Date: 29 Jan 2020
The most luscious Hospitality Fruit: Pineapple
by Mark Hooten, the Garden Doc
I wonder how many people know that the Pineapple (Ananas comosus) was actually the very first New World
tropical fruit to have been sampled fresh by European royalty? It happened 527
years ago, when one made it to Spain, being personally delivered to King
Ferdinand and Queen Isabella by Christopher Columbus... He had obtained a huge number
of them, however only one actually survived intact and edible! That
pineapple was instantly declared to be the most luscious wonderful fruit ever!..
...During the 1700s before the Revolutionary War, the overly monetarily
intoxicated super-rich were actually paying a modern equivalent ofâ - get this
- 8000 dollars for a single fruit!..
...In conclusion, I will add the simple recipe for my personally favorite
go-to comfort food...
CONTINUE READING >>
Date: 8 Nov 2019
Trimming Mussaenda bush
Q: My wife and I bought a Dona Evangelina from you this year. It thriving and has grown to 6-8 ft. It has become top-heavy and in wind, it falls over. Main stems have split twice but still continues to grow. I usually prune Dona Luz back to 3-4 ft and am wondering how much you would advise me to lop off your plant. Any advise will be appreciated.
A: Mussaendas, indeed, have very fragile stems that break often,
especially in Florida wind storms. The good news is, these plants grow
vigorously once established.
You did a good job trying to tie together the split stems and in fact,
cracks do grow back together as long as the dressing is tight. Try to use green
tape or even electric tape to tighten the broken spot.
However, do such repairs only if it is critical for a plant. When possible,
simply cut off the broken branch and give the plant a chance to grow a new
stronger branch. You may trim the bush pretty short. Mussaendas respond well
to pruning which promotes more side growth and makes the plant bushier.
Keep in mind that during cold weather, Mussaenda may drop all leaves and go
into dormancy until spring.
RECOMMENDED FERTILIZERS:
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster
Date: 4 Nov 2019
Hardy Plumeria Pudica
Q: I have ordered plumeria pudica from you in March and it is thriving really well here in Rancho Cordova, California. The current temperatures are ranging from 68 to 32 degrees Fahrenheit. My USDA zone is 9b. Does this plumeria pudica survive outside with temperatures dropping in coming winter in CA?
A: From our experience, Plumeria pudica is pretty cold hardy and takes some cold spells in
spite of being a tropical species.
Our trees (well-established) took a few hours of freeze with no
significant damage.
Potted plants are less hardy than in-ground plants. However, their
advantage is, they are easy to move indoors or inside warmer place like garage,
etc. If the temperature stays borderline around 32F for a few hours, the plant
should be safe as long as warm day temperatures follow a cold night. For
longer periods of cold, move the plant inside.
Make sure do not overwater and keep Plumeria on a dry side during
winter, since cold and wet is a bad combination and may cause root problems.
Above is the picture of Plumeria pudica tree growing in Cape Coral, FL
where low temperatures in winter sometimes go down to upper 20's for a few
hours.
To improve cold hardiness of Plumerias and other tropical plants, use SUNSHINE-Epi-T for plant thermal protection and immune system boost.
Make sure to fertilize plants on regular basis to keep them strong and
vigorous. The stronger and bigger the plant, the hardier it is!
RECOMMENDED FERTILIZERS:
Plumeria Top Dress - Smart-Release Booster
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster
Date: 30 Oct 2019
Fragrant Gold Leaf Orchid Vine
By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist
Q: I am absolutely thrilled to see you have this vine. I've tried for years to get this plant! It is so, so rare. It just seemed impossible to find in this country. How do I make it thrive? I am ordering two.
A: We are happy to confirm that indeed we do have this rare vine!
Bauhinia aureifolia - Gold Leaf Orchid Vine - was discovered in Thailand in
1983. It is endemic to Pattani, Narathiwat, and Yala in Southern Thailand.
Danish botanist Kai Larsen named this plant and hailed it as one of the rarest
plant species of the world when it was discovered in the eighties.
