Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada takes us back to where her love for citrus all started: her childhood home state of Florida. Jenn talks about what it was like to grow up with an abundance of fruit trees around her, from oranges to grapefruit and more, playing in the groves and trying to sell fresh-picked citrus from her bike.

Next, we follow Jenn on a housecall to help a Miami homeowner solve their garden woes. After hurricanes battered their meticulously landscaped garden, the homeowner asked for help planting new citrus trees. With the help of local citrus expert Dustin Pezet, the trio set to work transplanting banana plants and planting new citrus.

After that, we meet host Kevin O’Connor and carpenter Nathan Gilbert back at the shop to talk about one of Nathan’s favorite roofing tools. Dubbed the “Pitch Hopper,” Nathan shows Kevin a wedge-shaped tool that helps roofers sit, stand, or kneel comfortably on pitched asphalt roofs.

Finally, Kevin meets with home technology expert Ross Trethewey to talk about smart lighting. Ross teaches Kevin the options for installing a smart switch, turning a basic switch into a smart device with a relay, and smart lighting. Ross even shows Kevin the different scenarios and schedules that he can set with his smart lights.

Jenn’s Orange Grove Memories

Landscape contractor Jenn Nawada tells us what it was like to grow up in Florida amongst the citrus groves. From enjoying fresh grapefruit to selling picked fruit from the basket of her bike, she cherishes her time in The Sunshine State.

How To Select Tropical Fruit Trees

Choosing tropical fruit trees can be a challenge. With harmful diseases like HLB, the ideal conditions and soil, and even watering frequency, knowing which to choose for a backyard (and which to keep in planters is tough. When a homeowner struggled to restore his hurricane-battered garden, he called landscape contractor Jenn Nawada and a local citrus expert to help.

Where to find it?

Fruit Tree expertise provided by AG Farms, Miami, FL.

Fruit trees planted: Key lime, Meyer lemon, Hua Moa Hawaiian banana, Dwarf Namwah banana, Kari Starfruit.

Use a citrus soil and controlled release organic fertilizer when planting fruit trees to prevent nutritional deficiencies.

When planting a tree in a container select a container twice the width and depth of the tree root system. Use bamboo pieces as stakes to support a newly planted tree. This will protect the fruit tree from weather until the trunk grows stronger.

Wear gloves when handling trees that may have thorns or sharp edges.

To clean up overgrown bananas and prune trees use a pruning hand saw.

Using a Roofing Wedge on Shingle Roofs

Carpenter Nathan Gilbert shows host Kevin O’Connor one of his favorite roofing tools for safely standing, kneeling, or sitting on an asphalt roof.

Where to find it?

Nathan Gilbert demonstrated the uses of a roof wedge from Pitch Hopper.

Highlighting Smart Light Technology

Home technology expert Ross Trethewey shares some home smart light products that are on the market today. He demonstrates uses with smart light switches, smart bulbs, and strip lights that react to sound.

Where to find it?

Most smart lights use their own apps to control them. Features include turning on and off the lights, adjusting the color, dimming, automatic timers, and more. Ross used the Caséta by Lutron system and app to demonstrate turning off an exterior light from a phone.

Ross also showed how to create moods by changing the color of a light bulb. He used Phillips Hue light bulbs and their app.

After he showed a Roku Smart TV with Roku Smart Light Strips behind the television. The strip lights can sync to sound, have millions of color options, and can be programmed to have custom schedules, sleep mode, or vacation mode.

Original Air Date: Oct 10, 2024, Season 23; Ep. 3 23:42

Products and services from this episode

• Orange grove side trip: Winter Haven
• Fruit tree expertise: AG Farms, Miami, FL
• Roof wedge tool manufacturer: Pitch Hopper
• Smart lighting products demonstrated:
  Caséta by Lutron system and app
  Phillips Hue light bulbs and their app
  Roku Smart TV
  Roku Smart Light Strips