Hibiscus (Rosa sinensis) 'Brilliant' - UPDATE

 excerpt from Hibiscus (Rosa sinensis) Photo/History where you can access the full history of this plant.

Potted the Hibiscus today,in what I hope will be his semi-permanent home, going forward. This marks the 6th repot this year, including root pruning for this specimen. I am very pleased with how root reduction has progressed, for this plant; the gnarly, woody, tangled mass of old root structure is 80% gone, replaced with new, white, feeder-roots, well distributed around the perimeter.

Now it's time to grow a new canopy & time for me to see what I can do with it. The Hibiscus has taken everything I've thrown at it & come back, seemingly, unfazed & ready for more. He readily started back-budding, as you can see from the photos, after the "chop"..I have been pruning the new growth until I see where he's going & to encourage more back-budding & foliage over letting shoots become too long & leggy.

I've chosen 3 shoots which could become the major lower branches & seem to follow the contours of the older branches that have been removed. It will tax my beginner skills to choose what stays & what goes, but part of the learning curve, I guess.

But for right now, this specimen deserves some time to acclimate to his new home & resume his long, strange trip.

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)

Star Jasmine - UPDATE

June is almost over, but 'the Star' is still in full-bloom, although, I can see some of the blossoms are getting tired & droopy. I don't anticipate a 3rd bloom, but I am more than a little surprised at the vitality this little tree has shown..especially after being nearly dormant for almost a year.

Everyone talks about "the heat" out here in the Inland Empire, but the heat & low-humidity are not really a problem for this guy..the main "plant killer", for me, is the wind..a very predictable West & SW wind that blows like stink, every afternoon.

I have watched as the wind whips & gusts hit the Star Jasmine & he bends nearly in half & then springs right back afterwards, without so much as a hair out of place.

To anyone, wanting a low-maitenance, hardy, tough little tree, bush or hedge, I can recommend the Star Jasmine.

Just for Fun - Wk 9

 NM Hatch Chilis

Up until now, the chilis have been growing in 4" pots, except for the single plant that was started a couple of weeks ahead of the set of 4, propagated at the same time. Concerned that perhaps their production was being retarded by the smaller pots, I transplanted one of the plants, as a test..so far, that plant has done nothing.

So I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this pepper growing on one of the plants still in 4" containers.

Then I checked the older plants & saw this one..my conclusion? If I want to maximize production, the larger pots will allow for more fruit, but if I didn't want to transplant, but keep the chilis in the smaller pots, they will still produce. Now I've got 2 plants in larger pots, while 2 remain in 4"..I want to watch how they do for a couple of weeks before a final decision &/or before I give the younger plants away.

Dwarf Tomatoes

Nothing to report for this week..no significant change from last week. Hopefully the barren plant will have small fruit by next week..flowering now.

Fremont Cottonwood - UPDATE

'the Fremont' was a little slow coming into spring/summer, but has perked-up, after a short hot-weather preview we had a few days ago.

I think this little tree is going to "take-off" this summer & show some growth. It seems like he has started to figure out foliage, but I am more concerned with the trunk & branches..and I thought he would be developing the nebari (base of the tree) by this time.

While slow-growing, he appears healthy & relatively happy in his current surroundings, although he has been in this training tray since last fall. It may be time to repot with fresh  potting mix & take a look a root development.

This excerpt from the Fremont Cottonwood Photos/History page where you can access the full history  of this tree

 

 

Flowering Dogwood - UPDATE

It worked! A week of "hanging out" with 2 Japanese Maple seedlings & our Flowering Dogwood is perky, looking healthy & putting out new growth.

 Like the Acer's, he doesn't want too much exposure to direct sun, seems to get along better with partial sun..really likes "dappled shade" & shows it.

I expect to see some real growth now that we've figured out just how the Dogwood likes to be treated. The question now is how he will handle the heat, this summer             

Just for Fun - Wk 8

Dwarf Tomatoes

As you can see from this photo, we have "fruit on the vine".. This last week & in particular, the last few days, we had our first real taste of summer..sun all day..temps in the 90's..

8 weeks from germination to fruit, almost to the day..I am really pleased with these tomatoes..free-standing, not 'bushy', they aren't trying to take over the patio & require a minimum of attention..water them when they're thirsty and prune the lower branches as they wilt..they don't contribute to fruit production & by pruning them, you reduce the overall water demand of the plant. 

NM Hatch Chilis

It looks like the Chili's have been growing for a couple days, at least, before I discovered them..the plant is still flowering, so I expect by next week, we will have many more.

Here in California, people wait months for the 'Hatch harvest' & the first of the Chili's from New Mexico. Fans of this Chile swear there is none other like it. I purposefully ordered the seeds these plants are grown from, directly from a NM source.

