On October 20, a vibrant gathering took place in Pasadena, California, where over a dozen renowned horticultural experts, including the well-known master gardener “Flower Brother” Hsu Hsi-sheng and “Honey King” Li Li-yuan, attracted a large crowd of gardening enthusiasts. Flower Brother showcased live demonstrations on grafting techniques and pruning secrets, all while vendors offered various fruit and sapling options at cost.
Organizer Chen Shimei expressed her excitement, stating, “Flower Brother’s gardening classes have always been popular among the Chinese community, but he primarily teaches in the eastern regions. Many residents in the San Gabriel area couldn’t attend his classes in person. That’s why I opened my home to invite Flower Brother and several other gardening experts for a closer interaction with local neighbors.”
The event kicked off at 10 a.m., and excitement filled the yard, which was packed with participants. More than ten stalls were set up, providing an array of quality seedlings such as wax apples, guavas, and passion fruits that attracted many eager shoppers.
Among the highlights, Li Li-yuan brought his carefully cultivated “Black Pearl Wax Apple,” a high-yield variety that caught the attention of many attendees. He shared his planting tips, explaining that covering the wax apple branches with a 55-gallon plastic bag can help mitigate the effects of nighttime and winter chill. Furthermore, he revealed the secret to achieving a high yield with the “Black Pearl Wax Apple”: using a technique called girdling, where long branches are selected, small holes are made in them, and a small amount of saltwater is injected to boost fruit production.
Flower Brother also provided insights into the grafting techniques for mangoes and loquats, as well as pruning methods for wax apples and lychee trees. Using mango trees as examples, he demonstrated his grafting process, emphasizing that proper pruning and grafting are crucial for the health and productivity of fruit trees. These techniques can significantly help fruit trees grow better and yield more. He also shared information about affordable gardening tools that he has been using for years.
