The Bases For All Plant Foundations...cont'd.

Sounds like a good intro for a paper or lecture.

Years back while I was away and a freakish storm with wind gusts that took liberty
with the weak and toppled this although young fifteen footer tree. It managed to seperate
what ever roots it may have had at it's base's heal if you will.

All the while it's two toes keep it rooted but to this day, not stable, nor I suspect that
it ever will. All the more reason for me to keep this specimen cut back and sculpt it
into a Macro Bonsai.

So this base brought me great pleasure and creativity to create one of two Christmas
doodles to broadcast to my family and friends.

Cacao Tree Gets A Breather

Looks like we might get four days of tolerable temperatures that only a Cocoa Tree can
enjoy. As for the stiff breezes, not so much.

Looking quite svelte in it's winter pruning, which it must tolerate if it want's
to go in and out the house to enjoy the natural conditions Florida has to offer.

Canavalia gladiata - Sword Bean - Growing!

 An emerging pair, the tiny one is suspect and too familiar looking, as in Virginia creeper.
Must quickly dispense with it before it rubs the favored one of any vital nutrients and or
moisture.

We have lift off, as it's trunk lifts it's weighted seed head to the heat and light. With round
the clock electric lighting gives this seedling the needed thrust to get it into it's upright
projection.

It looks light we will get back to our normal temperatures and will get to give this seedling
some exposure to some fresh air and real Florida sunshine.

Back from it's field trip and looking a tad more greener and putting on some primary leaves.

Now I need to find a place in the yard to let it do it's thing and all the while keeping and eye
out for the Winter temperatures.

Spied This Beauty Yesterday...Christmas Day

This Bromeliad billbergia is blooming late and getting less light than it should
will delay blooimg and sometimes that can be a good thing. Besides what better
way to receive a gift of this strikingly beautiful of a specimen when it is not
expected.

The Bases For All Plant Foundations...

Beaucarnea recurvata - Ponytail Palm

Beaucarnea recurvata - Ponytail Palm

My backyard specimen has two trunks that are at least fifteen feet tall. Some
lichen at the base to show it's age. As to it's age, I would have dig in my records
to see if it's been documented. What I do know is that it's not as old as the Bald
Cypress base at the top right of this picture and that is at least twenty years old.
The first of three clusters of cypress that I planted on my property.

This pair of Ponies are still in their infant stages, relatively speaking of course.
I will have to make an effort to maintain these specimens to their singular trunk
status. Zoom in closer to their base. The one on the left is sprouting new
offshoots, which in turn can be excised and with care propagated into new
plants.

Pseudobombax ellipticum - It's All About That Base

Mesmerized by this picture taken today.

It's a close second to our recent Mar's Korolev's crater nearly filled to the brim in ice
that's captured our awe and curiosity. This plant landscape would not look any
more foreign on our own planet Earth.

Nice profile there 'Bombax'.

'Now you work the camera 'Bombox' Doing my best John Oliver impression.

Shaving Brush Tree - Pseudobombax ellipticum

 Lost the majority of these bromeliads to this year's flooding from
our record rain fall. Still have a few more to replant at the base of this
newly planted tree. Having had just cleared all the dead and near dying
bromeliads and salvaging their new sprouts and sinking this once potted
Shaving Brush tree it starts to rain. Thinking to myself, great timing, not
knowing that five inches of rain will befall this beleaguered part of the
yard.

Only after doing more research on this tree makes me want to put it back in
a pot in order to show off it's distinctive gnarly wide base, characteristic of this
specimen.Will have to capture a pic to show it's best attribute.

Sure the blooms are striking, but hey, it's even better when you have an other
worldly feature that catches the eye.

Now lets see if these bromeliads can't get another chance to thrive.

Canavalia gladiata - Sword Bean - Spouted!

A most pleasant surprise to find that this bean sprouting six days in and on our
Winter Solstice. I hope this will be a mild winter.

