OK, I think we can all agree this has been an unusual year, overly warm winter, early summer, deluges and droughts; everything is out of kilter. My lotuses never bloomed once this year, that was unusual, they are healthy and well fed - tis a mystery. But, an even bigger mystery is why my crape myrtles are just starting to bloom now - in AUGUST for heavens sake. One of them is actually starting to lose its leaves, like it usually does this time of year, and it is setting buds at the same time. These are mature CM's growing in full sun and they have received supplimental water when necessary. Normally these trees begin blooming in late June. I hate it when there is no valid reason for these weird occurrances, but I can't think of any. Can you?
This message was edited Aug 15, 2012 12:04 PM
Very strange
Probably some gullah voodoo down on St Helena.-) I and my stepfather have Japanese magnolias blooming as though it's March. It has been a strange year, and I'm already haunted by thoughts of a devastating ice storm occurring next winter.
How is your cold hardy helliconia growing?
This message was edited Aug 15, 2012 2:55 PM
I've got a bad feeling we are going to have a really early, long, hard winter. The Gulf Frit cats and butterflies are all over the place now - still months early. My Franklinia alatamaha didn't even put on buds this year and my Clematis pitcheri didn't bloom either. I haven't seen 1 honeybee at all but I'm seeing more bumble bees and wasps than usual. I've not seen many spiders either and I'm looking - normally I have Green Lynx spiders everywhere - only seen 1 .. no trace of the Argiope spiders whatsoever which is really unusual.
I'm thinking I should start building my 2nd greenhouse sooner rather than later.
Heliconia is fine and made it through the winter (if you can call it that) with no problems but, like a lot of other things it has not bloomed. I can understand many plants being confused but crape myrtles? Come on, they are weeds and whoever heard of a weed not blooming.
I am sticking my head in the sand and refusing to listen to X, I hate cold and I do not even want to think about a cold winter. :-) I prefer to think the butterflies are just confused like everything else.
Hey ladies, I found this thread and was interested in the weather predictions. Up here near the mountains (Greenville county) my crape myrtles flowered at the normal time in July, and are still going strong. Growing brugs for the first time this year and am debating whether I can leave them out, the one I bought from an SC grower can possibly be hardy in my zone. Guess I'll take cuttings and hedge my bets. Especially if you're right and winter is hard. Those caterpillars can sense the weather!
When I grew brugs I left mine in the ground and they came back faithfully every year .. but I always rooted a few cuttings for insurance. You don't want to cut the dead branches off until you've had at least 3 good hard freezes and you know what's above ground is good and dead .. otherwise the crowns will start to grow again.