What's this and what's wrong ?

[abrogard]

I wonder what this is? It was an indoor plant I think and got crook indoors so we put it outside. this happens quite a lot and then we forget what plant it was.
That's what's happened here.
My 'whatplantisthat' on my smartphone said some kind of lily.
I thought the leaves were browning from suburn so it's in full shade the last few weeks.
Not doing it any good.
It has been transplanted into 'vegetable loam' from the landscape suppliers. I think maybe that's not doing it any good, either.
Anyone got any ideas ?

 

[cpp gardener]

It looks like it could be a Spider Plant that got a little dry and shade could help.
Another option is a Dutch Hyacinth that has flowered and is storing up energy for next year’s bloom.
Either way, feed it with an all-purpose fertilizer. I like to use water-soluble ones since it’s difficult to apply too much as long as you follow the directions on the label.

 

[abrogard]

Thanks for the clue. I will do it. So I can leave it where it is? Leave it in the loam? Don't worry about the browning leaves apparently dying from the tips on down? If I pulled it out and looked at the roots I'd know what it is? Like there's a difference between spider plant roots an hyacinth (hyacinth sounds kinda 'bulby' to me when you say 'storing up energy' ) ? But that would hurt it?

 

[Tetters]

If that was mine I reckon I would dig it out and see what the root looked like. You can find out then if it's a bulb or not. As you are now coming into mid summer, it would be an idea too to give it some water and mulch it with chippings of some kind to keep some moisture in. If it recovers, in time, it will tell you what it is

 

[abrogard]

I will tip it out today. I want to change the mix. I"ve never been happy with that 'vege loam' they sold me. I now want to put everything in my 1:1:1:1 sharp sand, compost, potting mix, loam though I note your remarks about keeping moisture in. I'm beginning to have doubts. perhaps my mix drains entirely too quickly. i have some loquats that seem to dry out too quick. i've learned they can't handle these sudden 40° days we get hereabouts, either. burned the leaves right off them.

 

[Tetters]

There in Adelaide it would be a good investment to get some shade netting for important plants and mist them often. Retaining moisture is ultra important too.
It's not usually that hot yet in the South. My kids are all in Tasmania and Queensland. Tas is always a bit cooler with more English type weather, and up near Toowoomba it gets stinking hot - unbearable as far as I'm concerned.

 

[abrogard]

There's loquats here growing in full sun - that's where I got the seeds from. But I guess maybe you have to look after young plants a bit more carefully than older. Would that be it? I'm sure it is.

My biggest seedling, if you can still call it that, took savage hits, much brown burned leaves but still much green and will live on I'm sure. But the smallest new seedlings well one of them looks like all burned off. Will it maybe shoot new leaves and kick on?

And when you say shade cloth you're thinking put them in shade all the time? Until 6 months or a year old or something? Or you mean to have some handy so's I can take a bit and cover when a hot spell comes along?

I have been thinking of making up a couple of little frame things I could cover one plant at a time with when needed.
We get maybe 7 -10 days up near 40 degrees hereabouts these days I think, every year.

But you raise in my mind the idea of maybe doing a permanent 'half shade' thing. Like a shade 'roof' over them maybe at about head height. Cut off the high sun each day. Would young plants still go alright under that if it were permanent, year round?

 

[abrogard]

It looks like it could be a Spider Plant that got a little dry and shade could help.
Another option is a Dutch Hyacinth that has flowered and is storing up energy for next year’s bloom.
Either way, feed it with an all-purpose fertilizer. I like to use water-soluble ones since it’s difficult to apply too much as long as you follow the directions on the label.

Well I tipped it out and found a bulb type bottom to it so I guess it's a hyacinth. Sounds more likely. More the sort of thing I'd bring home from Bunnings.
Might have killed it or done some bad damage? I saw lots of fine tendrils, roots I suppose, still the mix that broke off: I guess I broke those roots off.
And lots of the leave came off too.
And I found another bulb in there with some roots but it had no top leaves at all. At least not when I found it.
So it is in its own pot in my preferred mix and the original the same. We'll see how they go.

