Tad 14 Report post Posted December 5, 2007 the grademaster!! it makes levelling out stuff a breeze! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 skipping a step because my other stick is in my wifes camera, harvesting fronds for a pallapa, Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 smoke break, this is about 1000 fronds for a 14 foot diam pallapa Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 1000 fronds is alot! we sell these for a quarter each, if they cut and 75 cents if we cut and load. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 the horror, the horror....I may catch some flack for this but at this stage it does not bother these little sabals at all, been doing it for years and no ill effects I assure you! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 mucho mulch, i am trying an experiment here, mulching these to beds quite heavily, I applied a broad spectrum insecticide because rhino beetle grubs can be a big problem here, it is green chips, I am not too worried about nitrogen lock because these palms get watered with constant liquid feed. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 finished, sorta, I ran out about 3 buckets short Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 east side of shade house Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 mule palm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Keith 744 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 I can't wait to come see your operation, like a kid waiting for Christmas. Gonna try for some time in late spring. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 now where did all that mulch go? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 Well c'mon down. I cant promise you it's all that exciting but I will be glad to show you around. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 Tommorow is hole drilling 101, and pre emergent herbicide day!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 another shot of the bismarckias and mule palms on the east side of the big shade house Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 drilling holes, we use a pto powered auger like for fence posts to drill the holes for the one gallon palms, seems a little much machine for such a small hole right? but consider the task of digging several thousand holes at a time, those hand held post hole diggers get pretty heavy after a while but the auger never gets tired!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 each row has about 250 to 260 trees in it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 spraying pre emergent herbicide called surflan, this will help keep the weeds at bay for a little while, lasts about 2 months. we use a 1% solution Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 we dont spray on top of the row, I am not to keen on surflan and queens, and I dont want the chemical down in the bottom of the hole Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 first 3 rows of queens Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 what does pink cheese green grow mean? juan always sez this whenever I am around? :laugh: Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 .. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 .. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 from the east road Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 6, 2007 zooooooooom lense!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
_Keith 744 Report post Posted December 7, 2007 (palmotrafficante @ Dec. 06 2007,15:57)QUOTEwhat does pink cheese green grow mean? juan always sez this whenever I am around? :laugh: Well, if you had pink skin, he might be referring to using you for fertilizer. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 ahhhhh we got flooded, flood irrigation that is. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 my two accomplices Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 .. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 .. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 olive update, not 100% but not bad for having never tried before! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 stick swinging monkey for scale Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cycadcenter 23 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 Tad, If you used water like that in California or Australia you'd be lynched by the local water authority. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kris 1,350 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 Dear Tad great work & a lovely farm and your pet looks great too... my eyes were just feasting on each stills of that lovely farm ! And i wish i had one here in south india. Thanks & Love, Kris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cycadcenter 23 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 Tad, Just wondering if you have ever considered using a tree spade to dig your palms? Bruce Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 (Cycadcenter @ Dec. 09 2007,10:54)QUOTETad, If you used water like that in California or Australia you'd be lynched by the local water authority. This is the way we irrigate, cropland,orchards,tree farms, this system was set up by the army corp of engineers and wap programs back in the 20's and 30's we get allotments based on acreage, and use a meter to account for the quantity used. our ground also retains moisture for quite sometime, we wont irrigate this field again until march if we get rain, even a small amount it could hold us over till april. all the water we use comes from the rio grande river, if we or others dont use it, it dumps into the gulf and our chance to use it is gone forever. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 (Cycadcenter @ Dec. 09 2007,11:31)QUOTETad, Just wondering if you have ever considered using a tree spade to dig your palms? Bruce Bruce, I have stayed up late at night putting the pencil to the spade issue, I have come to several conclusions, until the cost of labor rises to a certain point, it is not cost effective. you still have to have a certain amount of crew to run a spade, trimming, tying,stretch wrapping, loading etc. another issue, is the spade wont paint the house when things are slow, a spade wont pot up 15,000 one gallon palms, a spade wont mow the yard or help you move your grandmas furniture when she decides to move. And belive you me, I have a good friend and businees asssociate who has spades.. I love them, they are the bomb diggety, but they just dont fit out program right now. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
syersj 11 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 Tad, where do you get your mule palms from. Do you "make" them or do they hybridize naturally from queens and butias, or do you have another supplier? Just curious, I may want to look into getting some in the spring... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tad 14 Report post Posted December 9, 2007 Jim, I got those mules from Grant at Horticultural Consultants Inc. in Houston Out of the 5 one has a green butt and the other 4 are red/maroonish color. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
