Vines are some of my favorite plants, and if the vines have beautiful fragrant flowers and edible fruits, then it’s even better.
Schisandra or Chinese magnolia vine is a twining climber plant with both. The plant is native to the Russian far east and northern China. It is similar in appearance to a clematis and can easily grow 10 to 20 feet in a season.
The leaves have been described to be slightly heart shaped with a citrus lemon scent. The fragrant white flowers appear in spring and by autumn produce bright clusters of red fruits. The leaves also turn a beautiful yellow in the fall.
These bright red berries remind me coffee berries and grapes at the same time. I would love to try growing one of these vines. They could start to bear fruit in 3 years. Photo from Fair Life.
Backyard Gardener’s website listed the following requirements for successful planting.
USDA Hardiness Zone: 7 to 9
Light Range: Part Shade to Full Sun
pH Range: 5.5 to 6.5
Soil Range: Sandy Loam to Clay Loam
Water Range: Normal to Moist
Since I am in Zone 9, this plant would do well. I mainly want to harvest them for the berries. As the dried berries are used in traditional Chinese medicine.
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In Asia, the use of bamboo charcoal for health purposes is very popular. People in Japan, Korea, and China find the uses of bamboo charcoal to be very beneficial for many other uses too.
It was discovered that the porous structure of bamboo charcoal helps absorb bad stale air amongst many other benefits.
Bamboo charcoal is made by placing cut and dried bamboo stalks into a kiln. Cooked in high temperatures, the charcoal is then collected and cut into small pieces. The pieces have found their use in the health and beauty market.
The following benefits of bamboo charcoal include:
Removes odor from kitchens, shoes, and other places.
Extracts humidity from the air and turns it into negative ions.
It’s also useful in help absorb formaldehyde.
Also helps fight electromagnetic waves from electronic items. So it’s best to place bamboo charcoal near your computer and other electronic items.
It’s also recommended to add bamboo charcoal and water to a vase of cut flowers. This helps extend the life of the flower.
So far I have added bamboo charcoal to my potted plants (which are near my computer), and also to my flower pots outside. It’s only been 1 week since I’ve used it, so I can’t say if I’ve seen any improvements yet.
I have also put some bamboo charcoals in a basket and keep it in the bedroom. This is to help clean the air. I’m hoping it’s making some difference.
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It’s October and the fragrant Butterfly ginger has bloomed in my mom’s garden. She planted these back in May of this year. For our northern California climate, these plant enjoy being in pots.
It’s got an interesting way of blooming. Notice how they shoot up from individual pockets. I didn’t catch them when they look like spears.
The fragrance is really the best part of this flower. It reminded me of Gardenia, but with a lighter scent. The ants and bees like it too.
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Since my last post about “Autumn Garden Seeds”, I thought I should explain a bit more on the subject of using alfalfa pellets as organic and natural garden fertilizer.
Some people even use this stuff. It’s rabbit food, but also has alfalfa in it. 5 lb bag sell for about $9. Image from Southern Agriculture.
I was able to gather more information from Planet Natural about alfalfa pellets. They are the primary plant source of nitrogen. Alfalfa pellets also contain trace minerals and triacontanol, a plant root growth stimulant. It’s recommended to use about 25-50 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. before planting. Or apply as a side dressing later in the season for plants requiring additional nitrogen, such as the lawn.
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I know it’s only August, but I’m wondering what kind of vegetables would make a nice autumn and winter harvest. I know my mom always like to grow Chinese mustard, garlic, onion, and cilantro during the cold season.
The folks at Seeds of Change refer to this as “Four Season Growing“.
Fresh Broccoli Raab. Photo from Seeds of Change -“Tender young leaves and stems form small florets with a mild flavor reminiscent of broccoli and turnip.”
They recommend these varieties as they are cold-hardy. Some of the list include: Arugula, Beetberry, Broccoli Raab, Chicory, Cress, Endive, Huazontle, Komatsuna, Mesclun Salad Mix, Mesclun Spicy Salad Mix, Mustard Greens, Orach, Purslane .
I’ve haven’t really heard of most of these names. But Broccoli Raab is my favorite. It’s really tasty in sautes or slightly steam and eaten with a spicy sauce.
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My plant or flower of the day is the Balloon Flower and also called Chinese Bell Flowers. The Latin name is Platycodon grandiflorus.
