My Father's Orchid collection

Orchid, exotic flower from the Far East.  Exquisite, dainty, fragile, simply gorgeous.  My late father an orchid enthusiast had well over 100+ plants in his collection.  As I am the photographer of the family I captured these beauty every time I am in his garden.

Caring orchid in the tropic which is their environment is easy but in another part of the world they need a lot of pampering.  More important humidity, warm temperature, no soil needed just add bark in their container.  In the wild orchid grows latched on to trees, they absorbed food through their leaves.

I remember as a child growing up in the tropic, when my mother needed vanilla she would go to the garden and harvested the slender dark bean.  Fresh vanilla has a strong distinctive taste.  So delicious taste better than those bottled vanilla extract.   These photos taken all with film Canon SLR  macro lens.  Enjoy these exotic photos of Orchid the jungle Queen.  Unfortunately I do not know the name of the orchid species, nevertheless all of them are pretty flower.

MARCH GARDENING CALENDAR

When spring arrived there are plenty of chores to be done outdoors.  Here are the list of what to do.

• Plant cool season crops, peas, lettuce, cabbage, onions, kale, chard, if conditions permit
• Devide hosta, daylilies,  mums and peonies in late March
• Fertilize rhubab with manure or a complete fertilizer.
• Fertilize evergreen shrubs and trees.
• Drench crowns of raspberry plants with nematodes to control raspberry cane borer.
• Plant berry crops, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, blackberries.
• Prune gooseberries and currants; fertilize with manure or a complete fertilizer.
• Spray trees and shrubs for webworms, leafrollers, if present.
• Spray to control leaf and twin fungus diseases in sycamore, hawthorne and willow trees.
• Take geraniums, begonias, dahlias, gladiolus from storage.
• Keep tuberous begonias indoors
• Prune spring flowering shrubs after blossoms fade.
• Fertilize rhododendrons, camellias, azaleas with acid type fertilizer.
• Spread compost over garden and landscape areas.Best time of year to thatch and renovate lawns.
• Plant vegetable garden carefully for spring, summer and fall eating and preservation.
• Protect new plant growth from slugs.  Use bait or traps.

NIGHT BLOOMING CEREUS

I inherited this beautiful plant from the previous owner.  It did not bloom for several years.  I repotted and give it some tender loving care, finally my hard work paid off.  Since then it has been giving me joy over the year with its delightful fragrance and flowers.

Latin name Epiphyllum Oxypetalum (night blooming cereus).  Bloom only once late at night, stay open until morning.  The fragrance would lingered for awhile.  A magnificent creation by nature leaves us in awe by this wonderful epiphyllum.  A member of orchid cactus family, it needs period of dryness and cool time temperature in the winter to ensure summer bloom.

Happy Gardening

Spring and Cherry Plum Trees

Sunshine, blue sky, wispy white clouds here and there.  Robins chasing the worms and blue jay searching for twigs to build a nest in nearby tree.   Daffodils, crocuses have emerged from their winter slumber.  Spring is in the air.  I love spring everyth is fresh and new.

Another sign of spring is the cherry plum trees in my garden.  They are always the first to bloom showing their magnificent white flowers.  Bees attracted to their strong scent.  I stood one sunny day in front of the trees and listen the bees buzzing along feasting on the cherry plum blossoms.  Robins like to eat the fruit too, ripen in late July through August.  To cover the whole trees with bird net it is impossible.  There are plenty of fruit to share around for human and birds.

Latin name for cherry plum,  prunus cerasifera or the myrobalan cherry tree.  A decidous tree belongs to the rose family,  (rosaceae in Latin).  Will grow from 15 feet to 30 feet.  The cherry plum in my garden is about 25 feet with a spread of 30 feet.  These trees are good for screening neighborhood eyesores.  The flower is about 3/4 to 1 inch with 5 petals.  Fruit size similar to cherry with characteristic of a plum.  Cherry plum taste of a combination cherry and plum.  It has a pit like cherry.  Fruit color is deep red.  My cherry plum tree leaves are deep green, some say they are purple, this probably came from different cultivation.  In autumn the leaves turn reddish-purple. 

Grown in acidic soil, might be able to grow in mild alkaline soil.   Cherry plum tree prefers full sun and moist soil which is suitable growing condition in Oregon.  The seeds dispersed by wild life.  Walking through my property ocasionally I found cherry plum seedlings.  I would dig them out and transplanted in a different place.  A slow growing tree.

I like eating cherry plum picked fresh from the tree or make them into jam, chutneys, pies and cobblers.  Use recipe as you are making cherry pie.  Last year I made cherry plum jam and taste wonderful. 

Happy  Gardening                                                                                                                      

GARDENING CALENDAR FOR FEBRUARY

This gardening calendar is for the Lane county area.  Oregon is fortunate with no extreme weather this year except for the usual rain and cool temperature.   Just yesterday I finished transplanting three gooseberry bushes.   They are great for making jam, I used the recipe from those SureJell packet.  For anyone living in Lane County here are tips what to do in February in the garden.

