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High Desert Gardening

Pondering in The Garden

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read1.2K views

I haven’t seen a single bee around since last month and I don’t know if they will be coming back any time soon. Meanwhile, my female flowers need to be pollinated in order for the buds to become a pumpkin. Yesterday I pollinated the first female flower by hand. I figured that since pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anthers of a flower to the stigma of the same flower (or a different flower); then perhaps I could just cut the male flower, remove its petals and rub the male stamen’s pollen over the female stigma.

The pollinating process reminded me of all the things we often take for granted because someone of something else is in charge. Can you imagine how stressful life might become without the assistance of the bees? Can imagine hand pollinating each and every single one of your crop by hand? Let’s all help save the bees, starting with these 10 Simple Things YOU Can Do and clicking here to sign a petition to ban chemicals.

Male & Female Pumpkin Flowers.
Male & Female Pumpkin Flowers.

Yesterday, amongst other things, I found two Drawers from our old Kitchen Cabinets, which I cleaned and removed the knobs. I asked my husband to cut and attach three legs to its base and then spray paint the finish product. I replaced the original knobs with a set of drawer pulls I bought from Michael’s a few months ago.

Drawer Garden Planter.
Drawer Garden Planter.

I spent a peaceful moment in the garden today. I am off to spend a relaxing evening with the family.

Happy Gardening!

I Love Me Some Gladiolus

JM Perez By JM Perez1 min read666 views

From the moment I woke up to get my Son ready for school, I knew the day would be different. The weather is amazing, the air is fresh and the atmosphere is peaceful. Cloudy like, but with clear skies. Some Rain would be nice, though I am quite content and grateful for the moment.

After dropping off my Son to school, I spent a moment in the backyard, enjoying Nature. The gladioli are flowering abundantly and beautifully. I was pleasantly surprised to discover a Brick Red Gladiolus blooming alongside the others (stunning, isn’t it?). I will be collecting seeds from Allium Drumstick, Snapdragon and Gladiolus later in the day.

Gladiolus.
Gladiolus Pink & Purple Flowers.

Gladiolus are a lovely addition to any garden with their rich, attractive, and cheerful colors. I will be adding Gladiolus ‘Charming Beauty’ and ‘Elvira’ to my collection.

Gladiolus Brick Red & Orange Salmon.
Gladiolus Brick Red & Orange Salmon Flowers.

While watering my Gladiolus in the front yard yesterday morning, a little green insect jumped out of the watering area. At first I thought it was a camel cricket or young nymph (grasshopper) until I saw it’s brown stinger. It moved and jumped so fast that I was unable to capture a clear picture. Perhaps a young Katydid?

Unknown Insect.
Unknown Insect (young Katydid?)

Happy Gardening!

Statue Reconstruction

EPEngineer By EPEngineer2 min read734 views

Five years ago, my wife found a beautiful Female Statue (Danza Del Flori by Giorgio Ceragioli) and knowing how much she loves statues and seeing the wonderful job she’s done surrounding our Home and Garden with relaxing zen sculptures, I agreed to get it for her. We paid for it and as we were about to load it into the back of the car, it collapsed and broke to pieces. After picking up all the pieces, we returned home with the promise to reconstruct it in the next following months. So days turned to weeks which turned to months and years went by.  About three years ago, I glue some of the major pieces, but that was all about it. Finally on Friday, I decided to resume the restoration process.

Statue Reconstruction.
Female Statue Reconstruction (Danza Del Flori by Giorgio Ceragioli).

Materials/Tools Needed:

  • Brushes
  • DAP Cement filler
  • Clear Tape
  • Paper
  • Scissors
  • Hacksaw with metal-cutting blade
  • Putty knife
  • Wire brush
  • Loctite Epoxy Resin
  • Dremel
  • Diamond bits

How to proceed:

  • Clean the pieces you plan to glue.
  • I used Loctite Epoxy Resin which sets in 5 minutes to glue it together. It holds up to 3,000 Psi and worked for my statue.
  • I position the pieces and check that they fit together. I use clear packaging tape to hold the pieces together before gluing them.
  • Once I had a big section done it gets added to the overall pieces which is where I am currently.
  • The arms will be the last to be added and then I will fill in the cracks using DAP Cement filler.

