Saturday, November 24, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Live get busy for me so I've decided instead of posting my photographs with plant information I would start a web series on YouTube about tropical plants and other interests. Please subscribe to my YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/SarasotaSunsets
Here is the second installment of a walk around the yard this evening.
I did find out I can only upload 15 minutes and my video was 18 minutes so I had to cut a lot out. This should explain why it ends abruptly.
Here is the second installment of a walk around the yard this evening.
I did find out I can only upload 15 minutes and my video was 18 minutes so I had to cut a lot out. This should explain why it ends abruptly.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Before and After the Storm....
A month ago we were facing Tropical Storm Debby. After watching the weather reports I wasn't too concerned about this storm as it wasn't going to become a hurricane. I learned even a small storm can do a lot of damage.
Of course my Kapok tree fell down. This has become somewhat of a yearly event since a storm years ago took the tap root. Having a tree with thorns on the trunk makes it a tough job getting the tree upright again.
I have a large grove of tropical bamoo which include, Olhami and many other varieties. I had been meaning to trim some of last years culms that had started touching the fence, then my son fractured his elbow so I put it off.
The wind and the torrential rains from Debby was more than I had anticipated. The culms of bamboo kept rubbing back and forth on the fence until the plastic fence separated.
I didn't want anymore damage, so during the storm I went out by myself and cut 4 story high bamboo clums to relieve pressure off the fence. I do not recommend anyone doing this by themselves. At the time I had no other choice. When I was in the process of cutting the bamboo with the chainsaw I literally felt the ground move. I jumped back and looked at the ground and sure enough it was moving! The wind had become so strong and the ground was so wet a 20 foot round clump of Oldhami bamboo was rising out of the ground each time there was a wind gust.
I managed to save the fence and after the storm passed I finished cutting the Olhami bamboo.
The moral of this story is don't wait until the storm is on top of you to start cutting plants, etc. If I would have done this before the storm I wouldn't have had a problem with the fence at all.
Here is a informative link from the UF/IFAS Extension to help you get your yard ready for a storm. http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/lawn_and_garden/
Of course my Kapok tree fell down. This has become somewhat of a yearly event since a storm years ago took the tap root. Having a tree with thorns on the trunk makes it a tough job getting the tree upright again.
I have a large grove of tropical bamoo which include, Olhami and many other varieties. I had been meaning to trim some of last years culms that had started touching the fence, then my son fractured his elbow so I put it off.
The wind and the torrential rains from Debby was more than I had anticipated. The culms of bamboo kept rubbing back and forth on the fence until the plastic fence separated.
I didn't want anymore damage, so during the storm I went out by myself and cut 4 story high bamboo clums to relieve pressure off the fence. I do not recommend anyone doing this by themselves. At the time I had no other choice. When I was in the process of cutting the bamboo with the chainsaw I literally felt the ground move. I jumped back and looked at the ground and sure enough it was moving! The wind had become so strong and the ground was so wet a 20 foot round clump of Oldhami bamboo was rising out of the ground each time there was a wind gust.
I managed to save the fence and after the storm passed I finished cutting the Olhami bamboo.
The moral of this story is don't wait until the storm is on top of you to start cutting plants, etc. If I would have done this before the storm I wouldn't have had a problem with the fence at all.
Here is a informative link from the UF/IFAS Extension to help you get your yard ready for a storm. http://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/lawn_and_garden/
Monday, June 4, 2012
The Dangers of Uniflame Barbeque Grills
My blog is main topic of conversation has been devoted to tropical plants. Today's post will be a little off topic but it is imperative I share this information with my readers in hopes of preventing a disaster.
Six months ago I purchased a Uniflame Outdoor LP Gas Barbecue Grill manufactured by Blue Rhino. It's not a huge grill but it perfect for my family. I was attracted to the grill based on the size and the grates were coated with porcelain which I felt would hinder rust formation. The grill has a oil trap which I clean weekly.
