Fairhope, Alabama
WEEKLY MUSEUM PRESENTATION
Jamie Rollins**, one of the city's plant grower specailists, explained the intricacies of maintaining the city's many flowerbeds during the weekly 'Tea 4 Two' talk at the Museum of History.
He grew up in the 'Fruit and Nut' neighborhood, graduated from the Organic and Fairhope High Schools -- and has worked for the city for 12 years.
Rollins said the city has 11 green houses where seedlings ordered from catalogs from plant "brokers" from as far away as Michigan and California are grown year round; one is used for hanging baskets only, where up to a hundred may be found at any time.
The greenhouse where poinsettias are grown has to be shaded from light for a time while grown from August to December -- or those difficult-to-grow plants will not bloom, he said.
There are five 2-person crews that maintain flowerbeds, and when it is time to change them (every 3 months) each has a different sequential task: one crew to pull up old plants, another to plant the border, another the center, etc.
Using this time-tested technique, most of the downtown can be completed overnight, he said.
Tulip bulbs are ordered from Holland and have to be put in a cooler until December, when they are moved into greenhouses. Unfortunately they must be discarded after blooming because the climate is too hot here for their survival.
He said he prunes and sprays the pier rose garden every Friday himself (a special application license is required) with five chemicals to prevent fungus, diseases, insects and other problems that afflict tea roses in hot, humid climates.
Roses need to be pruned frequently for successful blooming; he recommended an "angle cut" to help prevent disease from entering.
QUESTIONS FROM AUDIENCE
* He said his crews had no involvement with the Knoll Park project.
* Periodic Winter hard-freezes are less of a problem downtown where pavement stores heat.
* Marigolds are always a problem because of insects (thrips).
* He was not sure if the city still competes in national flower contests (ie. America in Bloom).
**(Rollins was substituting for city horticulturist Paul Merchant, who had a family medical priority.)
WEEKLY MUSEUM PRESENTATION
Jamie Rollins**, one of the city's plant grower specailists, explained the intricacies of maintaining the city's many flowerbeds during the weekly 'Tea 4 Two' talk at the Museum of History.
He grew up in the 'Fruit and Nut' neighborhood, graduated from the Organic and Fairhope High Schools -- and has worked for the city for 12 years.
Rollins said the city has 11 green houses where seedlings ordered from catalogs from plant "brokers" from as far away as Michigan and California are grown year round; one is used for hanging baskets only, where up to a hundred may be found at any time.
The greenhouse where poinsettias are grown has to be shaded from light for a time while grown from August to December -- or those difficult-to-grow plants will not bloom, he said.
There are five 2-person crews that maintain flowerbeds, and when it is time to change them (every 3 months) each has a different sequential task: one crew to pull up old plants, another to plant the border, another the center, etc.
Using this time-tested technique, most of the downtown can be completed overnight, he said.
Tulip bulbs are ordered from Holland and have to be put in a cooler until December, when they are moved into greenhouses. Unfortunately they must be discarded after blooming because the climate is too hot here for their survival.
He said he prunes and sprays the pier rose garden every Friday himself (a special application license is required) with five chemicals to prevent fungus, diseases, insects and other problems that afflict tea roses in hot, humid climates.
Roses need to be pruned frequently for successful blooming; he recommended an "angle cut" to help prevent disease from entering.
QUESTIONS FROM AUDIENCE
* He said his crews had no involvement with the Knoll Park project.
* Periodic Winter hard-freezes are less of a problem downtown where pavement stores heat.
* Marigolds are always a problem because of insects (thrips).
* He was not sure if the city still competes in national flower contests (ie. America in Bloom).
**(Rollins was substituting for city horticulturist Paul Merchant, who had a family medical priority.)
Comments