Placing it under some intense lighting to give it push,, Mean while the remaining
beans get dried.

Tillandsia setacea, Southern Needle Leaf Air Plant

I've had this for nearly three years now, maybe longer. Just now found the name. aneighbor's care giver found these on her property south of Tampa.

It makes a nice crown for my other orchid below it.

Spooky Stare Down With Neigborhood Stray

Ionopsis utricularioides - Major Update1

Treating this orchid like my Cacao Tree brings it's rewards.

As I was misting it this afternoon with a diluted orchid fertilizer and making
certain that I covered this specimen from leaf tip to root tip, indoors under the
light of a couple LED light bulbs. The orchids could use a bit more lumens,
but the Cacao Tree thrives under this low light as you can see from the new
salmon colored leaf sprouting, lower right in the picture below.

The same treatment that I give me Cacao Tree. These three orchid and one native
Tillandsia specimens have been enjoying the same toasty heat that I enjoy. That
reminds me of a book that was published in the seventies, Plants Are Like People
by Jerry Baker, speaks volumes.

I noticed a tiny tight what appeared to be a new orchid sprout. Not knowing much
about this orchid's culture other than it's northern limits are the southern tip of Florida.
Along with some generated heat, a spritz of added nutrient rainwater and an occasional
dose of real sunshine, even if it is only for a couple of hours, like today.

Not until I brought the orchids outdoors in our late fall sunshine and as my weather app
reminds me at this time of the year, low UV. I notice that there are two new orchid growths.I don't think that it is too much to ask for the remaining two plants to sport some Keiki. A new term,
in relations to orchids that describe an orchid's new sprout that can eventually grow into an
independent orchid.

Two orchid sprouting next generation of orchids as indicated above.

Canavalia gladiata - Sword Bean - Revealed!

Wow wow wow...did not expect these hidden jewels.

These otherworldly coral productions of nature are not what I was expecting.
This color appears to flag it's near toxic state when they are this mature that
requires several boilings in salt water, for human consumption, as per most
sources.

On the other side of the coin my second impression was that these seeds look
like piglets in their proverbial blanket. It will be interesting to see what color
these will transition to when they dry out.

All but one bean came to full fruition and to total of seven. Seven, which
is one of several favorite numbers of mine.

I did not hesitate putting one these into some soil, perhaps fool heartedly, but
sometimes life gives us these impulses that we inevitably follow for a reason
and whose reason is not always evident.

My Pet Cacao Tree Looks To Have A Familiar

Not sure if this....have you spotted it yet? It sure looks familiar to me, hehe.

Perhaps it got dragged in when the last time I brought this tree in from
our December temperatures. It could have just been one of several
house creatures just catching a drop of water, whenever I mist this
tropical specimen with some rainwater.

See the Cuban Anole lapping up some moisture? Witnessing
the wonders of nature right here in my own room.

Just a couple of days ago while going in to my kitchen in the middle
of the night and as soon as I turned on lights. I spotted a house Gecko
lapping up these micro ants that are the new ants this year that have been
at my kitchen counter.

Green & Red This Time Of Year Screams The Holidays - Malvaviscus arboreus - Turk's Cap Hibiscus

Holiday's can also means sweets. Not only are these flowers edible
but they can be sweet.

Catch them just when they open and what you see is the most open that
they will ever be. At the base once you separate the bloom from it's base
and if your timing it right you will get a pleasant taste of it's sweet nectar
normally reserved for humming birds and other nectar hunters other than
use humans.

I was also collecting some greens for my compost pile and this plant is fast
growing so there are always a few branches that it can spare. Along with
nutritious reds for me to eat. So my compost gets what it needs to make a
complete and nutritious humus and I get to add to my list of something
new to add to my so called stomach's compost or biome.

BTW Iguanas and Turtles love to eat these flowers to.

This picture should be a good candidate for my Holiday digital doodle.

