Flower Focus: Plumeria

Oh, the lovely Plumeria!  As a flower-lover, it's hard to miss them if you visit Hawaii.  They're everywhere, and so fragrant!  Even if you somehow manage to miss the ubiquitous plumeria plants outdoors, ranging in size from small shrubs to 35ft trees, surely you will notice that these flowers are widely used to make leis as well as perfumes. 

 

As I mentioned last week, I brought a cutting back with me in the hopes of having my own plumeria plant one day soon.

As you can tell from the picture, the cutting is about 12 inches long and if all goes well, will produce pink-yellow flowers.  The plumeria flowers range in color from white with yellow centers to various shades of peach-pink with or without yellow centers. 

Here are the directions that came with the cutting:

According to the Sunset Western Garden Book, plumerias are very easy to grow from cuttings... in Hawaii.  On the mainland, it's safer to buy a plant.  But it is still possible.  The biggest obstacle is maintaining a delicate balance of sun-water such that the plant is just above dry.  In Hawaii, where it rains often and is always warm, this is quite easy!  In SoCal, it almost never rains and the air is quite dry.  Also, temperatures tend to drop quite a bit at night.  Water too much and you end up with a rotten plant.  Water too little and it dries out and dies.

Good luck, little guy.  I've planted the cutting about 3-4 inches into the ground in regular soil.  It was a bit calloused at the end before I did so, which is what is recommended to avoid rot.  You can also use rooting hormone if you have it to promote rooting.

A few interesting facts about the lovely plumeria:

• Another common name is Frangipani
• The sap is milky and quite caustic to the skin
• In Polynesian culture, a flower over the right ear means a woman is seeking a relationship.  Over the left means she is taken.
• In some parts of Asia, local beliefs state that plumeria trees shelter ghosts and demons, and as a result, plumeria are often planted in cemeteries.
• Blooming begins in the spring and continues for more than 6 months.

I bought my cutting at a fruit stand by the highway and these cutting are available widely, including at general stores on the islands.  I think that there's a higher probability for success given our Santa Monica climate.  But given their enthusiasm to sell these cuttings to anyone and everyone (at the fruit stand at least), I'm not going to get my hopes too high.  We'll see....

Meanwhile, here's a gratuitous shot of the Maui beach that I am missing at the moment.

And I leave you with a clip of some fabulous previous world cup celebrations.  I hope to see many more from Holland and USA in the next few weeks still!

Wonderful World of Plants, Aloha Style

Little break last week, and for good reason... we were in Maui!  So you may be able to guess what I'm going to show you this week...

In addition to the many fantastic things we did and saw there-- snorkeling with sea turtles (one of my favorite animals), multiple visits to the shave ice stand, surfing, and solid beach time-- I was amazed by the how colorful all the plants were, and so much diversity!  I could go on and on just about foliage.

Why are tropical plants so colorful?

I went online to do a little bit of research, and was mostly unsuccessful in finding an answer.  (True confession, I have had the World Cup on in the background all day every day since it started -- Hup, Holland, Hup! -- so it was a cursory effort).  There was a rather long scientific article about the advantage of colorful fruit, that being increased likelihood of seed dispersion by birds that are more likely to notice the fruit.  And I also found a nice article about tropical fauna, which explained the following regarding reasons for colorful fauna in tropical locations:

• the increased biodiversity creates a greater need for distinction amongst species
• "necessity for communication within closed environments"
• the abundance of nutrient available in tropical environments allows for use of the excess energy for plumage, colors, etc.

I think several of these explanations for colorful fauna can be extrapolated to be reasonable causes for colorful flora. 



Look familiar?

Always lovely hibiscus

Is Southern California a tropical climate?  Not really.  We are quite a bit drier than tropical climates, but we do have the sun and heat that lots of tropical plants like -- there's no reason not to add a bit of tropical life and color to your garden!  Here's an article with a few suggestions.  I already have one or two tropical friends on the patio, and I intend to add another:

More on this to come...

