http://www.plantsworld.net/ Plants World en-us Sat, 01 Dec 2007 06:21:24 GMT 1440 CPG-Nuke Dragonfly Plants World News http://backend.userland.com/rss http://www.plantsworld.net/images/logo.gif http://www.plantsworld.net/ http://www.plantsworld.net/News/article/sid=93.html Myakka River and the State Park The Myakka River and its adjoining state park is a great place to search for bromeliads, epiphytes, bird watch, goggle at the "gators", or just experience a bit of the serenity that was once "old Florida". Myakka is Florida's largest state park, encompassing some 28,850 acres, and providing a wide variety of habitats that in turn support a varied assortmant of wildlife and plants. The Myakka river courses through the park for a little over twelve miles and within the confines of the park splits into two lakes, the Upper Myakka Lake and the lower Myakka Lake. The Myakka was designated a "Florida Wild and Scenic River" by the State Legislature in 1985. It is one of only two rivers in Florida to be recognized with this special status. Between the two lakes are extensive marshes. Other habitats found within the park include pine woodlands, oak-palm forest, dry prairie, subtropical hammocks, ponds, marshes and riparian growth. All teem with different forms of wildlife and abound with plant life. While the abundant alligators draw most of the attention from visitors, it is the bird life that provides the greatest diversity and numbers. The park is home to such raptors as bald eagles, osprey, and several kinds of hawks and owls. Wading birds include egrets, several heron species, white ibis, limpkins and numerous others. Anhingas and cormorants can be seen diving for fish, especially in the lake areas. Wood ducks are year-round residents but during the winter months are joined by large numbers of migratory waterfowl. The Florida dry prairie, a habitat once a conspicuous part of the Florida landscape, but now almost completely eliminated from most of the state, is home to sandhill cranes, burrowing owls and the endangered grasshopper sparrow. The prairie lands that were once extensive elsewhere have given way to plow and pavement. There is an 8,500-acre prairie located adjacent to the State Park that is managed by the park staff. Besides all the aquatic species, other conspicuous plant life includes enormous live oaks with long strands of Spanish moss, sabal palms, and of course the epiphytes. Myakka is home to at least six tillandsia species, Tillandsia setacea, T. utriculata, T. usneoides, T fasciculata, and T. recurvata. The Visitor's Information Center is a good place to get your bearings and learn about the park, its wildlife and its history. While wildlife viewing and the scenic setting are the main attractions to Myakka, other facilities include hiking trails (38 miles of trails), boat ramps, canoe runs, bridle paths, bicycle paths, and a "tram safari" tour. There are also two very large airboats that ply the lake waters with guides pointing out and identifying the wildlife and other park features for visitors. As if that weren't enough, the newest addition to the Myakka State Park will be of special interest to people interested in epiphytic plants such as bromeliads. A public canopy walkway was added, both for scientific research and to allow public access to a world that few other than the canopy researchers have ever seen. The walkway is 85 feet long, is suspended 25 feet above the ground and leads to a tower that rises 74 feet above the surrounding woodland. The walkway is one of several now in North America, but the only one in a subtropical forest. For those wanting to stay overnight, campsites and five rustic cabins are available. Call (941) 361-6511 for information and reservations, or write to: Myakka River State Park, 13207 S.R. 72 Sarasota, Florida 34241 Or visit their website at: http://www.myakkariver.org/ http://www.freewebs.com/jacksbromeliads/ Sat, 01 Dec 2007 06:21:24 GMT http://www.plantsworld.net/News/article/sid=92.html There are a few things you have to take into consideration before you go ahead and purchase that new lawn mower. There are a lot of choices available, and getting it wrong could mean a waste of money. One of the most important things to think about is the way the mower is powered. Then there is how the mower is controlled, whether it is pushed from behind, or ridden or automatic. There is also the choice of cordless or corded, etc. With all these choices a few relevant pointers are needed to help you to select the right lawnmower. Sun, 16 Sep 2007 15:04:42 GMT http://www.plantsworld.net/News/article/sid=91.html It's actually very easy to care for your Aloe Vera plant. It makes a good choice for a houseplant, and you get the added benefit of having pure aloe vera gel at hand! Many people think aloe vera is a cactus, but it's actually a cousin of the lily and onion family. It has a short stem, with thick spiky green leaves that grow out from the stem like the petals of a rose. It's known as a succulent perennial and usuallly grows to about 2 or 3 foot tall. It is usually found predominantly in hot, dry climates. Sun, 16 Sep 2007 15:02:08 GMT http://www.plantsworld.net/News/article/sid=90.html For a very few homeowners, a front and backyard of just grass abutting up to their home's walls is enough. They like the simplicity and ease of maintaining their yard - just mow and go. But most of us like a bit of color. A walkway. Perhaps a trellis. Maybe a flower border. Something more than just a small patio slab left by the builder just outside the backdoor. Sat, 07 Apr 2007 02:49:18 GMT http://www.plantsworld.net/News/article/sid=89.html There are many would-be orchid growers around who would love to start growing orchids but are put off by their reputation as difficult to care for. Orchids are quite resilient plants but there are a few techniques on orchid care that you can use. Orchid growers will tell you that one of the best ways to learn is through experience. This can be quite costly though as orchids are quite expensive to buy and you don't want a simple mistake to cause you to end up throwing your orchid away. Please bear in mind that each species has different requirements and that your environment will play a significant part in how your orchid grows. Sat, 07 Apr 2007 02:48:21 GMT http://www.plantsworld.net/News/article/sid=88.html There are several reasons for why you should prune the roots off of a shrub or tree on your property. If you do this it will help to prepare a tree or shrub for the shock of being transplanted. Allow your plant to form new roots which will make it hardier. You should water your plant for a whole month and also fertilize it too. Do all of this at least six weeks before you move it. You might also want to give the plant even more time like up to a year after you do this root pruning. Sat, 07 Apr 2007 02:47:35 GMT http://www.plantsworld.net/News/article/sid=87.html A Ground Source Heat Pump System A ground source heat pump in a greenhouse would keep the air within the greenhouse around 70° F year round; it can do this because the earth's ground temperature below the freeze line is a constant 70° F. Sat, 07 Apr 2007 02:46:52 GMT http://www.plantsworld.net/News/article/sid=86.html There are really many different reasons as to why having a greenhouses hobby can be so much fun, and one of the most major reasons is because it is a hobby that turns out incredibly beautiful results. With greenhouses you can start and maintain gorgeous and leafy plants and not only that but as well with a greenhouses hobby you can really enjoy yourself. Sat, 07 Apr 2007 02:45:59 GMT http://www.plantsworld.net/News/article/sid=85.html There are so many different types of greenhouses that you have out there to choose from, and it can often be rather confusing and sometimes even frustrating simply trying to decide on which type of greenhouse you should go with. However, as long as you take some time and put some effort into this process, then you are going to understand what type of greenhouse you need and you will thus be able to come out with the best possible results. Sat, 07 Apr 2007 02:45:10 GMT http://www.plantsworld.net/News/article/sid=84.html If you are serious about knowing who makes the best greenhouses, check out Juliana, a company from Denmark, which was also the first from without England to produce greenhouses in huge numbers. Juliana exports extensively to Western Europe and it also has subsidiaries in both Germany and England. The company itself is located just outside Odense and has greater than seventy-five thousand square feet at its disposal.[align=justify] Sat, 07 Apr 2007 02:44:09 GMT