Are you OK...gotta run up there to see you!!!
Carol
David....wherefore art thou. Metrosideros?
He's probably at home making some decadent chocolate truffles from his cocoa pods - yummm!
Hi Carol! How are you?
Had to go to the emergency room a few weeks ago, due to a severe insulin reaction. Otherwise doing okay. Weeds are getting a bit tall here, time to sharpen up the scythe!
Glad you are better, Dave. are you diabetic?
good luck dealing with the weeds!
Isaac
Sorry to hear you had another scare Dave. I hope all has been well since then.
Thanks Jenn & Isaac. Yes, I am a type 1 diabetic. My problem arose from not eating enough. I'll be a bit more careful now to get some good carbs in me, early in the day.
Aloha, Dave
Ah, the life of a busy bachelor!!! Yes..EAT!!! or I am going to have to come up there and beat you up!!!! HAHAHA YOU thought I was going to say "...come up there and cook for you"...
Glad you are better, Dave. Have you ever extracted the nectar from an Agave?
Hi Carol, I'm making breakfast right now! ( I never knew not eating enough could be so scary.)
I haven't tried to get nectar from Agave yet. (I've eaten Agave flower spike, but it's not that good.) The nectar is known as "aquamiel" which is a sweet liquid gotten from the flower spike. Aquamiel can be cooked down into syrup or fermented to make "pulque" (Agave beer).
The principal species for making aquamiel is Agave salmiana. A secondary species which can be used, and is common around here, is Agave americana.
Hmmmm I wonder if using a press for cane sugar juice would work on the flower spike?
I think it might.
The flower spike is prepared by letting the flower spike get large but cutting the flowers off as it grows up. When the stalk has gotten large and swells, it is cut for nectar.
AH...any idea how long it takes before the bloom spike?
For Agave americana, supposed to be 6 to 10 years, although I've had several varieties in the ground for about 13 years and nothing yet.
I've had Agave angustifolia flower, it is used to make tequila, so might have an usable nectar.
Here is variegated A. angustifolia. You probably have this one.
Around here, Agave americana is known as the century plant because it feels like it takes 100 years for it to flower but in actually it is usually about 15 - 20 years.
I never knew you could get nectar from the stalk. They are such pest plants here I usually give them away but now I might hold on to a few and let them mature.
I love agaves in all their guises. It always saddens me when they spike and bloom, heralding the plant's end. They produce pups that grow quickly but the plant's death is always regrettable.
Take care, all.
Sylvain.
agaves ABOUND here!! i have a couple in our garden, and i will kill them before i let them bloom. i don't want to deal with a bunch of small ones later. the only reason i keep them is because i find them decorative, but they grow everywhere here in the bush.
Isaac
In Madeira, 8-foot agaves grow wild right off the vertical rock faces that abound on the island: a very beautiful sight. The botanical garden has even bigger specimens. I enjoyed my visit there.
Sylvain.
Very young A. americanas pup by the time they are about 6" in diameter, this is decades befopre they bloom.
Metrosideros hope you feel better. I have been away from this beauty forum for a long time. Now taking different classes, very very busy. In some way I feel guilty to not be able to visit all of you. Everytime a learn something new from all your wisdom.
There is a plant used in Costa Rica to treat diabetes: Cucurbitaceae= Momordica charantia.
Hi Bignonia,
Bitter Melon, Momordica charantia, is used to help regulate blood sugar. I do so by not eating junk foods and getting plenty of exercise.
What classes are you taking? Something about plants?
David...have you been taking cinnamon? I hear it is wonderful for diabetes...
Hi Carol,
I take Cinnamon and Chromium picolinate. Although I found that the best way to manage blood sugar is to eat well; fish, vegetables, whole grain.
Polar Bear...why have you not come and rescued the two that go to the big dumpster this week? Shame on you and you were just here Sunday. How about coming this week, get your heliaconias and I'll sneak my two "things" in your trunk.
Hap
Actually, I don't use a dumpster, I compost.
You've got yourself a deal, Nancy. What day is good for you?
Sylvain.
Weds afternoon or all day Friday would be great. Are you serious about the agave, for I will have to get them back from the curb. See, I wasn't kidding.
Yes, I am serious about the agaves. I love agaves. Well, I love anything green that will grow without stressing me out but that's besides the subject. I promise to give them a nice spot and lavish the best care I can muster upon them. Wednesday afternoon is good for me, say around 1:30?
I have decided to conquer the rest of the house's perimeter for conversion into a flower bed. With the summer's heat slowling waning away, I will start digging again. Please do not send anything to the curb before letting me know. Because of the house's set-up, only full-shade plants can not survive here.
(singing)
We're getting heliconias,
We're getting heliconias,
Tee Da Lee Da Lee Da Loo,
We're getting heliconias!
Thanks.
Sylvain.
Metrosideros I am taking a intensive course to get a certificate to be a technician in the business of Butterfly Farmers. So besides classes we go to field trips to different areas in the country side to learn more about taxonomy and natural history of butterfly. There is a big part of the course on plant taxonomy , so I am definite enjoying it. We went to a cloud forest for two days, it was raining a lot! But we saw a lot of Morphos. By the way Heliconias are the host plant of Caligo = owl butterfly.
Bignonia,
Good luck on your course. It's sounds like real work.
There are helioconias in the yard, but never saw anything outside that size. Think I would run.
Hap
Hello again, Bignonia!
Butterflies certainly are interesting creatures, we have some that visit our garden. i can't say i know what species, i don't know much about these beautiful creatures. good luck with the studies, and when you have time, we all would love to hear from you.
Isaac
Gracias Isaac
Bignonia,
Would you start another thread with a link from here,(for me who is not that great with threads) to tell us on your journey?
Thanks,
Hap.
Hi, Issac