Sunday, November 15, 2009

Here in this space, I have found an avenue to share with others about what makes me happy-my dirt, my land and my gardens. Yes, there is a great deal of work to do here but a little work never hurt anyone and it is very therapeutic. As I look over the comments from readers, I must say, take time to enjoy. It’s ok to lay on the grass and look up at the sky-even if the sign says stay off the grass. Take that little bit of time and let the power of the sky fill your heart. If you do not have a green thumb, look around at the flora around you. Better yet, buy yourself some flowers-you deserve it. Receiving flowers are a great gesture on the giver’s part, but when you buy them for yourself you can look at them, smile and know that with all the ugliness in the world, you’re ok.

As I look around my property, I have so many memories of people from the past and the present. When I moved here, I had a neighbor, Mrs. Ryals, who was in her eighties and could tell you the history of any rose. My daylilies are from my friend Betty, who I have spoken of before. I always have sunflowers in my gardens. I had a very special friend, Mary, who was ill. She lived in Georgia with her son but had planned on moving here to live out her final days. She never made it here but her room is still decorated in a thirties theme to suit her. She loved sunflowers. When she died, I took some to her funeral and her children did not even know. So here I will put out for anyone that reads this, when you see a sunflower say hello to Mary.

This may be my final posting but overall, from this exercise, I have learned that it does no matter whether you enjoy quilting, heavy metal, rap, fashion, sports, Irish folk music or even “Project Runway”, we find beauty in our own way. Yes, we may look at others in a different light but Life is too short. Enjoy life, appreciate everything around you, don’t be too quick to judge but mostly take the time to smell the rose. There is nothing sweeter in life.

Monday, November 9, 2009

My world is a very very fine place!


People often ask me “why do you live so far away from Tampa?” My common answer is “I love my dirt.” That is the short answer. The first time I came to Florida was in 1992. I came to visit my father and spend Thanksgiving with him. Then at Christmas, on a whim, I came back down. I stayed for two weeks and did not want to leave. When I returned home, I decided to make the move from the cold, wet winter of Indianapolis. In May of 1993, I loaded up my furniture and pets and made the move. The only plan I had made was to set up a tent at my father’s until I found a place. After a week of searching, I found home. When I pulled in the drive, I felt at home. I looked in the window and walked around the house, tasted the water and took the place immediately and moved in shortly after.

My home is located in a small section of the county called Pineola- Translated, “Land of the Walking Spirits.” When you are here, you feel a sense of piece and tranquility that you would never find in the city. Have I seen spirits? Let’s just say that there have been many unusual things happen over the years. I have friends that will not come out to the area after dark because of the area’s history. I have never felt threaten by anything. I guess I did not mention the other reason they don’t like to come out. For over years, this area is also known for its social club, where the members wear white sheets. Can you imagine going through life afraid of linens. In this area, I cannot imagine those sheets being more that 300 thread count, who can be afraid of that? Now if we are talking about 700 count or more, I might be a little afraid. Personally, I have never had any problems with this club and in reality, they are not the club they were 50 years ago or even 20 years. If the founding families still carry the attitude of their past, they do no show it. I am grateful for this but really was hoping to get the welcome basket and a burning cross.

This land is a sanctuary for all who visits. Some of my friends come over just to sit under a tree and decompress, At night, you feel so close to the stars, you feel you can reach up and grab one. The symphony starts at sundown, as the crickets begin to warm up their legs and the whiporwill starts to practice its song. By Midnight, the entire forest has joined in and the show begins. Occasionally, they will have special guests such as a visiting owl or a crane. When you combine this with the sounds of a crackling fire and good conversation-life is good.

Writing this blog has given me the opportunity to share a special part of the world and show those who questions my reasons for living here a greater perspective. I love the city and in time will live in the city but I’ll never give up my serenity of the country. My door is open to anyone who wants to escape. Thank you for your interest in my world.

Some will ask if there is any downfall to living here, no. Granted my taxes and insurance are out of this world (this year they went up to $370 and insurance $800) but I am happy. As Ethyl Merman sings, “I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night.”


Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Everything is coming up Roses!

The results are in and the shit soup has proven to be a success. It has been two weeks and everything is coming up Roses. All of my plants have bursted with flowers. I think I need to buy Gumby some apples. Here are some pictures of my success.




















Tuesday, November 3, 2009

The Floats, the beads and the Gore?










