Fall preparations for all my potted plants continue around my Bedford, New York farm.
This time of year, my gardeners and all the members of my outdoor grounds crew are very busy - cleaning out the greenhouses, assembling long garden tables for smaller specimens, and repotting many of my precious plants, including some of my camellias. Camellias are highly prized for their exquisite blooms, splendid evergreen foliage, and compact habits. These shrubs blossom prodigiously for weeks, from late fall to mid-spring, showing off beautiful shades of white, cream, pink, and red.
Enjoy these photos.
Camellias are attractive evergreen shrubs. Here is one with a couple of buds just waiting to open.
I love camellias and have a good number of them in my collection. Many are from Nuccio’s Nurseries, Inc. in Altadena, California. Camellias thrive in mild climates from California to Florida and are available in thousands of cultivars. The most common species of camellias are Camellia japonica and Camellia sasanqua.
Camellias are easy to grow in containers and will thrive with the right care and conditions. Because camellias do not tolerate wet feet, be sure to plant in a container that drains well. I like to place a shard over the drainage hole of all my pots, so none of the potting mix falls out.
Always use fresh potting soil when transplanting as old potting mix tends to be soggy and depleted of nutrients. Here, Brian fills the pot about a third full with the medium.
Camellias prefer well-drained, acidic soil, preferably with a pH between 5.0 and 6.5. We use a well-draining organic soil mix filled with nutrient-rich compost. For camellias, just avoid using fine peat moss in the mix, which tends to quickly become too dry or too wet.
When repotting, be sure to select a container that is at least one size larger than the old pot. This camellia root ball is in good condition.
Using a hori hori knife, Brian scarifies the roots, or cuts some of the old, outer roots to stimulate more growth and promote good aeration.
Brian adjusts the plant in the container, so it sits at the same depth as it did in its original pot. When keeping potted camellias, they will require repotting every two or three years as they outgrow their vessels.
And then backfills the potted plant until just under the rim of the pot, so watering doesn’t get too messy.
Finally, Brian lightly tamps down on the soil to ensure it is well packed.
Each potted camellia also gets a sprinkling of Osmocote fertilizer – small, round coated prills filled with nutrients.
Brian stopped for a quick photo – just one or two more to go…
The leaves of a camellia are alternately arranged, simple, thick, serrated, and glossy.
Buds start to form in mid-summer and then open from fall through early spring.
A couple of my camellias already have gorgeous blooms – this one is still unfurling. Their flowers are usually large and conspicuous, one to 12 centimeters in diameter.
Here is another still opening. The beautiful camellia flowers come in mainly white and shades of pink or red, and various combinations.
This is what a flower looks like in full bloom. This photo was taken last February. Camellia ‘Elizabeth Weaver’ has large formal double flowers in coral pink.
Here’s another pretty camellia flower from last winter – ‘Nuccio’s Pearl’ with full double blooms and pure white petals edged with an orchid pink blush.
These camellias will all be kept in my tropical greenhouse for the cold season, where they can be closely monitored. When selecting a spot for a potted camellia, be sure it gets partial shade and protection from hot afternoon sunlight, as container-grown camellias dry out much faster than shrubs planted in the ground. Also water the plant deeply whenever the top two to four inches of potting mix feels dry to the touch and let it drain completely.
Camellias have a reputation for being somewhat difficult to grow, but if one is willing to meet their needs, they’ll reward you with a long bloom season just when you need it most. I am looking forward to seeing all their stunning flowers this winter.
Here in Bedford, New York, temperatures are just beginning to fall, so lots of work is being done to prepare all my tropical plants for the cold season ahead.
Yesterday, my gardeners tackled the plants inside what we call my "little greenhouse" - located next to my main greenhouse and just outside my flower cutting garden. Like all my greenhouses, this structure is heated and the humidity levels are closely monitored and adjusted when necessary. Some of the plants in this space include my cymbidium orchids, myrtle topiaries, fishtail palms, and a walking iris.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
It was a pleasant day to move some of my tropical plants into their designated greenhouse for the long winter. Here, Phurba and Ryan carry two potted cymbidium orchids into the smallest of my five greenhouses. I have many of these plants and they thrive here at the farm.
