Garden View

Ready for Summer?

2010-07-01T16:40:00.006-04:00

I know it has been so long, so I figured an update was way overdue! I've missed it, sorry!!! ...Life has been so full and busy with the moving, I'm not ready to start a new west coast garden yet. So, this summer I will be enjoying our fellow gardeners' blog and their sweet harvest. Hope you all have a great summer!

Sign of Spring

2010-03-24T19:20:00.004-04:00

Valentine's Humor

2010-01-27T19:29:00.004-05:00

Happy New Year!

2010-01-02T09:43:00.003-05:00

Happy gardening, have a healthy and productive 2010!

Ete 2009

2009-12-27T13:03:00.009-05:00

Jardin du nord

My mother-in-law's garden

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All !

2009-12-19T19:28:00.001-05:00

Romaine Lettuce - 2nd Generation

2009-11-10T19:15:00.003-05:00

I wonder what to do with those Romaine Lettuce seeds on previous romaine lettuce posts
trilliumgrovefarm said... Gather seeds! :)
June said...Bring on those seeds...

Now the second generation is spreading everywhere

Beauty of Broccoli Plant

2009-11-09T19:16:00.003-05:00

It has been 9 months, still waiting for the broccoli flower head.

Mums / Chrysanthemum flowers

2009-11-08T20:26:00.004-05:00

End of the season full bloomsDried Chrysanthemum flowers can be steeped in hot water to prepare tea. Do you make Chrysanthemum tea from the flowers?

Spicy Basil

2009-11-03T20:09:00.002-05:00

Spicy basil has smaller leaves than regular basil, it has tiny white flowers.
Plant it end of February under the partial shade and enjoy the harvest for 8 months.

Fall Flower - Mums /Chrysanthemum flowers

2009-10-29T19:52:00.005-04:00

5 months blossom of Mum/Chrysanthemum flowers
...From previous post... still blooming...

Lime or Lemon?

2009-10-28T19:22:00.007-04:00

(Lime + lemon) tree = Lemon lime cocktail plant?

Lime Postings
Gurney's Nursery

Final Harvest - Tomatoes

2009-10-27T18:43:00.003-04:00

The last harvest - pick up all tomatoes in the garden before the temperature drops below 50 degrees.
BeforeAfter 1 week Previous Post

Okra, Lady's Finger, Abelmoschus Esculentus; Hibiscus Esculentus L

2009-10-22T20:39:00.008-04:00

Take a glimpse of the beauty of okra flowers before the cold wind blows.

Follow up from previous post
Tips for growing okra: full sunlight, well drained and fertile soil.

Fall / Winter Plant

2009-10-21T20:31:00.005-04:00

Life is too busy, take a minute to enjoy the nice berries. Do you know the name of this plant?

How to Plant and Care for Pyracanthas
How to Choose Shrubs for Colorful Fall & Winter Berries

Random photo

2009-10-18T15:53:00.002-04:00

Pink flower wrapping up the summer blooms.

Ground Cover

2009-09-27T08:47:00.002-04:00

Avoid spending too much $ for the mulch, try ground cover

Hydrangea Arborescens

2009-09-17T20:57:00.004-04:00

If you like hydrangea, Hydrangea arborescens is a good choice because it needs less water than macrophylla or quercifolia

Growing Hydrangeas in Containers

Website dedicated to Hydrangea

Life Cycle of Green Onion

2009-09-15T21:04:00.007-04:00

Life cycle of the green onions:

Fresh green onion from grocery store =>

Eat the top green stalks and plant the bottom bulbs.
It will continue to grow taller green stalks with beautiful white bloom s.
You can harvest the green onion stalks for several meals
When it gets to the end of season, it will dry out - harvest the bulb to cook.
Need more green onions? Use those bulbs for the next generation... or restart the whole cycle...

Chive Flowers

2009-09-13T20:55:00.002-04:00

Chive flowers - get ready for next generation

Non-Toxic Bug Fighting Tools

2009-09-10T13:42:00.010-04:00

Fire ants - knocking out a fire ant mound early in the year with boiling water.

Cinnamon oil - environmentally friendly pesticide that can kill mosquito larvae, repel mosquitoes and prevent their bites.

Fighting flea: Slice about six lemons, and pour boiling water over them. Let the water stand overnight, then strain the liquid into a spray bottle, spray to repel and kill fleas. Check the pet every few days to make sure all fleas are killed and eggs have not hatched.

Wash: 10 drops of tea tree oil and 1 tablespoon of aloe vera to an 8-ounce bottle.

Rinse: 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with 1 pint of water.

Natural powder mixtures to repel bugs - ingredients contain garlic as well as alfalfa, wormwood, yellowdock and pennyroyal.

Cedar oil and quartz crystal will close the pores of all insects and let them suffocate and die.

Combination of Pennyroyal, eucalyptus and citronella oils can also prevent fleas and ticks from landing.

Natural Ways to Repel Mosquitoes in the Garden

Natural Ways to Repel Mosquitoes & Other Insects (2)

Toxic-Free Fact Sheets

Toxic-Free Insect repellent

Insect repellent DEET is toxic to brain cells

Cantaloupe

2009-09-09T20:32:00.002-04:00

Big mama and a small baby

Atlantic Ocean View

2009-09-08T20:20:00.012-04:00

The trees and plants that manage to survive the hurricane and salt water
How many baby crabs can you find?Enjoy the seabirds and a nice catch from the Atlantic ocean :)

Wild flowers on the Atlantic Ocean shore

2009-09-07T20:50:00.006-04:00

Happy Labor Day!

Container Garden in Bloom

2009-09-02T21:52:00.004-04:00

Butter Squash

2009-08-31T20:08:00.008-04:00

The yellow squash is completely gone, this week we have a new butter squash with unique shape. It is the second generation growing off the seeds from grocery store fresh produce, a good way to recycle.

Happy Gardening & Blogging!

2009-08-28T12:14:00.004-04:00

Easy Care Houseplant - Snake Plant (Sansevieria) - Clean Indoor Air

2009-08-27T20:30:00.015-04:00

I never realized I have 2 pots of Snake Plant (Sansevieria Trifasciata) at home until Stephanie asked me a week ago. It is also known as Tiger's Tail,とらのお, espada-de-são-jorge, I don't know why most people call it Mother-in-law's Tongue :P
It is one of my indoor collections, I bought it 2 years ago because it is care-free, only requires low light and water once a month or every two months. Yes, it tolerates neglect! If it gets too much sunlight, it will fade the foliage to a yellowish green. My mom said it can produce lots of oxygen, and most people put it in the house or office. I think it can help to clean indoor air, but I'm not sure about its healing properties. There is an article mentions using snake plant leaf extract as an antivenin agent. I call it energy-free "nature's air purifier" for our home.