Last week I grilled steaks on the Uniflame grill. When I removed the steaks I did what I always do. turn the grill on high to ensure any grease residue is burned off.
I was eating when I start to smell an electrical, burnt plastic smell. I ran out to the lanai and the grill was engulfed in flames shooting out everywhere. I frantically tried to turn off the grill and one of the knobs which flew off of the grill. I tried turning the second knob off and determined it was melted and did nothing. I reached behind the Uniflame gas grill and tried to turn the LP gas knob to the off position. This was extremely difficult to accomplish because of the flames shooting out on all sides.
My lanai is a screened in enclosure with a pool. I keep the grill under the screened in portion so I don't get any smoke damage.
Well that really doesn't matter now. I have soot everywhere! The stucco walls, ceiling, furniture, furniture cushions, tables and floors. This black oily soot is everywhere.
I was talking to a close friend of mine telling her what happened to the grill and she did some Google searches. Seems what happened to me is not an isolated incident.
Here is a link: http://www.saferproducts.gov/ViewIncident/1238703
http://www.fixya.com/support/t2866337-gas_grill_caught_fire
I cannot believe a company would make a barbeque grill with plastic knobs! I had no way of turning the grill off.
I cannot believe that many people have reported similar problems and Blue Rhino is still selling this grill.
I mentioned this incident on Twitter and I received a message to contact their office. I left a message last Friday and Monday is about over and I have not heard from anyone with Blue Rhino.
Please post this on your Facebook, Twitter, etc to get the word out how dangerous these grills are before someone gets killed.
I will be posting this blog entry on my Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. I will also be contacted news stations to make them aware of how dangerous Blue Rhino's UniFlame Grills are.
Six months ago I purchased a Uniflame Outdoor LP Gas Barbecue Grill manufactured by Blue Rhino. It's not a huge grill but it perfect for my family. I was attracted to the grill based on the size and the grates were coated with porcelain which I felt would hinder rust formation. The grill has a oil trap which I clean weekly.
Last week I grilled steaks on the Uniflame grill. When I removed the steaks I did what I always do. turn the grill on high to ensure any grease residue is burned off.
I was eating when I start to smell an electrical, burnt plastic smell. I ran out to the lanai and the grill was engulfed in flames shooting out everywhere. I frantically tried to turn off the grill and one of the knobs which flew off of the grill. I tried turning the second knob off and determined it was melted and did nothing. I reached behind the Uniflame gas grill and tried to turn the LP gas knob to the off position. This was extremely difficult to accomplish because of the flames shooting out on all sides.
My lanai is a screened in enclosure with a pool. I keep the grill under the screened in portion so I don't get any smoke damage.
Well that really doesn't matter now. I have soot everywhere! The stucco walls, ceiling, furniture, furniture cushions, tables and floors. This black oily soot is everywhere.
I was talking to a close friend of mine telling her what happened to the grill and she did some Google searches. Seems what happened to me is not an isolated incident.
Here is a link: http://www.saferproducts.gov/ViewIncident/1238703
http://www.fixya.com/support/t2866337-gas_grill_caught_fire
I cannot believe a company would make a barbeque grill with plastic knobs! I had no way of turning the grill off.
I cannot believe that many people have reported similar problems and Blue Rhino is still selling this grill.
I mentioned this incident on Twitter and I received a message to contact their office. I left a message last Friday and Monday is about over and I have not heard from anyone with Blue Rhino.
Please post this on your Facebook, Twitter, etc to get the word out how dangerous these grills are before someone gets killed.
I will be posting this blog entry on my Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites. I will also be contacted news stations to make them aware of how dangerous Blue Rhino's UniFlame Grills are.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Choosing Plants For Your Lanai
When I first moved to Sarasota I was so excited with all the variety of tropical plants I could grow year round I got a little carried away with the lanai plants.
