Couple pics from 9-23-10

[hardyjim]

A few may be from a week ago,just some odds and ends and
updates-you never know when everything will blow away this time of year!

Rajapuri from Bill-

This thing has grown so fast it still has is baby leaves that are blown off the trunk
and still green!



Most leaves all year (and blooms)for the Thai giant-wind has taken it's toll though



My baby T.campestris,very hardy,back from near death and total defoliation



Bloom on Banana-might be able to get it I.D'ed on Bananas.org



Little blurry on the close up

[sidpook]

Cool stuff!!! Thanks for showing us!

[hilashes]

Awesome Jim, thanks for sharing! YEAH for the banana bloom!

Heidi

[Paul Ont]

Thanks Jim! I'm pretty jealous of your banana bloom.

Am I the only one who thinks that the red leaved Ricinus looks like a cross between a Japanese maple and a big-leaf maple?

[hardyjim]

Thanks Jim! I'm pretty jealous of your banana bloom.

Am I the only one who thinks that the red leaved Ricinus looks like a cross between a Japanese maple and a big-leaf maple?

I don't think you are Paul,it really is a beauty eeh?

With the amount of pups these Banana plants make every year I don't think I will have room for Castors next year
except for the purple leaves ones-they really are beautiful!
It is hard to think of not growing a big leaved plant that can grow 6' in 3 weeks like these did in June!

I guess I will always find a spot for them.....but it may have to be behind the Banana farm!

[Jubaea]

You have a lot of nice tropicals there Jim. The first look at the pictures I did not realize that was a caster bean plant there. I would have never thought of cultivating them as the greenleaf varieties are perenial weeds here.

[hardyjim]

Thanks

Red/purple Castor is a new one I have tried this year.

My preference is for very large leaved plants but I got hosed on the green Castors
as they turned out to be duds-no where near the 42" leaf size of last year.

They did grow to at least 12' or were last time I checked-for all I know everything blew over last
night-pretty windy- and is on the ground!

[canadianplant]

Everything looks good still.

Even with soem of the banana leaves a bit torn, gives em some character, grats on the bloom

Just be glad you didnt get what Toronto got the other day..... 106km/h gusts with 80kph sustained winds for a n hour or 2. It snapped power poles in half, left 18 000 people with out power...... not to mention the 40-80mm of rain......

[lucky1]

Wow, Jim, your banana's blooming!!!! Congratulations!
That is some feat indeed, even with the banana fuel

Are the Rajapuri's leaves more wind-resistant? or just in a spot with more protection from the wind?

I simply am amazed that you can bring all those palms back from near death.
Now the T.campestris!
Another beauty.

Doctor Jim is a good handle for you...

Summer's been so successful for you, you'll have to go to a shrink just to get through the first snowfall
Barb

[hardyjim]

Here are some more/

I will need to get a better pic of the Purple Castor seed pods,they are really beautiful!!



Princeps progress,hopefully open that last new leaf before protect-



Ferns are loving the rain and "cooler" weather!





Close up of fibers /ligules-palm sold as Takil




T.Tesan





Some "close-ups "of Cactus






Banana bloom-

[lucky1]

I've never seen a banana blossom up close, man, that's lovely!

Princeps has such gorgeous leaves, perfectly formed.
What growth this year on the Tesan too!

How did you keep your Pachypodium lamerei so healthy with all that rain?

Your tree ferns will love Fall!
Barb

[TerdalFarm]

What can I say, Dr. Jim, but wow!
I have never had even Musella bananas flower. That is so cool that you got your big one to bloom.
--Erik

[Paul Ont]

I notice that the bottle of wine is empty...

I gave up on Casters last year since the red ones did not germinate, and the green ones were duds. I had had luck with them previously in sandy soil, they grew to perhaps 10' with leaves well over 12" across. For some reason they really liked that soil.


Jubea- Do not plant Ricinus in California! As you said, in anything above zone 8b or so they are terribly invasive weeds!

Canadianplant- The rain helped. I don't remember the wind being particularly bad, but maybe I was asleep? I haven't checked out the local banana plantings in my neighbourhood, I suppose it is possible that the leaves are now torn. I'll let you know!

I have to get back to my garden before the first frost to get some pics. It's been warm here, but we all know that we're getting into the season where frost is possible.

