Good Day Fellow Gardeners,
Its another beautiful day on Sanibel Island. The skies are blue, the sun is bright, and in spite of the lack of rainfall, the island is bursting in blossoms. Many varieties of Jasmine are filling the air with delightful fragrance. Gardenias are beginning to bloom. Lilies, Iris, Anthuriums, Orchids, the gorgeous bright yellow Tabebuia trees, Allamanda, Purple Malay Rubber Vine and many other plants, trees, bushes and vines are displaying great beauty.
I have selected Bougainvillea today as it is seen absolutely everywhere in Southwest Florida. It is displayed on espaliers in the street medians in areas on the mainland. Bougainvillea are covering walls, fences, growing up tall trees and on trellises, in containers, self-standing, as hedges, on pool decks and in hanging planters. There are several varieties and colors of Bougainvillea. The purple are the hardiest and the most apt color to be seen climbing tall trees and poles. Bougainvilleas are found in white, white with pink, pink, orange, deep pink, magenta, lavender, red and purple. They are all beautiful. My favorite is the pink and white variation. The flowers are actually tiny and white and enclosed in paper-like bracts displaying the striking vivid colors.
Bougainvillea
Bouganvilleas thrive in bright sun which is required for blooming. They should be planted in a well prepared location with good drainage, air circulation and in fertile soil. Their young roots are tender. It is wise to cut through the plastic pots in several areas and remove the plant. Gently place it in the ground using caution not to disturb the roots. Water once or twice a week when first planted, then once a week if it has not rained. Do not fertilize until it has been in the ground a month or so. Bougainvilleas are heavy feeders, but will adapt to Sanibel's fertilizer rules. Bougainvillea like iron much like Gardenias and Ixoras. A slow-release Palm and Ixora fertilizer works well on all plants and trees in our yard which I use once on nearly everything in the garden in early spring and again before summer rainson some plants. Many of our plants are in containers.
Bougainvillea love to be trimmed in warm months. Do not trim after September until Spring.
Bougainvillea require pruning a few times a month in warm months to maintain good blooming and a manageable size. Do not trim after September unless they have some unruly branches. Many years ago, I used a soluable fertilizer (jar attached to hose) a few times a year. It really seemed to give our plants a good start. In ensuing years, I've only used it infrequently.
I mixed a dollop of Fish Emulsion and a tiny amount of Neem Oil in the jar and sprayed it all over all of the plants in the garden on a cool morning a few weeks ago. Fertilizing when there is such a severe lack of rainfall tends to stress the plants even more. Nonetheless, this was very beneficial. Fish emulsion is welcome on most plants and Neem is a great natural product. Neem is a product derived from a tree. It has many uses including personal care products and creams, soaps, lotions and shampoos and products to treat allergy provoked skin rashes. Check it out on Google. Our garden club learned its many benefits while touring Echo which is an organization that fights world hunger. Neem protects plants from white fly and aphids as well as nourishing the plant.
Wild Coffee Bushes
More Wild Coffee...It's Everywhere!
We have a lot of native Wild Coffee bushes in our yard. I have noticed lots of bees seeking their nectar. These plants pop up all over the yard. They have an attractive green foliage and fill in spaces nicely. They have clusters of tiny white blossoms. Their fruit is a 1/2" bright red berry. The beans are not used for coffee. They are pleasing in our garden in appearance and definitely as bee hosts. I find they are the most apt to lure white flies and the sooty mold of any other plants. We do not like to use toxic insecticides and prefer to maintain these plants. If I should sight sooty mold on the leaves; I trim them back to the trunk, place the plant material in a large disposable plastic bagand place at the curb for waste disposal. In short order, a fresh new plant reappears. They are "keepers."
Patti's "Mystery Plant." The mystery continues...
Do any of you have mystery plants to report? Let me know. Our Mystery plant remains a Mystery. It is still growing and healthy. Now, I have decided it is some variety of Lily. I am expecting buds soon. The foliage resembles that of our Easter Lilies. Although, the corm is definitely different.
Jim had cut down a very healthy 12 feet tall Ponytail Palm to about 10 inches tall with a thick diameter. I was questioning whether there would be "new life" on the twenty-five year old palm. A few days ago, to my elation, there appeared several new "starts" appearing on the sides of the trunk. (Lucky Jim)
It's almost time for our Rain Dance!
Until next month,
Patti