The house I was living in had a huge waterfall planter that needed a centerpiece. I picked a pink Mandevilla vine and a heart shaped trellis. Sure it was absolutely beautiful in the beginning but there were many things I didn't think of. The dead blooms falling in the pool all the time and at certain times of the year it would get infested with mealy bugs and loose it's leaves, falling into the pool.
I also had a multitude of hanging baskets and potted plants all around the lanai. With leaf drop and potting soil that eventually ended up in the pool my paradise was soon becoming a nightmare.
When I moved to my new house I had worked for a landscape contractor and was fortunate enough to design many gardens for builders of million plus homes. With what I had learned from my first house in Sarasota and designing many gardens for new home buyers, I knew exactly what I wanted for my new lanai.
Many lanai pool areas come with built in planters. Either the builder or the homeowner many times choose inappropriate plants not realizing how large they will grow and eventually pushing out screens!
One of my favorite plants is palms. There are some beautiful varieties, but most, are not suited for the lanai because they will become taller than your screen eventually. Even with this being the case there are a few palms that are suitable for the lanai setting.
The house I was living in had a huge waterfall planter that needed a centerpiece. I picked a pink Mandevilla vine and a heart shaped trellis. Sure it was absolutely beautiful in the beginning but there were many things I didn't think of. The dead blooms falling in the pool all the time and at certain times of the year it would get infested with mealy bugs and loose it's leaves, falling into the pool.
I also had a multitude of hanging baskets and potted plants all around the lanai. With leaf drop and potting soil that eventually ended up in the pool my paradise was soon becoming a nightmare.
When I moved to my new house I had worked for a landscape contractor and was fortunate enough to design many gardens for builders of million plus homes. With what I had learned from my first house in Sarasota and designing many gardens for new home buyers, I knew exactly what I wanted for my new lanai.
Many lanai pool areas come with built in planters. Either the builder or the homeowner many times choose inappropriate plants not realizing how large they will grow and eventually pushing out screens!
One of my favorite plants is palms. There are some beautiful varieties, but most, are not suited for the lanai because they will become taller than your screen eventually. Even with this being the case there are a few palms that are suitable for the lanai setting.
The Cat palm, Chamaedorea cataractarum, is perfect for a built in planter in your lanai or in a pot. This palm produces palm leaves from the base and grows to the maximum height of 5 feet.
Here is a picture of one of my two Cat palms I have growing in built in planters on my lanai. They have been planted for 7 years now in the same place. I routinely trim palm fronds back but this is really a low up keep palm. In nature, this attractive palm grows in or near fast flowing streams, hence the specific name. The palm requires a good supply of water, and medium light. It has dark green foliage, is very easy to care for. The beauty of this palm is it does not out grow it's space even after being planted in the same spot for years.
Another good choice of a lanai palm would be a Bamboo Palm Chamaedorea, Bottle Palm Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, Lady Palm Rhapis excelsa. All of these palms are going to have more height than the Cat palm and would eventually have to either be dug out or the pot taken out in the yard and the palm transplanted in your landscape.
I also have potted plants on the lanai in the new house. These include a Night-blooming cereus, a flowering Cereus Cacti that bloom at night. The flowers are short lived, blooming for one single night.I have trained mine to grow in a tree shape. This wonderful plant does not drop anything but the occasional flower at the end of the blooming cycle.
I have also included Ti Plants because if by chance they too tall it is very easy to cut them and take the piece you cut and start another plant.
Other choices I have included are Elephant ear, Colocasia esculenta. I love the tropical look it gives my lanai and it is another easy maintenance plant. One every couple of weeks a large leaf starts to die as a new one emerges. I cut them off with a sharp knife.
I also Cypress mulch each pot on the lanai which helps keeping soil in the pot during rains. I use lava rock in the permanent planters as my two Afghan Hounds sometimes walk in these planters and if I had added Cypress mulch my hounds would have it thrown all of the lanai.
Right now I have a beautiful Flame Thrower palm on the lanai but it's days are numbered because of it's height.
There are many other plants well suited for lanai living. Just remember to think about leaf and bloom drop and the mature size of the plant you choose down the road.
