January 31, 2026 • 40 mins
Dirty Word of the Day Anti-transpirants.
Special Guest Kathy Jentz on seed swapping.
Teresa answers your questions about the freezing weather & what to do with lantana, pineapple plants, xora, crotons, succulents, Ohio spider wort, foxtail fern & much more.
Special Guest Kathy Jentz on seed swapping.
Teresa answers your questions about the freezing weather & what to do with lantana, pineapple plants, xora, crotons, succulents, Ohio spider wort, foxtail fern & much more.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
Good morning, Welcome back to the second hour of Better
Lawns and Gardens from the Summit Responsible Solution Studios. I'm
Teresa Watkins. I'm your host. I'm a garden author, landscape designer, consultant, horticulturists.
I love plants and I love helping people with their plants,
and this is going to be a day for your
gardening questions. And uh, it's going to be bad out there.
(00:31):
I can't say anything else, but it's gonna it's gonna
We're gonna see some damage with our tropicals in our
landscape this week. But it doesn't have to be so bad.
If you missed any of the first hour, I talked
about all the plants and shrubs and trees that are
going to be just fine, and how to protect your
palm trees and care for palm trees after the freeze,
(00:52):
and that's very, very important. So you can go back
and listen to that on Better Lawns dot Com or
on your iHeart app anytime.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Four seven. So let's go for the dirty word of
the day. And now it's time for the dirty Word
of the Day on Better Lawns and Gardens with Teresa Watkins.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
And the dirty word of the day is anti transparent.
Anti transparents are substances applied to the leaves of plants
to reduce transporation. Transpiration is the process in which plants
absorb water through their roots and then release water vapor
through the pores in their leaves. Although anti transparents inhibit
(01:34):
the process of transpiration, they do not have a significant
effect on other processes such as photosynthesis and plant growth.
Anti transparents are typically useful in horticulture, especially regarding ornamental plants.
You can also use anti transparants on cut flowers, Christmas trees,
and on newly planted shrubs. It's basically a way for
(01:58):
anti transparens. When you put it on a plant, it
helps these plants from drying out too quickly. Anti transferants
work in three ways. One, they reduce the absorption of sunlight,
which will result in a decrease in leaf temperatures and
transpiration rates. Two, it forms a thin transparent film on
(02:20):
leaf surfaces which prevent the escape of water vapor. And three,
it blocks the active excretion of hydrogenations cattions from the
guard cells, which promote closures of the stomata those pores
on the leaves. Depending on their method of action. There
are different types of anti transparents. So now what is
(02:43):
the difference between an anti transparent and anti persperant which
we put underneath our arms. While antipersperance reduce perspiration or sweating,
while anti transparents reduce transpiration and prevent water loss implant surfaces.
Anti perspirants are used on human skin, while anti transparents
(03:05):
are used on leaf surfaces. So the dirty word of
the day is anti transparent. And that is a really
good product to use for palm trees after a freeze.
And the one that I recommend is called wilt Stop
and it's by Bonneyed and it is an anti transparent.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Nice And then like the anti perspin is something that
you know you're at least third grade potentially and above,
you should wear, especially in the state of Florida.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
That is true. That is so true.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
So what should you be doing to your plants today? One,
if you did not get any rain this week, go
ahead and water the ground with a hose your plants
with a hose or with an irrigation real quick this
morning for about fifteen to twenty minutes and soak that
ground and then they will be fine. And then after
(03:59):
the freeze. You want to wait until it gets above
freezing and then you want to do it.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I would say do it.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Test deer Wednesday again, go ahead and water them again
to thier Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Yes, So it's not like you know, back in the
day and we used to have the orange grows and
stuff and they would actually do the sprinkler through the
night to create this crust ice on the outside.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
We're not talking about that.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
You're talking about literally just get them wet right they
can get.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
They could be so they could be hydrated to get
through because the wind is going to pull the water
out of the moisture out of the leaves, and so
if they don't have any moisture in the plant or
it's dessicated now, it's going to be even worse and
it's going to do some damage the orange groves.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
The growers they have a.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Set, you know, procedure that they're going to keep the orange,
the citrus trees or the fruit or whatever. They're doing
the strawberries at thirty two degrees freezing. They know how
to do it with the sprinkler system and they get
their water from wells. If you turn on if a
homeowner turns on their sprinkler system and it freezes up,
(05:03):
it's gonna be one a waste of money, and it's
gonna be a waste of water. And it may not
you know, it's it's not going to be effective for
the homeowner. So the growers know how to do it,
they've been doing it for one hundred years. Uh, but
it's no no reason to do it for a homeowner. Okay,
one triple eight four five five two nine sixty seven,
or you can text two three six eight zero if
(05:27):
you're uh in the area. So now Darryl said, oh, so, Lucy,
this is Daryl Earthbox lady.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
What about pineapple plants? How do we cover them?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Well, you just cover them with a cloth frost blanket
and then if you're using a regular fabric or blanket,
you want to just you know, prop it up with
sticks so.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
It doesn't touch the leaves. That will be fine.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
And no plastic, no plastic, Oh, no, goodness, gracious. The
plastic will actually you know, make the plant colder. Okay,
it pulls the heat away from the plant. It doesn't,
it doesn't help. Do not use plastic. Use a box
if you need to. Sometimes you want to keep those
refrigerator boxes for your taller shrubs and stuff. Your you know,
(06:14):
your Laura pedlums are going to be fine. Your African
irises are going to be fine. Your apostles iris are
going to be fine. Your your ilex shillings.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Are going to be fine. Your wax myrtles are going
to be fine.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
So if you've got a very Florida friendly landscape, you
can you'll have plants that can handle cold, and you
can have plants that can handle the heat. And so
I'm not covering anything in my yard. My yart's going
to be fine this week, and no matter how cold
it gets, my yard will be fine. I have blueberries
that are looking really good, and yeah, so and the
(06:50):
growers I just saw on the news recently this week
that they are going to be icing up the blueberries.
I don't have any blueberries on mine yet. I don't
even have any flowers on mine. Mine are still kind
of dormant, yeh. But the blueberry farmers they have they're
going to ice up there their they're blueberries. But again
they're not paying a water bill. They're you know, they
(07:10):
have wells that they can use on their plants. One
triple eight four five five, two nine sixty seven, or
you can text two three six eight zero. We're going
to be back with kan Kathy Gents. She's the editor
of the Washington Gardener magazine and also the International Water.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Gardens Society magazine.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
She's going to be with us to talk about the
national holiday today, National Seed Swapping Day.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Stay tuned. You're listening to Better Lawns and Gardens.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
I'm Teresa Watkins and this is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network.
Welcome back to Better Lawns and Gardens. I'm Teresa Watkins.
I have with me Kathy Gents. Kathy is a garden an,
(08:00):
author and editor of Washington Garden Magazine in Washington, d C.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
She is produce as the International.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Water Gardening Society Water Garden Journal. She's also the author
of two books, Groundcover Revolution, and she co authored The
Urban Garden one hundred and one Ways to Grow Food
and Beauty in the City. She hosts the Garden DC podcast.
I've known Kathy for years through the Garden Communicators International
and Kathy. Congratulations, you were just voted as president of
(08:32):
garden kom Congratulations.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Thanks.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
So what's Teresa, Yeah, it's a big responsibility.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
But I'm so looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
It's going to be a great year for you, and
I'm so looking forward to having you lead the group.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
That's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
So now, among your notable initiatives is a promotion of
seed swapping, and you played a pivotal role in establishing
the National Seed Swapping Holiday, which is being observed today.
So tell us how long have people been swapping seeds?
Speaker 5 (09:05):
Well, I was doing some research and I think, you know,
as long as we've been collecting seeds, we've been trading seeds.
But the archaeological record shows in the Americas at least
four thousand years, which is pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
It is.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
It's just amazing how they saw the benefit of it,
you know, even back then.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
That's wonderful. So what is the purpose of swapping seeds?
Speaker 5 (09:29):
Well, you can share something that is of value to you,
like if you had that really great tomato, and you
want others to experience that. So that's one great way,
and it's also another way that you can maintain some
of those breeding lines for heirloom tomatoes, say, and I
think it's just a way for gardeners like we all are, Teresa,
(09:51):
to be generous because we want everybody to be a gardener.
If you're a gardener, that.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Is so true. We just we want to share, and
you know, sharing seeds especially, it's the amount of seeds
that come in a packet. So many of the seed
packets have twenty thirty seeds in it, and you know,
twenty and thirty tomatoes for just the average gardener, for
the average yard.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Is a little too much. So it's a great way
to share.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
Mm hmm. And if you're like saving your own seed,
say from a zinnia one zenny ahead, that's way more
seeds than you possibly are probably going to plant yourself.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
That is that is true. So what inspired you to
dedicate the last weekend of January to be National Seed
Swapping Day in two thousand and six?
