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bradleyo_gw

A few pictures around the yard today

bradleyo_gw
10 years ago

It's been a lousy year for my tropicals, I haven't been fertilizing and it hasn't been that warm. My cannas are just starting to bloom now and the basjoo is only about 9-10' tall. EE's are much smaller than normal too.

Doesn't look like much, but all of the cacti were started from single pad cuttings last June.

If you look hard, you can see the azazlea behind this small basjoo. It's been blooming nonstop since spring. Although not covered in flowers, these azaleas have constantly had a handful of blooms the whole time. They are not the newer reblooming types either.

Victor was cut back to the ground when all of my other crapes didn't die back, just starting to bloom.

Scorpion chile, this year's hottest chile, until next year probably. 1.6 million Scoville units. Extremely hot obviously, but very tasty, much like a habanero except about 7x hotter. When you cut it open, the oils literally ooze out of the flesh.

Some Arkansas minors from Austin which are probably 3-4 years old now from seed, some washies and adondias collected from seed last winter.

Some odd damage, I assume this was the emerging spear last winter.

Comments (8)

  • tropicalzone7
    10 years ago

    Awesome pics! My plants aren't as big as last year either because of the cooler weather (and the rough start to summer compared to last year). Your yard is looking great though. Those cacti have had really impressive growth and everything is starting to look really lush!
    Thanks for sharing
    -Alex

  • bradleyo_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It's funny, the things that don't require lots of ferts did great like the crapes and succulents. My veggies and tropical are puny this year.

  • islandbreeze
    10 years ago

    We're having a cool and crappy summer here too, but nice pics and nice yard! I wish my basjoos would make it to 9 feet.

    I also have a palm that has the same weird damage as your minor, mine is a butia.

    Can you recommend some good varieties of crapes that don't die back in a zone 6 borderline cold 7? Also where did u get yours?

    Thanks, Ryan

  • bradleyo_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Island, someone on another board told me that damage is consistent with drought damage, which we were fairly dry last summer,

    The crapes with Indian names are generally the hardiest. I have Hopi, Sioux, Natchez, a forgotten one, and also Acoma, Victor. Acoma is probably the hardiest but a dwarf. Victor is supposed to be really hardy but died to the ground on me last year, but I also planted it very late. Natchez and the unknown one came back from the ground after my dog made fetching sticks out of them, but probably would have been wood hardy. Natchez is supposed to be one of the hardier ones as well. As far as where to get them. They are becoming pretty common here. Every big box has 2-4 types, as well as specialty nurseries, and if you stop at multiple Lowe's, etc..., they usually have different varieties. In my old sales job territory, I counted more than a dozen different varieties locally last year.

  • jimhardy
    10 years ago

    Everything looks nice but you can tell its been dry,it
    really takes enormous amounts of water to get the tropicals going-
    cant really duplicate that with a hose ) :

    The Sabal may have been cursed by "he who must not be named" 0 :

    Really like the desert theme down the driveway.

  • bradleyo_gw
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Actually Jim, I haven't had to water all year, it's rained all summer. We had more than double the amount of normal rainfall in July (8+") and 6+" in June, well above normal. Plus it's been cool. It has been dry here for the past week only, but this is the worst summer ever between the constant rain and cool gray weather.

  • chadec
    10 years ago

    Bradleyo, everything looks great. It is surprising considering your move that everything responded as it didl. I know my garden got off to a slow start but it has really taken off late. If only you had another year in your house. With all luck next year you may have a very different garden.

  • statenislandpalm7a
    10 years ago

    looks awsome ! I like the spindle palm on the side of your house.