Desert Rose (Adenium Obesum) - UPDATE

 excerpt from latest entry to the Desert Rose Photo/History or access the full history of this plant from the menu on every page. 

July 30, 2026

1st bloom opened today..he has multiple buds, so I expect we will see more over the next few days.

I've never seen one in bloom before & I understand more now why people talk about this plant & regard it so highly. I posted one of the photos (above) to a bulletin board (do they still call them that?) that I frequent & an individual from New Zealand commented that he still remembered seeing his first Desert Rose 35 years ago & never forgot it.

I will post more photos as the blooms progress, over the next few days, I expect. I'm not sure I've ever seen such a vibrant red...

     

2nd bloom: Aug 5, 2026

                      

Fremont Cottonwood (Populis Fremontii) - UPDATE

 this excerpt taken from most recent entry on the Fremont Cottonwood Photo/History page.

Sometimes it's the most basic things that matter..I've had 'the Fremont' for almost 18 months & his development has not been particularly noteworthy. About the time of the last update,in June, looking for a place to get him out of the wind, I found a spot that seems to agree with him.

This photo was taken today after I pruned the 'leggy' shoots & evened-out the two sides, as best I could. In his new spot, he gets morning-sun instead of afternoon & has protection from the hot, dry W winds we get every afternoon, this time of year.

I'm feeling really positive about this little tree, right now & if he starts showing us growth similar to the past month, all the better. 

Dwarf Pomegranate (Punica Granatum 'Nana') - UPDATE

 excerpt from Photo/History page for Dwarf Pomegranate Click-0n to see full history of this tree.

July 2026

Repotted him into a full-size tray (6.5" X 8.5") as he was outgrowing the smaller container. He was not completely root-bound, but root ball/potting mix lifted out in 1-piece..I did no root pruning, but transferred directly to the new tray, backfill & done.

I have been pruning his foliage every couple of days, or at least the "leggy" shoots that rise above the perimeter of the main canopy or extend beyond the edge of the container. The backside of the canopy is now 'rounding' as it fills out, as the goal is to compensate for the majority of the foliage being situated on the front-side of the tree.   

I have been feeding him on liquid seaweed & a high-nitrogen fertilizer, specifically for acid-loving plants like azealea, Flowering Dogwood & the Pomengranate..it seems to agree with him.

'a Rose by any other name..'

 experpted from Desert Rose Photo/History page

  

Our Desert Rose has had an uneventful year, compared to last year when he was re-potted multiple times, endured a chemical spill & root reduction surgery, so this year, he has been very quiet & gone about his business without much fanfare. So, you can imagine the surprise when I watered him yesterday & discovered that he is about to bloom!

I am told, that it is somewhat unusual & rare for this plant to bloom 'in captivity'. So far, I can see 2 blossoms & possibly a 3rd. I'll keep this page up to date on his progress & am looking forward to seeing him in full bloom.

Koala Blooms Banksia (Banksia spinulosa 'Schnapper Point') - UPDATE

exerpt from Banksia (Schnapper Point) Photo/History page, where you can access the full history of this plant

The Banksia, 30 days later, is doing fine & is apparently happy with his "new home" & the potting mix, water & food. I've found that if new plants can quickly adjust to new surroundings, they will be able to handle almost anything you throw at them "down the road". Not only is he adjusting, he's putting out what I'm assuming will become what passes for flowers for this cultivar.

According to the literature , this little tree will produce "blooms" in (our)Late summer through (our) Fall-Winter..coming from the southern hemisphere, his seasons are reversed. Below is a photo of the "flowers" the Banksia produces.

courtesy San Marcos Growers

 

                          

Pittosporum (Wheeler's Dwarf) - UPDATE

 exerpt from Photo/History page for Pittosporum (Japanese Wheeler's Dwarf); click to see growth,  development & life-cycle of this specimen.

Apparently, the re-pot did the trick..the Pittosporum has responded by sprouting & growing a whole new canopy, on top of the old leaves.

I remembered that he did the same thing just about a year ago, when the tree had fewer, smaller brachts (sets of leaves).

This must be something that this cultivar is meant to do annually. 

July 2026

July 2026

Just for Fun - Wk 12

note: no report on wk's 10-11; sometimes life gets in the way..

Dwarf Tomatoes

When I started this project, the criteria were to grow & demonstrate that an apartment dweller with minimal space could keep a tomato plant that would bear full-size fruit throughout the growing season or a Chili Pepper plant or possibly, both. I am particularly impressed with the tomato cultivar chosen..seed to fruit production in 8-9 weeks..free-standing (no staking) & can be grown in small containers. (the tomatoes shown here in cut-down 1/2 gal. plastic nursery pots). All of those criteria are currently being met..the only questions being "how long will the plants produce?" & "how do they taste?".

The older of 2 plants, has 4 nice looking tomatoes ripening on the vine, while the slightly younger bush has smaller fruits, but is flowering  & is catching-up with plant #1.

How do they taste? Don't know yet, as they are still green & I want them to ripen to a nice red, which a couple of the larger tomatoes are starting to show.

Can't wait for that 1st bite into a fresh, red-ripe, juicy tomato, grown on my patio!

NM Hatch Chili Peppers

The Chili's, likewise, have long, dark green peppers appearing almost daily & many, many buds. The photo shows 2 plants, one planted in a 4" square, the other is  in a 1/2 gal. cut-down pot, like the tomato plants.

The interesting thing is that the chili in the larger pot has only 1 pepper, however the 4" container has 2..it will be interesting to see if the larger potted plant will produce more or less, over the long run.

The peppers on all 3 plants measure prox. 6" so far. I have harvested 1 pepper from the older plant & they are ok to eat..I seared the skin, skinned & split open, cleaned out the seeds & diced the chili..they have not developed any real "heat"yet, but you can taste a little hint of what is to come.

Both the tomatoes & chilis have been fed a generic, all-purpose(low nitrogen) fertilizer on a daily basis. I happen to be one of those that prefers micro-feeding to a once-a-week application. I simply divide the recommended weekly dosage by 7 (days in 1 wk) & add it to their daily water.

I still have 1 extra tomato & 2 pepper plants that I'd like to give away.

Manzanita - UPDATE

The Manzanita has adjusted well to its new container and continues to develop, including the signature peeling red bark on the trunk and branches. It is shaping up to be a visually striking specimen.

However, I am currently navigating conflicting guidance regarding summer care. The Arctostaphylos species is reported to go semi-dormant in the summer as a survival mechanism for its native arid, desert-like habitats. Conventional advice cautions against feeding or watering during these months, though it remains unclear if this strict protocol is intended for established, in-ground trees or if it also applies to young specimens in container culture.

I am currently soliciting feedback from other growers regarding their experiences with this species in captivity and will update my methodology accordingly once I have more information.

For the complete photo history, technical background, and tracking of this tree’s development, please visit the full entry here: Howard McMinn Manzanita (Arctostaphylos Densiflora)