S FL Galloping Gardners 9/24/05

Here we are.......rooten' and a tooten', no pun intended. We are a small group that meet every couple of weeks for a plant and info fix and are joined by many in spirit from all around. All are welcome..

Hap

Join us in our next adventures.....

This message was edited Sep 24, 2005 10:33 AM

The get together this time is at my house Wednesday 9/28 at 10:00 am. We will spend some time digging plants in my garden to take home and have lunch at the Copper Kettle.

We surely would welcome anyone else who want to join us. If you are free and can make it, d-mail me for my address and phone number.

As many of you might know, I will be moving further north by the end of the year and I wish to give some of my plants a new home so I won't have to transport them.

Please join us!!!

Molly
:^)))

Hap, I'm happy to see you back again. We really missed you!!!!
See you all on Wed., looking forward to our meeting.
Hugs
Val

Hi all,
Hap, Always nice to see you but especially this time. You were gone (it seems like) a long time. Would you like me to bring you more large leaves, or how about a few plants that make large leaves. I had to move into pots, two copperleaf's. One is greens and whites the other is reds and greens. These were moved from the area where my utility pole is listing into my yard. I also have a bunch of Flaming Glory Bower Clerodendrum speciosissimum which also make large leaves. In fact I gave you one of these leaves at the last GT. These plants are growing, not cuttings.

Val, Thanks for the info on the Brazilian Skipper. I occasionally have a leaf roller or two here, but crush them when I find them. I have so much foliage here there is plenty for all of them to eat without any particular one causing much damage.

A year or so I discovered I didn't need a great variety of nectar plants to attract butterflies and moths. I found as long as I had larvae plants for them to lay their eggs they visited here often. To this day I have butterflies that don't land to feed, but do land to lay eggs. Most don't cause much damage to the plants (excluding the Monarch.) There is an upside to the damage they do cause, the plants seem to recover fast and grow fuller after a visit by cat's.

The canna's Molly gave me are all growing new plants. When they are up a bit, I can cut some off for you if any of you want them.

The picture attached is of coralbush Jatropha multifida. This one is a little over a year old. I have three growing, hoping I could get you girls to try them.

Sylvan, how are you going to live in a condo when you have gardeners blood running through your veins. The opportunity to plant at will any time you want, and you won't be able to. I can see you going into withdrawal already. I bet you don't last a year in a condo.

Art

Thanks Art, that would be fine. I'm not sure about the clend...

Hap

I forgot something. I have berries that are ready for picking from my "new" Bahama Strongbark. These are fragrant trees that can be kept to around 7 - 8 feet. I tried to buy this tree at nurseries from Key Largo to Pompano Beach. I only found them at Alexander's. This is a Florida native.
All you gotta do is ask and their yours. Be the first on your block to have one of these beauties. LOL

Art

Hap, so glad you decided to take them. You girls give me so much but take so little from me (my selection couldn't have anything to do with it could it.) LOL

An update on the wild poinsetta. The picture attached was taken a few minutes ago. It's getting more colorful and more leaves are growing from the base.

I have a bunch of these if anyone wants them. They are about 6-8 inches tall. This plant is also a Florida native.

Art

Oooh Art, I hope mine does that soon. I like that weed.
I have a passiflora that suddenly popped in an area of my garden. I think it is vitifolia, but I'm not 100%sure. it is quite large and if any of you wants it, it's yours. Also, I have a huge Night Blooming Jasmine that I want to get rid of. I've discovered that I'm highly allergic to the perfume and I just can't have it around. If any of you wants it, you have to be prepared to dig. It's enormous.
I want to start some cuttings tomorrow, so let me know what each of you want.
Art, I would like some of the berries, I need new trees to replace the ones I lost.
Val

Val,

If that night blooming jasmine will grow in zone 9, may i Have?

Molly
:^)))

For sure Molly. Be ready to take a monster plant. I'll have to trim a lot before you dig it out. I think I have a picture that was taken months ago.

BTW it flowers every month religiously with hundreds of blooms that have a really powerful scent. I have it on the other side of my house because it can be overpowering.

