How to film your own YouTube videos

My YouTube garden/food/lifestyle channel is a fun project I started in December 2011.  Since I work all week long, weekends are devoted to filming. So far I have done all the shoots in my garden and house. I have about 35 segments filmed and ready for viewing on my channel.  Click on colored sentences to see some videos.

A great deal of planning goes into each segment.  The topics need to be researched for accuracy.  The script has to be short and to the point. I like the videos to be entertaining and fast paced.  Supplies need to be on hand and ready for the shoot.  The lighting has to be perfect.  When using a chain saw, pruning, and cooking, you do not have the opportunity for numerous takes.  Barking dogs, airplanes, people talking in the neighborhood, high winds, loud automobiles all interfere with the sound quality. How to grow and slice a Carambola, or starfruit

It is important to smile, be relaxed, speak clearly, and with confidence.  Try not to flub the lines. Stay focused and on topic.  Keep the videos short and do not ramble on.  Make sure to frame the shot so the audience can see you clearly and follow what you are doing on camera.
How to re pot an orchid.

Find a reliable camera person.  Retakes may be from a cameraman's foot being in the shot, a finger in front of the view, a sneeze, a sniffle, or an audible prompt from a cameraman.  A cameraman's shadow can ruin a shot.  There are many variables that can cause retakes.



Sometimes a mistake can add to the spontaneity. Once, when I was chopping onions, they flew off the cutting board and onto the floor.  I kept it in the scene.  Sometimes an unexpected critter in the garden could change the scene.  Do you keep on going or do a retake?  It is your call. How to prune a hedge



You also can monetize your site with google ads.  Follow the prompts and read the rules.  They can cut off your ads at any time and disable your account without giving you a warning or a reason.  You can appeal but they still do not give reasons.

For my kitchen cooking segments, to see the stove the cameraman had to stand outside the kitchen door on a step stool and shoot from there. Chicken, spinach, mushrooms and wine recipe

Good luck. And please follow me on:

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Best summer flowers for South Florida

My favorite perennials for the summer give lots of color are easy to grow, and last for years.  Pentas come in a wide variety of colors.  Remember the red, white and soft pinks are the largest growers reaching up to four feet.  The purple color is the shortest, reaching up to one foot.  When planting the pentas keep this in mind and plant the larger ones in the back and the shorter ones in the front.  Pentas also attract butterflies.  They also do well in partial shade.

Part II is coming up!  Have a wonderful week and see you soon.  Please follow my posts on the FB garden page Robert's Tropical Paradise Garden. Please subscribe to my Garden/food YouTube channel, and enjoy my articles at Miami Garden Reporter for Examiner.com


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How to make the ultimate mango smoothie

I have been inundated with requests on how to make the ultimate mango milkshake. For sweetness use the ripest ones available.  First you need to remove the skin and large seed from the fruit.  Then you slice up the mango as the following YouTube video suggests. 

Add at least one large mango or two small mangoes for each glass of milkshake.  Pour the sliced mangoes into the blender.  Add about a half cup of milk (your choice of milk) per serving.  Add 4  ice cubes per serving.  Add 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon (more or less depending upon your taste), 1/4 teaspoon of real vanella bean extract.  Add a scoop of protein powder.  Add a dash of nutmeg.  Blend for about thirty seconds.

You may also make a fruit smoothie without the milk.  Just substitute a half cup of fruit juice of your choice. (orange, cranberry, grape work nicely .)  Enjoy!  This nutritious drink is packed with vitamin A, C, K, and fiber.  You also may add a banana, strawberries, blueberries to cut the flavor of the mango if you so desire.

Next time you have a craving for ice cream, cake, or a high carb snack like potato chips, make a shake instead.  It will satisfy your sweet tooth craving.  The shake is very filling as well. Thank you for stopping by my blog and  see you again soon!


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How to make your garden therapeutic with white flowers

I used to yawn at white flowers in the garden.  Boring!  Bring on the color!  I changed my mind when I once saw a formal garden with only white flowering trees, shrubs, perennials and annuals.  The garden was understated and elegant.  Various shades of green sparkled with a dab  of white here, a splash of white there. 