Here is a picture of one of my two Cat palms I have growing in built in planters on my lanai. They have been planted for 7 years now in the same place. I routinely trim palm fronds back but this is really a low up keep palm. In nature, this attractive palm grows in or near fast flowing streams, hence the specific name. The palm requires a good supply of water, and medium light. It has dark green foliage, is very easy to care for. The beauty of this palm is it does not out grow it's space even after being planted in the same spot for years.
Another good choice of a lanai palm would be a Bamboo Palm Chamaedorea, Bottle Palm Hyophorbe lagenicaulis, Lady Palm Rhapis excelsa. All of these palms are going to have more height than the Cat palm and would eventually have to either be dug out or the pot taken out in the yard and the palm transplanted in your landscape.
I also have potted plants on the lanai in the new house. These include a Night-blooming cereus, a flowering Cereus Cacti that bloom at night. The flowers are short lived, blooming for one single night.I have trained mine to grow in a tree shape. This wonderful plant does not drop anything but the occasional flower at the end of the blooming cycle.
I have also included Ti Plants because if by chance they too tall it is very easy to cut them and take the piece you cut and start another plant.
Other choices I have included are Elephant ear, Colocasia esculenta. I love the tropical look it gives my lanai and it is another easy maintenance plant. One every couple of weeks a large leaf starts to die as a new one emerges. I cut them off with a sharp knife.
I also Cypress mulch each pot on the lanai which helps keeping soil in the pot during rains. I use lava rock in the permanent planters as my two Afghan Hounds sometimes walk in these planters and if I had added Cypress mulch my hounds would have it thrown all of the lanai.
Right now I have a beautiful Flame Thrower palm on the lanai but it's days are numbered because of it's height.
There are many other plants well suited for lanai living. Just remember to think about leaf and bloom drop and the mature size of the plant you choose down the road.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Pentas Top Flower Producer For The Summer Months
When I first moved to Sarasota I remember it took some time to get use to what flowering plants would flourish in our summer heat.
Out of all the different plants I have tried and failed with, Pentas are on the top of my list for areas that get full sun all day. I like to to do mass plantings with Pentas so I have huge areas of color in my beds.
The front of my house gets sun all day. They are able to handle all day sun and our hot summer temperatures. I have grown them as perennials and I cut them back every spring and they grow back beautifully. They also attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden and are drought tolerant.
If you are dealing with a landscape area that gets all day Florida sun you can't go wrong planting Pentas!
Out of all the different plants I have tried and failed with, Pentas are on the top of my list for areas that get full sun all day. I like to to do mass plantings with Pentas so I have huge areas of color in my beds.
The front of my house gets sun all day. They are able to handle all day sun and our hot summer temperatures. I have grown them as perennials and I cut them back every spring and they grow back beautifully. They also attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your garden and are drought tolerant.
If you are dealing with a landscape area that gets all day Florida sun you can't go wrong planting Pentas!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
The world of IPhone APPS amazes me
When I started this blog I was amazed there was an APP for my IPhone so I could blog on the go.
This will come in handy on my numerous road trips as it will let me share content when it's fresh in my mind instead when I return home after a trip.
I have to admit my IPhone has become a huge part of my life. I use it to help me fall asleep at night, alarm clock, appointments, etc.
It's so nice to walk through my gardens and be able to take a photo or video and upload it so fast.
I like to organize my plant photos by month and year. It's so much fun to go back and look at the photos a year or so later.
In closing I want to share a bloom in my garden today.
This will come in handy on my numerous road trips as it will let me share content when it's fresh in my mind instead when I return home after a trip.
I have to admit my IPhone has become a huge part of my life. I use it to help me fall asleep at night, alarm clock, appointments, etc.
It's so nice to walk through my gardens and be able to take a photo or video and upload it so fast.
I like to organize my plant photos by month and year. It's so much fun to go back and look at the photos a year or so later.
In closing I want to share a bloom in my garden today.
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