Edited for spelling.

This message was edited Sep 24, 2005 11:34 PM

Hi Val, I'll take the passionflower, if no one else claims it. On the night blooming jasmine, I have had them for years. After you take the cuttings you need, you can cut the bush back to just about where it begins to branch out, leaving just the main (should be small) trunk.
It can be safely dug up in this condition and replanted, but quickly. On Wednesday, i'll bring along a large pot for Molly to transplant it into. When she gets to gainsville she can put it into the ground. I have moved mine several times over the years and it's not a problem.

On the wild poinsetta, the plants that are beginning to turn are those planted in the yard, not the one I have in a pot, even though the one in the pot is much more mature.

I'll bring along strongbark seeds (berries) for anyone wanting them.

I found where I can get Bahama Berry Nashia inaguensis and hope to have one in my possession by the end of this week. I have been looking to buy this plant since I found out it is the favorite nectar plant for the Atala butterfly. I have been trying to attract this butterfly to my yard since the spring.

I was up earlier than usual this morning, about 3:30 am. I went out to the patio with my first cup of coffee. The paper wasn't here yet so I just wandered around the pool looking at my plants planted there. To my surprise I saw a IO Moth. It was just where it was supposed to be, on my hibiscus bushes. It lays eggs on three (that I know of) hibiscus bushes. The picture attached is not mine. If I had my camera and I was able to take a picture of one, it would not come out good anyway due to my having to use a flash. It seems when I use a flash on butterflies or moths their colors are not even close to true. This is only the second one I have seen.

Enjoy!
Art

I got a call from Sugar yesterday evening. She was sitting on the side of the pool cooling her feet off. What a job she has! Walking on steel plates and concrete really takes a toll on her feet......and just wait 'til you hear her describe "shimmying" in on her belly to go inside a boiler! It's funny, but scarey!!!

She asked me to tell you that she missed you all.
Pati

Hi.

Art, I understand your concerns over me going into gardening withdrawal symptoms on account of my living in a condo. However, owners are encouraged to lend a helping hand. The gardeners have their hands full as it is now.

I will simply volunteer to take care of three beds around our building, supplying manpower and plants. In exchange, I'll request full control of what grows there. The administration will most likely be overjoyed. So will the team of gardeners. I draw the line at cutting grass.

There is a method to my madness. The canal's bed is a full-sun location until about 3PM. Another bed, on the North side of the parking lot gets moderate sun (about 1/2 of the day) whereas the bed on the South side of the parking lot is in total shade. The parking lot beds need a lot of work. That's great because I'll have lots of time.

Sylvain

Hi.

You guys will think I'm some kind of wooss when it comes to reptiles. I'm sorry if that's the impression you get. I'm merely apprehensive. I was reading an August post in the cannas forum when someone mentionned to keep the leaves trimmed because it's SNAKE time.

Like my friend Rhina would say: Oy Veh, first iguanas and now snakes already! What snakes? Although I can say "Krikey" with an australian accent, there is no Crocodile Hunter blood in me. Would someone tell me what kinds of snakes you encounter down there and how dangerous they are, please. If this keeps up, I'll be gardening from the building's rooftop because I'm reasonably certain them there crawlies can't use the elevator by themselves. The administration will not be amused.

Worrled (again) in Montreal.
Sylvain.

Sylvain, there are lots of snakes here because there is lots of stuff for them to eat. I know they are in my yard and occasionally I see one of them. More often I see the skins they have outgrown.
I have several piles of coral rock which I use for building walls. Rocks are rare down here, so I pick them up and bring them home whenever I find them. I know there are snakes in my rock piles so I make plenty of noise and rattle a lot of bushes to warn them I am coming.

Before our cat died, he would bring us a snake probably once a week. After showing it to us (proving he was doing his job) he would eat the whole thing. You would think with the cat eating so many snakes that now that he is gone I would see more of them, but I don't.
Here you will find a listing of all the snakes in Florida. http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/herpetology/FL-GUIDE/fl-snakeslist.htm
Below is a link to the six Venomous snakes of Florida.
http://www.floridaconservation.org/viewing/species/snakesv.html

What I find more disturbing are the spiders here.

