Forsythias, Azaleas and Daffodils are done flowering for this year. All you can see around is not pretty; the flowers are wasted, the bushes are turning plain green and what’s left of the Daffodils is long green stems. However, nature always reward us with new surprises. As I walk around my neighborhood and my garden, I am delighted to see our good old friends, the Clematis. Clematis are delicate flowers. They are packed with amazing colors to make your garden shine. It’s a happy plant that tends to trail over whatever is near it, therefore, make sure that if you plant one at home, you use a trailing frame so that the plant can climb upright and don’t spread in the ground. There, you won’t be able to enjoy the beauty of its flowers.
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For some of us this photo will seem somewhat insignificant. Is just a simple tree, with or without leaves. We are living in a fast technical world, where time is of the essence to waste it in unimportant things. However, in my case, what takes my breath away is how trees go for years and years, without anyone caring enough to fertilize them or water regularly, trimming dead branches or simply taking a moment to enjoy them. Therefore, I decided to document the life of this particular tree that caught my attention, (located in a nearby neighborhood where I do my daily walks), so that I could share with you the remarkable transformation show that Mother Nature put up every year for those who care to enjoy them. If you love nature, please go outside and take a few minutes to see what you have in your back yards or neighborhoods. After all, these guys help us to breath better, provide us with shade and also privacy from the neighbors. Some of the important things in life are so simple and free to enjoy! ANGIE’S GARDENING 101 – PART 3 -” LET THE FUN BEGINS – TIME TO SELECT THE PLANTS AND PLANTING THEM”5/8/2018 You have done the research, developed a plan and now the fun begins. How exciting, now you have selected the location where your tomatoes will go, or perhaps you are planting a container garden and it’s mostly about your favorite herbs to cook. Hey, you can cut fresh herbs daily, how’s that? Herbs, veggies and fruits are the most popular and common edibles to grow in our gardens. Some requires lots of sun and some not that much. Let’s look at the options: Herbs: Rosemary, Parsley, Cilantro, Oregano, Thyme, Lemon Thyme, Sage, Basil, Dill, well, you’ll see more options at the garden center. Veggies: Tomatoes, Sweet Peppers, Hot Peppers, Corn, Eggplants, Zucchini, Lettuce, Beans, cabbage, Squash, to mention a few. Fruits: Blackberries, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, apples, oranges, bananas, pears, Papaya, Lemons, Limes, well, depending of your gardening zone, the options are unlimited. Flower: Roses, a ton of annuals like Marigold, Zinnia, Sunflowers, Plumbago, Clematis or spring bulbs like tulips and daffodils, etc. I am just giving you basic ideas to implement; however, you are the gardener and your place will look amazing if you plan it carefully. Remember, is your garden, your decision of location and the plant material you will select. Enjoy the process. ANGIE’S GARDENING 101 – PART 2 -” THE THREE MOST IMPORTANT GARDENING “S”: SIZE, SOIL and SUN.5/1/2018 You can garden anywhere in the USA as long as you do it during the growing season. The growing season is usually defined as after the last frost and before the first frost. That depends on where you live. The States are divided by zones. My recommendation is to Google your gardening zone to know when is safe to start gardening in your area. Once you gather that information, pay close attention to what you need to succeed in gardening. These are my three most important elements to ensure a good harvest; size, soil and sun. SIZE: We can choose to do a small garden or a large garden depending on how much space you have in your property suitable for gardening. A large space will give you the advantage to select a larger number of plants for an even larger harvest. For instance, you can plant more than one tomato, pepper and eggplant plants or the veggies of your choice. This will give you an abundance of home grown produce that taste 100 times better than the ones you purchase at the grocery store. However, if you live in a condo, townhouse, or do not have a large property, then container gardening is for you. You can even plant tomatoes, peppers, herbs and other produce in flower pots and keep them in your balcony or a sunny window. SOIL: This is the key component to feed your plants and get them to grow successfully. A lot of people make the mistake of planting their veggies in last year’s soil. What we need to understand is that plants pull’s most of the nutrients of the soil per season. Therefore, if you plant this year’s new seedlings in that old soil, chances are that you will harvest poorly grown veggies and herbs. Trust me, I learned my lesson, smile. My recommendation, spend some extra dollars and purchase the best soil you can get, better yet, buy it organic. SUN: Finally, perhaps the most critical component of gardening. Without sun there are just few plants that will thrive without it. However, the options available to us, if our homes have suitable sunny locations for planting are fantastic. You just need to do a nice walk through your property during the day, select a spot (or two) and record how much sun that space gets in the morning, noon and afternoon. If you get at least 6 hours of sun during the day you are good to go. To be continued next week….. |
AuthorI am a blogger, a photographer, a jewelry designer, a gourmet cook, and a recipe book writer. I am also a flea market flipper, an avid gardener, an interior/ outdoors designer, an avid golfer and traveler. Archives
January 2024
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