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Off Topic Photos - Plants Growing Amongst MG Vine Garden

Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)

14 years ago

I am growing a very lovely Canna that has lime green with dark narrow lines going lengthwise down the leaf. The flower is a big orange one and I am enjoying it very much. One morning I looked out and saw the head on a flower spike (see below) that looked like a human hand. Isn't that the weirdest thing LOL?

Joseph

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Comments (13)

rosepedal
14 years ago
Lol It is giving you the new peace sign my kids do to each other....
User
14 years ago
That's neat Joseph!! Do you grow any other Cannas? I have quite a few, another of my favorites!!
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I dunno--I've never done it, but at our former residence an elderly neighbor used to train Heavenly Blue morning glories up a utility pole. She just had to be OK wih the idea that, if needed, the utility company would pull them down. (I don't think they ever did.) She used to staple fishing line fairly high on the pole, and then anchor it in the ground. (Not sure how she anchored the fishing line.) Then she would plant MG's at the base of the fishing line. They would twirl their way up to the top of the fishing line--and then stop. The effect was weird--and lovely at the same time. Looked better than the "lost cat/dog/yard sale handbills that usually get stapled to utility poles around here. To my knowledge, the utility company never complained...perhaps because it was an annual, and not nearly so troublesome as the kudzu they are used to dealing with! She passed away a few years ago...and I know people still miss the MG's. As my husband says--it's easier to get forgivenss than permission. What's the worst thing that can happen? They'll fuss at you and take it down. melanie
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Gardeni, the flowers are very tiny; the female blossom is only about 1/4" wide, and the males even smaller. They should be appearing any day now. Be sure not to prune the ends of the vines during this time, because the flowers appear on new growth. Interestingly, as small as the flowers are, bees seem to like them. Having other flowers in your yard is helpful, since you will get no fruit without bees. I hope the people who moved into my Leigh Avenue home didn't just rip them out. :-( Not many gardeners would recognize the plant in the springtime, as it emerged. Cabrita, to plant chayote, you need to find an over-ripe fruit - the bigger the better. There should be a crack in the blossom end of the fruit, or the seed should be protruding. You are more likely to find the larger chayote in Asian stores. Or... inquire from your local Master Gardeners. A MG from San Jose gave me my first starts, from his own vine. Gardeni might have some this year. Allow the fruit to sit on a shelf until it sends out a sprout, then bury the whole fruit halfway in the soil at a 45 degree angle, with the blossom end down. The first year, you could plant it directly into the garden when the soil had warmed, but you wouldn't get much of a yield. It would be better to start it in a one-gallon container in February or March, then transplant it. Try to disturb the roots as little as possible during transplanting. The MG that gave me the starts told me to plant two vines, which he recommended to increase the odds of successful pollination. UC Davis used to have a guide on growing chayote, don't know if it is still in print.
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please help save my kids' vine teepee! (MG)
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Comments (9)
RedQueen, I'm in SW Michigan (zone 5) and I did MGs for the first time last year. I didn't plant my seeds until about now, and the first month of growth was SLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But once they got up to about a foot tall, they REALLY took off. Suggestions: For fast growth and foliage, you *DO* want to water them. Then once they are established, cut down on the watering and they'll flower more. But for little "babies" that aren't to the flowering stage yet, if they don't have enough water then they won't have what they need to grow. Once they are growing strong (sending out tendrils), you'll want to watch them EVERY DAY if you want to get complete coverage for the teepee. These things grow like the dickens once they get going, but they're not very smart about *where* they grow. You'll want to direct them to the bare spots on your teepee each day so they don't just start growing on each other or heading back down towards the ground. (Learn from my mistake, please!) The vines are very forgiving of your manipulation, too -- I've unwrapped them where they had spiraled around each other a dozen times and directed them to where I wanted them to go, and they just kept on going. But it takes a LOT more time to unwrap them than it does to just direct them in the right spot in the first place. In my experience, Grandpa Otts isn't the fastest/strongest grower. I found that the Mixed Colors seeds grew faster than the other varieties I had last year (grandpa otts, tricolor, and heavenly blue). Good luck!
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Are you growing any MGs indoors over the winter?
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Woofie and others, I am uncertain if the photoperiod effect is seen in species of Ipomoea other than Ipomoea nil. I have read that if seedlings that are grown under long day/short night conditions for 5 days (that is, 5 days of 16 hours light/8 hours dark) then treated to one cycle of short day/long night (8 hours light/16 hours total dark) will induce flowering in the plants. I say total darkness because any break in the darkness, such as a husband turning on the light for just a brief period, will disturb floral induction. What you can try is popping the container with seedling into a light-tight box for 16 hours and see if flower buds start coming on in a big way. I have seen reports of big flowers appearing on very small vines when they are treated in this manner. I haven't tried it but it would be a cool thing to do. Ronnie, I think those products are compounts for inducing root production in cuttings due to presence of certain plant enzymes. The products I was referring to have mycorrhizal fungi that the root must come in contact with so the fungus and root can form the symbiotic bond by the fungus actually infecting the root. The fungus forms a web out in the soil around the roots, and make Phosphorus and other micronutrients available to plants in exchange for compounds the plants make available to the fungi. Google using search term mycorrhizal fungal products should give you piles of products to try out. Check out the videos that are on You Tube, I just watched the one in the link below and it was pretty informative. Joseph Here is a link that might be useful: Mycorrhizal fungi general discussion on You Tube
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Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
Original Author
14 years ago
I do not have any others, Ronnie, this year. I have grown a basic lime green leaf one that had red flowers in the past. I like the variegated foliage forms - do the variegated leaf forms come true from seeds, do you know?
Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
Original Author
14 years ago
I like growing Salvias in the MG garden...they really bring in the hummingbirds. This Salvia splendens just started flowering. I am in awe of its deep red color.

