Sale, sale and more of a sale....large 4 packs of annuals which included these marigolds in yellow and orange, gazania which are starting to bloom, wave petunias, wave pansies, Magellan Zinnias, coleus, big leaf red or green begonias, All four plants for $3.00...they are hardened off and ready to go into your garden or flower containers.
Big Red Begonia with Bronze leaves
The largest, most vigorous growing begonia out there! Easy-to-grow and maintain, BIG begonias live up to their namesake with plants reaching 20" in height and 2.5" giant oval clusters blooms. These begonias fill in fast so fewer plants are needed! Its self-cleaning habit minimizes maintenance. Thriving in sun or shade, this heat, humid and salt tolerant plant can be grown in a wide range of climates and soils. With splendid color-drenched 2 oval flowers and wonderfully elegant glossy bronze leaves it attracts both hummingbirds and butterflies. Creating beautiful large containers on their own or mixed with other plants, their vigorous growth habit also makes it an excellent filler in landscape beds. They can even be grown as a houseplant. This plant is known to be deer resistant.
Sun Exposure: Shade or Sun -Grow Anywhere!
Height: 18-20"
Spread: 15-24"
Habit: Upright/Mounding
Thriller: Large Planters & Landscape Beds
Bloom Size: 2.5"
Spacing: Planters 6-8", Landscape Beds 15-24"
Heat Tolerance Zones: 3-10
taken from http://www.mischelsgreenhouses.com/Begonia-BIG-Red-wBronze-Leaf
picture fromswallowtailgardenseeds. com
Big Leaf Red Begonia green leaves
Height: 18 inches
Spacing: 16 inches
Sunlight: full sun partial shade
Hardiness Zone: (annual)
Other Names: Semperflorens, Fibrous
Group/Class: Wax Begonia
Description:
This selection presents big flowers on well branched, full bodied plants; a vigorous, outstanding performer in sun or shade
Ornamental Features
Big® Red Green Leaf Begonia features dainty clusters of red orchid-like flowers at the ends of the stems from mid spring to mid fall. Its attractive glossy heart-shaped leaves remain dark green in color throughout the year. The fruit is not ornamentally significant.
Landscape Attributes
Big® Red Green Leaf Begonia is an herbaceous annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its medium texture blends into the garden, but can always be balanced by a couple of finer or coarser plants for an effective composition.
This is a high maintenance plant that will require regular care and upkeep, and usually looks its best without pruning, although it will tolerate pruning. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;
taken from http://plants.thegrowingplace.com/12120014/Plant/15670/Big_Red_Green_Leaf_Begonia
How to Grow GazaniasGazania flowers are for any gardener who is looking for a high-impact bloom that doesn't require much maintenance. Gazania plants don’t mind the heat that radiates off the pavement, so you can include them in your sidewalk garden or alongside your driveway.
Gazania is easy to grow to a fault: This ornamental is considered weedy in some parts of Southern California and Australia. Plant young gazania plants about a foot apart, allowing them to reach their eventual spread of 10 inches without crowding, which promotes mildew. Deadhead gazania flowers to extend the blooming time of the plants.
LightGazania flowers thrive in full sun. Morning or afternoon shade may cause the flowers to stay closed for a portion of the day and may cause the plants to grow lanky, exceeding their normal height of 6 to 10 inches.
SoilGazanias do best in sandy, well-draining soil but will tolerate many soil types and conditions.
WaterThe leathery foliage of gazania plants is a clue to the high drought tolerance of this flower. Let the soil dry between waterings. Overwatering can lead to root rot and promote fungal diseases.
Temperature and HumidityGazanias like hot, dry conditions and work well with similarly adapted flowers, such as vinca, cosmos, verbena, or globe amaranth.
FertilizerIn their native habitat of the rocky cliffs of South Africa, gazanias grow in soils of low fertility. Compost and supplemental fertilizer aren’t necessary.
Potting and RepottingGazania plants are adaptable enough to overwinter indoors so you won’t need to purchase new plants or seeds for the next growing season. You can dig up the plant at autumn's end while they are still in bloom, bringing the beauty of the outdoors in. However, the plant won't be able to maintain its flower output indoors, so cut the plant back and keep it in a cool, sunny window. Water when the soil surface is dry. Check the plants regularly for pests like mealybugs that may proliferate on indoor specimens.
VarietiesThe daisy-like flowers blooms of gazanias often come in a variety of hot hues on the color wheel, like red, orange, and yellow. Many flowers feature solids and horizontal or vertical variegation on petals, sometimes with splashes of white and bright pink.
Gardeners who live in areas with short growing seasons should try gazanias from the Chansonette series, which flower very early. Love the classic look of white flower gardens? The Creamsicle gazania cultivar sports ivory petals with a simple bronze center disk. Another early performer is the Daybreak series, which yields large flowers quickly from seed in sunset colors or stripes.
Gardeners who work long daytime hours will appreciate that the paprika petals of Sunbather's Sunset stay open into the evening, rather than shutting up tight like most varieties do at twilight. The monochromatic gold petals and disks of Sundrop gazanias will bring a ray of sunshine to any flower garden.
Some of the brightest gazania flowers grow in the Tiger Stripe Mix, which produce red or hot pink stripes on white or gold petals. Kiss Bronze Star gazanias are a riot of color when they unfurl two-tone petals of orange and gold. Get double the beauty when you plant Talent Mix, which has silver foliage that contrasts vividly against bright flowers.
Growing in ContainersGazanias shine in containers on your deck or patio, where they will attract butterflies for up-close observation. If desired, plant gazanias at the edge of the pot so their trailing habit softens the container's edges. Their preference for sharply drained soil makes them a natural choice for a rock garden, either in a container or on the ground. If your soil is heavy, plant your gazanias in containers with a companion planting of lantana, which has similar growing conditions and complementary colors.
Taken from https://www.thespruce.com/gazania-flowers
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net