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I dig it out after frost, usually late October, and pot it up in a compost/ potting soil blend. Then I keep it cool until February/ March. They, like the ensetes, cannot stay dormant until spring.

So if you’re pruning the stems back to the strongest (largest) bud, you won’t have to cut the old flowers off, because they’re attached to the stems that you’re pruning.

You’re welcome; my pleasure!

I suppose, but it’s one less thing that you’d need to do regularly, by letting nature take care of it for you.

You can "tickle" tomato flowers with your fingers to polinate them. Tomatoes have what is known as a perfect flower. It is both male and female and can polinate itself.

Hi Wendy, Yes, definitely! You can move them in a corner of your yard, or underneath large shrubs/ hedges. I have a corner of my yard that I dub “the wild section” which I put any excess leaves about 2’ (feet) thick.

Thanks David!

Thanks Michael! Always good to hear from you. I would definitely plant them in maybe 4 to 6 hours of direct sun, and when you move them to that planting site, be sure to work in a good amount of organic matter. I think that you could probably transplant them now, but just be sure to mulch them with like maybe 4 inches of mulch in autumn after they die back naturally. I haven’t even broached any of the lady slippers yet; I have read that they need a really good humus layer, like from quality decomposed hardwood brown mulch, Probably also would help to have some Holly tone. Let me know how it goes!

@@TheBarefootedGardener Thank you for taking the time to respond, Clark. I'll be moving my Bletilla today. Have a perfect spot I think and also have some really nice decomposed hardwood mulch from some trees that where taken down 4 years ago, chipped and left on my property. If they recover and prosper I'll add more in a couple years. As for lady slippers, probably I won't try again. I say that now but who knows. lol

Yes, it definitely helps. Concrete ponds or hard shell preform ponds especially because there’s no other rock surface area. Bottom drains can make gravel on the bottom more challenging. Pea gravel is the best as far as biological surface area.

Barefoot is best!! Tag along, and I’ll teach you what I know. 👊🏼

Hi Cyndi, Since I live in a climate where they don’t re seed, they can be chop & dropped. Otherwise, maybe toss them somewhere that you think they will look nice…

That’s very true! I should’ve mentioned that. Below is an essay… thank you for commenting, and let me know what you think. True invasive species indeed don’t have a way, (or perhaps a species meant to balance that original won’t also become invasive) to keep them in check where they’re invading. This video was more focused on a few of the ridiculous designations of some plants, like Water Hyacinth which is tropical, and is a far cry from becoming invasive in NY; since it dies after a couple freezes. Or Black Locust tree- NATIVE in Pennsylvania, which is “invasive” down in the coastal plain of New York. (probably makes up for 10% of natural habitat in downstate NY) yet, it’s “invasive” statewide, because in the coastal plain, Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) is enriching soils to some degree (we don’t know how much) and “changing the conditions”… kinda like how pine trees tilt alkaline soil more acidic - closer to neutral. Water chestnut and purple loosestrife are success stories, but instead, you hear people in charge of this saying some plants like buckthorn, or Amur Honeysuckle are “too far gone to deal with.” Or, the rare case, where an invasive species like the zebra mussel, cleaned up the mess past generations made in the Great Lakes more effectively than the native mussels… apparently the water is “too clean” according to the zebra mussels detractors… Anyway. invasive species ARE problematic… but I just want people to focus on the real invasive species. Should I make a part 2??

This topic is so subjective. I don't like the English ivy. It causes problems in my local forests. I also don't get the people pulling out their pretty plants to replace them with 'native' species that frankly look like weeds to me. But I keep those comments to myself. It's subjective and I agree more education rather than outright banning is needed. I have a pond too and it would be awful if I could not buy a water hyacinth, I need it for my pond health. Love your pond videos BTW, helps me out a lot as I am not as good as you there. No I don't think you should make a rant part 2 video 😊 best to stay positive.

Hello, Are they in enough sun?

Great question. While they do have surprisingly good yields, I would not consider it a main crop. It has the potential to be one of many crops that can be harvested, but I would never rely upon only one crop; the late frosts damaged some peaches this year, can you imagine if that was the only crop that one relied on?? Also Taro is ready in autumn while potatoes are ready in early summer- normally. So that’s a good sequence of harvest.

@@TheBarefootedGardener okay that's perfect! I was not even thinking using it as a main crop or anything. I simply wanted to make certain Filipino and Hawaiian foods TBH. There is something called taro paste that people like Andrew Zimmern have tried on their travels. I am also curious about growing purple ube yam for exotic dessert.

Hi @aerun62 Those elephant ears are an exercise in patience! Hardy colocasia don’t come up until it’s warm out consistently, kind of like perennial hibiscus. Its been as late as June that their tiny shoots even break ground for me; that said, I also can’t guarantee that they made it through the winter, but I’d give them a few more weeks.

@@TheBarefootedGardener Oh yeah I haven’t totally given up hope yet! The hibiscus are just barely starting to poke out now. I did lightly dig around what was the healthiest polar green and found a lot of decomposing white goo though, which didn’t seem like a good sign… I guess time will tell. Maybe that was just the old crown breaking down and the roots are still kickin down there. 🤷‍♂️

@@TheBarefootedGardener Update! They are all coming back now. Even the one that got stepped on by the AC guys like 2 weeks after I planted it and it never recovered 😅🤷‍♂️

🙌🏼Amazing comment & perspective; thanks Lou!

Hi David, great question. The underlayment is a type of nonwoven fabric that is designed for use in water features. Regarding the wicking, it’s but enough water to create a stagnant pool situation. But the perfect amount of water for moss and plants.