Hi,

It's that time again and hopefully we are giving a better heads up so more of you can attend. We are organizing the 2nd Annual Gulf Coast Bananas, Figs, other fruits and ornamental plants get together. Quit a mouthful, This is more than just any singular fruit or plant get together and I'm sure you'll find other topics here to interest you. I grow a wide range of tropical "looking" plants and I am always looking for more. Love edible fruits and even palm trees.

I have recently acquired what I think will be a cold hardy dwarf Mango. I will be growing this inground in 8b/9a. That is all I'll say about it now, You'll have to come to hear the rest!

This year we are meeting at my house in Pensacola, FL. Most of the group is growing many fruit trees such as cold hardy Avocados, Blueberries, Blackberries, Muscadines, Bananas, pears, persimmons, citrus, pawpaw, pomegranate, quince, loquats, pecans, peaches, plums, jujubes and Bamboo (edible shoots). I am growing all of those except pears, jujubes and pecans. I plan to add pears soon. We also have an interest in tropical "looking" plants and landscaping from small planting to hardscapes. I recently installed a nice realistic looking waterfall. I'm sure we'll probably talk about everything. You are welcome to bring a guest or two or three if you decide to come.

We are planning on meeting on Saturday October 12, 2013 starting at or around 0800 until we all get tired and go home. Of course you can come whenever you want and leave when you want. We will not have any kind of strict schedule. We just want everyone to have a good time and talk about our plants and anything else that comes up. Hopefully we can all learn a little something from each others trials and tribulations! My place isn't huge but I have squeezed a lot into it. I'm just a little over an acre and it is all open to walk around a look at. I may have some figs left hanging. I currently have twelve banana bunches hanging and a decent citrus crop.

I am providing lunch in the form of BBQ pork, chicken and sausage. We'll have BBQ beans, Cole slaw, Potato salad, Mac and cheese, Red Beans and rice and some kind of desert (maybe cobbler). This is a family event and children are welcome as long as you can watch them. My yard is not completely child proof and I do have a swimming pool near where we will be eating and relaxing. Fortunately no venomous snakes! LOL

I may have a few rooted fig trees to share. I will have a few fig trees large enough to take some cuttings. I will have a few muscadines in pots. I will have banana pups but mostly common varieties and some dwarfs. Also I have way too many 1 gallon pots that you are welcome to get some if you want. No I haven't thoroughly cleaned them. Also there will be a few persimmon whips available. None of this is for sale, so don't worry about that. We all try to share as many plants as we can to keep costs down. If you have something to share bring it.

I hope you can come. Please bring someone with you. We are trying to involve the wives and in the case of females members maybe a husband or significant other. If you are a female and uncomfortable I know my wife will be there and I fairly sure several other couples will be there. There will be some experienced grafters here and a Master Gardener.

Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions. If you are interested in Figs, Bananas and other fruiting and Ornamental plants this will be an excellent time to make contacts and we'd sure like to see you there. We are planning on people coming from LA, MS, AL and FL.

Thanks,
Charles
E-mail Darkman270@cox.net