There is therapeutic value in white flowers as well.  For the vision impaired, the white flowers “pop” at dusk.  The white flowers are similar to road reflectors on major highways.  The flowers act as a guide in the garden. They lead you in the right direction and can act as spotlights at nightfall.   Think of white flowers as a highlighter marker for a book. 

Too much white flowers during the day may hurt people with sensitive eyes.  People with blue eyes or macular degeneration need sunglasses for protection. White flowers work best with curves on a walkway as guideposts, or as a contrast to dark green leaves or as a low plant near a border.

This blog is written by a registered Horticulture Therapist with the American Horticulture Therapy Association.  To learn more visit here.

This YouTube video offers a brief explanation of how horticulture therapy heals. Please subscribe to my Garden/Food/Horticulture Therapy channel. Robert Bornstein on YouTube

Thank you for stopping by.  New next post will be about how to make a delicious mango smoothie!

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Mango harvest time in South Florida

This is a wonderful time of year indeed, mango harvest!  I grew up in New Jersey and did not hear about mangoes until I moved to Florida.  Now I know why some call it the apple of the tropics.  The trees are ubiquitous here, especially in the older neighborhoods.  The trees tower over the homes.  Here is an article and slide show of the beautiful trees and fruit. Mangoes in South Florida

Mango trees and power lines are a deadly combination

Today I picked some from my tree, a Cogshell variety that is simply one of the best tasting mangoes around.  I picked the tree to grow in my garden since it branches low and you can prune it to stay shorter than most mango trees. 

Every year, Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens has an amazing Mango weekend, with executive chefs preparing a gourmet brunch that always sells out. There are a multitude of vendors selling mango trees, fruit, jellies and chutneys. Here is an article and slide show. Mango Festival at Fairchild Gardens 

When picking mangoes, one has to be very careful of the power lines.  Every year someone dies from the mango picker touching an electrical wire.  Here is a slide show and article.  Mango trees and power lines are a deadly combination

Although the mango season is from May until October, each variety bears at different times.  There are early season, mid season and late season varieties. They bear for about six weeks.  At the height, you are inundated with them.  My sink is now loaded.  Time for a mango smoothie!

Here are my favorite place to buy a mango tree:
Pepe's Plants Great resource for edibles such as herbs, rare and exotic fruit trees, veggies.  Added benefit - Has a booth at Hollywood's Green Yellow Farmers Market
Swap Shop - has lots of tropical fruit trees for sale.
Living Color Garden Center - Wonderful place to visit due to the huge selection and wonderful display gardens.
Spikes Grove Grand daddy of old time citrus stands, now also has a great selection of tropical fruit trees.
Flamingo Road Nursery Has a beautiful garden center, butterfly garden and farmers market also.

Support your local independent plant growers and buy local.  Have a wonderful day.

Back from vacation, time to work in the garden

Vacations heal the mind body and spirit, as does horticulture therapy. I have been on  holiday and realize it is long overdue to fill you all in.

The garden has always been a tropical jungle.  Now it is a truly an untamed paradise.  I have lots to prune, weed, and organize.  Winter annuals have perished in their pots and need to be replaced with heat tolerant colorful summer flowers.  Large branches from trees and shrubs need to be pruned.  Over grown volunteer plants need to be removed from where ever they have germinated.  Fallen leaves need to be raked up.  As the days get longer and the heat gets stronger, gardening will be limited to early in the day or late in the day.

Here are the fruit trees all competing for space.  From left to right, Carambola, Orange and Mango. There are also more fruit trees behind these.  There is a fig, sugar apple and papaya as well.
It is nice to be back home.  No matter where I am and how great of a time I am having, I always miss being in my garden.  Please follow me on https://twitter.com/robbornstein
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Farm to table ratatouille

Enjoy this new video on how to cook a delicous Ratatouille.  This is an easy, fast  recipe that will delight your guests.

I have been very busy filming videos, blogging, writing for Examiner.com during nights and weekends while practicing horticulture therapy during the weekdays.
So much work, so little time.