That was one of my souvenirs.  This is my other:

Hello Kitty got a tan too

I will probably be talking about these lovely plants more in the coming weeks.  In the meantime, just as gardening is in my Dutch roots, so is soccer...  In case you missed it, here is Van Persie's amazing goal for you to enjoy!  Let's go, Holland!  Can't wait for the game tomorrow!!

Flower focus: Geraniums

Meet my favorite flower of the moment, the mighty geranium:

These are no delicate little spring buds to sneeze at, they are hardy easy-care plants and live up to that reputation.

But the buds are fuzzy and cute

A few interesting facts:

-What we commonly call geraniums (the plants pictured here) are not true geraniums.  There is a different flower that is technically a geranium in botany world.  Our commonly referred to as geraniums here are actually of the Pelargonium species.  Confusing, isn't it?

-Many different types exist, including the "common geranium," ivy geraniums (what I have), and scented geraniums.

-The leaves of scented geraniums can be used to flavor jelly and cold drinks.

Should you plant geraniums?

If you live in a warm, dry days and cool nights with mild winters, than this is a perfect flower for you!  That is to say, if you live in California, yes!

Care:

-Light -- full sun unless you live in a very hot area, in which case partial shade is better.

-Water -- Moderate to regular water

-Soil -- well-draining soil

-Feeding -- depends on the quality of your soil.  Generally, light feeding required.

-Other -- Pinch spent flowers to encourage blooms!

Ivy geraniums differ from common geraniums in that they grow 1-1.5 feet high but can trail 3-5 feet.  Both types have fleshy succulent-type leaves with bloom clusters in the white-red-light purple color spectrum.

I was first inspired by the ubiquitous geranium in terracotta pots and window boxes that I saw in Italy and decided to put a little Italy in my patio garden.  What great flowers!  

An aside, the music video is totally weird, but I love this song-- Big Data, "Dangerous" 

The Patio Gardener's Guide to Potting Soil

Tell me if this is weird:  Last week, I finally had a chance to go buy a pot for my gardenia, gifted to me almost 4 weeks ago by my aunt Olivia (I know, I should've planted it ages ago... where does time go??).  With it, I also bought a large bag of potting soil, which I left in my trunk overnight because it was too heavy to carry up along with the very large pot.  The next morning, on my way to work, I enjoyed the smell of fresh soil in my car so much that I left it in my car for the entirety of the week just so I could smell the fresh soil every time I got in my car....  I have always loved the smell of dirt.

As a side note, my father has always loved the smell of cow fields -- not quite the industrial closely herded cow stink that comes from that part of the drive up the Grapevine but a slightly different cow stink of black and white spotted dairy cows in wide green Dutch fields.  Smells very similar to me (stank), but my father likes it... remind him of home in Holland.

Since I've had dirt on my mind, I have decided to do a post on the types of potting soil.  As I started to read about all the types of potting soil, I realized that this is no simple topic!  So many variations!  So, here it goes...

What is good soil?

Plants need air, water, and nutrients from their soil.  That's why gardeners obsess over their soil type -- Too silty?  May not have enough air if it gets compacted.  Clay?  Likely retains too much moisture for certain types of plants.  Too sandy?  The opposite of clay, it is more likely to dry out.

Well, as container gardeners, we have to pay for dirt, but we get to choose dirt that has characteristics we like.  Like well-aerated soil that will retain moisture and nutrients, and maybe even has some fertilizer in it already.

There are separate variables as well, most notably the acidity of the soil which is often varied by adding lime components which increase the pH (make it less acidic and more alkaline, in case you have forgotten your grade school science).

What is in potting soil?

The main ingredients in potting soil are generally--

-Sphagnum peat moss -- Sphagnum moss grows in bogs.  Sphagnum peat moss is partially decomposed sphagnum moss which is added to soil.  Although there is some debate about the sustainability of this peat moss, it is widely used as a soil additive to improve aeration and water retention.

