Date: 4 Jun 2019
Pretty in Pink... and Purple Prince for her!
By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist
Q: I have a bare spot in my front garden, behind a low wall, in part-sun. I'm hoping to find an evergreen, flowering ground cover that will cover it quickly. Any ideas on finding something with the ability to eventually also cascade over that wall? I live on Marco Island, Florida.
A: Barleria Repens - Small Bush Violet, is a tough, fast-growing evergreen
that blooms from late spring to autumn. Of the many Barleria we see in the
tropics, Pretty in Pink is one of the most striking! The name tells the whole
story: pretty and pink. A lot of gardeners enjoy using them as a ground
cover. They will quickly cover a large area - their stems root readily as the
plant crawls along. They are easily propagated by lifting the rooted runners or
using cuttings. They also reseed easily. Flowers are followed by seed pots
that explode open when dry, dispersing 4 seeds at a time! But perhaps best liked
by many gardeners, is their habit to cascade. It will be well suited for
covering the bare area in your garden and spilling over that wall beautifully.
When used as a ground cover, remember to pinch out young shoots to
encourage bushiness and prune the plant back hard after flowering to keep it
neat.
Barleria repens will also adapt to different situations in a garden if
you need them to. Although they usually form a rounded to spreading bushy
shrub, 2 ft high by 3 ft wide, they will climb when you give them support. They
are often allowed to lean into nearby trees and shrubs.
Hardy to 28F, Barleria repens is pest-free and fairly frost-tolerant.
They love sun and part shade, as well as well-drained soil and plenty of
organic material. Avoid planting it in deep shade as it will get leggy and
reluctant to flower.
They will thrive when fed with a slow release fertilizer at intervals
of 6-8 weeks, throughout the growing season.
There is another cultivar of this exact variety that has blue-purple flowers, it is called Purple Prince! It couples perfectly with Pretty in Pink! :)
See all Barlerias from our store
Recommended fertilizers:
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food Flower Booster
Tropical Allure Smart-Release Booster
Date: 30 May 2019
Triple Sec Mango
By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist
Q: I live in Mesa, Arizona. I am considering purchasing two of you Triple Sec Mango trees. Can you please give me some information on this variety and how to grow it successfully here in hot and arid Arizona, if at all?
A: Triple Sec Mango is a new name for the superior variety Seacrest. The
aroma of this fruit resembles Triple Sec - an orange liqueur. It's a juicy,
mid-season variety that has good disease resistance.
Mango has pretty good heat and drought tolerance. It loves sun, but there
are a lot of factors to consider when growing Mango in your area.
Check your soil. Soil quality is always first and foremost: when you
live in an area of Arizona with
hardpan (extremely compacted desert soil) or caliche (layers of soil
cemented by calcium carbonate) you
will have to learn how to deal with such soil types. Amend the soil as
needed.
The best time to plant is spring or fall to give your Mango a chance to
get established before the really intense Summer heat starts. Alternatively,
protect the tree with a shade cloth. Tender, new growth will not stand a
chance unprotected, especially newly planted and/or young trees.
Mangoes are tropical and sensitive to frost and freeze damage. Young
trees especially will also need winter protection when temperatures go near or
below freezing. Always plant trees in a location where they will be protected
from cold wind. Consider staking your newly planted Mango trees for the
first year. It's never a bad idea to even stake during periods of high winds.
Make sure your planting site has very good drainage. Always use a good
quality mulch around your tree as it helps to trap moisture, keeping the
ground and the roots beneath it cool. Keep mulch a couple of inches from the
trunk of the tree. Avoid a location that gets full day sun. Morning sun,
afternoon shade is ideal. Give regular watering until the tree is established. Once
established, water only when the soil feels dry.
Fertilizer with a Mango-Food. A foliar spray of micronutrient solution is always
recommended during the active growing period. Use plant stimulants and microelements to improve cold hardiness and vigor.
See more info on growing mango in hot climate and container grown mangoes in Arizona.
