I put my Ipomea Platense right into the garden this summer and it is doing great. It has been blooming everyday. The blooms usually last one day. Can't wait to see the caudex when I dig it up. It generally grows a lot underground.
Ipomea Platense
The flowers are so pretty! You'll have to show us what the caudex looks like.
Ooh, that looks great.
So different!
Sally when you lift your plants out of the soil do you just shake them off and put them in the pellets? Or do you rinse or otherwise remove some/most of the dirt from the roots? I know you have said in the past your plants do well going into soil and then back into s/h but it seems the transitions would be hard on the plant's root system. I want to know your secrets! ^_^
Helen
Hi Helen, I do just wash the caudex off and put it back into the s/h. Usually, by the time I do this we are going into fall and the growth is slowing way down so it doesn't seem to be too hard on any of the plants.
I wondered if sometimes the caudexes grow so much in the summer that it is hard to find a plastic container large enough.
Nancy - I have had to go online to kitchen supply houses that sell larger containers for some of my caudiciforms. Then I just drill holes in them.
Yes, that would be a really good idea. I would think the plastic is nice and strong compared to FirstRays.
Actually it is a lot stronger. That is the only problem with the cups is that they don't last.
What type of drill bit do you use? My husband tried to drill holes in a plastic container for me but they cracked.
I started with the real small drill bit, then gradually made the hole bigger so it wouldn't crack.
Thanks Sally. I'll tell my husband and he can try it that way.
I have switched to commercial food containers.
http://www.atlantafixture.com/ItemDetail.aspx?ItemGuid=0d14fd58-64e7-49af-8f97-bf655386d376&Manf=Carlisle&Sku=60002
The containers are thick with handles and don't crack when I drill holes in the side. I am lucky since the store that sells these in right down the road.
The picture is the new one next to an old one from Rays.
Do you start with a small drill bit also, Helen?
No I just use the size bit I want the hole to be in the end. The material is not brittle and drills easily.
Without going and looking I would say the holes are about 1/8''.
You are lucky Helen. I have to order mine online. But they are much thicker.
Sally if you are having trouble drilling the holes without cracking the container my thought is you might need a sharper bit and use less pressure. ^_^
Helen
It is me that had the trouble. I should say it was my husband. He has a tendency to use force and I imagine that is what caused the problem. We'll try again and hopefully get it right!