Frank Brown Collection

[Moose]

I got my compost, mulch, peat moss, etc. Cleared out an area on North side of the house to finally get the "Unknowns from Frank Brown" Collection in the ground. Lets see how far I get today if the weather cooperates.

I'll try and post photos after the project is completed.

 

[koki]

Moose! Moose! Moose!

 

[Moose]

Dang - only got 4 planted.

I'll blow off church tomorrow and try and get some more in.

 

[Jeff Searle]

Ha,ha,ha. I also brought home a few yesterday and today as well from the same collection and will try to get them all in the ground tomorrow. The area will consist of many of his plants from his garden as well as some from the Hayward Garden near him.

 

[ScotTi]

Dang Moose, 12 hrs and you only got 4 planted? Must be some really big plants. or like me and get side tracked.

 

[Moose]

Jeff - did you get any planted today? Where are the pictures? Your going to the Biennel so you know you need a camera ...

I got four more in today. The heat and humidity is kinda high. Took a trip into the house to refill my water jug and wow - I realized how hot it was. I'll keep chipping at it and it will eventually get done.

Scott - Moose land is 17 1/2 feet above sea level. For Miami-Dade County, that is pretty elevated. I am not sitting atop a sand dune but a limestone ridge. Mucho rock and plenty of tree roots encountered. All plants were in 3 gallon containers but I dig big and deep holes. I don't have an irrigation system so I try and promote good root development so they can withstand not getting babied. Also I seperate the larger rocks (anything over 1" in diameter) from the removed native soil. Then I amend the soil with compost, oak leaves and peat moss to be used for the planting.

I guess I get too anal about planting.

 

[Rags]

How about some photos as the project progresses????? the forum's callin out.......

 

[Jeff Searle]

Jeff - did you get any planted today? Where are the pictures? Your going to the Biennel so you know you need a camera ...

I got four more in today. The heat and humidity is kinda high. Took a trip into the house to refill my water jug and wow - I realized how hot it was. I'll keep chipping at it and it will eventually get done.

Scott - Moose land is 17 1/2 feet above sea level. For Miami-Dade County, that is pretty elevated. I am not sitting atop a sand dune but a limestone ridge. Mucho rock and plenty of tree roots encountered. All plants were in 3 gallon containers but I dig big and deep holes. I don't have an irrigation system so I try and promote good root development so they can withstand not getting babied. Also I seperate the larger rocks (anything over 1" in diameter) from the removed native soil. Then I amend the soil with compost, oak leaves and peat moss to be used for the planting.

I guess I get too anal about planting.

Ron,

No, I didn't get any planted over the weekend. Rob came over on sunday like he does so many times and helped me (tremendously) get alot of yard clippings picked up and some tree trimming done for bulk pick up on tuesday. I have a little more tonight when I go home but then all week I have time to plant plenty of stuff. No camera as I mentioned earlier, it was broken down in Antigua earlier this summer. Rob has a nice camera that he has offered to let me use when Thailand coming up. ONLY...because he just told me yesterday that he's buying a much more nicer one,and MUCH more expensive to take to Thailand himself.

 

[Moose]

Raining here so I took some shots early this afternoon. This is #9 Unknown from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden. The project is not complete. Just one that has made it into the ground.

Any ideas what it may be?

 

[Moose]

This is #21 Unknown from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden. Originally thought it could be an Eleanor Fischler. It was later determined to not be. Phil Stager commented in an earlier post that he is growing this cultivar. "Good grower and flowers and sets seed often." That describes my plant very well. Phil could not recall if this one has a name.

 

[Moose]

Unknown #20 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden. Any ideas as to an ID ?

 

[Moose]

Here is Unknown #18 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden.

 

[Moose]

Here is Unknown #6 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden. I think it would be safe to say its a Veitchii. But which one?

Porter's Pink Veitchii, Sturrock's Pink Veitchii or Common Veitchii ? Or maybe Albicans?

 

[Moose]

Here is Unknown #16 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden. It has been agreed upon by a few crotonheads to be Freckles. This won a blue ribbon at the Tropical Fern and Exotic Plnat Show. Interestingly there were two other Freckles there, but this one really caught the judges' (and many others) eye.

After I finished patting myself on the back for being such a good grower, I have learned it may not have been my horticultural skill. Bullwinkle relayed to me that Jessie Durko had a really superior form of Freckles that had larger leaves and outstanding color. Pocomo said it looked better than any other Freckles he has seen as well. Putting together tidbits of information, one could extrapulate that this plant from Dr. Brown's Garden may have been a gift from Jessie Durko.

Jessie's Freckles got hit by croton scale and combined with the 2010 winter - it didn't make it. Everyone who has seen this plant in person wants an air layer ...

 

[Moose]

Got three more in the ground today. No pictures of the newly planted ones yet.

Here is Unknown #5 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden. I'm clueless on this one.

Any ID help for this one?

 

[Moose]

Here is Unknown #22 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden. Not a clue on this one either. Love the coloring on these leaves. This is the last of the 8 I planted last weekend.

