How to Root Basil Indoors

If you love to cook using fresh basil, here are some ways to start new plants.

I've had great success propagating basil from cuttings . . . take a cutting and prepare as shown in the photo, dip in rooting hormone, plant in a container with well draining soil, water regularly and keep in indirect sun.

Here is another method from Birds and Blooms . . . click here.  

Photo source is Birds and Blooms.

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Fall Veggie Gardening for Florida

Although this was prepared for Florida gardeners, it would also work for those states with similar fall climates, like certain parts of Texas.

Click on the graphic for a larger version.

I've been able to grow tomato and pepper plants all year long in Florida.  Fall is one of the best months to grow veggies in my area!

The source for this illustration is University of Florida, one of my favorite resources for Florida gardening information.

Click here to go to my Florida gardening page on my website . . . includes lots of informative links.

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Awesome container gardening ideas

Simply gorgeous!  I love it :)  The photo is from the website The Garden Glove, their link is at the end of the post.

I have thought of using a tub as a container garden, but never had one to put into action.  What I did have was a toilet that I thought would make an awesome container display, but my husband threw it away before I had a chance to use it for a beautiful display.

Recycling old objects in the garden is one of my favorite things.  I've used old coffee pots, tea kettles, painted tin cans, old shoes . . . before it got thrown away it was put to the test in the garden.  We have even used old displays from when we had a retail store.  The spinner rack is my favorite . . . from paperback books to the garden!

These are old photos from my garden, but my staghorn ferns are still thriving in the spinner rack.  I'll have to take some new photos.  

It has been through tropical storms, hurricanes and time.  My estimate is that it has been used in the garden since 1998.  One of my favorite things!

For more inspiration on unusual items to use in the garden, click here for an awesome article and website, The Garden Glove.

From this blog, Subtropical Gardening, click here for a post on upcycled and unusual container plants

101 Container Gardening Ideas from Southern Living . . . click here

30 Container Gardening Ideas from MagazineHours.com . . . click here

I will be adding more links as I find them!

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A Cozy Spot

There is no better therapy for stress than to have a cozy spot outdoors to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.

Back in the day, we had "rooms" set up in the garden for different times of day as the sun would hit the area a certain way.  Then we had the spots that were perfect for watching the stars at night.

We are blessed to live in Florida when we can enjoy a meal outdoors just about any time of the year.

Fine Gardening is a great website to gather inspiration for creating a new spot in your garden.  I love spending time going through all the awesome photos of gardens from all over the world.

This photo is from a garden in Connecticut . . . so comfy and cozy, yet very simple.  To see more photos of this beautiful garden, click here.

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Amazonica Alocasia

Love my new Amazonica Alocasias!

This is one of those plants that I have wanted to buy for the longest time, but they are so expensive.  Well, as luck would have it, The Captain and I discovered the garden center at the MacDill Air Force Base Commissary.  Just about everything at the commissary is much cheaper than anywhere else and we got one good sized plant for $1.99.

Yes!!!  I am doing the happy dance for sure.  These plants will grow beautifully in containers and since they don't like full sun, but bright light or partial shade, they are perfect for the Carport Jungle.

So far we have three of them and will continue to buy one or two every time we visit the base.  They have a great selection of tropicals at very reasonable prices, so we have found our source for fixing up the Carport Jungle beautifully.  I have my eye on their gorgeous selection of White Flower Bird of Paradise.

We will start taking photos of the progress and will do a page of the transformation on the website.

More to come on these beautiful plants . . . care, propagation, etc.  I love all types of elephant ears!

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Upcycled and unusual container plants

Trash cans as containers for plants are something I love to use in my garden (except mine are used and much older looking with lots of dents and dings).  I paint mine to make them prettier!  Love the idea of rollers on the bottom . . . great idea since the bigger ones really get heavy and difficult to move.

Before you go out to the store and spent way too much on new containers, check out DIY's website for some great ideas for items you may already have at home . . .

Click here to go to DIY's gallery of upcycled and unusual container plants.

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Crinum Lily

The drought tolerant and virtually maintenance free crinum lilies have been blooming like crazy, as shown in an older photo from our garden. We have them all over the yard and when they are in bloom, it is a color splash explosion during the warm months.

The foliage of the variety of crinum lilies shown in the photos are not very attractive in the landscape (in my opinion) . . . but they make it up with the explosion of colors when they bloom.

The irritating thing about this plant is that it attracts the huge grasshoppers that are such a problem to get rid of, although they don't do much damage to the crinums.  They are shameless!

What I love about the crinum lilies . . . they multiply profusely once you get them established.  They are easily propagated by dividing the bulbs.

Here are some links featuring crinum lilies . . .

Pacific Bulb Society 

Floridata

Doofus.org Crinum Page

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Beneficial Insects

Using beneficial insects has been one of the most effective ways that I have found in maintaining an organic garden.

Ladybugs are my favorite, but there are many beneficial insects already in your yard or you can purchase them at an organic garden center or online.  I always purchase mine online and have never had any problems!

I'll be adding articles and website pages of interest pertaining to beneficial insects as I find them.  Keep checking back for more information!

Click here to go to the article "6 Very Beneficial Insects: To Know Them Is To Love Them!".

Click here to go to the article "Good Bugs for your Garden" from Birds and Blooms

Click here to go to the article "Garden Bugs: Ladybugs for Aphid Control" from Birds and Blooms

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Raised Beds . . . The Ultimate Guide

I wasn't meaning to write a post today,

 but I found an awesome article on raised beds.

Click here for "Raised Beds . . . The Ultimate Guide"

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Toss the bare lawn?

Our once gorgeous and lush green grass in the front yard has turned to bare spots and mass plantings of a variety of weeds.

When I saw the photo of an interesting and beautiful non-lawn yard scene, I thought "why not?"

One of the why nots is that succulents don't do well in our climate and that is one of the things that I really like about the scene.

With a little imagination, I guess one could set out those pavers, do some research and find a ground cover that would thrive in these conditions.  The flashiness could come from the colorful tropicals that can be planted and do so well in our climate.

The area in the photo is small and our front yard is huge.  One paver section at a time I guess!  Another idea would be larger structures here and there, like bird baths and benches to take up some space.  Large containers strategically placed would also take up space and add to the texture.

Anyway, when I found the photo, I thought it was a good starting point for inspiration.  I'm sure we are not the only ones who are wanting to get rid of the lawn!

Click here to go to an article, "How to Use Ground Cover to Cover Bare Spots in the Lawn" . . . which is where I also found the photo.

Click here for another article, "Lawn Replacements: Kick Your Yard in the Grass" which includes a slideshow of many non-lawn inspirations.

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