Speaker 5 (10:36):
So, unlike you, Teresa, our winters are little gray and
brown up here in the DC area, they are this week. Yes,
looking for something to get gardeners together during the winter,
and looking also at the timing for seed starting, so
counting back from when we would normally start our indoor
(10:58):
seed trays, I was thinking the January early February is
perfect time to get people together after the holidays, but
before we get really into the gardening season.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
That that's really a good start to do gardening. That's wonderful.
And so nationally this is celebrated nationally, and I'm sure
that even internationally it's it's picking up a steam that
would be exciting. But so what are some of the
ways people celebrate National Seed Swapping Day.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
So a lot of people will have a local seed swap,
which is what I intended was in person seed swap,
and of course you could do it by mail or
do it online and then mail it to the person.
But some people might start use that day to start
their local seed library. I've seen several of them do
that where they made that occasion as bringing in the
(11:50):
seeds and then launch their local seed library.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
That's wonderful. Now you said library. Here in Central Florida,
there's several libraries that are spawned or having a seed
swapping event today. So libraries are a good choice. If
somebody wanted to find out where they would would be
able to swap seeds, what would you suggest? Where would
you suggest they look?
Speaker 5 (12:13):
So I have a website seedswapdaid dot com or Seedswapday
dot blogspot dot com, and we try to list all
the ones we're aware of. Of course, there's hundreds of them,
little tiny ones up to big ones that I'm probably
not even aware of at this point, Theresa, it's just
taken on a life of its own. Well, yeah, I
would start with your local maybe recreation or library and
(12:35):
ask around and if there's not one in your area,
you know, start one. We have that also on our
website of how you can run a local little seed swap.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
Well, I've given that information to several garden clubs and
even some hoa's that are trying to get it started
for their Senior Citizens centers to have a seed library
right there in their center. So I think that's that's wonderful.
And so how if somebody wanted to swap seeds, Cassie,
(13:03):
how would you suggest that they package them or how
do they keep them so that they can, you know,
give them out in January? But we have seeds all
throughout the years, so how should they be packed?
Speaker 5 (13:15):
Most important thing, because we're all in very humid environments,
You and I is dry. So I always recommend a
glass jar if you can, or any type of thing
that can keep out the moisture. Maybe put some silica
packets in there, So dry is the most important thing.
Cool and out of direct sun also helps, but dryness
(13:37):
is the number one thing. And I always say pack
them in quantities that a normal gardener would use, like
maybe five watermelon seeds, right, you don't need fifty, right.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Right exactly?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
You know that would be good because I can't see
it as seed swap. You're just taking them out of
the jar and kind of saying, Okay, here's your five
and here's your five, and so you know it's it's
important to do that.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
That would be easy.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
So are there any seeds that you recommend that are
easier to swap than others?
Speaker 5 (14:11):
Most of the cutting garden annuals are super easy. So
I talked about zennia before, but marigold, cosmos, kleomi, those
are basically the seeds just fall into your hand, super
easy to collect in an envelope and you get them
by the hundreds, you know, Yeah, you always have lots
to share. And I would say for herbs, basil, that's
(14:35):
one of my favorite and one of the easiest ones
to collect for seeds.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Okay, so let's say somebody has basil. Now, are we
talking just the regular opal jewels or African blue basil.
Is it any basil plant that can be used for seeds.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Unless it's under a plant patent, which usually lasts for
about ten years. Yes, you can save seeds from any basil.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Okay, So how did somebody do that?
Speaker 1 (15:01):
If they've never gotten seeds from there from their basil before,
how do they know where the seeds are and how
to get them out?
Speaker 5 (15:11):
So first you have to let it go to flower.
So usually by the end of this growing season, you
stop pinching your basil back let it go to flower.
Once it goes to flower, the bees have visited, they've
pollinated it, and then it dries. The seed head dries,
the little flower head dries on the stem, and you
could just snip off that whole stem and stick it
(15:32):
right into an envelope and shake it up or a
glass jar. I usually have like a large piece of
paper or something underneath it because I'm greedy and I
don't want any other seeds to fall on the ground.
And then some you could just leave in place to
self sew. So plants that just spill the seed on
the ground and come back next year for you couldn't
be easier.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Okay, So that that's really important.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
And so when you mentioned watermelon, how would somebody save
watermelon seeds?
Speaker 5 (16:02):
So watermelon might be a hybrid. So if you purchased it,
say at a store, and it's a hybrid, know that
the seed is not going.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
To come true.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
You can usually collect the seed from it, unless it's
a seedless watermelon, of course, but you're gonna grow a
watermelon of some kind, Teresa, it just might not be
that watermelon because it's a hybrid of two other watermelons.
So I would say, make sure it's an airloom variety
or an older variety where that comes true to seed,
(16:34):
and those you can easily collect. You might want to
let it ferment, so leave your watermelon outside. It kind
of I describe it as imploding. It kind of ferments
and rots out there in the field. There are some
methods for speeding it up that fermentation process, but mother
nature knows what she's doing, and then you can scoop
(16:55):
out those seeds and clean them off and save them.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
What other plants that you can get in the grocery store.
Can you get seeds from to plant in your garden.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
So you can get I would say a lot of
the different I was trying to think of some other herbs.
So if you were to grow on you know, parsley
or any or cilantro, again, you have to let them
go to flower and then collect the seed, so you
can do that a fun one to do, are like
(17:28):
alofa Ever, Yeah, once in a while you'll find a
seed still in there, right, Yes, they haven't totally cleaned
it out. So that's always a fun one to discover
that seed in there.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Oh, that that is fun.
Speaker 6 (17:40):
What about tomatoes, So again, if it's a hybrid tomato,
which a lot of what we're growing, you know at
the grocery store is going to be a hybrid.
Speaker 5 (17:50):
Again, it could be some kind of tomato that you're
going to grow, but it's not going to be that
tomato probably it'll just revert back to, you know, another variety.
So I would say your local farmers' markets and asking
them is this airloom tomato and pick one that you
really like, Because it's a little bit of work to
(18:11):
ferment and collect the tomato seeds. People to make sure
it's work, it.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Is worth it for you exactly.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
You don't want to think that you did something wrong
that that would be important. Are there any seeds or
plants that you recommend not swapping.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
Well, of course, anything that's an invasive species. We don't
want to have those that are swaps. Although that's pretty rare.
I haven't seen anybody bring like Asian with sterious seeds
to one of our seed changes. No, No, not normally yeah,
or English ivy. They do make, you know, berries and
go to seed, but you know people aren't usually collecting
(18:46):
those and bringing them in, so that's usually not a concern.
And I did mention, of course earlier plant plant patents,
so something is under a patent, it would have the
label on there and say you know that you're not
allowed to reproduce it from cutting our seeds.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
There you get in years or.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
So okay, super so, Kathy, we just got a minute.
So what where can people find out more information about
National Seed Swapping Day and how can they get your books?
Speaker 4 (19:13):
So Seedswap Day dot com or Seedswapday dot blogspot dot com.
On social media, I use the hashtag seed Swap Day,
so like on Instagram, check out those posts and share
and like and you'll see seed swaps going on all
over the place.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
And for my books, Amazon Bookshop dot org wherever you
can buy books.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
I have Groundcover Revolution and the Urban Garden.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
That's wonderful, Kathy.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
I will post these today on Facebook, so we'll give
you some promotion there.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Thank you so much for coming on. It'll be good
to see you this year.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Good luck on being president of the Gardencommunicators International.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
People should look it up gardencom dot com.
Speaker 7 (19:52):
Thanks so much, Teresa, You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Thank you, Kathy, byebye, and so we're going to be
back with more of your phone calls one triple eight
four five five two nine sixty seven or you can
text two three six eight zero. We hope you go
out and do some seed swapping, and you can do
it any time of the year. This day is just
to celebrate it, but seed swapping is good anytime. From
(20:16):
the summit Responsible Solutions Studios. If it's Saturday morning, you're
listening to Better Lawns and Gardens and this at Corten's
Talk and Entertainment Network.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Welcome back to Better Lawns and Gardens.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
I want to tell Kathy thank you so much for
talking with us. I just so enjoy our company and
she's so talented, so thank you very much. That's National
Seed Swap Day and you can go to our website
and I'll be posting all of these on our Facebook
page later on this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
All right, let's go to Victor in Talah. Good morning, Victor,
how can I help you?
