I am resting today.............

Too much PR stuff yesterday...........I am in repose.............

A few hours later.............

Here is our new vice president...........
Here is the plant decoration...........

The Head Man (IFAS VP) is Visiting Us Today...........

We are ready for the greenhouse dedication............
My loyal staff and I set the plants around the podium..........
A great day with no bright sun to burn the Aglaonemas or the Frilly Philly.....
We used Adenium for color........
Hey, it looks better than in the photo below......

The Research Greenhouse Today...............

Here are a couple of photos taken this afternoon in my research greenhouse............

Here is a nice 'Frilly Philly' basket below....

Adenium hybrids.............here are a couple of pinkish ones..........

I am starting to like the light pink adeniums in contrast to all the red types that are so prevalent.
Below are two of the better ones.......the one in front is really good...........pretty constant flowering and tough...........I like tough............

Regarding Education...........A must to listen to.....

I am not politically involved, but as a plant scientist, I believe the following video should be required listening for everyone.......

It lays out the educational challenges and how it affects our future.....
I thought is was outstanding........the data mentioned was awesome.......

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1598873617&play=1

Folige Plant Hybrid Releases........

Why will the Aglaonema in the previous post most likely not be named or released....?????


For us to go thru the release process that involves propagtion and growth studies, cold sensitivity and interior testing and eventual patenting (1-3 years) we need to know that the plant will have desireable commercial properties....otherwise it will never become available......i.e. no one will grow and sell it to retail outlets....therefore our time was wasted......


What did I just say..???......in other words companies need to make money off of a plant or it is doomed.....therefore it needs to grow well without any undo problems.....


Why not "charge more" for somthing new even if it grows slower.........??? Good question........that has bugged me for years..........the answer is that the current marketing system for these plants does not seem to support that.....I have seen some spectacular plants just fade away......we are dealing with one right now........trying to find ways to speed its growth using new methods.......of course someone must adapt these methods or forget it......


So, yes it is frustrating but that is that way things work.....new plants must fit into normal production systems or it may be deemed "too troublesome".....Go figure.....
It is what it is......whatever it is..............

Another Aglaonema Hybrid..............

This one of my favorite Aglaonema hybrids......it has dark green leaves that are highlighted with gray and yellow striped leaves in conjunction with pink petioles..... It grows awful slow in the winter though.......probably will not ever be named and released....

Ahhh but I get of enjoy it anyways...........

Surf Fishing Dreams..........If only I could.............

Oh my that is pretty water..........oh my, oh my,oh my.......but where am I..........

WORKING that is where $&%$&@#......... oh my, oh my oh my............

btw..........GO "MINDESCAPE" GO.............I AM WITH YOU...........YEAH YOU............

Another first - Pothos seedlings...........

Ok............ so the pothos seeds are germinating quite well and here they are..........just a few weeks after planting..............It is a little out of focus but the camera batteries were going bad.......or were they............I can't show everything you know............maybe later.......

Here is my "Favorite New Heartleaf Philodendron" of the week.....

Yepper, there it is............This heartleaf philly has it all..........compact, self-branching and sitting on top of the bookcase in my office.......3 cuttings made this pot full.........now to see how it does for the next 6 months under my care.......
Let's see how this shameless promotion works out..........I did make a few backup cuttings just in case............

Z-Shop Clean Out......

Below are the first 2 loads from the clean up of the Z shop....
It has been 13 years of hard but good work....
We have built and painted 6 cars from the ground up with the race car being the lasts project....
Also repaired numerous other vehicles and equipment along the way.....
Needless to say we had a few spare parts leftover...
Needless to say we had a lot of spare parts.......
Now we are cleaning and upgrading the shop to a Z-car maintenance shop.....
i.e. cleaner and brighter and prettier..

The Research Greenhouse Today......

Since nothing much is happening today...........here are a few photos of the research greenhouse taken yesterday....
It is getting a little empty now that fall is coming and the focus is changing.......
No sure what the next focus will be of course.........

The Jatropha curcas is growing........

We just had a faculty meeting today........so I ate a cookie and piece of cake.........
Now I cannot get out of chair (damn sugar) so here is how the Jatropha outside my office looked 5 minutes ago. See how the pretty branches..........zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...........

Something Different............

Here is what made all the cute holes in the back yard last night...........
The armadillo digging for grubs and worms.......they are real active after a rain......
At least our rats and mice are not this big.......
This guy lives under an oak in the field.....
They are cute though.......
But as usaul, we are always under one form of attack from something out back............

Friday..............nothin going on............

since most of my staff is out today for the long weekend......
I get to water the research greenhouses today and over the weekend......
Plan on tossing more plants........
One dumpster full already....that makes life simpler you know.....

Plan on finishing the soffit work aat home this weekend........
Already smashed my finger last night.........can't figure how to pound nails up side down.....
Anyway, no more rough Ralph or rough Rot (I hope)..........
There will be a lot of painting to do unless it is too bright to paint white.........

A faculty friend needed a letter I had sent back in 2008........I found it.........amazing......
That is the high point so far today.......