I love a parade, the floats, the beads, a lot of drinking and most of the people. The highlight of the year is attending the Gasparilla parade. The one thing that I found is that people tend to become assholes not only when drinking but while fighting for those front spots on the road. We have always gone to the parade and stand at the same spot every year. Over time, I have come to realize a dream ( I think it was after some drunken idiot decided that every time I got good beads, he would pat me on my shoulder [that I just had major surgery on] to tell me good job.) I dream of walking down the street with my Husqvarna brush cutter with the 10’ saw blade and cutting every asshole at the ankles. I could cut right through the ankle in seconds flat. I may only get twenty or so people but if it is only prove a point- people should be patient and everyone will get beads. Title 18, United States Code, Section 113(a)(6) and (4) of the Department of Justice Penal code, states “assault resulting in serious bodily injury and one count of assault by striking, beating or wounding,” it further defines “that a person who is convicted for aggravated assault, possession of a firearm by a felon, or burglary of a conveyance shall be sentenced to a minimum term of imprisonment of 3 years if such person possessed a "firearm" or "destructive device" during the commission of the offense. “

I like to say most yard equipment is not as let’s just say a great way to silence those who disturb you, but with the exception of my blower, they all can do serious damage. I have found using high quality yard equipment is essential in working on large pieces of property. I prefer Husqvarna and Stihl equipment. When you hear, “you get what you pay for,” it is true. These brands are a little pricy but when you compare to your everyday Walmart brand, it is a difference between night and day. I have used the cheaper brands and burned them up in less than 20 minutes. Even the regular homeowner who works every so often on their property will find the investment is worth it. The better heavy duty brands are made for longevity and hard work. They also will last for many years to come as long as they are maintained. On my property, I use the brush cutter, a weed eater, stick trimmer, chain saw and a blower. I am comfortable to know I will have no worries with equipment failure and if a neighbor pisses me off, I will be able to take care of the problem. Afterwards, you find the importance of a good shovel.

Another one of my favorites, is my Gravely, bush hog. It will shred a Lhasa Apso in less than thirty seconds and tear up small trees quickly. I use it in the woods and also to cut thicker grassy areas. You can compare a Gravely to a riding more with 100 times more power.


Over all, I encourage anyone that actually do their own work on their properties to spend the extra money on the better equipment and reduce the frustrations of having to replace the junk on a regular basis. Look around, every landscape business have nothing but the best for the durability and ease of use. Most of all to use as a way to release your frustration and worries. When I look at the US penal code and think of the damage I can do with my equipment, I weight the options. Would it be worth the punishment? As I sit here and ponder that question, I think to myself-yeah!

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Let's talk with the Animals







In one of my past blogs, I wrote about the garden pests and friends. I would like to expand on this subject as I have other visitors that I haven’t seen before since I moved here in 1993. On Friday as I was working in the yard, I saw something out of the ordinary a small black snake moving quickly across the lawn. It was too small for Ophelia. Upon closer inspection, I saw a small snake about 18” long that was red, black and yellow. I look at it as I tried to remember the poem that is used to determine the difference between the coral snake and the king snake. Ken Bultman writes on the website Scienceray:

“To the newcomer who has not seen either reptile coming across the harmless king snake causes many to believe they have encountered a deadly coral snake. The result is often the needless dispatching of a beautiful creature that means no harm except to small rodents and large insects. There is a poem (I did not write it) that locals try to teach new residents upon their arrival to help them distinguish between the two varieties of snakes–one poisonous, one not. “Red on yellow, kill a fellow. Red on black, friend of Jack.”

This is a great reminder but when you actually are look straight at it, you can get confused. This one was definitely a coral snake. Normally, I would kill any venomous snake that come on the property, but it was so beautiful, I just could not bring myself to do it. Not to mention, the little bastard was very fast. So I let it scurry into the woods unharmed.

As I had mentioned in the past, I have many pests on the property including several tribes of ants, spiders and tree frogs (who seem to think coming inside of the house is the safest place to be.) When I work in my flower beds, I literally, sit in the dig up weeds in the beds. I do this by loosening the soil with a potato fork and then snaking my hands through the soil to get the root system. If you can get the entire system, no more weeds. If you leave one piece of root, they continue to grow. While I am doing this, I am often attacked by angry ants and the battle begins. I through chemicals to kill them, but to them it is candy. So now I am following the advice of a friend who told me to take part of one colony and put is by another one and then they fight to the death. This is fun to watch. Although, mostly I deal with the ants, I am also exposed to every other bug in the yard. One time, a spider got me. I am sure it was a brown recluse as my leg swollen twice it size and was very painful. When I went to the hospital, I left after sitting in an empty waiting room for 4 hours and went home. I kept the let elevated and used some natural oils to help draw out the poison. It took about four or five days but like I was once told by a nurse, “you are such a man by refusing to go to the hospital.” I said, screw and waited it out.

