Mulch, Mulch, Mulch…

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: http://www.nadiaknows.com        - grow, create and inspire!

Garden Meditation Video

A small space is all you need to create a peace garden. With New Year’s Eve just around the corner and recovering from the busy holiday week, maybe this is just what you need! I know I do. Whether it’s a large garden area, or a small balcony overlooking a busy city… both can enjoy the benefits of a visually calming area. This is a place to take a few deep breaths, offer a prayer of gratitude, burn incense, or carve out a moment of quiet time in your day. Check out my video of a few feng shui garden design spots in my yard which were mindfully created for peace, garden tranquility and relaxation.

Looking for garden mirror-balls? Follow this link: Garden Gazing Globes

Thank you for visiting my gardening blog: http://www.nadiaknows.com

Create = Grow= Inspire

Garlic Galore!

I had another “first experience” gardening this week, I planted garlic. Here is a very quick video to capture the essence of garlic planting. I planted an organically grown garlic clove that I bought at a roadside vegetable stand here in San Diego.

A few facts about garlic:

* Garlic is great for growing in containers.

* November is a good time to plant garlic.

* Co-plant or “companion plant” garlic next to lettuce, cabbage, roses, apple trees, beets and carrots. The garlic will act as an organic pest repellant keeping aphids, root fly and snails away. This is a great way to organically keep your garden as pest free as possible without using harmful chemicals.

* Follow this link for the great health benefits of garlic.

Thank you for visiting my gardening blog: http://www.nadiaknows.com

Create-Grow-Inspire

Seven Apple Cobbler

I planted this “Anna Semi Dwarf Apple Tree” in my garden a year ago and this month 7 apples were ready to be picked. My kids decided something with a lot of sugar would be the appropriate celebration dessert for harvesting our first bumper crop. That sounds like farm talk doesn’t it?, “we harvested our apples.” I searched online for ideas and I have to confess, I chose a cobbler over a pie because cobblers are easy and fast! It tasted delicious, I only wish I could insert the aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg and baked dough on this blog.

Anna Apples grow great in San Diego County, they are crispy, juicy and sweet. They need full sun and grow to about 10 feet. Did you know that full sun means 6 hours of sun per day? Nice little garden fact for the next get together with your friends!

The blooms on the tree are incredibly beautiful, see this photo link- BLOOM.

This dwarf apple tree can be planted in a very large container. I have a variety of dwarf trees in containers around my backyard.

Thank you for visiting my blog: http://www.nadiaknows.com

“I know that creating, growing and having fun makes each day an inspiration.”

A Fairy Garden

Last weekend I photographed a 4 year old birthday party with the theme “A Fairy Garden Birthday.” I am sharing the short version of the video here on my blog. Every detail of this fairy garden party was amazing. Each girl at the party was dressed as a different flower and received a matching fairy wand after a scavenger hunt activity. The tables were set with beautiful china, there was a seed planting activity table, and they got to fly like fairies on the trampoline. This was a party created out of one mother’s incredible talent, imagination and joy. Her love for gardening has spilled over into her children’s lives in a dynamic way and I was so thankful to be a part of it!

Thank you for visiting my gardening blog: http://www.nadiaknows.com            I know that growing, creating, and inspiring happens in the garden.

October Pumpkins

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!

The Giving Garden

“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: http://www.nadiaknows.com       “I know I want to Create-Grow-Inspire”

Succulent Terrarium Video

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!

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