Monday ‘nuff Said…

Woke up with headache and that is a bummer. But it passed quickly. Too hot to do much in the greenhouse although I did get prepared for trip to irradiate more plants on Wednesday. Some problem with greenhouse fan controls in one of the small houses that no one seems to want to fix. One tends to get irritated at the thought of losing 4 years of work due to excessive heat – that could have been prevented. I have to congratulate my lab chief who has been checking this on weekends – I never knew that problem was going on.

Oh well, just moved the plants to different greenhouse – case closed. That sure beats getting too excited. We did send a little email to stir the waters though and that was fun and deserved. It seems that people, who are hired to serve, would much rather control others and make the simplest of things an irritation (my soapbox for the day). Such is life.

Ate my first canned jalapeno peppers yesterday and they were nice and crunchy but not hot enough. I need to add at least one whole pepper to the mix. Whoops have to go to greenhouse to load of Wed. trip. More later.

Rolling on Thursday…

June 17th, 1970 was the day I started my first experiment for my master’s degree. For some reason I always remember that day (June 24th is another similar day). Usually I try to pollinate something or start an experiment on that day as a way to celebrate.

Well, I’m doing it today – that productivity thing has reared its head and we are on a roll.
Maybe it is all the great watermelons I have been eating or just because June 17th is just special. Actually it is just too hot to go play outside. So far I have learned to do the new leave system on the computer, made all the corrections in the Dieffenbachia ‘Tropic Honey’ plant patent, edited and submitted a manuscript to get a publication number and started working on a new Anthurium plant patent. Go me…..

I hope everyone has a safe and happy day today. Now back to workkkkkkkkkkkkkk or am I getting a little slllleeeeeppppppppppyyyyyyyyyyyypoo……… Oh no, see you all, happy dreams to everyone.

No, no I’m still working. Productivity is a good thing. Food for the soul…….Now I really must get back to it….. Yes, yes I certainly am On It today..

A Truly Priceless Work of Art 

Good Grief its Artistic Tuesday Already.

Oh my how time flies when you are hot and sweaty. Anyway it is Tuesday and so far I have not made contact with my goal of the week – productivity. This afternoon for sure!!!

However, what is really important is that I had a great father’s day with my daughter Helen, and even picked up a little something that she made. It is now in my office (see the photo) and is sure to be a conversation piece. I love it. As a scientist I tend to be structured in my thoughts. However, having an artistic daughter has opened my eyes to the world of creativity and the view is great. Of course, not that I tend to be materialistic, but In 50-60 years I will sell this piece at a HUGE profit. Hoo Hoo….. No plants today – just fun art.

Ok, Ok, Ok now for some productivity – right after I pick up some free watermelons. What a good day today……...

Anthurium flowers similar to those going home today except the others are RED. 

What Do You Mean It’s Friday???

Oh my, it really is Friday. Oh well, I guess all this week’s plans can be pushed back to next week. What happened? I came to work everyday. Did I accomplish anything?

Let’s see if I can make a list of 10 accomplishments. Oh, well forget that…..at least the specifics anyway. In general, it was a good week – I think. Did not get sick, no wrecks on the way to work, no problems in the lab or greenhouse, everyone seemed to be pretty happy, hopefully found a way to help a grower with his concerns, found 2 new mutants in the greenhouse and got to see my daughter last night. Yes, so I can actually say that was a pretty good week. Also, I got to eat homemade refried pinto beans with fresh salsa. Oh my, it WAS a good week.

To celebrate, I am going to take home some fresh Anthurium flowers. They are big and red and crisp and will last a long time. The ladies always love them and they deserve to enjoy them. That is another benefit of breeding aroids, even though we can’t generally eat them, they sure are pretty.

A good weekend to all. Productivity must be the buzz word next week.

Clouds Today…..Happy Aroids…..Jalapeno Pickle Slices…..

Today is a rare cloudy day for Florida. It is quite a treat this time of the year as the heat will be less to endure plus it was such a nice penetrating rain last night. Of course if the sun breaks thru we are death waiting to happen thanks to the humidity bullets.

