My Desert Oasis

[John in Andalucia]

Here are some updated photos...

Still intact, and ant free. I'm winning the fungus gnat war too, unless they're seasonal and thinking of having a party. Like the NASA-style, foil heat shields? This time last year, it was 35 Celsius inside the polytunnel. That's 95F. Now I can keep the doors covered at the bottom and after a year of drenching the interior I am experiencing top humidity at 25C. If you notice, I haven't done to the end until summer kicks in.

My Bismarckia farm. Slow growing.

Some odds and ends. Nothing big in here, but I have about 130 species in all.

It's a pleasure to walk in here and see stuff growing after your first year..

These are my incubators, where I hope to open these babies up to the poly-tunnel atmosphere, which is a lot more humid than outside. Do I sound like a Martian growing palms?

Sorry, they're not the best photos in the world..

The Areca concinna were from Meg. Thanks Meg! Bottom-left is my one and only D. Befofo. It started out pure white, and is glowing green from the inside. Interesting.

Chamaedorea angustisecta from Jeff Searle. No, they are not for sale (yet, if ever).

More to follow after supper...

[John in Andalucia]

Some of my only survivors from when I started in December 2007. Carpoxylon macrospermum.

Caryota zebrina at the back, Pinanga javana in the foreground..

Licuala and Dypsis seedlings..

One of my favourites, because it does so well here and is relatively unknown - Loxoccocus rupicola..

Outside now, and if it grows, sprout it. Jacarandas, Loquats, and some Nannorrhops and Brahea at the back..

More palms outdoors.. Chambeys Trachies, Jubs, Sabals, Phoenix, Braheas etc.

Chambeyronia macrocarpa will always be my favourite, as it was the first "big" seedling I acquired. I have over 100 and want to grows these.

Strelitzia "Mandela's Gold" at the back. In front, a variegated Howea from Colin, along with a few Macrozamia moorei. Thanks Col!

Parajubea torallyi v. microcarpa just sprouting now. That's all folks. What joy it will be to see this lot growing over summer!

[www.dadluvsu.com]

Looking great John!

I can tell what your next problematic encounter will be... Can you? MWUHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHH!!!! I just barely got over the same hump recently in my shadehouse. But I'll be struggling with it again soon if all goes according to plan!

[John in Andalucia]

Looking great John!

I can tell what your next problematic encounter will be... Do you? MWUHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHH!!!! I just barely got over the same hump recently in my shadehouse.

Noooooooo??

[www.dadluvsu.com]

In the next year all those seedlings are going to overtake your space!!! You are gonna have to sell off copious amounts before they turn into full blown trees!

[John in Andalucia]

In the next year all those seedlings are going to overtake your space!!! You are gonna have to sell off copious amounts before they turn into full blown trees!

Bill, that is what I'm hoping for.

[bubba]

John, The more I read about you and your personal story, all I can tell you is you are one great person. My regards to your entire family for an incredible adjustment to a tough situation.Your ability to adapt is very inspirational and the kind of stuff that leads to legendary accompolishments, Palms a token.

[John in Andalucia]

John, The more I read about you and your personal story, all I can tell you is you are one great person. My regards to your entire family for an incredible adjustment to a tough situation.Your ability to adapt is very inspirational and the kind of stuff that leads to legendary accomplishments, Palms a token.

Keith, those are kind words. You make my day sometimes, you really do! Go Norsemen!!

[Jonathan]

John,

thats an exceptionally well managed operation...you make me ashamed of my chaotic and slapdash setup, but inspired to clean up my act!

The attraction of setting up a palm nursery is certainly hard to resist, I'd love to make a living from my hobby, but I'd have to convince a few more Tasmanians that you can actually grow lots of different palm species here....they mostly like roses and Azaleas....urgh...still, one needs a challenge!

Best of luck with your new business.

Cheers,

Jonathan

[John in Andalucia]

John,

thats an exceptionally well managed operation...you make me ashamed of my chaotic and slapdash setup, but inspired to clean up my act!

The attraction of setting up a palm nursery is certainly hard to resist, I'd love to make a living from my hobby, but I'd have to convince a few more Tasmanians that you can actually grow lots of different palm species here....they mostly like roses and Azaleas....urgh...still, one needs a challenge!

Best of luck with your new business.

Cheers,

Jonathan

Thank you Jonathan! I enjoy finding the rare and exotic species, which are practically unknown in your own country, but surprise you by growing like native species. When you have trialed (and lost) more than enough, you then have the opportunity to specialise in "cutting edge" palms. This is my philosophy for palms in extreme places!

[www.dadluvsu.com]

What's new in the shadehouse John? Got some rarieties? running out of space yet?

[John in Andalucia]

What's new in the shadehouse John? Got some rarieties? running out of space yet?

Bill - I still haven't potted up. Everything is in bands/ tree-pots still, well most of it. I'm getting that feeling of attempting to fully open a map inside the car whilst driving.

Rarities? I'm getting a little more cautious of spending money on super-rare seeds, but having said that, I have a few P. veitchii sprouts that look like they will make it, and some G. undata too. Also a few Dictyocarum lamarckianum, L. mapu & dasyantha, a couple of tiny Basselinia tomentosa and a dozen small Chamaedorea angustisecta. On the Dypsis front, lantzeana, pilulifera, sanctaemariae, florencei, prestoniana. These are tricky for me, but they are surviving, albeit tiny 2-leafers. Oh, and I've got Lemur seeds sprouting - 3/100 since late June.

The "usual suspects" are needing bigger pots, though. I've got the space, but cash is short and I can't afford pots or soil. I fine mess, really. Still waiting for extended loan approval from the bank, hopefully next week. The palms I want to pot up I can do into October, but it will take me that long. My priority at the moment is for several hundred Eucalyptus deglupta which will take off next Spring if I can bump them up now. But yes, the garden feels smaller already, I stride everywhere and the hosepipe isn't long enough, still, I know in my mind's eye where everything is.

I'm getting more interested in Licuala since I bought a few seedlings. They're not as slow or difficult as I thought, and don't brown tip either. I pretty much know which genera to avoid now, but of course the temptation is always to give some species a second chance.