Mosaic Mom's Pots Go Big time.......

Mosaic Mom got me to buy these big purple pots for tour displays........so I did.........
They look really good in the research greenhouse and we are getting happier with them daily.....
Today the new vice-President of IFAS (i.e. the head man) stopped by on his first Florida tour.....
The call went out ahead for some decorations....Guess who's pots were chosen.....
They looked great....Mosiac Mom has lots of great ideas.......I need more pots.....
Here (below) is the new IFAS VP.......he is an outdoors type.......good handshake.......Too bad we only gave him the little planter as a gift.......however he does not have a house yet.....we will get him some good plants later....

My Latest Tour Day ..............

Had my first tour with the new research greenhouse setup.........The tours went fine but I need to work on the talking points order.....That will come........I hope not for a while though.....


All of the plants in the setup were developed in my research house....... We are starting to get a good number of different things in different sizes and textures...... More to come....

Gardening 101...........

Here is a newly germinated bean seed. See the seed coat remnant on top of the leaf tip.
See the tow cotyledons below the leaf.
This is an example of "epigeal" germination.
More later. I must rest now.

New Look in the Research Greenhouse.....!!!!!!!!!!

My student intern made these display pots for when I am lucky and get to do tours....
The center pot lifts out so we can change it.....
Around the edge of the bottom pot is a ring of 'Frilly Philly' and/or 'Pearls and Jade' Pothos.
Of course the real brains behind this Mosai Mom.....
We Love It..........well I do anyway.........!!!!!!!!!!!!

Inside Look at Okra................

Here is an sample prepared for 'Teach the Teachers'...........they want to look at plant ovary, embryo, pollen and seeds............
So while watering the garden Saturday I stared at the Okra patch and realized that it would make a fine sample..........so this morning I harvested flower buds and fruit of different sizes, cut them in half lengthwise and took a photo........you are the first to see.........there were no open flowers...
It really is a good teaching aid.........anyway the teachers will get to know more about okra than they ever dreamed of...........it was good for me too.......

My Adenium Graph.....

Below is a photo of one of my first Adenium graphs.........2 colors on the same base.....

The trick is getting 2 scions that have the same flowering sequence and colors that sort of match....

Of course I have some graphs with 3 scions of which only 1 is in flower.....not cool.....
However, that may be a neat way to compare the flowering cycles of different plants......of course you have to ignore the effect of the rootstock.......Nothing is simple anymore......

Not true.........enjoying the beauty of these plants is pretty simple.........!!!!!!

Back to the Greenhouse............

Here are some 4-inch pots (filled with 5 different soil types) that we have planted with bird seed.........cheap $4 per 20lb bird seed....

This is a little experiment for the "Teach The Teachers" program on June 21.....
We figure bird seed is cheap, germinates in 3-4 days, and should respond to various tortures that we divise (i.e. effects of light, soil, fertilizer, temperature and water)....

For those who might read this blog, here is your life lesson for today:
"...any plant you see anywhere is a product of its
Genotype times its Environment......
As horticulturists we like to manipulate the environment..........as horticultural breeders we like to manipulate everthing (genes and the environment)......life cannot get better than that...........it is the ultimate freedom.....the game comes in trying to trick to plants.........that is not always easy since they have many more genes than we do............grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr........

Doing some new work with Banana now............this cultivar is Siam Ruby.............

Bananas like it hot and wet...........if so these plants should grow like heck.................

Office View Today..............

Here is my office view today.....
The student class landscape planting from 2009 is gone.....
It has been replaced by a more sedate 'scape......
The plant on the lower right is a Jatropha curcas....
I am watching it as a potential landscape plant (and biofuel source too).....
Just want to get to know it better....
At least it is cloudy today......nice to avoid the sun for a change.......

Changes in the Research Greenhouse.....

Finally felt like redoing the research greenhouse.
Essentially we removed parts of 4 benches to open up the entrance.
Before it was too crowded when we were potting, etc.
Now it feels more open and will work much better for my favorite activity........TOURS......
In addition I can park my cart there every night which is so handy.
It only took 2 hours and I still have plenty left to attack the front porch at home tonight.
I should have done this years ago.........I love it..........Tours Not so Much........

btw......God I love a good "saws all"..................

June is gonna be tough...............

Why:

1. The heat has caught up with the humidity.

2. Today at work (June 1) we had 7 Deans come down for us to impress. At least our presenting part is over with minimal blood shed. Of course now they are in closed door session discussing our shortfalls.

3. On June 21 I get to "Teach the Teachers" - that means put on a half day show for county AgrScience high and middle school teachers regarding how to teach horticulture. After 30+ years working at 100% research I am not so sure I can relate to what 13-18 kids want to know - or the teachers for that matter.

4. People who come up with these ideas should do the work themselves instead of sneakily passing it off to those who are not interested......grrrrrrrrrr.........

5. I cut the tassels off the last corn crop since no ears had formed in the heat.........besides I do not even want to harvest what is left on the 3rd batch.........damn gardens down here produce to much too long......our freezers are full.........so are bellies.......

6. I will regret this come August and relish eating out of the freezer.

7. Got to pick blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries this morning.

8. Holy shit ..........June is pretty damn nice afterall.......forget the first part of this blog......