Right Plant, Right Place

This big live oak tree went way beyond serving an aesthetic purpose in the landscape.

It's easy to take for granted all the things plants and trees do for us on a daily basis. But there are times when their value goes beyond mere aesthetics, the food and safe harbor they provide for multitudes of creatures, the mini microclimates they can create, and-- not to mention -- the very air we breathe.

The other night, I was watching TV with my wife when the quiet of a mild evening was broken by the sound of locked-up brakes trying their best to halt whatever was doing the hauling. Now, this kind of noise isn't unusual around where we live. We have some fairly heavy traveled thoroughfares in relatively close proximity. Seconds-long screeches normally result in silence that signifies a near-miss event. The jolting thud that put the period on the end of this screeching sentence was the exception. My wife and I gave a look to each other that said without words, 'that didn't sound good.'

About 20 minutes later, I stepped outside and noticed a plume of smoke wafting over my neighbor's house across the street. Man, just how close was this crash? In the next few minutes, I found out the answer to that question: very close.

After spotting the reflection of flashing lights on a window down the street, I walked down to the end of my street and around the corner to see 4 fire trucks, several police cars, and at least two dozen onlookers (most of them my neighbors) watching rescue personnel flanking a pickup that veered across the road, over a grass median and sidewalk, plowed through a wood fence, mangled part of a chain-link fence behind it, and finally came to a rest at the base of a large live oak tree.

Perhaps it was the fumes of the dieseling fire/rescue trucks starting to get to me while we were watching the top being cut off the vehicle, but a thought crossed my mind that if the big oak tree wasn't there, this accident scene could be a lot worse. Beyond the fences and tree was the back yard of one of my neighbor's where patio furniture and a lanai were next in the path.

The tree -- which by the sheer size of it probably has been there about 40 years --looked no worse for wear considering it just took on about two tons of hurtling metal. Amazing and scary as we all stood in shock and awe for more than an hour as the driver was carefully extracted from the vehicle. The other amazing thing was that the driver was alive.

In Florida, "Right Plant, Right Place" is a big mantra in defining the textbook Florida friendly yard. In this case, that couldn't have been more true.

Cold, Hard Facts Of Life

Ice, ice, baby! In my Florida back yard? Yep.

When one thinks of Florida, the usual staples of sun, sand, palm trees, and -- most notably -- warm weather come to mind. Every once in a while though, the sometimes long, cold, cruel hand of Mother Nature reaches down into our peninsula and gives us a smack.

It has been several weeks since a record-breaking cold streak made its mark on the Sunshine State. So, I've had time to contemplate and build my case against cold weather as the worst of its kind. While an occasional freeze/sub-freezing event might be a novelty to some of us down here not used to experiencing the thrill of the chill (I still can't understand that), it is a major pain for those who toil in the ag industry.

Cold spells make for long days and longer nights of time and energy spent in trying to save crops --- whether they are fruits and vegetables or tropicals and foliage. Freezes aren't anything new to Florida farmers. Nonetheless, when they strike, the damage inflicted can range from having to regroup for some to total devastation for others. The crop and production loss figures from January's freezes have been staggering --- and are still growing.

It's amazing how fine the line is of being cold and being too cold. It's all part of the risk that comes with working in agriculture and doing it in a subtropical climate. The rewards can be great, but the risks are high. Covering the Florida ag industry for a living, I know this all too well.

In addition to my professional interests, as a homeowner and a freezing-weather foe, I have my own personal reasons for disliking cold weather. After all, a temperate climate is one of the reasons why I live and work in Florida. So, when reminders of when I used to live up North come calling, I bristle ... and just because I've caught a chill.

My blood certainly has thinned since becoming a Floridian. Besides the sky-high heating bills, having to scrape frost off my car windows in the morning with one of my credit cards, and/or having to wear bulky sweaters better left at the back of the closet or in a never-to-find-again time capsule ... the following are a few more of my LEAST-favorite things about the cold when it visits my neck of the woods:

Burned-out bougies

Crinkled crotons

Not-so-regal anymore royal palms

Bleach-beige grass

And ... melted legions of lilies

The war zone-like scene around my yard (as captured in the above images) and most other landscapes like mine is the rule right now around Central and South Florida as opposed to exception. I know it is a temporary situation (well, for the most part), but that doesn't make it any less aggravating. Since I took the photos, things have started to green up a bit.

Whether you are a farmer or a landscaping weekend warrior, there's not much to do in the meantime except to see how things shake out, get ready to prune, replant, and wait for some "normal" Florida weather. I think that usually takes place some time between fire season and hurricane season.

The Chime Is Right For This Belle

When Peter Chaires of the New Varieties Management & Development Corp. stopped by the office the other day with a bag of oranges, we knew we were in for a treat. You see, what he was dropping off was the first University of Florida-created citrus variety meant for commercial production --- aka the Sugar Belle. The news about this cultivar broke a couple months back. Now, we were about to get our sneak preview. One of the perks of being an ag editor.

