tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post9117539669617771696..comments2024-03-16T00:28:53.724-07:00Comments on Growing Our Food: F Is For Fruit Trees & FlowersDamaria Sennehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16933949808230808200noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-19303293708474579372014-04-24T02:51:34.120-07:002014-04-24T02:51:34.120-07:00Sounds like you're also having a lot of fun an...Sounds like you're also having a lot of fun and adventures in the garden. I like to broadcast marigold seeds in the garden; just throw them all over the place and see where they take or don't. It adds a bit of colour everywhere, and as they self-plant, it means I don't have to worry about seeding so much.<br /><br />My first planting of nasturtiums was OK, but not wonderful. Since then, they've been self-planting and growing so big! I just leave them alone....Damaria Sennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16933949808230808200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-21265243571766893292014-04-24T02:48:45.083-07:002014-04-24T02:48:45.083-07:00LOL! One of the drivers for me is that I trully en...LOL! One of the drivers for me is that I trully enjoy doing it. I feel soo free and relaxed being outside and basically digging and carrying things etc. I get help for the heavy stuff, but I also enjoy playing in the dirt. Each to his own, I guess:)Damaria Sennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16933949808230808200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-27594933953425778182014-04-24T02:46:34.657-07:002014-04-24T02:46:34.657-07:00Thank you Sri. I enjoy doing it and learning about...Thank you Sri. I enjoy doing it and learning about it.. Damaria Sennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16933949808230808200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-50749963980178482582014-04-24T02:45:36.979-07:002014-04-24T02:45:36.979-07:00Thank you Ananya for coming by. I find gardening t...Thank you Ananya for coming by. I find gardening to be addictive, and I hope that enthusiasm comes through.Damaria Sennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16933949808230808200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-59962868850526501632014-04-08T10:28:06.545-07:002014-04-08T10:28:06.545-07:00We plant Marigolds amongst our veg, they look so c...We plant Marigolds amongst our veg, they look so colourful as well as being a good companion plant to most things. Calundula are also known as 'pot Marigolds' but their not the same family, I always thought the benefits were equal but I've never looked it up.<br /><br />Nasturtians LOL I has such trouble growing these. Every attempt failed then I accidentally dropped a seed on the floow and flowers! Stopped fussing and threw some in the garden last year and they stageda takeover bid. Love the leaves in salad, very peppery.<br /><br />I've planted Dwarf trees last year, Pear and Plum, always do well with Blackcurrants, Redcurrants, Goosegogs/Gooseberries and this year adding Blueberries because their a favourite. Good luck with your Figs.<br /><br />It's nice seeing and hearing about your plot. I help my dad with an allotment, its nice to have grown up with that space and see it produce.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14190106699864570625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-81199372191473211102014-04-08T04:02:43.176-07:002014-04-08T04:02:43.176-07:00Wow!! You are a gold mine of information regarding...Wow!! You are a gold mine of information regarding gardening! Some how, I dont have any inclination for gardening, though I love seeing potted plants in and around the house. :)Shilpa Garghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11016927627801620377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-2328248606408118812014-04-07T21:51:34.123-07:002014-04-07T21:51:34.123-07:00I envy you for the gardening skills Damaria!! I en...I envy you for the gardening skills Damaria!! I enjoy reading these!!<br /><br />~<a href="http://iamstri.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow"><b>S(t)ri</b></a><br />Participant|AtoZ Challenge 2014<br />Smile, it makes (y)our day!<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17503717668904917711noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-71072671276425616592014-04-07T14:36:48.298-07:002014-04-07T14:36:48.298-07:00Ouch! Allergy to flowers.. that's rough. I th...Ouch! Allergy to flowers.. that's rough. I think a gift basket full of cheese, crackers and fruit will do you in place of flowers.Damaria Sennehttp://foodgardeningsa.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-44123384776544247882014-04-07T14:35:13.007-07:002014-04-07T14:35:13.007-07:00I have never tried gardening, but enjoyed reading ...I have never tried gardening, but enjoyed reading your post !Ananyahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05156727486680867354noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-79864694898947385732014-04-07T14:34:21.305-07:002014-04-07T14:34:21.305-07:00LOL! My older brother is like that.. has zero inte...LOL! My older brother is like that.. has zero interest or talent with gardens, though my grandfather, father and even my younger brother have gardened. Damaria Sennehttp://foodgardeningsa.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-43065464267015599442014-04-07T12:58:12.439-07:002014-04-07T12:58:12.439-07:00My mom grew marigolds. I loved them. They always b...My mom grew marigolds. I loved them. They always brought such a cheery air to our front steps. I do love flowers, but my husband learned a long time ago he couldn't get them for me, because I'd start to sneeze, then cough, and in general be miserable. I hate telling my daughter she has to leave the flowers she picked for me at the back door, but this is survival, you know? Crystal Collierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03912469552483168148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-35021499551774882642014-04-07T11:39:46.291-07:002014-04-07T11:39:46.291-07:00I have ZERO talent for gardens - flowers or vegeta...I have ZERO talent for gardens - flowers or vegetables. My sister is the same way and it is really funny because my father was an avid gardener (he had a huge garden to help feed the poor people) and my mother had incredible house plants. So, my hat is off to anyone who has a natural ability to grow beautiful flowers.Battered Hopehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04084857421183756543noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-72616361635731443962014-04-07T11:38:11.335-07:002014-04-07T11:38:11.335-07:00Cool. I think many gardeners love having people in...Cool. I think many gardeners love having people in their lives who just appreciate the beauty of what they grow, even if they themselves don't garden. Mma is one such person.. she still hasn't figured out why I like to play in the dirt,as she puts it, or voluntarily do work that makes me sweaty and grubby:-)Damaria Sennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16933949808230808200noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-12921252216500301812014-04-07T11:35:19.606-07:002014-04-07T11:35:19.606-07:00Can you believe when I first started gardening my ...Can you believe when I first started gardening my rule of thumb was "grow what you can't kill?" LOL! <br /><br />Even today, my plant choice tends to veer towards the hardy types which have a better chance of surviving long enough for me to learn to care for them.Damaria Sennehttp://foodgardeningsa.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-32642100267854381652014-04-07T10:21:22.125-07:002014-04-07T10:21:22.125-07:00Your blog is so interesting and helpful. I love ma...Your blog is so interesting and helpful. I love marigolds, but I have a black thumb so I'll just admire them in my sister's yard. :-)debi o'neillehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00326849099713939434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-34822299368752213352014-04-07T09:50:02.580-07:002014-04-07T09:50:02.580-07:00Thou I love plants....I'm quite lazy to look a...Thou I love plants....I'm quite lazy to look after them... so it's always my moms business...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08787858130049311614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-76602151771029779252014-04-07T09:42:10.731-07:002014-04-07T09:42:10.731-07:00In my experience, we grow marigolds and nasturtium...In my experience, we grow marigolds and nasturtiums, but as much as you'd expect considering how easy they are to plant and care for. Many of my neighbours, who have gardens of their own including ornamental/flower gardens don't really grow marigolds, although some have asked for seedlings since they've seen mine. They tend to go for other hardy plants. Like agapanthus (see that plant here http://tinyurl.com/qg2tv7d) <br />Damaria Sennehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08844894356665627961noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-20898604187633275962014-04-07T08:21:10.076-07:002014-04-07T08:21:10.076-07:00Hi, These are very popular and highly used flowers...Hi, These are very popular and highly used flowers in India. What about in your country ? I like them a lot and my mom grows many of them every year... They do not need much maintenance... I also like them a lot. Beautiful post with good pictures...Jayantahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00853040622450226979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-37411221375797566252014-04-07T06:41:12.099-07:002014-04-07T06:41:12.099-07:00I waaaas lucky. Neighbours grew different fruits -...I waaaas lucky. Neighbours grew different fruits - like pomagranate, avodaco, mango, banana etc.. so people could barter one fruit for another when they were in season.Damaria Sennehttp://foodgardeningsa.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-18020215816340945532014-04-07T05:40:13.448-07:002014-04-07T05:40:13.448-07:00Hi Damaria .. you were lucky to grow up with so ma...Hi Damaria .. you were lucky to grow up with so many different fruit trees in your orchard - I loved the fruits I had in SA ... but we had an orchard when I was growing up .. and was exceedingly lucky in that respect too. Marigolds are good bug deterrents aren't they .. cheers HlaryHilary Melton-Butcherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17596532480645510678noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-14903918996129351952014-04-07T05:19:53.173-07:002014-04-07T05:19:53.173-07:00They rock, don't they? Though this past summer...They rock, don't they? Though this past summer even marigolds couldn't help my poor tomato crop. Drought:(Damaria Sennehttp://foodgardeningsa.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-25674083743875307922014-04-07T05:16:34.827-07:002014-04-07T05:16:34.827-07:00Thank you for the info on marigolds vs calendula, ...Thank you for the info on marigolds vs calendula, Victoria. I actually didn't know about Calendula until I needed a cream for mosquito bites and I asked on Rhonda's forum (www.simplelivingforum.com ) and users suggested Calendula cream, and I looked up the flower online and a number of sources referenced marigolds. Yet when I read further there were sources that said they were not even in the same family! But I found that substituting the flowers got me a nice smooth cream that loves my skin, though not to accomplish what Calendula cream is supposed to.Damaria Sennehttp://foodgardeningsa.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-21171298834290875792014-04-07T05:10:30.224-07:002014-04-07T05:10:30.224-07:00Really? I always had this preconceived notion that...Really? I always had this preconceived notion that orchids were delicate and need extra care etc. Also, I tend to grow flowers I can get cheap, in large quantities (because my yard is big and my budget is tiny) and requires very little care, as my focus is more on growing what we can also eat. I'll read up on orchids when I have a minute. Damaria Sennehttp://foodgardeningsa.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-76150901184947791522014-04-07T05:07:01.894-07:002014-04-07T05:07:01.894-07:00I'm glad you enjoy the posts. I also enjoy wri...I'm glad you enjoy the posts. I also enjoy writing them. Yes, I knew vaguely that marigolds are used in Indian ceremonies and festivals, though I didn't give it much thought when I wrote the post. Also, Johannesburg is big on celebrating Diwali, among other multicultural events, and I've seen a few puja.<br /><br />Damaria Sennehttp://foodgardeningsa.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4069705080837182533.post-32854391866590986242014-04-07T04:55:26.672-07:002014-04-07T04:55:26.672-07:00We always used marigolds planted amongst our tomat...We always used marigolds planted amongst our tomatoes to keep the bugs off them. It worked very well.Erica Gorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15799638585443129598noreply@blogger.com