The ornamental tropical plants in my yard (pothos, philodendron, anthurium) look to be offering prayers of thanks to Aqua the water god. Ever see an aroid smile.??????

Oh yes, the jalapeno peppers are happy too. I made my first attempt to can some fresh slices and ended up with 2 pint jars. Recipe: (warning wear plastic gloves and don’t scratch or rub your eyes during this process) pick peppers and wash, cut stem off peppers, slice in half, use thumb to remove all the innards, wash in tap water, stuff into jar, add one half teaspoon sugar to each jar, add a lightly boiling mixture of 2:1 vinegar:water to cover the slices, place on lids that were heated in hot water and screw on lid. Both jars sealed. Hoo, hoo I am good. Did I warn you to wear gloves.??? Easy breezy and after about 3 weeks these are delicious slices to eat with cheese and crackers of with sandwiches. Yum.Yum and I really don’t like hot, hot peppers but removing the innards reduces the heat but not the flavor. We shall see……

Oh no, here comes the sun. I’m dead.

Rain = Grass = The Mowing Game.

Instead of going to the Y tonight I mowed the grass for the first time. Thanx to the recent week of rain everything is greening up. It always looks so nice when the mowing is done and now I have the weekend to enjoy the view. Mowing involves ‘Tractor Therapy’ for 2 hours and battling nature to reclaim occupied space. Maybe it is a man thing but it always feels good on the tractor. Of course having a 6-foot wide mower deck to pull around the yard in better than using a riding mower. Just a little touchup is left for tomorrow.

This year I am going to record how many times I have to mow (I guess it is the damn scientist thing). It is fun trying to cheat a few days each time so eventually a turn is missed. My goal is to average mowing every 10 days. This is good for the environment as it uses less diesel fuel and saves time (2 hours minimum to mow), and running to the gas station. It is also less of a pain in the behind and that certainly counts.

Another Plant Daddy Baby.

Below is Dieffenbachia 'Tropic Honey'. It is a happy cheerful plant - one of my favorites. I hope you find one in a market near you one day.

Dieffenbachia 'Tropic Honey'. 

One of Those Days I Fear…

After a great trip yesterday irradiating plants, things seem a little tense at work today.
It is so easy to get caught up in the spiral that leads to the toilet. Must fight the urge to be flushed. Ahhhhh but can’t go the greenhouse because it is Thursday and it is spray day (grrrrr) – a previous blog told that story. So perhaps blogging will turn the tide.

There was an office email to everyone asking about the PIGS who keep messing up the coffee room. It was not a very professional email and probably does not deserve a positive response. But since I do not use the coffee room I just groaned and hit DELETE – case closed from my standpoint. That is one way to stop the flushing.

I guess I am philosophical today, but life is full of little crises that can be made larger than life in an instant. It is a constant battle to keep them in prospective. Of course my turn will come when we soon see what our pay massive raises will be. Why did I even think of pushing that button?

Speaking of spray day - one of the spray crew members is retiring in 3 weeks. He said this was going to be one of his final spray jobs and that he was really going all out to do a top job. He also stated (through his spray mask) that he probably deserved a Whooper and Fries for this effort. He is right.!!!! So I will pick up lunch for the spray crew. I really love those guys. Maybe I will pick up an extra couple of whoppers for myself and get some self love going--- asleep by 2:00 for sure. Seems my attitude is getting better by the minute (or calorie).

Actually I will pass on the burgers, but may get some more bananas. Bananas are great since they make your stomach think it is full. Five or six bananas a day will really get you going in many different ways.

That reminds me of my 10 favorite fruit: bananas, good cantelopes, good watermelon, flame grapes, fuji apples (no others acceptable), ponkan oranges, bing cherries, Italian plums (the Oregon kind), half-ripe strawberries, crunchy peaches, and marionberries (but only in a pie).

Ahhhhh, I am now filled with happy fruit thoughts and plan on having a nice spray day.
I hope you all do to.

The Greenbean Lives.

