After a very humid July and August, September turned out to be a little better but still hot. We had two or three hurricanes pass to the north and this weekend we have a tropical storm passing to the south. Lots of heavy tropical rain and flash flood watches during September.
Since July I have cleared the site and built another greenhouse for the Orchid Cactus. Purchased another 100 hanging pots. This greenhouse (a Costco Car Canopy with a clear plastic roof) has been fitted out with metal rails in the roof so should be able to get three tiers of pots. Problem is the ground under the greenhouse is uneven. So I will be hauling buckets of gravel for quite a time as needed to make the paths walkable. Too narrow to get a wheelbarrow through. There is also a 16 ft long by 6 ft wide bench down the middle for larger plants. Two benches of Amorphophallus have been moved outside from the other greenhouse. They are doing much better with the steady rain. I was underwatering them on the same schedule as the Orchid Cactus. The cleared space in the greenhouse has now been fitted out for more hanging pots.
Orchid Cactus had a good season with over 900 blooms. Now in the process of going through each plant, trimming out ugly branches or cutting back oversized plants and creating cuttings. Dose of 20-20-20 before the end of October. The large plants are intertwining their branches on the benches so the new bench space is almost full of large plants needing more space. I have a 4ft by 16 ft empty bench in an enclosed duck run so will move some larger plants to that location. Have to hope that the black pheasant in with the ducks does not go scratching at the pots.
Finally got the back 50 under control. Outlined paths by laying down bamboo canes and straight tree limbs. Slowly filling in the open areas with plants gained from breaking up clumps of gingers or moving plants from across the stream where I can no longer keep up with maintenance. Just trimming the existing Azalea bushes around the yard gives me lots of cuttings.
Added two new bamboos since the last blog. There are three or four bamboos that I need to split up and move so need to clear some more forest. Three large bamboo clumps have started to fall outwards with the weight of heavy rain. The 60ft long canes arch over until they reach the ground creating large dark tunnel like canopies. Really ugly debris and hard work to clear. WARNING - BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR WITH BAMBOO. THEY GET BIG! ONLY BUY CLUMPERS.
The Amaryllis has done well this year. After blooming earlier in the year they put out new leaf growth and then normally they go dormant. This year the leaves kept coming and they still look a mass of green. Spotted the first bloom stalk last week. It is early, don't really expect anything until November or December.
The Fuschias did well this year. After the plants got crushed by a fallen tree last August during Hurricane Iselle they bounced back really well. Still getting some blooms here and there.
The neglected ponds have been dredged and cleaned. New waterlilies springing up from nowhere. A number of night blooming waterlilies are currently blooming well. I Seem to have got into the routine of skimming the surface duck week on a regular basis. Now need to restock with goldfish.. I need about 100 so need to find a local breeder. New project this summer was water lilies in tubs on our front deck. They grew very well and are still producing blooms. The deck gets a lot of hot morning sun to heat the water. So we purchased two more tubs for the driveway and still have to stock them.
Otherwise it all comes down to constant trimming of tropical growth. This year the humidity and heavy rains have encouraged everything to grow at a rapid rate. Its wonderful to watch and enjoy the environment but it is an endless battle.
With no easily defined seasons the above day to day activity remains pretty much the same. I do not foresee much changing in my routine in the next twelve months. My famous last words are "no more new projects, and don't start collecting a new type of plant" Of course if I see something I don't have ..... and its the annual nurserymans plant sale next weekend!
Post a new thread about this blog entry:
