Raw and Green: Juicing from the Garden
07 Aug 2011 1 Comment
in Garden Fruits, Living Healthy, organic gardening, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: breville juicer, garden juicing, garden to juicer ideas, juicing fruits, nadia's san diego garden blog, organic gardening
Boost your immune system, help your bodies digestion, increase your energy, help with weight loss, add more anti-oxidants to your diet… that’s the information I read on what a juicer can do for us, so why did it take me so long to finally purchase one? Maybe it was the price tag, or another appliance fighting for space on the counter. More likely it was the thought of having to clean out an appliance on a daily basis and buy a cart-load of vegetables each week to maintain a new health habit. I have a back yard garden to grow seasonal fruits and vegetables, not a farm that produces high quantities of juicing fruits and greens. It took watching the documentary ” Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead ” to change my mind and give it a chance. I don’t have a weight problem, so the anti-oxidant and increased vitality health claims were the motivation that lead to a purchase.
Two very popular juicers are the Jack LaLanne and the Breville Elite: I chose the Breville.
Breville Die-Cast 800JEXL Fountain Elite Juicer: quoted straight from the website: “ It is called the most powerful centrifugal juicer that is available in the market today. It can juice any produce within seconds with 1000 watts motor and spinning rate 13,000.You can make any combination of juice with it. It has quite a wide chute and spares the need of cutting and dicing fruits. You can pour the juice in the plastic pitcher with skimmer to prevent foams in the citrus juice. The machine has a stainless-steel mesh basket that removes the pulp automatically into a juice container. The juicer has two kinds of speeds to juice soft and hard fruits. It is dishwasher safe.”
Great Recipe Book For Juicing: “The Big Book Of Juices“: more than 400 natural blends for health and vitality every day by Natalie Savona.
Breville Juicer
Juiced Carrots, Apples and Pink Grapefruit
* Organic Fruits and Vegetables are best*
I wanted a juicer that was easy to clean so that I would actually continue to use it. I give it a thumbs up for simple assembly and cleaning. The best part about the pulp leftovers is returning it to my compost bin and worm farm. Both compost bins are benefitting from the scraps. Another use for the pulp can be used for making soups by returning the pulp to the juice and simmering with herbs and spices. Not a bad way to juice up your nutrition and enjoy the benefits of adding more vitamins, minerals and micro nutrients to your day.
Scraps (Pulp) for the compost bins
Plumeria Martini
26 Jul 2011 2 Comments
in Flowers, Garden Design, Living Healthy, organic gardening, Photography Tags: martini glass, nadia's san diego garden blog, Plumeria Decorating, plumeria flowers
Decorating with Plumerias
A huge Deco Martini Glass full of Plumerias…
Plumeria Martini
Plumerias… California Style
25 Jul 2011 1 Comment
in Flowers, Garden Design, Living Healthy, organic gardening, Photography Tags: california plumerias, fertilizing plumerias, growing plumerias, nadia's san diego garden blog, plumeria
♥ I first fell in love with Plumerias “Frangipani Trees” when I went to Hawaii on a summer vacation. Taking in their fragrance in their native setting is something to put on anyone’s bucket list. I purchased a little plumeria stalk at the airport in an envelope sized plastic case and without any effort stuck it in a pot in the backyard when I got home. The following summer came the first pinwheel bloom and I have been collecting and growing plumerias ever since.
Yellow and white plumerias blooming
This year I decided to fertilize my plumerias every 3 months throughout the year and then 2x a month during the growing season. I have listened other plumeria experts give their advice on low feeding and I had very partial blooms the previous year from too little feeding. This year was different though and by increasing the feeding I in turn received an abundance of blooms.
Potted plumerias arial view
I have them decorating and creating amazing aromas all over the house in flower frogs.
Plumerias in a Flower Frog
Tips for Plumerias: not expert advice, only what worked for me this year.
1. Lots of water: 2 to 3 times a week . On average they grow best with 1 inch of rain per week. In California we have to simulate the rain with the hose.
2. 10-30-10 fertilizer: Feed every 3 months and 2x a month in the growing season.
3. Keep plumerias in 40 degree or above temperatures year round. This is a tropical plant.
4. Well drained soil. They grow great in pots.
5. 6 or more hours of sun per day. Some partial shade is ideal.
