It’s new, it’s affordable– but does this rain barrel pump deliver squirt?

Posted Apr 4, 2011 by Penny Carnathan

Updated Jun 28, 2011 at 09:05 AM

I admit, I fell off the rain barrel a couple years ago. I had two and I was a good do-bee for a long time. But eventually, my time became more precious than my principled efforts at conservation. (Saving a lot of money would have been very motivating, but wasn’t part of the equation since my irrigation system consists of my hand on a spray hose nozzle.)

When it’s hot and dry, my garden wants a good looong drink. Waiting for the barrel to drool into my watering can was like restoring a parched, lost cowboy in Death Valley one drop at a time.

Along comes RainPerfect, which introduced its solar-powered rain barrel pump in January. If it worked, it would resolve two of my three rain-barrel problems: quick delivery, and no need to run more wires and cables through my yard. (More on the third problem later.)

The pump is made by Rule, a company with a long, reputable history of pump-making. It’s truly affordable at $139 (but more on that later), and it promised easy installation, which is a big deal to me. If I can’t do it myself, I’d rather not do it.

I got it hooked up Saturday evening. It was pretty easy, but I had to get my husband to help marry the male and female plugs. That involved some force.  You also need to install the rechargeable battery pack, which is easy.

The pump descends from plastic tubing down into your barrel. You should measure – it needs to be at least 2 inches from the bottom. (I didn’t measure. I should have. Mine’s a little high.)

Set up the solar panel where it will get the most sun for eight hours a day. The instructions advise you to check it at noon and position the panel for maximum rayage at that time.

My pump was fully charged in a day. I finally got to test it this evening. My hose easily screwed into the hose bib, and we were spraying!

Here’s the first spray, with my hose nozzle set to “shower.”

It seemed to improve as I moved the hose around.

And here it is on “jet.” A pretty good stream!

The literature says it delivers 13 PSI. That means nothing to me. I’d say it’s 50 to 60 percent of the pressure you get attached to a spigot. Which is really pretty good.

Now, buying the thing. At RainPerfect, 10 retailers are listed. I checked them all, and only one MAY have it available for purchase locally. (It was listed, but I couldn’t find it on their website, www.depcopump.com.) They have a Clearwater address, but it was after-hours when I called, so I don’t know whether you can drive to their shop and buy it. Phone number is (800) 446-1656.

Some of the other sites offer it only on-line. Rule is selling it on ebay but for $149, plus shipping. (It’s only 9 pounds, so that’s not a huge issue.) Aqua Barrel has it for $149.97 plus shipping. (I didn’t get shipping prices on these because you have to plug in all your information to get that.

I do like this pump. I’ll have to fill you in on how long it lasts, but my first impression is good.  I have lots of sun, so energy galore. And I don’t mind buying a barrel-dedicated hose.

My third problem with rain barrels was location. We have no gutters and the best place for collecting rainwater is under the roof valley where rain flows down onto my patio – right in front of my prime scenic overlooks, the kitchen window and the glass French doors.

But my next-door neighbor has a gutter in a hidden spot – right next to my house! I’ve gotten permission to park the barrel there so, this weekend, yup, I’ll be rolling out the barrel. And we’ll have a barrel of … water!

 

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Spring brings tried-and-true blooms (and surprises) to Tampa gardens

Posted Apr 3, 2011 by Penny Carnathan

Updated Jun 28, 2011 at 09:05 AM

It’s so nice to hear visitors say, “Wow, your garden looks great!” this time of year. I’m always kind of surprised. Being a sun-scorched-burnt-earth kind of garden, I hit my peak in July. This time of year, I’m still in comeback mode.

But I’ve been trying to make my flowers more of a year-round affair, and thanks to lots of suggestions and cuttings from you all, the picture in my new picture window is a heck of a lot prettier in April.

The photo at top is salvias I bought before I knew there are about a gazillion varieties of salvia. I have no idea what these are, but they come back year after year. Behind them are the Vista Bubblegum petunias I’m trialing for Proven Winners (they’re doing wonderfully), and behind those, BubbleGum Pink Double Knock Out Roses. (Can you say, BaZOOka?)

These desert cassia flowers are a huge surprise. I’ve been growing these small trees (it’s not really a cassia, true name is Senna polyphylla) for nine years and never, never have they bloomed before October or after January.  This tree, about 5 years old, put on a great show this winter, went to seed and, CRAZY, is blooming again.