-Vermiculite or Perlite -- both inorganic materials used for aeration and water retention.  Vermiculite holds more water, perlite aerates a bit more, but they are similar.  Perlite are those bright white balls that look almost like styrofoam that you sometimes in potting soil. 

-Aged composted materials -- nutrients!  This may include manure of various types (the stuff I use has earthworm castings and bat guano)

What are the types of potting soil?

It depends on how specific we want to get, but the main types so far as I can tell include:

-All purpose -- The name is pretty descriptive.

-Premium / Professional (some sources say there is a difference... after some searching, this does not appear to be a broadly agreed upon difference) -- These tend to have additional fertilizer additives. 

-Seed starting mix -- Good medium for your seeds and cuttings.

-Plant specific mixes -- from here, the options are numerous...

*Acidic mix:  for plants that like acidic soil, like blueberries or azaleas... or gardenias apparently.  Oops.

*Cactus mix:  for plants that like well-draining soil like cacti or succulents

*Orchid mix:  specifically for orchids which do not like to have wet roots.  It's actually bark, not so much soil.

*Others... African violet mix, Rose mix, Bonsai mix, etc.

Can I make my own potting soil?

Certainly!  It may be cheaper than buying bags and bags of soil if you're motivated.  The Home Depot website which I have linked has a fantastic chart on how to make your own potting mix using various proportions of the basic soil components.

My approach:

I use all purpose organic potting soil rather than premium potting soils for most of my plants.  I then fertilize intermittently with Miracle Grow, either the regular stuff or Bloom Booster.  I only use organic pest control substances.  Over time as I get better at gardening, I intend to transition over to completely organic gardening.  Especially living so close to the ocean where our drainage can have direct impact on the earth around us, I hate to think that my hobby could have ill-effects on the ocean and the world.  That's an aside.  Maybe I'll write a separate post on the environment sometime.  For my succulents, I use cactus mix, of course.  And then occasionally, I buy special plant specific soils for my blueberries, for instance.

Well, I hope that has been educational.  It's certainly been educational for me...  starting with the fact that the gardenias I just planted this afternoon probably should've gone into acidic soil!  I may be going to the store for some acidic additives.  

Speaking of the gardenia...  I love this pot that I got for my gardenia, both because I love blue and also because it has that Italian terracotta look that I've been obsessed with since going to Italy.  It's not actually terracotta though but rather a light weight polyurethane foam made by this company.  Not cheap, but way lighter and quite lovely...

Always a work in progress...

An aside, I've got upcoming Hawaii on the brain... IZ "White Sandy Beach"

Great gardens: ...In Vegas??

Okay so I debated on whether to include this or not.  Because honestly, it's Vegas, this strange sprout of glittery, gaudy, expensive things in the middle of the desert (I am referring to the Strip, of course, and totally ignoring the fact that it is also a city that normal people live in beyond the Strip).... is there anything natural about Vegas at all?  Plus, everyone who's been in LA for some amount of time has been to Vegas at least once, twice, maybe too many times for those bachelorettes, celebratory trips, and weekends away.

But every time I go, I seek out this little beautiful oasis of freshness that is the "Conservatory and Botanical Gardens" of the Bellagio because I love flowers and they do flowers pretty well.  Is it natural?  No.  But beautiful and worth seeing?  Definitely.

As you walk through the lobby, you'll see the Chihuly glass above along with some elaborate floral centerpieces.

And then you'll make your way into the atrium straight ahead -- follow your nose!  In contrast to most of cigarette-smelly hotel/casino interiors, this room is very fragrant and fresh!

On this visit, there were "fields" of tulips, foxglove, and chrysanthemums, among other flowers...

Also on view was a greenhouse with butterflies.

Lovely!  Unfortunately because of all of the crowds, this was the widest angle shot I could get:

But if you look online, you'll also see that the gardens are very lovely during the day and the exhibit changes throughout the year.

