Bromeliads For Novices and Addicts - October 2014

Jean - Sugar has settled some what - still has wicked moments but it makes life more interesting.
Our Earthquake repairs are done - not done very well, the paint is patchy & there is cracking in the gib - we will have to re decorate if we decide to sell.

The back wall & terrace were an insurance issue and they finally paid us out for the repairs - we haven't actually done anything about having the repairs done yet.

Good morning everyone. Well the big job of cleaning the plants of dead leaves has started here. I worked nearly all day on them on Wednesday and repacked them to one side. I got done a size of 3mtrx1mtr. The good thing about it though is I found beautiful plants that I'd forgotten about. The SH path is strewn with dead leaves and some empty pots where the resident hasn't made it. There was also so weak looking soft green ones that don't like it here so they're going too. The weather has been really funny here. Storms, a few spots of rain ,sun ,wind and cold sometimes. This flower is my first Guzmania. They don't really like it here. Too hot for them so this one was shoved under the trestle in the SH and forgotten. Maybe not such a bad idea because now I have a flower. Will be interesting to see how it turns out. Hope everyone is well Have a great day. Colleen.

Hi all,

I had planned to post last night but we had a storm and lost power for more than two hours. Not much rain just lots of thunder and lightning and a totally wasted night.

I thought I would catch up tonight but it's way too late now, it's already going on 1:00 am and I'm too tired to think, so I'm off to bed and will catch up tomorrow night.

Bye for now, Shirley

Good morning everyone. Hi Shirley. It's horrid when we haven't got power isn't it? We always think oh well we'll just have a cuppa or do some sewing or something. We had a scorcher here yesterday. I think it only got to about 36C but it was a dry heat. I took the boys down to the lake about 7pm. It was lovely down there, cool breeze coming off the water and the sun starting to go down. They'll probably be pestering me to go down today again. BUT, we have some work to do first. We have to start taking their bottles and cans over to the recycle place so that they can get their Christmas spending money. They have to buy special presents and then if there's any left they get to buy what they want. The boys and I will have Christmas lunch by ourselves this year. I asked them what they would like and they both said garlic prawns. So that's easy isn't it? Well, I had better move and try to get some things done. Have a great day everyone. Colleen

Hello everyone.
Just looked at my last post and somehow DG has mixed it up.
Oh well , you can still understand it .
Its very warm here already this morning. Yesterday was hot and I am not looking forward to summer at all. I dont do heat well these days.

I was going to walk down to the shop but will drive as I would never make it back up the hill in the heat.
I am lucky with the siting of my unit as it faces the east which means I get morning sun in the bedroom, which I like and once the sun has moved over, I can sit in the shade all day.
The back is shaded until mid afternoon so I can happily sit out there and pot my plants in shade.
The plants are getting used to the new place and I am pleased to see the color in the broms.
I have a couple with pups which I must remove. My little tills are also liking their hanging space. They dont get direct sun but lots of light for them .

Colleen, you can keep that heat, I dont want to see it creeping across here ....lol
Lucky you have a nice place like that lake to go down to.
There is a small manmade lake here in town. It is beside the old railway station , which is a museum. I must get down there as its years since hubby& I went there.

Teresa, hope all is well with you over there and Miss Mischief.
She will surprise you one day and in competition be just perfect.
But then she is perfect as a friend anyway.

Hello Shirley and everyone else up that way.
I hope the storms have gone. Its not pleasant in those summer storms. They seem to be more violent than some of the winter ones.
Losing power is a bother too. We have so many electrical appliances these days .
I am always lost without my cuppa.
We used to get the thermos out and filled whenever a bad storm was forecast.

Going out to water the pots before the sun gets on them.
No pics today.
stay safe
Jean.

Hi Everyone!

Hope everyone is well and enjoying the weekend.

Today our day started off with our usual walk to the beach with the girls then we came back home and took a load of rubbish to the tip, then the rest of the day was spent potting broms, flushing wells out and giving them all a good water etc. I am very pleased with their progress so far and the large amount of pups popping up everywhere keeps astounding me so I have decided to have a brom sale next weekend just to try and off load some of the more common one’s in my collection and to try and free up some space in our back garden, the colours are great in them at the moment so the perfect opportunity to catch someone’s eye who wants to inject a bit of colour in the garden.

Tomorrow I need to do a bit of brom shuffling to tidy up some of the garden as of late I have just been putting them anywhere and everywhere but I do not like some of the areas I have chosen so need to relocate some, then the rest of the day will be potting some more and watering my vriesea seedling trays, oh and another walk to the beach first up. I also have to bake a sticky-date pudding with homemade caramel sauce for my friend’s birthday that is coming up early next week so I can’t forget about that as I won’t have time during the week.

Hi Nev thanks Joe and I are on the mend and very much enjoying the weekend playing with our broms and orchids. Hope your are well after hearing you are back one the medical merry-go-round, also I can see you have not posted these past couple of days so I hope you are ok and taking things easy when and if you need to.

Hi Jean sounds like you are very busy doing the ‘brom shuffle’ as well; I hope your sale goes well. Thanks for your well wishes for Lucy, she is much better thanks and is swimming and even jogging on the treadmill so we are super happy with her progress and that there is no long term damage to her back; in the end the vet said it appeared she had sustained a fall of some sort but I think it could have been anything really and we will never know because she can’t speak. Thanks Joe is really enjoying his holidays and even put up hanging wire in my Igloo to hand my mini’s. Sounds like you have found the perfect spot to pot your plants in the shade, one of the things I most enjoy about growing broms, time stands still when I pot and I go into a trance of some sort and keep potting till I usually run out of pots or medium or broms but that’s highly unlikely as pups are popping up all over the place like daisy’s he he. Great to hear also how well your broms have settled in showing great colour and pupping well, that’s great to hear and I am sure you are thrilled to bits. Mum said her place is getting taken over by broms and she luvs to talk about them when we speak on the weekends; I want to get her up next Easter so we can play broms together, she just needs the all clear from her doctor and then I will look at booking her a flight to come up and spend some quality time together.

Hi Brian sounds like you experienced a pretty horrible electrical storm recently, hope it did not hale without your shade cloth up and hope none of your broms or garden got damaged. Oh I just read how some of your broms got blown over, what a bugger I hope they are all ok.

Hi Teresa hope you are well, how’s everything going for you at the moment with job hunting, hope all is going great for you. How’s Sugar, is she being a good girl? Lucy & Lexi say hi LOL.

Hi Colleen fantastic to see you posting again and keeping busy by the sounds of things with cleaning all the dead leaves on your broms, I am planning to do same over my Xmas break as it is when I have the best available time to do so. How great that you found a beautiful plant you had forgotten about, it would have felt like all your Christmas’s had come at once when you stumbled upon it. What a lovely pic too of your Guzmania in flower. Sounds like you all had a great time at the lake and sure it would have cooled you all off after that scorcher day you had. How great that you get the boys to collect cans and bottles to cash in as Xmas spending money, that’s a fantastic way for them to learn the value of money. Garlic Prawns for Xmas lunch sounds delicious, can Joe and I book a reservation he he.

Hi Shirley you too are experiencing bad storms like some others here, how annoying for you that you lost power for so long too. The bad weather did not make it up this far as well as the rain we were expecting over the weekend went away, but we did get a little during the week in the evenings so that was nice and it made a bit of a difference to our lawns but boy was it muggy when the sun come out.

Thanks to everyone for your kind words about the friend we recently lost, very kind and appreciated. Brian and Teresa I just read that you both also recently lost people close to you and very sorry to hear such sad news, my sincere apologies that it has taken so long for me to pass on my condolences and wish I had read all the post I had missed sooner.

Time to head off as its 12:51pm and I want to get up early to go to the beach with Joe and the Girls.

Good Night!

Take Care & Happy Gardening!

Trish

Pic 1 - Lexi enjoying her morning coffee at the beach (she only gets a wee bit at the bottom) not good for her ticker otherwise.
Pic 2 & 3 - Neo's

Trish - Sugar likes the froth from my coffee... don't let her have it too often, she is already a bit spoiled, she licks the bowl when we finish off our ice cream for dessert.

Not to mention sleeping on our bed these days.
Still not sure how that came about other than that she has hubby wrapped around her little toe.

I visited my former workmate yesterday, took her tomato & lettuce seedlings.
And was surprised to see the Bil. nutans I gave her looking much the worse for wear.
It was very pale & quite toasted.
the leaves were all dead to at least a third of the way back, some dead completely.

It was hanging under the eaves & we have had some strong winds lately so I think between that & direct sun it was a bit too exposed for it.
I spent a nice couple of hours pulling dead leaves off & tidying the dead ends off the rest.
Discovered there is a flower coming out - it had one already that was very dead.

She is going to try it in a well lit but not direct sunshine spot now.

Shame I didn't take my Seasol with me, a slurp of that might have helped the recovery.

The great thing is that it will recover.
The one I kept had endured as much, and even lost half the potting mix after falling over - I used cactus & succulent mix & that seems free draining enough for a hardy brom.

And still one broms - the NZ version of the block - one couple used a few broms in their back yard.
Their front yard they had a garden full of them.
So jealous of that aspect of Auckland living.

I wonder if they were "Totara" plants, there were some lovely striped ones & nice colours.

cheers - take care all
Teresa

not sure if the link will work but if it does this is a pic of the front garden full of broms

http://cdn.tv3.co.nz/tv/AM/2014/11/6/104063/ac.jpg

HI EVERYONE - THE REASON WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN HERE THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS IS I'VE HAD BIT OF AN ACCIDENT.

