Nadia Knows Gardens

I KNOW THAT CREATING + GROWING = INSPIRED LIVING!

PIG PLANTER with Euphorbia Splendens January 29, 2010

Filed under: Flowers,Photography,Succulents,euphorbia — nadiaqh @ 1:11 AM
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PIG PLANTER

If you are looking for a nice upright flowering and drought tolerant plant to put into a container, this one is a gem! My pig planter pictured here is potted with a “Crown of Thorns” plant, botanical name: Euphorbia splendens. I purchased this pig planter in Old Town San Diego at a pottery shop filled with mexican pottery and ceramics.

The Euphorbia splendens plant is very low maintenance and mine flowers most of the year. The variety of colors range from coral, red, and pink to yellow and white. It’s also a great plant for propagating when it gets too large, just cut off the extended stalk and allow it to dry for a few days, then add rooting hormone to the end of the stalk and plant in cactus mix. This a good potted plant and also a great landscaping plant.

* Origin: Madagascar

* Temperatures: Ideally 62° to 85° degrees Farenheit, but tolerates cooler temperatures in the winter. It hailed three times in San Diego last week and it still looks o.k!

* Water –  Once per week and keep dry between watering.

* Negatives – This plant has a milky sap that is a skin and eye irritant. Wear Gloves!

– Follow this link to another wordpress  photography blog titled “Decent Exposure” for an amazing photo of this flowering euphorbia.

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

Create – Grow – Inspire

 

Narcissus- Paperwhites & Marbles January 26, 2010

Filed under: Flowers,Garden Projects,Photography — nadiaqh @ 1:11 AM
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Narcissus In Full Bloom 1/25/2010

Every January I plant Paperwhite Bulbs indoors and by forcing the blooms I have beautiful fragrant flowers to bring in the New Year. I started this about 10 years ago to entice my kids into the pleasures of indoor gardening. We loved to watch the amazing process of an ugly onion looking bulb turn into a color burst of green stalks shooting up into the air and delivering silky white heavenly scented flowers. My children thought the best part of the project was using marbles for the foundational base, it also added beauty to the clear vase as we awaited the flowers to grow. 

Narcissus- Macro Lens

It only takes a few weeks for the blooms to emerge and by then the marbles are almost completely covered by roots and the visual focus moves from the marbles to the white trumpeted flowers with a soft yellow center. We all look forward to this little tradition we share each year and even though my kids are teenagers they still show appreciation for blooming bulbs indoors. I have to admit that the flowers this year are so pungent that it did not mix well with the smell of our dinner tonight. I think I will move them into the living room!  

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com 

Create – Grow – Be Inspired! 

Antique Marble Collection and Narcissus Bulbs

Setting bulbs on marbles to create a foundation for the roots to grow around.

Add some water to the bottom part of the bulbs and they are ready to grow.

 

Gardening Friendship Card January 23, 2010

Filed under: Photography,Vegetable/ Herb Garden — nadiaqh @ 1:11 AM
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My very good friend gave me this card as a “thank you” for helping organize and plant her garden. See my video blog titled “The Giving Garden” to see the results. I was able to scan and insert it on my blog today to share it with you in hopes that it will give you a good LOL like it did for me! Some cards are worth saving and this one is a keeper.

Card from Olive Sandwiches, LLC Made in the USA


* Follow this web link to Olive Sandwiches, LLC , the creator of this card and other fun cards, gifts and notepads. These cards are made in the USA… buy local!

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

Create – Grow – Laugh!

 

San Pedro Cactus- Echinopsis Pachanoi January 21, 2010

Filed under: Cactus,Flowers,Photography — nadiaqh @ 1:11 AM
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San Diego had a day full of rain today and as I went out to the garden to get some carrots I noticed that there was a first bloom from my San Pedro Cactus (Echinopsis pachanoi). I watched a documentary on T.V.  a few weeks ago about Peruvian religious customs where the San Pedro cactus has been used for 3,000 years as a hallucinogen for religious divination and other healing methods.

San Pedro Cactus Exotic Flower Bloom- January 2010

This flower that bloomed today was about 9 inches in diameter and had a very light and sweet flower scent (only detectable by inserting my nose into the flower!).  The San Pedro is a columnar cactus that can reach up to 15 feet tall. It has grown very well in my San Diego cactus garden situated on a hill with great drainage and very little watering. The San Pedro also grows well in containers with a cactus mix type of soil. The flower bloom only lasts a few days and is so beautiful juxtaposed to the thorny cactus it bursted out from.

San Pedro Cactus in a San Diego Cactus Garden- Echinopsis Pachanoi

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

Create – Grow – Enjoy

san pedro hiding in the background

 

Nasturtium Sandwich January 19, 2010

Filed under: Cooking,Flowers,Living Healthy — nadiaqh @ 1:11 AM
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I read on another WordPress blog about using Nasturtium leaves and flowers to make sandwiches. Since I have so much growing in my garden I thought  ”why not?”. I used some whole grain bread, mayo (I am a big fan of mayo and I use a lot!), grey poupon, swiss cheese, local and fresh tomato slices, avocado, my herb seasoned sea salt, nasturtium leaves and flowers. I think it was definitely the prettiest sandwich I have ever made with the bright orange flowers poking out of the sides. Now my Nasturtium plants can feed my bearded dragons and my lunch cravings too.

