A new law hopes to fix deforestation and teach young people about
environmental stewardship. Students in the Philippines now have a final requirement
in order to graduate from school: they must plant 10 trees. The new law,
which came into effect on May 15, 2019, will apply to graduates from elementary
and high schools, and college or university.
With 12 million kids graduating from elementary school, 5 million from
high school, and 500 thousand from university every year, that means 175
million trees will be planted annually! Over the course of a generation, that
will mean 525 billion trees, although Alejano has said that even if only 10
percent of the trees survived, that's still an impressive 525 million in a
generation!
It sounds like the Philippines has introduced a wonderful program that
other countries would do well to emulate. Anything that gives young people a
sense of connection and responsibility for the natural environment bodes well
for its future... Continue reading...
Q: I have a bare spot in my front garden, behind a low wall, in
part-sun. I'm hoping to find an evergreen, flowering ground cover that will
cover it quickly. Any ideas on finding something with the ability to eventually
also cascade over that wall? I live on Marco Island, Florida.
A:Barleria Repens - Small Bush Violet, is a tough, fast-growing evergreen
that blooms from late spring to autumn. Of the many Barleria we see in the
tropics, Pretty in Pink is one of the most striking! The name tells the whole
story: pretty and pink. A lot of gardeners enjoy using them as a ground
cover. They will quickly cover a large area - their stems root readily as the
plant crawls along. They are easily propagated by lifting the rooted runners or
using cuttings. They also reseed easily. Flowers are followed by seed pots
that explode open when dry, dispersing 4 seeds at a time! But perhaps best liked
by many gardeners, is their habit to cascade. It will be well suited for
covering the bare area in your garden and spilling over that wall beautifully.
When used as a ground cover, remember to pinch out young shoots to
encourage bushiness and prune the plant back hard after flowering to keep it
neat.
Barleria repens will also adapt to different situations in a garden if
you need them to. Although they usually form a rounded to spreading bushy
shrub, 2 ft high by 3 ft wide, they will climb when you give them support. They
are often allowed to lean into nearby trees and shrubs.
Hardy to 28F, Barleria repens is pest-free and fairly frost-tolerant.
They love sun and part shade, as well as well-drained soil and plenty of
organic material. Avoid planting it in deep shade as it will get leggy and
reluctant to flower.
They will thrive when fed with a slow release fertilizer at intervals
of 6-8 weeks, throughout the growing season.
There is another cultivar of this exact variety that has blue-purple
flowers, it is called Purple Prince! It couples perfectly with Pretty in Pink! :)
Q: Pretty much adore last newsletter. Haven't been buying because
our weather here in deep south Texas is so bad it is stunting and killing
even the Tamaulipan Scrub! Do you have a cure for that? :) I have every
expectation the new grafted Plumeria I purchased from you last year will bloom soon.
One of my favorite plants. Thanks again and keep up the good works.
A: Yes, there is a "cure" - using biostimulants that improve drought- and heat- resistance (SUNSHINE
boosters), plus the right plant selection. In fact, there is a large number of
tropical rare plants that can be successfully grown in hot climates like yours.
One of our partners lives in hot and dry Arizona area and has an amazing
tropical garden that includes many fruit trees (Mango, Persimmons, Pomegranates, Loquats, etc). Here you can see a few pics from his garden.
Your choice is absolutely right about plumerias. Other easy plants would be Desert roses - Adeniums, and Fancy Euphorbia millii - all these come in so many varieties of colors
and bloom throughout most of the year. Our special recommendations for you
would be also:
Q: I live in Mesa, Arizona. I am considering purchasing two of
you Triple Sec Mango trees. Can you please give me some information on this
variety and how to grow it successfully here in hot and arid
Arizona, if at all?
A:Triple Sec Mango is a new name for the superior variety Seacrest. The
aroma of this fruit resembles Triple Sec - an orange liqueur. It's a juicy,
mid-season variety that has good disease resistance.
Mango has pretty good heat and drought tolerance. It loves sun, but there
are a lot of factors to consider when growing Mango in your area.
Check your soil. Soil quality is always first and foremost: when you
live in an area of Arizona with
hardpan (extremely compacted desert soil) or caliche (layers of soil
cemented by calcium carbonate) you
will have to learn how to deal with such soil types. Amend the soil as
needed.
The best time to plant is spring or fall to give your Mango a chance to
get established before the really intense Summer heat starts. Alternatively,
protect the tree with a shade cloth. Tender, new growth will not stand a
chance unprotected, especially newly planted and/or young trees.
