EFTA01201146.pdf

Little St. James Visit. Monday July 21st 2014. Plant needs: 1. Irrintion: The current irrigation system needs a lot of improvement. Everywhere on the island that needs plants, need proper sprinkler heads on a timer. Note there are different sprinkler heads for different applications. All the newly planted coconut trees, need water. 2. Fertilizers: There are different types of fertilizers for different plants. • The turf fertilizer used on the grounds are generally used on grass or lawn areas. • Flowering plants require different types of fertilizers at different stages of growth. • There are also fertilizers used on the palms as well. A proper mix of fertilizers should be considered for the entire grounds. 3. Plant Shelter: Having a shade house or somewhere to protect and feed plants before they go into the ground, or when they are removed from the grounds for transplanting would be a great advantage. 4. Pesticides: Pesticides, there are numerous types of pesticides, it is recommend that various types are used in an effective bug control program. I can list some for you and the bugs they take care of. You should consider having one landscaper dedicated as a chemical applicator and irrigation repair as their main duty, other tasks can be assigned in addition. In that way you will have better control of the bugs and necessary repairs to the irrigation system on a daily basis. 5. Wind. I find the wind to be very high in many areas, this does not mean that plants won't grow, it means that they will struggle at their early stages depending on the type of plant. Therefore, some areas it is best to grow plants that can take the windy conditions. 6. Too Soil. You will need some really nice top soil. In areas where the soil is poor, you can mix the top soil with the potting soil (Promix). On the hill side next to the greenhouse, it appears that trees struggles there because there seems to be a thin layer of soil on a huge rock. It will be difficult for any tree to grow there. (At least 8 inches of soil and see what happens) Types of plants: EFTA01201146  7. Mr. Epstein mentioned that he loves things aligned (straight). And that's great. In some areas I think that you can create some really straight hedges, Texas sage, sea grapes or Ficus plants are great for hedges. Oleanders will bring you some really nice flowers, there are white yellow and red varieties. 8. Flowering plants: Plants that are manicured do not really get the opportunity to blossom and be colorful, because the flowers are always cut off during trimming. If it is ok with the boss, you can have some really nicely shaped bougainvillea's in the areas that he travels a lot, and have some grow naturally in other areas where they are free to flower and bloom. Many plants do not flower in shaded areas. 9. Seasonal flowering plants: The greenhouse that you already have can be used to propagate seasonal flowering plants. Eg. Marigold. (All it takes is a dedicated employee, a good program with a lot of care) 10. Lawn: I think that you need more lawn, the green really makes a difference on the grounds. Instead of hydro seeding, use sod. The sod turn from brown to rich green within a week with adequate water. (irrigation system) We can identify some spots that can be converted. 11. Grounds Features: • Please consider building a KOI pond. You can use KOI and Goldfish It adds life to the grounds. • Do you think that the boss would entertain the idea of having some farm animals like goats fenced in an area far from the main compound? The manure from the animals would be very helpful to improve the soil quality if it is collected and used with the soil. Immediate projects: 1. The Main compound. I have identified a few plants that can be used, Yellow Ixoras, variegated and red ginger, a few twisted crotons, red haliconia, and some plumbago. I also saw some areas that I would grow a hedge of Texas Sage, This hedge can be shaped very straight, the boss may like that. (if he loves straight lines) 2. The bougainvillea's on the beach can be saved. ABC nursery has the weed mats, the plants needs to be cleaned, and place the weed mat under the plants. The plants can then be fed, with a special fertilizer that will cause them to bloom. 3. In the entrance on the steps where the yellow seed pods drops a lot, already exist some haliconias, they need to be filled in, (pointed out by the gentleman who was with me). ABC has some really nice Haliconias, some top soil cab be mixed to be placed in the planter. EFTA01201147 Altogether I really believe that a lot of improvements can be made, if the freedom is given to implement ideas. Plants needs time to establish their roots and grow beautiful. Due to the difficult nature of these islands, what have worked well for me is the use of plants that grows well in certain areas. I use as many varieties as possible, and in the end all together, it creates a really nice mix of plants. EFTA01201148