Is there a career change in the future?

I am on a roll; this weekend I worked on another kitchen garden this one was for my sister in law. I promised her one as her birthday present; she is a health food nut and has been wanting a kitchen garden for a long time, unfortunate she is not much of gardener so I’ll been getting follow up calls I’m sure.

Before

I planted several herbs, basil, oregano, dill, rosemary, cilantro, three tomato plants, some onions and marigolds for color.

This coming weekend I got to get some work on my own garden, I am already late planting my winter garden

What do you give a person that has everything?

A balcony herb garden!!!.

This week is my oldest daughter 28th birthday, and after much thought I decided to give her an herb garden for the balcony in her apartment.

My daughter has two passions in her life, teaching high school drama and cooking. (she is a fantastic cook) As per her request I included oregano, sweet and Tai basil, parsley, cilantro and rosemary.

Next week is the same gift for my sister-in-law (may be I’ll never have to step inside a mall again)

The Edible Garden Festival

Sunday we visit the second annual Edible Garden Festival at Fairchild Tropical Garden.
The edible festival is all about growing fruits and vegetable and home, Halloween decorations, scarecrow contest, delicious food and lots of fun.

Halloween decorations

All made from plant materials

Scarecrow Contest

The water conservation scarecrow, my favorite.

Other pictures from around the garden




This full bloom tree is the Ceiba Speciosa from Brazil and Argentina.

Is that time of the year

Is time to plant the vegetable garden.

Every year I wait for my local U-pick farm to plant their winter vegetables before I start my own garden.

This U-pick farm is very close to my house and the only one left in the area. Twenty years ago when my family moved to western Miami, the area was blanketed with strawberry and tomato fields. Today the expanding suburbs have pushed them all out.

This field was on the way to be converted into an office park, but the current economic conditions put an end to that idea, so we will have fresh vegetables for another season.

Today I planted red peppers, arugula and sweet basil. I am also sowing lettuce, squash and zucchini seeds.

Behind the burlap cover I am growing 20 tomatoes plants in containers.

Tomorrow we are going to the “Edible Garden Festival” at Fairchild Tropical Garden. I’m hoping to pick more plants for my vegetable garden.

This is the latest addition to my collection of succulents in containers.

I am hook on succulents; I want to buy them all.

It must be orchid season.

I noticed today that must of my orchids are with flowers. I love orchids but I am not very good at growing them.

Most of these orchids were gifts from friends and family.

These ground orchids almost died last winter during all the below freezing nights, they came back strong over the summer.

Free tomatoes plants

All these plants were growing in my compost filled vegetable plot. I don’t know what kind they are, most likely cherry tomatoes.

Taking on a bromeliad

Today I decided to take on the Aechmea Blanchetiana bromeliad, (not sure if this is the correct name) this bromeliad is in the front of the house, and is overgrown crowding the beautiful crown of thorns.

I was dreading this job. The spikes on this bromeliad are painful and I have the scars to prove it.

I will be dividing all these pops.

Now you can see the crown of thorns.

Would you pay $5 for these bromeliads if you find them in a garage sale?
My wife is planning a garage sale later this month and I am thinking of having a bromeliad sale. Should I ask for more???

Fall is in the air

Today I worked on the road-visiting clients, I drove over 300 miles between Miami to West Palm Beach; by the end of the day I was exhausted. The thought of going biking was not very appealing.

The weather was so nice that I couldn’t resist a long bike ride; it truly felt like fall. The temperature was in the low seventies with a nice breeze blowing from the Everglades.

There is nothing like an intense exercise outside in pleasant weather, it takes away all the stresses of the day.

Ibises or as they are known around here “Florida pigeons”

This lonely Great Egret was looking for diner.

Another spectacular Florida sunset.

Today was the official start of the dry season, according to an article in the local newspaper. Scientists predict a particularly dry season this year, I hope the plentiful rainy season will get us through the winter. The year around water restrictions are in effect.

This bougainvillea is getting on my nerves

I had a chance to pullout this bougainvillea tree when I put the pavers in. For sentimental reasons I kept it, today I regret that decision.

I am not afraid of aggressive vines; I have two others in my garden, but bougainvilleas fight back and I have the scars to prove it.

After, I also cleaned the pavers.

This Vriesea Zamorensis bromeliad had two pups, now I have an additional container.

Good time to decorate for Halloween.