The Power Of Nature

Mother Nature often takes center stage of the evening news, particularly when someone or something is incurring its wrath. Hurricanes, freezes, floods, and blizzards, oh my! Examples of each around the globe (some locally) grabbed headlines and major air time all within the last month. These kinds of events are hard to ignore (bloated news feeds or not).
Of course, you don’t necessarily need a large-scale show of power from nature to evoke the occasional ooohh and/or aaahh. Those in the field of horticulture know this well. A simple bloom at the right time can make a grower's day.

Thanks to a recent lunch outing, I can provide a firsthand example of this: The other day, my co-workers and I noticed a strange-looking mark on the side of a landscape tree adjacent to the gas station we had pulled into. While our associate was filling his tires with air, a couple of us got out for a closer look. Upon further review, the mark actually was an open wound revealing remnants of what looked to be a make-shift tree brace … er or garden hose … from years gone by. It does appear the mature holly is winning the battle against its once rubber and plastic shackles though. Hell, blur your eyes a little and it kinda looks like snake-skinned smile. Almost like the specimen is getting the last laugh.

Scanning over a nearby tree, a similar situation was playing out with another type of guying implement. All in all, both trees appeared to be healthy. Not sure if their “permanent additions” will do them any harm down the road. Time will tell.

Our main takeaway as we drove back to the office: Nature finds a way. Whether it’s a Sabal palm punching its fronds up through sealed blacktop next to the roadway, a runaway jasmine vine that totally engulfs a fence, or a tree that literally covers up a landscape mistake, it’s impressive---even if it’s not headline news fodder.

Bartender’s Guide To Pest Control

For anyone who’s ever been bitten by a fire ant or two or three … knows 1. how much it stings, 2. how unsightly the mounds make a yard or grove look, and 3. how difficult it is to get rid of them and keep them at bay.
I have tried the conventional route of spreading commercial agrichemical bait/granules all around my yard. Despite mild success employing this method, the red devils have come back with a vengeance each time --- even quicker now after every application. Treating the mounds individually with the bait or powder has yielded the same results. Pure frustration and desparation has led me even to pour boiling water down the holes. Nothing. Believe it or not, banging the mounds with a shovel and yelling didn’t do the trick either. Go figure. At least that failed exercise is a good stress reliever.
Recently, I received a newsletter in the mail from a landscape company I featured on the cover of Ornamental Outlook a little more than two years ago. Winter Garden, FL-based Biosphere Nursery has made its mark by taking a softer approach to gardens and landscapes through promotion of native plantings, basic landscape design principles, and other water-saving/sustainable techniques. I enjoyed learning about the company then and after perusing its latest newsletter, I am really happy to still be on the mailing list. Why? I spotted a little tidbit about a new possible fire ant control method. According to the blurb, University of Georgia ag department researchers have a recommendation for a concoction to possibly control fire ant colonies that is safe enough to drink. Really? So, what is it you ask? Brace yourself (insert drumroll)….club soda. Yep. Apparently, the CO2 released in the beverage kills the queen. That’s all the damage you need to mow over any fire ant mound.
OK, I’m game. Verbiage from the newsletter says to pour two capfuls of club soda directly into the mound. And that’s it. Sounds easy enough.
Not surprising, I have several active mounds ready to experiment on.
I will mark them, pour (shaken, not stirred), track what I hope is the demise of that particular colony, and report back.
In the mean time, bottoms up!

Sugar, Spice, And Everything Nice

Ahh, the holidays --- it’s the perfect time for giving. It’s not bad for receiving either. The other day, I was notified via eMail by Fresh From Florida that I had won a prize [pictured] they were giving away on their blog. Sweet! …Or, in this case, spicy. The package arrived yesterday, much to my delight. Having been (and being) a big fan of Everglades Seasoning products, I knew this “Gift Shack” had found a good home.
With this kind of luck, perhaps I should have gone out and purchased a few lotto tickets, too. Lucky or not: In this case, I was handsomely rewarded for simply following and leaving a comment on a blog of interest that was highlighting one of my favorite spice-rack staples. Not too shabby.
Rewarding loyal customers and/or followers is a great way to maintain and build upon the base of any business. It’s easy to look past your existing clientele and expend all your energy to entice new blood. But those actions can and will drive away the people that got you there.
Giveaways --- especially during this time of year --- are a slam dunk in customer relations and PR. Everywhere you turn around, someone seems to be giving away an iPad. Hell, I even gave away something on this blog earlier this year. Done not so much for the intent of building a blog-follower empire (obviously), but just for fun.
What you give doesn’t really matter. The point is: People like to get things. And if you can offer them something, even a little something, expect that to come back to you in some way—hopefully what would be considered a good return on investment.
Happy holidays!

Pocket Full Of Shells ...

Landscaping projects – whether on a professional scale or homespun – usually draws its energy from an inspired vision. If the final product can look anywhere near what the computer-generated renderings, hand sketches, or images in your head are, then you are doing something right. Of course, it often happens where things stray from an original plan for one reason or another.
Pictured with this post is an image that is quite contrary to the title. What you are seeing there actually is roughly one ton of crushed shell. This is the basis for a front-yard landscape project that I’ve had in mind for a while now. I have/had the inspiration. The hard part was finding the time and getting the material.
The project is under way and coming together. However, borrowing a line from one of my all-time favorite movies: “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.” Well, in this case, I’m going to need more shell. Good things take time, and so far, so good.
Stay tuned. More to come …

You Never Know ...