IT'S VERY HARD TYPING WITH JUST ONE HAND HENCE THE UPPER CASE AS I DON'T HAVE TO USE THE SHIFT KEY THIS WAY.

THE HISTORY - I HAD PLANNED TO MAKE A BIG STOCK POT FULL OF HAM AND VEG. SOUP AND THE DAY BEFORE HAD BOILED UP THE HAM HOCK TO MAKE THE STOCK. I THE PUT THIS (STILL IN THE STAINLESS STEEL STOCK POT) IN THE SPARE FRIDGE IN THE GARAGE TO REFRIGERATE OVERNIGHT SO THE FAT COULD EASILY BE SCOOPED OFF THE TOP IN THE MORNING.

I WAS CARRYING THIS STOCK POT UP THE STEPS FROM THE GARAGE AND STUMBLED ON THE TOP STEP FALLING FORWARD. I KEPT HOLD OF BOTH HANDLES OF THE STOCK POT HOPING NOT TO SPILL THE STOCK AND REGAIN MY FOOTING BUT WASN'T ABLE TO.

I FELL HEAVILY ON THE STOCK POT AND AS I DID, THE LID CAME OFF AND MY HAND SLID ONTO THE EDGE OF THE POT WITH MY FULL WEIGHT ON TOP RESULTING IN I SUPPOSE WHAT COULD BE DESCRIBED AS A CRUSH INJURY FOR WANT OF A BETTER NAME.

THE RESULT WAS MY MID AND MIDDLE FINGERS WERE CUT ABOUT HALFWAY THROUGH AND BOTH HAD MULTIPLE COMPOUND FRACTURES. MY LITTLE FINGER HAD TWO CLOSED FRACTURES AND THERE WERE A COUPLE OF FRACTURES IN MY HAND AS WELL AS POSSIBLE LOSS OF FEELING IN THE TWO MID FINGERS AS THE NERVES WERE INVOLVED ALSO. (I NOW THINK THE NERVES AREN'T DAMAGED AFTER ALL AS THE TWO MID FINGERS ARE HURTING THIS MORNING WHICH IS A GOOD ALTHOUGH PAINFUL SIGN)

AS THE SURGEON SAID, YOU DID SUCH A GOOD JOB YOU WERE THE MAIN TOPIC OF THE MORNING SURGEON'S MEETING AND CONSEQUENTLY, WILL BE THE FIRST OPERATION OF THE DAY, SO I GUESS YOU COULD SAY I 'WON THE CIGAR' HA! HA!

A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER I'VE FINISHED UP WITH SOME PINS IN MY FINGERS AND A SORT OF A FINE WIRE CAGE AROUND IT WHICH WILL STAY FOR FIVE WEEKS. HE SAYS I WILL LOSE A LOT OF MOVEMENT OF THE MID FINGER, BUT THE REST SHOULD BE OK AFTER SOME PHYSIO.

I'LL BE READING ALL OF YOUR POSTS BUT AS IT'S TAKEN A LONG TO TYPE THIS I WON'T BE TYPING MUCH BUT I WILL TRY FOR SOME PIC'S.

ALL THE BEST, NEV.

Hello all.
Its a lovely cool morning after some light rain yesterday. Not enough rain to really water anything but the plants love even a drop. Much better for them than the town water...lol

Oh dear, Nev, so sorry to hear that you are injured.
Its such an easy accident to happen, isnt it ?
As we get older, stairs become a real danger area .
Please take care of your hand and we wish you a speedy recovery.
While you are resting your hand you will have time to watch the weeds grow...lol
At least you had a laugh about being the main topic of the surgeons meeting. We will miss your comments until you are feeling better.

Hello Shirley, Brian and Teresa. I hope all the storms up north have gone for a while.
Teresa, I had to laugh about Sugar with her icecream . I wonder how much you both leave for her. I knew an old man with his dog once. He always walked to the shop with her and they would sit out front , both with their icecreams.

Trish, lovely to hear how your mum is loving her broms. I bet she will return from any trip to you, with boxes full of even more broms.
I have an image in my mind now of Lexi sitting with a Latte or even a short Black...lol
Nice to see that you and Joe are having lots of time with your broms & orchids.
You are right about time standing still when you do any potting. I always found the same thing. Hubby used to come and ask if I was getting lunch or he would bring me a cuppa.
I would be lost in the world of plants . It certainly is a relaxing thing to be doing.
I really miss having so many plants that needed me. I have to stop myself bringing just a few more here and when potting , I find I am finished way to quickly with only a few to do.

The sun is out and I need my plant time. Off to water the pots under the eaves.
Take care everyone and especially you , Nev.

Still no pics. I really must find something to photograph.
Jean.

Oh my goodness Nev, you have been in the wars. I hope your poor hand and fingers are now healing well and not giving you too much pain. Trish I too have been selling some of my broms. I need to get another piece of shade cloth over the back area of the SH so that I can put them back up on the Reo. They look very nice up there but it also gives me more room on the floor. I need about 10-12 metres so looking at $100. or more. Money's always tight around here so every little bit extra helps. It's a lot of work though getting everything ready for a sale. It usually takes me about a week. You and hubby are most welcome to join us for Xmas lunch and bring the girls too they would love our lake and Ben would love their company. lol. We've had some storms here too. Lots of thunder and magnificent lightning but only a few spots of rain. We really need that wet stuff otherwise my water bill will be as high as last year. Teresa the Bil Nutans is a very forgiving plant so your friend will have a lovely plant again soon. The weasel has really weaselled into your hearts [and bed] by the sounds of it. They are part of the family though aren't they. The cats always sleep on my bed but Ben usually prefers to stay on guard in the lounge area. I think he's just making sure that no stray cats come in the cat door and pinch the food. The boys are having a sleep in the this morning. Not a peep out of them as yet. All that swimming I suspect. Nice and quiet here at the moment though. Well must go and see what i can get up to for today. Keep well and Nev please look after yourself. Colleen

oh dear Nev!
That sounds like a nasty accident.
Please take good care of yourself so that you heal quickly & can come back to share your wisdom with us.

This morning was lovely at dog club but a bit of dew on the grass made it a little wet under foot & one of more senior ladies slipped & fell heavily on her side.
Our first fear was that she might have broken her hip but her upper arm took the full impact & she was in a great deal of pain.

The other two instructors helped her while I wrangled the dogs.
They took her & her dog home & her poor hubby was too upset to be much help so ended up having to drive them in to A&E.

I was pleased at how club members pulled together to help me run the classes for the rest of the morning as I was the only instructor left on the grounds...
good thing I decided not to compete this weekend!

Take care everyone..
no more illness/injury please!

cheers - teresa.

Hi all,

Nice day here today with a bit of a wind.

Hope everybody has had a good weekend.

Nev, sorry to hear of your injury, it sounds like you did a real good job of it though, bloody stairs.
It's amazing, you don't realize how much you use each finger until they are injured. Sit back and relax for a while and hopefully your hand returns to normal.

Colleen, you made me instantly hungry with your garlic prawns, I like your plants in the pictures as well.

Hi to Trish and Teresa, your dogs both look like they are big parts of your lives, nice to see.

Hi to Jean and Shirley as well.

All this talk of food and coffee has made me hungry, going for a late night snack.

Some pics today,

Pic 1..............Neo. 'Galaxy'
Pic 2..............Neo. 'Skotak's Tiger'
Pic 3..............Neo. 'Albo Marginata'
Pic 4..............Neo 'Scarlet Manooka'
Pic 5..............Neophytum 'Gary Hendrix'

Brian

HI EVERYONE - JUST A FEW PIC'S TODAY.

1. NEO. 'NOBLE DESCENT', 2 NEO. ('CHARM' X 'CRACKER JACK') X 'MANOA BEAUTY', 3 NEO. COMPACTA X OLENS, 4. NEO.'CONCENTRICA X PAINTED LADY (SPORT) - SHADE GROWN, 5 NEO. 'GOLD FEVER TOO'.

ALL THE BEST,

'ONE HANDED NEV'

Hello everyone

Sorry I have been AWOL. I have been trying to catch up with my cataloguing and photo naming and filing, I let it get so far behind that I can’t remember the names of some of them. Still a ways to go but I’m so thoroughly sick of doing it and vowing never to let it get that way again.

Colleen, garlic prawns for Xmas lunch sounds good to me.

Trish … sticky-date pudding with homemade caramel sauce, yum. Looks like Lexi is enjoying her morning coffee. I always save our Rebel the last ¼ of my cup of tea in the morning, which he has after his piece of toast. He watches every sip I take to make sure he doesn’t miss out. Molly prefers coffee but doesn’t get it very often and just the tiniest bit when she does. She loves apple too and gets so excited when she smells one and carries on until she gets some.

Nev, so sorry to hear about your accident, I wondered if you might have been crook. One thing for sure, you don’t do things by halves. You don’t say which hand but either way, it must be very difficult to do anything at the moment and SO painful as well. I hope by now it’s feeling a little better. Sad about the pot of soup as well, LOL. Seriously Nev, it sounds terrible and I can only imagine how you must be feeling ... get well soon.

Hi to Jean, Teresa, Brian and Dianne.

I took some new photos today of some of your seedlings Nev, hope these make you feel a little better.