The Thai people call this vine Bai Mai Si Thong. It is a beautiful
climber with large, bi-loped leaves (7 inches or more!) and good branching.
Young leaves are a stunning burnt orange to terracotta color for about
a week and as they reach full size, they turn green over a couple of days.
This is a very rare color for Bauhinia. It produces leaves all the time and
this means this vine is always full of beautiful color. With its golden leaves,
it sure is reminiscent of Autumn.
This vine blooms from May to November. It bears bunches of small
flowers that are delicately fragrant in the evenings. The cultivated plants range
flower color from pure white to purple and pink, while the wild ones have
often white petals with pinkish patches.
Bauhinia aureifolia needs well-drained soil, full light and good humidity
to thrive. It will tolerate a light freeze once established and it is very
important to protect young plants.
Gold Leaf Orchid Vine also makes a wonderful container plant with staking
or support. It is a must for every rare plant collection!
RECOMMENDED FERTILIZERS:
Pink N Good Daily Plant Food - Flower Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster
Date: 11 Oct 2019
Fun of growing your own Pepper
By Onika Amell, tropical plant specialist
Q: Can you grow your own black pepper plants in the USA?
A: Who does not love the smell of freshly ground pepper, especially that lovely combination of white, green, black and red peppercorns, which are so much more interesting than just plain black corns. Yes, you can absolutely grow your own pepper! Peppercorns come from the plant Piper nigrum.
Growing Pepper Plant
Black pepper plants are actually vigorous vines, although they are
pretty slow growing and can be kept in a pot as a compact plant. But they will
need a strong support to climb over. Indoors, you can provide this support by
installing a trellis in a large pot. Some gardeners prefer to grow them as a
hanging plant instead. In warm climates, you can plant them directly outdoors
in a protected location with partial shade. These plants need rich, moist,
well-draining soil and warm, humid conditions. Peppers do not like temperatures
below sixty degrees, although they can survive some cold spells. It is very
important to bring these plants indoors or wrap them in a blanket if colder
weather arrives.
If you live in colder parts of the country, you can certainly grow
peppercorns in large pots. Grow them outdoors during the summer and move them
indoors during the winter, or grow them year-round in your greenhouse.
Houseplants will need bright light and consistent moisture. Spray the leaves regularly
with a bottle of water to increase humidity. Do not allow room temperatures
to fall below sixty degrees.
Besides the benefit of being able to grow your own gourmet pepper
corns, the foliage, as well as the flowers on this plant, are beautiful in its own
right. Off-white flowers appear from spring through summer, followed by slow
fruit production. The berries will appear on spikes, with 50 to 60 berries
per spike.
Fertilize this vine in the spring before new vigorous growth emerges. We
recommend:
Tropical Greenhouse Plus - Plant Booster
Tropical Allure - Smart-Release Booster
You may be surprised to learn that black, white, green and red peppercorns are all the same seed on the same plant in the various stages of development and processing.
Black peppercorns are the most familiar and come from the corns that have reached their full size but are still green and not quite ripe. They are picked and allowed to dry in the sun. Enzymes in the berries cause the skin to turn black during the drying process. They are the strongest in flavor.
White peppercorns are the mature berries that ripen to a red color before being picked. After harvesting, they are soaked and rubbed free of the outer skin down to the smooth white underlayer, then dried and bleached by the sun. They are slightly milder than black pepper.
Green peppercorns are the unripe peppercorns picked at the same stage of ripeness as black peppercorns, but not allowed to dry. They can be pickled in vinegar or brine. They are the least pungent.
Red peppercorns are the mature, but unshelled version of the peppercorn. One can usually find them in some gourmet and health food stores. They can be quite expensive.
Ground pepper will only stay fresh for about three months, but
peppercorns will last indefinitely. To make the most of your pepper harvest, store the
peppercorns in an airtight container in a cool, dark location. Grind them
immediately before use for the best flavor.
There is nothing like freshly ground black pepper simply combined with
a good quality olive oil and a splash of balsamic vinegar. This makes a
wonderful dipping sauce for fresh bread. Simple, yet elegant. All the better if
the pepper was grown in your very own garden!
