Early Summer in NE Downunder - Ixora 'Twilight Glow' in bloom

It's looking good! :>)

It's put on a fabulous display this year ... the two-tone flowers are terrific.

Bernieh:

It looks so lush, and full! I must be due to all the rain you had over your 'dry' season. :>)

My Ixora 'Maui Red' almost died last winter, when I gave it too much fertilizer. Now it's getting full again...and still blooming. :>)

Glad to hear it, Andy. Luckily they're pretty hardy. I give mine very little fertilizer and they don't seem to mind.

Bernieh:

It is a hardy, tough plant! My friend who purchased my Ixora as a gift when I planted an Ixora hedge for her last year has never fertilized or barely waters her plants...and they're growing fast and look terrific. Go figure! lol! :>)

I've read that Ixora species like organic fertilizers like Fish Emulsion. In spring I'll give my plant a light fertilizing.

My Ixora growing in the outdoor garden beds certainly do thrive on neglect ... but I do use fish emulsion on my potted Ixoras. This one is a potted Ixora and gets the occasional feed of fish emulsion, usually just before Spring.

Bernieh:

Thanks for the information! I've read many plants from parts of Asia, Australia and Africa resent chemical fertilizers. I use a lot of chelated 16-16-16 because it's so cheap for a large bag...and I have almost a thousand plants. Now, I have to be careful fertilizing with some of my more sensitive plants.

I know that so many gardeners fertilise regularly and fuss around with all sorts of different types, but I'm not one of them.

The plants that do get fertilised in the outdoor garden beds (and that's not many) get the occasional once-a-year feed with blood and bone just before Spring. They're pretty well-established plants now and it's just a few that need an occasional boost.

Most of my potted plants get monthly, sometimes bi-monthly doses of Fish Emulsion and Powerfeed ... with the exception of the potted annuals ... those get regular feeding during their flowering.

I just find that during the heavy rains of summer, it's useless feeding potted plants anyway ... as it just gets washed out very quickly ... so that's the time when I skip the monthly feeding.

Bernieh:

You fertilize more than I do...the reason why your plants look so great! :>)

I sprinkle chelated ironite, 16-16-16 on my plants when I think about it. lol! I did fertilize 4 days ago because we've had temps between 75ºF/24ºC - 90ºF/33ºC for a week. This past weekend was very hot...so the fertilizer should help. :>)