Pic 1 – Neo concentrica x (Charm x Cracker Jack)
Pic 2 – neo George’s Prince x Orchid
Pic 3 – neo Prince of Darkness x Sparkling Burgundy
Pic 4 – neo Princeps Rainbow x Purple Star
Pic 5 – neo Dunmore Ruby f2

Good morning everyone. Nev I hope your hand and fingers are on the mend and they're not hurting too much. I'm sure that you have been cheered up no end by the well wishes from all of us and the beautiful seedlings above especially Dunmore Ruby f2. That's a beauty. I had to laugh at the coffee and tea drinking pups and the apple eating Molly. My son's dog, Sage, loved oranges and if you were peeling one she would be there sitting in front of you drooling. I've never known a dog to like oranges before. Jean, you sound as though you're settling in well. I take it your old place hasn't sold as yet? It must be strange for you not to have a big garden to tend to but enjoy the rest now. Brian thank you for your comment. I have had some lovely flowers this year. One particular one that caught my eye , bright orange bracts with deep purple flowers. It was quite striking. Will put a pic up if I can find it. For the life of me I can't remember the name offhand. I hope everyone has a wonderful day. Colleen

HI EVERYONE - THANKS FOR ALL THE GET WELL WISHES, THEY'RE MUCH APPRECIATED.

I ONCE HAD A DOG WHO LOVED THOSE LITTLE TOMATOES THAT APPEAR IN THE GARDEN SELF-SOWN. I COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY THEY NEVER HAD ANY FRUIT ON TH LOWER PART OF THE PLANT UNTIL ONE DAY I CAUGHT OLD 'SCAMP' STANDING ON HIS HIND LEGS AND USING THE STAKE AS SUPPORT PULLING OFF FRUIT AND EATING THEM.

SHIRLEY - THANKS FOR THE PIC'S; IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO SEE PIC'S OF PLANTS I HAVE BRED, EITHER IN MY OWN COLLECTION OR IN THE COLLECTIONS OF OTHERS WHO MAY HAVE BOUGHT/SWAPPED OR BEEN GIFTED SOME SEEDLINGS. THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING TO BE LEARNED FROM EACH CROSS.

NO SURPRISES WITH THE FIRST ONE AS IT'S MUCH LIKE SOME I HAVE ALREADY GROWN TO MATURITY.

PLANT 2 HAS ME A BIT STUMPED THOUGH AS I DON’T KNOW WHERE THE SPOTTING CAME FROM AS NEITHER PARENT IS SPOTTED, PROBABLY A THROWBACK TO ONE OF THE ANCESTORS.

PLANT 3 IS ANOTHER SURPRISE AS MOST ARE TURNING OUT IN BURGUNDY COLOURS.

PLANT 4 HAS UNFORTUNATELY INHERITED THE NARROW LEAVES OF PRINCEPS RATHER THAN THE NICE WIDE LEAVES FROM PURPLE STAR. I ALSO THOUGHT THE PURPLE COLOUR WOULD DOMINATE AS BOTH PARENTS CARRY THAT GENE FOR COLOUR, BUT AGAIN THE ANCESTORS DIDN’T AGREE.

PLANT 5 IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST SURPRISE OF THE LOT AS IT LOOKS NOTHING LIKE THE PARENT COLOUR-WISE (SEE PIC 1).
I HOPE IT HAS THE SAME GLOSSY FINISH AS IT MATURES WHICH WILL MAKE IT A QUITE ATTRACTIVE PLANT .

USUALLY WITH AN F2 CROSS I’VE FOUND THE SEEDLINGS ARE SIMILAR COLOUR BUT WORSE OR BETTER SHAPE THAN THE PARENT. THIS PLANT HAS NEITHER, WHICH MAKES ME SUSPECT THAT AN ANT OR OTHER INSECT MAY HAVE POLLINATED THE PLANT BEFORE ME AS IT LOOKS SIMILAR TO NEO. ‘GEORGE’S PRINCE’ WHICH WAS GROWING NEARBY.

THIS IS THE INTERESTING THING WHEN BREEDING HYBRIDS, YOU CAN EXPECT AND HOPE FOR SOMETHING BUT OFTEN THE RESULT IS VERY DIFFERENT TO WHAT YOU EXPECTED, SOMETIMES BETTER, SOMETIMES WORSE, BUT ALWAYS INTERESTING.

COLLEEN – ALTHOUGH YOUR FLOWER LOOKS LIKE A BILLBERGIA, I’M ALMOST CERTAIN IT’S A QUESNELIA SPECIES CALLED LIBONIANA.

JUST A FEW PIC’S TO FINISH WITH, STARTING WITH NEO. ‘DUNMORE RUBY (TO COMPARE WITH SHIRLEY'S PIC. 5).

THE OTHER PIC'S ARE SOME MORE OF PETER COYLE'S NEW BILLBERGIA HYBRIDS.

ALL THE BEST, NEV.

Yes Nev that's the name Quesnelia liboniana. I went out and checked but at 4.30 this morning I couldn't remember it. Have you got any pups of Dunmore Ruby? Will you please save me one? Colleen

HI EVERYONE - BACK AGAIN WITH A FEW MORE PICTURES.

I. NEO. CONCENTRICA X 'GEE WHIZ'
2. NEO. 'LAMBERT'S PRIDE'
3. NEO. 'PINCH OF PINK'
4. NEO. 'FAIRY DUST'
5. NEO. 'JASPER PINK'

ALL THE BEST, NEV

.

HI EVERYONE - I HOPE EVERYONE'S WELL AND ENJOYING THEIR BROM'S.

COLLEEN - I DON'T SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF LUCK WITH QUES. LIBONIANA AS I CONTINUALLY GET LEAF-TIP DIE BACK. I'VE TRIED DIFFERENT POTTING MIXES, I'VE TRIED IT POTTED, MOUNTED ON BITS OF WOOD AND EVEN MOUNTED ON A LIVE TREE; ALWAYS WITH THE SAME RESULT.

A FRIEND GROWS IT PERFECTLY IN POTS AND MOUNTED AND HE'S ONLY ABOUT TEN KM. FROM ME AND I'VE COME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT IT DOESN'T LIKE THE SALT AIR FROM THE NOR EASTERLY SEA BREEZES WE OFTEN GET HERE WHERE I LIVE.

A FEW MORE PIC'S TO FINISH WITH,

1. NEO.'BURGUNDY MOSS'
2. NEO.'SMALL WORLD'
3. NEO.'FAIRY DUST'
4. NEO.'BLACKOUT' X 'MISTER ODEAN'
5. NEO.'BOLD STREAK X MCWILLIAMSII

ALL THE BEST, NEV.

DEAR OH DEAR - NO ONE TO TALK TO TODAY SO I GUESS I'LL JUST HAVE TO POST A FEW MORE PIC'S.

BEFORE I DO THOUGH, JUST ONE QUESTION; SINCE I HURT MY HAND I'VE BEEN FINDING HEAPS OF PUPS ON THE NEO'S THAT NEED TAKING OFF AND AS I CAN'T DO MUCH ABOUT IT, THERE SEEMS TO BE MORE APPEARING DAILY, WHY IS THIS?

ANYWAY A FEW PIC'S FOR TODAY.

1. NEO. 'TREASURE CHEST'
2. NIDULARIUM 'CAMPOS - PORTOI'
3. NEO. 'HEART MUSIC' X CONCENTRICA
4. NEO. 'PURPLE GLAZE'
5. NEO. 'ROSELLA'

ALL THE BEST, NEV.

Hi Everyone!

I posted a quick thread from my mobile phone yesterday as I got home from work late but cannot see it here today so don't know where it ended up?

Anyway it was just to say a quick hi to everyone given I have been AWOL and time has been so limited as well as to pass on a BIG GET WELL SOON to Nev and to say we are glad you are ok and on the mend as well as it's great to see you still typing in CAPS with the one finger and attaching all those wonderful brom pics.

When we got back from our friends funeral things did not settle down for me because one of my colleges at work took 3 weeks a/leave so I am doing both my job and his job while he is away (Civil, Electrical / Mechanical & Services) so things have been very hectic and stressful so I have been coming home and falling asleep on the couch by about 7pm and finding it hard to get out of bed in the mornings because I am craving more sleep than usual, so my usual 4am wakeup during the week has been stretched to about 5 / 5:30am because it's needed at the moment and my usual morning exercise has fallen to the way side until things get back to normal; so that's another reason why I am not posted as often as usual, there are just not enough hours in the day unfortunately.

I am holding a brom stall at our local market this weekend (Sunday) so I am really looking forward to that, Saturday I will be just doing a bit of final prepping but I have pretty much got everything ready with about 60 broms ready for sale so far as well as some gingers, succulents and a couple of orchid seedlings.

Lovely pics everyone has posted over the days I have missed, so many beautiful one's out there so full of wonderful colour.

Apologies for not responding to everyone individually as I have to get tea on with a little bookwork to do after before bedtime, but I thought I would drop in quickly rather than not at all while I can but will look at catching up with you all tomorrow night once my weeks over and I have had time to catch my breath.

Sorry no pics tonight but will post some tomorrow night.

Take Care & Happy Gardening!

Trish

Hi all,

Nev, quite a few of your seedling crosses are looking really good at the moment. I will continue to send or post pics so you can see the results of your efforts. Please let me know of any that you would like a pup from. I love your neo Blackout x Mister Odean.

I am guessing the deluge of pups is due to the warmer weather rather than a result of your having hurt your hand but it must be frustrating for you. How long do you reckon it will be before you are able to pup and pot again … hope it’s not too long. Do take care not to try to do too much too soon though.

Trish, your earlier post is probably floating around in cyberspace, along with a few of mine and lots of others as well. Hope you do really well with your local market stall on Sunday.

Hi to Colleen, Jean, Brian and Teresa.

