What's Looking Exotic in October 2012

Joolz , can you post picture of the pot , then the roots , remove the plastic pot ? look like mould , from overwatering in cold (maybe wrong)

Peters , last years left all my arisema in pure sand and moved indoor , not for the cold but for the rain , still have all and they even multiplay while in there....

I`ve never both any alocasia or calocasia , that is maybe my luck with them , they are true wild species coming from my local shop , I think that is why I`m so lucky with them ...I get them really fresh ....need to publish some more pictures as got some lime colored ones.

 

Hi Peter have a look at this, I know its American but it does mention keeping them as houseplants over winter in cold parts (like us I presume ). An intersting read all the same

http://www.plantdelights.com/Colocasias-Elephant-Ear-Plants/products/503/

 

I'm wondering about using a mist system (i.e. same as mist propagation) to combat Red Spider

I think my biggest problem with Red Spider is that I do not have a schedule, that I stick to!!, of treatment. Its the same, for me, with Black Spot on the roses - if I treated them every fortnight, like clockwork, they'd probably be fine, but it gets done "when time permits" (actually "When work is not too busy"!!)

However, the Winter Lights are in my home office. I have pre-mixed spray bottles of Plant Rescue and Provardo right next to them. They get sprayed frequently during the Winter ... and it was still a problem by February last Winter. Hence the thought of increasing the humidity. (When it got bad last Winter I switched to Neem + Horticultural soap, which works much better for me, but its messy / smelly, and needs to be done every day or two, fully coating the leaves, as it is not systemic; not really ideal for "indoors")

Dunno if humidity would give me some fungal problems (including walls of the my office running green perhaps? ), or if the central heating temperature will mean that's a non-issue.

Maybe use a fogger instead of mist nozzles?

 

Kristen - I think you are right about the need for a regular schedule. My other problem is that I have so much stuff packed into winter quarters, that I can't easily get at it and look after it properly.

Bilbo - many thanks for that link. One thing that struck me is that it seems to be saying that Colocasia "Black Magic" doesn't form a tuber - so you must keep it growing over the winter. That's quite a surprise to me.

 

Your really getting the hang of your camera fantastic pics
Are the purple flower Azure daisies?? x

 

Deffo humidity is needed - a smaller room will always be better. Mist twice daily, especially the underside of the leaf. At the first sign of an outbreak, mist with garlic water (take one whole garlic bulb and bash with a rolling pin, pour 2 litres of boiling water over it. When cold, bring back to the boil and allow to cool down again. Sieve and mix a desert spoon of olive oil in. Shake well before every use. Some recipes add cinnamon too ).

I grow mine in pots for just that reason. When the blooms arrive I want it dry (as in no rain) so I can give them shelter if needs be. I only ever water using the plunge method. I think on a mature tuber it's not such an issue, but most of the ones that we buy are a year or two away from maturity (even though they bloom). A month after the bloom has gone they go out to see the summer through. I suspect that the ground was still rather cool this year too - the soil probably heats up quicker in a pot. At the end of the season I just let them dry out and store when fully dry, repotting in the spring.

 

Looks happy in the sitting room!

Loving the look of that Peter!

 

That's interesting Sal...............

Just wondering about citronella now.

 

Citronella works great with cats , seriously I`ve seen it in Thailand , even for keeping mosquito away they where using lemon grass oil.

http://www.bugbutton.com/oils/indonesian-lemon-grass/

 

My tibouchina is outside, and if it were human, it would be plotting my murder I'm sure, it can't be liking these cold nights! But tough love is the way forward!

 

Has it been outside all summer, and will it flower outside Stephen?

 

Peter, my Bougainvilleas have grown about as much as yours have, in other words, hardly at all!