Chit-Chat, everyone welcome #170

144 cloudy days in JAX? That seems high to me but maybe they are counting days when it clouds over for an hour or so in the afternoon.

Hey I'm originally from a little place called Olean NY, about 70 miles south of Buffalo.

I was coming home this morning and saw this tree trimming company cutting down a big tree. Stopped and ask what they were going to do with the chips .... they are now at my house! Told him if he's cutting trees in the area again to give me a call I might have shifted this load by then.

Darla

I grew up on the other side of the Niagara Falls border and anytime I get a little tiffed about the weather here...all I have to do is look at this photo from our trip up there last February! That sure was some frigid weather and gloomy as all get out!

Brrrrr......shivers up and down the spine! lol

Darla

Hi, Darla. You can actually contact most of the tree-trimming companies and they will be more than happy to dump a load of wood chips at your house to use as mulch (saves them the cost of taking the wood chips to a landfill and paying disposal fees). If they are in your area, they will let you know and arrange to drop off a load of wood chips.

The only concern with that procedure is that trees that are taken down are often removed because they are diseased. There is a chance of spreading the disease to any similar genus/species or other trees in your yard or nearby. So, it's a good idea to keep the wood chips away from any existing trees on your property. The best bet for good wood chips is if you can find a big old oak that is being taken down only because the homeowner wants it down for more sunlight or because their home insurance company has insisted it come down before a policy will be issued or renewed because the tree could fall or lose branches and damage the house during hurricanes or other high winds. That would almost certainly produce good clean mulch.

Some of the best mulch I got from a tree trimming company was mostly palm fronds that had been shredded from healthy trees. The mulch lasted longer than other wood mulch before it decomposed and also was a better weed suppressant because it matted flatter on the ground.

I passed by the company again yesterday that is on Old St. Augustine Rd. on the stretch between Phillips Hwy and University Blvd. They always have a pile of mulch out front that is free for the taking. They mostly sell garden stones, but they must also do some sort of tree trimming or otherwise may have tree trimming companies dump the mulch and give it away for free to attract customers.

Jeremy

Counting on all the fallen leaves for weed control now that there is so much dirt with full sunshine. Not a good combo.

Hap

oh gosh can I start pruning yet? It is so sad & brown & dead around here! I am almost ready to hedge my bets & starts b/c the yard waste guys come by on Wed's....although I have one very happy rose bush that decided to bud...

Those roses are so loyal, they don't care if it gets cold!

Hey, Ms Molly.

Sorry to read your post about your wonderful yard. As long as you and your kiddles are OK.

Nancy

shreded tree mulch
free delivery by
tree trimmers -1

shredded mulch pile
was twice this size last month.
This is mostly ground up oak branches and leaves.

Shredded mulch is free. I use a pitch fork to move it around. Lasts about two years. Put it on thick and it will compact by itself in a week or two and the bugs and worms will begin to digest it.
Yes it's free, if you have a spot to dump
and time and energy to spread it.

I have also had some of that free mulch and it has proven to be very good. Better than the stuff I buy at Lowe's. But of course it varies in quality.

As you said, the time and energy to spread it.

Time good for me, but....

Hap

Good morning, everyone. Hmmm what shall I have for breakfast?

GM, I'm having tea. 52 and clear here.

I was going to go out and ride my bike but BRRRRR I will have to wait a while.

Good Morning.

GG,
Have to go back on the posts as I can only get on here early in the mornings.
WISH we had the money to put a bio dome over the yard, could NEVER!!!! afford what JEA charges for utilities!!!

Darla,

Just make sure that the trimmings you get are from tree's--sometimes the stuff those trucks have mixed in are from things you DON'T want in your yard!

Goodmorning,

Hettie I plan to take the brat for his run but I will wait till it is warmer to.

Sandy

42 here. Would like to do some stuff in the yard today, but too blamed cold right now...
Ordered some caladium bulbs today from caladium bulbs-4-less.com
they ship them after the last frost unless your going to start them inside, which I am, then they send them to you right away.
just something to do.

Riding a byke -what a lovely idea - you do it and I will cheer you on from the roadside!

I ride my bike (nearly) every day. It's good exercise and you see things.

Yes it is good excess and it is a great way to burn up some of a curtain dogs energy.

Sandy

Good morning all! Boy, did I have a bit of excitement yesterday... the SunTrust bank 2.5 blocks from me was robbed and the robbers ditched their getaway car in the lot next to my house. The driver was seen (not by me) running around the building on that lot (an 8-car garage) and getting into another car that was waiting for him and taking off. My neighborhood was crawling with almost a dozen cop cars, canines and such from about 10ish til about 2pm when they finally towed the car away. I had gone out to water my sickly looking plants, but the officers yelled at me to stop as the entire area (including my property was a crime scene! Apparently, the robber tried to set the car on fire, but it did not burn. When the police opened the car door, smoke poured out. Later, reporters from NBC came knocking on doors asking if anyone had seen anything.

By the way, thank you to all of you who offered get well wishes to me while I was in the hospital. I was diagnosed with ketoacidosis and received countless lectures of how dangerous my situation was. I don't take well to such lectures as I know that I've done as much as I could to keep my glucose down. I had become laxed in keeping doctor's appts because she kept telling me that my numbers would go down if I ate properly, which is very frustrating to hear when I know that I was eating properly!! Fortunately, while in the hospital, the attending physician was able to observe my eating habits and saw for himself that I was eating properly and my body was simply resisting the Insulin. He put me back on Metformin, in addition to the Prandin and Insulin I was already taking as I obviously needed a medication to enable my body to take and use the Insulin. My numbers are so much better now. I went into the hospital with a glucose reading of 594 and this morning, my glucose was 90. For those unfamiliar with glucose numbers, the norm is around the range of 70-150, depending on whose opinion you're hearing or reading.