Pic 1 – neo Red Dawn
Pic 2 – neo Wango Tango
Pic 3 – neo Imagine
Pic 4 – neo Mister Odean
Pic 5 – neo Black Warrior

Bye for now, Shirley

Good morning everyone. Well I finally got the extra Shade cloth up in the Shade house. Just in time too as it was 42C yesterday. What a stinker. I will be able to make some walking room on the floor now as i can put the broms back up on the REO. I spent most of yesterday making sure the chooks, ducks and geese and galahs had plenty of shade and water. The sprinklers were on for the native birds. The little Northumberland Honeyeater has just come to this region. They are so lovely. The Sulphur Crested Cockatoos land in the large pine trees up the back and eat the seeds from the cones and then drop the cones down. All my Cacti are under the pines so I'm forever getting chewed pinecones out of the pots. Small price to pay to see those magnificent birds larking around. Trish it's always a busy time of the year for people who work away from home isn't it. I hope it slows down a bit for you so that you can catch your breathe. Good luck with your sales on the weekend. Shirley you never cease to amaze me with your beautiful plants. All those pinks and purples must look amazing in real life. Your Mr O'Dean is nothing like the seedlings that I've been raising from Nev. Mine are starting to colour up but nothing like yours. Well Nev, The Neos will keep taunting you for a while yet I would imagine. They won't run away though so will still be there [and larger] when your hand is better. Stay well everyone. a pic of my Mr O'Dean seedlings. Colleen

big day showing with Sugar.
All breeds show then the Dalmatian Specialty...
am totally exhausted now and still have two more days of showing to go.
take care all...

HI EVERYONE – NOT MUCH TO REPORT, I HAD MY FIRST PHYSIO SESSION TODAY AT 12,00 NOON WHICH STIRRED UP THE PAIN AGAIN, SO NOT A HAPPY CHAPPIE.

TRISH – NICE TO HEAR FROM YOU AGAIN AND CAN ONLY GIVE YOU THE SAME ADVICE I GAVE YOU AND JOE LAST TIME – DON’T WORK TOO HARD AND BUGGER YOURSELVES UP AGAIN,

SHIRLEY – THANKS FOR THE OFFER OF PUPS FROM THE SEEDLINGS I LIKE AND THE SAME APPLIES TO YOU, HOWEVER BY THE TIME WE KEEP A SPARE FOR OURSELVES IT COULD BE A TWO YEAR WAIT.

IT COULD BE THE WARM, HUMID WEATHER THAT’S FORCING THE PUPS TO GROW SO VIGOROUSLY, I KNOW IT’S NOT FERTILISER AS I HAVEN’T FERTILISED SINCE THEY WERE REPOTTED.

AS FOR THIS ROTTEN HAND, THE SURGEON SAYS I’LL HAVE THIS WIRE CAGE ON FOR ABOUT FIVE WEEKS BUT IT ALL DEPENDS ON HOW SORE IT IS AFTER THAT AS TO WHEN I CAN START USING IT AGAIN. IT’S NOT THE WIRE CAGE THAT HURTS, IT’S THE TWO BITS OF WIRE THAT GO THROUGH MY FINGER TO HOLD IT IN PLACE.

THEY’RE GREAT PIC’S YOU’VE POSTED AGAIN BUT MY FAVOURITE HAS TO BE THE NEO. RED DAWN, I THINK IT’S GREAT. NOW THAT YOU’VE TORMENTED ME WITH IT , YOU’LL HAVE TO ADD A PUP TO MY WISH LIST IF YOU POSSIBLY CAN.

COLLEEN – IT SEEMS LIKE WE WERE TO HAVE HAD HIGH TEMPS TODAY ALSO BUT IT ONLY REACHED THE MID THIRTIES WITH A COLD SOUTHERLY CHANGE EXPECTED TONIGHT.

I DON’T THINK YOU WOULD LIKE THOSE BLOODY DESTRUCTIVE SULPHUR CRESTED COCKATOOS IF YOU LIVED HERE. THEY CHEWED MY TV ANTENNA TO BITS, THEN CHEWED THE FASCIA AFTER WHICH THEY STARTED ON THE ARCHITRAVES AROUND THE BACK WINDOWS. THEY FINALLY GAVE IT AWAY TO GO NEXT DOOR AND DESTROY THE SOLAR HOT WATER SYSTEM OFF THE ROOF. WHY DID WE HAVE TO HAND OUR GUNS IN TO THE COPS YEATS AGO?

WITH THE MISTER ODEAN SEEDLINGS, THEY ARE JUST LIKE ANY OTHER SEEDLINGS, A LOTTERY. YOU GET SOME GOOD ONES, SOME MEDIUM ONES AND SOME LEMONS, BUT THEY ARE ALL UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT.

TERESA – GOOD LUCK AT THE ALL BREEDS SHOW

JUST A FEW BROM. FLOWER PIC’S TO FINISH WITH TODAY.

ALL THE BEST, NEV

Hi Everyone

Thank goodness the week has come to a close and the weekends finally here, looking forward to a wee sleep in tomorrow before going for our usual walk on the beach.

Hi Shirley yeah not too sure where my mobile post went the other day, annoying when that happens and makes you wonder where do they end up going given you know you pressed send successfully, anyway normally it works just not this time around.

Thanks really looking forward to having a stall at our local market this Sunday, it gave me something to really look forward to all week and the weather is nice although getting a little warm now but should not deter too many from venturing out, plus the market has got a good following now with many stalls and regular customers visiting most weekends that I have seen with my own eyes because when I visit the market I keep seeing the same friendly faces walking around which is great.

Lovely pics you posted Shirley, the one’s that I was really drawn to where Pic 1, Pic 3 and Pic 5, with Neo. ‘Black Warrior’ catching my attention the most because I like the dark trim it had around the outer edges of the leaves that I found very striking.

Hi Colleen great to hear you got the extra shade cloth up in the shade house just in time by the sounds on things with temps now a scorching 42C. Our temps are creeping up to 31C and 32C expected next week the weather man tells us.

Great to hear you are looking after all you birds and wildlife also making sure they have plenty water available to drink, we too have been doing same for our local birds as the wetlands are dry to the bone at the moment till the wet season arrives. We adore the Honey Eaters here and one built a beautiful nest in my Igloo that I will have to remember to post pics of at some stage as I took many pics of dad feeding the two bubs, but they have left the nest now and we see them flying with the others on the weekends which is nice, I miss seeing them in the Igloo, especially the father who got really used to me and did not care if I sat and took pics up close of him during feeding time.

With my work I am not away a week at a time thank goodness and am lucky that I come home every day and am home on the weekends, especially with us running our business as well, otherwise it would just not be possible to do both or we would go insane trying ha ha.

Thanks looking forward to having a stall at our local market this weekend, it will be a nice way to unwind and I always enjoy chatting with the customers that come through, some are regular that always like to see what I have for sale and don’t like to miss the opportunity of popping over when I do have a stall because I only do it casual when I can. Colleen your Neo. Mister Odean seedling look great, I checked on mine that I grew from seed a couple of days ago and they are looking great and tough looking for such little seedling so I have great hope that they will grow up to be impressive plants because the signs are already there.

Hi Teresa sound like you are having a great time showing Sugar, can’t wait to hear how it all went, sounds very exhausting though.

Hi Nev sorry to hear your physio session was so painful and hope the pain has eased as I could think of nothing worse working something that really hurts that is trying to heal, but hopefully each visit will get easier and the pain won’t be so bad for you and that you hand recovers well.

Thanks Nev trying not to work too hard but work just sucks as much as they can out of you now days which seems to be the norm everywhere.

Lovely flowering brom pics you posted, not something we really concentrate usually on when we post pics of our broms but the flowers are so fascinating aren’t they and when I take pics of them in our yard I like to room in and take a closer look at all the detail they contain that I always find so interesting as well as beautiful.

Hi Brian hope your well and enjoying your broms.

Anyway time to head off and watch a movie possibly with Joe.

Take Care & Happy Gardening!

Hi to anyone looking in or on the sick list, hope I have not missed anyone.

Trish

Pic 1 – New Desert Rose Garden by my Igloo
Pic 2 - Guess what’s living in my broms?
Pic 3 – Joe’s Orchid and Pet Frog – too cute!
Pic 4 – Vr. ‘Cracker Jack’
Pic 5 – Neo. ‘Dirty Gerty’

Hello everyone. Its been a very varied week weatherwise here. One day will be cold, the next very hot. Even the warm days start off with a cool wind.
I have been going back & forth between here and the house as I have finally sold just about all of the plants.
A very nice chap has bought just about everything. He lives not too far away and I can visit the plants anytime. It will be nice to be able to see them progress even though they are not mine any more.
The broms I have here are getting quite a bit of color and I must get the camera out. I keep forgetting.
I have about 15 roses in pots that will look beautiful when they grow .

Nev, it sounds as if you will be out of action for quite a while with that hand.
Take care of yourself. It gets so frustrating when a part we use often is out of action.
Its great you can still type even in capitals. Your pics are great.
Love the flower details. Its something a lot of people dont realise about broms . Most wouldnt look that closely at what seems to be an insignificant flower to the uninitiated.

Shirley, as always your broms are beautiful. It must the lovely brom resort they live in ..lol
I really like you neos Black Warrior and Imagine.

Trish, that frog is so cute. I seem to have lost any frogs that used to live in my broms.
Is that Lexis cute little face among the broms. How did she get in there without tipping them over ?
The only creatures around my broms here are sparrows and I did see a blue tongue lizard walking around them last week.
I always keep water on the ground for creatures that dont fly and a bird bath for those that do.