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My private garden hosts a high fashion model shoot.

My private garden became the backdrop for a high fashion photo shoot over the weekend a few weeks ago. I am still pinching myself and asking, “Did this really happen?”A few weeks earlier at an art event I met a woman who was a jewelry designer Mika Altidor www.mmcjewelry.com and her friend Ana Tomic. We chatted up a conversation, got to know each other, hit it off and exchanged business cards at the end of the evening. We kept in contact via social media and I offered my garden for a photo shoot. A week or two later it was all arranged.

Mika and another designer Krista Jones got together to pool resources and filmed the shoot using Mika’s jewelry and Krista’s fashions. I knew they were coming with a photographer on a Saturday morning. When Mika and Krista arrived, they came prepared with many suitcases, bags and an entourage of a makeup artist Joshua Ribadeo of the Glam Squad www.glamsquadbeauty.net, Meagan Claire photographer, two models Ana Tomic and Cecilia Singley of Ford Miami, and an assistant.

I did not realize they needed a bedroom to change in and prepare the clothes; the makeup man needed a large table to set up all his makeup so we set up in the kitchen. The shoot took all day. It was a bit overwhelming having so many people in the house who I had just met. Everyone was really nice and they said it was one of the most relaxing shoots they have ever been on.

The end results were certainly spectacular to say the least.

It was nice Sunday was the next day to relax before the start of a new hectic work week.  Here is a video of the day!

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Secrets For A Successful Vegetable Garden

There are many secrets for growing successful vegetables and herbs. A raised bed is one of them. There are some great suppliers and many options. There are many suppliers of raised beds that will not break the bank. Raised beds will save time and also your back! Although they are usually only eight inches high, it keeps the costs down when you fill it with soil. Buy bags of composted manure ir you are not near a farm or horse stable where you can get it for free. You may want to add some professional potting mix, and your own compost that is rich in organic matter. The better the soil, the easier it is for the plants to absorb the nutrients and water necessary for great growth. Look at the picture of me standing behind an amazing huge basil! In Florida most of our soils are way too sandy. The plants get nematodes and they become weak and stunted. Raised beds and great soil is the way to go. Weeds are less of a problem in raised beds. I mulch the raised beds as well to keep the weeds out. Containers also work well. For tomatoes I like a five to seven gallon container. For herbs use at least a gallon size, and when they outgrow that a three gallon size works fine. Good luck and happy planting!

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How to Start Your Own Garden Club

I have lived in my community for many years and finally decided to start a garden club here. We had never had one and there are about one thousand residents in the area. Most are homeowners and there are also some duplexes and apartment residents as well. I am a tree hugger, I admit it. Tell me about a plant group and I am there. Over the years I have attended the Palm Society, Herb Society of Broward County, The Violet Patch, Bromeliad society, Rare Fruit Council and BUSH. The last one always raised eyebrows; it stands for Better Understanding through Horticulture. They are all fun, meet once a month and were held at the county extension office. Your local county extension office may also host such meetings. Since I was so busy attending these, I did not find it necessary to form a group and take on the responsibility. Then I changed my mind and was happy I did! Its easy and fun.

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!

Pining For the Holidays: Learn How to Bring Amazing Health Benefits to You and Your Family This Winter Season.

Pine oil has so many health benefits it’s like having a doctor in a bottle! Dermatologists have used it to treat many skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, athlete’s foot, cuts and more. Its antiseptic properties lend itself for household cleanser (Pinesol) and natural deodorizer. Massage therapists use it to relieve aching muscles and arthritis due to its pain relieving properties. Years ago when TB was rampant and there was not cure, doctors prescribed fresh air camps in the mountains. There were cabins with no windows, and the pine was the only relief. Doctors world wide would prescribe spending time in the forest to heal respiratory infections, asthma and bronchitis before the discovery of modern medicine. Fleas would be controlled with pine tar soap. Clothes would be moth free with pine tar paper lining the drawers.