I think it’s an interesting looking little flower, especially when it looks most like a balloon. As the buds mature, they inflate into the shape of balloons. Then after that they open to reveal a colorful blue or purple star or bell shaped flowers.
Photo from Plantcare.com. Notice some of the balloons? I love them!
The name Chinese Bellflower is popular, as there is another pretty flower with the same name. But both are equally beautiful in their own way.
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It’s starting to feel like the height of summer is here. We have plenty of plums and peaches that our neighbors and friends have shared with us. They are fresh and sweet too.
Best of all, the flowers I planted in my mom’s garden has finally started to bloom now. This is my first time growing Dahlias from seeds. They don’t really have a floral scent to it. I think they are really pretty, especially the ones with stripes.
But unfortunately all the Gladiolus bulbs I planted in late spring didn’t make it. The leaves just turned brown after I thought a bud was forming. When I went to touch it, the leaves just fell off the bulb. Gladiolus has always been very easy to grow in the past. Maybe there is a gopher that’s been eating my bulbs? Oh well, better luck next year.
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I came across this seed company while I was shopping at Common Grounds in Palo Alto, Ca. Seeds of Change is based out of New Mexico since 1989. They specialize in non-GMOs, open pollinated organic seeds. These are seeds that allow you to grow and save the seeds again with the guarantee that it’s the same as the parent seed. Unlike commercial seed packets which are usually hybrids. There are some pro and cons to this idea, but overall I think it’s a good idea if you plan on saving the seeds.
Photo from Seeds of Change.
There were so many selections of cucumber seeds, one that I liked was the Satsuki Madori Cucumber (about $3) pictured above. The folks at Seeds of Change has described it as a very rare, Asian variety. The fruit is long and slender with tender skin and few seeds. They also say it’s extremely delicious and never bitter. That sounds like a winner to me!
Next year I want to suggest this Japanese cucumber to my mom’s vegetables garden. This year I suggested beets for her garden and it’s turned out to be one of her favorite. Garden grown beet (or vegetables) is so much tastier then the grocery store variety. I am sure many gardeners out there can agree.
Common Grounds is also a great place to find local honey and also helpful information on organic gardening. The folks there are really nice and helpful. They also provide a useful list of vegetable companions and their antagonists. See the full list here.
I have included a few interesting information from Seeds of Change in this post, but you can read the rest here. And if you are in the area (New Mexico), you can take a farm tour in late August and September.
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I found these at the local thrift shop for only 50 cents. The marigolds seed were collected in 1992. These are 17 year old seeds! I had to get them since I love the artwork. Such cute little girls with their cats, hanging out in the garden.
I heard that old seeds may not grow, but I want to give these a try anyway. I am trying to start the seedlings in biodegradable egg cartoons. If they start out, then I can transfer them into separate pots.
Marigold seeds are “French Dwarf Double Mixed Colors” and “Red Spanish Brocade”.
Update: The seeds did not grow. We had strong winds recently and they just blew my egg cartoons all over the yard. Not a good idea!
Updated 7/23/09:
My first interest in plants came from growing succulents. After seeing how many different varieties of succulents are out there did I noticed their unique beauty. And since the are so easy to care for, it’s not hard to build a collection. Most succulents I have are usually from cuttings, and some are from the local nursery.
Succulent plants are water-retaining plants they like to grow in dry climates. They store water in their leaves, stems and roots. Because of the water stored in the leaves, the succulent plants have a swollen or fleshy appearance. Especially the leaves found in Aloe Vera and the Jade Plant of Dave’s Garden.
Of all places, I found this succulent (pictured here) called “Fox’s Ear” from the grocery store. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the scientific name of it. Scientific name is “Echeveria harmsii” or plush plant. It was just a small plant at first. And now it just kept on growing and blooming. I have made several cuttings of it and it’s doing very well. It took about 1 year for this version to bloom. It does so twice a year - in autumn and spring. I love the bright orange color of the blooms and the soft fat fuzzy leaves too.
Making a cutting of succulents are really easy. Just cut or break off a piece of the plant and stick it into a good soil. Most succulent growers would suggest that you let the cut surface callused before the cutting is planted. The cut will callus within a few days if left in a well circulated place. But I have just planted it right after breaking it off and never had any problems with propagation.
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