Colleen, we rarely see any sulpher crested cockatoos in the district, but at the house and around the town there were large groups of the corellas. Darn cockatoos are so damaging.
My cousin had his main electrical wire to the house, bitten right through.
I was over there one day when it sparked and fell down. Could have been very dangerous if one was under it and the sparks can start fires too.
I knew of someone with a cedar house which was ruined by the cockatoos chewing it to bits.
I saw mobs that numbered in the thousands when travelling around Australia.
They defoliate hundreds of trees which then die.
Not one of our greatest native creatures.

Teresa, good luck with the remaining days of your showing. Hope Sugar does really well.

Hello Brian and anyone else I missed.

a couple of old guzmania pics.

Jean.

as far as results go Sugar got nowhere - but we had a nice time, the weather was lovely & it meant we were done early & came home to do other things.

I have mowed the back lawn & weeded the lower terrace garden.
My lilies are looking good :)

Nev - those flowers are very pretty, looked at close up they are striking colours.
Hope the pain in your hand eases up soon.
Physio can stir things up but a necessary evil to make sure everything heals properly.

Trish - I really like the Neo Cracker Jack. The others are nice & that desert rose garden looks so tidy - I would love to have an area like that although the pots would have to hold something frost hardy for our weather.
Love that cute wee face peering out from the broms... my cutie is asleep on the couch next to me. She supervised me mowing the lawn so is worn out poor dear ;)

Jean - so glad someone who appreciates your broms has them now.
It is great that you will be able to see them.

Tomorrow is a smaller show - so we get a sleep in as it has a late start - 9am.
It is only two groups, the Non-Sporting & Utility groups.
Dalmatians are in Non-Sporting, along with poodles, Bulldogs, French Bulldogs & Great Danes among others.
Utility is the Dobermans,(should the plural of that be Dobermen???) Huskies, Boxers & Mastiff types etc.

Cheers - Teresa

Hi everybody,

A bit of relief with the weather today, yesterday was a real stinker of a day.

I spent the day down in Nev's territory on the south coast. I went down to have a look at a couple of plants from his friend that had passed away and found the backyard lined with Bromeliads. I ended up taking a trailer load of them,but you could hardly see where I had taken them from. His wife said that a lot of the labels were marked with that familiar phrase 'Ask Nev'. We ended up nagging for a while about the plants as she is getting into them herself. Nice people.

Teresa, good luck with the dog show tomorrow. How do all the different breeds go in the one place? I bet there is a few brawls between.

Jean, nice pics of the Guzmanias. It seems with the plants I have the flower lasts forever compared to some of the others.

Trish, love the pick of the orchid + frog. Good luck with your stall at the markets, its a good way to meet all the local people.

Colleen, we don't see as many Cockatoos up here as I thought we would. There are a heap of Kookaburras and Parrots, but the best one to listen to of a morning is the Whip bird, brilliant sound they make. Up at Katoomba in the NSW Blue Mountains there was a lot of Black Cockatoos as well, weird looking bird.

Shirley and Nev, brilliant colour with your pictures as usual, take it easy over the weekend.

I have taken a few pictures and will put some on over the next couple of days.

Todays are mostly unknown. The colours are slightly exaggerated in the pics.

Pic 1........Today's Purchase
Pics 2-5...Unknown

HI EVERYONE - DRIZZLING RAIN DOWN HERE THIS MORNING WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE FOR THE CAMP QUALITY CONVOY. WHAT STARTED OUT AS A SIMPLE IDEA BY TWO ANNOUNCERS ON THE RADIO BREAKFAST SHOW HAS NOW BEEN GOING SINCE 2005 WITH THE TOTAL RAISED FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER TO $4.3 MILLION. LAST YEAR BROKE ALL RECORDS RAISING $1,191,816 AND THIS YEAR IS EXPECTED TO RAISE EVEN MORE FOR THIS VERY WORTH WHILE CAUSE.
SEE: http://www.i98fm.com.au/i98fm/index.php/i98fm-camp-quality-convoy-2014/


I'M STILL FEELING VERY FRUSTRATED BEING "GROUNDED"AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET ANY WORK DONE AMONG MY BROM'S, AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, MY COMPUTER HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK AND I HAVE TO SHARE WITH MY WIFE.

TRISH - IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU SHARING YOUR NICE LONG INFORMATIVE POSTS ONCE AGAIN. I HOPE YOU DO WELL WITH YOUR MARKET STALL TODAY AND THAT THE WEATHER IS KIND TO YOU.

YOUR DESERT ROSE GARDEN BESIDE YOUR IGLOO LOOKS SO VERY NEAT AND TIDY AND WITH PLENTY OF SPACE TO EXPAND WHAT'S MORE.

THAT'S A GREAT PIC OF THE FROG IN THE POUCH OF JOE'S PAPH; CERTAINLY WORTH PUTTING IN A PHOTO COMPETITION.

JEAN - THAT'S GREAT NEWS ABOUT YOUR PLANTS, AND EVEN BETTER THAT YOU CAN GO AND SAY HELLOW TO THEM ANY TIME, WHAT A GREAT OUTCOME, ANOTHER WORRY OFF YOUR MIND.

IT'S SURPRISING JUST HOW MANY DIFFERENT LITTLE GARDEN FRIENDS A BIT OF WATER WILL ATTRACT. I PUT MY FIRST BIRD BATH OUT THIRTY YEARS AGO AND NOW THERE ARE THREE AS WELL AS A FROG POND. WE HAVE ALL SORTS OF BIRDS VISITING DAILY AS WELL AS BLUE TONGUE LIZARDS AND VARIOUIS SIZE SKINKS. ISN'T IT GREAT TO BE ABLE TO BE IN HARMONY WITH NATURE?

TERESA - I'LL BET MISS SUGAR DOESN'T CARE THAT SHE DIDN'T WIN ANY PRIZES AT THE SHOW YESTERDAY, SHE WOULD HAVE JUST ENJOYED THE SOCIAL INTERACTION AS FROM WHAT YOU'VE TOLD US AS I THINK SHE'S A BIT OF A "SOCIAL BUTTERFLY."

MAYBE SHE WAS JUST SAVING HERSELF UP FOR TODAY, WE'LL JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.

BRIAN - GOOD TO HEAR YOU WERE ABLE TO GET A GOOD HAUL OF PLANTS AND I UNDERSTAND WHEN YOU SAID YOU COULDN'T SEE WHERE THEY WERE TAKEN FROM.

JOHN HAD SOME NICE STUFF, BUT UNFORTUNATELY HE DIDN'T PUT TOO MUCH IMPORTANCE ON NAME TAGS AS YOU'VE FOUND. I DO THINK HOWEVER ONCE YOU GROW SOME OF THE PUPS TO MATURITY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY A LOT OF THEM.

THE PLANT IN PIC.2 I THINK IS AE. RECURVATA X BROMELIIFOLIA AS THAT'S ONE JOHN WOULDHAVE GOT FROM ME.

I CAN'T PICK THE PLANTS IN PIC. 3 OR 4 BUT THE ONE IN PIC.4 IS SHOWING A BIT OF PROMISE EVEN IF THE COLOUR IS BADLY BLEACHED BY THE SUN, I WOULD EVEN GUESS IT COULD BE ONE OF THE MANY CLONES OF CONCENTRICA OR EVEN A CONCENTRICA HYBRID AS THERE IS A HINT OF THE SEMI-CONCENTRIC LEAF MARKINGS AFTER WHICH THIS PLANT WAS NAMED.

I WOULD SAY THE PLANT IN PIC.5 IS ONE OF THE AE. ORLANDIANAS OR ONE OF ITS HYBRIDS SUCH AS AE. 'BERT'.

I'VE BEEN ON ANOTHER FORUM TAKING PART IN A DISCUSSION ABOUT "ROOT MEALY BUG" AND AS I CAN'T ACCESS THE PIC'S ON MY COMPUTER, I THOUGHT I'D SHARE A BIT OF INFO ABOUT ROOT MEALY BUG WITH YOU INSTEAD.


CONTROLLING ROOT MEALY BUG

ROOT MEALY BUG AS THE NAME IMPLIES IS AN INSECT WHICH ATTACKS THE
ROOTS OF PLANTS AND LOOKS LIKE THE USUAL MEALY BUG SOMETIMES SEEN ON THE LEAVES AROUND THE BASE OF A PLANT.

SEE:
http://www.entomology.umn.edu/cues/inter/inmine/Mbugsr.html
http://www.extento.hawaii.edu/kbase/reports/hIlandsc_rootmealyb.htm
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/r280301011.html

THEY ARE OFTEN FIRST NOTICED DURING RE-POTTING OPERATIONS AND APPEAR AS A TYPE OF FINE WHITE WEB JUST BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE POTTING MIX OR AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE PLANT ROOTS WHERE THEY CONTACT THE INSIDE OF THE POT.

THESE ARE THE AREAS WHICH DRY OUT THE FASTEST AFTER WATERING AND AS THESE PESTS LIKE A DRY ENVIRONMENT, THIS IS WHERE THEY MORE COMMONLY CONGREGATE AND BREED. LIKE MOST INSECTS THERE ARE THE ACTUAL INSECTS AND THE EGGS, AND TO CONTROL THEM EFFECTIVELY WILL REQUIRE MORE THAN ONE TREATMENT.

