tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post2763987617945052473..comments2024-03-17T12:44:23.924-05:00Comments on Tropical Texana: WHAT IT TAKES TO HAVE A TROPICAL GARDEN IN A FROST ZONEDavidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12495040805660192347noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-89345874014623812512012-01-15T00:33:10.711-06:002012-01-15T00:33:10.711-06:00I feel for you doing all that moving, but know it ...I feel for you doing all that moving, but know it must be done. I lost my Duranta this year because I left it out too long, but it lived in my office every other year. I did save the jasmine and rose standards though. One thing though, your garden has to be tho most interesting in your neighborhood with all those tropical plants. I love the large scale of the plants. Just don't have that much up here except in the house.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-82827910634304596202012-01-14T21:04:03.763-06:002012-01-14T21:04:03.763-06:00Wow, I am very impressed at your dedication. I hav...Wow, I am very impressed at your dedication. I have gone the other way (short-term) and I'm trying lots of annual seeds and perennials more suited to a cooler climate until my mainstream tropicals get established and provide a bit more shade.Marisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07414496377660313372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-61756183164254675742012-01-14T18:54:06.682-06:002012-01-14T18:54:06.682-06:00David, did it really get down to freezing for you ...David, did it really get down to freezing for you either of the last 2 nights? There was no ice in any of the birdbaths or containers, just some frost on the windshield of my daughter's car.Cindy, MCOKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16094260737874973235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-44170468848819000082012-01-14T18:45:59.533-06:002012-01-14T18:45:59.533-06:00You sound like a bit of a glutton for punishment, ...You sound like a bit of a glutton for punishment, David. Everything tender gets moved or covered in our garden at the end of autumn. But it is all worth it, isn't it?Janethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06999513105724635810noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-62010659958391134802012-01-14T17:02:53.864-06:002012-01-14T17:02:53.864-06:00It's all fun, but I'm too old for all that...It's all fun, but I'm too old for all that lugging and covering. If a little pine straw won't save it, it's toast. I've determined what will survive and what is marginal. After a determined Bird of Paradise came back from the roots last spring, I dug and potted it this fall and brought it in. <br /><br />My greenhouse has a two little heaters with thermostats. The low here this morning was 27. Nothing froze inside. We have heat lamps of different wattages and tubs, but I had not thought of them in tandem. Might be a better plan for when the storm comes and we have to crank up a generator.Jean Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09000315400392984647noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-65445497390935402402012-01-14T14:37:50.087-06:002012-01-14T14:37:50.087-06:00We gardeners must work hard to maintain our beauti...We gardeners must work hard to maintain our beautiful plants. Your tropicals are lovely. I am usually checking the forecast in fall, winter, and spring, so I can cover the vegetable garden if it goes below freezing.The Sage Butterflyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06252906325012065829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-22712444064563206552012-01-14T09:21:47.839-06:002012-01-14T09:21:47.839-06:00It's amazing what we gardeners will do for our...It's amazing what we gardeners will do for our plants! I'm sure many a neighbor has thought me weird!Indiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08120631846270350947noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-41158453762085008232012-01-13T20:58:43.145-06:002012-01-13T20:58:43.145-06:00Hi David, i saw your blog because it replaced a pe...Hi David, i saw your blog because it replaced a perennially top 1 blog in Blotanical. You are now famous, LOL. I can't relate to the very difficult gardening of tropicals in your area, we have a lot of them here and they are just left on the ground on their own, rain or shine. It's really amazing for the lots of work a gardener puts to just care for their plants. Here we get difficulties when we don't have water during the dry season, and we try caring for semi-temperate plants.Andreahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06044386271018560595noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-40387606094068767562012-01-13T18:54:43.590-06:002012-01-13T18:54:43.590-06:00That does sound like a lot of work, but as long as...That does sound like a lot of work, but as long as you enjoy it, I'm sure it's so worth it. Looking forward to seeing your tropical blooms... not do-able in my zone 5 gardens.Carolyn ♥https://www.blogger.com/profile/05722229442110193733noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-1596048697368088952012-01-13T17:00:33.004-06:002012-01-13T17:00:33.004-06:00I did wonder! I did almost the same making sure m...I