(Desert cassia is one of my favorite plants. Even when it’s not blooming, it’s a pretty little tree that attracts tons of fun-loving sulphur butteflies. Very easy to grow from seed.)

Bleeding heart vine is new to my garden, thanks to Dipity. I always thought this was a shade-only plant, but she said, “No!” This one’s in a container, purchased at a winter sale and destined for my mom’s shade bed, but I’ve had it in the sun for months just to test Dip’s proclamations. (Sorry Dip. Bleeding heart in the sun? That was hard to believe.) I have a cutting from last fall that will be finding its own place in the sun soon.

This beautiful ground cover is saddled with a really troubled name. The vendor I bought it from said, “It starts with ‘L’. ’’ I spotted it a few months ago and wrote down the name on a slip of paper, which I actually kept. That name was Liaprodromigis. I’ve Googled it and all I get is people with the last name Prodromidis. 

If you know this guy, please share. It’s a very pretty ground cover that has survived, and sprawled, for a year in my garden. Which is saying something.

Common, but wondeful. Confederate jasmine is the guy we dated in high school who was super sweet, cute, romantic and wonderful. But, ho-hum, way too easy. In my younger years, I left plants (and guys) behind in search of the Big Challenge. I’m not in high school anymore! Easy is good, these days.

Confederate jasmine – and pretty much all the jasmines – don’t need water in a drought, don’t need covers in a freeze, and deliver sweet-smelling blooms when they hit their season. If you’ve got an ugly chain-link fence in full sun, plant a Confederate jasmine.

I thought this was an Easter lily, but I’ve since learned (after sharing on Facebook) it’s an amaryllis. It’s one of my memory plants. I’ve never done lilies or amaryllis, and I (obviously) had no idea what this was when I salvaged it from my mother-in-law’s home more than a year ago, after she went into a nursing home. It was a pretty nasty looking sprawl of long, broken leaves.

When it started producing what was obviously a bud last Easter, I repotted it and brought it to Leila’s room in the nursing home. She was starving for her plants. (She whispered to me more than a few times – if her roommate with the window bed died, make SURE I get her that bed!)

Sadly, Leila never got the window bed. But her amaryllis produced several huge blooms, and she loved having it in her sun-less side of the room. Passers-by in the hallway would catch sight of it and detour to ask about it. She loved that!

Today, the first flower opened. Leila died in August, and I miss her. She was a wonderful, loving, strong Southern woman. And here she is, blooming again

 

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It’s like the holidays for gardeners! So much work to do, so many parties to attend

Posted Mar 30, 2011 by Penny Carnathan

Updated Jun 28, 2011 at 09:05 AM

I thought March was busy – a seriously hard-labor time for my garden and so many can’t-miss spring festivities. And being a fool for a paycheck, I’ve got to get it all in on Saturdays and Sundays. (I’m lobbying hard for Mondays off.)

For March, I maintained a careful balance of really filthy house/ unattended bills/unattended children and soil amending/weeding/plant and yard art shopping. It’s tough, but I like a challenge.

April’s shaping up the same way, so I’m just gonna call the mold in the shower a vertical “wall” garden. Pretty, yes? (No, I’m not posting a picture.)

See that big, beautiful bromeliad above? That was just one of the beauties from the big joint show last year by the Bromeliad Guild of Tampa Bay and the Tampa Garden Club.

The clubs have joined forces again this year for a combined show and sale Saturday and Sunday at the Tampa Garden Club, 2629 Bayshore Blvd., Tampa.

It’s so big, so wonderful, I’ve had no less than 20 people call, email and accost me with delicious home-baked cookies to tell me about it. (I’m not supposed to take freebies like delicious cookies in beautiful reusable containers that go perfectly with the potted palm in my “home office,” but Sue Ogle about broke my arm. Didn’t you, Sue?)

Sorry, no shots of the cookies. They were delicious. Don’t tell my boss.

If you hit the Bayshore Plant Fest on Saturday, you’ll be able to shop about 40 vendors, discover and buy cool new plants, and get great ideas for wonderful arrangements. Check out the bromeliads and (heads up, single ladies) you’ll get an eyeful of guys, too. I have been to a Bromeliad Guild meeting, and I’m telling you, guys love the broms. (Just saying. We’re all about the birds and the bees here, right?)