Eriobotrya japonica - Loquat or Japanese Plum Tree

Not only had started this tree from seed from fruit given to my by a friend.
It's growing out of bounds and felt that I had to cut it back heavily.
Cutting back heavily has consequences. While I don't mind sharing these
fruits with our urban animals, not that I have much choice. I was hoping
that cutting it back towards the ground will bring the fruit more accessible
to me. Mean time three years later I finally get some blooms.

I nice memory of this tree goes back years when I had enlisted in the service
and stationed in Texas. The military base also had these trees blooming
this time of year. Not knowing this sweet dense fragrant tree would also produce
a great tasting fruit. Mind you thou, this fruit must be fully ripen or otherwise
you will get a sour surprise. A sourness that puts Gummy sours to shame.

 So once again getting surprised by a long time in coming bloom, to not only
catch my eye but whose fragrance that would fill other senses, brought a smile to
my face. After all to me that's just one of many joys of gardening and discovering
what's new in what you would think to be a familiar landscape.

Welcome Back

It's Official - This Cacao Tree Is My Pet

Does this mean that I have to give this specimen a name?

Under The Cacao Tree Canopy

Just close your eyes and imagine the sounds that would accompany this equatorial specimen
in it's natural habitat.

They say plants are like people and like similar living conditions, as in temperatures and humidity.
This heated room and with extended light hours will be the closest it ever gets to desirable
indoors conditions. A sign of good health for this specimen is continued growth while it stays
indoors during our cooler months here in Florida. 

Good thing this specimen has low light requirements. Humidity is another thing,
I can spritz it with some rainwater that I keep stored. Along with some minor nutrients
that I will start it on, using my new orchid fertilizer.

Always changing it up and careful not to water it too much. The dry conditions in a house is
bad enough but to add dry heat, can make it more be challenging.

This brings me to my next post and announcement.

I wonder If These Japanese Eggplant Seeds Are Viable?

Every time I cook some eggplant what little seed has developed grows dark and
more pronounce when cooking. So that got me thinking if I might be able to
spout some to life. I thinly sliced a piece off and let dry for a day.

Diced up into manageable pieces and for easy placement in the soil.

Water it and pop the lid on and place it outdoors to get a dose of our let the late
Fall sunshine and warmth. Might have to take it indoors in the evening so as
not to confuse it with our cool night temperatures.

Condensate, just what a seedling needed.

Off to a promising start and good intentions.

First Meal Brought To You From The Bachelor Cafe - Twilight Banana & Cranberries

Aldi's Knock Your Spouts Off lightly toasted bread. Smart Balance, walnut halves
and cinnamon. Half of a twilight (green/yellow) banana and some home made
whole cranberry sauce, made with Stevia, cinnamon and substituted Chia seeds for
some poppy seeds.

Four of these please and compliments to the chef.

Canavalia gladiata - Sword Bean

From this angle it looks like a large wingless and legless grasshopper.

Just acquired this from a friends neighbor. She was generous
and willing to let me have one. As soon as I spied this from across
the fence it took me seconds for my mind to wrap around what I
was not sure what I was seeing. The vine that this grows from looks
like most typical bean plants but it's profile, which caught my eye spiked
my curiosity and need to posses. Once I show this off to budding Master
Gardner of mine I'll be looking forward to opening it up to reveal the seeds.
I'm also hoping to add these beans to my 'Health' wreath that I've been
sceamming and designing anad currently drying out and I hope these
beans will make an interesting addition.

Found Some New Orchid Fertilizer

Ta Dahhhh!

Going to use this fertilizer
with micro nutrients to insure
my recently acquired Ionopsis
orchid in hopes that it will bloom
again.

Also it will give me something
else to throw at my Cacao Tree,
which was brought back indoors
this evening to protect it from our
chilly fifty degree temperatures.

Reading Spaghetti Squash Hmmmm

Emptying my kitchen galvanized garbage pail this evening, only to reveal this.