Date: 2 May 2019
Breathtaking Queen's Wreath
By Onika Amell, tropical flower specialist
Q: I've just moved from Virginia to Sarasota, Florida. I'm looking for a vine similar to Wisteria to grow in my new garden. I've so enjoyed my Wisteria vine and I'm hoping to find something equally spectacular for my FL garden. Truth is, I'm getting older and won't be able to keep up with the hard-core maintenance Wisteria needs to keep it in under control. Is there a similar vine you can recommend that is just as showstopping as Wisteria?
A: The vine that immediately comes to mind is Petrea Volubilis or Queens wreath. It looks similar to Wisteria, and though a fast and strong climber, it's not invasive or
destructive at all. An occasional pruning is all it will need to maintain it.
Much like Wisteria it gives a glorious show of flowers when spring arrives.
Masses of long, mauve flowers will continue to appear on and off in summer with
another burst of flowers in the fall. Flowers are up to a foot in length!
Hummingbirds, bees, and butterflies will all be impressed with you for
growing this charmer.
Snip off the gorgeous flowers, put them in shallow bowls of water
around your home and be the envy of all your friends and house guests!
This vine prefers the warmth of Zone 10 to thrive, but it will survive
in areas of Zone 9B when it borders zone 10A, especially if it's placed in a
protected area. It grows best in full sun but will tolerate part shade. It's
great for coastal gardens and once established, it has good drought
tolerance, medium salt tolerance, and good wind tolerance. It has no major pest
problems, which is always a bonus.
Grow and shape it as you like: a large bush, a small tree or a
breathtaking espalier. Some people plant Petrea vine by a tree to create that much
sought-after ethereal wisteria effect. This is no doubt a very charming vine
and a must-have for those who are in love with Wisteria but scared of its
vigorous growth and ongoing maintenance.
For Wisteria lovers we also recommend its spectacular tropical relative
Millettia reticulata - Evergreen Wisteria.
Date: 17 Apr 2019
Secrets of Happy Bougainvilleas
Q: When I visited Hawaii I saw their everblooming bougainvilles, flowering non-stop! How come our bougainvilles in Florida are not flowering as much? Is there any special secret to make them bloom?
A: Bougainvilleas prefer drier climate and especially drier summers. Florida summers are rainy and humid. The steaming greenhouse conditions are favorable for most tropical plants (except desert plants like most cacti). Bougainvilleas also grow vigorously in Florida heat and frequent rains, but most cultivars prefer dryer conditions for profuse flowering. These are a few tips that can help you grow happy Bougainvilleas and enjoy their showy flowers even in humid climates:
- In Florida, Bougainvilleas bloom mostly in Winter. If you are a
snowbird, this plant is definitely for you!
- Choose sunny, dry, and elevated location for Bougainvilleas, never a
low spot and never a shade spot. Give it as many hours of sun as possible.
- Use only well-draining soil. Usually, sandy soils work well when
mixed with some compost. If your soil is too heavy, add soil conditioners like
perlite, bark, sand.
- Take advantage of cultivars that are well adapted to humid climates:
Dwarf
Everblooming Pixie, Thornless B. arborea.
- Remember Bougainvilleas are the easiest and the most rewarding potted
plants.
- Use bloom boosters along with well-balanced slow release plant food.
We recommend these: Pink-N-Good flower booster and smart-release granulated Tropical Allure.
- Do not overwater and keep the plant on a dry side.
Date: 8 Apr 2019
Magic mix for stubborn plants
Myco Mix - magic mix with Mycorrhiza
A word from the owner...
...When I first started growing tropical fruit trees, I noticed that
Lychee just can't be grown from seed, period. The seed germinates readily, a
little happy seedling grows like crazy... but only for the first couple weeks.
Then it stops. Then it shrinks. Then it dies.
My teacher, tropical fruit tree expert Murray Corman (Garden of Delights), made fun of me for growing Lychee
from seed, and explained his sarcasm with two words - "Need Mycorrhiza!" It
appears that in Nature, Lychee seedlings can only grow around its mother plant
which has this magic plant-friendly fungus around its roots! The only way to
succeed with some seedlings is using this amazing Nature symbiosis... Check
out Mycorrhiza - and try it, works 100% in all stubborn cases!
Myco Mix is an amazing underground secret to a better garden! This professional growing medium with Mycorrhiza is a must for establishing plants, recovering weak plants, and for transplanting applications, including seedlings and cuttings...Learn more...