Speaker 7 (21:03):
Good morning Terrifa. Sancturarated sodium is the boasting on a
segment trapped in a sodium bot. That is all the
sodium that is in the bottom of the plant stem
and the margarine soaksin from the cream that is coming
(21:25):
from the cultivation that just sold in the stem as
an appure agent. So my question is is pepper a
bit either sleep time of the plant or is the
walkout with basil better from the moist stem as it grows.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Okay, so I'm trying to understand your question, So start again.
So you're asking about the stems of a holly. What
are you what are you asking?
Speaker 7 (21:52):
The holly letus also would grow letus. But so when
I use when I the way I cook lettus an
athlete of martial artsist, I use sugar a little bit
just to take some of the practice method out of it.
So what it will concentrate on succumbing to the agricultural
(22:16):
practices that we used to encourage the gardener, et cetera.
But when I use the sugar, it singing like it
starts to turn. The lettuce soften texture is not so crispy,
and I don't know that will be the same with salt.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
I use salts and okay, so you're talking about lettuce. Okay,
So so do me a favor. If it's a little
bit difficult to understand, could you email me? Would if
I gave you my email address, would you email me
your question that I can send it to you. So
I don't recommend putting sugar on plants or salt on
(22:59):
plants or uppern plants. So I'm trying to understand what
the benefit would be.
Speaker 7 (23:05):
I want to with me, with me agricultural system, with
the sediments in forming processing, the industrial material, the machines
to uh damaging the sediment layer on the lawn. I
don't want from mults, et cetera. I won't talk sediments
in reusable composts. If you can recycle yourself, I want
(23:29):
to know if, if what goes if I don't know
if the holly is really a trunk or stem because
of its.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Size, right, it's it's a it's both it has trunk
and it has a stem.
Speaker 7 (23:43):
I believe that and didn't know it for fights and
thank you, But that's what my concern is. Sensed. I
with the way I distribute with the lenses, I kind
of really distributed yet to where I'm satisfied. So we're
called in because I don't experience when I use salt
and war to the war experience will use sugar, and
I felt like lessis would just not really be affective.
(24:05):
I either want to them.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
I really couldn't tell you because I again, it's just
something that I am not familiar with on how you're
doing your agricultural processes and what you're trying to accomplish
because lettuce is not a holly, and by putting sugar
in salt or different peppers and using them in your processes,
I don't understand what that would accomplish. So if you so,
(24:29):
what I want you to do, though, Victor, is to
email me. If you could email me at Teresa dot
Watkins at live dot com, Teresa dot Watkins at live
dot com and tell me your question and maybe even
show me a photograph of your process, I will be
able to, you know, to get a better grasp of
(24:49):
what you're trying to accomplish.
Speaker 7 (24:51):
Okay, okay, thank you.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
That's Teresa dot Watkins.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
That's Teresa without the h T E R E s
A dot Watkins w A T K I N s
at live dot com. I'm very interested, Victor, you'll send
that to me. I'd like to read that. Thank you
so much. All right, let's go to Robert outside Plant City.
Good morning, Robert, how are you?
Speaker 8 (25:16):
Good morning Teresa, thanks for being here.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Oh you're welcome. Thank you.
Speaker 8 (25:21):
With this freeze coming up, I'm a bit concerned about
my well freezing right right. Well, they exposed, so I
know running a drip line out. Running a line sometimes
will keep the circulation going to a point. My question
is what harm would I possibly have if I use
(25:43):
the drip lines on my azalias to keep that water flowing.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I don't think there'll be any harm at all.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
I'm not anticipating pipes freezing down in Plant City, Okay,
I don't think the ground will get that cold. But
you're saying that it's above ground, so but I would
just i'd wrap it in blankets and just uh, if
you wanted to put a dripline on it, you could
I don't think we're gonna need that, but you're well,
should be just fine.
Speaker 8 (26:12):
Okay, very good.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
Okay, you're welcome. No worries about that. Okay, you're welcome.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
I appreciate. Uh So. Yeah, so that was interesting about
the sugar and salt.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Yeah, I'm interested from not getting the email, so.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Let me go here.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
So I had a test messages ask for a website.
So I have two websites. One is she www dot
she s h e hyphen Consulting dot com. She hyphen
Consulting dot com. That is my landscape design company and
(26:51):
also to my blog and other information that you can see.
And then I also have art and Bloomgardentours dot So
we have that website too as well for our garden tours,
which are extremely wonderful.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
We have great times.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
We go to beautiful gardens and we just it's just amazing.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
And we can geek out at plants. Yes, you can.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
You go there and find out the cost of it.
You can also get on a waiting list. There's a
few of them. There are waiting lists.
Speaker 9 (27:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
So we are filling up very rapidly for this year,
so that that would be great.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
Listie Okay, So that's the website. If you need another one,
please text and let me know what you need. So
Walter in Wildwood says, I have a dozen bushes locate.
Banana bush is located in an area that normally has
full sun and wind. Are these toasts and no, I
don't think so, Walter. Banana bushes will grow up to
(27:47):
zone seven. They prefer eight to eleven, so you may
see a little bit of damage. But I would just
wait about a month to six weeks and you can
trim it back and it'll just be just fine. Okay,
So no worries about that.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
I hear the music. We're gonna be back. I've got
all these different calls brassicas. We're gonna talk about cauliflower
and brocoli when.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
We get back. Had a wonderful I love the flow
of the universe.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Several people just at the same time asked about cauliflower
and broccoli, so we'll tackle that when we get back.
It's Saturday morning from the Summit Responsible Solution Studios. I'm
Teresa wat Because and this is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Welcome back to Better Lawns and Gardens.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
If you have a gardening question or a text message
two three six eight zero. Also to our newsletter for
February is going out this weekend. If you don't receive
the newsletter, it's free and I don't spam, I don't.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Sell your email address.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
You can go to my website www. Dot Consulting dot
com and you can sign up for the newsletter and
you will receive it this weekend. So thank you very
much for asking me about that. Okay, so I have
let's see, uh. In the first hour, you went through
(29:17):
the entire list of plants on how they would how
they would do in this upcoming Florida freeze, which you
can go and listen to the first hour and hear it.
But you never mentioned any brassicas I live in Brevard County,
Zone ten A, and my location tends to be to
run about two to three degrees cooler than the locally
advertised tempts. Any thoughts about how my broccoli and cauliflower
(29:41):
may fare without covering love the show. Thanks for all
your info, Joe. Well, Joe, we love you too. Thank
you so much so. The reason I didn't mention them
and I mentioned the the spring annuals and the spring,
tomato and peppers and eggplants. Is they will freeze your
broccoli and your cauliflower, your brass because they are going
(30:01):
to love this weather and they will be just fine.
You do not need to cover them. They are winter
vegetables and they will thrive and they'll do really well.
So no worries Joe on your Broccolian cauliflower. You can
have wonderful, wonderful Broccolian cheese and cauliflower and cheese and
dishes for your dinner. So that also goes to Pinky,
(30:24):
Pinky and Orange Port Orange. She's heartbroken. So Pinky, you
had small surgery. Well we hope you feel better soon.
But your brassicas are going to be just fine. They
can handle even a little bit of snow, so don't
worry about those. They're gonna do just fine. So we
hope you feel better. Let us know how you do.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
Hunt.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
And then I have a name. I have a text
message without a name and a zone, but it says, Hi, Teresa,
will my croutons survive this freeze? And yes, your croutons will,
But we're talking about crotons.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
And spelling is horrible to my auto correct. I just
love that. I think it's just so cute. My auto
correct is horrible for me too. So I feel crotons.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Are gonna see damage. Okay, So you're gonna see damage,
but do not cut them back. See if they return,
you can pull the dead leaves off, but do not
cut them back. They should recover depending on how cold
it gets in your area. Okay, and if not relatively inexpensive.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
We can replace them. So, uh, you know that's for crotons.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Let's go to Marsha and okoe, Good morning, Marcia. How
can how can I help you?
Speaker 9 (31:31):
Oh? Hi, Well, I have a young peach tree in
the backyard. It's got some fruit, lots of blossoms, and
we're wondering if, if, if anything we can do to
save that fruit, or if we're just gonna lose it.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
You might lose it, okay, if it gets to to
too cold, you might lose it. But your peach tree
is gonna be just fine. So how long has it been.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
In the ground?
Speaker 9 (31:56):
About three years?
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Okay, it should be fine.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Okay, and I don't think it's going to get that
cold and a koe where you're gonna have to worry
about it, Okay, I hope so too. No, I think
I am. I don't think it'll get that cold. Okay,
so uh in in that part of Orange County. All right,
thank you so much. Let's go to Jerry in Citrus County.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Good morning, Jerry. Are you all bundled up?