I used to look forward to watering my plants, but not with all the damage I have. Even the plants I was able to drag into the garage are damaged. I lost heat in my house for a while and even one of my prize plants that I brought inside was damaged!! I've decided to not replace any of the damaged plants; it's just too depressing. The last of the palm trees that I recently purchased were delivered while I was in the hospital. Steve, who owns Exotic Palms in Homestead, called me from my yard when he made the delivery. He was shocked at the damage he saw in my yard. He was kind enough to water my plants for me as he said it was very windy and my plants were dry. He told me to not worry about not being there to pay him as I could just send him a check. He urged me to take care of myself so that I would not end up being fertilizer for my plants! You can bet that if I were to buy more palms, it would be from him!!

Take good care everyone and Happy Gardening!
Marianne

Glad you're doing better, Marianne. Diabetes is sure a drag. Some excitement, huh? Sorry about your garden, and you're not alone.

Hap

I am SO glad to hear you had a Dr that finally believed you. I had one that wouldn't believe it was the medicine HE put me on that made me gain 70 lbs. I'm glad to know you're numbers are where they should be!

Darla

I'm glad you are back home and feeling better, Marianne. Isn't it great when you finally find a doctor that will listen to you?!

Our central heat/air went out again and it seems to be the same problem we had before, which turned out to be a blown transformer. I'm not going to waste my time with trying to self-diagnose the problem as I did the last time. All my efforts did finally narrow the problem down to being electrical in nature, but I couldn't pinpoint the specific cause. I doubt we will have any warranty on the previous repair, but I don't mind letting the bristling pit bull hairs on the back of my neck stand up when dealing with this type of situation. Grrrrrrr! LOL

I was up all night sorting through stacks of cluttered papers and made a lot of progress, but ended up sleeping until Noon after not getting to sleep until after 5 PM. I've done a few cleanup chores outside. It was chilly when I stepped outside, but I was greeted by a bright blast of warm, full sun once I stepped out of the shadows of the house, and that was very refreshing.

Today, I saw tiny green leaf buds forming way up on the stalks of my Brugmansia (Angel Trumpets) that were tented and had twinkle lights for freeze protection, so it looks like I may have been able to preserve much of their height and won't have to start from "ground zero" with them as I probably otherwise would have experienced if I had not covered them. I'm fairly certain they would have died back to the ground without the pvc frame/plastic sheeting tent and twinkle lights.

Jeremy

Good for you on the brugs, Jeremy. The one in the side yard did not look too good, so the 'helper' last Sat. trimmed it. Well, there is a stump with a few arms left. He is such a help that nothing can be said lest he gets shattered and never comes back. (Talk about up the creek without a paddle!) He is a wonderful young man that just needs closer watching which is my job.

Hap

Marianne,
I hope you can keep your sugar under control. I have friends with diabetes problems and they swear exercise is the best cure to keep it steady. Without it weight gain is almost immediate.

Today was a beautiful day but still a bit chilly in the shade. I did my two powerwalk miles in the morning (not at Hetty hours though) and then relaxed in the sun until lunch time. A lazy life has its rewards. I dozed off here and there only to open my eyes to the paradise around me. This is happening under the lanai by the pool with the waterfall creating just enough relaxation to doze off. Our food supplies were low as we did not want to restock before leaving for the cold country up north. So a trip to Publix was warranted. While DW shopped I ran off to get a latte at Dunkin donuts. I was in such a fog that I left the cup on the counter and the server had to run after me with coffee in his hands. I'm losing it for sure. Back at home I ignored the messy scene in the garden to concentrate on what survived and is doing well. The cold had strange results with some orchids in the trees all black and others starting to bloom. I have brown vandas and blooming vandas. Thery are right next to each other on the same tree and were covered. Nature is strange.

During the afternoon I moved all my phals outside for a good watering and a shot at a little sun. All are spiking with a few in full flower. My other orchids are mostly just hanging around at the moment. Not much action there. Tomorrow I'm getting another orchid rack and a table for them delivered which will then have to be put together. It will keep me busy and further ignoring the devestation in the garden. I dodn't know if my vanilla orchid will die or respout but many of the leaves which were plump green are now falling off and turning yellow and brown. We shall see.

Fred

Fred,

Glad you are home safe and Marlies is OK. You are so right about the garden...What will be will be and we can't do anything about the nonsense. We have to just look forward. So glad that you are enjoying that incredible pool and lanai. It's magnificent.

Nancy

went to Lowes today to get some bird seed and the weirdest thing happened--24 pansies and 4 bouganvillas just jumped into my cart on the way out!! strange days we're living in!!
made 8 hanging baskets out of the flowers.
at least they won't freeze as easy as everything else..............

Alright! Gotta love them pansies. Instant color to get your mind off all the brown stuff.

Ooooh, Ooooooh, I love Pansies! They come in such a range of colors!

got some burgandy looking ones, white/blue, yellow and purples.
gotta play golf tomarrow--supposed to be 78 here!!WooHoo!!

amore- How come your grass is green?? Whadya do? paint it??LOL

They do. There are probably, at least, 1000 different varieties of pansies and violas. The blue one above is "Delta Pure Light Blue". This is "Delta Yellow Purple Wing"

LOL. My grass is astroturf!! LOL It was brown two weeks ago but now its green again. Everyone's grass, in the neighborhood has recovered nicely.

ours will recover--about MARCH!!

Is anyone interested in starting a new thread?

Oh for sure!

Here's a new thread everybody!

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1072261/