THE MOST COMMON METHOD OF TREATMENT IS WITH A SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDE, WHICH AS THE NAME IMPLIES TRAVELS THROUGH THE “WHOLE” SYSTEM OF THE PLANT, LEAVES, FLOWERS AND ROOTS. THE IDEA OF THESE TYPES OF INSECTICIDES IS THAT ONE TREATMENT WOULD TRAVEL RIGHT THROUGH THE PLANT VIA THE PLANTS CIRCULATORY SYSTEM (MUCH LIKE OUR CIRCULATORY SYSTEM) AND REACH ALL PARTS OF THE PLANT THUS KILLING ANY INSECT THAT SUCKED THE SAP CARRYING POISON FROM THAT PLANT. SEE: http://citybugs.tamu.edu/factsheets/landscape/sapfeed/ent-6006/

I HAVE FOUND THAT ONE TREATMENT MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT FOR VARIOUS REASONS E.G THE ADULT INSECT MAY HAVE BUILT UP AN IMUNITY TO THE PARTICULAR INSECTICIDE FROM OVER USE; THE INSECTS MAY BE KILLED BUT NOT THE EGGS WHICH WILL HATCH LATER; OR MOST COMMONLY, THE INSECTICIDE MAY HAVE BEEN APPLIED IN INSUFFICIENT QUANTITY TO BE COMPLETELY ABSORBED BY THE PLANT. TO GUARD AGAINST THESE EVENTUALITIES, I FIND IT NECESSARY TO TREAT AS FOLLOWS:

FOR IMMUNITY:

USE TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF INSECTICIDES AT TWO WEEK INTERVALS E.G. “CONFIDOR” ONE WEEK AND “DEFENDER MAX GUARD" THE NEXT WEEK.

BOTH ARE SYSTEMIC INSECTICIDES BUT THEY HAVE DIFFERENT ACTIVE INGREDIENTS. CONFIDOR USES "Imidacloprid" WHILE MAX GUARD USES  "acetamiprid".

FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO:
CONFIDOR : http://www.yates.com.au/products/pest-control/insects-ready-to-use/bayer-confidor-insecticide-ready-to-use/

MAXGUARD: http://www.scottsaustralia.com.au/defender/defender-pest-and-weed-control/defender-maxguard.aspx

WHEN APPLIED IN INSUFFICIENT QUANTITY:

IF YOU JUST SPRAY ON THE LEAF SURFACE, THE DAY TEMPERATURE MAY EVAPORATE THE SPRAY BEFORE IT HAS BEEN ABSORBED, SO BEST SPRAY IN THE COOLER LATE AFTERNOON.
I FIND WHEN APPLYING, IT’S BETTER TO IMMERSE THE WHOLE PLANT WHERE POSSIBLE, THIS WAY YOU ARE ASSURRED OF GETTING SUFFICIENT ABSORPTION INTO THE PLANT’S CIRCULATORY SYSTEM FOR EFFECTIVE TREATMENT.

IT IS SAID THAT CONTAMINATED POTS CAN BE RE-USED AFTER WASHING IN SOAP AN WATER; PERSONALLY I TOSS THE CONTAMINATED ONES IN THE BIN IN FAVOUR OF NEW POTS AS THEY ONLY COST A FEW CENTS ANYWAY AND IT'S BEST NOT TO TAKE THE CHANCE OF RE-CONTAMINATION.

ALL THE BEST, NEV.

Hello again everyone. Here I am 2 days running , being able to post . I have time today as its still raining after a huge thunderstorm yesterday afternoon.
I potted my new roses in the morning so the rain will be great for them.
No hail and no wind, just rain . It wasnt over cold either which was good.
The sun is trying very hard to push the clouds away and I expect tomorrow will be a warm day.

Brian, I do find the colorful guzmanias last for months.The yellow on pictured in my last post, flowered last Jan and is still looking great. I have it here as its a mini and easy to fit in.
Lovely lot of new broms you have to play with. Lots of very lovely colors and I see a nice vriesea in the middle.


I must get new pics of vr Angela and vr Grafton Sunset as the flower stems are getting bigger.
I have the vrieseas I bought over, sitting along the raised brick in the front where they get morning sun , but not too much, They seem to be doing really well there and the azaleas I have in front will shade them as they grow.
The other broms are all at the back and get a dose of morning sun directly for a littel while then the shadecloth protects them. As frost does come a lot to this valley where the town is situated, I will have to keep an eye on the situation in the cold weather.

Nev, great to see one of your lovely informative posts . One thing about computers, you can use one finger to type.
I hope the physio doesnt get too painful but as Teresa says , its necessary.
One thing about having broms is that if you cannot get to them right away, they will happily sit and wait.
You will have lots of time whne the hand id well and maybe those grandsons of yours will be willing helpers .

Teresa, good luck with the competition today.
Yes, I think Miss Mischief has a great time regardless of what her owner wants...lol

Hello trish and Shirley.
Colleen, thanks for sending the rain over. I am assuming it was you ...lol.. as it usually comes from SA.

When I was at the house last week, there was a visit from one of my favorite creatures that always used to come.
A koala.
The people gathering the plants were amazed to see one so close as he was relaxing in the tree right next to where we were sitting, and only about 2 metres off the ground. He was so relaxed and gazed at us all with sheer boredom on his ( or her) face.
I will miss the koalas and wallabys, I used to have pop in . Also my magpies. I only have a few odd sparrows come here and I dont want to encourage them too much , although I do see them hopping around the plants getting any insects they can.

Better go and water the pots that are not able to get rain on them.
Take care everyone and stay safe.

pic 1..., a very relaxed koala

pic 2... guzmania Scarlet Lady an old pic from last Dec.

pic 3... another old pic of mini guz. Joyce

Jean

Good morning everyone. My, had quite a bit to peruse this morning. Wow Brian, what a lovely haul. Your collection must have got quite a boost with all those lovelies. Teresa that's a lovely pic and look at the concentration and both faces. She might be a weasel but she is a beautiful pup. Jean I'm so pleased to read that you have found a home for all your plants and to be able to see how they're going is an added bonus. From what you've said about the plants that have gone with you, you seem to have quite a garden albeit mostly in pots. Some pics would be lovely please. Trish, well you will be madly selling i hope. Lovely pic of the frog. Nev it must be so frustrating for you but by the length of your last post it hasn't slowed your brain from working. So informative. I have never seen mealy bugs on my broms here but I have had a little scale on some. Black aphids are a bit of a problem on the fruit trees but a good dose of soapy water usually deals with them. The stone fruits are all starting to ripen down here now and there will be a glut for a few weeks. There's nothing better than walking up the back and picking your own apricot or nectarine or peach straight off the tree. When the boys first came here I was doing something inside and when I went out the back to see what Branden was up to I couldn't find him. I finally walked up the back and there he was under the apricot tree having a lovely feed of apricots. We had the biggest storm go through here at about 7 last night. Lots of thunder and lightening and then the skies opened up and dumped about a half and inch of beautiful rain in about 10 minutes. What a sight. To top it off the boys were out in it. They'd walked home with their mate to grab his PJ's as he was to have a sleepover and they got caught right at the start of it. They were absolutely soaked, so they peeled off their clothes and jumped straight in the hot shower. Laughed their heads off. They thought it was great. Wet shoes and clothes everywhere outside though. Well i had better get moving, Have a great day everyone and Trish hope you need a wheelbarrow to bring home your takings. Colleen

Hi all,

Gone from rain this morning to a beauty of a day this afternoon. I spent most of the day re-potting yesterdays plants I bought and then had our daughter and little grandson over for dinner. Unfortunately he just missed an old steam train come through just before he got there. They sound great coming from the south as it echos off the mountain around the inlet at Koolewong.

The potting started with just mixing some Orchid mix with a bit of pine bark and perlite (bit overpriced I thought, just like crushed up styrofoam). I tried a small bit of normal potting mix in with pine bark mulch and it seemed to hold the plant a lot better. Any thoughts on whether this is a good or bad thing to do. Where does everybody get their pots from?

Nev, I ended up with a bit over 50 plants, but a lot of them had 3-4 very mature pups on them.
Like I said there was a lot still there and his wife still had to sort through that amount again.

I have a large Al. devine plum that since moving it to its current position gets sunlight from a different angle than it had before. It has started to tilt towards the sunlight, looks like it might have to be moved to a different position or continually turned. On the BCR it is listed as having a seed parent (Vinicolour) and pollen parent (Silver Plum) yet the Vinicolour isn't listed at all.

Colleen, there is nothing like a downpour on a tin roof, puts me to sleep every time.

Jean, love the picture of your Koala in the tree, it has made me tired and I might have to call it a night after that.

Some pics to finish.

1.......Neo blood spot
2.......Neo. morris henry hobbs x fireball
3...... Neo Carilinae x Concentrica x painted lady
4...... Neo Aztex
5.......Neo Cruenta (broadleaf)?

Brian

Hello all,

Colleen, we put a ‘topper’ on one of the shade houses here yesterday, the one that gets sun most of the day. I expect some of the lovely colour in the neos will fade but that’s better than having them burn. We have had a couple of very hot days here as well ... still no rain.

Nev, physio can be painful but without it you may not regain full use of your hand. I have added neo Red Dawn to your wish list. I have a few pups ready for you now so let me know as soon as you are back in action and I will send them off to you.

Trish, hope you did well with your market stall today. We drove past our local market this morning on the way to the newsagent for the Sunday paper and there were surprisingly few people there. I think it was just too hot for a lot of people to venture out. We spent the rest of the day inside with the air con blasting. The poor dogs barely moved all day, they lay on the cool tile floor in the air con as well.

Jean, great to hear that you have sold most of your plants, even better that the buyer lives reasonably close and you can visit. Great pic of the koala, don’t you just love the way they flop over the branches, I wonder sometimes how they don’t fall.

Teresa, the results don’t matter, what is important is that you and Sugar have a good time and enjoy the show. Great pic of you both, couldn’t help but notice the lush green grass, we have crunchy brown grass and lots of bare patches … if only it would rain. I had to laugh at your suggestion that the plural of Doberman should be dobermen, I like that.

