Heading south

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Fri May 31, 2013 2:37 pm

Heading out to clearwater FL tomm for a vacation and was just wondering if anyone had any good greenhouse, must see palm sellers things like that in the general area. I am planning on driving alot once I get there to see if I can run across anything good enough to send home.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Fri May 31, 2013 7:15 pm

I have no good input, but I hope you enjoy yourself and post many pics on the forum.

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Fri May 31, 2013 8:03 pm

with all those palms its a must..should post some daily

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 5:22 am

Heck, I was stunned about what I saw at regular Home Depots for cheap when I was in Orlando last year.

Never did find any good nurseries around that area.

canadianplant · Post by **canadianplant** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 5:35 am

You might think of walking around collecting seed as well - never know what youll fnd

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 5:38 am

I was brain dead on my trip. Saw lots of cool stuff at the Home Depot, all for under $20 but didn't know how to get it home since I flew. Then of course when I got home and thought I should have located a UPS store and had stuff simply shipped home. Duh!

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 8:17 am

that's the plan buy up what I like and mail it all home on the last day.I think im going to check the local craigslist as well and see if I can get some good deals..

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 8:29 am

that's the plan buy up what I like and mail it all home on the last day.I think im going to check the local craigslist as well and see if I can get some good deals..

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 1:45 pm

Yes, please take lots of photos wherever you go.

Anything down south will be eye candy.
Have fun.

Barb

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Mon Jun 03, 2013 5:00 pm

Oh the palm pics I have! Just collected some fresh seeds from a monster bizzy. Most of the palms here are canary island dates..fox tails..Alexander's and saw palmettos. There are all other types but those are most common it is zone 10b so anything will grow...bizzy a around a bit as well. Will post pics when I return

Okanagan desert-palms · Mon Jun 03, 2013 10:30 pm

Mike can`t wait to see some great pics of palms from Florida. Those Bizzy seeds are large hide them real good.

John

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 6:49 am

I'm mailing a box home with a small bottle palm and a small foxtail..both I got for 8.99 lol. The 16 ft ones were only 99.99! I also harvested a wild bunch of bananas so they will go with the bizzy seeds in the box. One thing I have noticed is that almost every palm is in flower but finding seed isn't easy. Either the landscapers clean them up or squirrels eat them idk but finding seeds is few and far between. There are a lot of Pygmy dates in flower and not one seed to be found. I have been to every lowes and hd in the area and I am disappointed. These selection of palms is great size and price but the selection of tropicals is poor. No elephant ears no bananas none of that for sale..they do have some really cool croton bush but other than that a bust. Hitting some nurseries today but there aren't many of those either...more when I return

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 6:53 am

^^^ Envious!

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:13 am

The bizzy seeds look like hickory nuts back home there huge got some small red seeds from some palm just a min ago idk what it is though

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 12:39 pm

Just got in from kens palms down in st.pete...rock bottom prices on everything. I took pis but no one will believe them. I picked up some helconia and things I could cut back and send home...my one splurge was a blue Lagan palm about 4 ft tall...if I told you what I paid there would be a stampede to come get them..pics later if I get time. Def when I get home.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 1:05 pm

You're making us drool, Mike.

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:16 pm

^^^ yes, not being nice!(looking into flights to florida now)

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Tue Jun 04, 2013 6:40 pm

I noticed a few other palms tonight while I was out...Everglades palm..Sylvester's and a few others. Also went to the clearwater botanical garden and they had everything..the largest mule palm I have ever seen. I also got a few more seeds. Cidp will be collected Tom..I'm workin off a iPad so pics will have to come when I return some are on the camera others on the phone..if you come this way check out kens palms in st Pete crazy low prices..lowes and had are cheap but only a handful selection..20ft palms for 100 bucks but you got to get them home some how then keep them alive..I'm rethinking this latan already

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Wed Jun 05, 2013 6:16 pm

Tropical storm Andrea about to make land fall...

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:26 pm

Storm is over and I am taking full advantage. The high winds blew down so many seeds. S far I have collected a bunch of queen palms, cidp, foxtail, bizmark, saw palmetto and a few kings as well as an unknown type..also sent out my boxes ful of goodies..the blue latan and foxtail are on the way home as well as everything else

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:34 pm

Ya know Mike, once you get home and palms unpacked we expect pictures.....

Does the wife know all these are coming home?

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:53 pm

You'll have to give her Scott's wife's phone number, Mike.
They can share stories of their houses being overtaken by palms "...just one more".

Wonderful!

Barb

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Fri Jun 07, 2013 6:17 am

sashaeffer wrote:Ya know Mike, once you get home and palms unpacked we expect pictures.....

Does the wife know all these are coming home?

