment and the nursery is full of so much beautiful colour and the smells coming from some of them are intoxicating.

Hi Tash – thanks - I am still thrilled to bits on the discovery of my first Vriesea pup and even my husband with tickled pink when I showed him, we just did not know what to expect from them and this just gave us hope for all the other Vriesea’s we have as we have been madly collecting them without really knowing as much as we would like to about them, but never the less it just feels right so we have not stopped  Tash also loved your pic of Jewellery Shop – great size and colour, I have a much smaller version that’s a couple of months old but I’m yet to take a photo. You did a great job with Mounted Till, I brought one from the last Townsville Orchid Show and have it tied to our Mango Tree; it appears to be very happy there.

Hi Bree – thanks for the welcome; nice Vriesea White Bands, how great are the prominent marking, the white is just so white – amazing. I want to get more of this one because of how much it stands out in the crowd.

Hi Karen – thanks for the feedback on my Vriesea pic’s and Sam Smith. Great pic’s of all your Neo’s – such wonderful colours.

Hi Ian – thanks – great pic’s of all of your Crypthansus, I only have about 4 of these but I do not know what any of their names are because I have either been given them as a gift or picked them up at markets with no tag. They are so unusual looking and the ones I have appear to be doing fine.

H Jen – thanks for the welcome – loved your Vrieseas (my favourite), how amazing are the colours and leaf markings - unbelievable. I have attached a couple below that are doing really well.
Hi Wendy – thanks for the welcome – yeah I am really pleased with Neo’ Sam Smith. Loved all of your pic’s. Looking forward to seeing your seedling pic’s.

Hi Nev – last but not least – thank you so much for warm welcome and wonderful advice, glad to hear Vriesea’s are tougher than I thought they were; I will have no choice soon but to move some more of them out into the garden. Nev, I was totally blown away by all of your seedlings WOW your pictures are amazing and I could not believe how strong the little seedlings looked sitting so proud in all the trays they shared. How do you find the time to do everything? You are very dedicated and organised by the looks of things.

Well everyone I better get to bed its 1AM – Oops way past my bed time  I apologies if I have missed saying hello to anyone – Hello  or for any bad typos.

Have a great weekend everyone, look forward to chatting soon!

Trish

Pic. 1 – Aechmea Lue Odemanniana Rodco-Inverta (this was on its tag – oh my?).
Pic 2 – Canistram Triangulare.
Pic 3 – Vr. Hieroglyphica
Pic 4 – Neo. Amazing Grace
Pic 5 – Vr. Platynema Variegata x Uluru Sunset