Mature plant height 4'
HOUSEPLANTS HELP CLEAN INDOOR AIR

Top Houseplants for Improving Indoor Air Quality

List of air-filtering soil and plants

Spanish Lavender

2009-08-26T21:14:00.004-04:00

Everlasting Spanish lavender - continue to bloom for almost 3 months, still going...

Multi-colored tomatoes

2009-08-24T21:17:00.005-04:00

These tomatoes almost dead, lesson learned...
Q: Why?
A: Too much fertilizer

Broccoli

2009-08-22T07:52:00.007-04:00

Eating broccoli can reduce risks of heart disease, cancer. It protects against lung disease, build the immune system, and good for pregnant women because it contains folic acid. Vitamin C in broccoli can prevent polyarthritis. It is also good to help with rheumatoid arthritis. Its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory factors are great for asthma patients.
After reading all the good stuff................Here is the bad news, what is wrong with my broccoli?
Pop quiz of the day:)

Clubroot
Downy Mildew
Aphids
Cabbage Root Fly
Caterpillars
Cabbage worms, Cabbage loopers
Cutworms
Root Maggots
Flea Beetle
Aphids
Slugs and Snails
Damping Off
Bacterial soft rot

Hints:
Diseases of Broccoli
Broccoli - Diseases, Pests and Problems

End of Season Tomatoes

2009-08-19T20:47:00.002-04:00

These are some of the tomatoes in my garden, it's almost end of the season. Enjoy them before they are all gone. What are you harvesting this week?

Prayer garden in bloom

2009-08-18T19:31:00.014-04:00

A beautiful church garden in downtown

The kiss of the sun for pardon
The song of a bird for mirth
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywere else on earth

The down of the morning for glory
The hush of the night for peace
Walk and talk to God in a spiritual garden
Take a moment to say a blessing prayer.

*Photos are taken with camera phone

Green Bell Pepper

2009-08-17T20:43:00.003-04:00

First green bell pepper in the garden
Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

* Bell peppers (of course! :)
* Salt
* 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
* Chopped onion
* Chopped garlic
* 1 tsp of dried oregano
* Fresh ground pepper
* 1/2 cup ketchup
* Add all seasoning mixed into ground beef and stuffed the bell peppers
* Add 1 cup chopped tomatoes and some cheese on the top
Place in oven and bake for 35 minutes

Yellow flowers - color of sunshine, joy, happiness, intellect, and energy

2009-08-15T10:03:00.009-04:00

This is a closeup of the mini yellow flowers. They are glowing and welcoming the warm humid summer. What can you get from a dollar in the era of recession? Some happiness from Lowe's deal hunt, yellow color of sunshine, surprise, and long lasting blooms; that's a lot more than McDonald's dollar meal :-)

*Thanks to MsRobin tell us the name of this flower - Moonbeam Coreospis.

White Lily, lis blanc

2009-08-13T21:36:00.003-04:00

White Lily

What Fassbinder is it?
The one-armed man walks into a flower shop and says:
What flower expresses days go by
and they just keep going by endlessly
pulling you into the future.
Days go by
endlessly
Endlessly pulling you into the future.
and the florist says:
White Lily.

Laurie Anderson Lyrics : 5 / 5

Which One You Don't Have to Buy Organic?

2009-08-12T20:13:00.019-04:00

I don't have to get certain organic produce from grocery store, because those are home grown in my garden:

Don't buy organic potato, carrot, sweet potato, onion, corn, unless they are almost same as the regular price.

The Clean 15: Foods You Don't Have to Buy Organic

Bermuda Grass

2009-08-11T20:25:00.004-04:00

We pick Bermuda grass for our lawn because it is a drought resistant warm season grass, and it has an extensive root system that protects high traffic areas. I dream to have carpet grass that does not require mowing and minimal maintenance, but it probably won't survive the cold winter. What type of grass do you have? Types of Grass
Types of American Grass
All About Lawns
Tips For Achieving A Great Looking Lawn, Without Being Fake Grass

Acrocanthosaurus (Acro), Dinosaurs

2009-08-10T21:13:00.009-04:00

We really enjoy another visit to the natural science museum. This is Acro, Acrocanthosaurus atokensis skeleton. This skeleton is extremely rare. It is the most complete Acrocanthosaurus skeleton ever found and the only real Acro skeleton on display in the world.
Acrocanthosaurus means "high-spined lizard" and atokensis describes where the first specimens were found in Atoka County, Oklahoma. Acro got its name from the extension on its vertebrae. Acro lived during the early Cretaceous Period, about 110 million years ago.
The specimen was found in southeastern Oklahoma in 1983. It is called the "Terror of the South" because of its range; Acrocanthosaurus lived in the southern half of North America. Fossils have been found in Texas, Oklahoma, Utah, and Maryland.
Bones may tell us what dinosaurs look like, but the tracks tell us how they behaved. Look at the tracks drawn from a real trackway found in Texas.

Pruning Blackberry Plant

2009-08-09T21:00:00.005-04:00

Blackberry plant needs pruning short after harvest, but a long sharp tool is required due to the dangerous thorns. These are what I cut from the plant; some gardeners said dead canes can spread disease, so I have to take those to the dump.

Summer berries, baies d'été

2009-08-06T20:45:00.004-04:00

The last crop of berries are now ripening under the summer heat. Try to enjoy it before the berry season is over!

Summer Roses, Roses d'été

2009-08-04T21:01:00.011-04:00

Summer can be sweltering, but when I take a walk in the executive mansion garden, the old-fashioned rose garden lets me forget the hot summer heat.

The Color of Summer - Purple Flowers, Violettes

2009-08-03T20:53:00.008-04:00

In the mood for purple flowers? I decided to take a walk and see what I found:

Spanish Lavenders - Wealth, Spirituality, and Royalty

2009-08-02T20:44:00.008-04:00

Purple color represents wealth, spirituality, and royalty. I always love purple color flowers; especially it looks gorgeous in the front yard. Did you notice purple flower plants sometimes are more expensive than yellow one, and you can easily find yellow flowers in the nursery compared to the purple one? These Spanish Lavenders are a great buy, because I got them from Lowe's during the dollar sale, and they produce generous blooms. The most important is they perennials, I enjoy their long lasting blooms, and hope you will enjoy them too.

Tomatoes - Early Morning Harvest

2009-08-01T07:11:00.006-04:00

Just kidding on previous post, the tomatoes change color faster during hot summer, but not so much overnight. There is no magic! It has been raining for several days; I have to harvest the Better Boy Hybrid and cherry tomatoes so it won't crack.