Sue shared the beautiful brom photo at top, and these following as well. Her photos are great – they gave me a good taste of the ideas I can get from attending a show like this. But remember, the vendors will be there only on Saturday. So if you want to shop, go Saturday (free admission, free parking, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. If you want to look, go Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.) 

Here’s Alayne Schagane of Carrollwood Village Garden Circle, who took a first prize in the first show she entered. Her cereus was a starter from a neighbor.

Looking for flower arranging ideas? Here’s a club member’s 7-foot queen palm seed sheath with tropical gingers.

How about unusual plants that, yes!, we can grow! This isn’t paper mache – it’s Rex begonia.

If you’re already booked this weekend, you’ve got the next weekend to look forward to. USF Botanical Gardens has its umpteenth annual plant sale April 9 and 10. This was the first big plant fest I ever attended, and I love it! These gardens are about education (and beauty) so there are helpful markers identifying the plants throughout. Got shade? Check the shade garden. Want succulents? There’s a succulent garden, too.

New this year is a medicinal garden, which garden director Kimberly Hutton is really excited about.

Note the helpful bottle tree planted nearby. Just bottle up your digitalis and move along!

This new garden—which students helped to dig, build and plant—is full of plants that we can grow and benefit from. It will also help the gardens link with other university departments for research and education. There will be tours and lectures here, so we can all grow our own pharmacies. (I’m hoping so, anyway. Got anything for moldy showers, Kim?)

USF’s plant sale (more than 70 vendors, plus workshops at 11 a.m., noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 9) costs $5 for ages 13 and older. Parking is free, and if you become a gardens member, admission is free, too.

After these two big weekends, we have garden tours coming up later in April. I’ll share the details as they get closer. For now, forget the laundry and get on out there and celebrate!

 

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Thanks for playing! We had fun at GreenFest – and got some plants, too

Posted Mar 27, 2011 by Penny Carnathan

Updated Jun 28, 2011 at 09:06 AM

Kim and I had a great time Saturday seeing Dirty old friends and meeting new ones in person for the first time. Thanks to all of you who stopped by The Dirt tent to say “Hi,”  those who stayed for our “workshop,” and the skilled and talented gardeners who were brave enough to take on our gardening challenges.

We have FOD Janna Begole to thank for these great photos, and FOD Susan Gillespie for keeping track of names. (The IDs here are based on the names people wrote down when they innocently filled out slips of paper in what many believed was a drawing for prizes. Most did get prizes – but they had to work for ‘em!) 

First up was our version of a game on the NPR radio show “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me.” Do you really read The Dirt, or were you just looking for a nice seat in the shade? We told three stories. Each person and their “lifeline” partner had to figure out which one was never published here or in The Tribune.

From left, my mom, Carolyn Vallone, the lifeline for Grace Claridge; Beth Reid in blue, and her lifeline, friend Kim Grandoff; lifeline Lois McLane with her friend Betty Morris listen as Kim tells her story.

Beth and Betty compare answers – yup, they all guessed the same “untrue” story, and they were all wrong. But they all won gardening books because Kim and I were thrilled that they believed the false story: that “Gardener Guy” Paul James once posted a comment here.

(I later learned Kay Nelli knew the answer right away. Go Kay! We would’ve given you a prize if we’d known!)

Next was a race to dig evil nematodes out of buckets of sand.

From left, Kim shows contestants Zoolie Allen, Nancy Orr and Edgar Reid what a Gummi nematode looks like, which for some reason Zoolie, Nancy and I find very, very funny.

Frantic digging!

And – I love this – simultaneous hand-wiping at the end.

Edgar was first to dig up all 10 nematodes and won a bag of peat moss to help keep the Gummis out of his garden.

The last challenge: The temperature’s falling fast. How quickly can you cover your tender perennial? Contestants had 1 minute to cover their perennial, which they chose from the audience, from top to bottom with sheets, tablecloths, pillowcases and clothespins.

This shot is a Pulitzer Prize winner for sure. Cindy “Meems” Glover wasn’t paying attention when Pat McKeon selected her. So it came as a complete surprise to her when she discovered she was a tender perennial and we had a freeze on the way.

Virginia B. is experienced at this – check out the clothespin in her mouth.

On the far right is GreenFest volunteer Jane Axt with her hooded perennial.

Pat won for silencing (er, wrappying) Cindy so efficiently and quickly, and they each earned a frost cloth for their troubles.

And I’ll end like I started, a shot of the audience, this time from the other side.