The holiday season can cause our emotions to roller coaster. Pine oil can ease the anxiety and stress over the holidays. Its called aromatherapy and the benefits are plentiful. It refreshes, relaxes and rejuvenates the mind body and spirit. The essential oil comes from the Pinus sylvestris tree.

Have a pine needle sachet party. Get fresh pine needle branches from Christmas trees. The fraiser fir works quite well. Buy precut netting and ribbon at a crafts store. Pluck the needles from the stems until you have a nice amount. Enjoy the aroma on your fingers. Notice how your fingers get black! That is the pine tar. Place the needles in the center of the netting, gather the ends, tie a ribbon around it and your sachets are ready to enjoy. Place a few in your drawers to make your cloths smell nice, and keep pests away. Keep some sachets in your car for tension free errand runs. Place some around the house. The needles keep their scent for yeas. Tourist areas in the country sell pine needle pillows. Let me know how your family and friends enjoyed this event!

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Flamingo Gardens

Going to Flamingo Gardens is like revisiting old Florida. There were many citrus groves and farms in Broward county sixty years ago. Most of the farmland has given way to strip centers, shopping malls and housing developments and our food is brought in from other areas. Flamingo Gardens provides a link to the past.

Flamingo Gardens was created in 1927 as a citrus grove of 320 acres. Back then there was very little development in Davie. The main owners Floyd L. and Jane Wray lived in Hollywood and did not move onto the property until 1933, when they built a house there. The charming home is now a museum and is opened to the public. Step back in time as you enter the house and revisit the 1930’s with furniture, knick knacks and a fully stocked kitchen with gadgets from yesteryear.
A favorite place to visit for locals and visitors alike, Flamingo Gardens has a multitude of attractions. The gardens were created about eighty years ago and now contain some of the state’s largest specimen trees. Known as champion trees, there are signs marking which ones have attained this prestigious status. Lush gardens are easy to walk, with paved paths and sitting areas. The gardens are grouped in the front of the property just after the gift shop.
As decades come and go, changes to the garden have occurred. There used to be a barn with antique cars on display years ago. This has given way to a large meeting room where educational lectures, special functions and events are held. A nice sized well stocked garden center with garden whimsy has come and gone. The old quaint animal area remains intact and has been updated, with a wonderful wild bird outpost as well.

There are tram tours daily that take visitors around the garden. Tour guides explain the garden history and provide names of the botanical plants. Flamingo Gardens is a special place in Broward County. Every time you go you learn something different about plants, birds and more.

The aviary is like a nursing home for injured and sick birds. This bird sanctuary provides a wonderful opportunity to visit Florida birds close up. There is a large shade cloth area where several Florida ecosystems have been successfully recreated. Each area blends into the next, providing the birds a place to feel at home. The area has many, many birds and it is a photographer’s paradise.

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Annie Haven and her Teas

A wonderful perk of being on the net and having a blog, and being connected with social media is the great people you meet. I have some great contacts now and enjoy their work and contributions in the garden world.

Another perk is learning what is happening in the gardens of different regions of the USA and around the world. My biggest fans outside the USA on my Facebook page are Indonesia, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia and France.
Another great perk are the product samples you get in the mail. You never know what goodies await in the mailbox when you get home from work.


I met Annie Haven on Facebook. We chatted up her and there and she sent me some of her special garden teas. These teas are not the kind you sip on fine china and eat a cucumber sandwich. These teas you brew and feed to your garden plants.
The first one I tried was for my roses. It is considered a soil conditioner and it is called an Alfalfa Tea. Following the instructions on the bag, I placed the bag in a 5 gallon bucket of water, covered the pail and let it seep for a few days. When I opened the bucket, what an aroma! It brought me back to my youth. Memories of visits to the zoo, horse riding, and petting zoos replayed in my head. Flies came out of nowhere and hovered around me. It was quite a surprise indeed.






I poured a nice amount around each rose bush. The aroma was very strong all over the garden. Luckily by the next morning, it was all gone. That was two weeks ago and now it is time to water the roses with ¼ a cup of Epsom salts. Years ago I was told about the benefits of applying Epson salts, but neglected to do it. Haven Brand has given me the motivation to apply the Epsom salts. I will be reporting the progress of my roses in future posts. Visit www.ahavenbrand.com for more information.