Speaker 7 (32:21):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (32:21):
Yes, trying to get ready? There you go.
Speaker 8 (32:26):
You mentioned in your last guest you had on your
talk about seeds them.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Yes, what does that offer?
Speaker 1 (32:34):
That's for tomatoes, so you know, so you want to
dry your seeds out and sometimes I have a little
jelly on them that starts to ferment, so you want
to make sure they're clean. I would just put them
in a paper towel and wipe the the kind of
jelly stuff off of them and dry them out, and
then you can replant them.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
They don't they don't stop. That will stop the fermentation.
Speaker 5 (32:55):
That's what you were saying.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Okay, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
All right, let me know how cold again, see you too.
Let me know how cold it gets where you are. Okay,
Let's go to.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Steve and Palm Bay. Good morning, Steve. How can I
help you?
Speaker 10 (33:08):
Good morning, Teresa, thanks for taking my call.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Oh you're welcome.
Speaker 10 (33:12):
I've got a pretty large orange bird of Paradise probably
out flax foot across and five foot tall. Okay, really beautiful,
but it's infiltrated with this I've always called a torpedo
grass or crab grass. I'm not sure what it's actual
term is, but it's almost it's really a nightmare to
try to get rid of, right, it's probably well, yeah,
and I'm really contemplating just ripping this thing out because it's.
Speaker 8 (33:35):
So full of it.
Speaker 10 (33:37):
The bush is beautiful, but it's full of all this,
you know, all this, all these weeds. Basically, is there
a way Is there anything I can spray on that
to get rid of it that won't damage the bird?
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:51):
You know, so.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
You can try and spray a nerbous sight on it,
but I think it's going to affect the bird of paradise.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
But you say it's five foot cross, right.
Speaker 7 (34:01):
Yeah, it's huge.
Speaker 10 (34:02):
It's over ten years old years.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Yeah, and I bet it's blooming and it's beautiful.
Speaker 10 (34:07):
Yeah, it really is. I hate to get rid of it,
but I can't stand it with all this mess in it.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
No, I appreciate that. So one we're gonna have to
stop it from doing it in the future. So I
want you to create a border around it and mulch
around it.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
So mulching it, it's gonna help.
Speaker 7 (34:22):
You know.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
What you could do, You could do instead of spraying.
Is what I would do is I would take a
plastic bag and put it between the bird of paradise.
And it's going to take it a little while to
do this, okay, but it's better than losing it, and
it's not as hard as ripping.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
It all out. So I would take a plastic bag,
put it.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Between the fronds, the leaves and the bermuda grass, and
then take a paint brush with the bermuda with with
your herbicide on it, and paint the the the bermuda grass. Okay,
not spray it, but paint it and let it dry,
and then do that all the way through your bird
(35:03):
of paradise and then just leave it. Don't don't cut
the bermuda or anything. And it's going to take a
little while. It's going to take probably five to ten
days for it to die, okay, but it's possible to
do it. It's gonna take it a little while to
get in all throughout there, but then I would rip
it out from the sides and put either metal edging
(35:25):
around it. You want to mulch it really good so
it doesn't get back in there. But then you want
to remove that bermuda from your yard so it doesn't
get in there again.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
Sure, sure, does that make sense?
Speaker 8 (35:36):
It does.
Speaker 10 (35:37):
It sounds like it's coming out though.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Now, okay, So here's the other thing.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
So my other idea was was to pop up your
bird of paradise. Okay, pop it up and literally pull
the sedge out of it, okay, and remove it that way,
and then replant your bird of paradise. That will be
That will be easier. That will be easier. Okay. But
here's what's going to happen to your bird of paradise.
(36:03):
It's probably not going to bloom for a year or so, okay,
because when you bird of paradises do not like their
roots to get moved or damaged or anything like that.
So when we take them out of pots and put
them in the yard, it takes one to two years
for it to start blooming again.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
It needs to be root bound. But I think that
if you've got.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Some blooms in it, now, go ahead and pop it up,
remove the turn it on its side, and then from
the bottom through the root system, pull all that sedge out,
clean that whole area so you have no more sedge
in it anymore, and then replant it.
Speaker 10 (36:39):
Okay, that's that sounds more doable for me. I've got
some heavy equipment, so that's not a problem.
Speaker 1 (36:43):
Okay, Okay, super that would be great. Okay, that'll work.
You're welcome, Thank you, Steve.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Great question. So bird of paradises do not like to
be moved?
Speaker 1 (36:52):
Yes, okay, So let me go ahead and just start
with this. I want to start and say we're going
to have a free this is a historic occasion. So
be glad you're in Florida. You know, this time of
the year, it'll be lovely. The sun will shine. It's
going to kill the mosquitoes. It's going to kill the fleas,
it's going to kill the ticks and all the other
bad bugs. And so for a little while, for a
(37:14):
little while, they'll come back, but it's gonna do some
damage for them, and that's a good thing. But it's
also a time that we're going to see some tropicals dying.
And that's why, you know, you want to make sure
that you're putting in the right plant in the right place,
putting in palm trees that can handle the freezes. Putting
in plants that can handle the freezes, and you'll be
(37:35):
able to tell somebody, Yeah, it does get cold in Florida, Okay,
and yes, we do have freezes, and so oh it
doesn't get cold down there. We don't have a change
of seasons.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Yeah we do.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
We stuffed the ice plains.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
People don't realize that.
Speaker 4 (37:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:47):
Anyway, go ahead, exactly, and so water your landscape today. Okay,
water this morning so that it drives off before tonight.
When your plants do succumb to the freeze, if they
start to wilt, take off the dead leaves, but don't
cut it. Just take off the dead leaves. Do not
prune it until you see new growth. That's going to
(38:08):
take three to six weeks before you see new growth.
Do not fertilize this week or anytime in the next
couple of days until February March.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
And then spray.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Go ahead, Now, if you have any palm trees, spray
them with a fungicide. Spray the top of that apical tip,
the top of your palm tree. That's where the emerging
stem's gonna come out. You want to spray that with
a fung a side. So we will be back next week.
And I want to hear everybody's stories. If you get
pictures of snow, I would love to see them. We
would love that. We'll post them on our Facebook page. Yes,
(38:40):
and we would love to hear your experiences. Don't panic,
Make some cocoa, add some marshmallows, and I.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Think it'll be just fine. Yes, Okay, so everyone just
take a deep breath.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
Florida is gonna survive. It gives us a chance to
wear our Irish sweaters. I'm wearing mine to that's beautiful again.
It's going to kill a lot of mosquitoes. It's gonna
give us a chance to use our fireplaces and our
fire pits. And again, drink lots of cocoa. This is
a great week to be looking at plant and seed catalogs.
Share some of your seeds with your neighbors this week,
and stay warm. If it's Saturday morning from the Summit
(39:16):
Responsible Solution Studios, you're listening to Better Lawns and Gardens.
I'm Teresa Watkins, and this is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
If you missed any of the show, you can go
back and recap it at better lawns dot com. That's
better lawns dot com.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
Two
Good morning, Welcome back to the second hour of Better
Lawns and Gardens from the Summit Responsible Solution Studios. I'm
Teresa Watkins. I'm your host. I'm a garden author, landscape designer, consultant, horticulturists.
I love plants and I love helping people with their plants,
and this is going to be a day for your
gardening questions. And uh, it's going to be bad out there.
(00:31):
I can't say anything else, but it's gonna it's gonna
We're gonna see some damage with our tropicals in our
landscape this week. But it doesn't have to be so bad.
If you missed any of the first hour, I talked
about all the plants and shrubs and trees that are
going to be just fine, and how to protect your
palm trees and care for palm trees after the freeze,
(00:52):
and that's very, very important. So you can go back
and listen to that on Better Lawns dot Com or
on your iHeart app anytime.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
Four seven. So let's go for the dirty word of
the day. And now it's time for the dirty Word
of the Day on Better Lawns and Gardens with Teresa Watkins.
Speaker 1 (01:10):
And the dirty word of the day is anti transparent.
Anti transparents are substances applied to the leaves of plants
to reduce transporation. Transpiration is the process in which plants
absorb water through their roots and then release water vapor
through the pores in their leaves. Although anti transparents inhibit
(01:34):
the process of transpiration, they do not have a significant
effect on other processes such as photosynthesis and plant growth.
Anti transparents are typically useful in horticulture, especially regarding ornamental plants.
