Friday, July 3, 2015

Where to download plant import permit applications in the USA ; the number of imports in 5 years is unlimited, and it's free

Plants over 12 units and seeds require import permits in the USA. They are entirely free of charge. A single parcel with an import permit may be processed faster by the customs than 2 parcels of 12 plants each.

On APHIS site permit applications download links
Permit requests can be downloaded here
A permit will allow you to import for a period of 5 years an unlimited number of times. This is totally free.


A plant import permit in the USA

Hoya and other plant collections are for sale on aleyagarden.com. Plant care information is available in various posts of this blog :
http://aleyagarden-blog.blogspot.com/2011/02/aleyagarden-blogs.html
Contact : aleyagarden@hotmail.com

Thursday, July 2, 2015

32 Celsius in July in Europe, is it like being in the tropics ?

That depends on the location in Europe : in Amsterdam where a mild sea climate covers the country, yes 32 Celsius and a humidity higher than 75 % is a tropical climate.  If in Lyon ( France ) in July 32 Celsius will probably be associated with only 50 % of humidity and this would be far too dry for a tropical climate. In Madrid the heat can reach about 40 Celsius with humidity below 20 %. In Las Vegas ( Nevada, USA ) the humidity will be even lower when the thermometer reads 40 Celsius.




This combination of high temperature and low humidity is a real issue for tropical plants that are in the process of acclimatizing or rooting without plastic covers of foggers.


Average relative humidity in Lyon, France

Average min and max temperatures in Lyon, France
 
 
 The sensation of being overheated ( like in the tropics ) will be stronger in Amsterdam - and really tropical - than in Lyon because this subjective effect , called the heat index, results from the higher vapor content of the surrounding air that does not allow the maximum amount of evaporation from the body. The chart below shows that in Amsterdam 32 Celsius and 75 % of humidity result in a perceived heat of 42 Celsius while in Lyon the same real temperature will be perceived as only 34 Celsius since the humidity will be 50% in this French town 
 
 
Hoya and other plant collections are for sale on aleyagarden.com Plant care is available in various posts of this blog. Contact : aleyagarden@hotmail.com Find all Aleyagarden posts on http://aleyagarden-blog.blogspot.com