Yeah as much as she was against it she helped me box them up. The palms and myself will be home tomm.i did have to leave a few..nice bottle palms for 9.99 and 6ft queen palms on clearance for 5.00. I just couldn't mail it all. As bad as the drive would be a box truck would be smart way to go...since the bizzys were on sale for 19.99 this weekend!.. Pics when I get home tomm if I'm not to tired.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Fri Jun 07, 2013 12:32 pm

nice bottle palms for 9.99 and 6ft queen palms on clearance for 5.00. I just couldn't mail it all. As bad as the drive would be a box truck would be smart way to go...since the bizzys were on sale for 19.99 this weekend

Prices are so low!

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Fri Jun 07, 2013 5:24 pm

Wait for the pics from kens you won't believe it

chadec · Post by **chadec** » Fri Jun 07, 2013 10:00 pm

Your killing us here. You could have gave us a few teaser pics.

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Sat Jun 08, 2013 4:03 am

^^^^ Exactly! This has been a fun post and for us "northerners" jealous that we aren't on the same kind of trip.

Meant to ask.....what was the reason you went to Florida for anyway? or was it just to pick up some nice Palms cheap?

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Sat Jun 08, 2013 7:23 am

I work in a steel factory 12 hours a day sometimes 5 days a week..hot not so fun work so I just needed a get away really.obviously florida and the palms had a bit of influence on where I went. if they did my kind of work there I would move to florida but its kind of a niche trade so..I love florida and will come back asap either to get more palms or just to relax..my flight boards in 30 mins so I should have some pics up tonight. my packages should arrive today as well so I might have to wait till tomm lol while I get it all planted

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Sat Jun 08, 2013 12:58 pm

packages should arrive today as well so I might have to wait till tomm lol while I get it all planted

They might be there before you...

Take some pics even before you plant them, OK?

Barb

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Sun Jun 09, 2013 11:49 am

as promised some pics of the palms..these all came from the phone and mostly from Ken's. I have SO many more I will be updateing for days..sorry Barb to late there all planted already..I don't have high hopes for the latan. The largest pot I have still isnt big enough and the roots took a beating in shipping. If it does make it I will sell it I don't think I can care for it well here..on to the pics...MANY more to come

we are getting raped on prices up here! more pics of the wild palms later..some of his palms were even cheaper than that and larger. those tall double trunks in the second pic were 89.99

sashaeffer · Post by **sashaeffer** » Sun Jun 09, 2013 11:51 am

Now I'm depressed..............what amazing prices.

DesertZone · Post by **DesertZone** » Sun Jun 09, 2013 12:07 pm

WOW...what awesome prices!

Thanks for sharing!

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Sun Jun 09, 2013 2:13 pm

those were really good prices and if you were local that included install as well..Lowes and HD had large ones ( not as big as those ) but at reasonable prices as well. bizzys in 3 sizes from 19.99 on up...1 gallons to 30 gallons. Just about any zone 8-11 palm. I only found one clump of trechys and they were at a hotel. not a fav in S. FLA when you can grow stuff like that.. here are the 2 I came home with..everything else I sent home was just plants and seeds. I did bring home a TON of seeds from all kinds of palms..any US member want some I can send a mixed bag for shipping cost..there super fresh..Sorry Canada but that border is a *I*T** dont want to risk em.

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Sun Jun 09, 2013 4:10 pm

all of these are from the Clearwater botanical garden..wonderful wonderful place..lamost walked up on a wild gator..pic of him at the end if you can find him in there..

chadec · Post by **chadec** » Sun Jun 09, 2013 5:48 pm

Nice looking palms. Those are great prices. I couldnt imagine what all I would have brought home.

Looking foward to seeing how they handle being transported. Good luck with em.

teebee · Post by **teebee** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 5:48 am

miketropic wrote:Sorry Canada but that border is a *I*T** dont want to risk em.

I bring in seeds from all over the world all the time and have never had a shipment ceased by customs. I wouldn't let the border scare you out of helping a Canadian.

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 11:56 am

I personally love Canada but the last few times I went those border people were not friendly..If someone wants some seeds I will be wiling to give it a go I guess.

TimMAz6 · Post by **TimMAz6** » Mon Jun 10, 2013 5:55 pm

those are some great prices!!

miketropic · Post by **miketropic** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:48 am

more when I get time I havent even gone through the ones on the digi cam yet.

lucky1 · Post by **lucky1** » Tue Jun 11, 2013 10:55 am

Total eye candy.
OMG, the prices are so low, they're nearly free.
Now I'm depressed too

Yeah, there are more grumpy inflexible border officials than good ones.
They're apparently REALLY miserable at various west coast crossings.

Gator? Yup saw that. eeeeeuuuuuuwwww.

Good luck with your plants Mike...we're envious as can be.

Barb