 

[abrogard]

There in Adelaide it would be a good investment to get some shade netting for important plants and mist them often. Retaining moisture is ultra important too.
It's not usually that hot yet in the South. My kids are all in Tasmania and Queensland. Tas is always a bit cooler with more English type weather, and up near Toowoomba it gets stinking hot - unbearable as far as I'm concerned.

And you're hiding out in Kent ! Good move.

 

[Tetters]

If that is a bulb, you can let it dry. The leaves are sending all the goodness down to the bulb for next year's flower.
If interested I'll show an example of a shade tunnel....

We have quite a large one of these for certain plants. The netting also keeps out a few unwanted flying pests, although aphids still get through. It also stops the birds from stealing our fruit. It lets through sufficient light for everything to survive. Our tunnel has a path through the middle, and we keep fruit bushes, strawberries and ferns in there along with a few brassicas, and anything else that prefers those conditions.

 

[abrogard]

If that is a bulb, you can let it dry. The leaves are sending all the goodness down to the bulb for next year's flower.
If interested I'll show an example of a shade tunnel....
View attachment 100734 View attachment 100735 We have quite a large one of these for certain plants. The netting also keeps out a few unwanted flying pests, although aphids still get through. It also stops the birds from stealing our fruit. It lets through sufficient light for everything to survive. Our tunnel has a path through the middle, and we keep fruit bushes, strawberries and ferns in there along with a few brassicas, and anything else that prefers those conditions.

That looks very beaut. We don't have that kind of space available. We have special area out the front that is all walled in and shade roofed though. That's where I raise plants. Or where i am trying, beginning.
You seem to be saying this hyacinth is going dormant or something but it's coming into summer here, surely it should be coming into flower?

 

[Tetters]

Mmm I hadn't thought of that. Can you take a picture of the actual bulb? If it's dehydrated - shrivelled up it may have snuffed it

i have just looked at your original pictures again. It really doesn't look like a hyacinth to me. The cut off stems don't look right. Are you sure this hasn't already flowered a couple of months ago?
I have really got no recollection of the timing for bulbs 'down under' , when I lived there I was in the bush with zero water, except a small tank, in the middle of a long drought. I was unable to do any gardening at all in those circumstances.

 

[abrogard]

Oh I am pretty sure it as flowered. I would have bought from Bunnings for the sake of the flowers.
Here's a pic of the bulb I found in there that was not at the bottom of some leafs. But had some fine roots on it.
I see it seems to be like three so I divided into three and I've potted the three. Right or wrong.
And there's also a pic of what I use for a shade house. This is where I'll bring up sensitive plants and seedlings.

 

[Tetters]

I thought this video from Bunnings might help you. It would have been better to leave your bulb intact.
You need to learn a bit more, and practise is the best way. At the right time of year, buy a few bulbs and follow the instructions closely.
This is the best way to learn.
The time to plant your bulbs is autumn. They will then bloom in the spring. Bunnings have plenty of guidelines for you to follow.
Your shaded area is excellent for your plants, especially in the heat.
When any bulb has finished flowering, the bulb must rest and the foliage will send the goodness down to the bulb to make next years flowers. It doesn't matter if they become brown and tatty, it is all part of the process.
If you follow all the rules you will be an expert sooner than you think. If at first things go wrong, just keep on trying.
Happy gardening and good luck.

 

[abrogard]

thanks for that. very interesting alright. looks like I might have screwed these bulbs up then. might as well toss them I guess. so I don't know how they were/are going concerning the season. long wait now until 'planting time' when it cools down. now is when they should be flowering I suppose but looks like they're done. They flowered in Bunnings. I bought 'em. They lost their flowers indoors. I took them outside and we went on from there.... to now where they're nothing but badly abused bulbs.
If I want to get some such plants up I ought to go Bunnings and get some bulbs like the lady in the vid I suppose.
Maybe.
Bit short of space. Main plan is to expand into agave and aloe vera. Got heaps of agave by accident - cut mine back on the driveway and found heaps and heaps of little fellers growing... they kinda just fell off onto the ground. I gathered them up and have planted them all and hoping they'll all put out roots and grow...
But really I want aloe vera. Not so easy. Similar to agave but different. Not so easy. Got some contributed to me but they''re kinda brown and ill looking and not coming good.
Lot of talk there. Just by way of running off at the mouth I suppose... sorry about that...