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.  

May Garden Maintenence - The Magic of Mulch

It is a perfect time to trim back all of your trees and shrubs since the danger of a freeze has passed.  I just got done trimming back my Gardenia bushes as it has just finished blooming, I don't have to worry that I am trimming away next years blossoms.  With almost a year round growing season our plants grow at a faster rate than up north.

I am lucky enough to have enough land that I can have a large compost pile. It provides me with a place to discard my yard waste without having to tie and bag it up for the garbage man. In addition, it provides my garden with a wonderful additive, compost, which I will discuss in detail in another posting. 

Once I trim my landscape back it's time to add mulch. There are a variety of choices of mulch these days. Although I prefer Grade A Cypress mulch. I normally put 3-4 inches of Grade B Cypress mulch down first and then top this with the Grade A. In the past few years the price of Grade A Cypress mulch has doubled and it would cost a fortune to mulch all my beds.

The other reason I prefer Grade A Cypress mulch is it doesn't float away. I have many beds that are next to my driveway. When there are torrential rains the Grade B Cypress just floats down the driveway. The Grade A Cypress doesn't  do this and I still use 100 percent Grade A Cypress in those areas next to cement.

Grade A Cypress mulch is made from the bark of the cypress tree. The mulch bags are very light and the mulch is much finer than Grade B. The Grade B Cypress mulch is made from the entire tree. The bags are heavy and the mulch is not as fine as the Grade A. 

I don't recommend the rubber mulch or using rock for mulch as this gives nothing back to the plants with regards to nutrients from decomposition, as all mulch decomposes and when doing so, adds nutrients back to your soil.

I also stay away from red mulch as it is made from wooden pallets, sprayed red and many times has rusty nails. When you walk on red mulch and then walk on your carpet you will many times transfer that red dye to your carpet.

I adore the look of a lot of the darker mulch that is dyed today, but I stay away from it for two reasons. As discussed previously I don't want to transfer the dye to my carpet. It also get extremely hot here in the summer and I don't recommend anything that will add more "heat" to your beds. Think of how you feel when you wear black in the summer in Florida. It's almost like your a solar panel! The same thing applies to the very dark mulches, you will be heating up your beds and the probability of damaging the roots of your plants are high.

If money is tight you can also check with your local county extension office. Many offer free mulch at one of their sites. The downside is you don't know what type of mulch you are getting and it's a real job getting it home as it isn't bagged.

After you have mulched your beds I recommend scattering a "pre emergence" in your landscape beds. I use Preen as pictured. It helps stop the germination of seeds from any weeds you have pulled. 

If you follow these steps your garden will require a lot less maintenance in the hot summer months.

Gardening Chores for May - Check your Irrigation

With the temperatures starting to rise and still being in our drought season, can be tough on your plants. This is a perfect time of year to check your irrigation and make sure everything is in working order. As we all know water is essential to a healthy plant so it's very important to routinely check your irrigation system.

When I worked for a landscape contractor I asked the irrigation crew to teach me about repairing irrigation. I was surprised how easy irrigation was to repair. Go to your local hardware store pick up a few essential tools of the trade.   I purchase metal flags at the hardware store before I start this project. I then check every zone and put a flag where a head isn't working or if one of the heads is buried under the grass. I also use the flags when I check my drip irrigation when I find a cut in the line. If irrigation heads aren't producing enough spray mark each irrigation head with a flag and make sure the plastic screens aren't clogged.

Here are a few tools I find very useful when working with irrigation:

PVC Cement - Used for pipes, etc. 

Plastic Nipple Extractor - One you screw the irrigation head off you stick this in the pipe and it will bring the black pipe up so you can screw a new irrigation head on.


Ratcheting PVC Cutter - This is a great tool to cut pipes, etc.


Irrigation Adjustment Key - This is used to adjust the spray direction of the heads and I also use mine to adjust my rotor heads that cover large areas.

 Rain Bird Spray Head Pull Up Tool - Removes, replaces or installs new heads. 

There are times when my lawn man cuts one of my heads because it hasn't retracted back into the ground. This is my least favorite job but it's great that I can do it myself and save the money instead of calling an irrigation company.


I get a few large green trash bags for the soil I am going to dig out. It makes it a lot easier when you are filling the hold back up. I dig out the broken head, and remov the damaged head. When the head is removed I then turn on that specific zone to clean out in the line just in case I have dropped any soil or rocks in the line. Once the water goes down a bit I put the new irrigation head on and I fill the area around the head with pea gravel. This keeps the new head in place until the soil and grass fill in again. Leave at least a few inches to fill in with soil and the sod if you had to remove it.

If you are unsure what irrigation head you need just bring the broken head to your local hardware store and they will be happy to help you pick out the appropriate head.

I have saved a ton of money because I haven't had to call an irrigation company for repairs for over 5 years.

Amorphophallus peanafolia

I have wanted to start a blog for a long time about tropical plants. I'm happy to say that today I can check this off of my lists. 

I currently reside in Sarasota, Florida, which has a sub tropical climate year round. The climate has given me an opportunity to grow various tropical plants that I only dreamed of growing when I lived up north. 

I currently grow heliconias, gingers, tropical bamboo, Alocasia, palm trees, rare fruit and nut trees, and many others. 

Please feel free to send me your questions and I will be happy to answer them to the best of my knowledge.

Mr. Stinky 

Today I want to share a plant that I spotted blooming today. It is the Amorphophallus peanafloia. I call the plant, "Mr. Stinky". 

The plant is also called the elephant foot yam or corpse plant which native to the Asian tropics, from India to New Guinea and Northern Australia.  

The  flower smells like a rotting dead animal, which attracts flies, the primary pollinator.  The huge, bizarre bloom appears from the dormant underground corm in March or April, then dies back as the single stem and leaf pushes up to its mature height of 6-7 feet. 

You can see in my photographs I have two blooming. Surrounding the two in bloom are more smaller plants starting to emerge from the soil. After Mr. Stinky blooms I will dig them up and divide them and offer some for sale. If you want to purchase one let me know as supplies will be limited.