Most probably heard of reading tea leaves, but this is a bit less obscure. 

Use your imagination if it's not obvious. Look close, look deep. Unadulterated.

How appropriate to, knowing that I just started a new novel with similar connotations.
Reading the fourth novel in this series and out of sequence that I found at our local
Library.

Mr ConstantGardener

Who Me?

Like Two Beans In A Cacao Pod - Hint Hint

Brought in my two tropical favorites to spend in house and out of the cold
temps we will experience for a couple of days.

Cacao Tree and Ionopsis orchid.

Been tempted to leave the Cacao tree outdoors to chill it, or shock it into blooming, at
the risk of maybe even killing it.

Or sometimes you just can't rush things.

Deck The Yard with LED Lighting...Fa La La La Laaa

Either a holiday song gets wedged in my head or in this case
some unexpected low temperatures to get in the holiday spirit.

Having selected the icy cold blue colored LED lighting helps to bring the temps even 

lower when our Florida temps go sky high.

Got Caught In The Rain This Late Afternoon

Biked around our lake with the threat of rain. Nothing like some motivation to get you
moving. After passing about four people who turned around to head back from where they
came from gave me thoughts to. Then two thirds around thinking that it would be smooth
sailing , the gray sky ahead was lighter and then whoosh. The cloud burst came down
and when your not in the safety of an automobile or indoors and on a bike and wearing
t-shirt and shorts, it felt relatively heavy.

With a three day head cold and plenty of stored energy from napping most
of the day and hoping that I could sweat this virus out of my system.

It was tense, a blast, fun and joyful. First time my left hand started to go numb
from gripping the handle bar so tight.

I was also happy later that evening to have collected twenty gallons of rain water.

Angel's Trumpet's First Bloom

If the NASA can put another lander, the Insight on Mars. I should at least be able to launch
a picture off my phone. It took me five tries to access this photo.

This Angel Trumpet caught my eye yesterday after returning from a doing some
yard work and collecting the spoils, some small canes of bamboo and what do I see?
A familiar sight of salmon blaze against a overcast sky.

This first bloom took a long time coming, knowing that I cut it back severely yearly
this year. Slight damage from last year's hurricane. Who's name escapes me because it
wasn't my first. This specimen had a lot of old wood. Old here in Florida and it being
a tropical plant, looked older than it's years, in my opinion. Two brand new stalks have
grown to almost ten feet and it's blooms peeking out of it's Dr. Seuss shaggy leafed top.

Lots of holes in it's leaves to show us it's persistent in pushing out these beautiful blooms
this time of year, shorter days and second time with temperature in the mid forties.

Angel's Trumpet Wellnes Wreath Collage

Bamboo Wellness Wreath

Friend's yard is full of some running Bamboo and so I thought I would make something
with it. My first working with green Bamboo was a very small dream catcher. As tough as it
was to work it to my will , these larger versions went a bit faster. Having worked them within
hours of being cut helped to, no doubt.

Will be adding to it as I see fit. The inner small wreath only too one plastic tie and a strategic
spot while the larger must of took seven or eight. I'm sure the forces of physics would more
than explain the hows and whys.

T's Peacock Ranch and My Florida Poke Bowl

All T's P's are in the trees as the when the evening's light descends.

 How many can you see?



Lots to be thankful for.

This didn't knock my socks off, but then, I wasn't wearing any. However it did fill
the soul and belly.

Pull One Out Of Archives - Cloud Set

Tofay as i biked around this lake I was admiring the Fall lighting along the shoreline. Did
want
to stop
so we are going to admire this image instead.

Ionopsis In Full Bloom

Full bloom and in comparison to what it looked like when first purchased.

Picture taken on 07Oct2018. 

R.F. Orchids out of Homestead FL hosted an orchid sale here at our
Hollis gardens and took great care in coxing this specimen to bloom and
bloom it did.

Now the real challenge is to get a repeat performance same time next year.
No pressure.