Posted by admin on April 16, 2009
Indian Hawthorne is a great plant to grow if you want an easy hedge type of flowering shrub. ‘Clara’ Indian Hawthorne (Rhaphiolepis Indica) enjoys part sun, blooms for an extended period of time, and is drought tolerant. It eventually will grow to 4 feet. The one I am growing in this photo is about 2 feet high currently. The coldest temperature these can go to is 10 degrees Farenheit. As with any other new plant to the garden, this one should be watered more for the first 6 months until roots are established. Here is an Indian Hawthorne I recommend: Dwarf Yedda Indian Hawthorn One Gallon
Posted by admin on April 15, 2009
Growing Dwarf Blue Curled, Vate’s Strain Kale can be a pleasure. If you didn’t have Kale until recently, as is the case with me, you’re in for a nice surprise. Kale flavor reminds me of a cross between broccoli, spinach, and cabbage. It is generally a deep green or blue. The leaves look a bit like lettuce or parsley, but more firm, and whitish at the edges. Kale is generally not eaten raw, but rather cooked in a bit of oil in a pan. Some varieties, such as this one, have so much flavor that no salt or seasoning is needed. This variety at times tastes as if salted, at other times tastes as if it has been seasoned, and yet other times just tastes nice and green and leafy. I believe the flavor comes from how it is growing. The better the soil it is growing in, the more flavor it will have.
Kale is easy to grow from seed. It generally sprouts within a week or two. I plant Kale plants close to each other, and thin them out within a month or two once they get 2-4 inches in height. They don’t mind being transplanted. Kale loves full sun. I generally have found that Kale does best for eating when I pick the outer larger leaves and leave at least 5 inside to keep growing out. As you can see, to have a notable size snack of Kale, you’ll need to grow a number of plants. You can fit about ten mature plants in a 5 gallon pot. From seed to full grown, this variety of Kale takes about 60 days. Roots go about 6 inches deep.
I put compost in the pot when planting seeds, and top off the pot with 2 inches of sterile soil on top. This makes sure the seeds will germinate when planted in the top half centimeter, and also gives them great nutrients once they are growing further. To fertilize, I always prefer an organic fertilizer. The numbers will be lower, but it will still work well.
Kale is also very beautiful. My favorite thing about Kale is that it is disease resistant. Cabbage worms and other insects do like Kale, so just be on the lookout for them.
Growing Kale - Dwarf Blue Curled, Vate
Posted by admin on
Francois Rabelais is a beautiful red double Floribunda rose. It was hybridized and introduced in 1996. It is a bushy, gorgeous plant with an average of 90 petals per flower. When mature, this Floribunda rose grows to a height of about 30 inches. It is slightly fragrant, and easy to grow. This rose is a strong performer.
Francois Rabelais - Beautiful Red Floribunda Rose