[dsbouley1]

Has anyone else had problems with their Broms plants? I purchased one from the Broms To You, Inc. people that are at all of the Villages Arts and Crafts shows and I can't believe that after 2 months the plant is dead.

I sent an email to them with no response. I attended the last fair in Spanish Springs and spoke with the guy regarding my plant. I mentioned how I took care of it per his previous instructions and was told I did exactly what I was supposed to do.

My plant is dead and still no response from the folks at Broms To You, Inc.

Not sure but it seems to me that they sell their plants and are no longer responsive when questions come up.

[BromsToYou]

I spoke with Ms. Bouley and responded via email--not to the original email, but I didn't know I needed to respond via email after talking with her in person on the 7th or 8th of January.

I understand she may be dissatisfied with her plant dying within two months (the blooms should last 3-4 months and the plants can live for years), but once the plant leaves our care, I cannot guarantee the health of the plant. From what she said, she did everything correctly, but it is hard to tell what conditions the plant actually experienced. As we often tell people, _most_ people kill bromeliads by over-watering, so we always stress the importance of making sure the roots dry out between waterings. From her follow-up email, it seems that the plant's root did stay too wet, so while she may only have watered per our instructions (every 10-14 days), it appears that the pot/soil combination was retaining too much moisture.

We do sell plants at the Villages 3-4 times a year and we have many happy customers who return to buy from us again and again.

Per the last email I received from Ms. Bouley, I think we have resolved her complaint, if not happily, at least satisfactorily.

Thank you.

Will Orser
Broms To You

The next show is Easter weekend--it should be at Lake Sumter Landing. Hope to see you there!

[teachnmo]

I purchased one of these plants from Marion Market. Do they bloom only once?

Thanks for the answer!

Connie

[bike42]

Each rosette blooms just once. When the bloom is finished, cut it off. Offsets will start to grow around the base. If you are patient, each of these offsets will eventually bloom. Most northerners toss them out when the bloom is spent and buy another one with the dramatic flower already there -- let someone else do the work.

I've heard that bromeliads will multiply (outdoors) into a nice groundcover in Florida, but I haven't seen that in The Villages. I've planted several clumps of the very vigorous bromeliad called "Mother-in-Law's Tears" (pink hanging spikes in wintertime). They are doing nicely, but that may just be because we have had such a mild winter.

I'd love to hear whether anyone in TV has had long-term success with them outdoors.

[batman911]

Bromeliads hold water in their centers and can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes. I know they spay in TV but just be aware.

[juneroses]

Here is a picture of bromeliads in my yard being used as groundcover. I started with just one plant several years ago. This variety "pups" (produces new plants) generously, hence the growing size of the bed.

My plant is from the neoregelia family, grown for its attractive leaf color and foliage pattern. Unlike the broms frequently seen at the local fairs, however, neoregelias don't produce a showy bloom. There are hundreds of neoregelia species.

The tree canopy protects them on most of our colder nights here in The Villages. However, when a freeze is predicted, I do cover them with a sheet. Otherwise, some of the leaves get burned and stay that way. I view it as a small effort to protect their beauty for the rest of the year.