Cymbidium, or boat orchid, is a genus of more than 50-evergreen species in the orchid family Orchidaceae. Cymbidium orchids are prized for their long-lasting sprays of flowers, used especially as cut flowers or spring corsages. Cymbidiums are more demanding than many orchids commonly grown as houseplants. They flower from autumn to spring, and produce large flower spikes that can last up to eight weeks each.
Cymbidiums have long, thin, light green, grass–like leaves that arch upright from the pot.
Because the “little greenhouse” has limited room and my cymbidiums are growing so well, we needed to be a bit creative with their storage. We often use leftover stumps from cut trees as bases for our pots – these can make better use of the vertical space.
We also keep smaller scraps of wood to use as shims for under the pots – these help level the planters and allow for better drainage.
Phurba checks to see what kind of wood shim would fit best under this cymbidium.
And then places three underneath the pot to make it secure on top of the stump.
Here is one side where there are no stumps – it looks quite crowded and the plants are too close together.
On the right, the stumps are in place and there is more room and air circulation between the plants.
On this side, all my myrtle topiaries, Myrtus communis ‘Compacta’. Myrtle is any of the evergreen shrubs in the genus Myrtus, belonging to the family Myrtaceae.
Myrtle is a medium-sized shrub with small aromatic, glossy green leaves, which release a nice scent when crushed. It bears showy small white flowers from mid spring to early summer before giving way to small purplish-black berries.
Here, Ryan feeds all the topiaries Osmocote fertilizer – small, round coated prills filled with nutrients. Buy some at my retail shop Martha.com.
Here’s a closer look at the Osmocote prills – these plants just need a sprinkling. Myrtle prefers to be moist but not soggy. They should be watered only when the top layer of soil begins to feel dry.
In another corner, several potted sansevieria – a historically recognized genus of flowering plants, native to Africa, notably Madagascar, and southern Asia. These hardy plants are very popular because of their adaptability to a wide range of growing conditions. They do best in medium to bright indirect light, but can also tolerate lower light as well as direct sun.
Sansevieria are characterized by their stiff, upright, sword-like leaves.
This is a walking iris, Neomarica northiana, also known as North’s false flag. It is a flowering plant native to Brazil. This exotic-looking plant has graceful sword-like foliage. When in bloom, it has white, yellow or blue flowers that resemble a cross between those of an orchid and an iris.
The walking iris is also called the fan iris for the fan-like growing characteristic of its leaves.
Another interesting plant in this greenhouse is the fishtail palm. Caryota is a genus of palm trees known as fishtail palms because of the shape of their leaves. There are about 13 species native to Asia, northern Australia, and the South Pacific.
Here’s a closer look at the leaves – shaped like a jagged fish’s tail, which form thick, swirled layers of ruffled fronds.
I am so glad I am fortunate enough to have several greenhouses for all my well-loved tropical specimens. What are you doing to prepare your potted plants for the cold weather? Please share your comments in the section below.
Our annual project of storing all the citrus and tropical plants for the winter is underway.
As many of you know, I have quite a large collection of warm-weather plants at my Bedford, New York farm, including citrus trees and a vast array of other tropical specimens. Because I live in a four-season region, during colder months, it’s vital these plants move indoors, where the temperature and humidity levels can be controlled. Fortunately, I am able to keep them in high-grade greenhouses, where they can continue to thrive. This week, my outdoor grounds crew and gardeners moved the citrus plants, repotted any that needed it, top-dressed the containers with a well-draining mix, and fed every single specimen.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
Here is one of two large hoop houses at my farm, and one of five total greenhouses. I store all my citrus plants here. The weather in the Northeast is starting to get chilly, especially at night – temperatures are now in the 50s, so it is important to get started on this process. In general, there is more room at my Bedford, New York farm to store my warm-weather specimens, so many from Maine are also returned here after the summer. This greenhouse works by heating and circulating air to create an artificial tropical environment. The entire structure is built using heavy gauge American made, triple-galvanized steel tubing covered with heavy-duty, woven polyethylene.
My citrus collection has grown quite a bit over the years. This summer, I kept my potted citrus specimens just across the carriage road from this hoop house outside my vegetable garden. They’re slowly moved to the hoop house entrance by tractor – some of these pots are extremely heavy.