Still raining...this photo is taken from the upstairs' window, see orange tomatoes on the right.

Summer Season Tomatoes

2009-07-31T21:13:00.004-04:00

Still green?...you will see the tomatoes change color tomorrow.

In Season: Tomatoes

35+ ways to make organic cocktails using fresh ingredients from your garden

The Colors of Summer - Yellow and Red Flowers

2009-07-30T20:46:00.008-04:00

Every spring I have to figure out which flower to pick for matching colors, and making sure they are not too expensive for a large flower bed. For some reasons, red and yellow flowers are easier to grow than purple one, and they spread faster too. Are you a big fan of yellow/red flowers?

Landscaping Plants Around Swimming Pool

2009-07-29T20:21:00.012-04:00

It's nice to swim and cool down during the hot summer (especially morning or late evening swim). I like to have some shades close to the swimming pool, but the problem is we have to find plants that won’t drop leaves and dirty the pool. Landscaping near the pool can provide privacy and beautify the surrounding view, it also increases the property value. Low-maintenance plants need to blend naturally with the environment. Watch out for some needle-bearing evergreen trees that can be messy if the wind blows those leaves into the pool, or any invasive root plant that can damage the swimming pool foundation. Also, never plant something that will attract bees or insects. I like the broad-leaf Holly, evergreen plants, ornamental grass in a large flower pot, coconut tree, or palm tree. I’ve seen some people plants banana trees close to the pool, I guess it works if you live in warm area, and you can enjoy banana fruits next to the pool :-D
***Must see: 23 Breathtaking Natural Swimming Pools
Plants near a swimming pool?
Pool Landscaping Makes Your Pool And Patio Area A Sanctuary
Pool Landscaping Ideas

Harvest of the day

2009-07-28T21:33:00.005-04:00

Harvest of the day: basil, squash, parsley, mint, and okra. I'm thinking to get some sweet potato leaves, but I've put too much fertilizer few days ago, ended up killing it...too bad the leaves turn brown.
Join Daphne's Harvest Monday

Ornamental grass around the pond

2009-07-27T20:21:00.005-04:00

What should we plant around the pond? How about adding evergreen or ornamental grass to add a dimension of texture in the pond garden and avoid cleaning up the leaves? Not everyone likes the look of grasses, but they usually grow well under the hot summer heat and drought resistant. They are perfect for dry area around the pond and also attract some wildlifes (deer resistant). Some of the perennial and maintenance free grasses are feather grass, ruby grass, northern sea oats, zebra grass, and silky thread grass.

Lime Leaves and Fruits

2009-07-26T20:43:00.010-04:00

This patio/dwarf size fruit tree is producing close to 20 lime fruits. I found about 890 lime recipes for the fruits, but I just realized that lime leaf can also be used as a seasoning to provide a fresh citrus overtone in cooking, or enhance tea beverage flavor. Lime leaves add flavor to soups or salads / stir-fried dishes (use the whole or slice it into narrow strips). The leaves can be stored in a sealed ziploc bag for up to 6 months in a freezer.

Okra, Lady's Fingers, Gumbo, Abelmoschus esculentus, Hibiscus esculentus

2009-07-25T20:36:00.010-04:00

Okra a.k.a. Lady's Fingers or Gumbo is part of hollyhock family. It is an annual vegetable that grows in warm-season and harvest in 52-56 days. Every spring I have to buy Okra seeds, they don't keep well over the winter, but it is worth the effort. Okra has good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin A, and potassium and Vitamin C. The carotenoids in okra can prevent arthritis. More info can be found in food/diet therapy.

Texas Okra Gumbo
Okra, Corn, and Tomatoes Recipe - EverydayHealth.com

Cantaloupe blossom

2009-07-24T20:40:00.011-04:00

Female flowers bloom a week after male flowers, the difference is females have small swelling at the base of the flower. How to tell when it's ready to be harvested? A ripe cantaloupe will have a deep golden yellow cast to the rind, have a pleasant cantaloupe aroma, the surface should yield slightly to moderate pressure, light thumb pressure on the blossom end. Overripeness is indicated by a softening over the entire rind, watery, and insipid flesh with a sign of decay.

Honeydews can grow vertically on the fence or arch just like cantaloupes, they get more sunlight and save space.

How to Grow Cantaloupe and Honeydew Melons

Cantaloupe

2009-07-23T21:11:00.003-04:00

This cantaloupe is a new generation from the grocery store's fruit. It is one of the follow up from previous post.

It has been a busy week, TGIF! Hope y'all have a good one!

Blueberries ~ 10 minutes No-Bake Cheesecake

2009-07-21T20:55:00.009-04:00

I'm harvesting the last crop of blueberries, and use it to make quick and easy no-bake cheesecake from Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 • Size: 1 piece • Time: 10 minutes • Calories: 239 • Points: 5.25 ww points

8 oz Fat Free Cool Whip
8 oz 1/3 less fat Philadelphia Cream Cheese
9 inch reduced fat Graham Cracker Crust
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
Decorate the top with blueberries and strawberries.

Video: How to Make No-Bake Cheesecake

Romaine Lettuce Flowers - Wordless Monday

2009-07-20T21:16:00.008-04:00

What to do with the Romaine Lettuce flowers?

Hardy Mums - Chrysanthemums Tea

2009-07-18T20:44:00.014-04:00

Today I welcome you with the yellow blossom of Mum/Chrysanthemum flowers. Mums need sufficient moisture as they grow during the hot summer. They multiply rather quickly and can be treated as perennials. The roots continue to growth even after the flowers have gone dormant. Pinching mums or removing the tips of new growth will stimulate the mums to send out side-shoots and become bushy plants with more blooms. Cut back the stems and allow mum plants to go dormant over the winter, they will return next spring.

Hope y'all have a great week!

The chrysanthemum teas can help to prevent/ treat mild heatstroke, cleanse and restore balance in the body.
Mums/ Chrysanthemum tea recipe from enjoyingtea.com
Ingredients
* 10 - 20 Golden Chrysanthemum Tea
* 1 - 3 teaspoon of honey or rock sugar
* 3 cups (850ml) of water

Instruction
1. Wash and drain chrysanthemum flowers.
2. Add 10 - 20 yellow chrysanthemum flowers into teapot.
3. Add 1 - 3 teaspoon of honey or rock sugar.
4. Pour boiling water on to content.
5. Allow tea to stand for 5 minutes.
6. Pour tea into cup and allow to cool slightly before drinking.