You can also use anti transparants on cut flowers, Christmas trees,
and on newly planted shrubs. It's basically a way for
(01:58):
anti transparens. When you put it on a plant, it
helps these plants from drying out too quickly. Anti transferants
work in three ways. One, they reduce the absorption of sunlight,
which will result in a decrease in leaf temperatures and
transpiration rates. Two, it forms a thin transparent film on
(02:20):
leaf surfaces which prevent the escape of water vapor. And three,
it blocks the active excretion of hydrogenations cattions from the
guard cells, which promote closures of the stomata those pores
on the leaves. Depending on their method of action. There
are different types of anti transparents. So now what is
(02:43):
the difference between an anti transparent and anti persperant which
we put underneath our arms. While antipersperance reduce perspiration or sweating,
while anti transparents reduce transpiration and prevent water loss implant surfaces.
Anti perspirants are used on human skin, while anti transparents
(03:05):
are used on leaf surfaces. So the dirty word of
the day is anti transparent. And that is a really
good product to use for palm trees after a freeze.
And the one that I recommend is called wilt Stop
and it's by Bonneyed and it is an anti transparent.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Nice And then like the anti perspin is something that
you know you're at least third grade potentially and above,
you should wear, especially in the state of Florida.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
That is true. That is so true.
Speaker 1 (03:36):
So what should you be doing to your plants today? One,
if you did not get any rain this week, go
ahead and water the ground with a hose your plants
with a hose or with an irrigation real quick this
morning for about fifteen to twenty minutes and soak that
ground and then they will be fine. And then after
(03:59):
the freeze. You want to wait until it gets above
freezing and then you want to do it.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
I would say do it.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Test deer Wednesday again, go ahead and water them again
to thier Wednesday.
Speaker 3 (04:09):
Yes, So it's not like you know, back in the
day and we used to have the orange grows and
stuff and they would actually do the sprinkler through the
night to create this crust ice on the outside.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
We're not talking about that.
Speaker 3 (04:19):
You're talking about literally just get them wet right they
can get.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
They could be so they could be hydrated to get
through because the wind is going to pull the water
out of the moisture out of the leaves, and so
if they don't have any moisture in the plant or
it's dessicated now, it's going to be even worse and
it's going to do some damage the orange groves.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
The growers they have a.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Set, you know, procedure that they're going to keep the orange,
the citrus trees or the fruit or whatever. They're doing
the strawberries at thirty two degrees freezing. They know how
to do it with the sprinkler system and they get
their water from wells. If you turn on if a
homeowner turns on their sprinkler system and it freezes up,
(05:03):
it's gonna be one a waste of money, and it's
gonna be a waste of water. And it may not
you know, it's it's not going to be effective for
the homeowner. So the growers know how to do it,
they've been doing it for one hundred years. Uh, but
it's no no reason to do it for a homeowner. Okay,
one triple eight four five five two nine sixty seven,
or you can text two three six eight zero if
(05:27):
you're uh in the area. So now Darryl said, oh, so, Lucy,
this is Daryl Earthbox lady.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
What about pineapple plants? How do we cover them?
Speaker 1 (05:40):
Well, you just cover them with a cloth frost blanket
and then if you're using a regular fabric or blanket,
you want to just you know, prop it up with
sticks so.
Speaker 2 (05:51):
It doesn't touch the leaves. That will be fine.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
And no plastic, no plastic, Oh, no, goodness, gracious. The
plastic will actually you know, make the plant colder. Okay,
it pulls the heat away from the plant. It doesn't,
it doesn't help. Do not use plastic. Use a box
if you need to. Sometimes you want to keep those
refrigerator boxes for your taller shrubs and stuff. Your you know,
(06:14):
your Laura pedlums are going to be fine. Your African
irises are going to be fine. Your apostles iris are
going to be fine. Your your ilex shillings.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Are going to be fine. Your wax myrtles are going
to be fine.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
So if you've got a very Florida friendly landscape, you
can you'll have plants that can handle cold, and you
can have plants that can handle the heat. And so
I'm not covering anything in my yard. My yart's going
to be fine this week, and no matter how cold
it gets, my yard will be fine. I have blueberries
that are looking really good, and yeah, so and the
(06:50):
growers I just saw on the news recently this week
that they are going to be icing up the blueberries.
I don't have any blueberries on mine yet. I don't
even have any flowers on mine. Mine are still kind
of dormant, yeh. But the blueberry farmers they have they're
going to ice up there their they're blueberries. But again
they're not paying a water bill. They're you know, they
(07:10):
have wells that they can use on their plants. One
triple eight four five five, two nine sixty seven, or
you can text two three six eight zero. We're going
to be back with kan Kathy Gents. She's the editor
of the Washington Gardener magazine and also the International Water.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Gardens Society magazine.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
She's going to be with us to talk about the
national holiday today, National Seed Swapping Day.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
Stay tuned. You're listening to Better Lawns and Gardens.
Speaker 1 (07:38):
I'm Teresa Watkins and this is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network.
Welcome back to Better Lawns and Gardens. I'm Teresa Watkins.
I have with me Kathy Gents. Kathy is a garden an,
(08:00):
author and editor of Washington Garden Magazine in Washington, d C.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
She is produce as the International.
Speaker 1 (08:08):
Water Gardening Society Water Garden Journal. She's also the author
of two books, Groundcover Revolution, and she co authored The
Urban Garden one hundred and one Ways to Grow Food
and Beauty in the City. She hosts the Garden DC podcast.
I've known Kathy for years through the Garden Communicators International
and Kathy. Congratulations, you were just voted as president of
(08:32):
garden kom Congratulations.
Speaker 4 (08:35):
Thanks.
Speaker 5 (08:35):
So what's Teresa, Yeah, it's a big responsibility.
Speaker 4 (08:39):
But I'm so looking forward to it.
Speaker 1 (08:41):
It's going to be a great year for you, and
I'm so looking forward to having you lead the group.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
That's wonderful.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
So now, among your notable initiatives is a promotion of
seed swapping, and you played a pivotal role in establishing
the National Seed Swapping Holiday, which is being observed today.
So tell us how long have people been swapping seeds?
Speaker 5 (09:05):
Well, I was doing some research and I think, you know,
as long as we've been collecting seeds, we've been trading seeds.
But the archaeological record shows in the Americas at least
four thousand years, which is pretty awesome.
Speaker 2 (09:19):
It is.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
It's just amazing how they saw the benefit of it,
you know, even back then.
Speaker 2 (09:24):
That's wonderful. So what is the purpose of swapping seeds?
Speaker 5 (09:29):
Well, you can share something that is of value to you,
like if you had that really great tomato, and you
want others to experience that. So that's one great way,
and it's also another way that you can maintain some
of those breeding lines for heirloom tomatoes, say, and I
think it's just a way for gardeners like we all are, Teresa,
(09:51):
to be generous because we want everybody to be a gardener.
If you're a gardener, that.
Speaker 1 (09:55):
Is so true. We just we want to share, and
you know, sharing seeds especially, it's the amount of seeds
that come in a packet. So many of the seed
packets have twenty thirty seeds in it, and you know,
twenty and thirty tomatoes for just the average gardener, for
the average yard.
Speaker 2 (10:12):
Is a little too much. So it's a great way
to share.
Speaker 5 (10:15):
Mm hmm. And if you're like saving your own seed,
say from a zinnia one zenny ahead, that's way more
seeds than you possibly are probably going to plant yourself.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
That is that is true. So what inspired you to
dedicate the last weekend of January to be National Seed
Swapping Day in two thousand and six?
Speaker 5 (10:36):
So, unlike you, Teresa, our winters are little gray and
brown up here in the DC area, they are this week. Yes,
looking for something to get gardeners together during the winter,
and looking also at the timing for seed starting, so
counting back from when we would normally start our indoor
(10:58):
seed trays, I was thinking the January early February is
perfect time to get people together after the holidays, but
before we get really into the gardening season.
Speaker 1 (11:09):
That that's really a good start to do gardening. That's wonderful.
And so nationally this is celebrated nationally, and I'm sure
that even internationally it's it's picking up a steam that
would be exciting. But so what are some of the
ways people celebrate National Seed Swapping Day.
Speaker 5 (11:27):
So a lot of people will have a local seed swap,
which is what I intended was in person seed swap,
and of course you could do it by mail or
do it online and then mail it to the person.
But some people might start use that day to start
their local seed library. I've seen several of them do
that where they made that occasion as bringing in the
(11:50):
seeds and then launch their local seed library.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
That's wonderful. Now you said library. Here in Central Florida,
there's several libraries that are spawned or having a seed
swapping event today. So libraries are a good choice. If
somebody wanted to find out where they would would be
able to swap seeds, what would you suggest? Where would
you suggest they look?