Mangoes are tropical and sensitive to frost and freeze damage. Young
trees especially will also need winter protection when temperatures go near or
below freezing. Always plant trees in a location where they will be protected
from cold wind. Consider staking your newly planted Mango trees for the
first year. It's never a bad idea to even stake during periods of high winds.
Make sure your planting site has very good drainage. Always use a good
quality mulch around your tree as it helps to trap moisture, keeping the
ground and the roots beneath it cool. Keep mulch a couple of inches from the
trunk of the tree. Avoid a location that gets full day sun. Morning sun,
afternoon shade is ideal. Give regular watering until the tree is established. Once
established, water only when the soil feels dry.
Fertilizer with a Mango-Food. A foliar spray of micronutrient solution is always
recommended during the active growing period. Use plant stimulants and microelements to improve cold hardiness and vigor.
Q: I recently purchased a Mangifera indica - Coconut Cream Mango from you and would like to know if it is possible
to keep this in a large pot rather than putting it in the ground. If so, I
have a few questions:
1. How large would you expect this variety to get?
2. What are the ideal growing conditions? Full sun, partial sun,
etc...?
3. What is the ideal soil?
4. Any specific watering directions for ideal growth?
A: Coconut Cream mango tree has a moderate growth. We've planted
one in our garden 4 years ago and it is still under 10 ft tall. This variety
should be well suitable for container culture.
1. Keep the branches trimmed after fruiting is over. Mango trees can be
grown in 15 to 25 gal containers and can be trimmed under 7-8 ft high.
2. All mango trees need full sun, the more sun the better.
3. Mango needs very well draining soil, ideally with lots of bark and
perlite. We recommend our professional soilless mix or a similar formula.
4. Mango trees hate wet feet, and prefer to stay on a dry side: make
sure soil in a pot doesn't stay wet; allow it to dry a little between the
waterings.
Remember to apply Mango Food fertilizer during warm season for vigorous growth and heavy
crop!
Q: Do all persimmons take roughly 6 years to fruit if grown from
seed?
A: Persimmons, like most of the cultivated fruit trees, are
recommended to be grafted to ensure a certain variety, although they may also come
true to seed. And unfortunately, you are right - it will take a few years
(depending on growing conditions) until the seedling will start fruiting. So
your best bet to get a quality fruit right away is to obtain a grafted plant.
You may check out persimmons (tropical and subtropical) that we carry in stock. If you
are interested in any of the varieties that are currently sold out, just add
your email to wishlist by clicking on link Notify me when available and you
will be notified as soon as we have it back in stock.
In 1982, a German artist Joseph Beuys proposed a plan to plant 7000 oaks
throughout the city of Kassel, each paired with a basalt stone. The 7000 stones were
piled up on the lawn in front of the Museum Fridericianum with the idea that
the pile would shrink every time a tree was planted. The project, seen locally
as a gesture towards green urban renewal, took five years to complete and
has spread to other cities around the world!
We can plant a tree without moving a stone... Just plant and enjoy the
beauty!
Q: I would like to buy a noni tree, something that would produce much fruit as soon as possible.
I live in NJ, would you ship here?
A: Noni is one of the most suitable fruit trees for potting culture. A 1-3 gallon size plant will
flower and fruit for you within a year. These are Noni's special features:
- flowers and fruits at young age, nearly year around
- tolerates shade and grows large ornamental leaves in filtered light
- suitable for indoor culture
- easy in cultivation, drought and water tolerant, not susceptible to insects
- medicinal properties are endless and cannot be under-appreciated
This plant can be shipped to any state, and will produce fruit for you under minimal care. Just
provide warm frost-free conditions, as this tropical tree is very cold sensitive.
Q: Please help! We just moved into a new house in Florida and
don't have any mature trees yet, but the sun is already brutal! Can you suggest
any super-fast growing shade tree that can make shade over my driveway as
soon as possible?
A: Check out Giant Potato Tree - it is very fast growing, has very large leaves plus
very pretty purple flowers as a bonus year round! The pictured tree was
planted from 3 gal only 6 months ago, and already covers with shade the whole
car. It is small to a medium size tree, but one of the fastest growing.
If you are looking for a larger tree and willing to be more patient, here
is the full list of tropical and subtropical fast growing shade trees. Most of
them may take a few years until they reach a mature size, however, in order
to enjoy your shade tomorrow, you must plant the tree today!