Brian, I have an alc Vinicolour somewhere, I will try to remember to get a photo, it’s a nice deep red colour. I’m hoping it hasn’t been burnt with the 40 degrees temps we’ve had over the last couple of days.

Pic 1 – neo Real Class
Pic 2 – neo OBE
Pic 3 – neo Aquarius
Pic 4 – neo Aussie Aussie Aussie

Bye for now, Shirley

Well I can see why using word to write a post is so popular, not only does it prevent losing all that you have typed if DG has a hiccough but you can scroll back to the posts you are referring to & even have another look at the photos...
And with so many great plants to comment on that seems like a good plan.
Brian – what an interesting haul you have there... it must have been fun choosing which ones to take. I love the striped ones in amongst the collection, they really stand out and you last two photos had me drooling... for some reason spotty broms really appeal to me.
Brian – your second post – Neo Aztex – WOW! That is one stunning plant, the colour contrast is fantastic.
Nev – great information about mealy bug treatment, my worst bug right now is aphids – they love the roses & all my lettuces are infested. At least they wash off easily but it was aphids that killed my tomato seedlings before I realised that it was the little sap suckers causing the wilt & not just me repotting them. Live & learn, next time I try raising seedlings I will keep them indoors until they are strong enough to cope with pests.
Jean – how wonderful to have a visiting Koala! Wonder what the magpies think of the changes right now?
Colleen – I only have one fruit tree – a Damson plum but my dogs always loved the fruit, Sugar isn’t as plum crazy as Copper was. That storm sounds like it was welcome for the rain it brought... I used to love the thunderstorms in Brisbane, they were quite spectacular – the storms here can be quite dramatic with thunder & lightning but they don’t have the same atmosphere as the tropical storms.
Shirley – I like all of your pictured broms but think Neo. OBE is a standout & Neo. Aquarius is lovely, it looks like someone has taken a plain green & cream variegated plant & misted it with pink dye 
The grounds were the shows were held are owned by the Canterbury Kennel Association...
It was a bare paddock when they started. The building is a little basic but they have worked hard on the grounds – an irrigation system keeps the grass alive through summer. Crunchy & brown was how it used to be after the hot nor’westers blew through.
There have been tree planting working bees over the years and now that those on the perimeter are maturing the winds are less ferocious. There are shade trees between the rings – in a few more years those will be more effective, in the meantime they have added shade sails to the ring entrances.
cheers - Teresa
1.) Sugar & I yesterday (we came third of 3)
2) running around the ring, shade sale top left of pic.
3) Friday - Dalmatian Club show, lady in pink bred Sugar. the other lady is our very nice judge from England. I am outside the ring in the background & Sugar is in her brand new bright blue pop up beach shelter.
4) The Dalmatian Club Trophy table
5) All the prizes at the other end of the trophy table.

Hi everyone. I suspect Nev have had some more physio today. Chin up, Nev. Hope everyone else is feeling well. The weather was beautiful here today and everything is glowing from the rain that we had. I do believe that I can see the broms smiling from under their extra shadecloth. I have already got some plants back up on the reo but have a long way to go yet. I thought that I might put some of my minis in hanging pots too. I think that they will do well and look good. The weasel has a beautiful stance Teresa. I love to see dogs standing like that. The long haired shepherds look really good in that pose. Shirley OBE certainly does deserve a medal. It's beautiful. Keep well everyone. Colleen Just a pic of some of my overgrown pots of Broms.

HI EVERYONE – GEE I MISS ONE DAY AND HAVE SIX NICE LONG POSTS TO READ; THAT’S GREAT, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.

JEAN – WHAT YOU SAY ABOUT THE LONG LIFE OF GUZMANIAS WHEN IN COLOUR IS VERY TRUE. ALTHOUGH I DON’T HAVE ANY OF THE MINIATURES, I HAVE FOUND THAT EVEN SOME STANDARD SIZE ONES WILL LAST FOR NINE MONTHS AND SOME EVEN LONGER. THIS LONG LIFE IS WHAT PROMPTED NURSERIES IN EUROPE TO START PRODUCING THEM TO BE USED IN THE HOME INSTEAD OF CUT FLOWERS. THEY CAN BE A LITTLE COLD SENSITIVE, SO BE CAREFUL.

WHAT A WONDERFUL COUNTRY WE LIVE IN TO HAVE THE WILD LIFE REGULARLY VISITING US; YOU AND A COUPLE OF OUR QUEENSLAND FRIENDS ARE EVEN MORE FORTUNATE TO HAVE KOALAS VISIT. MAYBE YOU SHOULD GIVE YOUR FRIEND DIRECTIONS TO YOUR NEW HOME SO HE CAN VISIT THERE AS WELL.

COLLEEN – IT’S NOT A MATTER OF MY BRAIN WORKING, BUT THE FACT THAT I CAN’T DO MUCH ELSE AT PRESENT. I SAW THE SURGEON AGAIN YESTERDAY AND HE’S PLEASED BY THE WAY THINGS ARE PROGRESSING.

INCIDENTLY, I FOUND AN OLD VIDEO ON “YOU TUBE” SHOWING HOW THE OPERATION IS DONE AND IF ANYONE'S INTERESTED TO SEE HOW THEY FIXED MY FINGER, GO TO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntc_OcQHTt8
IF HOWEVER, YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH, PLEASE DON’T WATCH IT.

I LOVE YOUR STORY ABOUT BRANDEN EATING APRICOTS FRESH OFF THE TREE. IT CERTAINLY BRINGS BACK MANY OF MY HAPPY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES. IT’S A SAD FACT F LIFE THAT MANY KIDS IN THIS DAY AND AGE WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE THAT SAME PLEASURE.

THAT’S A NICE LOOKING VRIESEA COLLEEN, WHAT’S ITS NAME?

IN YOUR SECOND POST YOU SAY ITS OF YOUR OVERCROWDED BROM'S; THEY MAY BE OVERCROWDED, BUT THEY CERTAINLY LOOK NICE AND HEALTHY.

BRIAN – AH! LISTENING TO STEAM TRAINS PASSING THROUGH, THAT’S A BLAST FROM THE PAST AS FOR THE FIRST THIRTY YEARS OF MY LIFE WE LIVED JUST 200 METRES FROM THE MAIN SOUTH COAST LINE.

AS FOR POTTING MIXES, I THINK EVERY GROWER HAS THEIR OWN SPECIAL MIX AND THERE ARE AS MANY DIFFERENT MIXES AS THERE ARE GROWERS, IT’S JUST A MATTER OF ECONOMY AND PERSONAL CHOICE AS TO WHAT GOES IN THEM.. TO PROVE THIS POINT AND TO SUPPORT A TALK I ONCE GAVE ON POTTING MIXES, I GREW SIX SIMILAR SIZED PUPS IN THE FOLLOWING:

A MIX OF EQUAL PARTS OLD PINE BARK AND PLAIN POTTING MIX
A MIX OF THE ABOVE WITH AN EXTRA PART COMPRISED OF EQUAL PARTS OF SMALL POLYSTYRENE PIECES, CHARCOAL AND PERLITE.
EQUAL PARTS OF OLD PINE BARK, COCO PEAT MULCH AND CHARCOAL
STRAIGHT CHARCOAL
STRAIGHT POLYSTYRENE
STRAIGHT SKORIA

MIXES 1,2 AND 3 HAD A SMALL AMOUNT OF G.P. FERTILISER ADDED AT POTTING TIME

MIXES 4, 5, AND 6 WERE FOLIAR FED AT HALF STRENGTH EACH TWO WEEKS.

AT THE MEETING ON THE DAY OF MY TALK, ALL PLANTS WERE KNOCKED OUT OF THEIR POTS FOR COMPARISON.

THERE WAS VERY LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN PLANT SIZE OR ROOT DEVELOPMENT HOWEVER, THE HEALTHIEST “LOOKING” PLANTS WERE FROM MIXES 4, 5 AND 6. WHICH SUPPORTS THE OLD NURSERYMAN’S RULE FOR FERTILISING, “LITTLE AND OFTEN”

PERSONALLY I DONT THINK IT MATTERS WHAT THEY ARE GROWN IN AS LONG AS IT’S WELL DRAINED. IF IT’S AN INERT MIX SUCH AS STRAIGHT SKORIA, VOLCANIC GRAVEL, CRUSHED BRICKS AND SIMILAR TYPES OF SUBSTANCES, JUST REMEMBER THAT BEING INERT THEY WILL HAVE NO NUTRITIONAL VALUE AT ALL AND THE PLANT MUST BE FOLIAR FED TO COMPENSATE.

AS FOR POTS, I GET MINE THROUGH OUR BROMELIAD SOCIETY WHO PLACE BULK ORDERS WITH GARDEN CITY PLASTICS. IF YOU CAN GET TOGETHER WITH A GROUP YOU CAN DO THE SAME BUT YOU MUST BUY A MINIMUM OF $500 WORTH. THE ADVANTAGE IS THEY COST ABOUT HALF OF WHAT YOU WILL PAY AT BUNNINGS AND NURSERIES. THERE ARE MANY ADVANTAGES IN BELONGING TO A BROMLIAD SOCIETY AND I BELIEVE THERE IS A CENTRAL COAST BROMELIAD SOCIETY WHICH YOU WOULD BE WISE TO CHECK OUT.

AS I TOLD YOU ABOUT THOSE PLANTS THAT WERE FOR SALE, THEY ALL LOOKED A BIT ROUGH, BUT WHEN YOU LOOKED CLOSER, THEY ALL HAD NICE PUPS ADVANCING AND THAT’S WHAT YOU WERE BUYING.