Readings:
Hardy mum winter survival care tips
How to make chrysanthemum Tea
Health Benefits of Chrysanthemum Tea
Chrysanthemum Tea for Heatiness, Sore Throats, Headaches

Garden plan for next few months - planting and maintenance

2009-07-16T19:30:00.009-04:00

There are plenty of planning, planting, garden maintenance for annual/ perennials and vegetable garden. The summer heat can cause lawns to look rough, but it is time to clean up the weeds before they go to seeds. Deciduous trees that loose some leaves or experiencing summer heat stress need some light thinning or pruning to stimulate new growth. My annual flowers still look great but they are not performing up to expectation. Am I having too high standards for those annual? Next month is time to start a fall garden. What is your fall plan? I am thinking to plant some cauliflower and cabbage. Warm soils can dry out faster, so probably the seeds need to be planted a little deeper than spring plantings. Gardening and clean up are essential to avoid having safe harbor for insects and disease. Sometimes the heat and humidity can be discouraging, that's why I need a plan to avoid abandoning those essential garden tasks.

Topsy Turvy Upside Down Tomato Planter

2009-07-15T21:10:00.010-04:00

I bought this upside down tomato planter from Amazon, the price finally drop; I guess it's not too late to plant tomato, or it can be reused next year. The review seems ok.

Make it yourself? See instructions here:
http://www.curbly.com/DIY-Maven/p...to-planter
http://homegardenseedsorganic.com...o-planter/
http://www.upsidedowntomatoplant.com/dyi.html
http://encyclopediahydroponica.wo...o-planter/

Orange flowers

2009-07-15T20:24:00.004-04:00

This is tiger lilies, I found the name from fairegarden's recent post.

I saw these beautiful orange flowers when taking a walk close to an executive mansion. Possible someone will recognize this flower, I think it is perennial, possible part of the lilies family?

Herbal Remedies for Fever

2009-07-14T20:35:00.008-04:00

Usually most the body problems are due to unbalance in daily living and diet. I was looking for healthy herbs to improve my garden, found out that some of the herbal remedies can reduce fever:

Catnip can reduce fever and promotes sweating.
Peppermint
Thyme is a romatic herbs or shrubby plants of the mint family
Licorice
Lemon
Ginger
Willow
Meadowsweet
Elder

Herbs for Fever
Green pharmacy to reduce fever

Petting zoo and vegetable garden project in the city

2009-07-12T22:08:00.014-04:00

This is a city vegetable garden project to introduce the history of local farming - corn, beans, squash, cotton, peanuts, and tobacco.Three sisters: Corn, Beans, Squash.
These three crops were grown to companion planting. Every plants required different nutrition, but together these three provided each other with nourish. Corn supported the pole beans, and supplied calories and lysine. Beans provide protein and crucial amino acids. Squash/ pumpkins contain calories, vitamins, minerals, oils, and protein. Eaten together squash provided a well-balanced diet with a stable food source. Local feasts and dances always begin when the harvest of corn is ended.

You can laugh at me… I did not grow up on a farm, this is the first time I ever seen a live baby pig :D
I don't recall they have it in a regular zoo though...

Spanish Lavender, Lavandula Stoechas ‘Otto Quast’

2009-07-10T21:38:00.008-04:00

Spanish lavenders don't mind acid soils, light watering will encourage root to establish during the first year. After a year, water it once a week until it is over 100º, then water them more frequently. Don't mulch the trunk, use pebbles/ small garden rocks to replace mulch. Test the soil for dryness down to a depth of at least an inch. Spanish lavenders love the radiant heat, bloom during summer, trim off the dead blooms as it will help shape the bush and encourage new growth/ blooms.

Height: 2-3 Ft
Characteristics: Full Sun, evergreen, drought tolerant when established
Hardiness: Perennial in zones 8-11
Uses: Dried Flower, ornamentalThis is my 1 year old Spanish lavenders
Spanish Lavender - Lavandula stoechas ‘Otto Quast’

Family: Lamiaceae (lay-mee-AY-see-ee)
Lavandula stoechas 'Hazel'
http://everything-lavender.com

Gurney's $25 off plants & flowers & trees

2009-07-09T10:57:00.007-04:00

http://gurneys.com/default.asp?eid=081506&sid=506365&gclid=CPHYkorKyJsCFcZM5QodkUPhLA&bhcd2=1247147136

I came across this special offer by Gurney's Seed & Nursery Co.

Save $25 when you buy $50 or more!

Check out their BOGO asparagus and other daily sales. I order some patio dwarf size lemon, Pomegranate , and orange plants. Some of the patio blueberry and lime plants from previous year purchase still doing good in the garden.

http://gurneys.com/search.asp?ss=&c=0&t=s&sb=2

This Week Harvest

2009-07-08T20:41:00.008-04:00

The cherry tomatoes are still very productive, it's a bit too much for us, so we have to give some away. Here are the mixed produces from my organic home garden, what are you harvesting this week?

The squash is doing quite well, it grows so fast on these two months

Do you think the squash looks like the image on seed pack?

Butterfly Exhibit

2009-07-07T20:44:00.008-04:00

We went to an exhibit to see the wonder of exotic butterflies. The butterflies will surround visitors as they flutter about sipping nectar from plants, perching in the sun room and landing on visitors. The tour guide reminded us to make sure we didn't walk out the room with butterfly on our t-shirt :D
Here are some scaly winged butterflies with close up…

See..their homes are hanging on the tree?

Landscaping - Increase Property Value

2009-07-06T21:20:00.015-04:00

Gardening not just good for the health, soul and spirit, it is also a great investment that can increase property value. Florida Nursery Growers and Landscape Association did a research with these findings:

* Increase the resale value of a property by as much as 14%
* Property sale six weeks faster than other homes
* A patio can raise property value 12.4%
* A landscaped curb can increase 4.4% and hedges can add 3.6% property value
* Low-maintenance quality landscape increase in resale value by as much as 15%.
* Properly select plants can lower heating and cooling cost by as much as 20%.

A variety of studies reveal that:

Edge the flower beds could increase the home value by 1 percent
Planting mature trees can increase property value
'Water-wise” landscaping - add water saving plants in a landscape and matching color mulch can increase long-term financial benefit
Nourish the grass, make sure it is green and healthy
Scatter mixed color flowers throughout the landscape and cut back the jungle shrubs.

Here are some beautiful landscapes from the downtown home garden:

7 landscaping tips

Increasing Home Value

Landscaping for Increased Property Value

Planting Mature Trees to Increase Property Value

Landscaping Investment - Increase Property Value But How Much?

Don’t Curb Your Home’s Appeal – Invest in Landscaping to Raise the Resale Value

"Mulch" Improved: Homeowners Spruce Up Landscape and Increase Home Value

How To Increase Property Values With Landscape

Sculpture and Wildlife Garden with Butterfly Weed, Hydrangea Arborescens...

