Whats new?

[charlie]

Despite my best efforts to not get more plants to look after I find myself the proud owner of some newly germinated Passiflora ampullacea, a high cloud forest species - should prove a right pain to get it to flower!

So whats cooking in your propagators for this year?

[John P]

I have purchased a number of packets of different echium seeds. Unfortunately they did not come with any sowing instructions.
Any help appreciated please as I need to get things moving.

Paul one of the seedlings you gave me has survived winter in the greenhouse.

John

[Chad]

Mice.

I seem to be growing, or at least feeding mice.

And with some very choice fodder.



This pot is one of several that should have Ferula communis glauca with red new leaves from seed very generously given by Paul.

Instead I think I have some fat mice.

They have also worked their way quite methodically through pots of Mexican collections; an unidentified Cobaea, an Iridaceae that might be a Tigridia and seed from pods that I didn't recognise.

I hope it gave the mice tummy ache.

Chad.

[MartinNicklin]

Same problem here with a rat/rats. I discovered a number of tunnels in the greenhouse with plants displaced and significant excavation work, the path having been replaced with mounds of soil. The whole thing was made significantly worse yesterday when my “missing” dog (half Jack Russell) had secretly made her way in there and was frantically burrowing to get to the critter(s). I need to clear everything out today and assess the damage, much of which may actually have been caused by my dog!
Back to Charlie’s question: In my propagator I have a number of different Ipomoea, some strains of Nicandra, Lophospermum, Kapok seeds my friend just brought back from Madeira and some older seeds of various things I found in my seed box which may or may not still be viable. My friend also brought back a packet of Acacia rubra seeds but the image on the front is poor and I’m unsure what the seeds actually are. I don’t think it’s an acacia. Anyway, we will see what - if anything - comes up.

[Chad]

My friend also brought back a packet of Acacia rubra seeds but the image on the front is poor and I’m unsure what the seeds actually are. I don’t think it’s an acacia. Anyway, we will see what - if anything - comes up.

Acacia rubra? I had to look that up. It is using acacia as a 'common name'. Its botanical name is Delonix regia.

Chad

[charlie]

My friend also brought back a packet of Acacia rubra seeds but the image on the front is poor and I’m unsure what the seeds actually are. I don’t think it’s an acacia. Anyway, we will see what - if anything - comes up.

Delonix regia. easy to germinate and always loads to pick up when on Madeira but I couldn't get the seedlings to actually grow so I will be interested in how you get on Martin.

Seems all 3 of us so far have the same problem "rodents"! mine outside is probable Voles and Long tailed field mice, inside it was a rat, first spotted raiding the bird table then observed scampering up a drain pipe (aided by the Wisteria) and in through a gap in the facia, before I had a chance to deal with it it had managed to get into the Kitchen roof insulation and make holes in the felt and lead flashing - presumably to get out so now the roof leaks and will have to come off (Rat is now dead!)

Our problems no doubt caused by having dogs and therefore no cats!! we did have a cat but after 2 years he decided to live a few doors away

My other "New" acquisition is the Lonicera calcarata which I hope to get planted out in April

[Stan510]

What's new is after the severe chopping of two older and large Podocarpus trees last summer. I now face an even larger loss of shade =the old arbor had to be taken down. I've dragged two once very large birds nest ferns to the side of the house,and hanging all the tillandsias I have to any spot I can find to hang them. The P. superbum is on the ground. Where to hang that huge fern that was so happy on the trunk of the tree that is now virtually gone? I should have done all this last summer. But couldn't get myself going with changes I really didn't want.

[valdypiero]

Stan, why not attach the staghorn fern to a big hardwood board with sphagnum and wire and then attach the board to the side of your house. I've seen that in southern Florida and certainly in places like Thailand.

[LostInJapan]

Stan, sorry to hear that your shade loving plants are taking such a beating. That said, I have been growing P. superbum on a wood board as Valdy suggested.

As for my garden, there is nothing new. The ume tree is in flower finally after a particularly cold February, and snow drops too are now in full flower. Not much else to report.