How to keep iguanas away?

Q: Really enjoy all the plants that I have got from you, but having a hard time keeping iguanas eating everything! We are not on the water, any solution to keep them out?

A: Iguanas may become quite a problem in the garden. Our first suggestion would be - get a Duck as we have (Duck Dobi), she is so dominant and keeps any wild animals away from the property, including gators... and cats! They are scared of her! Dobi thinks she owns the place.

Here are a few other ways to control iguana problem in your backyard:

1. Rid your lawn of dropped fruits. Iguanas love fruit. And they love low-hanging fruit or fruit that's easy to get to. If you have fruit trees, take the time to pick up your yard and dispose of any dropped fruit.
2. Keep a lid on a garbage can. Put your garbage cans in a place they can't get to, or put a cinder block on your can lid.
3. Do not leave pet food out. If you're putting a bowl of dog food or a plate of cat food out for your pets, you're inviting iguanas into your yard.
4. Fill iguana holes. Iguanas like to dig. Wherever you see a hole, fill it. Stuff rocks into the hole first, then fill it with dirt and top it with sod. The iguana may return to dig again, but he won't dig through large rocks.
5 Do NOT feed the iguanas. Don't be friendly with them, so they won't come back.
6. Wire netting around plants. You can use wire netting or screens to prevent iguanas from entering plants and shrubs.
7. Spray them with a hose. When you see an iguana in the yard, spray them with the hose. They also hate loud noises. Constant harassment can keep them from returning.
8. Keep your yard clean. Excessive overgrowth or yard storage are great places for iguanas to hide.
9. Do not leave food out, unattended. Iguanas are mainly herbivores but that doesn't mean they won't smell something good and want to eat it. They will TRY anything.

Hopefully these tips help keep your iguana problems to a minimum.

Tabernaemontana africana - a bush or a tree?

Q: I received a Tabernaemontana africana, but it is not the compact cultivar, from the photo, this is definitely the tree version, not the compact version?

A: The plant in your picture is Tabernaemontana africana and it is a shrub version, not a tree. The plants we have in stock are smaller size but very vigorous so they can be trained into standards.
We have this plant in our garden in the ground (3 years old) and by now it bushed out and remains under 4 ft without any pruning. Just keep in mind this plant requires regular applications of micro-elements, because the species is very susceptible to iron deficiency. The supplement we use, in case you notice any leaf yellowing, is Sunshine-Superfood.

How to grow Parijat indoors in winter

Q: I purchased Parijat plant last year spring. It had good growth in Summer, after that I kept the plant inside the house in winter. A couple of weeks it was ok, after that the plant lost leaves. What is a better idea for growing Parijat plant indoors in Winter?

A: Nyctanthes arbor-tristis, Parijat - is a semi-deciduous plant, which means, it may lose its leaves during unfavorable conditions such as drought, cold, low light and/or humidity. In your case, the plant dropped leaves because of the stress of moving indoors that includes reducing light and humidity levels. When a tropical plant loses leaves during winter, this means it goes into a dormant stage. If this happens, you need to reduce watering and keep the plant on a dry side, water in only when the top level of the soil feels dry to touch. Do not fertilize.
Try to place the plant in a well-lit spot such as a windowsill. If the windowsill and the window glass feel too cold for touch during wintertime, you may place a sheet of a Styrofoam underneath the pot, and a sheet of a bubble-wrap between the plant and the window glass, to create an extra barrier from cold. The plant may re-leaf during wintertime; if not, it may wait until spring, be patient.
Bring it back into outdoor light when minimum temperatures rise above 65F and resume fertilizing.

Recommended fertilizers for fragrant plants:

Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Plumeria Top Dress - Smart-Release Booster
SUNSHINE SuperFood - microelement supplement