Speaker 5 (12:13):
So I have a website seedswapdaid dot com or Seedswapday
dot blogspot dot com, and we try to list all
the ones we're aware of. Of course, there's hundreds of them,
little tiny ones up to big ones that I'm probably
not even aware of at this point, Theresa, it's just
taken on a life of its own. Well, yeah, I
would start with your local maybe recreation or library and
(12:35):
ask around and if there's not one in your area,
you know, start one. We have that also on our
website of how you can run a local little seed swap.
Speaker 1 (12:43):
Well, I've given that information to several garden clubs and
even some hoa's that are trying to get it started
for their Senior Citizens centers to have a seed library
right there in their center. So I think that's that's wonderful.
And so how if somebody wanted to swap seeds, Cassie,
(13:03):
how would you suggest that they package them or how
do they keep them so that they can, you know,
give them out in January? But we have seeds all
throughout the years, so how should they be packed?
Speaker 5 (13:15):
Most important thing, because we're all in very humid environments,
You and I is dry. So I always recommend a
glass jar if you can, or any type of thing
that can keep out the moisture. Maybe put some silica
packets in there, So dry is the most important thing.
Cool and out of direct sun also helps, but dryness
(13:37):
is the number one thing. And I always say pack
them in quantities that a normal gardener would use, like
maybe five watermelon seeds, right, you don't need fifty, right.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Right exactly?
Speaker 1 (13:51):
You know that would be good because I can't see
it as seed swap. You're just taking them out of
the jar and kind of saying, Okay, here's your five
and here's your five, and so you know it's it's
important to do that.
Speaker 2 (14:01):
That would be easy.
Speaker 1 (14:02):
So are there any seeds that you recommend that are
easier to swap than others?
Speaker 5 (14:11):
Most of the cutting garden annuals are super easy. So
I talked about zennia before, but marigold, cosmos, kleomi, those
are basically the seeds just fall into your hand, super
easy to collect in an envelope and you get them
by the hundreds, you know, Yeah, you always have lots
to share. And I would say for herbs, basil, that's
(14:35):
one of my favorite and one of the easiest ones
to collect for seeds.
Speaker 1 (14:39):
Okay, so let's say somebody has basil. Now, are we
talking just the regular opal jewels or African blue basil.
Is it any basil plant that can be used for seeds.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Unless it's under a plant patent, which usually lasts for
about ten years. Yes, you can save seeds from any basil.
Speaker 2 (14:59):
Okay, So how did somebody do that?
Speaker 1 (15:01):
If they've never gotten seeds from there from their basil before,
how do they know where the seeds are and how
to get them out?
Speaker 5 (15:11):
So first you have to let it go to flower.
So usually by the end of this growing season, you
stop pinching your basil back let it go to flower.
Once it goes to flower, the bees have visited, they've
pollinated it, and then it dries. The seed head dries,
the little flower head dries on the stem, and you
could just snip off that whole stem and stick it
(15:32):
right into an envelope and shake it up or a
glass jar. I usually have like a large piece of
paper or something underneath it because I'm greedy and I
don't want any other seeds to fall on the ground.
And then some you could just leave in place to
self sew. So plants that just spill the seed on
the ground and come back next year for you couldn't
be easier.
Speaker 2 (15:53):
Okay, So that that's really important.
Speaker 1 (15:55):
And so when you mentioned watermelon, how would somebody save
watermelon seeds?
Speaker 5 (16:02):
So watermelon might be a hybrid. So if you purchased it,
say at a store, and it's a hybrid, know that
the seed is not going.
Speaker 4 (16:11):
To come true.
Speaker 5 (16:12):
You can usually collect the seed from it, unless it's
a seedless watermelon, of course, but you're gonna grow a
watermelon of some kind, Teresa, it just might not be
that watermelon because it's a hybrid of two other watermelons.
So I would say, make sure it's an airloom variety
or an older variety where that comes true to seed,
(16:34):
and those you can easily collect. You might want to
let it ferment, so leave your watermelon outside. It kind
of I describe it as imploding. It kind of ferments
and rots out there in the field. There are some
methods for speeding it up that fermentation process, but mother
nature knows what she's doing, and then you can scoop
(16:55):
out those seeds and clean them off and save them.
Speaker 1 (16:59):
What other plants that you can get in the grocery store.
Can you get seeds from to plant in your garden.
Speaker 5 (17:06):
So you can get I would say a lot of
the different I was trying to think of some other herbs.
So if you were to grow on you know, parsley
or any or cilantro, again, you have to let them
go to flower and then collect the seed, so you
can do that a fun one to do, are like
(17:28):
alofa Ever, Yeah, once in a while you'll find a
seed still in there, right, Yes, they haven't totally cleaned
it out. So that's always a fun one to discover
that seed in there.
Speaker 2 (17:39):
Oh, that that is fun.
Speaker 6 (17:40):
What about tomatoes, So again, if it's a hybrid tomato,
which a lot of what we're growing, you know at
the grocery store is going to be a hybrid.
Speaker 5 (17:50):
Again, it could be some kind of tomato that you're
going to grow, but it's not going to be that
tomato probably it'll just revert back to, you know, another variety.
So I would say your local farmers' markets and asking
them is this airloom tomato and pick one that you
really like, Because it's a little bit of work to
(18:11):
ferment and collect the tomato seeds. People to make sure
it's work, it.
Speaker 2 (18:15):
Is worth it for you exactly.
Speaker 1 (18:16):
You don't want to think that you did something wrong
that that would be important. Are there any seeds or
plants that you recommend not swapping.
Speaker 5 (18:25):
Well, of course, anything that's an invasive species. We don't
want to have those that are swaps. Although that's pretty rare.
I haven't seen anybody bring like Asian with sterious seeds
to one of our seed changes. No, No, not normally yeah,
or English ivy. They do make, you know, berries and
go to seed, but you know people aren't usually collecting
(18:46):
those and bringing them in, so that's usually not a concern.
And I did mention, of course earlier plant plant patents,
so something is under a patent, it would have the
label on there and say you know that you're not
allowed to reproduce it from cutting our seeds.
Speaker 4 (19:01):
There you get in years or.
Speaker 1 (19:02):
So okay, super so, Kathy, we just got a minute.
So what where can people find out more information about
National Seed Swapping Day and how can they get your books?
Speaker 4 (19:13):
So Seedswap Day dot com or Seedswapday dot blogspot dot com.
On social media, I use the hashtag seed Swap Day,
so like on Instagram, check out those posts and share
and like and you'll see seed swaps going on all
over the place.
Speaker 5 (19:28):
And for my books, Amazon Bookshop dot org wherever you
can buy books.
Speaker 4 (19:33):
I have Groundcover Revolution and the Urban Garden.
Speaker 2 (19:37):
That's wonderful, Kathy.
Speaker 1 (19:38):
I will post these today on Facebook, so we'll give
you some promotion there.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Thank you so much for coming on. It'll be good
to see you this year.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
Good luck on being president of the Gardencommunicators International.
Speaker 2 (19:49):
People should look it up gardencom dot com.
Speaker 7 (19:52):
Thanks so much, Teresa, You're welcome.
Speaker 1 (19:54):
Thank you, Kathy, byebye, and so we're going to be
back with more of your phone calls one triple eight
four five five two nine sixty seven or you can
text two three six eight zero. We hope you go
out and do some seed swapping, and you can do
it any time of the year. This day is just
to celebrate it, but seed swapping is good anytime. From
(20:16):
the summit Responsible Solutions Studios. If it's Saturday morning, you're
listening to Better Lawns and Gardens and this at Corten's
Talk and Entertainment Network.
Speaker 2 (20:35):
Welcome back to Better Lawns and Gardens.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
I want to tell Kathy thank you so much for
talking with us. I just so enjoy our company and
she's so talented, so thank you very much. That's National
Seed Swap Day and you can go to our website
and I'll be posting all of these on our Facebook
page later on this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (20:57):
All right, let's go to Victor in Talah. Good morning, Victor,
how can I help you?
Speaker 7 (21:03):
Good morning Terrifa. Sancturarated sodium is the boasting on a
segment trapped in a sodium bot. That is all the
sodium that is in the bottom of the plant stem
and the margarine soaksin from the cream that is coming
(21:25):
from the cultivation that just sold in the stem as
an appure agent. So my question is is pepper a
bit either sleep time of the plant or is the
walkout with basil better from the moist stem as it grows.
Speaker 1 (21:41):
Okay, so I'm trying to understand your question, So start again.
So you're asking about the stems of a holly. What
are you what are you asking?
Speaker 7 (21:52):
The holly letus also would grow letus. But so when
I use when I the way I cook lettus an
athlete of martial artsist, I use sugar a little bit
just to take some of the practice method out of it.
