Been Busy

Moose

Moose

Esteemed Member
7,058
10/09/09
442
223
Coral Gables, FL Zone 10b
As of October 13th, our dry season officially began. Having so many in containers I've not got around to planting, a croton planting project began. Keeping plants happy without an irrigation system gets cumbersome during the dry season.

Due to my rocky soil, installing crotons is a major task. Especially since I am a firm believer that deep holes are necessary to create a specimen plant in so much rock. As of Friday, I've managed to get 50 planted. Unfortunately there are still 46 more in containers ... :(
 
Here is the list - in the order they were planted ...

Skeet Jones (Keith)

Krakatoa (JS)

Blotched Charmer (BW)

Trinidad Interruptum (MN)

Delicatissma (MN)

Unkown from Ralph Davis Estate (Chris)

Evansianus (JS)

Thai hybrid (elongated leaf)(BW)

Compte’ de Castelaine (Tim)

Pocomo (CM)

Goldilocks (Jose)

Gonzalez (Perry)

Earl’s Court (JS)

Pink Lei (Randy)

Herringbone (BW)

Long John Bender (Seedling-Mine)

Norman Rockwell (JG)

Milky Way (MN)

Blotched Wooten’s Beauty (sport from mine)

Tan Wi Kiat (Richard Button)

Pink Davis (BW)

Nervia (Ana)

Blotched William Jennings Bryan (MN)

Chili Pan X Jungle Queen (Chris’ hybrid) (CM)

Unknown from (MN) Oak leaf, Green & Yellow, possibly her seedling

Connie Cutler (Bill)

Bimbo (CM)

Father’s Day (BW)

Lime Light (JS)

Mary Ann Jones (Richard Button)

Ralph Davis Estate (White Monarch?) (CM)

Pretty Bird (Keith)

Mrs. Peyton (CM)

The Pearl (Jose) Not true

Mother’s Day (JS)

Goldstar Selectra (Ray)

Dr. Lin Yu Tang (Tim)

Mr. White (Jose)

Pitcarin – thin veined form (Ray)

Rembrandt seedling (Jose)

Confetti (JS)

MacKenzie (MN)

Sum Yung Gi (Thai hybrid BW)

Seminole Pride (JS)

Sweet Marie (air layer from mine)

Van Houtii (not true) BW to Tim to back

Ana Lopez (Jose)

Mons Florin (JS)

C & B (CM)
 
busy 18.JPG
 
Wow....nice to see a few palms still in the Mooseland.

PS......Dean....your moderating maybe too much. Try getting outside a little more often, maybe with a cold one in hand. It's fun!
 
B Limelight.JPG


Limelight, this I believe is one of Grady's seedlings. There are a few around but not many. Its planted next to Connie Cutler so its getting more sun now and should start exhibiting more pinks. If you come across one at Jeff sales, I would urge you to snap it up, its a beauty!
 
B Mrs Peyton.JPG


Mrs. Peyton. This is a cultivar that Chris Mayhew found in Miami Springs, Fl. He calls it Mrs. Peyton since it came from her yard. This plant is very small although I've had it several years. It is not a vigorous grower and never established a big root system. Its soil was basically turning to mush so I had to put her in the ground despite her diminutive size. Hopefully she will do better in the ground. I don't think I ever got her soil mix right. On my last visit to Chris', he informed me that Johnny Shelton recognized this cultivar and gave Chris the name. Chris failed to write it down, so it remains Mrs. Peyton until its name can be reestablished. This is not a good example of this croton, the mother plant has very good coloring.
 
B The Pearl.JPG


This one came from Jose as The Pearl. Since the Pearl was last seen in the Croton Society Newsletter it met its demise. I have been assured that the Pearl seen in the newsletter was the only one and no air layers or cuttings were ever taken. This croton looks kinda similar but it can't be the true Pearl because it no longer exists. Its a pretty darn good looking croton regardless.
 
B Earlscourt.JPG


Acquired this one at the last Extravaganza, Earlscourt. This is my second go around with this cultivar. My last one was left in a container way too long. The soil was so broke down that there probably was inadequate aeration. Got this one in the ground post haste.
 
DSCN3058.JPG


Sorry but this is a poor image of a spectacular croton, Trinidad Interruptum. For some reason this plant began to flower profusely. It put its energy into the inflorescence's and put new leaf development on hold. I snapped off the flower spikes to encourage flushing of new leaves when it was planted.
 
junglegal said:
That blotched william jennings is a stunner!
Click to expand...

Thanks Bren, I think it looks pretty cool myself.

Planting crotons here is a major undertaking. My top soil usually ends 6-8 inches down then I got to break out the chipping hammer. The removed soil is then sifted only leaving rocks 1 inch in diameter and smaller. Then the removed soil gets mixed with peat moss and compost and that is used to plant. I keep the ratio at @ 75% native soil. I've had problems keeping the plants hydrated during the dry season when I amend the native soil with higher concentrations of organic matter. Too much organic material also breaks down faster and I've had to wash sand into the root ball afterwards. This ration works best for me.

I also put about 1/4 cup of fertilizer on the amended soil in the hole. Cover a 1 inch layer of planting soil over the fertilizer and then plant. My theory is that the new roots will find the time released fertilizer and be very happy about it. I the spread a thin layer of about 1/2 cup of fertilizer on top, then apply the mulch.

B Skeet Jones.JPG


Here is Skeet Jones, which is a Robert Halgrim croton.
 
B Thai hybrid (elongated leaf).JPG


Don't know what to call this. The tag reads: Thai hybrid (elongated leaf). The history of this plant was Mike Woolery found it in Homestead, Fl which the owner allowed him to take cuttings. The gentleman had acquired @ 100 different Thai Hybrids and planted them all. Being finicky all were lost except for @8. Mike took the cuttings from a fairly large plant that had been in the ground for about 10 years. Based on this information I elected to put this one in the ground.
 
B Blotched Charmer 1.JPG
B Blotched Charmer 2.JPG


Blotched Charmer. Another that has been sitting in a heavily shaded area too long. It was planted in an area where it will get some heavy sun exposure. After seeing David Kings wonderful example of a Blotched Charmer, this guy has 1.5 growing seasons to improve its coloring or it will become mulch. Its just way to green right now. I hope it understands that a nice deep hole will not be wasted on an inferior cultivar here.
 
B Unkown from Ralph Davis Estate 1.JPG


This is an unknown from the Ralph Davis Estate that Chris Mayhew got many moons ago. I air layered a branch from this plant to induce it to branch. Do you see any branches ? I was less then pleased when no new growth emerged from the stem. This plant got kinda shuffled around and forgottened. Its been in its container soil long that the soil was really taking a Poop and the plant was declining. Had to get it into the ground here it should have gone along time ago.

B Unkown from Ralph Davis Estate 2.JPG


Oh, he is a shot of its air layer. This flush of orangish leaves is an anomaly that it has not done before.
 
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