The Sugar Belle is a Mandarin orange hybrid that is made up of a cross between a sweet clementine and the Minneola. The bell-shaped beauty was bred to be high in flavor and low in seeds. An early maturing fruit, this orange also is suited for winter-holiday marketing purposes.

OK, enough background info, let the peeling begin --- which I must say, was easy. As the skin was peeled back, a very strong aroma of the fruit's citrus oil began to permeate. My colleague commented how he could smell the orange half-way across the office. It was pretty potent. So was the taste going to match the Sugar Belle's aromatic prowess?

I would describe my culinary experience as quite juicy and flavorful. The sweetness was a high note for me. I wouldn't call it "sugary sweet," but it was definitely satisfying. The stringiness was minimal on the flesh and I only found one small seed in the fruit.

Overall, I can honestly say Sugar Belle met my expectations as well as the ones built up by my co-workers since learning about it. We'll have to see if the Sugar Belle rings true when it hits the stands. I know I'll be looking for it when it does.

Out Of Gift Ideas? Try A Plant

Year after year, the holiday season turns up the pressure cooker on those trying to find the right gift to give -- especially in the cases when it is for a distant relative you see maybe once a year or the office worker you were stuck with in the holiday gift exchange. Either way, gift giving certainly can be a challenge.

While the buzz of high-tech toys and gadgets are a cool gift choice, they can be a bit pricey. Gift cards, while practical, are kinda boring. And hey, nothing says "re-gift" like a slightly disheveled box that contains a Snuggie.

OK, let's explore some other options. Clothing: Attempting to shop for someone in this department is a sure-fire way to find yourself in the dog house. Taste is a hard thing to account for --- especially in clothes. Taking this route normally leads to a number of equally tragic scenarios following the receiver's frantic search for a gift receipt: a one-time wearing of said garment and never to be seen again; the garment doesn't make it out from an unfortunate dryer incident; or perhaps it finds itself on a one-way trip to the Goodwill pile. Either way, the chances of the oversized sweater, shirt, or ugly tie you gave showing up on the catwalk is not very likely. Let's pass on this, shall we?

Jewelry: Don't even go there.

Come on, time is running out before the onslaught of the company holiday parties and family get-togethers begin. This year, instead of falling back on the old reliables (or unreliables), consider giving the gift of a plant or plants. Though hard to wrap, there is no shortage of variety, size, shape, and color to choose from --- all at relatively reasonable prices. In short, your much sought after gift idea might be as close as your local garden center or even in your own nursery.

Poinsettias are popular during the winter holidays. Although they tend to get lost in the shuffle and discarded once the confetti has settled from the New Year's bash, these colorful foliage plants can really be a solid gift choice any time of the year.

Stepping off the beaten holiday path a bit, orchids are a nice desktop and/or counter-top adornment. They also now are being marketed for ease of care and convenience. Case in point, Just Add Ice Orchids launched earlier this year by packaging attractive orchids with easy maintenance instructions. As the name suggests, the watering secret is to add 3 ice cubes once a week (according to the directions) and that's it. People like things that are pretty simple. Pretty and simple is even better. An orchid on the rocks, please. I like the sound of that.

Mini container gardens of succulents or bromeliads also are attractive, cool-looking low-maintenance gift-giving options. You could go with bigger specimens (depending how much you like the person you are getting the gift for) like a ficus and/or a potted palm. The spectrum of height, width, color, and texture is extremely broad. That ensures the gift's originality. All plants, even if they are the same species, are unique.

While you still might get that less-than-enthused reaction when you give a plant as a gift, tell them you got it for their health. There are several studies showing the benefits of having indoor plants around. For example, "Project Carbon," an ongoing three-pronged study is seeking to provide the additional science that would support an expansion of the certification to indoor plants. Preliminary results released a couple of months ago (more to be revealed during the Tropical Plant Industry Exhibition next month in Ft. Lauderdale) show that a total of 216 4-inch plants of Ficus benjamina, pothos, philodendron, sansevieria, aglaonema, and spathiphyllum, clearly fix carbon. Research like this not only bodes well for the foliage industry, but also for us who enjoy breathing. It's good information to have when giving a plant as a gift, too. You can call it a gift that keeps on giving.

Now, if the aforementioned suggestions and all else fails, perhaps it's time to go with Plan B: Can you say Chia Pet? Like I said earlier, there is no accounting for taste.

Happy holidays to all, and here's to getting as good as we give!

One (S)hell Of An Idea

I'm a big proponent of the "Buy Local" philosophy. There are food packages a plenty in my pantry and fridge with the words "Fresh From Florida" emblazoned on them. There's a sense of pride that comes with using items built, grown, and/or harvested in your own back yard. I guess it's that kind of thinking that instinctively led me to the Shellscape booth at this year's Landscape Show in Orlando. When I got in for a closer look, I noticed that the organic alternative groundcover product on display was, in fact, shell.

Available in several colors, this mulching option lends a distinct, decorative look and texture to the landscape that is uniquely Florida. Recently, I have become intrigued about mulch alternatives like recycled glass. Colored recycled glass looks really cool, but from what I know, it's kinda expensive and it's not easy to find as I've come up empty trying to locate it at several local box stores and garden centers. The more I saw of the shell product, the more I wanted to learn.