So what it will concentrate on succumbing to the agricultural
(22:16):
practices that we used to encourage the gardener, et cetera.
But when I use the sugar, it singing like it
starts to turn. The lettuce soften texture is not so crispy,
and I don't know that will be the same with salt.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
I use salts and okay, so you're talking about lettuce. Okay,
So so do me a favor. If it's a little
bit difficult to understand, could you email me? Would if
I gave you my email address, would you email me
your question that I can send it to you. So
I don't recommend putting sugar on plants or salt on
(22:59):
plants or uppern plants. So I'm trying to understand what
the benefit would be.
Speaker 7 (23:05):
I want to with me, with me agricultural system, with
the sediments in forming processing, the industrial material, the machines
to uh damaging the sediment layer on the lawn. I
don't want from mults, et cetera. I won't talk sediments
in reusable composts. If you can recycle yourself, I want
(23:29):
to know if, if what goes if I don't know
if the holly is really a trunk or stem because
of its.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Size, right, it's it's a it's both it has trunk
and it has a stem.
Speaker 7 (23:43):
I believe that and didn't know it for fights and
thank you, But that's what my concern is. Sensed. I
with the way I distribute with the lenses, I kind
of really distributed yet to where I'm satisfied. So we're
called in because I don't experience when I use salt
and war to the war experience will use sugar, and
I felt like lessis would just not really be affective.
(24:05):
I either want to them.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
I really couldn't tell you because I again, it's just
something that I am not familiar with on how you're
doing your agricultural processes and what you're trying to accomplish
because lettuce is not a holly, and by putting sugar
in salt or different peppers and using them in your processes,
I don't understand what that would accomplish. So if you so,
(24:29):
what I want you to do, though, Victor, is to
email me. If you could email me at Teresa dot
Watkins at live dot com, Teresa dot Watkins at live
dot com and tell me your question and maybe even
show me a photograph of your process, I will be
able to, you know, to get a better grasp of
(24:49):
what you're trying to accomplish.
Speaker 7 (24:51):
Okay, okay, thank you.
Speaker 2 (24:54):
That's Teresa dot Watkins.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
That's Teresa without the h T E R E s
A dot Watkins w A T K I N s
at live dot com. I'm very interested, Victor, you'll send
that to me. I'd like to read that. Thank you
so much. All right, let's go to Robert outside Plant City.
Good morning, Robert, how are you?
Speaker 8 (25:16):
Good morning Teresa, thanks for being here.
Speaker 2 (25:19):
Oh you're welcome. Thank you.
Speaker 8 (25:21):
With this freeze coming up, I'm a bit concerned about
my well freezing right right. Well, they exposed, so I
know running a drip line out. Running a line sometimes
will keep the circulation going to a point. My question
is what harm would I possibly have if I use
(25:43):
the drip lines on my azalias to keep that water flowing.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
I don't think there'll be any harm at all.
Speaker 1 (25:51):
I'm not anticipating pipes freezing down in Plant City, Okay,
I don't think the ground will get that cold. But
you're saying that it's above ground, so but I would
just i'd wrap it in blankets and just uh, if
you wanted to put a dripline on it, you could
I don't think we're gonna need that, but you're well,
should be just fine.
Speaker 8 (26:12):
Okay, very good.
Speaker 1 (26:14):
Okay, you're welcome. No worries about that. Okay, you're welcome.
Speaker 2 (26:18):
I appreciate. Uh So. Yeah, so that was interesting about
the sugar and salt.
Speaker 3 (26:25):
Yeah, I'm interested from not getting the email, so.
Speaker 2 (26:27):
Let me go here.
Speaker 1 (26:29):
So I had a test messages ask for a website.
So I have two websites. One is she www dot
she s h e hyphen Consulting dot com. She hyphen
Consulting dot com. That is my landscape design company and
(26:51):
also to my blog and other information that you can see.
And then I also have art and Bloomgardentours dot So
we have that website too as well for our garden tours,
which are extremely wonderful.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
We have great times.
Speaker 1 (27:08):
We go to beautiful gardens and we just it's just amazing.
Speaker 2 (27:12):
And we can geek out at plants. Yes, you can.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
You go there and find out the cost of it.
You can also get on a waiting list. There's a
few of them. There are waiting lists.
Speaker 9 (27:20):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:21):
So we are filling up very rapidly for this year,
so that that would be great.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (27:25):
Listie Okay, So that's the website. If you need another one,
please text and let me know what you need. So
Walter in Wildwood says, I have a dozen bushes locate.
Banana bush is located in an area that normally has
full sun and wind. Are these toasts and no, I
don't think so, Walter. Banana bushes will grow up to
(27:47):
zone seven. They prefer eight to eleven, so you may
see a little bit of damage. But I would just
wait about a month to six weeks and you can
trim it back and it'll just be just fine. Okay,
So no worries about that.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (28:02):
I hear the music. We're gonna be back. I've got
all these different calls brassicas. We're gonna talk about cauliflower
and brocoli when.
Speaker 2 (28:07):
We get back. Had a wonderful I love the flow
of the universe.
Speaker 1 (28:11):
Several people just at the same time asked about cauliflower
and broccoli, so we'll tackle that when we get back.
It's Saturday morning from the Summit Responsible Solution Studios. I'm
Teresa wat Because and this is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network.
Speaker 2 (28:39):
Welcome back to Better Lawns and Gardens.
Speaker 1 (28:42):
If you have a gardening question or a text message
two three six eight zero. Also to our newsletter for
February is going out this weekend. If you don't receive
the newsletter, it's free and I don't spam, I don't.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
Sell your email address.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
You can go to my website www. Dot Consulting dot
com and you can sign up for the newsletter and
you will receive it this weekend. So thank you very
much for asking me about that. Okay, so I have
let's see, uh. In the first hour, you went through
(29:17):
the entire list of plants on how they would how
they would do in this upcoming Florida freeze, which you
can go and listen to the first hour and hear it.
But you never mentioned any brassicas I live in Brevard County,
Zone ten A, and my location tends to be to
run about two to three degrees cooler than the locally
advertised tempts. Any thoughts about how my broccoli and cauliflower
(29:41):
may fare without covering love the show. Thanks for all
your info, Joe. Well, Joe, we love you too. Thank
you so much so. The reason I didn't mention them
and I mentioned the the spring annuals and the spring,
tomato and peppers and eggplants. Is they will freeze your
broccoli and your cauliflower, your brass because they are going
(30:01):
to love this weather and they will be just fine.
You do not need to cover them. They are winter
vegetables and they will thrive and they'll do really well.
So no worries Joe on your Broccolian cauliflower. You can
have wonderful, wonderful Broccolian cheese and cauliflower and cheese and
dishes for your dinner. So that also goes to Pinky,
(30:24):
Pinky and Orange Port Orange. She's heartbroken. So Pinky, you
had small surgery. Well we hope you feel better soon.
But your brassicas are going to be just fine. They
can handle even a little bit of snow, so don't
worry about those. They're gonna do just fine. So we
hope you feel better. Let us know how you do.
Speaker 2 (30:45):
Hunt.
Speaker 1 (30:45):
And then I have a name. I have a text
message without a name and a zone, but it says, Hi, Teresa,
will my croutons survive this freeze? And yes, your croutons will,
But we're talking about crotons.
Speaker 2 (30:58):
And spelling is horrible to my auto correct. I just
love that. I think it's just so cute. My auto
correct is horrible for me too. So I feel crotons.
Speaker 1 (31:07):
Are gonna see damage. Okay, So you're gonna see damage,
but do not cut them back. See if they return,
you can pull the dead leaves off, but do not
cut them back. They should recover depending on how cold
it gets in your area. Okay, and if not relatively inexpensive.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
We can replace them. So, uh, you know that's for crotons.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
Let's go to Marsha and okoe, Good morning, Marcia. How
can how can I help you?
Speaker 9 (31:31):
Oh? Hi, Well, I have a young peach tree in
the backyard. It's got some fruit, lots of blossoms, and
we're wondering if, if, if anything we can do to
save that fruit, or if we're just gonna lose it.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
You might lose it, okay, if it gets to to
too cold, you might lose it. But your peach tree
is gonna be just fine. So how long has it been.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
In the ground?
Speaker 9 (31:56):
About three years?
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Okay, it should be fine.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
Okay, and I don't think it's going to get that
cold and a koe where you're gonna have to worry
about it, Okay, I hope so too. No, I think
I am. I don't think it'll get that cold. Okay,
so uh in in that part of Orange County. All right,
thank you so much. Let's go to Jerry in Citrus County.
Speaker 2 (32:18):
Good morning, Jerry. Are you all bundled up?