[canadianplant]

LOl paul... that wine bust be some vintage 2010, from niagra ( said the quality if exceptional this year)

The 106 km gusts were at pearson.... i dont think kingston got the winds as much... I hope your enjoying the heat down there.... it was 7C and got 60mm of rain yesterday .... No frost in town yet though... even though our first frost date is sept 15. Go indian summer!!!!

I was going to plant soem castors.... I thought I had no room, and i had a few poison plants as it was... I was wrong, i had plenty of room to make a jim-esque castor forest Always next year, hopefuly i can get some T fortunai, and nanus ( nothing from seeds so far), and go banana crazy) Im ordering some of the miscanthus from Hortico in the spring as well.

Jim, keep up the good work dude....... You have anything special planed for next year???

[hardyjim]

Barb

Those Pachys don't mind the rain if there is heat,I have had problems with them if I
over water suddenly or after long dry spells.
P.Lamarei is a pretty touch plant,they do not like cool and wet though.


The Banana flowering is the one I over wintered in the basement and the other babies from it are even bigger!
Maybe next year the other ones will bloom earlier-with a warm spring and early July bloom.....
it may be possible to actually get some bananas!

I need to get some pics of the Castors looking from the back yard,as mentioned-it really is
a forest- although- I lost interest in them once they started blooming(don't water or feed),I barely
propped them up after they nearly hit the ground in high winds

The plan for next year is to move a few things(taller stuff to the back)and try and get as much of
this stuff through the winter as possible so next year is even better-quite a contrast between now and spring!

4-2-10

9-7-10

4-2-10

9-7-10

4-2-10

9-7-10




Oops-how did that get in there?

[canadianplant]

Crazy how much it changes in a few months eh?

How tall is that thai giant now? Looks like its still going strong:D

No frost here yet, 11 days past first frost date

[BILL MA]

Looking fantastic Jim!
I love everything you've done this year. Those tesans are super nice I wish you sent me one of those The minis are doing good though since I killed the brown scale. That raja has grow to be a fine nana, if all goes well it will fruit for you next summer as it's a two year plant now. I bet that nana that's flowering is a dwarf orinoco if I had to guess, a very nice plant you have there by the way.

Bill

[lucky1]

CONTRAST?
I would call that night and day...amateur to super-pro.

My P.lamerei gets a horrible leaf disease every year, clears up after repotting.
I think it's just a bad "seed"...but I don't have the heart to throw it in the garbage.

It's a good idea for you to put the bigger stuff at the back, that way you can always see all your stuff, and more privacy too.
Until the tree ferns become 10 feet tall...
then you're back to square one, not seeing past your door

I am looking forward to seeing your winter protection
Hope you're taking two weeks off work to get it done
Barb

[sidpook]

Amazing stuff...How old are the plants that bear fruit? I didn't knwo they bore fruit in colder zones???!!!

And i must say i love your Umbrella greenhouse in this pic:
http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/mm22 ... -10008.jpg

Did you know the Plastic Umbrella Greenhouse with slideout windows for Beer procurement doubles as a tent for rainy Oktoberfests...Good Umbrella, Damn good umbrella!!!!


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[TimMAz6]

great update! Your plants look great!!! Love to see the blooming banana in your area. PS, when do you typically protect?

[hardyjim]

Thanks guys/gals!

Bill
Somebody on bananas.org thought it may be a Goldfinger(does have similar leaves,etc),
still not sure though.

Barb

2 weeks may be about right,the issue is that it is staggered-1st the T.ferns(at least the Cooperi),
then the Washys,etc.
The problem is,you don't get to pick when unless you protect early.

The cactus garden rain shield has to go up before the first rain-so it begins-a lot to do.

BTW-I think your right -looking at the picture-about the Rajapuri being more wind resistant,
it's in the windiest spot in the yard,they also have massive trunks....


Mike

That banana plant was good sized last year and was cut back,the funny thing is
that all it's babies are bigger,so next year will be interesting-provided they survive storage.

Jesse
The Thai is about 4'-the best time of year has passed for it-the palms/Basjoos have the best place out of the wind.


Tim
As I said the cactus will get a cover pulled over anytime it rains from here on out,
the ferns(Cooperi first) will be protected 28/less.
Most of the palms may be covered toward the end of Nov,depending on the weather-hopefully
at least from rain if I can.