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Butterfly Gardening

The butterflies this autumn are outstanding in the garden. They are fluttering about from early morning till early evening. Every spot of the garden has butterflies. Sometimes they fly in groups of two, chasing each other about the flowers. Other times they are busy laying eggs on the milkweed. Sometimes I can catch a photo when they bask in the sun, gathering energy. Trying to photograph the butterflies is a challenge since they often flutter about so quickly all you get is a blurry image. The other day I was able to capture many photos so I wanted to share these with you.

What to do when the garden grows beyond your reach?

Every so often I have to call in landscapers with huge equipment to top my fruit trees. What good is having a huge fruit tree without having access to the fruit? By keeping it low the fruit is accessible. My neighbor is happy also because his satellite dish TV may lose reception if the trees get too large. I rather have the professionals prune around the power lines as well.
The trees in the groves get trimmed regularly after the fruit is harvested, so I like to follow suit. However this year right after the mango finished the star fruit started to produce a nice crop. Cost wise I wanted to do both at once, so I lost some fruit. There is still plenty more for my personal use and for my tropical fruit tasting classes at work.
It’s fun to go out in the morning and pick and eat fresh fruit from the garden. My mangos are so sweet and the star fruit are a sweet tart combo. Very healthy too!

July 4th Garden Party

Every holiday has its important foods from the garden. What would Independence Day be without the traditional BBQ with fresh corn on the cob, watermelon and apple pie? In the Northern USA it is time to harvest early crops of radishes, beans and those first tomatoes. Blueberries are ripening, plumb juicy cherries, early plums and fresh peaches are right around the corner. This is my favorite time of the year when the fresh fruits are at their peak.

In the blistery heat of South Florida, our main growing season ended months ago. Now we can still grow some peppers, everglades cherry tomato, collard greens and okra. After weeks and weeks of dry hot weather, our rainy season finally began this week. South Florida is considered sub tropical. We have six months of dry weather in the late fall through early spring and then the wet season begins. During the wet season is the hurricane season.



Although it is too hot to enjoy the food outdoors this time of year in Florida, I hope you all have a great feast right in your garden, backyard, park or anywhere else you choose. Here we will be in the comfortable air conditioning. Have a great July 4th weekend and enjoy the wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables of the season.
Best wishes from Fort Lauderdale Beach.

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Plant volunteers in the garden

“Birds do it, bees do it Even educated fleas do it Lets do it”, let's fall in Robert’s Tropical Paradise Garden. Cole Porter was referring to something else entirely. I am referring to the multitude of seedlings growing in my garden that I did not plant. I have groundcovers, flowers, wildflowers, weeds, shrubs and even trees popping up all over the place. The reason is due to the fertile soil I have built up, the large amount of mulched areas and wild life that is attracted to my garden.
Birds feast on the stalks of berries from the Schefflera trees in other neighbor’s gardens. Then they come to my garden, take a leisurely cleansing in one of the bird baths, have some lunch at the bird feeders and drop some seeds as they fly off from my bird day spa. The Scheffleras pop up at various locations. Some I transplant and grow as bonsai from time to time. The Schefflera arboricola lend themselves much better than the large ones, but the large ones are what the birds like to drop in my garden.



Squirrels feast from the feeders as well, climb up and down the trees and bury oak seedlings. One by the fence grew and grew. I wanted to pot it up and replant in at one of the nursing homes I do Horticulture Therapy at but never got around to it. Hence chain saw surgery was in order.
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Sometimes the plant volunteer is quite welcome. I do not mind the milkweeds popping up since they attract the monarch butterflies. An occasional Crossandra gives a burst of orange color. Small Everglades tomatoes tend to start growing among shrubs and under the ground cover of small trees. If I catch them soon enough, I can transplant them to a more beneficial location and reap the harvest for a few months.
White birds of paradise also are germinating around the garden as well. They get huge, so will have to repot those as well.