Christmas!  (photo credit below)

Chinese New Year!  (photo credit below)

(Above photo credits: Creativitywindow and vitalvegas)

Love it or hate it -- if you are like most, you probably love-hate Vegas anyway -- the flowers are quite pretty.  And if you find yourself in Vegas this summer looking to escape the heat, noise, or bad odors, make a little side trip to this unnatural botanical oasis.

Here is the official website.  They are open 24/7 almost all days of the year, but if you look on their website, there are a few days between exhibits without an exhibit formally on display, presumably because they have to set up all those tightly packed flowers.

Since we're talking about guilty pleasures, this aside is another one of mine (boy bands -- I was a tween/teen in the 90s and will probably never grow out of them)...  Rixton "Me and My Broken Heart" 

Very catchy.  Aren't they always? :)  Have a good week!

Good Bad Ugly

I hope you have had a wonderful mother's day weekend!  It's been a busy few weeks for me -- first, I had the most wonderful visit from my siblings which we combined with a little trip to Vegas (always fun!) and then it was back to work.  And I have to be honest, the last few days of work have left me totally wiped.  So today was the first day I had to really take a close look at what's going on in my garden.  Being the type that saves the best for last like the dutiful hard-working child I was raised to be, I'll go a bit out of order for this:

BAD:

Fuchsia -- Okay, from afar it looks alright, good even.  I am pleased with the bushiness of the plant (in contrast to an overly tall skinny plant last year).

But the aphid wars continue.  I have admittedly only used the insecticidal soap once, in part because that spot on the front stoop has become sunnier than it used to be and I don't want to risk burning the leaves by spraying at the wrong time of day. 

The result, as you can see, is that the aphids target the new growth (flower buds) which causes the blooms to deform at best...

And not even open at worst.  

Attempted solution:  continue insecticidal soap, rotate with Neem.

Begonia -- *sigh*  Mold.  Specifically Botrytis Blight, according to Google.  

A quick synopsis:  It is a fungal infection of the plant which characteristically looks like my picture above, causing mushy brown-grey dead parts.  Optimal conditions for growing this mold, if that is your goal, include high humidity and crowding plants creating poor air circulation (gulp... guilty).  Recommendations to avoid include removing dead plant parts and watering early in the day to ensure the plants are as dry as possible.  Here is a great summary.  

I think this issue began when I planted the begonias and the leaves were touching the dirt which I watered heavily in the beginning.  Those were the first leaves to go and since then, the problem has been slowly worsening.

Attempted solution:  remove all infected leaves even if only a few leaves remain to try to spare what's left of the plants

UGLY:

Sweet jessamine -- It seems that the life span of these climbing plants is only 2 years (recall what happened to my poor jasmine plant) before huge chunks of it die.

Is it possible that this is yet another case of root rot?  Is there a root ball in the bottom of this pot?  Are these climbing plants just not meant to be grown in pots?  (As a gardening guru once told me, "lots of growth on top means lots of growth in the ground" ...except my patio only has space-limited pots)

Either way, I have been keeping an eye on this for awhile and it seems to be a lost cause... this plant is D-E-A-D (well, pretty much).

GOOD!:

Many good things!  I'll keep this succinct and let the pictures do the talking.

Tomato -- It has already grown a lot

Which I found alarming, given what happened with my heirloom tomato last year (HUGE, no tomatoes), until I saw this:

Hooray!

Geraniums -- Glorious

Hydrangeas -- have not mentioned these in a long while!  Well, let's just say there's this:

Tiny flower buds...

More on this to come as we watch and see what happens.

Gardenia -- New addition to the garden!  Thank you Olivia for the birthday gift!  It smells wonderful!  Later this week, I will be buying a nice new pot to put it in.

Definitely more good than bad in the garden... I'm smiling.  Have a beautiful week!

An aside:  A must watch if you have not already seen it...  Kevin Durant's MVP speech