JM Perez

501 posts

Poet, Writer and Published Author. Insatiably passionate about gardening, Health and Wellness. I enjoy collecting Vintage and Antique choice pieces.

Plant Propagation Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Moving Succulents Indoors

By JM PerezNovember 11, 20201 min read744 views

We had our first rain shower of the season last Saturday and a little more on Sunday morning. It was much needed and felt good for a change. We are patiently and excitedly watching the leaves change colors, ultimately fall and dance in the wind.

Hameln Dwarf Fountain grasses are especially beautiful at this time thanks to their delicate purple looking plumes on erect stems. I have thousands of scattered seeds from these ornamental grasses, which easily and readily reseed. They have spread all over the river rock bed and I transplanted a few seedlings last month (which are thriving). I will be collecting more seeds this weekend and planting them right into the ground; and I will transplant the rest by next Spring in the back corner garden.

Temperatures started dropping last Friday and today I moved a few succulent pots (I have had for less than a year) indoors: Microlepia Fern, Dragon’s Blood Sedum, Crassula Muscosa , Sedum Dasyphyllum, and Crassula Ovata ‘Gollum’, etc… most of which are not cold hardy. The rest of the succulents will be just fine outdoors. My Sedeveria plants have survived a couple of snow storms, therefore they will remain outdoors.

All my succulents were propagated from stem cuttings.

*Sedum Dasyphyllum, Kalanchoe Tomentosa.*

Stay safe; happy fall gardening and have a splendid rest of your week!

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By JM Perez

Praying Mantis Insects Nature Gardening

The Fascinating Life of Mantises

By JM PerezOctober 30, 20202 min read1.1K views

Growing up, I always thought of Praying Mantis as fascinating creatures. From their praying appearance to their amazing body shapes, colors and the ability to camouflage with their surroundings.

A few days ago, I saw this Praying Mantis hanging onto a grate of chicken wire, while overlooking an ootheca (its egg case). In the past I spotted numerous oothecae around the garden, thinking they were some type of chrysalis. Now I now the case holds Mantis eggs.

Last week, my daughter spotted a green Praying Mantis on a fence panel and noticed something attached to its derriere. Upon closer inspection, we realized it was a female mantis laying eggs and we were fascinated by the way it crafted its egg’s case (see the video below).

Praying Mantis Laying Eggs (Video)

The female mantis produces between 100 to 400 eggs in a frothy liquid case to protect them from microorganisms, parasitoids, predators and harsh weather. In the Spring, nymphs/young mantises emerge from the egg case and begin eating voraciously to grow fast into adulthood. Many of them do not survive as they tend to eat each other to survive or are eaten by predators.

The adult mantis continues to eat and grow; and during this time it will shed its outer skin, a process known as molting. Between late Summer and Fall, the adult female will attract a male mate and after mating, a new life cycle will begin. Similarly to grasshoppers, it is said that Praying Mantis die shortly after laying eggs.
For additional information, follow this link.

Why do female mantises eat the males after mating?
The males self-sacrifice themselves for their offsprings. Males have been found to have nutrients such as proteins and lipids and by cannibalizing the males, the females may produce eggs of greater energy density. The bodies of the ill-fated males are used to aid their production.
Sources: Wikipedia.org and TheGuardian.com

Praying Mantises are beneficial garden insects, they will keep your plants disease free.

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By JM Perez

Flowers Shrubs & Trees Gardening High Desert

Fall Around the Garden

By JM PerezOctober 16, 20202 min read829 views

So far, I am loving Fall. The weather is nice with clear skies and the air is fresh.
Temperatures haven’t dropped enough for the trees and shrubs to start shedding their leaves. However, I moved some of my delicate succulents indoors. In the upcoming weeks, I will move the larger potted Asparagus Plumosus and Asparagus Fern to the patio for Winter protection.

The rose trees are starting to bloom again …

The Spruce Cone Cactus are thriving with new healthy arms. I have given them lots of water this Summer, which has helped with the growth.

This Agave witch was a pup itself not too long ago and now has put out its first pup. Contrary to what some gardeners say, this is a fast growing. Two years ago, I relocated the mother plant which was sending pups all the way to my neighbor’s yard. Next Spring I am hoping to have a few healthy young ones to gift to some of my neighbors.

The Gopher plants (Euphorbia Rigida) have established themselves and are thriving. I will divide a few of the larger plants this weekend and transplant them in the front yard. The younger plants below were started from seeds this Spring. I wasn’t sure they would all make it, but grateful they did.

This season, the Pomegranate tree only produced one fruit.