Now, I’m off to plant my giant milkweed from Sue Powers (now renamed the Power milkweed – thank you again, Sue!) and three purple-top verbenas.

 

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More proof is in the sunshine—our Proven Winners trials, Part 2

Posted Mar 23, 2011 by Penny Carnathan

Updated Jun 28, 2011 at 09:06 AM

I finally got my Proven Winners trial plants planted on March 20, the first day of spring and the day I spotted my first lubber grasshopper hatchlings. (I hope there’s no karmic connection there!)

My favorite for looks alone is Superbells Blackberry Punch, pictured above. And as luck would have it, Proven Winners sent a good-sized plant – a 6- to 8-inch container. That pot it’s in is about 14 inches across.

Blackberry Punch is a petunia cousin – a Calibrachoa—that’s new on the market this year. It’s supposed to handle full sun from spring to frost, require no dead-heading (I like that!). It doesn’t like to be overwatered, water only when the soil is dry to the touch. That means it should be fine where I’ve got it, out in the open, until the summer rains start.

A couple years ago, Farmer Rick (Riverview Flower Farms) mentioned that Calibrachoa start to turn brown if given a steady diet of tap water as opposed to rain water. Since my rain barrel is dry, I’ll be watching to see how this one reacts to the tap.

First runner-up for beauty is Supertunia Sangria Charm, also new on the market this year. Kim and I were both charmed by the unusual 1960s-seductress-lipstick-colored blooms, so we each snagged one. The blooms are smaller than they appear here – about 1½ inches across when open, and the plant gets only 8 to 12 inches tall.

I put this one in the ground, in front of my little pond. It’s billed as a full-sun, heat-tolerant plant, but it won’t get the full glare of my sunny back yard for another month or two. By then, little Sangria should be well dug in.

This is another that’s supposed to require no dead-heading (yay!).

I got two of these Supertunia Vista Bubblegum petunias, which have been around for a few years. They didn’t wow me initially, but I’ll fall in love if they live up to the hype: They’re supposed to be heat- and drought-tolerant, require no dead-heading, and grow up to 2 feet tall with a 2-foot spread.

I planted them to the rear of the pond. With their good-sized blossoms, about 3 inches across, they should make quite a display – if they grow!

Proven Winners’ plant profiles all recommend regular fertilizer for these annuals, and for a couple of them, there’s detailed monthly instructions for fertilizing and trimming. (It’s on the links I included.) But Penny’s garden ain’t no country club, kids, so you’ll get the same random lovin’ the rest of my plants live on.

How did Proven Winners know? I had Snow Princess Alyssum on my shopping list when we got our big box o’ plants. No trials needed for this plant – it’s fantastic.

I’ve been growing Snow Princess for a couple years (since Farmer Rick tipped me off about its amazing powers.) Unlike other alyssums, it sails along well into the warm months, requires no special care, and it smells like a dream. It was named a Florida Garden Select Plant by the Florida nursery growers association, which is a huge endorsement all by itself.

My other two plants are Sunsatia Cranberry Nemesia, which got a little airsick on the flight to Florida. Kim has Nemesia, and she promised they’d perk up once I got them planted. She was right! They’re not quite ready for glamour shots, but they’ve greened up and gotten buds since I tucked it into the huge pot with the tea olive tree (they’re full sun/part shade, which I always translate to mean part shade.)

These earned an “excellent” rating last year in trials at the Disney World nurseries in Orlando. They’re supposed to be low- to no-maintenance, and possibly perennial in zone 9.

And just one more photo – a lower-case proven winner. Back when I posted about Epcot’s Flower & Garden Festival, I promised a Part 2 post. Then I wrote about it for the Tampa Tribune and then, yeah, I never got around to Part 2.

But I had promised Part 2 would include a surprise butterfly plant in Bambi’s Butterfly House, and FOD Kay commented that she was looking forward to seeing that. No way will I be the one to disappoint such a nice person as Nana Kay, so here’s the surprise: Deodar cedar. The one in Bambi’s house was covered with butterflies, and not just the monarchs you see here, but several varieties. Most looked like Dorothy and her friends asleep in the poppies in “The Wizard of Oz.”

Before you go running off to buy a deodar, keep in mind, this is a BIG butterfly attractor – up to 150 feet tall.

We’ll keep you posted on our trials. In the meantime, hope to see you at GreenFest this weekend!

 

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