6. Spray with soap spray to rid of pests.
White Plumeria with Yellow Center
Best tip: Go out and get some plumeria plants, put them in pots and enjoy them!
www.nadiaknows.com
♥ a garden blog ♥
Wordless Wednesday: a July garden
13 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Flowers, organic gardening, Photography, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: anna apple tree, garden photos, nadia's san diego garden blog, organic flower gardening, topsy turvy pepper planter, zinnia flowers
Growing and Sowing Sweet Peas :)
09 Jul 2011 Leave a Comment
in Flowers, Garden Design, organic gardening, Photography Tags: how to grow sweet peas, nadia's san diego garden blog, problems with sweet peas, Renee's Garden Seeds, sowing sweet peas
How did your sweet peas grow this year?
I tried a little experiment this year by planting sweet pea seeds in several locations.
1. Full sun exposure with early morning sunshine.
Full Sun Exposure Heirloom Sweet Peas
2. Second location with only afternoon sun.
Morning Shade with only 3 blooms 
The full day sun with early morning exposure won by a long-shot. Prolific blooms and abundant foliage. The one secret that has worked wonders is soaking the seeds overnight prior to planting. This softens the hard outer shell of the seed and allows for quicker growth.
Here is a photo from one of my garden blog followers who experienced the same problem of growing sweet peas with no morning sun exposure. Her photo prompted me to write about this today 
withering sweet peas
I have heard it be said that “gardening lessons only need to be learned once!”
Next year choose a location with full sun in the morning and enjoy!
Notes from Renee’s Seeds Web Site: Also complete growing and sowing guide can be found on Renee’s web site for Sweet Peas.
Growing sweet peas is really quite easy and rewarding if you follow the basics. In mild winter climates, where the ground does not freeze, sweet peas should be fall-sown in October or November for spring bloom. But if you don’t get your sweet peas planted in fall, you can still get a nice crop, although a little later to bloom, if planted in late January or February. In cold winter areas, plant in early spring as soon as soil can be worked; sweet peas can handle light frosts.
Plant your sweet peas in full sun in a garden spot with well-drained soil. If summer weather is hot very early in the season where you live, sweet peas can thrive in a spot with morning sun and bright afternoon shade. Dig deeply to loosen the soil and enrich it with aged manure or compost before planting seeds. Don’t forget to set up a well-anchored trellis, fence or vertical support for climbing varieties before planting seeds. If all your seeds don’t germinate in 10 days to two weeks, don’t hesitate to plant more as they will catch up quickly. Some gardeners like to soak sweet peas overnight before planting them; others never do it and still have good results. If you do soak seeds, be sure you leave them in water no longer than eight hours before planting immediately.
Cactus Bloom in June
23 Jun 2011 1 Comment
in Cactus, Flowers, Garden Design, Photography, water wise garden Tags: Cactus Flower, nadia's san diego garden blog, san diego cactus blooms, tricocereus brevispinulosis, water wise garden design
Trichocereus brevispinulosis
♥
I found this blooming outside my kitchen window today.
What a real beauty!
It has a very faint sweet scent and the petals are like silk.
White Cactus Bloom
San Diego Padre Garden Gnome
19 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in dog chihuahua, Garden Design, organic gardening, pets, Photography, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: Chihuahuas, nadia's san diego garden blog, Padre Garden Gnome, San Diego Padre Gnome
I am not a big fan of Garden Gnomes, but when I saw this Padre Gnome advertised as a free give-away at a baseball game a few weeks ago, I knew I had to get to the ball game and snatch one up! I like the little baseball attached to his hand and the baseball diamond stand.
Padre Garden Gnome and Chula
Here he is in my garden and hopefully creating all kinds of good luck out there.
Submit photos of your gnome by emailing them to: sdgnome@mobilebullpen.com
to be viewed in-between innings on the big stadium screen.
www.nadiaknows.com
Read a previous blog about garden gnomes: Here
Encinitas Surfing Madonna- Day Trip
12 Jun 2011 Leave a Comment
in Cactus, euphorbia, Flowers, Garden Design, organic gardening, Photography, Succulents, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: nadia's san diego garden blog, organic gardening, Our Lady of Encintas, San Diego Road Trip, Surfing Madonna, The Lofty Bean Coffee
The perfect day trip in Encinitas for art, organic coffee, water wise landscaping and a California burrito. I suggest you hurry though as the rogue art Surfing Madonna aka: Our Lady of Encinitas may be removed from this location soon.
♥ 
Start out your trip on foot by parking near the Lofty Bean Coffee Bar on Hwy 101 and Encinitas Blvd where organic coffee is their specialty. Pleasant employees and pastries (hey that rhymes) welcome you in this beach side retreat. Sit outside with your cup of joe and enjoy the ocean air and people watch as beach-goers head for the sand. Ask the barista for a bag of used coffee grounds (completely organic) to take home and blend into your garden soil. This is a great way to start composting and bring life to your azaleas and acid loving plants. Check out the positive reviews for The Lofty Bean on Yelp.
