Year-End Bonus
Saturday, December 24, 2011I think my Lantana does not mind hard pruning at all. Two months ago, I gave the plant some hard pruning and it is now flowering. I even saw butterflies coming for the nectar but didn't manage to snap a shot. Here is just the blooms...
Unlike the Lantana, I find that the Polka Dot plant does not like to be pruned after it has grown leggy and the leaves became small. So for this precious little rooted stem cutting, I just used a stone to press down the stem to the soil. It seems to be growing some larger leaves now :-D
At last I was able to get hold of a pot of Yellow Columnea. This plant has so many bright yellow tubular flowers growing out from its stems. And it has been looking like this for weeks!
A number of flowers on my Brinjal plant have not been able to set fruit. Each time the flowers bloomed, the rain came. I really feel sorry for this poor plant... it has been really productive in flowering but the weather makes it hard for the plant to flourish fruits.
I have only managed to harvest one fruit thus far. I stir-fried it with some baby corns and garlics. Tasted alright but next time I think I will grow those long brinjals instead... for more texture. This round brinjal is too smooth to my liking ;-)
A flower stalk just grew out between the Aloe Vera leaves last week...
I hope I will not kill this Red Iresine this time. I got this last plant from my sis-in-law.
And finally... one of the Sundew seeds that Aaron sent me (last year I think) and which I have re-sown (in March this year) has germinated. The sight of this little plant (either Drosera Intermedia 'Cuba' or Drosera Tokaiensis) makes me so happy! Glad I didn't give up watering this pot and I have been watering these sphagnum moss for a long, long time, haha... :-D
The other sweet surprise is that the Hibiscus Swamp Mallow that had dried up after flowering a while ago has re-grown and produced a number of flower buds... yay!
The Mexican Plume plant meanwhile is slowly re-blooming. Glad to see its orange bracts returning and I am so looking forward to seeing its tiny blooms again.
Another plant that blooms like Mexican Plume plant is the Green Ice Crossandra in the pic below. They have wonderful little blooms :-D
Have a blessed Christmas and hope that you will also receive your "year-end bonus" after having worked on your garden all year long :-)
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23 comments
Hi Steph, I'm so happy to see that you are growing some plants from seed. You need patience with carnivorous plants. At times it's tricky to break their dormancy. Some sundews, like the ones you mention, don't need stratification, and that makes it easier, but you still need patience! Have a happy holiday season.
ReplyDeleteHi Stef,
ReplyDeleteLovely as usual and love your new blog look. Wishing you and your family a Happy New Year and Happy Gardening!
Hello Steph...I love your yellow Columnea, it's so yellow and so pretty. I have never heard of it before... Very nice.
ReplyDeleteHave a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Lantana love extreme haircuts ....they always come back bushier and fuller later on. You dish looks really delish:) Thank you for the well wishes. The holidays are great because the family and friends all get together....and there's nothing better than that:)
ReplyDeleteAlways a pleasure to see and learn about the wondrous plants you grow in your garden. The sundew looks amazing! Happy Christmas and New Year!
ReplyDeleteI wonder why brinjal flowers fail to set fruits..... some not seductive enough for bees?
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas....
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI only recognize the fruit bearing plants.
The flowers are so exotically beautiful.
Merry Christmas !
Brad
Delicious looking eggplants... good year end bonus...
ReplyDeleteAgain a wonderful selection of plants! Love that pink lantana and the columneas. i love brinjal too and your simple dish looks delish!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful holiday season!:)
Hello Steph! So many unusual blooms! I like the yellow columnea - I'll be on the lookout for it.
ReplyDeleteWish you and yours a happy and healthy New Year!
I prefer the long eggplants too rather the big roundish ones. Hope they give more fruit for you.
ReplyDeleteMost of your plant look really good!
ReplyDeleteAleo Vera flowering? That's amazing!
Happy New Year to you!
Your yellow Collumnea is superb!
ReplyDeleteYou always have such good variety!
ReplyDeleteI think that dish with the mini-corn and eggplant look tasty as can be!
Thanks for commenting on my blog.
Hi Steph,
ReplyDeleteA late greeting but I don't wanna miss it. Merry Christmas to you! And a Happy Year 2012 too!
It's lovely to see your garden growing well. Looking forward to reading more about your garden in the coming new year!
Happy New Year, Steph! As I type this it's drizzling outside. Good for my plants!:) May 2012 be a wonderful year for you and your family!
ReplyDeleteyou've changed your look!
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting flower stalk on the aloe. I've never seen one before. Happy New Year!!
All, I hope you have had an enjoyable holiday. I will be checking your blog entry soon to catch up. Cheers to a New Year!
ReplyDeletecongrats on the carnivorous seedling. Just goes to show you to never give up!
ReplyDeleteAloe vera flower stalk looks interesting. My plant is growing like a monster. :-)
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Steph!
ReplyDeleteI did a hard-prune on my Lantana too. Amazingly, they bounce back with lush leaves and blooms. They do survive the hard-prune!
Hi Steph!
ReplyDeleteWich you a great new year.
So many flower you got in your garden. :)
Hug to you
Vetter late then nerver, happening ner yrar to yo too. When tokighet seeda finally germinate it,s anmaning. Will done, ane aloe floders, magin, Can,t say I Evert saw then floders.
ReplyDeleteHappening gardering :)