After speaking with Shawn Sundall and Ryan Krinsky of Shellscape, I was able to find out more about the product and its advantages. One big plus is that the shell is a byproduct of mining done right here on the sunny shores of the Sunshine State. A home-grown product. Now you are talking.

According to Shellscape's product literature, some of the advantages of using shell include:

• An organic byproduct from Florida mining (nice plug for those looking for a "green" angle)
  
• Shell can maintain its appearance longer
  
• It does not have to be replaced, just re-colored if desired (good for those looking to reduce costs)
  
• Allows optimal water flow and drainage
  
• Moderates soil-temperature fluctuations
  
• Natural fertilizer: Shell releases nutrients that plants need including calcium and phosphates
  
• Safe for kids and pets
  
• Colored shells can be maintained via spray application of a water-based natural coloring: Shells are colored via a dying process that is totally water based and has no toxins to affect either plant or living organisms
  
• Does not provide a natural habitat for insects and other pests
  
• Retains moisture


• Can be applied around fruit and vegetable plants where other mulch alternatives like rubber cannot
  

Sundall and Krinsky added that they have contacted the University of Florida about conducting research on the effectiveness of using shell as a landscape groundcover. I'm looking forward to those results as it should motivate more people to try shell as a landscape application.

During my booth visit, I was thinking in the back of my mind how this product could complement my landscape. I was able to snag a few hand-size samples (blue, red, and a natural color) and place them in a planting bed mixed with pebbles.

I really like the splashes of color and different texture it adds. Throw in the other environmental and low-maintenance benefits, and I can't wait to see what kind of impact a larger quantity of Shellscape shell has on my Florida yard.

Test Run: KeyPlex H/G

It's always fun going to trade shows and seeing the latest and greatest products suppliers have to offer. After hearing about and reading up on KeyPlex H/G (Home & Garden) at this year's Landscape Show in Orlando, I knew I wanted to try it out. According to product information, the chelated micronutrient and protein-based formula geared to home gardeners is an ideal supplement to a fertilizer program and can be applied to a host of plant material including flowering annuals and perennials, trees and shrubs, fruits and nuts, and veggies. Similar to KeyPlex's other line of products, H/G works by triggering a plant's natural defense mechanism, protecting it from disease and spurring new growth.

When I inquired about the efficacy of the product, Rich Johnston of KeyPlex Direct said, "Try it on anything that's green and grows." Hmmm. I had several plants at home in need of some TLC. So, I decided to take him up on the challenge.

Instead of trying the product on several different plants, I wanted to focus on one plant and take it from there. A pygmy date palm in my front yard was to be the test subject. Despite being on the heels of an average rainy season, the palm had recently started to droop and was displaying browning in the bulk of its fronds. Although the browning was heaviest on the lower leaves, some discoloration had found its way up into the canopy. Yep, this was going to be a good test.

Before applying the product for the first time, I pruned off all the fronds that were completely brown and had no green in them at all. Next it was time to read the directions, lock, load, aim and fire. For sickly looking plants, applying the product directly to the leaves until the point of runoff is recommended for those using the hose-end sprayer method.

About of minute or two of spraying took care of the initial foliar application of this diminutive specimen. The directions call for this same application process once a week until good color and "vigor" is back. Then it scales it back to once every 3-4 weeks for maintenance purposes.

My Impressions And Observations:

The environmentally friendly angle of the product is certainly of value and attractive to the end user. I liked the convenient hose-end sprayer, the lack of odor, and not having to wear gloves or a mask for protection during application.

After five consecutive weeks of applications, I have noticed marked improvement. New leaves have emerged and there are no signs of browning on them. I'd like to see a little more pop, however, before I say we've reached the point of vigorous. But I think we are getting there.

With that, my 32 oz. bottle has run its course. Luckily, I have a second bottle I will continue treatment with on this palm and then try on another candidate.

Stay tuned to see how things progress.

Cool Tools

Reading through the latest issue of Popular Mechanics, I was pleased to see a couple landscape equipment items among the winners highlighted in the magazine's feature on the 10 Most Brilliant Products of 2009. Popular Mechanics describes their list of 2009 Breakthrough Products as: "Brilliant innovations -- most of them, at least, make their greatest contributions once they become products people can buy. This year's winners trim energy use, enhance communication, and just make life more fun."

So what were the "breakthrough" products for landscapers?:

The Hustler Zeon: the world's first all-electric zero-turn radius mower.

The LEHR Eco Trimmer: a four-stroke string trimmer powered by propane.

For me, seeing these products listed is not only cool because tools of the trade for landscapers are getting a shout out, but also the fact that Ornamental Outlook featured both in our New Products section earlier this year.

With advancements in technology continuing at a frantic pace, so does the ingenuity in the tools we use on a daily basis. I'm looking forward to what suppliers have in store for 2010. I'm sure landscape professionals are, too. Keep the good ideas coming.