Throughout the years, I have also witness some creatures that just add to my reasons for living here. Besides the common yard birds such as sparrows, blue jays, finches and cardinals, I have barn and screech owls. I love the owls. One night while sitting in the yard with friends, we witness one of the funniest sights you can see. Two owls that were flying down and then swooping up and bump in mid air. They repeated this same pattern for quit awhile. It was the funniest this to watch. The next day, I asked one of my older neighbors about this and was informed that we were watching the mating ritual of the barn owl. They certainly were exhibitionists, because they did not mind the audience. When they were done, they landed on some nearby branches. As the female smoked a satisfying cigarette, the male simply turned away from her and went to sleep. Men are such pigs.

I also have several have hawks, deer, raccoons and possums that share my property. Every so often, I have had some very strange experiences with animals. Once, I had a cattle stampede, of about 50 cows, run past us like we were not there. Though, the most unusual was a Florida panther that was walking through the property. It was interesting because we found that no matter how big the kitty, they are still afraid of dogs. My Rottie and lab proudly treed this cat for about an hour before we got the dogs and let it go on its way.

So as with everything else in life you take the good with the bad and find middle ground. Yes, I have found some of the really bad visitors that really could have done some damage, but, then I look at the good. Who needs a zoo when all I have to do is sit and watch the world go by and welcome the visitors as they come. The one thing I have learned, is when you talk to the animals, they will talk to you. You just cannot find this in the city.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Nature's Therapy

People often ask why I love gardening. Mostly my reply is just look at the results of my work and its beauty says it all. In reality, it is therapeutic. I go through bouts of severe depression where I just cannot function. At times, I isolate myself and have no motivation to do much of anything. My mind is like a blank screen. Television is just noise. I don’t eat or do anything to care for myself. To some people, it is easy just to shake it off and move on. Unfortunately for me, mine goes beyond that. Sometimes is it may lasts for just a few hours or a few days-life is not good.

I am blessed by good friends who check in on me and a dog that does everything he can to try and get me to snap out of it. If it does not work he lies on my lap and stays very close. Then there is my garden. As my mind slowly makes a turn in the right direction, I still may not be able to deal with people or leave the house, but I can go outside and doing the simplest thing like pulling weeds is a deterrent. The busier I get, the more; I am able to slowly come out of it. Then I get back on track. With a property my size there is plenty of things to do. A great part of the time, when I feel the onset of depression, I can get to work and this alleviates the changes going on in my mind.

Amy O’Brian writes in an article published earlier this year for the National post about how gardening benefits people who are sick emotionally or physically.,

“Gardeners believe it and studies have shown that even the view of a flower or tree can lift spirits and help an ailing body recover.”

She further refers to a behavioral research study made by Rutgers University which found the presence of flowers-at the bedside or outside a window-triggers happy emotion, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in positive ways that exceeds what was previously believed.

Amy continues with an interview of Aimee Taylor, a Vancouver horticulture therapist who works with disabled adults and seniors. Taylor explains,

“If you look at the research in environmental psychology, it shows that gardening helps people recover from stress and it can help people focus less on their problems," Taylor said. "Evidence has shown that gardening makes people feel more optimistic, gives them a regular routine, a sense of purpose and achievement."

Amy O’Brian confirms with both the Rutgers’s study and the interview with Taylor, the benefits of how gardening benefits those suffering from emotional distress or illness in a very positive way. I agree 100% with her findings. Though my moods can be similar to riding a roller coaster, working in my garden does helps to alleviate the some of the pain associated with my depression. Most of all, to see the final results is enough to lift not only my spirits but anyone who comes here. In today’s world everyone is so busy with the hustle and bussel of our lives, sometimes stopping to look at the beauty of God’s creations can make us appreciate the beauty of the world around us.

Sunday, October 11, 2009

The things we do for a pretty garden


Meet my new friend Gumby. Why is he my new friend? He supplies me with some really good shit. I usually put cow manure that I buy around my roses and some of my plants every year, but it seems to lose something in the processing. Fortunately I live in an area where I have an abundant supply of shit from a wide variety of animals. Mark Powell, states in his article, “Contributions to Society: MANURE-FERTILIZER.FUEL, Developed Countries,” The manure produced by dairy and beef cattle, poultry and swine contains vast amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus that in some regions can be land applied at agronomic rates on farms where it is produced. Manure provides essential and secondary nutrients for crop production, increases soil organic matter levels, and enhances soil physical properties and over all soil quality.