 

[Moose]

Here is a shot of the partially completed project. I made a rock mini wall to hold the mulch in. My roof is flat here and will drain right into the mulch bed. Don't want it to float away, LOL

Scott - see the rock? Guess where it came from? Would love to just grab a shovel and plant away. The Moose Land soil does not cooperate in that regard.

 

[ScotTi]

Looking really good Ron. What do I win if I answer correct? One each of those Crotons? I bet that is the Rock you had to dig out to get those great plants planted. That looks like to much work for summer. I have done very little out in the garden this summer. Just hot, humid and rains daily.

 

[ScotTi]

Ron, Next time you want to plant Crotons just take a drive up here and bring your plants. You can plant all you want here and you will not have to remove any rock.

 

[Moose]

Ron, Next time you want to plant Crotons just take a drive up here and bring your plants. You can plant all you want here and you will not have to remove any rock.

Sorry Scott - I would not see them enough. I got two chipping bars that I started out with 17 years ago planting in the Moose Land. As I got older, I put aside the "he man" bullcrap and acquired an electrical chipping hammer. Now I have two, big and bigger - depending on how severe the rock is.

Here is Unknown #1 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden.

 

[Moose]

Next - planted yesterday morning Unknown #8 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden.

 

[Moose]

Here is the last one that got planted on Saturday. Unknown #4 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden

 

[Moose]

Here is an updated photo of the project. Kinda mulling over how to continue on with the next phase. And which combination of plants to use ...

 

[Bullwinkle]

new plantings must be loving the rain

Here is an updated photo of the project. Kinda mulling over how to continue on with the next phase. And which combination of plants to use ...

 

[Moose]

With the soil amendments, lots of rain and fertilizer for acid loving plants - they seem to be adapting well to this area.

Updated photo of Unknown #4 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden:

 

[Moose]

Would love to know if this could be ID'd?

Updated photo of Unknown #5 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden: Looks even better in person.

 

[Moose]

Pretty certain this is Veitchii. Not sure which form? Lots of pastel pinks showing on the older leaves. The new leaves are getting much larger than a typical Veitchii however ...

Updated photo of Unknown #6 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden.

 

[Moose]

Would love an ID on this one!

Updated photo of Unknown #7 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden.

 

[Moose]

The leaves are getting much larger on this one ...

Updated photo of Unknown #8 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden

 

[Moose]

Updated Freckles looking sweet. This one garnered 1st place status at a plant show. Has very large leaves and exceptional colors for a Freckles. Budding new leaves for a nice new flush.

Obtained as Unknown #16 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden ...

 

[Moose]

Updated photo of Unknown #18 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden

 

[Moose]

This one looks simular to Unknown #8 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden. It seems to have larger spots. Also was grown in deeper shade. Now exposed to more sun, I'm anxious to see how this one colors up?

Updated photo of Unknown #20 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden

 

[Moose]

Updated photo of Unknown #21 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden ?

Phil - I know you are growing this cultivar. Did you ever get a name for it?

 

[Moose]

Chris (pocomo) really likes this one. Color is getting better all the time. Just don't know what to call it.

Updated photo of Unknown #22 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden ?

 

[Moose]

Pretty certain this is Veitchii. Not sure which form? Lots of pastel pinks showing on the older leaves. The new leaves are getting much larger than a typical Veitchii however ...

Updated photo of Unknown #6 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden.

Finally got Jeff Searle to stop by and take a gander at the Frank Brown Collection. This one he said I was wrong on my ID. "That ain't no Veitchii". He was actually unsure to what it was but thought the pink coloration was special. Its now gone back to Unknown #6 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's Garden. Here are some updated photos taken this morning.

 

[Moose]

Chris (pocomo) really likes this one. Color is getting better all the time. Just don't know what to call it.

Updated photo of Unknown #22 from Dr. B. Frank Brown's garden ?

This unknown caught Jeff's eye "whoa, what is that?" We spent some time looking over this plant. The fall coloring on this croton is very impressive IMO.

I pressed Jeff to rack his brain on any possibilities for any ID. All he could tell me was, "I don't think I've seen anything like it". Maybe if I ever get Bob Alonso or Johnny Shelton to come by to look - perhaps an ID will happen. If not - this may be another unknown forever.

Here are some updated photos I took Friday morning between rain squalls.

 

[Marie Nock]

Ron,
The croton in post 36 looks a lot like my Mike Ferrer. I hope that Keith sees this so he can weigh in. When you come by, bring a leaf so we can compare them.
Marie

 

[Jeff Searle]

Ron,
The croton in post 36 looks a lot like my Mike Ferrer. I hope that Keith sees this so he can weigh in. When you come by, bring a leaf so we can compare them.
Marie

Marie, I have both of these crotons mentioned and they are different. Just don't ask me how..........lol!

 

[Moose]

I have been determined to get the rest of the Frank Brown Collection crotons in the ground before winter arrives. Its easier to take care of them that way. I've got 22 of the 23 planted. Hopefully the last one will get done this weekend. Digging and chipping out rock - hacking up tree roots, its been quite the undertaking.

Well - here are some (sorry about the quality) photos ...

This first one here I think may be Majesticum.

 

[Moose]

This one has looked like Dr. Alix from the beginning.