Happy Halloween
31 Oct 2009 6 Comments
in Photography, Uncategorized, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: Chihuahua Costume, Halloween Chihuahuas, pumpkin with chihuahua
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
www.nadiaknows.com
Happy Halloween!
Orange Orchid for Halloween
29 Oct 2009 5 Comments
in Flowers, Garden Design, Photography Tags: easy care orchids, Epidendrums, garden flowers, macro lens photography, orchid
Orange Epidendrum Orchid
PICTURE OF THE WEEK
My outdoor potted orchid, ”Epidendrum” showing off her colors for Halloween.
These orchids need very little care and bloom most of the time. The best temperatures to grow these orchids are between 60-90 degrees F/ 15.5-32.2 degrees C. Epidendrums come in a rainbow of colors and grow up to 2 feet tall. I grow these orchids outside in pots all year long and fertilize every few months. They make a great cutting flower and last for weeks in a vase of water or in a flower frog. This variety of orchid is not picky about the potting mix, as long as it has good drainage. I was surprised to find out that there are over 1,000 species of Epidendrums. I love simple gardening with big results and the Epidendrum orchid is my #1 choice!
Thank you for visiting my blog: www.nadiaknows.com
“Knowing that creating, growing and inspiring is essential.”
Composting and Coffee
26 Oct 2009 5 Comments
in Garden Projects, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: Coffee Grounds, Composting, Organic Potting Soil, Recycle, Reuse, Vegetable and Herb Garden
wheelbarrow with potting soil
If you can put used coffee grounds in your garden soil… you are a beginning composter! Congratulations, you are now recycling your kitchen waste and creating better soil. My goal this year is to compost like the master gardeners, but until then, let’s take baby steps together. I keep an old wheelbarrow of organic potting soil for every day potting use, this is where I add the coffee grounds (it is suggested that only 25% of your soil is from coffee grounds). For those of you who do not drink coffee, you can get free bags of used grounds at Starbucks (seriously, you CAN get something for free!), or ask a neighbor to save theirs. Grounds can also be used as a top-dressing directly around your acidic loving plants such as: azaleas, hydrangea, camellias, and hibiscus to name just a few. Coffee grounds also work as an organic way to repel pests.
Follow this Starbucks link to read the nitty gritty facts on composting with coffee grounds.
Thank you for visiting my blog: www.nadiaknows.com
“I know I want to grow, create and inspire.”
Recycled Coffee Grounds
Haunted Garden Gate
25 Oct 2009 2 Comments
in Garden Design, Garden Projects, Photography Tags: front yard haunted lawn, halloween lawn decorations, haunted garden gate
Every year for Halloween our neighbors create a Haunted Front Lawn. Chula and Bella were a little confused this morning as we went for a walk and were greeted by the haunted garden gate.
A haunted garden gate
Carrots and Companion Planting
23 Oct 2009 1 Comment
in Flowers, Garden Design, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: carrot seed strips, companion planting, planting carrots, vegetable garden
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- Carrot Planting Strip
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- Plant Strips 1/4″ deep
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- Chula supervising the carrots
Planting carrots this month was so much fun! I used planting strips for the first time… wow, super easy. Planting strips keep all the seeds contained in-between a strip of paper. All you need to do is dig a trench to the suggested depth,unroll and lay down the planting strip, then cover with soil. I also used a companion planting guide and planted the carrot strips next to the rosemary, but far away from the dill. Companion Planting is a gardening technique of placing specific plants in proximity to one another. The result creates benefits of enhanced growth, optimum taste, and a natural pest control. Companion planting is a chemical free method to a healthy garden. Beans and corn grow well together because beans produce nitrogen which is used by the corn. Did you ever wonder why grandma had marigolds in her garden? Well, they are a great pest deterrent, their pungent smell keeps pests away from vegetables. Container gardening can also benefit from companion planting. It helps to keep a sketch diary of your garden each year, this way you can keep track of plant locations and crop rotations.
*This link for companion planting is a great reference chart for compatible and incompatible planting.
Thank you for visiting my blog: www.nadiaknows.com “Knowing that creating, growing and inspiring are essential.”
October Pumpkins
20 Oct 2009 3 Comments
in Garden Design, Photography, Vegetable/ Herb Garden, Video Blogs Tags: halloween pumpkins, long stemmed pumpkins, pumpkin decorations, pumpkin patch, pumpkins, Video Blog
Come with me to an Carlsbad local’s favorite roadside stop, a fruit and flower stand that has charm and character. The red tractor on the lot made a great backdrop for a photo with my kids when they were just tots, years ago. Today I put 3 little pumpkins on it and call it, “Three Sisters” – (yes I have two sisters). On any given day, I can run down to the fruit stand and pick up herbs, veggies, flowers, homemade tamales, guacamole, and even chocolate covered strawberries. Enjoy the pumpkins.