I spent a few years restoring a ’73 Datsun 240Z. Since I like vegetables and the car was to end up green it was named the “Greenbean”. It is now my daily driver and has 3000 miles on it. The Greenbean runs smooth as silk and it could be called the GreenDream. Anyway it has been fun and the whole process has been quite a learning trip.

All and all the Greenbean is another plantdaddy baby.

This is not a greenbean to eat. 

Mandevilla 'Ruby Star'. Another Plantdaddy baby. 

Saturday in My Greenhouse at Home

While pruning plants in my greenhouse at home today I came across Mandevilla ‘Ruby Star’. Without question (in my mnd) it has the best bright red of any Mandevilla cultivar. It is not the strongest growing plant compared to others but I wanted to share another of my baby photos with you. It truly is a beautiful flower.

I think is time to make some more Mandevilla pollinations. I hope everyone has a great weekend. Take the time to look at and enjoy your flowers.

A Good Week.

This has been an extra good week at work. My greenhouse has yielded pothos that are ready to be induced to flower, pothos mutants that were big enough to propagate by cuttings, seed from a really exciting anthurium cross and 3 new philodendron mutants that have been also been propagated by cuttings. In addition, the new dieffenbachia mutant that we have tissue-culture propagated continues to branch very well.

Hoo Hoo. All of these plants could become exciting new cultivars in the next 2 years.
That is what makes breeding tropical ornamental plants so much fun. Ther is no greater reward than seeing your dreams and ideas come true.

Plus the surf fishing reports are improving and I may have to check the surf one day next week. It sure is nice to be able to choose between ‘fun’ or ‘more fun’ things to do.

Plus, plus at home, there is some wood working to continue and a small welding project to complete. I want to make a gaff hook to drag the sharks back into the surf plus a friend has given me a broken sprinkler weld. I love those small projects.

Plus, plus, plus it has rained at home for the first time in 6 weeks. Oh yea, I guess there will be grass to mow now for the next 4 months and leaves to blow out of the carport.
But all and all life has been very good this week…..!!!!!!!

No Cross Pollination on Thursdays, Ever!

I have worked as a plant breeder for 25 years.
I have cross pollinated scores of species.
I have transferred lots of pollen from anthers to stigmas and germinated thousands of resultant seeds.
I have created 12 new plants that have been successful in the foliage industry.

But never on Thursdays.

Thursday is spray day and no one can enter the research house. So on Thursday I have to do other non-greenhouse work.

For many years, my Ace Volunteer has come in to do tissue culture in the lab on Thursdays. I can devote time and planning with him about what plants to initiate into culture.
I can write research reports, professional journal articles, grants, station bulletins and popular articles on Thursdays. I use Thursdays to plan current and future experiments.

Thursdays are when I make out work schedules.

And it is the best day of the week to visit nurseries.

I get a lot of things done on the day I give the pollinations a day off.

This is a photo of my research greenhouse. It mainly contains ornamental tropical aroids. Aroid is a common name for the several genera of plants that are in the plant family Araceae. Several aroids are shade-loving plants and are grown for use indoors as decorative ornamentals.

I work on breeding aroids for new cultivars as well as studying ways to make them flower and produce hybrids. The photo today shows several different Anthuriums that are used in breeding. From a cross pollination it takes about 2 years to produce plants large enough to evaluate. Anthurium ‘Red Hot’ (shown in an earlier blog) is one hybrid that came from this program. It grows into a nice bushy plant and flowers continuously - some people have had them flowering for 5 years on their patio. ‘Red Hot’ does not like temperatures below 50 degrees and will die if exposed to freezing temps. We move our plants indoors for a few days during Florida’s cold blasts in the winter.

Cold temperatures do not sit well with me either. However, the heat the last few days here make those minus 30 degree temperatures in Minnesota seem not so bad. At least the aroids are happy.  

I love loquats. They have real potential for Florida as both an ornamental and a fruit tree. The problem is most bear small fruit. These delicious fruit are from our yard - both large and yummy. We need more trees like this.