Speaker 7 (32:21):
Oh?
Speaker 2 (32:21):
Yes, trying to get ready? There you go.
Speaker 8 (32:26):
You mentioned in your last guest you had on your
talk about seeds them.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
Yes, what does that offer?
Speaker 1 (32:34):
That's for tomatoes, so you know, so you want to
dry your seeds out and sometimes I have a little
jelly on them that starts to ferment, so you want
to make sure they're clean. I would just put them
in a paper towel and wipe the the kind of
jelly stuff off of them and dry them out, and
then you can replant them.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
They don't they don't stop. That will stop the fermentation.
Speaker 5 (32:55):
That's what you were saying.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Okay, thank you very much.
Speaker 1 (32:58):
All right, let me know how cold again, see you too.
Let me know how cold it gets where you are. Okay,
Let's go to.
Speaker 2 (33:04):
Steve and Palm Bay. Good morning, Steve. How can I
help you?
Speaker 10 (33:08):
Good morning, Teresa, thanks for taking my call.
Speaker 2 (33:10):
Oh you're welcome.
Speaker 10 (33:12):
I've got a pretty large orange bird of Paradise probably
out flax foot across and five foot tall. Okay, really beautiful,
but it's infiltrated with this I've always called a torpedo
grass or crab grass. I'm not sure what it's actual
term is, but it's almost it's really a nightmare to
try to get rid of, right, it's probably well, yeah,
and I'm really contemplating just ripping this thing out because it's.
Speaker 8 (33:35):
So full of it.
Speaker 10 (33:37):
The bush is beautiful, but it's full of all this,
you know, all this, all these weeds. Basically, is there
a way Is there anything I can spray on that
to get rid of it that won't damage the bird?
Speaker 1 (33:50):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (33:51):
You know, so.
Speaker 1 (33:53):
You can try and spray a nerbous sight on it,
but I think it's going to affect the bird of paradise.
Speaker 2 (33:58):
But you say it's five foot cross, right.
Speaker 7 (34:01):
Yeah, it's huge.
Speaker 10 (34:02):
It's over ten years old years.
Speaker 2 (34:04):
Yeah, and I bet it's blooming and it's beautiful.
Speaker 10 (34:07):
Yeah, it really is. I hate to get rid of it,
but I can't stand it with all this mess in it.
Speaker 1 (34:12):
No, I appreciate that. So one we're gonna have to
stop it from doing it in the future. So I
want you to create a border around it and mulch
around it.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
So mulching it, it's gonna help.
Speaker 7 (34:22):
You know.
Speaker 1 (34:22):
What you could do, You could do instead of spraying.
Is what I would do is I would take a
plastic bag and put it between the bird of paradise.
And it's going to take it a little while to
do this, okay, but it's better than losing it, and
it's not as hard as ripping.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
It all out. So I would take a plastic bag,
put it.
Speaker 1 (34:42):
Between the fronds, the leaves and the bermuda grass, and
then take a paint brush with the bermuda with with
your herbicide on it, and paint the the the bermuda grass. Okay,
not spray it, but paint it and let it dry,
and then do that all the way through your bird
(35:03):
of paradise and then just leave it. Don't don't cut
the bermuda or anything. And it's going to take a
little while. It's going to take probably five to ten
days for it to die, okay, but it's possible to
do it. It's gonna take it a little while to
get in all throughout there, but then I would rip
it out from the sides and put either metal edging
(35:25):
around it. You want to mulch it really good so
it doesn't get back in there. But then you want
to remove that bermuda from your yard so it doesn't
get in there again.
Speaker 2 (35:33):
Sure, sure, does that make sense?
Speaker 8 (35:36):
It does.
Speaker 10 (35:37):
It sounds like it's coming out though.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Now, okay, So here's the other thing.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
So my other idea was was to pop up your
bird of paradise. Okay, pop it up and literally pull
the sedge out of it, okay, and remove it that way,
and then replant your bird of paradise. That will be
That will be easier. That will be easier. Okay. But
here's what's going to happen to your bird of paradise.
(36:03):
It's probably not going to bloom for a year or so, okay,
because when you bird of paradises do not like their
roots to get moved or damaged or anything like that.
So when we take them out of pots and put
them in the yard, it takes one to two years
for it to start blooming again.
Speaker 2 (36:20):
It needs to be root bound. But I think that
if you've got.
Speaker 1 (36:24):
Some blooms in it, now, go ahead and pop it up,
remove the turn it on its side, and then from
the bottom through the root system, pull all that sedge out,
clean that whole area so you have no more sedge
in it anymore, and then replant it.
Speaker 10 (36:39):
Okay, that's that sounds more doable for me. I've got
some heavy equipment, so that's not a problem.
Speaker 1 (36:43):
Okay, Okay, super that would be great. Okay, that'll work.
You're welcome, Thank you, Steve.
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Great question. So bird of paradises do not like to
be moved?
Speaker 1 (36:52):
Yes, okay, So let me go ahead and just start
with this. I want to start and say we're going
to have a free this is a historic occasion. So
be glad you're in Florida. You know, this time of
the year, it'll be lovely. The sun will shine. It's
going to kill the mosquitoes. It's going to kill the fleas,
it's going to kill the ticks and all the other
bad bugs. And so for a little while, for a
(37:14):
little while, they'll come back, but it's gonna do some
damage for them, and that's a good thing. But it's
also a time that we're going to see some tropicals dying.
And that's why, you know, you want to make sure
that you're putting in the right plant in the right place,
putting in palm trees that can handle the freezes. Putting
in plants that can handle the freezes, and you'll be
(37:35):
able to tell somebody, Yeah, it does get cold in Florida, Okay,
and yes, we do have freezes, and so oh it
doesn't get cold down there. We don't have a change
of seasons.
Speaker 2 (37:43):
Yeah we do.
Speaker 3 (37:44):
We stuffed the ice plains.
Speaker 2 (37:46):
People don't realize that.
Speaker 4 (37:47):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (37:47):
Anyway, go ahead, exactly, and so water your landscape today. Okay,
water this morning so that it drives off before tonight.
When your plants do succumb to the freeze, if they
start to wilt, take off the dead leaves, but don't
cut it. Just take off the dead leaves. Do not
prune it until you see new growth. That's going to
(38:08):
take three to six weeks before you see new growth.
Do not fertilize this week or anytime in the next
couple of days until February March.
Speaker 2 (38:17):
And then spray.
Speaker 1 (38:18):
Go ahead, Now, if you have any palm trees, spray
them with a fungicide. Spray the top of that apical tip,
the top of your palm tree. That's where the emerging
stem's gonna come out. You want to spray that with
a fung a side. So we will be back next week.
And I want to hear everybody's stories. If you get
pictures of snow, I would love to see them. We
would love that. We'll post them on our Facebook page. Yes,
(38:40):
and we would love to hear your experiences. Don't panic,
Make some cocoa, add some marshmallows, and I.
Speaker 2 (38:47):
Think it'll be just fine. Yes, Okay, so everyone just
take a deep breath.
Speaker 1 (38:52):
Florida is gonna survive. It gives us a chance to
wear our Irish sweaters. I'm wearing mine to that's beautiful again.
It's going to kill a lot of mosquitoes. It's gonna
give us a chance to use our fireplaces and our
fire pits. And again, drink lots of cocoa. This is
a great week to be looking at plant and seed catalogs.
Share some of your seeds with your neighbors this week,
and stay warm. If it's Saturday morning from the Summit
(39:16):
Responsible Solution Studios, you're listening to Better Lawns and Gardens.
I'm Teresa Watkins, and this is Florida's Talk and Entertainment Network.
Speaker 3 (39:24):
If you missed any of the show, you can go
back and recap it at better lawns dot com. That's
better lawns dot com.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
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If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe
When a group of women from all over the country realise they all dated the same prolific romance scammer they vow to bring him to justice. In this brand new season of global number 1 hit podcast, The Girlfriends, Anna Sinfield meets a group of funny, feisty, determined women who all had the misfortune of dating a mysterious man named Derek Alldred. Trust Me Babe is a story about the protective forces of gossip, gut instinct, and trusting your besties and the group of women who took matters into their own hands to take down a fraudster when no one else would listen. If you’re affected by any of the themes in this show, our charity partners NO MORE have available resources at https://www.nomore.org. To learn more about romance scams, and to access specialised support, visit https://fightcybercrime.org/ The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe is produced by Novel for iHeartPodcasts. For more from Novel, visit https://novel.audio/. You can listen to new episodes of The Girlfriends: Trust Me Babe completely ad-free and 1 week early with an iHeart True Crime+ subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. Open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “iHeart True Crime+, and subscribe today!