did wonder! I did almost the same making sure my dog was comfy and warm! :)HolleyGardenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14892421871044249940noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-45016474129818096112012-01-13T16:45:48.547-06:002012-01-13T16:45:48.547-06:00I used moving blankets this fall. Looked pretty od...I used moving blankets this fall. Looked pretty odd as I live on a corner lot with lots of traffic. Oh well, I am kind of odd. lol. I used to do that in San Antonio every winter. We've hit 14 to 18 these past two months. But overall very warm.greggohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10490422976382424491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-10790869675082148232012-01-13T14:18:28.043-06:002012-01-13T14:18:28.043-06:00David, I’m in Northwest Houston gardening zone 8B....David, I’m in Northwest Houston gardening zone 8B. I always tell myself to just say, “No!” to the tropicals, but I can’t help myself. I think it is their foliage I fall in love with every time. In the high heat of our summers the tropicals always look grand. They are worth the extra effort to cover a few containers, when we have a freeze warning. I’ve got blankets covering a few plants, as I write this to you. Hopefully, this winter will be mild and not a repeat of last winter. Love your blog! Thanks for sharing!Lucy Abbotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09003475476247235443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-57913698428203891222012-01-13T10:04:06.439-06:002012-01-13T10:04:06.439-06:00Wow, that's a lot of work, but definitely wort...Wow, that's a lot of work, but definitely worth it if the plants survive. I hope they all come through unscathed. Using all those blankets sounds like a new take on 'putting the garden to bed for the winter'.Crystalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07725991262021867082noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-16618120185135729252012-01-13T08:33:55.902-06:002012-01-13T08:33:55.902-06:00I like the idea with the metal tub! We tent our Ma...I like the idea with the metal tub! We tent our Mango tree (with a party tent) and hang 2 heat lamps (pointing down) on the lower branches. The metal tub would radiate the heat upwards I'm thinking .... <br />Good job of protecting your planties!!Gone Tropicalhttp://www.myrtleglen.com/bloggingnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-19016297727383223492012-01-13T04:23:08.495-06:002012-01-13T04:23:08.495-06:00At the moment we're have super-hot days (up to...At the moment we're have super-hot days (up to 40 + Celcius) but in Winter we always get a few days of frost. <br />Hope everything survives for you and you dom't get too many freezing days.Roslynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940119240313980400noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-84177241018714744902012-01-13T02:20:32.972-06:002012-01-13T02:20:32.972-06:00Interesting! It's all just a little too weird...Interesting! It's all just a little too weird for this tropical gardener! I remember the first time I ever saw a photo of a plant wrapped in a fleece blanket. It was on another gardening website when I first joined the world wide web gardening fraternity. I thought it was a practical joke! Lol! <br /><br />I suppose the equivalent here would be stashing plants in the fridge, putting umbrellas up over them as a sunscreen or placing fans nearby to cool them off. We haven't gone quite that troppo yet!!BernieHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04435004798656616711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-45635532331592428562012-01-12T23:47:59.877-06:002012-01-12T23:47:59.877-06:00How large is your greenhouse? I have a very smal...How large is your greenhouse? I have a very small one, only six feet wide and about 2 1/2 feet deep (up against the house). I only have a 60-watt bulb as a heat source, and I'm thinking that might not be enough when I read that you use a 200-watt light. This is the first year I've attempted to heat the greenhouse. First few years, I did not need to. But last two years it got down into the teens a couple nights, and I lost just about everything. I hope your efforts pay off and your topical garden thrives :-)Toni - Signature Gardenshttp://signaturegardens.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-35102137921079871682012-01-12T23:01:16.165-06:002012-01-12T23:01:16.165-06:00Hi David..popped in to check out your Number 1 in ...Hi David..popped in to check out your Number 1 in Blotanical, blog. You have chickens!? Lucky you. I'm going to go read your blog for a while!<br />ErinErinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03394245146898073227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3876534142667059931.post-44623058991904608712012-01-12T22:40:41.143-06:002012-01-12T22:40:41.143-06:00Oh I sure do. Although we haven't had the cra...Oh I sure do. Although we haven't had the crazy freezes yet. But they are coming:) I have to put everything into the shed or cover the plants up. It's about an hours work:) No fun. Your greenhouse shot looks great. I wish I had a romm like this! Stay warm.Rohrerbothttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02136631378931478644noreply@blogger.com