Another Planting Day in Puerto Rico

[Cindy Adair]

Rain was predicted to start by late morning and continue until tomorrow morning.
 

So I prepared yesterday and at dawn I began. 
 

No irrigation to this area far from my house. 
 

First one of 5 Balaka seemannii. If this one seems good here I will continue land detailing and plant at least 2 more nearby. 
 

This view is looking down from the path. 

Here’s the path demarcated by the dark trunks of tall tree ferns. 

 

Next the Sabinaria magnificas that I never got around to fertilizing in their pots.
 

 

At least the hungry palms got some food in with the anti rhino beetle dose of imidocloprid. Plus the dirt alone greens up most of my plants. 
 

Here are some distance views.

 

I like the flower color on these anthuriums recently purchased from my nearby combination tire sales/repair store and treasure trove sort of plant nursery.

You know the Mom and Pop kind of place with many hard to see plants with no labels or prices. 

Still no rain into the early afternoon. 
 

Still I must attack my long “to do while raining list” which includes an IPS report and laundry. 

Not sure how posting on PT snuck into the top of that list…

What are you planting this week?

 

 

[Cindy Adair]

So far so good on all planted earlier and after more detailing I expanded the places for more plants previously trapped in pots. 
 

I have lost several young  Neoveitchias to ox rhino beetles, but applied granular imidocloprid to the soil shortly after these photos.  
 

Fingers crossed that will repel the critters for at least 4 months.
 

Clinostigma ponapense
 

Chambeyronia pyriformis (one of 2)

No the photo below is NOT of a palm.
 

It’s one of my now 3 small Amherstia nobilis. I understand they are mostly self infertile and my other one is in an area too crowded for more. 

I finally have two just planted nearby in hopes for the beautiful flowers and seed pods to form and the ability to get seeds eventually. 

Note the normal drooping brownish/pink new leaf cluster on this “handkerchief tree”.

Veitchia simulans (one of 2)

Another favorite handkerchief tree. Browneopsis ucayalina.
 

This is insurance since I only have one other of this lovely species and hurricanes happen.

Here is a view showing the only palm planted previously in this area, Chrysalidocarpus lastelliana.

Just another view of the partial shade with some ornamentals along an entry path. 

I am hoping in a few years this will be a pleasant part of my farm to visit and thus worth the walk some distance from my house.
 

I plan to add orchids and aroids to some of the tree ferns and more small ground ornamentals like my exuberant episcias too. 

[peachy]

We are approaching the winter solstice here but were lulled into a false sense of security by reasonably warm days. A sudden cold snap has hit and the last 2 days have only gotten to 19c, Conversely every plant (palms too) is having a major growth spurt.  I am not having a planting spree however. The plants are thriving but for the first time in my life the cold is killing me.  I love the flowering anthuriums and they thrive here, always in flower too.  I bought an identical coloured anthurium to yours only 2 weeks ago on the clearance rack in a supermarket.  Love the Sabinaria too. It is on my 'one day' list.

A Polar Peach.

[SeanK]

11 minutes ago, peachy said:

We are approaching the winter solstice here but were lulled into a false sense of security by reasonably warm days. A sudden cold snap has hit and the last 2 days have only gotten to 19c, Conversely every plant (palms too) is having a major growth spurt.  I am not having a planting spree however. The plants are thriving but for the first time in my life the cold is killing me.  I love the flowering anthuriums and they thrive here, always in flower too.  I bought an identical coloured anthurium to yours only 2 weeks ago on the clearance rack in a supermarket.  Love the Sabinaria too. It is on my 'one day' list.

A Polar Peach.

Tough break on that cold. Don't know how y'all manage it.