View Full Version : Waiting for warmer weather!!!
Randy4ut
02-06-2009, 09:54 PM
<TABLE width="90%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>Well, it finally warmed up a bit today and was able to get outside this evening after work and start working on a couple of new beds. Once it turned dark, I was looking at some pics I took last summer and decided to make a slideshow of some of my favorites from last year. Well, had to share with my friends and hopefully they will help you make it to warmer weather. It ain't too much longer!!!!
Hope you enjoy!!!
http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n225/randy4ut/?action=view¤t=2a42a61e.pbw&t=1233973970 (http://s113.photobucket.com/albums/n225/randy4ut/?action=view¤t=2a42a61e.pbw&t=1233973970)
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saltydad
02-07-2009, 01:13 AM
I have spring fever. Thanks!
Patty in Wisc
02-07-2009, 02:01 AM
Thank you Randy, I'm more than ready for summer now. Love the brugmansias - I have several. I have a Canary Island date palm same size & in same pot!! But, my yard doesn't look as nice as yours.
adrift
02-07-2009, 10:13 AM
Randy,
Lovely plants. Is the purple thing castor bean?
K
mskitty38583
02-07-2009, 12:42 PM
YouTube - Sesame Street Muppets Cabin Fever (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ-Pjj7B2hE)
Randy4ut
02-07-2009, 01:38 PM
Randy,
Lovely plants. Is the purple thing castor bean?
K
K, you are correct about the castor bean... It makes a GREAT tropical annual here in 7b. I am fixing to start this year's plants on Tuesday!!!
Bch Grl
02-07-2009, 02:55 PM
My cabin fever broke today!!!!
Tonight will be the 1st out of the last 6 to be above 20*..several in the 'teens!:goteam:
Today is the first above 50* in the last 5 days(and this is FLORIDA?????).:woohoonaner:
Margie:waving:
Worm_Farmer
02-07-2009, 04:26 PM
K, you are correct about the castor bean... It makes a GREAT tropical annual here in 7b. I am fixing to start this year's plants on Tuesday!!!
I thought it looked a lot like a caster bean, but mine NEVER got that big. Does yours also have the Hot Pink spikey flowers?
Randy4ut
02-07-2009, 04:59 PM
I thought it looked a lot like a caster bean, but mine NEVER got that big. Does yours also have the Hot Pink spikey flowers?
Here are the two different types of castors I have tried...
The first one is from last summer and is the "purple leafed" castor:
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n225/randy4ut/Misc%20Plants%202008/100_2658.jpg
This is the "regular" castor from 2007:
http://i113.photobucket.com/albums/n225/randy4ut/Misc%20Plants%202007/100_2073.jpg
As you can plainly see, the regular is a much more vigorous plant than the "purple leafed" type. Both are about the exact same age. I like the look of the purple leafed type, but the overall size of the regular tends to make a more pronounced statement. As far as the red/pink prickly seed pods, yes, they both produced the same looking pod.
Patty in Wisc
02-07-2009, 10:08 PM
Some ppl call this the "terrorist" plant. The seeds are DEADLY...one ingested by a human will kill him! Wash your hands when handeling. I forget the name of the deadly chemical that's in it.
Patty in Wisc
02-08-2009, 01:34 AM
I didn't know of these 2 kinds. I grew the Normal one for last 3 years but the seeds were bad last summer. They shriveled up & I don't know why. I just love Caster Bean!
Randy4ut
02-08-2009, 07:21 AM
Some ppl call this the "terrorist" plant. The seeds are DEADLY...one ingested by a human will kill him! Wash your hands when handeling. I forget the name of the deadly chemical that's in it.
RICIN!!!
JCDerrick
02-08-2009, 12:55 PM
You have a beautiful yard Randy.
And you all just helped me ID a mystery plant we got last fall. Until today I had no idea what the castors were at all. A older lady who is a friend of my mom gave us a bunch of brugs last November right before the first bad frost. She also gave us a castor seed pod off a few of her huge castors. We took them bc it looked cool - a few weeks after bringing the spiked seed pod home and putting it on the table, half of them exploded (it's a miracle the cats didn't eat one - we had no idea they were deadly, we kinda were amazed at how pretty the seeds were). We've just run around and collected them all to make sure they are away from the pets. How long do they take to start growing - and should I start them indoors in pots or can I just drop the seeds in the ground next spring (if so, how many should I seeds should I sow)? I'll be sure to keep these in the backyard only - away from the neighborhood kids.
Randy4ut
02-08-2009, 02:14 PM
John, They are easy to germinate. I soak them for a day or two before I start them indoors. I will be starting mine this week. You can sow them outside and they would do fine, I am sure. I like to get them started early to get as much height as I can on them each year. I expect I get at least an 80% germination rate from them. As far as how many to start depends on how much area you are wanting them to occupy. Each one of my plants grow to an overall height of about 12' and at least 6' wide. Like I said in the earlier post, the purple leafed ones did not grow quite as large as the regular one, but still acheived an overall height of about 8'. Best of luck with your seeds and I am sure they will add a nice touch of tropics wherever you place them...
Randy
JCDerrick
02-08-2009, 02:26 PM
Thanks Randy. I've got some soaking now and will proceed with the others once I see how these do. I imagine they germinate fairly quickly too? Fairly positive I have the regular type - I don't remember seeing the red one. I too like to get things going before putting them in the ground - and these will add a nice touch as a background to the beds. Thanks again.
mskitty38583
02-09-2009, 11:17 AM
You have a beautiful yard Randy.