REGARDING YOUR ALCANTAREA, A JUDGE ONCE TOLD ME THAT ANY BROM THAT WAS GETTING MUCH MORE LIGHT ON ONE SIDE THAN THE OTHER WOULD NATURALLY GROW TOWARD THE LIGHT, TO PREVENT THE PLANT FROM GROWING CROOKED, TURN THE POT ¼ TURN EACH WEEK.

YOU WON’T FIND ALC. VINICOLOR ON THE B.C.R. AS IT’S A SPECIES AND THE B.C.R. IS ONLY FOR THE REGISRATION OF HYBRIDS. TO LOOK UP SPECIES, YOU NEED TO GO TO THE PHOTO INDEX ON THE F.C.B.S. SITE: http://www.fcbs.org/pictures.htm WHERE AS WELL AS MOST OF THE SPECIES, YOU MAY FIND SOME NAMED BUT UNREGISTERED HYBRIDS AS WELL. BOTH OF THESE SITES MAKE UP THE “BROM GROWER’S BIBLE”. THE TWO SITES COMBINED, MAKE UP A MASIVE DOCUMENT CONTAINING A WEALTH OF INFORMATION WITH THOUSANDS OF PICTURES AND IT'S A RESEARCHER’S DREAM.

AS FOR THE PLANTS IN YOUR PIC’S, NEO.’BLOOD SPOT’ MAKES A NICE DISPLAY IN A BASKET, OR MOUNTED ON A TREE, AND THIS APPLIES TO ANY PLANT THAT PRODUCES ITS PUPS ON LONGISH STOLONS.

I DON’T KNOW YOUR NEXT PLANT BUT I HAVE BOTH OF ITS PARENTS; ‘MORRIS HENRY HOBBS’ IS A LARGIST PLANT, AND CROSSED WITH THE SMALLER FIREBALL, I WOULD I EXPECT MEDIUM SIZED OFFSPRING.

THE NAME ON YOUR NEXT PLANT SHOULD BE WRITTEN AS:
Neo. carolinae x (concentrica x ‘Painted Lady’).

MANY GROWERS SEE THE BRACKETS AS UNIMPORTANT, AND FOR THE AVERAGE “JOE BLOW” WHOSE INTEREST IS THE PLANT AND NOT THE NAME, TO THEM THIS IS TRUE. ON THER OTHER HAND HOWEVER, PEOPLE INTERESTED IN BREEDING AND THE HISTORY OF A PARTICULAR CROSS WON’T KNOW WHICH WERE THE PARENTS IF NOT CORRECTLY WRITTEN WITH THE BRACKETS.

E.G. IT COULD BE Neo. carolinae x (concentrica x ‘Painted Lady’). WHERE Neo. carolinae IS ONE PARENT AND Neo. (concentrica x ‘Painted Lady’) IS THE OTHER;. OR IT COULD BE Neo. (carolinae x concentrica) BEING ONE PARENT WITH Neo. ‘Painted Lady’ BEING THE OTHETR. IT’S JUST A LITTLE THING TO MOST, BUT A VERY IMPORTANT THING TO ANYONE INTERESTED IN BREEDING.

THE PLANT IN PIC. 4 IS NEO. ‘AZTEC’, NOT ‘AZTEX’.

I WOULD SAY THE PLANT IN YOUR LAST PIC. IS ONE OF THE MANY FORMS OF Neo. cruenta WHICH SOMEONE HAS ADDED (BROAD LEAF) TO THE NAME; NOT AS PART OF THE NAME BUT TO IDENTIFY IT HAS WIDER LEAVES THAN MANY OF THE OTHER CRUENTAS.

THE PLANT IN YOUR PIC APPEARS BLEACHED BY THE SUN (WAS IT ONE OF YOUR NEW PURCHASES ?) THE PICTURE DOESN’T DO IT JUSTICE AS IT’S A MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL PLANT (SEE PIC.5)

SHIRLEY – THANKS FOR ADDING RED DAWN TO MY WISH LIST, (ONE MORE TO FIND A HOME FOR EVENTUALLY)

AS FOR THE PUPS THAT ARE READY TO SEND, YOU CAN SEND THEM WHEN YOU’RE READY AS I CAN KEEP THEM UNTIL I CAN RE-POT BY JUST PARKING THEIR BASES IN A BOX OF DAMP COCO PEAT. THIS WILL ALSO PROMOTE NEW ROOTS AS WELL.

I HAD SOME NEO MINI PUPS I TREATED IN THIS WAY SO I COULD “BUY A BIT OF TIME”, AND SIX MOTHS LATER WHEN I WAS READY TO POT THEM UP, THEY HAD GROWN ROOTS RIGHT DOWN AND WERE ADHERING TO THE BOTTOM OF THE POLYSTYRENE BOX THEY WERE IN.

I’M LOOKING AT YOUR PIC’S NOW AND THOSE PLANTS ARE ALL NEW TO ME, SO ONTO THE BCR TO SEE WHO MADE THEM AND FROM WHAT PARENTS.

FIRSTLY, NEO. ‘REAL CLASS’, WHICH ACCORDING TO MY TASTES IS MY PREFERENCE OF THEM ALL. UNFORTUNATELY IT HASN’T BEEN REGISTERED SO THE BCR CAN TELL US NOTHING. WHICH IS UNFORTUNATE AS IT’S A VERY NICE PLANT.

HOWEVER THE OTHERS ARE ALL REGISTERED AND WE FIND THAT O.B.E. IS A GRACE GOODE HYBRID BRED IN 1998 FROM NEO.’CLOSE OF DAY’ AS THE SEED PARENT AND AN UNKNOWN SECOND PARENT.

NEXT IS THE NICELY COLOURED AQUARIUS WHICH WAS BRED BY CHESTER SKOTAK IN 2005 FROM A SEED PARENT OF (CAROLINAE VARIEGATED X RED WAIF) AND A POLLEN PARENT OF RED WAIF.

ACCORDINGLY WITH A DOUBLE DOSE OF GENES FROM THE MINIATURE NEO.‘RED WAIF’, IT HAS TAKEN ON THE PEPPER LIKE FINE SPOTTING OF THAT PARENT WHICH ATTRACTIVELY OVERLAYS THE VARIEGATION OF THE OTHER PARENT AND I IMAGINE LEANS TOWARD THE MINIATURE (SIZE WIZE) AND CERTAINLY ANOTHER I HAVE TO ASK TO PLEASE BE ADDED TO MY WISH LIST.

FINALLY, NEO. ‘AUSSIE AUSSIE AUSSIE’ WHICH WAS BRED BY R.L. FRASIER IN 1998. HE OBVIOUSLY DIDN’T WANT THE WORLD KNOWING WHO THE PARENTS WERE AS THE INFO IS PROVIDED IS WHAT I ASSUME IS HIS OWN PERSONAL CODE WITH THE SEED PARENT BEING 1-X AND THE POLLEN PARENT GIVEN AS 1- X BATCH 1

ALL NICE WELL GROWN PLANTS.

TERESA – FOR YEARS WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, THE TREATMENT WAS TO SPRAY APHIDS WITH THE USED SOAPY WASHING UP WATER. IT ALWAYS WORKED IN THOSE DAYS. I DON’T KNOW ABOUT NOW THOUGH AS INSECTS HAVE DEVELOPED AN IMMUNITY TO MANY OF THESE SIMPLY REMEDIES OVER THE YEARS. HOWEVER IT’S EASY TO FIND OUT, JUST MIX A LITTLE WASHING UP LIQUID IN SOME WATER AND GIVE IT A TRY SAY ABOUT ½ TEASPOON PER LITRE OF WATER.

I SUPPOSE SUGAR HAS A SWELLED HEAD NOW SHE’S WON ANOTHER PRIZE, SHE CERTAINLY LOOKS VERY PROFESSIONAL.

WINNING ISN'T AS IMPORTANT AS SHARING WHAT YOUVE ACHIEVED WITH OTHERS, IN YOUR CASE IT'S SHOWING SUGER SO EVERYONE GETS TO SEE HER.

THAT WILL DO ME, I'VE BEEN GOING ON AND OFF FOR HOURS, JUST TRYING TO CATCH UP.

I'LL FINISH WITH SOME GUZZIE PIC'S FOR JEAN FIRST AND 1. IS GUZ. CHERRY RIPE, 2. IS A GUZ. NOID, A NICE LITTLE PINK FLOWERED PLANT I INHERITED FROM A FRIEND, 3 IS GUZ. 'SCARLET WONDER', 4. (NOT MINE UNFORTUNATELY) IS THE BEAUTIFUL GUZ. 'FIRE CRACKER' AND I'LL FINISH WITH MY NEO. CRUENTA (BROAD LEAF) FOR BRIAN FOR COMPARISON WITH HIS PLANT.

ALL THE BEST, NEV.

Hi everyone. Great news from the doctor, Nev. Keep up the good work. Had to laugh a little bit to myself when you told Shirley to send the pups and you'll put them in damp coco peat to root. No-one nor nothing will stop you for long will it? I was just out looking at a plant called Carolinae no#3. It has some lovely colour in it and a lovely shape will take a pic tomorrow for you. I tried to find the Vriesea that I put up but they're all so big now I couldn't find it to tell you the name.Will have another look for that tomorrow too. Am getting ready for a sale on Saturday. I really have to downsize not only broms but everything else. Have someone coming tomorrow and someone coming Sunday as well. Wish me luck. Colleen PS do you call this just McWilliamsii?

neo Carolinae no#3 for Nev to see.