Taking a risk can be a scary proposition. However, sometimes you have to take that leap to move forward in life as well as in business. Agriculture is a prime example where -- despite gobs of statistical data showing what works and what doesn’t -- many a dice are still rolled to find ways to produce bigger, better, and more crops for longer periods of time. Besides the obvious, there probably is a lot of finger-crossing going on regarding fundamental things such as whether to make that large investment, change in a vendor, tweak to production philosophy, or alternative crop planting.
Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting Canal Point, FL-based Erickson Farm to conduct the photo/video shoot for the cover story I was writing. A combination of experience and experimentation has driven this grower, packer, and shipper of tropical specialties (mangos, avocados, carambola, longan, lychee, sapodilla, etc…) for nearly 100 years. I was able to score some of exotic edibles during my visit, BTW [see photo].
As explained to me, the 62-acre farm I was standing in was where five generations have lived and worked. It’s hard to fathom how many changes have occurred between now and then. In order to survive and sustain for that long, you know risks were taken along the way. I suppose trying to grow “tropical” edibles in a subtropical environment would be among the biggest. However, once that first mango tree was planted long ago, they learned the parcel’s proximity to Lake Okeechobee provided a unique microclimate that allows for growing things others around them cannot. They reaped the reward from that risk, found their niche, and have stuck with it.
In speaking with two generations of Ericksons on their farm (father Dale and his two daughters Kim and Krista), I see where the experience meshes with the younger generation perspective and input. That generational transition has played out several times over for the Ericksons and continues to help them branch out for new growth. Read more about how this operation nurtures its knack for niche in the November issue of Florida Grower. Check out the videos, too.

The door is open – just like it always has been -- for the future of modern agriculture, especially given the latest advancements in communications, technologies, and chemistries, to name a few.
Not trying different things in different ways is a risk we all cannot afford to take.

For Your Amusement

Take a trip to the many “attractions” around the Orlando Metro area, and you are bound to see something that will catch your eye. After all, that’s the whole point of going to theme parks: to see and experience extraordinary things. In order for there to be a successful “theme,” the setting has to be tailored to deliver that genuine experience. Everything has to be spot on---down to the very last detail. I never really thought about this aspect of amusement parks much until during a recent outing at SeaWorld with the family.
While meandering around the park scanning for a place for us to sit down and dine, my eyes were drawn beyond the poor park staffer broiling in the orca costume to a nicely appointed garden area outside of The Terrace (formerly the Hospitality House --- aka beer garden).
A nice variety of primarily cacti and succulents are used to create what looks like an under-the-seascape … but on land. Plants of contrasting shapes, textures and colors meld well on a bed of stark-white crushed sea shell. Sporadically placed boulders add a nice touch, too. This planting bed flanks the Terrace structure and outlines a small body of water that is frequented by ducks, ibis, and other birds.

There are numerous landscape creations --- equally as cool --- tucked in the many nooks and crannies of this particular park and many others like it. Why did I feel compelled to stop and take note this time? Not sure. Last year, Ornamental Outlook featured the landscape team that sets the stage at the Worlds of Discovery (which includes SeaWorld, Discovery Cove, and Aquatica). So, I know full well what kind of work that goes into creating an amusement-park memory. I guess this is the first time I really appreciated it from a visitor’s perspective and not just from an ag journalist’s view.

So, you want to fuel your garden-design inspiration? Take a stroll around a theme park. You just might find yourself taken with something that's not actually the main attraction.

Look Sharp

When one thinks of cactus and succulent plants, images of the desert Southwest --- no doubt --- spring to mind. However, the more I look around my Central Florida digs, the more I see these supposed desert dwellers thriving amid the heat and humidity.

Despite the prickly nature of the majority of these plants, I have come to warm up to not only their unique, detailed appearances, but also their durability in the landscape. Yes, you have to watch the razor-sharp barbs when gardening around certain specimens, but I gladly take the risk in exchange for the low- to almost-no-maintenance input I exert for such high return.

One of the most reliable things that grow in my yard is zebra aloe (a 2010 Florida Garden Select plant, btw). I have successfully dug up and transplanted several of these groundcovers without any casualties (besides a few scrapes on my arms and some snapped leaves). In addition to the expected heat and drought-tolerant nature of these plants, they also can take on the cold and have the ability to roll with the heavy downpours of our six-month-long rainy season, too.

Another reason to like cacti and succulents: They lend themselves to one’s creative side as the plants can be placed just about anywhere and displayed in numerous ways. From colorful combos in decorative planters to showing off striking contrast within a tropical-themed landscape to an attractive centerpiece in a living wall, the versatility is vast.

The City of Orlando obviously saw/sees the benefits of using cactus and succulents in the landscape on a larger scale. Every time I’m driving along the East-West Expressway (408) heading to and from downtown, it’s hard not to notice the large, sculpture-like agave standing out and mixing in with native grasses, bottlebrush, and the state’s signature sabal palms. All smart choices for highway medians as each require very little care from landscape crews and save on irrigation.

By the way, I snapped these shots from
the safety of the front passenger seat.

So, will these types of plants replace the familiar, post-card images of lush foliage and palm-lined landscapes the Sunshine State is known for and expected to have? It’s highly doubtful. But there’s nothing wrong with having the best of both worlds ... if you can. Let’s call it “subtropical succulence.” Now, I like the sound of that.