Sugar Baby Watermelon

11 Oct 2011 2 Comments

by nadiaqh in Garden Design, Garden Fruits, Living Healthy, organic gardening, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: , , , , ,

 ♥  SUGAR BABY WATERMELON  ♥

Watermelon growing in-between planters

These melons were started as small plants vs. seeds in wine barrels with the vine trained to grow over the barrell and on to the ground. If your garden has space limitations then growing the vines on the ground and along pathways may give your vine plants that extra room needed for meandering growth.

Small sized watermelon almost ready to pick

* When a watermelon is ready to be picked  it should be ripe and ready for eating. Have you heard that watermelons do not continue to ripen off the vine? This was new information for me so I’m waited to harvest these beauties. Watermelon should have a dull colored rind and a brown dried stem when it is ready to be picked. Watermelon are heavy feeders meaning they need steady watering. The soil needs to be rich and fertile with a healthy amount of calcium in the mix. Trellising is also an option by using small fabric slings to support their weight as they are suspended in the air. Coastal San Diego gets a lot of overcast days with sunny and warm days leading into October creating a late growing season for my melons.

 Raised planter: watermelon, rosemary, eggplant, parsley and a few green onions.

Late growing season for watermelon in San Diego. The skin of the melon is a shiny green as it grows, then turns dull when it is ready to be picked.

Super Ripe !

Chula my Chihuahua with a Sugar Baby Watermelon. Watermelon = 7 pounds & Chula = 6.5 pounds

A Garden Valentine

14 Feb 2011 2 Comments

by nadiaqh in Flowers, Living Healthy, Photography Tags: , , , ,

♥ HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY ! ♥


These photos below are from an adorable fruit and garden stand in Carlsbad, CA. I drove by today and was thankful I had my camera on hand to photograph some of their beautiful floral displays and bouquets especially for Valentine’s Day. Enjoy!


FLOWER & FRUIT STAND ” La Costa Farms“: Location: (5) Freeway at La Costa in Encinitas/Carlsbad go East to Saxony Road- It’s on the SouthEast corner of La Costa Ave and Saxony Road.

Sowing Season For Sweet Peas

12 Feb 2011 3 Comments

by nadiaqh in Flowers, Garden Design, organic gardening Tags: , , , ,

♥ This is a topic I’ve written about several times and the buzz out there is… “When should I  plant my Sweet Pea seeds ?” So here it is again!

In Southern California the best time to plant Sweet Peas is February through April, but March is my favorite month to dig these seeds into the ground. I’ve had great luck with planting these fragrant beauties in raised planters, along fences and in small containers for the patio. If you are looking for an easy to grow flower then the Sweet Pea is the one you should try! In the past 15 years that I have grown Sweet Peas I’ve noticed that the seeds that are purchased from quality seed companies grow and bloom at a more abundant rate. Also, if heirloom flowers are purchased you can save the seeds from the end of the season and use them the following year. These seeds make great gifts in Birthday and Thank You cards :)

♥  Some helpful hints for planting sweet peas  ♥

♥ Soak the seeds over night to soften the hard seed coat prior to planting.

♥ Plant seeds 3″- 6″ apart and 1″ deep in a sunny location.

♥ Sweat Peas need a trellis, string or twine to grow and climb (unless you purchase the bush type).

♥ They make a great cut flower. Cut frequently for a heavier production.

♥ Use a thin top layer of mulch to retain moisture.

♥ Plant Sweet Peas in cool weather.

♥ Heirloom or Open Pollinated/ Self -pollinated  sweet peas will grow from saved seeds. Allow the plants to dry out while still planted in the ground and then collect the seeds from the pods. Store in containers in a cool and dry place.

♥ There are many colors and patterns to choose from. If your local garden store is limited in selection then try these online sites: Renee’s Seeds.com /Territorial Seed Co.com / Enchanting Sweet Peas.com

Soaking Sweet Peas over night in a dish of water help them sprout more quickly.

♥ Save glass food jars for creating an inexpensive vas. Arranging these flowers is pure magic for the ‘challenged floral arranger’ like me which is one of the reasons this is a favorite of mine. Below is a miniature tequila bottle filled with a few colored glass pebbles.

Planting Sweet Peas in a container works well- create a support for the vines to grow with a bamboo arch or sticks.

 

Last seasons trellised Sweet Peas

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