6/15/2014

Pests Don't Eat My Strawberries!


Summer is here in Orange County.
I went to the Farmer's Market
on La Paz this morning. I don't have enough produce, yet, to
feed my family's desires for organic vegetables and fruit.
Squash blossoms for dinner, we have several varieties enjoying
the afternoon sunshine.
However I am already fighting pests.
Snails and slugs (beer traps, yeast and sugar traps and just
plain squishing). I wish the crows would eat them. I lined
up a few squished ones with peanuts on the front hillside
(away from my garden but the crows know me and we
have a peace treaty). They wouldn't touch the snails.
Sigh.
My other big pest is my Chihuahua Coco who eats tomatoes
and strawberries even right after she had a big meal.
Sometimes she tears the plants up out of some jealousy.
I constructed this leaning tower of wire that I can move
easily to water and gather fruit. The wire scares the dog,
and any rouge birds.
If you have a larger dog who helps himself you might
add some clanking soda cans for noise.
Our Golden Retriever likes tomatoes, but she doesn't
help herself. I read that you should not feed your
pets anything you don't want them to eat.

Inside of some of the pots I put in some of my own
climbing rose (patent not filed yet called Indestructible
Beauty) I strip the leaves off and end. Place four or five
stalks with thorns around strawberries or anything I want
to protect. Then use recycled netting, or old tulle or old
lace on the thorns. It looks a bit crazy but effective and
easy to access daily.



Tomatoes with re-used vegetable grocery netting



Squash just starting. Can you see the eggshells in the compost soil?

Strawberry without fruit yet surrounded by rosemary. Many of the roses
will take root. When the roses flower, it is time to repot. If the stalk turns
brown it provides safety for a year or two. Strawberries can fruit for about
three years. I tuck the black pots in sunny places in my garden. I'm not fond
of the look of the black pots, so other herbs or flowers hide the base, but
the pots are light, practical and were free from Plant Depot in San Juan.


Below a tomato plant in one of the blue pots from Vietnam. It has some
flowers but no fruit --- yet. Soon as fruit sets, I'll need to save this from
pests.

Any green organic cheap budget ideas how you keep pests from eating
your strawberries?


6/09/2014

Smile



Something cheerful and silly this morning.
I hope you have a wonderful day.
Take the time to notice and smile at a stranger.
This owl mug with flowers from my garden
made me start off right.
(painted blanket and lavender )
 
 
 
 

6/02/2014

Flower Arrangements Free

How to Make Free Flower Table Arrangements for a Banquet


Lavender cut from my garden

Tutorial on making flower arrangements for free from
flowers in your yard.
My garden in Orange County is 100% organic.
I do not use pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers.
I'm growing herbs, flowers, and vegetables.

In California public schools funding for sports other than
the main stream - is non existent. Events are put on with 
the parents funding everything. I want the end of season
party to be special and fun. 
My son plays Lacrosse for Dana Hills High School
Out banquet was last night and I made ten arrangements
from flowers in my yard.
Here is the step by step.

orange buck of water with frecias and lavender
You will need
some buckets filled with water
good pruning sheers
regular scissors
recycled plastic food containers
paper
recycled ribbon or twine



White bucket of water with Boston fern fronds

First step is to cut more than you might think you need.
Boston fern grows like a weed on my shady side yard.
I cut about fifty swords and threw them in a bucket.
French lavender, grosso, latifolia, and intermedia
Out front in full sun I have four different lavender plants that
keep blooming as long as I keep them thinned out. Cutting some
eighteen inch stalks and they go in another bucket. I trimmed about
40 big bunches.
roses, coreopsis, and lavender
Out front I also have some roses, sunflowers, freesias, and
snapdragons. I cut half of the front yard flowers to make long
as possible stems.
This mix went into another bucket.
Trimming out flowers will keep the plants
healthy and make them repeat bloom.




lavender cut outdoors on brick patio
Instead of working in my garage I chose to sit on my front
this makes clean up easier and the weather here is amazing.
This photograph shows a long stalk of lavender. Only two
flowers will be used from this piece.

remove lower leaves

With your fingers strip off almost all the leaves and stack the
flowers facing same way. Trim the bottoms off to have a
piece now about eight inches long.
trimmed stalk - more flowers fit in the vase and less bacteria in water


You don't want all the leaves to crowd the vase, or rot
in water. The flower is the most fragrant and pretty part
of the plant. This activity is quiet lovely. The aroma of
the lavender will penetrate your soul and relax your mind.

lavender on wicker chair
Some photos of the lavender waiting for trimming. The bees
followed me into the shade. They didn't bother me, I think
they were getting one last sip of the now easy pickings.

painted blanket, rosemary, feverfew for arrangement
From my backyard:
sweet peas, painted blanket, rosemary, thyme,
chamomile, and more roses.

plastic buckets to keep flowers fresh before the event
I am using plastic food containers that I save and keep
clean and stacked under the sink. Ask friends to save them
- recycling at its finest :)

I stripped all the flower leaves down and begin distributing
a variety to each vase. They don't have to be perfect or
exactly matching. This is fun.


to save costs and the plastic vases are covered in tissue and ribbon

You could use fabric to cover the vases. I've hot glued bark
on vases and used brown paper lunch bags. These are just
a simple thank you gift to volunteers and Senior Mom's
on the team.
Each arrangement has about 30 flowers and they smell
heavenly
view of arrangements before the event

flowers are colorful and will cheer up the tables

Gallardia



gallardia, roses, rosemary

complete arrangements ready to be loaded in the car
They are done! Sitting on my dining room table, waiting to
be loaded into two baskets with some rags underneath to
keep them standing upright for the ride.

Our dinner at El Adobe was a success. I hope the simple
gift of a little bouquet with a note saying :
"Thank you"
will inspire more volunteers for next year.
If you have an Orange County Charity
that might need free table arrangements
or you want to pick up organic flowers
to cheer someone- let me know how I can help.

Thank you for stopping by -
If you have need of a low mortgage rate
please call me (949) 784- 9699
NMLS 324982


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