Significant developement of tropical cyclone within 24 hours

If the cows are sat in the field it's going to rain. English weather forecast.

 

Without wanting to "teach my grandmother to suck eggs" are you aware of ways to reduce transpiration of newly planted items, until they develop a good root system?

 

Not quiet sure mate, I notice the neighbour has built bamboo cages around his small mango trees and thrown some palm leaves on top, apart from that mulch?

 

I have seen in some of the growing nurseries here that they put plastic bags over the newly transplanting in that are in pots. I suppose that keeps the water in and the humidity up. These are kept in pretty heavy shade, as you can imagine what they would look like in the sun... steamed. Of coarse shading the plants would help even if plants were not under some form of plastic cover.

 

The neighbour is correct...... stop loss of water from the leaves by covering the young plant and reduce loss from the soil by mulching. In less hot climates people would put glass covers over but in this climate it would burn the leaves..... I have in the past just used an upturned plastic flowerpot. I have some containerised plants and I reduce the loss of water from the soil surface by putting the pot in a larger plastic bag, water it well and then tie the plastic bag around the stem of the plant. It makes a big difference. When growing plants in the soil, a mulch helps reduce weeds and retain moisture and an excellent solution is a sheet of black plastic laid over the soil with small cuts placed in it through which the seed or young plant is placed. This can then be covered with other natural materials if looks matter. I used to grow potatoes that way and then only had to lift the plastic to harvest a few, leaving the plant in situ to continue developing new potatoes.

 

Most of the trees planted out were around 12" to 24" high in Powdered Milk bags and were planted directly into the ground. many had roots already extending from the bottom of the bags. Will wait for the rains before planting out more which range up to 1.5M tall.

 

I can see you're a family man with a great connection with nature ... perfect.

Btw, when any plant is moved (especially if ever uprooted and replanted) there is always damage to some of the fine root hairs and they need to recover before the plant can fully establish itself. I used to have a 0.75 acre garden in my ex-homeland full of thousands of flowering plants and vegetables; now I have 3 plants in containers! But I still think it is more INTERESTING ('fun' is perhaps not the most suitable word) IN THE PHILIPPINES.

 

I have TRIED REPEATEDLY telling the wife to PLANT THE BAG DO NOT RIP THE PLANT OUT HOLDING ONTO THE TRUNK! She is slowly getting the message and now planting them out still in the bag with slits cut in the bottom if the roots are not already protruding out of the bag.

Growing up EVERY place we lived in my Father devoted 90% of the backyard to vegetable gardens, as a kid I HATED weeding, picking out EVERY small rock, and when very young my older Sister and I would once a month, take out the 'Can from the outside CR' and tip the contents into a 44 gallon drum, fill with water, then using 'mashers' he made, mixed the slurry and then water the vegetables, I remember one time I got pissed off so I watered OVER the vegetables, Dad banned me from watering the vegies after that so older Sis had to do it... hehe

Back in Oz around my small Housing House, over the period of 20+ years I planted Orange Trees, Bowen Mango Trees, Lemonade Trees, Apple, Peaches, Lily Pillys, Mulberries, Monstera deliciosa vines, Grapes, Passionfruit, Chili, I had a small garden out the front I planted Herbs in as well as Paw Paw, and had a variety of flowering trees that attracted all sorts of Cockatoos, Parrots and honey eaters. Took me TEN YEARS before the Orange trees started fruiting and I got a BUMPER crop from 4x trees, my Mangoes were often attacked by fruit Bats who also ravaged the Mulberry Trees and SHAT ALL OVER MY CAR! But it was mostly rewarding where I occasionally got enough to make Mulberry Jam and make deserts from the mangoes, but that was 20 years invested, and I am afraid here I will never really see the fruition of planting out the way I would like to do as I will be long gone before they reach their maturity, but at least my Daughter will one day benefit from my hard work

 

I HOPE the rains come soon! Papa is busy clearing the lot preparing the gardens and rest house, now we just NEED RAIN to start planting!

WHEN should they start here?