Art

Art. I have checked both links you so generously provided. Thank you for your trouble.

That kinda does it for me: I'll be gardening in pots from the balconies (LOL). Just looking at those snakes made my skin crawl. I guess I have a mild case of herpetophobia. On top of that, I remember a neighbour describing a big black snake about 4 feet long that lounges in the grass on sunny days between our building and the irrigation canal.

I believe from the description it is a cottonmouth snake. What a dreadful animal: it fall in the pit viper category. Vipers are not known for their tolerance. It's more like: bite first and ask questions later.

I can deal with spiders, but snakes? I guess I have just been lucky never to see one yet. I'll be OK; I just have to get used to the idea.

Sylvain.

Sylvain,

I have at least 3 of those black snakes in my yard. Commonly known as "Black Racers", they are between 3-4 feet long. These are the most common snakes that I have found. Keep in mind that not only am I a gardener, I also paint houses, inside and out.

I frequently encounter these in both types of activities. They can be a little intimidating at first, they move very fast and when feeling aggressive they will most fast towards you. The first time I came upon these, there were 3 sunning themselves in the tumbleweed right after hurrican Andrew. I never ran faster in my life, it seemed they were chasing me. I was on a job with 100% latin workers and I was the only one speaking english.

Through sign language I was able to communicate to one man, he should get a machete and cut back the scrub weeds, or "I no travajo manana." That was my first.

Now when I see them in the garden, I smile and feel happy they are there composting or whatever they do, for me.

I have seen starlings dive bombing these snakes and my greyhound will occasionally kill one.

Art, thanks for the link, I now know a little more about my garden friends.

Molly
:^)))

Sylvain, you shouldn't worry much about the snakes. I have had encounters with 3 of the most poisonous one, but never while gardening. 2 of those encounters were in the Everglades and one was at a place were I used to work. Like Molly says the most common ones are the black racers, but in the garden you are most likely to encounter ringneck snakes. Those are small and they only harm bugs. I'm happy to have them in my yard. I'm way more afraid of spiders. They are everywhere and sometimes you can't see them,Yikes and double Yikes.
Val

Edited because I can't spell this morning

This message was edited Sep 26, 2005 9:41 AM

I have a problem with a plant I would like to discuss with you. About six or so months ago I purchased Angelonia angustifolia hybred plant from HD. As the plant grew in the ground it changed it’s leaf shape and the way it was growing. I showed this plant to Molly and Nancy when they visited here and commented on the way the new part of the plant was growing vs the old style of growth. I took a cutting of the plant and grew it, then transplanted it near my nursery area, across the yard from the original plant. This plant is growing similar, but much straighter than the original, probably due to it’s in full sun and the original is not.
The problem is the plant is flowering much different than the original. It’s flowering in a single grouping of lots of smaller yellow flowers vs single purple blooms on the original. I enclosed a panorama picture showing the original plant with blooms and leaves, the new plant flowers and the new plant leaves. The leaves of both plants are identical, but the flowers and pattern of flowering are entirely different with different colors. How could this happen?

A plant id. I got this cutting from one of you. I think it was Nancy. I originally wanted the plant for it’s ground cover type of growth. It flowered this morning so I captured it and enclosed it here for your ID. Can anyone help out.

Thanks,
Art

Art, I will venture to say that they are 2 different plants.The flowers are completely different, so it would be really strange to have such extreme mutation. The leaves don't look exactly identical to those of the angelonia either (at least from this perspective). It could be some native wildflower. Can you post a closeup picture of the plant?
Val

FIRST AND FORMOST.......

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOLLY........



Art, that yellow/orange is from me and it is a sedum. My neighborhood iguana ate all of mine; well almost, I have a couple of sticks left. Oh well. God gave him a stomach too. He's now about 4' long. I wonder how big that sucker will get.