1. Have soil test performed on  garden plot to determine nutrient needs.
2. Prune deciduous summer blooming shrubs and trees.
3. Prune clematis, Virginia creeper and other vining ornamentals.
4. Pastuerize soil for starting seedlings in pots or flats.
5. Plant seed flats of cole crops (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, Brussel sprouts).
6. Prune and trellis trailing berries and caneberries.
7. Prune fruit trees and blueberries
8. Good time to plant fruit trees and deciduous shrubs.
9. Delayed dormant sprays of lime sulfur for fruit and deciduous trees and shrubs.
10. Prune and train grapes; make cuttings.
11. Prune roses.  Now is good time to plant roses and new rose varieties.
12. Repair winter damage on trees and shrubs.
13. Control moles and gophers with traps or poison bait.
14. Make coldframe or hotbed to start early vegetables or flower, or a greenhouse would be a suitable place to start seeds.
15. Plant windowsill container garden of carrots, lettuce and parsley.
16. Plant onions outdoors as soon as soil is dry enough to till.
17. If weather permits and soil is dry enough, spade or till garden areas for planting later.
18. Plow down cover crops or other organic matter.

That is all for this month, until next time........

ROSEMARY AND THYME

Rosemary (Rosemarinus officinalis), my favorite herb.  I added to chicken, pork, fish, soups, stocks, and sauces.  Also, it gives the home a wonderful aromatic scent.  Simply clip off small leaves and place them in a potpouri container and brew for a fresh outdoors scent or cut stems and use in floral arrangement.  In the bathroom, I used it for a soothing and aromatic bath, tie on herb bouquet (rosemary, and lavender) to the faucet with a string, water will pour over the sprigs as it fills the tub.  Lavender will calm the mind, rosemary a light astringent stimulate and  rejuvenates.  The sprig will last for about two weeks.

The rosemary in my herb garden is the Tuscan Blue variety.  Rigid upright branches to 6 feet tall grow directly from base of plant.  Leaves are rich green above, grayish underneath.  Flowers blue violet 1/4 to 1/2 inch bloom in winter and spring.  I notice that the flower attract birds and bees.  Plant in a sunny location, endures poor soil, but good drainage is a must.  I fertilize every spring with compost tea and prune lightly in the fall.

Ancient time England rosemary were wound around church pillars and branches were placed on altars.  I wonder if they still do in this modern day?  Another folklore I read, a sprig placed under the pillow would repel evil spirits and bad dreams.  Dried rosemary was laid in the bed linen to insure faithfulness.  Whether this is true or not it remain to be seen.

Thyme (Thymus) another wonderful herb. Excellent for meat, stuffings, soups, and shellfish.  Folliage usually heavily scented.  Attract bees.  Grow in full sun to light shade in well drained soil.  I prune in fall  to encourage growth.  You can also propagate from cuttings taken early in the summer.  This herb plant started from seed,  slow to germinate,  I thought it will never maket it.  Now it has grown large and sturdy.  A common variety Thymus Vulgaris,  shruby perennial  6-12 inch high narrow to oval, fragrant.  Tiny lilac flower in dense whorls, June and July.  Good container plant.

Bouquet Garni:  2 sprigs parsley, 2 sprigs thyme, 1 rib celery, 1 sprig marjoram, 1 dried bay leaf, and 1 sprig rosemary.  Cut the celery into two equal pieces about 2 1/2 inch length, and place the herbs between them.  When tied securely, this makes a firm little bundle of aromatics.  Good for stocks and soups. 

Herbes de Provence: 
3 tablespoons dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
3 tablespoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
3 tablespoons dried savory
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
                                             1 teaspoon dried basil
Combine all ingredients.  Mix well and spoon into small jar.
Makes 3/4 cup

Happy gardening.....

GREENHOUSE IN THE MAKING

I don't know much about bulding greenhouse, but I could give a rundown on ours which was constructed many years ago. 

We decided to convert the carport when the roof collapsed by the sheer weight of heavy snow.  It is unusual to get snow in this area, if we do have, only lasted for a few weeks.  We hired a contractor/handyman to build our greenhouse.

The greenhouse all wood construction, beams, panels, and posts.  Glass windows and the roof a corrugated fiberglass provide ample light.  A regular greenhouse without bells and wistles.  No heating except for the growing box with heating coils where I have my seeds flats for germination.  It will stay there until ready to transplant outdoor in the spring.

Greenhouses comes in many shapes and sizes.  Ours is 10 by 20 sq.ft.,  hight from top center of the roof to the ground approximately 25 feet.  The foundation is concrete slab remainder from the carport.  Built from scratched, it is quite a sizeable greenhouse, similar to a small cabin in the woods.

When building  a greenhouse you need to consider many things.  Finding a suitable space on your property.  Obstructions such as buildings that will block light or trees.  Building codes, size of the greenhouse and the amount of money you want to spend.  You have to consider your possible options carefully.  If building a greenhouse from scratch is not an option, you can consider  prefab greenhouse that come in many sizes from small to large or in between.  The internet might give you more information on this.

There is also a good book from Sunset Publishing company by the name of Greenhouse Gardening, ISBN#0-376-03263-4, I hope this book is still in print.

Here are the images from before and after.......


                                  Carport before the snow storm                    

                                       

Under construction

                                     Windows facing west

The finished greenhouse at last

My Garden

Last spring my garden is alive after along winter sleep. Plenty of work to be done. Planted many vegetable seedlings grown in the greenhouse. Lettuce, carrot (sowed direct into the ground), collard, kale, Swiss chard, corn, pumpkin, potato, beet, summer squash, tomato and leek. The garden is doing great. Just yesterday I harvested several zuccinni. Right away I made zuccinni chocolate cake. Will share recipe soon. It is always a joy to be able to harvest from your own garden and cook with the vegetable that you grow yourself. I need to add here, gardening is a good excercise for body and mind. Regardless how big or small your garden is.