And then Pasang, Domi, and Phurba move the potted citrus trees inside. They move them very carefully, so the branches aren’t damaged, and the fruits don’t fall. If storing for the winter, remember that all citrus plants dislike abrupt temperature shifts and need to be protected from chilly drafts and blazing heaters. Consider the needs of the plants when deciding where to store them.
Here’s Chhiring wheeling one in on a hand truck. Avoid prolonged exposure to heat or cold, with temperatures below 35 degrees Fahrenheit or higher than 95-100 degrees Fahrenheit. Fortunately, on this day, temperatures were in the 60s.
As the plants are brought inside, Brian assess them and starts to repot any that need it. A shard is placed over the drainage hole of this planter to help the plant drain more effectively. We always save shards from broken pots – it’s a great way to repurpose those pieces.
Citrus plants need well drained soil, so it is important to have the right potting mix that includes peat moss, perlite, vermiculite and nutrient-rich compost.
Brian mixes some organic Fort Vee mix from the Vermont Compost Company with Pro-Mix HP, a well-draining, high air porosity and lower water retention medium.
Then, Brian uses a long knife to cut around the inside of the pot to loosen the plant. Always do this first, so the plant comes out intact and the roots undisturbed.
Here is the root ball after it is removed from its former pot – it is in good condition.
Brian uses his hands to rough up the bottom and scarify the root ball. This stimulates root growth.
He also cuts some of the old, outer roots with a hori hori knife to stimulate more growth and promote good aeration.
Then he fills the planter with more soil – just until the bottom of the pot’s rim – adding too much soil will cause a mess when watering.
Meanwhile, Phurba weeds and top-dresses the other plants.
Next, Phurba waters all the plants thoroughly. The tall citrus trees are placed on the gravel floor while smaller specimens fit on a long wooden shelf.
Here, Phurba gives every specimen a sprinkling of food. The plants are getting Osmocote fertilizer – small, round coated prills filled with nutrients. All citrus fruits are members of the genus Citrus. Citrus fruits come in various colors, flavors, shapes, and sizes. Among the most recognizable are oranges and lemons. Less known, the smallest member of the citrus family, is the kumquat.
These plants grow a little more each year, so the placement of these specimens changes every time they are stored. Dwarf citrus trees require at least eight to 12 hours of full sunshine.
Some of the citrus bearing fruit now include Citrus australasica, the Australian finger lime or caviar lime. Australian limes are a species of the plant genus Citrus that are native to Australia and Papua New Guinea. They have a minty, citrus-forward aroma with a tangy, sweet, and slightly sour, floral, lemon-lime flavor.
Citrus sinensis ‘Trovita’ is thin skinned and develops without the excessive heat most oranges need to produce good fruit. The fruit is smaller, juicier, and milder in flavor.
These are young green Nagami kumquats, Fortunella margarita – the most commonly grown type of kumquat. The tree is small to medium in size with a dense and somewhat fine texture. These trees are quite cold-hardy because of their tendency to go semi-dormant from late fall to early spring.
Here is another citrus tree – Calamondin, Citrus mitis, an acid citrus fruit originating in China.
And here is a Meyer lemon tree – I have enough to provide all the lemons I need. I can’t recall the last time I bought a lemon. Citrus × meyeri, the Meyer lemon, is a hybrid citrus fruit native to China. It is a cross between a citron and a mandarin/pomelo hybrid distinct from the common or bitter lemon.
The ‘Ponderosa’ citrus tree is always the last pot to be stored in this hoop house. I always keep it in the front just behind the doors. This plant produces huge lemons, often up to five-pounds each!
There is just enough room in between the pots to allow for good circulation, someone to get around with a hose for watering, and of course, so they don’t touch. These plants actually spend about seven months of the year in their heated shelters – but they definitely thrive. To simulate the best subtropical environment, we try to keep the temperature in this greenhouse between 60 and 80-degrees Fahrenheit with some humidity. These citrus plants are now safely stored for the cold season ahead, but there are so many more plants to put away. Stay tuned, and I will show you in upcoming blogs.
Martha Pins
Martha Tweets