Park on Hwy 101 or on side streets
Recycle and Composting used coffee beans
♥ 
Walk only 1/2 a block South to the corner of Hwy 101 and Encinitas Blvd. and cross the street going East another short 1/2 block to check out the Surfing Madonna underneath the train overpass. This mosaic was placed by an un-kown artist in April with the purpose of bringing awareness to “Save the Ocean”. See related links for full story and controversies surrounding this art piece. Surfing Madonna.
Mosaic on Encinitas Blvd and Hwy 101
♥ 
After checking out “Our Lady of Encinitas” head directly West on foot to Moonlight Beach, one of Encinitas’ finest that offers a snack bar, volleyball courts, showers, children’s play area, bathrooms and benches under palm trees. Rent beach chairs, umbrellas and anything else you may need for the day available next to the snack stand. Directly North of the Volleyball courts is a flourishing water wise landscaping in a unique santa fe style home. This is a beautiful example of using cactus, aloes, euphorbia and succulents all blended together in various sizes and shapes. There are different flowers blooming all year-long here and I have enjoyed the beauty of this home for years!
Home has a view of volleyball courts at Moonlight Beach
Years of planting and grooming creates beautiful curb appeal
Blooming Aloe in sand
♥ Head back over to the Lofty Bean Coffee Bar to get your car and drive North of Hwy 101 to about a mile. Take a Left on Marchetta street at the Stop Sign. Try a California Burrito at Juanita’s Taco Shop. Don’t let the decor scare you, locals know this taco shop has a reputation for great tasting burritos after a day of sun and surf. Great tacos and breakfast burritos too.
On the Corner of Hwy 101 and Marchetta Street
Happy Travels! Enjoy.
www.nadiaknows.com
♥ organic gardening and healthy living ♥
Garden Pests: The Aphid and The Ant
03 Jun 2011 3 Comments
in Garden Projects, Living Healthy, organic gardening, Vegetable/ Herb Garden Tags: Ant control, Aphid control, Aphid solutions, DIY Organic Pesticides, nadia's san diego garden blog, organic gardening
image from: www.ent.uga.edu
Once upon a time in a backyard garden that knew only harmony and abundance came two unwelcomed pests, the Aphid and the Ant…
Now what? A garden that has been invaded by Aphids and Ants is not a happy garden. Instead of using pesticides to solve the problem how about trying some organic methods for defense? I switch up my arsenal depending on the garden location and plants being attacked and the organic way has worked well.
According to gardening book expert Barbara Damrosch in The Garden Primer: “If you see a lot of ants in your rose blossoms, they are herding aphids- literally farming them so that they will secrete a honey-like substance the ants love to eat. Wipe out the ants by wiping out the aphids.”
* Spray Roses with strong blasts of water daily until the aphids are flushed out. Sometimes using the most simple method first will take care of the problem.
* Citrus fruit works as a natural pesticide to keep ants away by steeping a peel from 1 orange in 2 Cups of Hot Water. Let it steep for 24 hours, discard the peels and add a few drops of liquid dish detergent. Use as a spray.
* Diatomaceous earth works great. Purchase at your local garden store or online. This also helps with other soil pests like snails and pill bugs.
* Household Vinegar poured down an anthill.
* Companion Planting: Plant Mint, Peppermint, Sage and Chives around the garden- ants are repelled by these plants. 
* Sprinkle Baking Soda around plants in a thin line
* Spray Bottle Mixture with Vinegar: 1 part Vinegar + 1 Part Water
* Coffee Grounds on an ant hill or around affected area
* Cornmeal sprinkles in a line or problem areas
* Spray Mixture with Soap : 2 Parts water to 1 Part Dish Soap
* Spray Mixture with Oil: 1 Cup Vegetable Oil + 1 1/2 Cup Water + 2 teaspoons of Dish Soap
* Use Garlic: Crush a garlic bulb and 1 minced onion and add to 1 Quart of water. Now add 1 teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper and let it sit for an hour. Strain into a sprayer. (Tip from Soil Mates)
* Ladybugs: Purchase in containers and release in the evening to affected area. This works very well for Rose Bushes.
* Worm castings and worm tea. Use often as a garden bed base.
Note: Use these methods continuously for best results.
Happy Gardening!
Honor and Rememberance
30 May 2011 Leave a Comment
in Living Healthy, organic gardening, Photography, Succulents Tags: Honor and Remeberance, Memorial Day, nadia's san diego garden blog
How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes!
~Maya Angelou