2009-07-05T06:56:00.011-04:00

Wild hibiscus from the sculpture garden
This is the sculpture garden in front of the Museum of Natural Sciences

Water garden

Hydrangea Arborescens 'Annabelle' needs less water than regular hydrangea

Butterfly Weed

Hydrangea quercifolia 'Alice' or Panicle Hydrangea 'Grandiflora'?

Hydrangea Arborescens 'Annabelle' mixed

Garden Sculpture

Visit the Museum of Natural Sciences - Whale

2009-07-03T22:09:00.021-04:00

We went to the Museum of Natural Sciences, you can see the real whale skeleton on display with free admission. It is very interesting, hope you will enjoy it too.

A Real Trouble Story
This Sperm Whale washed ashore at Wrightsville Beach in 1928 and soon began decaying. It raised a stink that cleared the beach, becoming a health hazard as well as a public nuisance. Locals gave the whale nickname “Trouble,” :-D and it lived up to its name - particularly for the Museum, which wanted the whale’s skeleton for display. Moving the whale wasn’t an easy task. First the 54-foot, 100,000 pound whale had to be towed to an uninhabited beach. Towing cables broke and the wale was nearly lost in the rough sea. Once onshore, the whale washed off the beach and onto a nearby shoal where it stayed until stripped of most of its flesh. The bones were buried for a total of 16 months so that natural processes could remove the rest of its flesh…

More Trouble
Trouble’s bones were buried on the beach for six months and again at the Fairgrounds for ten months. Natural processes removed the last remnants of rotting flesh.
What Is Sperm Whale?
Capable of hour-long dives more than a mile deep, Sperm Whales are deep-sea dwellers and are seldom seen inshore unless stranded. They use specialized teeth to capture food but not to chew it – these whales swallow squid, sharks, fish, and other marine animals whole.
See how large the whale size compared to human beings

Better Boy and 100 Hybrid Cherry Tomatoes

2009-07-02T22:28:00.012-04:00

Are "Sweet 100 Hybrid Cherry Tomatoes" really producing 100 in one plant? Well, it actually sets an excessive number with a heavy crop more than 150 tomatoes. What are your favorite tomatoes? I prefer the taste of Better Boy and the cute appearance of Sweet 100 Cherry tomatoes. It would be nice to have grilled tomatoes for weekend cookout, how about garlic grilled tomatoes? Hope y'all have a Happy 4th!

America’s Favorite Tomatoes

How to Save the Tomato Seeds from Your Favorite Tomatoes

Nectarine Fruit Tree Disease

2009-06-30T21:05:00.010-04:00

This is one of the 3-in-1 fruit tree (Peach+Nectarine+Plum), I think the nectarine is infected by bacterial spot. On the same tree, only the nectarine and peach have disease problem, the plum fruits seem to be disease resistant. I guess there is no such thing as perfect gardening!
Recipe for less toxic “dormant oil" to suffocate overwintering pests, such as aphids and mites.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoon liquid soap
1 gallon water

Insect Control: Horticultural Oils

Bacterial Spot Info

Bacterial spot of peach factsheet

Peach Bacterial Spot

Peach and Nectarine Disease resistance Varieties

How to Prevent Diseases and Insects that Attack Peaches/Nectarine?
Notes - Chemical sprays for bacterial spot are not practical for the home grower. The best way to control bacterial spot is to select resistant peach varieties. Peeling fruit removes most traces of the disease.
- Spray program with dormant sprays and carry on through the growing season
- Collecting diseased fruit as soon as it appears and removing infected twigs and mummies from the trees will reduce the carry-over of brown rot to the next season.
- If fruit ripening occurs during a period of warm, wet weather, a very rigid spray program is required to control brown rot.
- It is important to begin spraying just before the fruit ripens. Delaying a spray program until rotten fruit is evident will result in very poor control regardless of the effort.
- Controll Peach Scab with chemical sprays applied at the "shuck split" stage and every 14 days for the next four to six weeks
- Never plant a peach tree in an old vegetable garden site. Root-knot nematodes can build up on many vegetables. The safest planting sites are portions of the yard where bermuda or other lawns have been established for years.
- Oak Root Rot disease is caused by a soil borne fungus that attacks and kills peach roots. The fungus will survive for many years in the soil on roots of hardwood trees long since removed. There is no control.
- Do not prune trees in October, November, December and January, wait until mid-February to prune the trees. Pruning in late winter reduces the chance of winter injury and infection by the bacterial canker organism.

Spinach, Spicy Globe Basil (Ocimum Basilicum), Okra

2009-06-29T21:23:00.003-04:00

Here are some of the mixed greens planted close to the patio for quick harvest: Spinach in flower pot (almost the last batch), and okra (still small but probably needs to relocate it to the ground). I have been harvesting spicy globe basil every week; it is not really spicy but tastier than regular basil.

Got Mushroom?

2009-06-28T22:04:00.008-04:00

I found some wild mushrooms growing on the top of the mulch. These large mushrooms have a strong visual appeal with clusters of brown caps are contrasted against creamy white stems, the caps ranging in size from 3 to 5 inches. I don't think it's edible, possible toxic?

Some mushrooms are growing next to the flowers

Growing Mushrooms
Mushroom Growing Made Easy
Let's Grow Mushrooms

Bird Watching

2009-06-28T07:58:00.005-04:00

It is such a surprise to see a big bird (about 1.5 ft tall) standing on the backyard fence. Do you know what is the name of this bird?

Backyard Vacation

~ A beautiful poem by Wanda G. Black

I sit here and gaze at God's blue sky
With white puffy clouds drifting by
And the vibrant green of grass and trees
And the flowers all bowing in the breeze

Then I look out across the peaceful pond
At the woods and the pasture just beyond.
And closer in, flying into view
The finch, the cardinal, and the bluebird, too.

In the redwood swing, I lean back and then
Enjoy the melody of the wren.

The whir of the hummingbird darting by
The sight of the buzzard, floating high.
The robin defending its hidden nest
By chasing away the cowbird pest.

I sit out here and swing along
As I listen with joy to God's nature song.

And as I listen to each trill and peep,
I close my eyes and fall asleep.

Plum, Nectarine, Peach 3-in-1 Multi-budded Fruit Tree

2009-06-25T21:21:00.006-04:00

Plum is a close relative of nectarine and peach fruits; it develops over few months period, from late winter to midsummer. For this multi-budded tree, plum is the dominant one; it is bearing 15 fruits, and almost covers half of the tree. Nectarine and Peach only produce 1 fruit for each branch. So, I try to prune down the plum to let nectarine and peach get more sunlight and catch up with normal height. So far, only the plum fruits are ripened and ready for summer harvest. See the progress here...