Many years ago I discovered this is true, Though, I found after stopping by a Circus when it came to town, they had a supply of manure from a large variety of animals. Sometime, the bigger the animal, the better the product. When I lived in Indiana I had a composed pile of the circus manure and in the middle of winter, we’re talking 0 degrees outside, the pile was 87 degree. This is some hot shit. After it sat for several months I used it around a friend’s roses and some of my own plants. These plants produced roses the size of softballs. For this reason, when I met Gumby, I was very excited.

Last week, I stopped by his home and spoke with the owners. They thought I was sort of strange, but agreed to let me come by occasionally to visit Gumby and follow him around with a shovel. Gumby, doesn’t seem to care, but I am very careful not to piss him off. Nothing like getting bit or kicked by a 800 lb animal. After I collect my treasure, I take it home and pour it in a bucket to make a “shit soup.” I’ll let it sit for a few weeks, It use it on my roses. While searching other blogs, I discovered many companies who actually take dried manure and put them in tea bags. Can you imagine to make your shit tea and mistake it for your good old fashion sun tea.
As for my other plants, I’ll still use my regular fertilizer and save the good shit for the roses.

This is not to say that I against using chemical fertilizers, I do. Britannia Encyclopedia defines fertilizers as

“Natural or artificial substance containing the chemical elements that improve growth and productiveness of plants. Fertilizers enhance the natural fertility of the soil or replace the chemical elements taken from the soil by previous crops. The use of manure and composts as fertilizers is probably almost as old as agriculture. Modern chemical fertilizers include one or more of the three elements most important in plant nutrition: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Of secondary importance are the elements sulfur, magnesium, and calcium.”

In the article “Organic VS Chemical Lawn Care” ,written on the site for Adgrand organic supplies who argue
“Traditional lawn fertilization practices certainly cause surface and Groundwater pollution, but banning the application of certain nutrients is not the answer.
The application of both Nitrogen and phosphorus can be problematic. Chemical fertilizers that are highly concentrated cause water pollution even when they are applied at the recommended rates if a heavy rain or too much irrigation are applied soon after they are applied. However, many homeowners do not calibrate their fertilizer spreaders or just throw fertilizer on their lawns by hand which is the most likely cause of most of the nutrient loading in lakes.”
Boo Hoo, Boo Hoo, We have nuclear power plants dumping in our waters, oil rigs polluting our oceans and they complain about a little runoff in our lakes. I’m willing to make such a sacrifice for my plants. I do not use large quantities and I use both for different reasons. The manure for larger flowers and healthier roses. I use a general 10-10-10 fertilizer for my scrubs trees and other plants because it is quick to apply and who the hell wants to follow a camel around for that much shit.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

What to do, what to do.

Today is the first day I am starting to feel a little better. I am actually able to eat solid foods. I look at the yard and have made a list of projects to do but just don't want to press my luck. I want to move some scrubs and replace with roses and create a new bed for daylillies. Oh well, there is always another day. One thing about it, it will always be there another day. With Winter coming, I'll be able to work on the beds and get them ready for Spring.

Friday, October 2, 2009

Some call it junk others call it art







When you decorate your yard it, you basically use what you feel is fitting to your own likes and desires. Some people want to add that little extra touch to their gardens such as a bird bath or some little cute statues. My yard on the other hand is a combination of history, art, cute and unusual. The first thing you see when you pull into my yard is my legs which is a statement of its own. I have had people drive by, stop and back up just to see what they though they were. Katie Kinne's in EHow.com she states "If you love retro, you have to own it, be it, and be willing to defend it if necessary. So get up the guts to display what most people will find to be incredibly tackyrticle." I agree with her views, if it gets peoples attention, gives them a giggle or repulses them-it is something they will talk about again and again.

You see the fire hydrant, a real one from the city of Sanford. It is about 75 years old. I had a friend in the scrapping business give it to me. The down fall was it came with the original pipe that cam out of the ground. It took everything I had to unload it from my truck and drop it in a four foot hole. Though it was worth the potential of a hernia. Though, this will go with the house if I ever sell. In the same bed, I have a couple cute little rabbits which came from Aunt Gwen's. I also have a couple of other little cutsie statues that came from her yard which normally I would not have in my yard but they have significant sentimental value.

