The passing of Irma

annafl

annafl

Esteemed Member
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24/02/13
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Sarasota, FL zone 9b/10a United States
Irma passed through our garden as a Category 1, we think. We had winds of 70-95 with gusts to 115 they say. We have several small trees uprooted, a couple almost completely defoliated, and oak branches and tree debris everywhere. Our oaks are a lot thinner now and we will have a lot more sun in the garden than before. Some things will probably fry. It will take weeks to just pick up. However, our home sailed through beautifully, and we are all ok. The plants that fared the best in our garden are the palms and yes, the crotons! Unbelievable that most of them look good. A few fallen over, some broken up from branches or fronds that fell on them, but overall they fared pretty well. We are grateful. We've been without power for 48 hours. Bathing in the pool as we try to remove debris from it. Just got cellular back this morning. This is the first I've been able to use the internet since the storm. We're still eating out of the cooler. I started a new thread because I couldn't post on Mike's Irma thread for some reason? Weird things are happening. Not able to upload photos yet. Hoping all of you fared well. Thinking about Jim and Judy, especially, down in Cape Coral, near Ft. Myers. Wish they would let us know how they fared. Please, everyone, let us know how you fared with Irma.
 
Glad all is well.The garden will be looking great again in a few months.I am always surprised at how quickly gardens recover from defoliation.
 
It sounds like they are focusing on the east coast first to get power back on. We got lucky and had it come back on just a few hours after we returned. Sorry to all those who are dealing with no power and more serious damage. Going out to Lowe's to buy rebar stakes and heavy duty string to start standing up plants.
 
Finally got internet service late last night (Fri 9/15). 8 cu yards of palms fronds, bamboo culms, branches waiting city pickup. Crotons came through in fine shape except when they got squashed by a flying royal palm frond. We were very fortunate here.
 
Phil Stager said:
Finally got internet service late last night (Fri 9/15). 8 cu yards of palms fronds, bamboo culms, branches waiting city pickup. Crotons came through in fine shape except when they got squashed by a flying royal palm frond. We were very fortunate here.
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We just got power yesterday. So difficult to be without a/c for six days in a row! We have an incredible amount of oak debris (we have 8-9 oaks) by the road, fronds, etc. too. My back is aching.
 
So glad Irma is Gone ...2 hurricanes and a tornado in between all in a 12 months period .....thats enough good ridance IRMA and stay away Maria ..
 
Hi guys, sorry I haven't been here for a while...my mother is visiting me for the first time after the war has started...and she is still thinking that we are shooting at her... :(

We had a lot of debris from our laurel oaks in the nighborhood, and my larger foxtail palms lost 2 fronds each...
I wrapped up all my younger palms and carambola tree all the way to the top ...
...and we were only 6 hours without electrisity. We were the lucky ones.
Best wishes to all of you!
 
we had to evacuate to my sister's place in Odessa, then she lost power and I had a bad fall in the dark but am OK now. At our house, we moved back in after we got power back on Saturday. A large cedar branch fell across our power and cable line but after removal everything is OK. A Wilma got flattened, and a Lillian and Eleanor got damaged but it could have been much, much worse.
 
A total mini mess, palm fronds every where, my neighbor's oaks lost ever leaf on the East side into our garden and pool. The royal poinciana is being removed by me after Irma started breaking every breach smaller than 3/4 inch and larger on some of the droppers that hung over the water. It is a bear pulling a 40 foot 4 inch branch out of the water. Now the good news my plants are growing like mad dogs more New flush than I've seen all summer. More news later.
 
Native son said:
A total mini mess, palm fronds every where, my neighbor's oaks lost ever leaf on the East side into our garden and pool. The royal poinciana is being removed by me after Irma started breaking every breach smaller than 3/4 inch and larger on some of the droppers that hung over the water. It is a bear pulling a 40 foot 4 inch branch out of the water. Now the good news my plants are growing like mad dogs more New flush than I've seen all summer. More news later.
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How has your area been as far as flooding? I saw David's post (he is just a bit south of me) and he is dealing with it. The rain just won't stop here. I wish I could go back and take back my rain dance when we were so dry. The plants that are high enough in the yard are coming back great (aside from those that are getting dug up by the dang armadillos). The lower areas are partially submerged and I don't know how long the plants can handle the roots being saturated. That seems to be the only thing that has really killed crotons for me. Why can't the rain drown the armadillos instead of the plants? Used to think they were the cutest little critters (I am an animal lover big time), but now I hate them. Will take your advice and load down the gardens with cayenne pepper if it ever stops raining (can't afford to spend another $800 to have the guy come back out and trap them and release them elsewhere).

Granted I have no right to complain because I know how much worse other people got hit, so I was pretty lucky. Most of the plants will be fine and my house was not affected. I feel terrible for those in the Keys and even more so for anyone in Puerto Rico. Everything is relative.

I hope you made out well aside from dealing with that poinciana (I don't have any really big trees that had that kind of damage aside from the African tulips and rainbow eucalyptus which can have every branch knocked off and look great in a month). Glad that most of your plants are making up for the dry summer.
 
This is what's remains of a 60 foot Royal P.
image.jpg
My 18 foot extension ladder and 10 foot step got the job done.
 
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