And you all just helped me ID a mystery plant we got last fall. Until today I had no idea what the castors were at all. A older lady who is a friend of my mom gave us a bunch of brugs last November right before the first bad frost. She also gave us a castor seed pod off a few of her huge castors. We took them bc it looked cool - a few weeks after bringing the spiked seed pod home and putting it on the table, half of them exploded (it's a miracle the cats didn't eat one - we had no idea they were deadly, we kinda were amazed at how pretty the seeds were). We've just run around and collected them all to make sure they are away from the pets. How long do they take to start growing - and should I start them indoors in pots or can I just drop the seeds in the ground next spring (if so, how many should I seeds should I sow)? I'll be sure to keep these in the backyard only - away from the neighborhood kids.
and away from animals.....
Bananaman88
02-09-2009, 01:56 PM
I typically cut off the blooms before they start forming seeds so none fall over my fence into my neighbor's yard.
dablo93
02-11-2009, 03:42 AM
isn't it today 18c in tenessee? that is real spring weather!
we have the coldest winter in 13 years in north west europe and next week we have frost again! i hate this.
Randy4ut
02-12-2009, 01:13 AM
isn't it today 18c in tenessee? that is real spring weather!
we have the coldest winter in 13 years in north west europe and next week we have frost again! i hate this.
Daen,
I have been around 70F for highs for the past 4-5 days and loving every minute of it. I don't think we are finished with the cold weather yet, but I think the worst is past. Sorry to hear about your bad winter, hopefully all your plants will rebound nicely and treat you to a spectacular show this summer...
kathy65468
02-28-2009, 06:51 PM
I enjoyed temps in the 70 F range this week and was really feeling hopeful. Today we got 9 inches of fresh snow and themps are falling fast! I think the wait for warmer weather is going to take longer than anticipated!
hammer
02-28-2009, 08:38 PM
nice plants i have never seen a caster bean plant before cant wait for spring
Patty in Wisc
03-01-2009, 12:32 AM
Kathy, where're you from? Will snow EVER go away?
I planted reg & purple caster bean seeds on Feb 12th. By the 16th they were up... in 4 days! I just put them in 4 inch peat pots & think they will be rootbound before I get to plant them out. Already 6 - 9 inches high. The purple are smaller.
I only soaked them for 3 hours & they were already swelling so I planted.
These will be a nice tropical look along w/ my nanas & brugs.
I CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER.
xavierdlc61887
03-01-2009, 12:39 AM
ive enjoyed temps in the 100s here SOUTH TEXAS!!!
Patty in Wisc
03-01-2009, 12:50 AM
Shuuut Uuup! :(
xavierdlc61887
03-01-2009, 01:06 AM
Past Weather for Pharr, TX (78577) Records Averages (http://www.weather.com/weather/pastweather/78577?when=-2)
check the highs!!!! WOOOOO
Patty in Wisc
03-01-2009, 01:39 AM
I'm 17*f right now with snow on ground. Boo Hoo :(
Shuuut Uuup! :(
Ditto for me, after a not so bad spell more snow today.
chong
03-01-2009, 12:58 PM
I was going to complain too, but our temps here are only running 30°F - 31°F in the early mornings. Though we did have 4" of snow last week. I was going to attempt grafting some of my Asian Pears this weekend, but I noticed yesterday that they are showing signs of flushing. Oh well, I guess I'll need to be more vigilant next year.
Maybe, I should try my hand with grafting stone fruits. I have several 5 year old saplings of plums that were gifts from birds. One of them is actually over 8 years old and has been producing the last 3 years. Does anyone know if it's too late to graft a plum tree? Does anyone want to donate some scion sticks?
Patty in Wisc
03-02-2009, 12:54 AM
I was going to attempt grafting some of my Asian Pears this weekend, but I noticed yesterday that they are showing signs of flushing. Oh well, I guess I'll need to be more vigilant next year.
Chong, do you mean the stock or scionwood is flushing? I plan to do some grafting too this year. Is it the scion that should be dormant? Is this true with all fruits?
Thanks (I'm still a newbie at grafting)
kathy65468
03-02-2009, 09:56 AM
Patty, I am in south central Missouri. The snow kept falling and we ended up with over 10 inches here Saturday. I am hunkered down by the woodstove and the only thing stopping me from hibernating is the stove will go out if I do not keep putting wood into it LOL.
Caloosamusa
03-02-2009, 10:30 AM
I really do feel for ya'll in the cold areas. I did not enjoy my time in the cold areas and can relate to the misery. We have had the coldest winter in this area since the early 80s. One of our group found a dead sea turtle on saturday's dive. The water temperatures are even three degrees F below normal, and that is a loss of alot of heat!!
We are now in that cold air mass ya'll have been getting and it is no fun! Temperature here this morning was 47F. I am also looking forward to spring and warmer weather.
Best wishes and warmer weather to all!!
chong
03-02-2009, 12:48 PM
Chong, do you mean the stock or scionwood is flushing? I plan to do some grafting too this year. Is it the scion that should be dormant? Is this true with all fruits?
Thanks (I'm still a newbie at grafting)
I have water suckers from the rootstock of my Asian Pears. I was going to graft onto them with Chinese Pears and the Japanese Seigyoku Pear. My trees of those varieties are flushing, i.e., their bud tips are bulging and showing greenish white color. I was hoping that I would have another week since we still had snow week before last. I will get back to you on the dormancy issue.
Patty in Wisc
03-02-2009, 04:56 PM
Since late last night, new snow is measuring 14 1/2 inches at the airport just south of me. It all came from the east over the lake. Few miles north of here got no snow! West side also got nothing. They call it "lake effect" snow.
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