Saturday, April 25, 2009

To Yard Sale or Not?

Today was like yard sale heaven! Several of the churches in our area were having their huge annual sales and the weather is glorious ( there is nothing in the world like April at the beach). There were also a lot of individual sales today.
Late last night though as I was laying in bed, I thought to myself...
"Self you have enough of your own junk, you sure don't need to go and buy somebody else's junk!" LOL So, in a flash of willpower of an unbelievable strength, I resisted the urge to get up and go searching for things I don't need and have no place for. I decided I would stay home and plant instead.

I have been redesigning my front yard for several years. Each time I get it planted, somehow we decide to change something. This time though it is staying! My husband and I built 4 new flower beds in the front yard and I filled them with seedlings that I had grown last year.
We planted Brugmansia, Hibiscus, Tall bearded iris and more daylilies that I thought possible. I cannot wait to see it all bloom. I am still new at blogging, so as soon as I figure out how to post pictures, I will add some.
Till then, you just have to imagine....



A Kiss of the sun for pardon
A song of the birds for mirth,
One is nearer God's heart in a garden
Than anywhere else on the earth.
Author Unknown.

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Grocery Store Orchard?

I have a passion for growing anything that has a seed. I know that fruits you buy in the grocery stores are mainly ( ok 99%) hybrids and will not come true from seed, but somehow I just can't help myself. I have to plant seeds from any kind of fruit that I buy.
I decided to experiment last season and continue it this season too. So far from fruits purchased in my local produce department, I have grown, oranges, tangerines, lemons, limes, starfruit, grapefruit, pomello, pomegranates, scuppernong grapes, pineapples ( from the crown)papaya and guava. There are times that I will buy a fruit just for the seeds. I told you this was an obsession. LOL
The diversity is amazing. I cannot wait to see the results. My newest addition is the Moro Blood Orange. It germinated in about 2 weeks just under flourescent lights without the advantage of bottom heat. I am planning to try some kiwi vines soon.
Are you growing grocery store orchards too? Am I alone in my universe?
I am trying to keep notes on techniques and germination rates. Hopefully at the end of this growing season, I will be able to publish my results.
In the meantime, try it and see what you can grow.
I dare you.....


Genesis 1:12
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to it's own kind. And God saw that it was good.