Blood Oranges

We live in a citrus oasis.  If we do not have a particular tree our neighbors do...key limes, tangerine, orange, grapefruit [both pink and white], tangelo, meyer lemon, lemon...  yet, I have found some omissions - blood orange, kiffir lime [I am currently hunting for a tree] to name but a couple odd men out.  So about 5 or 6 years ago I took it upon myself to plant a blood orange.  Well I had not realized I planted the most persnickety tree bagging me off and not showing a single bud.  Finally I had enough and gave it an ultimatum, produce or you will be replaced. Ha! look who has buds.  Tho we are still at war, you see only a small sliver of tree produced buds and now tiny oranges; whereas, the rest is still barren.

Blood Orange Trees

info from ~
organic bouquet
urban harvest

mine ~ either a Sanguinelli Blood Orange or Moro Blood Orange planted both and one died so not sure until it fruits

grow in zones ~ 4-11 patio 8-11 outdoors

needs ~ citrus grows best between 55° and 85° F

indoor temperatures averaging 65°

keep soil moist

purchased ~ at lowes or home depot

tend and care ~ heavy feeders, especially iron, manganese and zinc

additional notes ~ yellowing leaves indicate lack of fertilizer or overwatering

the more sun the more production of fruit

citrus do not need to be pruned

visit my other blog for my blood orange sorbet recipe

Five Finicky Eaters

growing asparagus

information from:
ohio online 
USA Gardener
organic gardening

Imagine perfection with just the right amount of sweetness and crunch, this is asparagus.  The first time we eagerly gobbled up out first spear we all chimed, "grow more".  Asparagus from the grocery store is nothing but a flaccid bore.  Homegrown best served freshly cut - no need to steam, boil...However, we recently roasted a small amount and to our utter shock they tasted like a fine steak!  Crazy

grow in zones ~ 2-9

companion plants ~ Basil, calendula, parsley, tomato

needs ~ full sun (mine is in partial shade)

good drainage

soil with ph 6.5-7.5 (never have checked mine)

purchase ~ my crowns came from Home Depot with the promise of spears in 2 years and I am happy to report at the 2 year mark they appeared

planting ~ dig a whole no deeper than 5 to 6 inches and don't touch the first year

tend and care ~ asparagus is a heavy feeder and needs regular fertilizing when I remember I use compost worked in the top surface of the soil

harvest ~ I cut them at the dirt level never below

additional notes ~ during the summer the it shoots beautiful fern like leaves to absorb the sun. Cut this back before spring to prevent disease and bug eggs.

visit my other blog for the roasted asparagus recipe

Five Finicky Eaters

praying mantis hatching

 

we do not use pesticides and this is one of the reasons why
over the last two days we have been lucky enough
to witness the appearance of one of our
favorite insect from their ootheca egg mass

Beginning of April Garden 2012 Part Three

leeks - mint - goji berries

anna apple

manzano banana

first ever fruit
stella cherry

avocado 

blackberry

asparagus and blackberry 

nopales

stevia

desert peach

peach

fig

 

aloe

cardoon gobbo di nizzia

celery

lavender

artichoke

 

Beginning of April Garden 2012 Part Two

corn - bean - squash
sunflower - strawberry

squash

strawberry

jewel blueberry

lemon grass

apple blossom

aloe

potted mandrian orange

pepper

fennel

asian pear

 

pomegranate

sage

4 way plum tree

blueberry 

first year fruited
blood orange

oregano

tomatoes from rotten tomato throw

nectarine

Beginning of April Garden 2012 part one

planted mid march
row 1 imperial black beauty eggplant
row 2 golden giant amaranth and pepper oncinil greekrow
3 california wonder pepper
row 4 corno di toro giallo
row 5 marvel striped tomato
row 6 black plum paste tomato

row 1 tender green bush bean
row 2 provider snap bush bean
row 3 tavera bush bean
row 4 nates  carrots
row 5 buscaro cabbage and ruby swiss chard
row 6 eggplant long purple and early
 

row 1 puple basil
row 2 poppy joes basil
row 3 borage
row 4 borage
row 5 afgane sesame
row 6 mandquot tree

row 1 sunrise hawaiin solo papaya and roselle thai red
row 2 garden berry wonder wild straberries
row 3 garden berry wonder wild straberries
row 4 garden berry hardy kiwi
row 5 ground cherry
row 6 roselle thai red



row 1 purple cone flower echinachea
row 2 shungike edible chrysanthem
row 3 caraway
row 4 cumin
row 5 variety of melons
row 6 variety of melons

row 1summer squash and squash black beauty
row 2 zucchini ramp and libra squash
row 3 round french zucchini
row 4 cucumber hmong red and lemon cucumber
row 5 small pickle cucumber
row 6 vittoria eggplant

baby preying mantis

praying mantis egg sack

tomato pepper garden
with basil, chilves, oregano,

last years tomatoes reappear

first year ever kiwi

thornless black berries
planted this year

meyer lemon tree potted

mango

mango

 

small apple

end of aspargus

weeping santa rosa plum

apricots