Most of the beds are surrounded by large stones. The stones have a history of their own. In the late 1800s, there was a small town on 301 in Hernando county Just north of 50. The town was called Rydall, where it had a turpentine plant, a brick factory, some homes and a hotel for when the train went through. Over the years, the companies closed down and the hotel became, well basically a whorehouse. Eventually hwy 301 was moved a little more west and the hotel started falling apart. So the owner gave me permission to help my self. So I can honestly say my yard carries the spirits of the old town and a whore house.

The brick I made my sidewalk with is from the old train depot in Webster and the left overs became the start of my brick collection to build a fountain. Eventually, I will have a fountain, similar to one you may see in Savannah or in older cities. Over the past couple of years I have collected bricks from anywhere i could get them and now have enough to build a 10' by 7' by 2 1/2' fountain (bricklayer needed, with experience with concrete can pay with good home cooked meal.) I have friends who have little ponds with fish but me, I have always had a thing for fountains. While living in Indianapolis, it is safe to say I have swam in all but one of the city's fountains. Many times, the nice policeman would simply tell us to get out and threaten us with public intoxication and a few other charges but this never stopped us. With my fountain, I will not only have the fountain I want, but if I get hot I can simply walk out side and sit my happy ass in my fountain without threat of getting arrested.

As you continue the tour, you will see several original sculptures and then some statuary that I have bought. The one with the legs in a dancing position is called "Dancing Sanctuary," an original piece by an artist named John Deverter. In my orchid area, I have another original that I bought at a thrift store. I also have sever birdbaths, one a cherub and then some regular bird bird baths. One with a very large piece of amber crystal in the center which radiates as the sun shines down on it. Then the same be I have the grill to an old tractor. This may sound odd but it really adds a great effect with the flowers growing around it.

When you place yard art in your gardens sometimes it is a reflection of you. In my garden, I have a wide array of things spread out which each bed speaking for itself. My newest addition is a statue of David, yes everyone should own an anatomically correct statue of David for you yard just to keep the neighbors talking and wonder. Here in my area they don't wonder but just enjoy the scenery. One more thing, did I mention I still hate the people who shared their germs with me. I hope not many people get what ever they gave me.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

People are toxic!!

I have lived in my home since 1993. When I found the place, I found the charm of the place was the land and the isolation. Coming from Indianapolis, I was used to city living. I missed the sounds of the city from firetrucks, traffic and screaming kids and the one thing I remember the most is the street sweeper that passed under my window at exactly 3 am every morning. I lived downtown so I enjoyed the fountains, tall buildings and people watching.

When I moved here it was the difference of night and day. When it got dark, it was really dark. The first six months I would have every light in the house one because you never know what might happen. Eventually, I got used to it and even enjoyed being outside in the seclusion and darkness. I could look at the sky and watch the stars which seemed so close, I could reach up and grab them. At night, it was a whole new world. I am serenaded by a symphony from the creatures of the night with the whippoorwill as the star attraction. I know what true peace is.

The downfall of living in the country is people. Since I started school, I have gotten sick more times than I have in my life. This week I have a bug that is not pleasant. On campus, there are what 50,000 people and being around them, they pass their germs along to everyone around. For me, I have been protected by my seclusion. So now, I carry bottles of disinfectant with me and hope the people that are sick are staying home.

I love my home and enjoy the seclusion. Meanwhile, in my pursuit of my degree I will have to just deal with the inconvenience even though it is unpleasant. Whether sick or well, I still have the music of the night to help me through any problems or discomfort and most of all the peacefulness of my environment. The moral of this story is when possible, stay away from people but when worse comes to worse, take a minute to listen to the music and everything else just seems minute.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Garden Pests and Friends



Earlier this week, I found all the leaves of one of my angel trumpet completely gone. I knew right away that it was that little bastard grass hopper, I never could catch. As I wandered around looking at my other plants, I came across the culprits a pair amorous grasshoppers in the process of let's just say having a conjugal visit on my camellia bush. I think it must of been date night for them because to top the evening off they were listening to Barry White and having a good time. Needless to say this couple barely had enough time to finish their cigarettes before their untimely demise. In this area, these large grasshoppers spend the summer reeking havoc on my garden and laying their eggs. Once I went to see my county agriculture agent to see what to do about them because nothing I tried would kill them. His reply was the only way to kill them at that age is to smash them. This was good enough for me at that time but then the eggs hatch in early spring. This is the only time any good pesticide can kill them. When young they are black with a reddish yellow stripe down their back. Once you spray, all you Can do is pray you killed the little bastards. Raymond Zebra states in his article in the Florida Times Unions, "The adult eastern lubber grasshopper (Romalea microptera) is very resilient to chemicals and the only way to rid yourself of them is to smash them. It is best to address them when they first hatch or they will continue to reproduce year after year." I agree with his assessment and have found in the early spring poisons like Malathion or Diazonon are very effective. Usually after spraying, I cut the leaves they are on and put them in a plastic bag and discard them appropriately.