Joseph
User
14 years ago
Wow I love that red...

I haven't done seeds from the variegated ones Joseph so I'm not sure...I will probably have extra bulbs come digging time if you want some. They store real easy in a cool basement or attic.
Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
Original Author
14 years ago
Hi Ronnie,

I could try a Canna bulb if you have an extra. Thanks!

I got some photos before the rains that are promised to start later on in the day.

Here is Salvia leucantha, which has a common name of Mexican Bush Sage, or even more appropriately Velvet Sage. It flowers late in the summer and is one for folks who like fuzzy flowers. I got this plant as a 2 inch herb transplant and it now is maybe 4 feet tall and maybe that dimension wide.

Here it is, a little closer.

We have a Chrysanthemum I got in a plant trade years ago, growing in a container on the deck. It is good to have these other plants about since late in the summer the JMG vines are pretty much over.

This neon pink zinnia grew out of a pollinator seed mix. I will have to save seeds from it if the birds don't get them first.

This Salvia guaranitica is a fave nectar source for our hummingbirds. It is winter hardy in Delaware. Alas, the hummingbirds are not, and have gone south for the winter now.

My daughter, Rachel, grew a couple zinnias, Candycane and also Green Envy, which has flowers that made nice yellow rather than green.

Feel free to post photos of your own plants. Have a nice day.

Joseph
User
14 years ago
Joseph I love the Velvet Sage it is so pretty!! I am still seeing a hummer once in a while...zinnias are one of my other favorites. They are so easy from seed.

I'll definitely put aside some cannas for you.
emmagrace2
14 years ago
Hibiscus File' Gumbo

How would you like to have a nice, huge and fluffy Morning Glory this color ! ! !
Gerris2 (Joseph Delaware Zone 7a)
Original Author
14 years ago
OMG Emma that's a stunner of a flower!!
emmagrace2
14 years ago
Thanks Joseph,
File' Gumbo is one of my very favorites.

It is one of 16 or so Cajun Series Hibiscus that I have.
Careful, this is 'another' addiction
karyn1
14 years ago
I mix my MG's up with a lot of passion vines and brugs. It gives color when they aren't in bloom. Here's a few of my brugs and passies. There's also a clock vine in there. Joseph I love that fuzzy blue/white salvia.

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User
14 years ago
Wow Karyn~Nice Passies!!

Emma I love that Hibiscus!! I guess we could have worse addictions huh!!
rosepetal122
14 years ago
very pretty everybody!

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