Great. I think I'll go out and purchase one! Especially since it seems that every time I pull out the paper filter after mulch mowing, a good bit of dust comes out after tapping it. Couldn't find any info from Briggs on washing the pre-cleaner...just regular soap and water, just water or something else to clean it? And I guess no oil (not sure if a 675 series is horizontal or not)...just let it dry and put back in? Thanks

I recently purchased a large quantity of cleaned, Coccoloba uvifera-"SEA GRAPE" seed. I carefully cracked a few open and found that the three-sided kernel was dried out and not at all fleshy. The seeds looked dry, and if I were to guess, I would say that the seeds were not harvested recently, but stored. How long....who knows? This is just a guess on my part. I do not know what a fresh seed looks like when cracked open, but I expected to see something like the fleshy, moist, kernel of a Ginkgo nut, or an acorn, but instead, the kernels had the texture like a Almond, and easily crumbled. The thin shells could be cracked very easily and I was able to remove all the little 1/4" kernels intact. I then soaked them in warm water for 24 hours, and they swelled up to twice the original size. I plan on sowing them in damp coconut coir, with some bottom heat. I've read all the information I could find for growing these seeds, but no sources ever mention what the fresh seeds look like when the thin shells are cracked open, and none mention cracking the thin shells to expose the inside kernels to moisture. They say to "scarify" the seeds, and sow. Scarification just gets moisture to the seed kernels quicker. I bypassed this step by removing the seed kernels first. I guess the germinated seeds would just push open the outer capsule, and strike roots. My concern is that I have seeds that are no longer viable because they were dried out. If this is the case, all my efforts were for nothing, because the seeds were delivered dead. Has anyone had extensive experiences growing this plant from seed? I know they grow all over Florida, and the seeds spring up where they drop. But that's in Florida, and that's fresh seed. I live in NYC, and must rely on mail order for tropical seeds, so my sowing/growing conditions are a bit different from the native habitat...to say the least. If anyone can give me their opinions, suggestions, I would greatly appreciate the help. Thanks. BronxFigs

I saw a Finch- I guess that's what it was- it looked like the one in your picture. It was eating the seeds on my Rudbekia, which must be a type of sunflower. I had planned to cut them down, they look so ratty, but decided to leave them as long as they could be eaten by the birds. Nice pictures.

if you want my thoughts.. a pic would really help .... need to see location in relation to everything around it ... imo .. un-named versions of these things are beasts ... and if you dont beat them back into some favorable fiorm ... they tend to have world domination goals ... so i would think.. pruning is in your future ... unless you simply have space fro said beast ... ken just scroll down.. and see the yard eaters .... https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffcm&q=Cotinus+coggryia&iax=images&ia=images there are dwarf versions.. but you dont mention thats what you have ... but even those can become dwarf beasts ... lol ...