It was just about a year ago that I went out, quite disgusted actually, and trashed some Gerber "Garbage" Daisies and replaced them with Cut Leaf Philodendrons, Australian Tree Ferns and Sago Palms. The huge shade trees here were keeping things from growing and the landscape was getting ragged. The Desert Daisy shrubs were next on the list. And then, European and Pygmy Date Palms were added. I wanted something with flowers, but desided to just go green, having no knowledge about what would grow in shadows that at the same time would please my 'science project' mentality.
Then I found Canna and loved the idea that I could divide 'em up and spread them like a desease over the landscape, even in deep shade.
In October 2006, I took the pits from edible dates that I'd bought and consumed prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday and planted them. By February, I had more Date Palm seedlings than I knew what to do with and I had become a novice gardener, but with a vengence. In 2007, I was taking cuttings, dividing tubers and planting so many diffent kinds of seeds that I found myself using plastic 2 liter soda bottles to provide for all these 'experiments'.
And though my inexperience resulted in many failures, there have been a certain number of successes ...
{{gwi:556766}}
New Additions in first year ...
Palms ...
Phoenix dactylifera -- 50+ from seed
Phoenix roebelinii -- 3 Store Bought
Chamaerops humilis -- 4 Store Bought
Cycads ...
Cycas revoluta -- 7 Store Bought
Zamia fufuracea -- 1 Store Bought
Banana Family ...
Canna Flacida -- 20+ by Division
Canna x generalis -- 7 from seed
Canna Tropicana Pink -- 1 Trade
Canna x indica "Tropicanna" -- 1 Store Bought
Canna unknown -- 1 by Division
Musa acuminata "Novak" -- 1 Store Bought
Strelitzia Nikolai -- 3 Store Bought and from Seed
Strelitzia Reginae -- 2 Store Bought and from Seed
Trees ...
Gingko Biloba -- 1 From Cutting
Hybrid Lemon Cypress -- 1 Store Bought
Bromileads ...
Puya Alpestris -- 8 Store Bought and From Pups
Puya Berteroniana -- 1 From Seed
Puya Sp. -- 1 From Seed
Suculents ...
Aloe Kedongensis -- 1 From Seed
Cactus -- Many from Seed
Hedgehog
Fishhook Barrel
Prickly Pear
Cholla
Flowers
Iris Douglasiana -- 6 From Rhizomes
Trailing Lantana -- 10+ Store Bought
Other Plants ...
Solanum Peruvianum -- 7 From Cuttings
Bougainvillea -- 3 Store Bought
Casia Alata -- 15 From Seed
Tecoma Stans -- 1 From Seed
Pothos -- 2 rescued from being trashed
Veggies ...
Sorano Pepper -- 2 From Seed
Anaheim Pepper -- 2 From Seed
Many of my seeds failed to germinate because of excessive heat or other conditions.
These include
Jacaranda Mimosafolia
Saguaro Cactus
Echium Pininana
Lantana Camara
Dicksonia Antarctica
Gingko Biloba
Heliconia Latispatha
Heliconia Schiedeana
Rhododendron Griersoniana
Senecio Petastitis
Tabebuia Chrysostricha
Tecoma Sp.
Anthurium Crenatum
Aloe Thraskii
Seeds I currently have for winter sowing and Spring 2008 ...
Aloe dawei
Aloe kedongensis
Alpinia zerumbet
Anthurium crenatum
Capsicum annuum
Sorrano Pepper
Anaheim Pepper
Habnero Pepper
Delonix regia
Dicksonia antarctica
Echium pininana
Heliconia latispatha
Heliconia schiedeana
Iris ( Pacific Coast Hybrids )
Jacaranda mimosifolia
Lantana Camara
Leontopdium alpinum
Musa coccinea
Musa ensete
Musa paradisica var.
Musa rosacea
Musa velutina
Musa zebrina
Puya berteroniana
Puya Sp.
Rhododendron griersonianum
Senecio petastitis
Tabebuia chrysostricha
Tecoma Sambucifolia
What have I learned?
1.) Plants need Sun, but direct sunlight and high temps can kill plants. An understanding of how sunlight and temperature affect germination is vital.
2.) Nitrogen Fertilizers can kill young seedlings. Do not use until plants mature.
3.) Soil type, Ph and drainage can be vital to germinating plants.
4.) Shade Cloth and germinating plants indoors is helpful.
5.) Don't overwater seeds. Avoid Rot.
6.) If you want big plants, don't confine the plants to small pots.
7.) Propogation can be by seed, rhizome or tuber division or by cuttings.
8.) Pay particular attention to seeds that require stratification or other specific conditions.
calpat
bearstateOriginal Author
Related Discussions
1st time growing potatoes: newbie question
Q
Newbie introductions & 1st impressions
Q
1st year gardner and fruit set!!
Q
1st time doing SFG and a very newbie gardener...
Q