Thank you for visiting my gardening blog: create, grow and inspire!
Pumpkin Carving
18 Oct 2009 2 Comments
in Garden Projects, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: Halloween craft, pumpkin carving, pumpkin fun
Pumpkin Carving Party
PROJECTS FROM THE GARDEN…
My husband and I went to an adult birthday party this weekend and as a surprise the host had us all carve pumpkins after dinner. It seemed a bit dangerous to see everyone with a knife in their hands after having a few martini’s, but luckily all went well. Many of the people at the party said they had not carved a pumpkin in over 10 years. There is something about pumpkin carving in a group that brings out the child in everyone. I think pumpkins have to be one of the coolest garden vegetables on the planet. Toasted pumpkin seeds with sea salt tops the charts too! Here is a photo of our masterpieces. Happy Halloween…
Thank you for visiting my blog: www.nadiaknows.com
create. grow. inspire.
The Giving Garden
15 Oct 2009 4 Comments
in Cactus, Garden Design, Garden Projects, Video Blogs Tags: Garden Design, Plant cuttings, planter gardening, succulent landscape, Video Blog, Zen Garden Theme Design
“It is more blessed to give than to receive. [Acts 20:35]“
Taking cuttings from my garden and transplanting them into a friends garden, this is a Giving Garden. After deciding on a Zen Garden Design (see previous blog about Stepping into Zen), I designed a plant-scape of symmetry and flow. By grouping plant varieties together, it gave the tiered planters an organized eye candy appeal. This project took several carloads of clippings from my succulent, aloe, euphorbia,and cacti plants from my yard. Before transplanting, I dipped each plant into Root Tone/Rooting Hormone to help stimulate root growth as soon as possible. The weaving rocks (placed with landscaping fabric underneath) created a nice visual separation between the plants; giving each section distinction. The right side of the yard gets more shade, so I placed a few flats of impatiens and ferns for that area. The top of the hill stays dry and sunny; a perfect home for the cactus and aloe. Other additions to create a Zen atmosphere of peace were 1) The painted stepping stone 2) A bird feeder that I bought on clearance at Target. 3) Home made bird bath (see previous blog) 4) River Rock . The project took several days in September (during that heat wave we had in California) and was a labor of love. The final photos were taken three weeks later to allow the plants to fill in.
Sharing plant cuttings is a great way to help inspire gardening and also help a friend “Reclaim her yard!”
Thank you for visiting my blog: www.nadiaknows.com “I know I want to Create-Grow-Inspire”
Time for Soil Testing
12 Oct 2009 4 Comments
in Garden Projects, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: acidic soil, alkaline soil, healthy soil, pH soil testing, soil test kit
Soil Test Kit
Soil Test Results
Have you ever tested the soil in your garden? Honestly, this was my first time! I felt like a scientist, mixing water and soil and adding the little capsules of powder to each vile. For under $8.00 a Soil Test Kit will show you what the levels for pH, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium are in your garden soil.
Why does this matter? Well, vegetables such as: lettuce, root crops, and peas grow best in soil with a pH level of 6.0 to 6.8. To produce the most abundant and healthy crop it’s best to match the plant need with the same pH levels in your soil. If your soil has a high alkaline reading, then you can amend the soil with organic alternatives such as iron sulfate. If your soil is very acidic (0-3) reading, then adding dolomitic limestone 3 weeks before planting will help. A reading of (7) is neutral. Directions and more in depth information are on the soil testing package…try it!
Thank you for visiting my blog: www.nadiaknows.com
” I know I want to keep creating, growing and having fun.”
Succulent Terrarium Video
09 Oct 2009 2 Comments
in Garden Design, Garden Projects, Video Blogs Tags: potted succulents, succulent terrarium, table plant display, Video Blog, water wise arrangement
Creating a Succulent Terrarium:
1) Use a glass bowl vase and fill 1/4 of the bowl with horticulture charcoal. 2) Place potting soil on top of charcoal to half way in the bowl. 3) Add several succulent plants. 4) Add a little more soil around the plants. 5) Squish potting sheet moss all around the succulents to cover all the dirt. 6) Place a shell next to the plants (planting in three’s is a landscapers secret). 7) Spray with water once per week.
* This is such a nice way to brighten any room and what a great gift for someone! This entire terrarium cost about $20.00.
* The charcoal and moss can be found at any local garden store- they come in small size bags. The charcoal will help to absorb any extra water.
* For a succulent terrarium- keep in a full to mostly sunny area.
Thank you for visiting my blog:www.nadiaknows.com - creating-growing-having fun!
