Good Neighbors
Of course we are talking about plants. In addition to crop rotation we have to be careful when we are planing our plants arrangement to prevent diseases and pests.
Evergreen Shrubs
Evergreen shrubs are great decoration especially in autumn and winter days since they stay green through all season. Some evergreen shrubs are also suitable for hedges.
Crop Rotation
As we all know it is important that we don`t plant the same type of vegetables on the same place every year. This process is called Crop Rotation and it is important to the productivity and also the health of our garden.
Undemanding Perennial Plants
Undemanding Perennial plants that are suitable for those without any gardening experience.
Orchids
Orchids are popular gift for any occasion. But the Orchids care is different form the care for other house plants.
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Herbs and Spices
Friday, July 6, 2012
Red Currant
Red Currant contains vitamin C, A, E and carotene, from which the body produce vitamin A. However it also contains calcium, potassium, manganese and iron.
Currant berries regulate digestion, prevent and alleviate intestinal inflammation.Currant also helps with nervous heart problems and purify blood. It is good for diabetics.
Red Currant is a great snack
Red Currant is like Strawberries a great snack. You may also prepare Currant cakes, pies, home made ice cream or fresh red Currant juice.
If you want to save it for the winter you can prepare a jam, jelly from it or simply dry it.
Photo: rgbstock.com
Red Currant has an acidic and refreshing taste
Red Currant grows up to 1 meter. It blooms in April or May. Red Currant fruits are red berries with a highly acidic and refreshing taste.
Habitat and Care
Red Currant Grows well on the sun or dappled shadow. Red Currant needs fertile, moist and humus soil. We plant young plants in April or October. The distance between young plants should be 3/4 to 1 meter.
If we want a good harvest we have to fertilized it well. Every spring we improve the soil around Currant by adding manure and compost. Because it blooms early the hoarfrost may destroy its blooms. Therefore we cover the plants with veil during the flowering season, if there is a chance of frost.
Towards the end of the spring we put the mulch (straw, bark) on the soil around the plants to maintain the moisture soil.
In hot summer days we have to water the Currants. We cut off all the old branches that have no new shoots. We also remove all damaged Currant shoots or those that are too close together.
Related posts:
Strawberries
Interesting Facts about fruit
Monday, July 2, 2012
Plants in Pots / Buckets
Some of the plants can spend the winter in warm room. We should watering and fertilizing them regular.
Sernoa repens
Sernoa Repens thrives on sunny and half shadow locations. In the winter it thrives well in heated or cold room.
Citrus
They prefer sunny location. Citrus needs permeable soil. In the winter we put them into a bright room with temperature 5 - 10°C. We have to water them every 6 - 8 weeks. At higher temperatures we have to water them more often. Try not to water them with the tap water because it contains too much lime. Because of the lime leaves may turn yellow and fall off.
Oleander
It thrives on sunny and half shadow locations. Oleander is an evergreen shrub with lush flowers. If we want to have as many flowers as possible we have to make sure that we don`t put it in too warm place in the winter season. Oleander is poisonous.
Boxwood
It thrives on sunny, half shadow and shadow locations. It is an evergreen shrub that can be trimmed in any shape. Boxwood is cold - resistant shrub.
Related posts:
Outdoor potted plants - few great examples of outdoor potted plants
Potted plants and plants in buckets - In May
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Interesting Facts about Fruit
APPLES
- There are over 7500 different types of apples
- If you eat an apple, this is more reliable way to stay awake than drink a cup of coffee. The natural sugar in an apple is stronger than caffeine in coffee.
- Apples are great source of fiber and vitamin C
- Apples help prevent cancer, heart disease, asthma and diabetes type II
BANANAS
- Bananas are actually herbs and not fruit. They are the world`s largest herb related to the family of Orchids and Lilies. Banana-as fruit is actually considered as giant strawberry of this large herb.
- Due to the presence of natural sugars Banana provide an immediate increase in energy
- Bananas contain a lot of potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure
- Banana contain a lot of magnesium, which helps build bone strenght
BLUEBERRY
- Blueberries contain more antioxidants than any other fruit
- Antioxidants in blueberries help fight age diseases
- It is the only natural kind of food that`s blue
GRAPE
- Red Grapes are rich in antioxidants and fiber
- Grape is excellent for promoting heart health and prevent the possibility of a heart attack
PLUMS
- Plums contain a lot of vitamin C, which helps the body to absorb iron
- They also contain a lot of antioxidants, because of their purple pigment
STRAWBERRIES
- Strawberries are a great snack because they contain only few calories
- They contain a lot of vitamin C, fiber, folic acid and potassium
- This is the only fruit that has seeds on the outside
WATERMELON
- It is an ideal snack because it contain only few calories - like Strawberries
- Watermelons contain a lot of fiber and vitamins A and C
- Any part of Watermelon is edible - even seeds and bark
- Watermelons are actually vegetables, not fruit. They are in the same family as Cucumbers and Squash
- Watermelon contains 92% of water
Related Posts:
Strawberries
Red Currant
Monday, June 25, 2012
Strawberries
Tasty Strawberry Snack
Strawberries are a great afternoon "snack". As we already mentioned, they are very healthy, but they contain only few calories. You can also use them in the kitchen for different kinds of dishes from pies, cakes, rolls to home made Strawberry ice cream. Of course you can also use it as fill for your pancakes or prepare refreshing Strawberry smoothie.These delicious fruits in addition to good taste they are also refreshing and they clean our blog and skin. They are suitable for home made mask for your skin and have also a great effect on our teeth.