Oh, no one has told your about them, have they Sylvain? heheheh

Hap

Molly, happy birthday...girl!

Val, it's hard to get a close up of the plant because of it's height. It's almost 2' tall. I will bring a piece of it and the angelonia along with me on Wednesday.

Nancy, thanks for the ID. You want one on Wednesday? I have two of them growing and would gladly part with one.

Those lurking nearby, why not join us this Wednesday. Have some fun, meet some new people (us), visit places of interest, this week Molly's yard & garden. Get Free knowledge from the girls. Get free cuttings and seeds from all of us. Get free plants (you just have to dig them) from Molly. Have a nice lunch (not free) Get your picture taken and posted here (free)

Remember, the best things in life are free.

Art (not free, but cheap) LOL

Thanks for the birthday wishes Art. You are really cute today :^))))) teeheehee

Molly

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOLLY!!!!!!!!!!!
Had no idea, hopefully it's not too late. Have a great day!!!

Rose for Ms. Molly.

Val,

You are funny, I'm still breathing......so it's not too late. Thanks so much!!!!

Jeremy helped me dig bulbs and sit out front at my plant sale on Saturday (all I could think of that I wanted for my birthday) and he's taking me out to dinner tonight.

It's a great day and I don't think it's too bad being 52.

Molly
:^))))

My My that Rose is beeeaauuutiful. Thank you.

:^)))

LOL, Molly. Have a great dinner with your DS!!

Val

Hi, you all.

First, Happy Birthday, Molly. Here is one of my favourite hibiscus blooms for you. I'll have a piece of chocolate cake (Hellman's recipe) later on for you.

Now... about iguanas, Art has told me about those and I've seen them around our buildings. Although I am not thrilled about them, I don't feel the same "unease" towards them as I do when it comes to snakes. I have eaten snake in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. From the size of the filet in my plate, I would say it was a sizeable animal. It was very tasty, with an unusual texture. Everything taken into consideration, I would rather have them on my plate than lurking around the grass while I'm working.

Good news: someone wants to visit the house. Let's hope it's a really interested party rather than a tire kicker lurking around. Houses have a tendency to sell quickly in this area.

Wishing you all a grand time Wednesday.

Sylvain.

Sylvain,

Thanks so much. Wow, that cake sounds great! I didn't even have any today. Was full from dinner, but I'm ready now LOL

Good luck on t he house.

Molly
:^))

Just sent a dmail to new subscriber, barbara737 inviting her tomorrow.

Me too Nancy, I did that yesterday or the day before, can't remmember which.

Looking forward to hearing from her.

Molly
:^)))

Hi
Nice to see you girls trying to recruit new SFGG's. Hope you have success. I was trying to nudge the lurkers. It didn't seem to work.

Thinking back on this, I have invited several to join us or at least look in on our activities. None has ever replied, let alone show up here. I wonder if these GT's being on weekdays has anything to do with it? I am sure a lot of people that visit Dave's work during the week. Any thought's about this.

Any requests for plants asside from what I am already bringing along?

I would love to go with you on your activities, but I am a little too far away, and I have to work. You probably wouldn't want me to bring 75 high schoolers along.
Nancy

Nancy,

You sure got that right, the only thing worse than BEing a teenager..........................................

Well, I'll be seing you next week!!!! A teeney-mini-roundup.

Molly

Molly,
I have looked at your journal, but there's so much to choose from. What other plants would be good for full sun and an inexperienced gardener? I love hostas and do have a side yard that is shadier.
Nancy

Good Morning Nancy,

I have some ideas for both sunny and shady areas. Can I surprise you? along with the pond floaters?
You will not be disappointed.

Molly
:^)))

Yes, Molly, by all means. I don't have enough experience to know what is best and have made a lot of mistakes and killed a lot of nice plants. I have been working on the pond site and should have it redug and filled with water on Saturday.

The Scardy Cat plant sound interesting. I may need one of those because my cat has been rearranging my roses to make a bed for himself. He thinks the planter bed belongs to him.
Nancy

This message was edited Dec 9, 2005 1:39 PM