Nectarine Info
Plum
Peach

Harvest of the Day: Cherry Tomatoes, Berries, Spinach, Romanian Lettuce, Squash

2009-06-24T20:29:00.006-04:00

Here are some fresh harvest of the day: I pick some cherry tomatoes, squash, berries, a last few batch of Romanian lettuce and spinach. So, this week I don't have to get vegetables from the grocery store, it's nice to have fresh organic produce straight from the garden. What are you harvest lately?

Berries again
100 Hybrid cherry tomatoes
Baby spinach
Cherry tomatoes

Two-Tone Mauve-Yellow Gladious Blooms

2009-06-23T20:51:00.016-04:00

This is the new pink/mauve-yellow Gladious flowers in my garden. I bought a bag of bulbs from Home Depot during last year clearance without knowing the color/ name. I thought it's Iris, but I was wrong! Thanks to AnnF and islandgardener pointing out that it's Gladious. I was just trying my luck, what a great surprise! They turn out to be so beautiful, the brilliant blooms grace sword-shaped foliage topping 3-4 ft stalks, and continuing to bloom for almost 2 weeks.

I plant some of the Irises next to the blackberry, it still blooms without any problem.Daily fresh cut flowers for indoor decoration... feel like a florist :-)

A friend told me that if Iris corms being planted too deeply or lack of sunlight, it will cause the non-blooming problem. Avoid to put the corm down an inch or more. The corm should be on the surface and the roots buried, or the corm should be half buried.

Sweet Potato Custard

2009-06-22T21:07:00.009-04:00

I finally received the Down Home Healthy Cookbook from NCI (see previous post), and try the sweet potato recipe.

The first one is a twist - sweet potato tapioca puddingThe second one is sweet potato . I put all in a larger baker - it saves time, but doesn't look as good as the picture in the cookbook.

You can find the recipe here:
Down Home Healthy Cooking: Recipes and Tips for Healthy Cooking

Worth to take a look:
Acrylamide in Food and Cancer Risk

Heterocyclic Amines in Cooked Meats

Yellow Mum Flowers

2009-06-21T21:20:00.006-04:00

I bought a small pot of yellow mums from Wal-Mart last Thanksgiving and transferred it to a larger flower pot, it came back this spring with double size. See how fast it grows these few months, the mums usually bloom when summer blooms fade.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-21T08:07:00.001-04:00

Baby Spinach

2009-06-19T20:29:00.007-04:00

How to get Popeye’s super power?

Germinate spinach seeds in a large pot with light moisture soil
Use flower pot to avoid insects from the ground.
Place it under partial shade
After 40-50 days, cut spinach leaves from outside of the plant, when it gets mature harvest entire plants before flowering.
Harvest a patch of home grown spinach for salad, soup, or light cooking.
Nutrient content is best if eat the spinach straight after picking, remember to wash it in cool water.

100 Spinach Recipes
Can you remember any cartoon characters that inspire kids to eat healthy food?
I guess not a whole lot...

Straight-Necked Summer Yellow Squash (Cucurbita spp)

2009-06-18T21:23:00.010-04:00

This is a yellow straight-necked summer squash, about 45 days maturity. Its fruits taper towards the stem end with nice semi glossy smooth yellow color. Now it's about 6" long, I think it will be 8 inches long when it matures. I plan to harvest it earlier so that it is more tender and succulent. See recipe here...
Have a great weekend & happy gardening!

Dwarf / Patio Lime Tree

2009-06-17T20:22:00.010-04:00

I bought this small lime tree a year ago from Gurney's Nursery. In order to move it indoor during winter, I have to let it grows in a flower pot. It is such a cute small plant with many tiny fruits, the limes are getting larger, but it's not ready to harvest yet (see previous post #1, #2). I am thinking to get another patio size lemon tree.

The Latest Harvest: Plum, Peach, Berries...

2009-06-16T20:29:00.009-04:00

Gardener vs. Japanese Beetles, who is winning?
Well, actually no one is winning the war; JB is under control, but some small green plums are falling from the tree during the process of fighting with the beetles (see the fruit tree).
The blackberries and raspberries continue to produce, they are very productive!

White House's Garden Party - 73 Pounds of Lettuce

2009-06-16T20:14:00.002-04:00

White house's organic garden party (see the simple recipes below for kids)
From ABC News - Yunji de Nies and Sunlen Miller report:

The fruits of labor paid off in the White House’s organic vegetable garden Tuesday: the first lady, along with the children who first helped her plant the garden, harvested 73 pounds of lettuce and 12 pounds of peas. The group then prepared a meal with the harvest in the White House kitchen, and then ate the meal together.

“It’s harvest day,” Michelle Obama proclaimed as she entered the now full White House garden, “Today is the fun part. We get to pick some stuff, clean it and cook it and eat it .”

The first lady and the eleven-year olds cut lettuce and stole a taste of some snap peas straight from the garden.

The lettuce and the peas were then taken into the White House kitchen, along with the group, to prepare the meal. The first lady snapped peas with some of the kids, assisted by White House chefs, prepared baked chicken with brown rice and peas, salad with carrots and honey dressing, and garden cupcakes with fruit topping.

Later in the “first lady’s garden” near the White House, children set the table with plastic forks, knives and spoons on a long picnic table with a red and white checkered tablecloths to eat their meal.

“Today is the culmination of a lot of hard work, “ Mrs. Obama told the kids, “This was a big dream of mine.”

The first lady then uncharacteristically launched into pretty meaty territory– saying that Congress and the president will start focusing on healthy eating and nutrition soon, and that the statistics of obesity rates, and diabetes among children, and the $120 billion a year Americans spend on health care on diet related issues are “unacceptable.”

“This gorgeous and bountiful garden that you saw over there has given us a chance to not just have some fun, which we‘ve had a lot of it, but to shed some light on the important food and nutrition issues that we’re gonna need to address in this nation.”

Mrs. Obama said the government has a big role to play in this and specifically mentioned the need to make the healthiest meals possible available for kids through the USDA national school lunch program.

“We’re approaching the first opportunity to move this to the top of the agenda with the upcoming reauthorization of the child nutrition program. In doing so we can go a long way of creating a better generation for our kids,” she said.

The first lady added that for poor and isolated communities healthy eating is often times of reach – as groceries must be bought at drug stores or gas stations – and that needs to be remedied.

She said she was glad that more than one million community gardens have been planted, especially in urban areas, “emulating what they are doing,” for healthy eating.

With that, the first lady banged her hands lightly on the table and started to chant, “We wanna eat, we wanna eat, we wanna eat."