Beautiful fruits
Strawberries are 15 cm high perennial plants. The fruits are juicy and very tasty.Strawberries Habitat
Strawberries prefer clay soil, but they grow well in other soils too. We should plant them in the sunny area of our garden.Care for Strawberries
We should clean (cut off the dry leaves) them and fertilize with manure (one wheelbarrow of manure for every 7 square meters). In hot and dry weather we have to supply them with water especially in the flowering time. When the fruits begin to turn red we stop with watering.
Transplantation
We plant them in August-September or April-May. Make sure you buy healthy plants. While planting we have to be careful that we do not bury in the ground the growing buds. We have to water them after planting. We can reproduce Strawberries ourselves. The most appropriate time for this is August. We stop the relationship between parent plant and the young one. We plant new plants on desired location.
Collection
Picking time depends on the type. Strawberries and the plants will be less damaging if we pick the fruits with a floral cup and a bit of stalk.Related Posts:
Interesting Facts about fruit
Red Currant
Sunday, June 24, 2012
Deciduous Shrubs - undemanding
Forsitia
Forsitia blooms in early spring with yellow blossoms. In the summer it does not attract special attention with its long green leaves. Forsitia is undemanding according to soil. We trim it after flowering, but not to much because it blooms on last year`s shoots.
Flowering time: March - April
Height of growth: 1 - 2,5 meters (depending on type)
Habitat: Sunny
Japanese Quince
It is really undemanding deciduous shrub that grows in any soil. We shouldn`t trim it in the spring, because they bloom on the old wood.
Flowering time: March - April
Height of growth: 1 - 2 meters (depending on type)
Habitat: Sunny, half shadow
Lilac
It is regarded primarily because of its colorful and fragrant flowers. It is good to cut off the withered flowers. We trim Lilac after flowering, because they are forming on the newly grown shoots flower buds for the next year.
Flowering time: May
Height of growth: 1 - 4 meters (depending on type)
Habitat: sunny, half shadow
Snowball
This beautiful shrub is named after its great white, round flowers. It is undemanding. It is developing the best if we do not trim it. It grows about 2 meters in height and 2 meters in width. It blooms richly in the spring.
Flowering time: May
Height of growth: 2 - 3 meters
Habitat: sunny, half shadow
Spirea
Spirea is very beautiful, richly flowering ornamental shrub. We can plant it in any soil, but it prefer humus, moist an permeable soil. We can trim it after flowering, so it will bloom richly next spring.
Flowering time: May
Height of growth: 0,5 - 2 meters
Habitat: sunny, half shadow
Deutzia
Deutzia is beautiful shrub that thrives in any soil. In flowering time it requires a bit more moisture - so we have to make sure it is not "thirsty".
Flowering time: June - July
Height of growth: 1 - 4 meters
Habitat: sunny, half shadow
Kolkwitzia
It is an excellent undemanding bush. It grows in light soil. It blooms most richly in a sunny position, but it also thrives in the shade. We trim it after flowering.
Flowering time: May, June
Height of growth: 2 meters
Habitat: Sunny, half shade, shadow
Kerria
The most popular type of Kerria is "Pleniflora", wich has full, buttercup-like flowers. The plant is very narrow and also thrives in the shade.
Flowering time: May - July
Height of growth: 2,5 meters
Habitat: Sunny, moderate shadow, shadow
Hydrangeas
Hydrangea is very beautiful, long flowering shrub. Humus, fresh soil suits it the most. It has to have water supply in the summer. Hydrangea is sensitive to frost. This undemanding srubs especially like sunny and half shadow places.
Flowering time: July - September
Height of growth: up to 1,5 meters
Habitat: Sunny, half shadow, shadow
Related posts:
Evergreeen ornamental shrubs - also good for hedge
Parennial Plants - undemanding
May`s shrubs cut
Saturday, June 23, 2012
Outdoor Potted Plants
GERANIUM
Geraniums are outdoor potted plants great for balconies that are on the south side. Geranium with single blossoms grow up to about 80 cm in length. Geranium with double blooms are fuller but they grow few cm less. Geranium are richly flowering and undemanding potted plants.
SWEET ALYSSUM (Lobularia)
Like Geraniums - the Sweet Alyssum is also great balcony plant suitable for sunny positions. Sweet Alyssum is very gentle, rich white blooming outdoor pot plant It is very thirsty, so we have to make sure it has enough water all the time.
SURFINIA
It is the most suitable outdoor potted plant for half sunny location. Surfinias are hanging potted plants that bloom in the most beautiful colors. They need good soil, regular fertilizing and watering (1 - 2 times per day). It is best to have planter with water reserve. However we have to pay attention on how we watering them - mind you do not water the leaves, because they can turn yellow.
PELARGONIUMS
They are suitable for sunny locations. Pelargoiums are strong, upright outdoor pot plants with large flowers. The plant should be in the shelter if it is raining for several days, because it does not like overly wet soil. It does not tolerate temperatures below 5°C.
FUCHSIAS
Fuchsias are suitable for half sunny places. They bloom from early Juno to late autumn. You can cut them in any form you like. In the winter we place them in cold rooms, safe from frost.
BEGONIAS
Potted plants that thrive on the sun, half shade or in the shade - depending on the type. They grow up from tubers. Begonias bloom rich from early summer to late autumn. They grow approximately 30 cm. We do not plant them too early, because the cold can damage them. When in the autumn leaves turn yellow, we dig up the tubers and try them well, so we can remove the soil together with the remains of the stems. We store them in the dark, try and cold place, where they wait until next spring.
ORNAMENTAL NETTLE
Ornamental nettle are outdoor potted plants which grow in the shade. We can found them in different colors. They are suitable for different combinations. They are beautiful among with sweet potatoes, which has bright green leaves, begonias, ornamental grasses,..