With the grasshopper it is very obvious they are around because it is easy to see the damage. Though, there are other pests that can do significant damage to a plant quicker if left unattended. Aphids and spider mites are so small you can barely see them. So you have to constantly stay on top of inspecting your plants and treating them immediately. Aphids are usually found on the underside of the leaves and slowly drink the nutrients out of the leaves. If you have ever noticed a plant with a black suety color on the leaves, it is a sure tell all that the plant is infested. Treating them with malathion or other pesticides usually will take care of all most pests. As for the black soot, simply spray the plants with soapy water and this will help clean the leaves. As for spider mites, the most damage they do is discolor the leaves. On camellias the leaves turn to a silver color and a good way to deal with them is spraying.

When working with poison, one has to be very careful and wear protective clothing and safety glasses. If you get a little on you, wash the area immediately. When finished, throw the clothes in the washer machine right away and shower. Exposure to most of the household poison can be serious but not bad unless you ingest it. As for other poisons, just getting it on your skin can be dangerous. One time, I bought an antique commercial powder spreader for decoration. When I got I home and unloaded it from the truck, a yellow powder poured out of it all over me. Yes, I got very sick and actually should of went to the hospital but being the stubborn man I am, I just layed down and slept for a couple of days. This piece of equipment came from an old farm house and I think it is safe to say it was DDT. I now understand why it was taken off the market. Fortunately I did not have any two headed babies.

The Department of Agriculture bans may of the good chemicals because of tree huggers who say they are getting people sick. Sometimes you trade off for the good of the plant or the people. I choose plants. I have found that when old people die and families have yard sales and you can always find some of better chemicals. yes they are banned for safety reasons, they sure work a lot better than the watered down alternative. Sometimes I think the Department of Ag do not think when they ban certain items. This year they decided to ban phosphates from fertilizer because people felt it was doing damage to the environment. What they did not think of is that the state of Florida is known for their Phosphate mines. Duh.

Call me a prude or a murderer but I'll stick with the poisons to keep up my beautiful yard. If people want to complain, keep their damn children out of my yard.

I've dealt with the pests and the mean time I have found some new friends. Besides the birds that frequently visit the yard, I have found this year I have been fortunately blessed by several new species of butterflies and moths. These are the kind of friends I like to have. Though on Saturday George discovered a couple of his own new friends, Hilary and Bernard gophor turtles. He is facinated by them. When he goes out, he runs to see if they are out and tries to play with them. On the otherhand, I have never seen a turtle flip someone off but they do that often now just to try to get rid of him. Being a good parent, I have not told him what that means, so he just keeps playing.

Of all the creatures I can call friend the most welcome is Ophelia. I met her Saturday while working in the yard. Ophelia is a black snake. When I first moved to Florida, I was terrified of snakes. I had a pair of black snakes that used to sleep right outside my back door. I had a hard time using that door until I started talking to the locals. They told me that if you have a black snake on your property, you will not have rattlesnakes. Apparantly they are territorial and do no like rattlesnakes. After this brief education, I was able to share my porch with them but found it is easier to accept them if they had names. I named them Frank and Julie (after a couple of people that reminded me of snakes) It is very safe to say she is my best friend.