Once the pieces have been glued and filled in I will spray paint the statue and place it at a location of our choice.

Around The Garden

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read876 views

As Fall nears, colors are starting to show again in the garden. My Desert Willow, Texas Sage, Autumn Sage, Yellow Daisy, Oleanders, Gaura Lindheimeri, Plumbago Auriculata ‘Imperial Blue’, Snapdragon, most of the Roses and Gladiolus are blooming with a variety of colors.

Despite the hot temperatures, the Pumpkin vine has been thriving and producing lovely flowers of box sexes. Though there are no female blossoms yet, I have seen a couple of female buds which I will have to pollinate by hand for it to become a pumpkin (if there aren’t bees around to pollinate it). So far it’s looking promising.

Pumpkin Flower.
Male Pumpkin Flower.
Female Pumpkin Buds.
Female Pumpkin Buds.

Dainty Bess Hybrid Tea Rose, is one charming Rose. I instantly fell in love with the Rose when I saw it at Mark and Nellie’s Nursery a couple of years ago. The beautiful “Dainty Bess” single flowering rose with elegant stature and five light pink silky petals is one of my favorite repeat bloomer Roses. The flower opens and closes over its burgundy, purple or maroon stamens.

Dainty Bess Rose.
Dainty Bess Hybrid Tea Rose (bred by Wm. E.B. &  Archer, England 1925).

Most of my mini Rose bushes are in bloom. I particularly loved the one below. It’s one of the Roses I bought from the 99¢ Only Stores early this year (smart way to grow a Garden for less).

Rose Flower.
Rose Flower.

Below is my miniature Rose “Let Freedom Ring.” I planted a couple in the front yard two years ago and just a few months ago they stopped flowering and looked like they were dying. So I moved them into a raised bed in the backyard and much to my amazement, they have been thriving ever since. Another 99¢ Only Stores purchase.

Rose Flower.
Rose Flower.

Finally, a Bee pollinating a Yellow Daisy.

Yellow Daisy.
Yellow Daisies.

I am feeling so grateful for every minute spent in my garden and for the wonderful moments with my family.
Happy Gardening!

Cockroaches: Destructive Pests

JM Perez By JM Perez2 min read567 views

A new found pest in my Garden this month are cockroaches. In addition to dealing with Cutworms, Curl Grubs, Slugs and Snails, I am now forced to deal with cockroaches. After noticing that only one of my Rose Bushes bloomed all Summer (some bloomed and the flower sort of disappeared the following day) and finding a colony of cockroaches underneath my dead Red Riding Hood Beardtongue plants which I have owned for less than three months, I knew I had a serious problem to handle. These pests are busy eating the roots of my plants as well as flowers on my Roses. I knew they were a nuisance, but never knew they could destroy an entire plant. This morning I was surprised to find a colony of cockroach at the base of an Oleander bush.

Cockroach in Mulch.
Cockroach in Mulch ().

Just like Beetles, some species of Cockroaches burrow a couple of inches into the soil and lay their eggs. They feed on pretty much anything, thrive in hot weather, multiply rapidly, they are survivors, they adapt and evolve. All of which make it difficult to completely eradicate them.

A few solutions:

  • Place cockroach (sticky) traps among your plants
  • Apply cockroach spray or some Insecticide Ready-to-Spray Liquid (recommended on ornamental trees,  flowers, fruits and vegetable gardens)
  • Spray Neem Oil over the breeding area to repel the insects
  • Keep your garden free of food and water source to minimize their presence

Click here to learn more about Cockroaches.
Get a Trapper Insect Trap (Great for Bed Bugs, Spiders, Cockroaches) – Includes 90 Traps.