Hello guys welcome back and thank you for your support.
Today I decide it to share my sweet success. When I say sweet I mean sweet. After all hard work I put in to my garden this year I am rewarded. I used my garden as help over come my illness as many of you all ready know. I spend hours preparing, planting and researching how to make a success. Sometimes before work and most of the time after work. Redirect my focus to present moment and enjoying to get dirty. I am proud to say that it is worth it. My website reach 200 views in just 2 months and I am happy to say that you interested in my journey. Last year it was bumpy road and I was lost in dark world. I am happy to say that now I am in much better place, happy and enjoying life how it comes in every single day. I would like to mention that I am offering Mindfulness sessions from September to help others and bring awareness about Mindfulness and how Mindfulness got positive impact on our lives. Subscribe to my blog not to miss following blogs. Right I think that its enough self promotion now :) and lets show you my sweet success.
Strawberries - as you remember from my previous blog my strawberries were in full bloom. I got 2 pots of them. One pot (picture above) is last year shoots I planted in to little pots and keep them safe over the winter, let them established and replace 3 years old plants. Older plants got tendency to produce smaller berries that's why I don't keep plants older then 2 years. Strawberries producing many shoots after fruiting finish and I have to say that nothing taste better then fresh strawberries.
This is first handful ready, organic, no chemicals used crop. Sometimes you wonder why you should spend time to grow your own fruit... if you can buy almost everything in your local supermarket. Reason is simple. Use you precious time to do something exiting something rewarding and something what taste much more better. Strawberries are easy to grow and need little bit of attention. If you grow them in the pot little bit of all purpose fertilizer and regular watering reward you with crop. Ok guys lets move to another pride.
Blackcurrant - My husband brought me this plant last year. It was purchased from Morrison for £0.99 as reduce to clear plant. I have to admit that when I got it, my thoughts were - ohh got its not going to survived. I get over my doubts and decide it transplanted in to bigger pot. plant was knackered and I was expecting not successful rescue. To my surprise plant recovered and I got only few berries last year. I would like to mention that Blackcurrant producing berries on last year grow. When you prune your Blackcurrant just remember not to cut off all new shoots otherwise you end up with little or no berries. But as you can see on picture above this year is great and can't wait for over load with anti-oxidants. Blackcurrant is good reducing negative radicals in your blood and boost your immune system with vitamin C. Blackcurrant got wide use in UK as fruit for pies, cordials and homemade wine. You can train your bush in to nice looking shrub fitting any corner of your garden. What's next??
Gooseberries - Every year very good crop of this berries provide me with Vitamins and antioxidants and I also make delicious jam from this fruit. I purchase this plant from B&Q for £5. I was well exited about shape of this plant. Plant usually grow as shrub but this one as only one was trained and pruned in to the tree shape. Once your Gooseberries are trained in to tree shape only thing you need to take care is side shoots and cut hem off to keep tree shape. As Blackcurrant Gooseberries produce fruit on last year grow. When you prune your Gooseberries remember that and keep new grow as big as you want but do not cut all new grow. From my experience you will fight every year insect called Gooseberry fly. This insect lye eggs on you plant and when eggs hatch green caterpillar start munching on young and old green leaves. You got few options to fight this insect. One is keep pick caterpillars and keep them squashing witch is a bit time consuming or use natural protection called Nemasys contain millions of beneficial nematodes (please see my previous blog about Nemasys) that's is the best option as I don't like chemicals using in my garden. Third option is use bug killer, this option is too dangerous for declining population of bees in UK, but Gooseberry plant will reward you with delicious old fashioned fruit you will enjoy. Ok guys next step...
Famous Blueberries - This variety is Sunshine blue ideal for pots. I purchase 3 plants from EBay for less then £15. When plants arrived they were established 1 year old plants and I was lucky and got good crop of berries after they recovered from traveling and transplanting. Blueberries are considered as one of the super fruit due to high concentration of antioxidants. Blueberries are easy to grow and resistant to pests, also they very hardy and survive in temperatures -15 Celsius over the winter. They require acidic soil same as Rhododendrons and sunny position. These plants reward you with pretty pink flavoured flowers in spring and delicious heathy berries in summer. Have a look online because there are so many varieties producing fruit from early spring till late autumn. from my previous blog you may know that my plants were suffering and been eaten by unknown to me caterpillars. I manage to get rid of these using Nemasys fruit and veg protection. This variety of Blueberries is evergreen and great for your patio keep a bit of excitement over the winter. Ok guys next stop....
Famous Marigolds - These beauty are from my seeds from last year. Last year I purchased 6 established plants. Once flowers faded and dry out I collected seeds and safe them for this spring. Marigolds are great fillers producing flowers all summer and autumn season until first frost. You just need to make sure you cut off death flowers to increase grow of new flowers. Many people doesn't know but Marigolds also function as natural repellent. Mosquitos don't like them, Flies also don't like them and if you want to protect your carrots, onion and garlic in your garden plant marigolds near them or plant few plants between them as they keep bad insect away. Marigolds will reward you with pretty flowers and your pollinators will be happy too. I will be offering seedlings next spring to purchase for summer 2018. Keep an eye on my website because pre-orders registration will be available. Ok next stop...
Asiatic Lily Peach - My husband purchased this plant in one of the local nurseries for £5 couple years ago. Lilies grow from bulbs and you should dig them up in autumn and keep them safe from frost over the winter. I never done that in past 2 years and as you can see they survive and reward me with flowers every year. How ever said that this autumn I will dig bulbs up check quality and size and split in 2. Also will keep bulbs safe over the winter and give them nice fresh soil in spring. You will see my procedure how to keep them over the winter in end of season blogs. But Lily is must have in your garden just because there are so many variety, colours and species. Ok lets move to next pride....
Geraniums - This easy growing plant is ,,must have" for your hanging baskets. I purchased these in B&Q for £2.50 for 9 plug plants. They were about 5cm tall and for £2.50 I manage to fill 2 hanging baskets, 1 small pot and gave 2 plants away. This picture is medium hanging baskets with 3 plants in. I was surprised because they are 2 shades of pink and red. When I purchased plug plants you don't know what colour each plug plant is you just need to guess and I manage well. Geraniums required acidic soil but will do ok in regular compost. If you want them thrive give them acidic soils same as Rhododendrons. They will produce flowers until first frost. I got one tip for you that many people don't know.. If you keep your Geraniums in cool dark place or in cold green house over the winter and protect them from freezing plant will shoot next spring and continue grow and reward you with flowers year after year. You just need to make sure that you prune them and cut off any dead parts.
Ok guys that's it for now I share my success and show you what makes me happy. There will be more blogs coming where I show you my success. If you have any pictures of your pride and joy please share them with me. My email is on the top of my website. Thank you to my subscribers and watch out for another blog on Monday called Mindfulness part 1.
Thank you for reading, happy gardening and don't forget to live in present, don't worry about past and don't feel anxious about future. Jerry