With that, I'll leave you with this thought: we have good friends and bad friends but sometimes even a snake will make a wonderful friend moreso than people that may act similar to them.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Plesant surprises


As a gardener, people love to give their casts offs away (I do this too.) I tend to take different or odd plants-especially bromiliads. Sometimes is is a good thing or on that can turn bad quickly. Several years ago, an elderly woman gave me several bromiliads but could not describe the flower. I though, what the hell and planted them. This particular species is deadly, not actually deadly but will cause serious damage to exposed skin. You have to wear long sleeve shits and thick gloves to hand this plant. The leaves grow out about two and a half feet and are armed with very long needles. I forgot one little thing about these plants. They grow quickly and if you ignore them they become very invasive. I planted 5 plants and now have an area with over 40 plants and they spread quickly through their root. This process took many years. One day, I started pulling some up and just about decided that it has been five years and no blooms, I would just remove them all and send them to the dump. Then the strangest thing happened. The middle of a couple of plants started turning orange. Eventually, it shot a 2' pure white spike up. This was very unusual as I had never seen a white one before so I decided to hold off on throwing them away. This large waxy spike eventually put out small flowers and then little purple flowers from within them. The flower is breathtaking. unfortunately I do not have any photos yet of this one but will post when one blooms. I also have some available it anyone will like one (shipping and handling not included.)

I bring up such cast offs, because today I found another usually flower from a plant I never thought bloomed. A friend gave me a hanging burro's tail. It's knotty leaves cascade down to the ground. While watering today, I notice something different, a waxy looking bouquet. I looked down and I'll be damn but it had bloomed. Here's a photo of the flower. It is beautiful and one day I hope the entire plant will put out blooms all at once. I guess my point today is if you are offered a plant and not sure of what it will do, be patient and you may be quite surprised-even if it may take a couple of years.

I will eventually discard a lot of the bromiliads but the burro's tail will be a keeper. Enjoy the picture.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Caring for plants during rainy seasons



If you have found this blog, thank you. Yes, I can be blunt, though my experience in my garden should make up for anything you may find out of the ordinary.

Here in Central Florida, were are in the middle of the rainy season. This is great for our water supply but can reek havoc on our plants. With extensive watering or rain plants are very susceptible to disease and fungus. Some of the symptoms are black spot, falling leaves, yellowing of the leave or simply a powdery mildew. The pictures to right are examples of what the fungus can do. The one on the left is very sick. The right has yellow leaves but if untreated can look the same way. Many times, people have the misconception that these symptoms only effect roses but this is untrue. It effects most scrubs, flowers and vegetables.

You should apply fungicide often during the rainy season and less frequently the rest of the year. Though we know it is important to water plants on a regular basis, timing is very important. It is best to water in the early morning or at least an hour before sundown to allow the foliage to dry. It you water before dark, the moisture in the air and water on is on the plant, this is the ideal conditions for mold and mildew on the plants. You should also remove the infected leaves and ones on the ground to prevent additional infection.

In the Department of Agriculture information site (http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/PP154), Harmon, Palmateer, and Ribbeck , write: "Plants die for many reasons, not all are diseases. Many environmental stresses cause disorders that mimic diseases. For example, drought stress can kill a plant; this isn't a disease. Disease occurs when a pathogen infects a plant and disrupts growth or kills that plant over time. The most common plant pathogens include fungi, bacteria, and viruses. What else do you need besides the plant host and a pathogen to get disease?"

There are many good fungicides on the market. I use several different ones including copper sulfate, Dacinil and Captain. There are many on the market and are very simple to use but carefully read the instructions before use. With some diseases such as rust, it may take alternating different ones to cure the disease. Last year I had,I had a sever problem of rust on many daylillies that came from other states. Some were big dollar plants. The plants caused a spotty rust color marking on the leaves, prevented growth and production of flowers and possibly spread to other beds. Fortunately, it was restricted to this only bed.

I first treated them with copper. This did not take care of it. After extensive research and talking to other gardeners and the country extension, I found that alternative applications of different fungicides over time will eventually cure the plant. Though the greatest tool is patience. I began alternating treatment with copper, dacinil and captain and did not see results. Before winter came, I cut the foliage down to the ground leaving the root system in tact. I decided that in the spring, if the rust continue, I would pull all the effected plants and discard them. When spring came and the plants began to put out new leaves, the plants were cured.
If the extreme alternative is to remove the plants, it is always important to put the infected foliage and plants in a garbage bag and send them out with the trash. It is important to continue treatment of the soil to prevent future spread of the disease.

Though, it is frustrating when your plants have a fungus or disease, patience, research and speaking to the experts at the local county extension to get the most accurate information. Do not depend on clerks at stores such as Walmart or any of the major hardware stores because they may have no knowledge or very little training in dealing with such problems.

Granted, it is easier to just discard the plant but it just takes a little education and patience and you will be happy with healthier plants.