They will not exactly duplicate Chili's grown in NM..we don't have the same growing conditions..but they are bona fide Hatch Chilis.

I'm anxious now to see what they look like next week.

Pruned & Potted: 'Schnapper Point'

 excerpt from Photo/History page for 'Schnapper Point'

The Banksia seems to have acclimated well & seems indifferent to the dry afternoon winds that we contend with, pretty much year-round. He was potted in a rich, heavy soil mix that seemed to drain well, but I wanted to see how he would fare in our potting mix with prox. 50% gravel/grit. 

I de-potted him & removed prox. 50 - 60% of the potting mix with a chopstick, combed-out the roots as best I could & with a minimum of root pruning , fit him into a training pot.

Then I pruned the lowest branch that doubled the windage of this little tree & threw the perspective "out of whack". (the cutting is already rooting in water)

In this photo, you can see the scar on the lower trunk, where the branch used to be. I am impressed with the health & hardiness that is apparent, telling me that he is most-likely to become a permanent specimen in our collection.

Flowering Dogwood - UPDATE

 excerpt from Photo/History page for the Flowering Dogwood 

Prox. 6 weeks or so & the Dogwood is growing, but I'm not sure he's very happy. He seems healthy..good color..new shoots opening, but I'm concerned about his "droopy" appearance. This might be "modus operandi" for this plant, but not having any experience with them, I have to conclude that Cornus Florida is not only finicky, but also "tender"..not a robust plant.

I have been told that they are as delicate as Japanese Maples & should be treated in much the same way. An 'understory' plant, he can't handle much direct sun & doesn't like wind.

In fact, I am going to grow him with the JM seedlings that are about the same age, or a little older. I will treat him going forward like a Japanese Maple & see if that makes a difference.

Laurel Sumac - UPDATE

access the Photo/History page for the Laurel Sumac to see more about this tree

Looking at the photos from last month & this month, you will probably notice a difference in the color of the leaves, which was diagnosed as an iron deficiency, attributable to the pH of the soil being too alkaline (over 7.0) & depriving the plant of the ability to absorb iron present in the potting mix. (the Bouganvillea also suffers from this problem, but more severely)

The Sumac, like many other plants, prefers & needs a slightly  acidic (below 7.0) mix in order to absorb iron & other minerals. There are multiple ways to do this, including using a fertilizer that is manufactured specifically for plants that need a slightly-acidic soil mix. 

As you can see, the leaves are now "greening-up" & the new leaves are coming out green, not yellow, as before. 

Now if someone would teach me how to properly prune this tree to show off it's best features...well, I'll have to work on that. 

Dwarf Pomegranate - UPDATE

 exerpt of most recent entry to the Dwarf Pomegranate Photo/History page

Hard to see from this photo, but the Pomegranate has grown and grown faster than I expected..especially seedling/saplings that have been shipped via USPS or a commercial shipper & been in-transit for several days.

He began sending out shoots within days of root pruning & potting, usually an ordeal that some specimens take weeks &/or months to recover from..

Keeping with the planting-angle that he had when received (see un-boxed photo above) the trunk/main stem is set at an angle & the trunk will develop some interesting curves, I think, as the tree grows.

Also, when he arrived, all of the foliage was on the "front side" of the plant..over the last few weeks, we have been able to start rounding-out the canopy..it's about 50% right now. 

If he continues to grow at this rate, I will have to put him in a full-sized tray, which are, normally, the reserve of older, more established plants.

If you can't tell, I'm very happy with this juvenile & I look forward to watching it grow & develop.

Star Jasmine - 2nd Bloom

The Star Jasmine has decided 'once is never enough' & has put out a new set of blooms..that's twice in 60 days!

I don't know if this is business as usual for this tree, but I'm not complaining.

visit the Photo/History page for the complete Star Jasmine story

Just for Fun - Wk 7

 Dwarf Tomatoes

Nothing to report..still have 2 plants which are flowering..and since fruit comes from flowers, that means we should start seeing fruits starting to form..I'm guessing, but within 30 days or so..

Observation: these plants are VERY sturdy..main stems are trunk-like..easy to see why these bush tomatoes need no staking.

I continue to prune the lower-most branches as it becomes obvious that they are superfluous .

NM Hatch Chilis

Little to report as Chili's continue to mature. These plants are still in 4" pots, except for 1 plant that is older then the rest (earlier start). 

They are all budding & the older plant is actively flowering with little white blooms, that hang down..this is also where the fruit will form, I think.

All of these plants look healthy & happy, although it has been suggested that I put the tomatoes on a tomato fertilizer rather than stick with Miracle-Gro for plants that prefer lower pH soil conditions. (The particular formulation I've been using is for Azealea's, Hydrangeas, etc.)

Let's hope next week we have perhaps small fruit starting to form?