Next Year's Buds
28 Oct, 2011
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I did plant this Camellia in the shaded back garden but did no good for three year remaining void of flower. Last year I removed and replanted into a large terracotta pot with lots of drainage and placed in my full sun front garden I placed six inches of New Zealand Sphagnum Moss on top of the soil to add watering properties. I watered well late into last years season and again after this years spring arrived. This year the plant flowered well and now Autumn has arrived I see the plant has loads of buds. When in the back garden the Camellia was fairly lonely so when I moved to it's new location I gave it some mates like some strawberry plants, carnations and now the fuchsias. Plants must like too socialise like us humans. I find the Sphagnum Moss very beneficial and as well as water retention it seems to be like a warm moist blanket for the plants
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Hello Dwyllis,
It is a red bloom. I am looking for my earlier photos but lost some when my laptop had its C disk replaced. I have brought a disk caddy and hope fully I will be able to find some files.
If not I will have to wait until next years.
I do have another friend in New Zealand who was looking forward to your spring. Unfortunately he fell and has done a ankle in.
Will update
Thanks for your comments
Tom
28 Oct, 2011
I so love camelias yours looks so healthy Tom.
I have now covered mine with fleece.
I have 3 a pink one it blooms every year its full of next yrs blooms now.
And a white one but its never bloomed .
And my latest one Yuletide its still young new plant so may take a week while to bloom.
30 Oct, 2011
Thank you Kath, after feeding the plants in the hanging basket with miracle grow I always saved a little bit of feed from the bottom of the watering can and emptied in the camellia pot as I walked by to get more water for the can. I worked out if the scraps of food from lunch made me overweight , the scraps of plant feed would make this camellia feel loved.
Seems to be working.
30 Oct, 2011
Sorry to hear about your kiwi friend Tommy. I had surgery five weeks ago, so I know what its like to be laid up with the nicer weather shining in through the window. Hopefully he will soon be able to enjoy this rather wet, but at times lovely spring we are having over our way.
1 Nov, 2011
Thank you for asking about my friend. He lives on the North Island. He lives on the other side of the mountains where that ship was grounded. How are you after your surgery, it's so horrible wanting to get out and about. I do hope the surgery achieved the planned outcome
New Zealand comes over such a wonderful place.
The weather in the UK has been reaching 18ยบ c saving us a packet on our high fuel prices.I'm gas and electric, are you the same in your part of NZ.
Best wishes
2 Nov, 2011
I think the key is lots of watering throughout the summer,Tommy,as well as the appropriate feed.Mine is North facing,and as soon as I found out that they need lots of water to form the buds before winter..mine has done very well..also it doesn't get the morning sun to scorch the buds after a frost...I have lots more buds again,ready for spring...but it flowered much later this year..
6 Nov, 2011
Hi Bloomer
I woke up last year with about six inches of snow weighing it down but still bloomed well and as it is now.
They do need a lot of water we will just have to wait until next Spring
7 Nov, 2011
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What colour is this camellia? I have a lovely red one still flowering well, in my garden in New Zealand. It obviously had not been looked after when we bought the property & moved in earlier this year, so I sprinkled a specialised camellia fertilizer around it once it started flowering, & it has really perked up & produced a lot of blooms. Mine is planted pretty much in full afternoon sun. Looking forward to seeing a pic of your camellia in full bloom.
28 Oct, 2011