The young Lilac plants I got from my neighbor early this Spring have also established themselves, growing strong and healthy. I think I have a few varieties, with some growing faster than others.

Wishing you all a blessed weekend and a joyful time gardening.

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By JM Perez

Insects Weather Nature High Desert

Goodbye Summer

By JM PerezSeptember 22, 20202 min read832 views

And just like that, Summer is over. Hello Fall …
I have been looking forward to welcoming Fall with its cooler weather and much needed rain. California is on fire, the air quality has been bad for a few weeks now with ashes falling from the sky and settling everywhere. We need relief and God knows those brave men and women fighting out there need some extra help. My heart and prayers go out to those who have lost everything in these wildfires.

The sun and moon remained orange for a few days due to smoke from the wildfires burning in the surrounding areas.

Life has been very interesting with a hyperactive 2 year old in the house. Keeping this little one entertained while maintaining my sanity is challenging and a new rewarding experience. I am learning to be still and patient. My older kids on the other hand are doing really well with Distance Learning and I am so proud of them; especially my teen, who is excelling in all his advance classes.

I didn’t get to enjoy my garden and tend to my plants as much as I wanted lately. Between a hyperactive kid, a scorching hot weather and the poor air quality from the fires; my hands were tied. The Irrigation Timer stopped working due to a damaged valve and all the plants didn’t get water for a couple of days, leading to some plants eventually dying. We got that taken care for and everything is back to normal. The air is still quite unhealthy, but we are able to enjoy outdoor time during most evenings.

Insects and animals alike are preparing for Winter.
Some neighboring squirrels have been storing food all around our property, which of course, have been located and removed. One persistent squirrel is attempting to find shelter in our backyard, underneath the platform next to the storage shed. It has damaged the climbing Jasmine and chewed up drip lines to access the location. We’ve set up traps and hoping to catch it very soon.

It’s also time for grasshoppers to mate and lay their eggs into the ground. These eggs will remain dormant underground through the winter and young grasshoppers will hatch in Spring.

For a while I couldn’t figure what exactly were these small flat discs on branches. They turned out to be Katydid eggs, which are deposited on either branches or leaves to Winter over and hatch in Spring. Katydid are group of insects related to grasshoppers and crickets.

Wishing each and every one of you a wonderful, blessed, peaceful and safe end of Summer 2020.

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By JM Perez

Strength in Small Things Inspire Life Lessons People

Choose To Love

By JM PerezJuly 25, 20202 min read1.1K views

“Don’t go around boasting about your achievements. Success is only as grand as someone else thinks it is.” – Joan Ambu

Most of us, if not all of us, have met a two faced person. Those individuals who don’t hesitate to disappoint whenever an opportunity arises. You can count on these folks to stab you in the back at any moment if you are not careful. These individuals are full of themselves, thinking they are better than others. They will belittle you while accepting your offering.

There’s a lady who moved into the neighborhood with her family a few years ago, and whom I thought was a nice person after meeting her during an event. Thinking back now, I remember she talked too much, had to have the last word (you know, one of those ‘is my way or the highway attitude’). Last year, they were complains about an individual calling the authorities on others just because they dislike the lifestyle of some neighbors. It turned out to be the deeds of one person. Realizing that no one wanted to mingle with her any longer, she went around accusing others to save face. Those of us who have been here for years jut laughed it out and decided to ignore her after letting her know she was wrong.
Thinking she was better than others to the point of wanting to change the dynamics of the neighborhood, which she has just joined was not wise. There is a chance she simply hoped to bring about positive changes, but who is she to decide how people should live and behave in their own homes? Who are we, as individuals, to dictate what others can do or not do just because we want things to be a certain way?

Perception is all in our heads. That’s why we have brains to help us think.

“There comes a time when silence is betrayal.”
— Martin Luther King Jr.

Two faced cowards are dangerous individuals and have no loyalty. They neither respect themselves nor others. They talk the talk and go with the flow, but when it comes to walking the walk, they are nowhere to be found. These individuals will bail on you when you need them the most and when confronted, will either pretend they do not know what just happened or will tell you the opposite of their previous statement. These individuals are not bad; however, the fear of being true to themselves and standing for justice makes them extremely dangerous. It is unpleasant to be associated with such people.

I always encourage people to love and do so without expectations. That being said, be cautious.
Learn to read people. Check if their words and actions compliment each other. Are they filling you up with knowledge and hope or are they requiring so much from you and leaving you feeling empty? In other words, how do you feel after encountering such individuals?

Whatever you do and whoever you are, don’t be too proud. Always choose to Love.

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By JM Perez