Isn't it cool how the colors in so many flowers highlight their veins? One person remarked that the edges of this one looked like it had been blanket stitched.
Showing posts with label houseplants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label houseplants. Show all posts
Saturday, October 17, 2020
Sunday, May 10, 2020
Cape Primrose Streptocarpus Gesnariads Are Showing Colors
Just a quick update on the the new colors that are showing up in the streptocarpus that have begun to bloom. Here are a pink and a purple. There is another one opening up that is going to be a deep maroon red and another one that is going to be a very pale pink.
I am going to keep the ones that are showing colors so I can make cuttings from the leaves and be able to offer baby streps with known colors in the future. This is so exciting, I have waited so long to see this species of gesneriaceae bloom again like they once did under my cherry trees.
Look out! These are going to be the new outdoor shade flowering rock stars.
I am going to keep the ones that are showing colors so I can make cuttings from the leaves and be able to offer baby streps with known colors in the future. This is so exciting, I have waited so long to see this species of gesneriaceae bloom again like they once did under my cherry trees.
Look out! These are going to be the new outdoor shade flowering rock stars.
Thursday, January 30, 2020
Streptocarpus Are Doing Great!
So far so good! The greenhouse is NOT heated and although I had wanted to heat it for some of the other plants I am over-wintering in it, I am kind of glad that it doesn't have any heat.
Why? Because I want the streptocarpus to be weather hardy. Just like the upright fuchsias I had hoped to be growing in there instead, I want my plants to be strong enough to endure outdoor conditions.
Most flowering plants you see in the garden centers this time of year have been grown in heated greenhouses and then thrown out into the cold of the garden centers they are shipped to. Most nurseries are not concerned if those plants survive or not because they figure you'll just come back for more sooner.
That is one reason why they have begun to market fuchsias as "annuals" when in fact, they can live for over 100 years. If you toss them out every year, they make more money that way.
But I digress...
It does get down into the high 30's here and can also freeze at times. So it is still possible I might see damage. But so far so good! I even spotted one that had put out a flower spike yesterday when I was filling orders for the west coast states. So I brought it in and planted it up with a few others.
And I bought insulated protective sleeves for shipping the plants. So far, everyone has been very pleased with the plants on arrival. Maybe, just maybe, Streptocarpus just might be the means by which I can afford to finally salvage my struggling upright fuchsia collection.
A girl can hope. It's been over 8 years now since I made the mistake of moving the nursery here and had all of the stock freeze to ground level and then had the deer mow them down when they tried to come back up. Then it took a few years to afford to be able to build a deer proof enclosure and move the survivors into it. Meanwhile, with no income from the nursery, it was necessary to work many jobs and put a lot of time into the lavender instead.
I can't wait to see all the colors and forms these Streptocarpus will be!
They look great growing under big upright fuchsias!
Why? Because I want the streptocarpus to be weather hardy. Just like the upright fuchsias I had hoped to be growing in there instead, I want my plants to be strong enough to endure outdoor conditions.
Most flowering plants you see in the garden centers this time of year have been grown in heated greenhouses and then thrown out into the cold of the garden centers they are shipped to. Most nurseries are not concerned if those plants survive or not because they figure you'll just come back for more sooner.
That is one reason why they have begun to market fuchsias as "annuals" when in fact, they can live for over 100 years. If you toss them out every year, they make more money that way.
But I digress...
It does get down into the high 30's here and can also freeze at times. So it is still possible I might see damage. But so far so good! I even spotted one that had put out a flower spike yesterday when I was filling orders for the west coast states. So I brought it in and planted it up with a few others.
And I bought insulated protective sleeves for shipping the plants. So far, everyone has been very pleased with the plants on arrival. Maybe, just maybe, Streptocarpus just might be the means by which I can afford to finally salvage my struggling upright fuchsia collection.
A girl can hope. It's been over 8 years now since I made the mistake of moving the nursery here and had all of the stock freeze to ground level and then had the deer mow them down when they tried to come back up. Then it took a few years to afford to be able to build a deer proof enclosure and move the survivors into it. Meanwhile, with no income from the nursery, it was necessary to work many jobs and put a lot of time into the lavender instead.
I can't wait to see all the colors and forms these Streptocarpus will be!
They look great growing under big upright fuchsias!
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