Thursday, September 10, 2009








Welcome to my blog about my country home. I am an avid gardener and for the most part will discuss my trials and tribulations of my own personal experiences gardening in central Florida. Here are photos of my successes. I am very proud of the yard. For now, I want to give you a little back ground about learning about gardening.
I started gardening at about age 8, when little old ladies would gladly pay me 25 cents to pull their weeds. This one lady was thrilled to find someone to do the work but did not think about the fact that 8 year olds do not know plants. She put me to work in a very large flower bed and I proudly pulled all the weeds. When I was done, I knocked on the door to collect my pay and show off my good job-this is the first time I every saw an old woman cry. I thought she was overjoyed with the wonderful job I did, but I as learned that day lilies, petunias and other flowers are not weeds. I also learned for the first time that I was a little stupid son of a bitch and to get the fuck off my property. I never even got my 50 cents. I guess some lessons are hard to learn. When I got home, I told the bitch about what happened, another lesson well learned- never call your mother a bitch, even if someone tells you that you are a son of one. My ass hurt for a week and lye soap leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. Eventually, the work dried up around my home; apparently old ladies also like to talk to other old ladies about little sons of bitches. I heard that word a lot but no one ever told me what it was but I knew well enough that it included a belt if you say it.
Fortunately, my wonderful Aunt Gwen loved to garden and I was her precious little angel and not a son of a bitch. She was very patient with me and taught me about growing vegetables and flowers. She also showed me the most important thing that I never forgot. What are weeds and what are not. She paid me more money but just the time I spent learning from her instilled my love of gardening. She also told me what a bitch was and why I should not call any woman one until I grow older. I still have her gardening books to this day.
Over the next few years I went through junior high and high school with small vegetable gardens hidden away in my back yard. I had wonderful crops but then I learned a new word “fag.” My mother just told me to ignore those little sons of bitches and she loved me. Years later, I learned what it meant and my mother still loves me. I think it is because now she gets better gifts and flowers more often.
As I grew older, I lived in apartments and the closest I got to gardening were a few potted plants and the pot plants I grew in a nearby lot. I loved the 70’s. I learned that certain plants had really good uses. Some you can bake with and others you simply make tea either way colors were much brighter and sometimes you saw flowers bloom right before your eyes. I learned about the beautiful poppy from Asia also help you relax and laugh so hard you would piss your pants.
Eventually, I graduated from high school and eventually landed a job with the American Red Cross after a year of volunteer work. I did not do a lot of gardening for quite a while and learned that when you work for non-profit organizations they want all your time and cannot afford to pay you. I’ll tell you a little secret for those of you just starting out in the world. Never, never share your back ground unless it involves a great salary with benefits. For the next 25 years, I worked as a volunteer and paid staff for many organizations from Red Cross, AIDS to developing programs for troubled youths. Although, I gained great experience, created great programs and helped to better the communities and the states I lived in. I learned another important lesson. As Michael Keaton, as Beetlejuice says, people who commit suicide becomes social workers in heaven. I don’t remember the act but somewhere along the line I must have.
This left me very little time to do much gardening. Eventually, I decided to stop volunteering and started my own business writing grants and program development for these organizations. For the next three years, I ate a lot of ramen noodles and everyone wanted me badly but very few could afford to pay me. This is when one of my voices in my head told me that I needed to get away from this field so we can eat real food and pay the bills. At this point, I proudly declared I am a gardener.
I landed a job for a wonderful and very patient 66 year old woman who needed someone to care for her yard and large flower beds. She taught me a great deal about plants and using chemicals in caring of plants. This was the start, of a great friendship and she became my mentor. She was born and raised in South Florida and had a vast knowledge of growing tropical plants and orchids. When she moved to Bushnell, Fl she learned more about growing in the area. I worked for her for about 9 years until I developed skin cancer and this put an end to working as a gardener, though I can work certain hours on my property.
There you have it; this is my life, now a full time student and a gardener. Most people look at me and are surprised when I talk about my property and my flower beds. I have 5 acres and eventually I will have it completely cleared and set up as a park and sanctuary. I am often asked why I love gardening so much and I tell people to look at the beauty of my yard and it says it all. Mostly while I work in my yard, I have time to talk to the voices in my head, who help me decide what to plant where and what roses to buy. Most of them are very helpful but that little fucker Harvey. Yes that giant pink rabbit does exist. I think when Jimmy Stewart died, he sent Harvey to me. All Harvey wants me to plant are carrots, lime trees and potatoes so we can make our own vodka. Until next time, always remember as an adult, those little sons of bitches eventually grow into teenagers, otherwise known as little fucks they better be paid.