Below are the recipes for the menu that the first lady and the kids prepared today:

“KID FRIENDLY RECIPES”
SALAD
One head of lettuce
Two carrots
Half of a cucumber
1/3 of a cup of vegetable oil (olive or canola)
1/4 vinegar (red wine or balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice)
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon mustard (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Wash and chop lettuce and place in a large bowl. Peel and cut carrots and cucumber into bite size pieces. In a small bowl place vinegar, honey, mustard, and salt and pepper. Using a whisk, mix vinegar mixture while slowly pouring oil into bowl. Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a leak proof container and shake vigorously. Add dressing just before serving.

BAKED CHICKEN BROWN RICE AND PEAS
Chicken
One chicken cut into pieces
1 cup flour
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs beaten
Salt and pepper

Pre-heat over to 400 degrees. Wash and pat dry chicken. Lightly sprinkle salt and pepper on all sides of chicken. Place flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in three separate bowls. Place chicken in bowl of flour and cover chicken completely, knock off excess flour. Dip chicken in eggs, covering completely. Finally, roll chicken in bread crumbs and cover completely. Place on baking dish and put in oven for approximately 40 minutes or until juices run clear.

BROWN RICE
1 1/2 cups brown rice
3 cups water

Combine 1 1/2 cup rice to 3 cups water in pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to low. Cook for approximately 40 min or until all water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork adding a sprinkle of salt and a tablespoon of butter or vegetable oil at the end.

PEAS
1 pound of peas
2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
1 clove chopped garlic (or garlic powder)

Clean and rinse one pound of peas (or use frozen peas if peas are out of season). If snap peas are available they can be used as well. When chicken and rice are finished, heat a frying pan on med/high heat and add oil and garlic. Just as garlic becomes golden add peas and cook until warm, approximately 1-2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, remove from heat and serve.

Tomatoes

2009-06-15T20:52:00.007-04:00

Have you started to harvest your tomatoes yet? See the progress here...
These are my sweet 100 hybrid cherry tomatoes, still green, but when I check this afternoon, some of them start changing to light yellow color.

Better Boy Hybrid tomatoes

Bonnie Select Hybrid tomatoes

Notes:
Tomatoes split or crack - is a sign of inconsistent watering, either too much or too little.
Fertilize once every two weeks with fertilizer high in phosphorus
Don't throw away the unfinish tea/tea bag, use the compost tea to add energy for tomatoes to finish up the season.

Introducing 3 beauties in my garden

2009-06-14T08:21:00.017-04:00

Miss Cinderella - She is lovely, gorgeous, and young... intense – full of life!

Golden Years - Still beautiful, exemplify the dignity, maturity and inner beauty of all!
Double Knock Out - Sexy, colorful, bright, intelligent, and no fuss!

Hydrangea - Flower of The Week

2009-06-13T21:55:00.023-04:00

After lots of love and care... the hydrangeas finally bloom all week long throughout my garden (see previous post).

Nothing can beat the fresh cut summer flowers
Home grown fresh hydrangea for indoor decoration

Hydrangeas can be used as centerpiece too

Isn't it nice to have fresh flowers from the garden everyday?

Green netting to protect the flowers, try to hide hydrangeas from the deers ;-)
Hydrangeas continue to bloom...

Hydrangea Questions and Answers

Epipremnum Aureum (Scindapsus Aureus) - Easy Care Green Indoor Houseplant

2009-06-12T22:07:00.016-04:00

Scindapsus aureus is one of those hassle-free indoor plant species; just put it in a bottle, add some water, you are done! It will last about a month before you need to refill more water. Scindapsus Aureus is a trailing or climbing plant with leathery and heart shaped leaves. If you are a busy person or a frequent traveler, at least when you come home or back from a business trip, the house plant is still alive for you to enjoy. See my collections here.
* The ceramic swan and hand towels are 100% "hand made" by my mother-in-law.
How To Make Ceramics Products

Magnolia Grandiflora

2009-06-11T20:46:00.006-04:00

I have 2 Magnolia Grandiflora trees in my garden, one starting to bloom with a large ivory flower. The magnolia trees can grow very big and tall, I never add any fertilizer, just hope it won't grow too fast. The fragrant flowers attract bees and also Japanese Beetles ;(

According to University of Georgia publication, Magnolia is one of the oldest evergreen trees. Their ancestors were growing in the time of the dinosaurs, since 80 to 100 million years ago.

Raspberry...Blackberry...Blueberry...More Berries

2009-06-10T21:48:00.010-04:00

Berries with ice cream, muffin, pancake, fruit salad, you name it...we are having berries everyday! What are you harvesting this week?

Blueberries

Scarecrow Motion-Activated Sprinkler

2009-06-09T20:49:00.009-04:00

Deers stop by my backyard every night and having party banquet, they almost finish eating all the shrubs in my garden. I am thinking to get this Scarecrow Motion-Activated Sprinkler, I guess if the deers stop by, it will help to activate the sprinkler and water my plants :P I found it at Amazon for $59 with free shipping, it is the lowest price I can find. Some of the reviews are so funny. Is anyone using this before?

Tea Olive Shrub - Osmanthus fragrans

2009-06-08T21:32:00.007-04:00

Tea Olive is a flowering evergreen shrub, a member of olive family. It has large green leaves, begins blooming late winter, usually blooms heavily and lasting into spring. It is very fragrance; the deers love to eat its young leaves. Most people like to plant a couple bushes in the garden. We have 3 Tea Olive shrubs use as privacy screen to hide the air conditioning units close to the house. The tiny white flower clusters are amazing aroma; when the flowers bloom, it will attract a lot of bees. Do you have it in your garden?
Size: large upright shrub = 20 ft x 6-8 ft
Light: Sun to partial shade
Moisture: Moist to average.
Hardiness: USDA Zones 8 to 10.
Propagation: From medium wood cuttings

We can't use Tea Olive for tea leaves, but I found an article about Growing Tea at Home

Summer vs. Winter

2009-06-07T06:16:00.014-04:00

It is so warm and humid here. God bless those landscapers who are mowing the lawn during hot summer. Do you miss winter?

The winter photo makes me feel cooler...it's taken during our winter vacation

I guess summer is not so bad after all, I don’t want to have snow piling up to the second floor :D

Another unknown pink flower

2009-06-06T20:07:00.004-04:00

This is another unknown perennial flowers, I am not sure it is Asclepias incarnata (Swamp Milkweed) or not. I didn't keep the nursery label, and couldn't remember the name. Can you recall all the plants your garden?