Nasturtium Sandwich

It turned out tasting pretty good, but not fantastic. Nasturtium leaves are very peppery tasting and it was a good contrast next to the swiss cheese, but there was a very “green/grassy” taste to it. The last few days I’ve used some of the leaves and flowers to brighten up my dinner salads where I think the peppery taste is a better fit. The flowers  are a nice colorful addition to a winter-time meal.

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

* Create – Grow – Inspire *

Eating Nasturtium

Pretty Flower Sandwich

 

Nantes Carrot and Chula January 16, 2010

Filed under: Living Healthy,Vegetable/ Herb Garden — nadiaqh @ 12:19 PM
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Good morning! I read in the paper today that a storm is brewing to be here on Monday so I got out in my garden this morning to enjoy a little sunshine. This is my first carrot of the season, a Nantes Coreless that I planted from a “pre-seeded strip” about 70 days ago. It tasted sweeeet and my chihuahuas and bearded dragons enjoyed the green carrot tops too. Every seed on that planting strip germinated which verifies the seed packet printing that these Nantes are “guaranteed to grow”.

Chula and a Nantes Carrot

The first bloom from planted flower seeds and pulling out that first ripened veggie of the season is what makes gardening magic.

Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

Create – Grow – Inspire

 

RECYCLE, REDUCE, REUSE POLL January 15, 2010

Filed under: Garden Projects,Living Healthy — nadiaqh @ 1:11 AM
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Here is a POLL about Recycling.

FOLLOW THIS LINK TO “REAL SIMPLE” ONLINE RECYCLING IDEA/GUIDE AND CHECK OUT SOME OF THE BEST AND EXTENSIVE WAYS TO REUSE AND RECYCLE. THIS GUIDE LISTS PAGE AFTER PAGE OF CREATIVE IDEAS SUCH AS: NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WILL TAKE YOUR USED HOLIDAY CARDS, TRADING IN SPORTING EQUIPTMENT FOR CASH TO PLACES LIKE “PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS” AND HUNDREDS  OF MORE IDEAS.

THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS TO GET CREATIVE IN OUR RECYCLING EFFORTS IN THE GARDEN, IN THE KITCHEN, WITH OUR BELONGINGS AND WITH OUR REUSE OF PACKAGING. GO GREEN!

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Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com

create + grow= inspire :)

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The Best Garden Salad Dressing EVER! January 13, 2010

Filed under: Cooking,Living Healthy,Vegetable/ Herb Garden — nadiaqh @ 1:11 AM
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My favorite salad dressing was passed on to me by a friend who I will forever be grateful to! It’s also great as a marinade for salmon, veggies and steak. It is in my opinion PERFECT! I use fresh garlic from my garden and the best quality balsamic and olive oil possible.  High quality ingredients in salad dressings makes all the difference in taste.

Balsamic Salad Dressing

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R E C I P E:

1/3 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar  (I use flavored balsamic)

1 Tablespoon Honey

1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard

1 Clove Garlic- crushed

Crushed Ground Pepper as desired.

Mix all together at the same time by shaking in a closed salad bottle.

* adding fresh or dried herbs to the dressing works well too depending on the flavor desired.

* I use Oliver’s Infused Olive Oils  and specialty Balsamic Vinegars from San Clemente, CA. Available online. Check out their Website at :  http://oliversevoo.com/

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Thank you for visiting my garden blog: www.nadiaknows.com              Create – Grow – Eat Well!

 

Mulch, Mulch, Mulch… January 11, 2010

Filed under: Garden Projects,Vegetable/ Herb Garden,Video Blogs — nadiaqh @ 1:11 AM
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Garden Mulch

Garden Mulch

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Sounds strange when you say it out loud a few times: mulch, mulch, mulch. But strange for the soil it is not! Placing mulch around your planter beds, base of trees and as a topsoil cover adds some incredible benefits to your garden. I use an organic coconut husk mulch which decomposes over time. Mulch absorbs and retains moisture in the soil, keeping the soil cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, it aids in root growth and prevents the soil from getting too compacted. See this link for “The Original Mulch Block” (my favorite mulch) which is made from coconut husks, fibers and coco peat. The niftiest thing about this mulch is that it’s lightweight and packaged in a small, easy to carry cube. The mulch block expands to cover 2 cubic feet after it’s soaked in water. Who knew mulching could be so much fun?

Thanks for visiting my gardening blog: www.nadiaknows.com        - grow, create and inspire!

 

New Nasturtium Blooms January 9, 2010

Filed under: Flowers,Garden Design,Photography — nadiaqh @ 10:10 AM
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Remember I planted Nasturtium “here and there” in my  garden in December? Here is a photo I took this morning of the “Spitfire” Nasturtium from Renee’s Garden Seeds blooming away on this sunny Saturday morning in January. I love the color orange when it’s in a natural setting surrounded by green foliage. Have a great weekend!

Orange Nasturtium "Spitfire"