FREE Downloadable Deck or Fence Designer Software

2009-06-06T07:50:00.005-04:00

FREE Downloadable Deck or Fence Designer Software
This is probably useful if you plan to design, plan and build your dream deck or fence. Free offer available for direct download only. Valid from 6/4/09 through 6/17/09
Do-It-Yourself Deck Designer Software
Create your dream deck and preview the 3D design on a photo of your very own home. Deck Designer removes all of the guesswork. Begin with 70+ templates or create your own plan.

Fence Designer’s photos and illustrations help you make the final design decisions that guarantee your fencing is beautiful as well as functional.

Choose from 30 fencing styles, including pre-fab panel, gothic, dog ear, lattice, split rail & chain link
Select complementary gate styles to complete your fence design

Random Pictures: Lime, Raspberries, House Plant, Squash

2009-06-06T06:51:00.011-04:00

Unknown indoor plant, bought it from Lowe's clearance section a year ago.

See... it has tiny black seeds!3 ft lime tree starts having tiny fruits. After seeing Prue's balcony size lemon tree, it inspires me to get a similar size disease free lemon tree.

The raspberries start to change color, probably I can harvest fresh berry fruits for several weeks.
Surprise! The squash starting to bloom...soon we will have something to cook!

Grow Our Own Sprouts

2009-06-04T20:59:00.010-04:00

Checklist for growing our own sprouts:

1. A large glass jar or plastic container

2. Breathable mesh screen

3. Select seeds to sprout, it can be alfalfa, mung beans, yellow beans, green beans, radish (if you like spicy), or any other seeds.

4. Add 2 Tbs. of seeds in the jar/container

5. Soak seeds in 3 times as much water anywhere from 5 hours to overnight

6. Rinse the seeds in container and drain out the water through the mesh screen.

7. Place the jar in a dark cool place.

8. Lay the jar on an angle with the seeds spread along the side of the jar.

9. Rinse the seeds twice a day for about 5 days.

10. Check it after 3 to 5 days, when the seeds look long with two little leaves on top, rinse a final time.

11. Last step: place the jar in a sunny window for a couple of hours.

Now the sprouts are ready to use for salads, topping, sandwiches, cooking… good for our health :-)

Alfalfa Sprouts: The Immune System Booster

Broccoli Sprouts May Protect Against Bladder Cancer

It's Time to Harvest the Blackberry and Raspberry

2009-06-03T20:47:00.016-04:00

I bought the Brazos Blackberry (Rubus Ursinus 'Brazos') and Latham Red Raspberry (Rubus Idaeus 'Latham') from a local nursery on March 8 for $5 (clearance). See the progress on April 13, 25, and May 19. It only takes 3 months, I'm now harvesting the fruits. The blackberry plant is now 3ft tall and will produce fruits every year, it's a great buy, totally worth every single penny!
Brazos Blackberry (Rubus Ursinus 'Brazos') with large clusters of edible fruit

Some blackberries and raspberries

Ice cream with blackberries in a dissert glass bowl

More Ice cream with blackberries... hmmmmmmmm good for summer!

From Garden To Dining Table

2009-06-02T20:00:00.027-04:00

Garden harvest for this week:
Romaine Lettuce, mint, green onion, spicy globe basil (Ocimum Basilicum)...
Make a good use of the Easter basket :P
More vegetables and herbs

Some pasta to go with the home grown vegetables
Wash the Romanian lettuce

The leaves are quite thick... possible it's too old?
So instead of using it for salad, I decide to cook it with fish, zucchini, some garlic, onion oil and oyster sauce. A simple meal for the whole family :-)
What did you harvest from your garden lately?
Happy gardening!

Garden View

Ready for Summer?

Sign of Spring

Valentine's Humor

Happy New Year!

Ete 2009

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to All !

Romaine Lettuce - 2nd Generation

Beauty of Broccoli Plant

Mums / Chrysanthemum flowers

Spicy Basil

Fall Flower - Mums /Chrysanthemum flowers

Lime or Lemon?

Final Harvest - Tomatoes

Okra, Lady's Finger, Abelmoschus Esculentus; Hibiscus Esculentus L

Fall / Winter Plant

Random photo

Ground Cover

Hydrangea Arborescens

Life Cycle of Green Onion

Chive Flowers

Non-Toxic Bug Fighting Tools

Cantaloupe

Atlantic Ocean View

Wild flowers on the Atlantic Ocean shore

Container Garden in Bloom

Butter Squash

Happy Gardening & Blogging!

Easy Care Houseplant - Snake Plant (Sansevieria) - Clean Indoor Air

Spanish Lavender

Multi-colored tomatoes

Broccoli

End of Season Tomatoes

Prayer garden in bloom

Green Bell Pepper

Yellow flowers - color of sunshine, joy, happiness, intellect, and energy

White Lily, lis blanc

Which One You Don't Have to Buy Organic?

Bermuda Grass

Acrocanthosaurus (Acro), Dinosaurs

Pruning Blackberry Plant

Summer berries, baies d'été

Summer Roses, Roses d'été

The Color of Summer - Purple Flowers, Violettes

Spanish Lavenders - Wealth, Spirituality, and Royalty

Tomatoes - Early Morning Harvest

Summer Season Tomatoes

The Colors of Summer - Yellow and Red Flowers

Landscaping Plants Around Swimming Pool

Harvest of the day

Ornamental grass around the pond

Lime Leaves and Fruits

Okra, Lady's Fingers, Gumbo, Abelmoschus esculentus, Hibiscus esculentus

Texas Okra GumboOkra, Corn, and Tomatoes Recipe - EverydayHealth.com

Cantaloupe blossom

Cantaloupe

Blueberries ~ 10 minutes No-Bake Cheesecake

Romaine Lettuce Flowers - Wordless Monday

Hardy Mums - Chrysanthemums Tea

Garden plan for next few months - planting and maintenance

Topsy Turvy Upside Down Tomato Planter

Orange flowers

Herbal Remedies for Fever

Petting zoo and vegetable garden project in the city

Spanish Lavender, Lavandula Stoechas ‘Otto Quast’

Gurney's $25 off plants & flowers & trees

This Week Harvest

Butterfly Exhibit

Landscaping - Increase Property Value

Sculpture and Wildlife Garden with Butterfly Weed, Hydrangea Arborescens...

Visit the Museum of Natural Sciences - Whale

Better Boy and 100 Hybrid Cherry Tomatoes

Nectarine Fruit Tree Disease

Insect Control: Horticultural Oils

Bacterial Spot Info

Bacterial spot of peach factsheet

Peach Bacterial Spot

Peach and Nectarine Disease resistance Varieties

Spinach, Spicy Globe Basil (Ocimum Basilicum), Okra

Got Mushroom?

Texas Okra Gumbo
Okra, Corn, and Tomatoes Recipe - EverydayHealth.com