Friday, June 5, 2015

Bonsai .. Some cool post from G+


The practice of bonsai development incorporates a number of techniques either unique to bonsai or, if used in other forms of cultivation, applied in unusual ways that are particularly suitable to the bonsai domain. These techniques include:
  • Leaf trimming, the selective removal of leaves (for most varieties of deciduous tree) or needles (for coniferous trees and some others) from a bonsai's trunk and branches.
  • Pruning the trunk, branches, and roots of the candidate tree.
  • Wiring branches and trunks allows the bonsai designer to create the desired general form and make detailed branch and leaf placements.
  • Clamping using mechanical devices for shaping trunks and branches.
  • Grafting new growing material (typically a bud, branch, or root) into a prepared area on the trunk or under the bark of the tree.
  • Defoliation, which can provide short-term dwarfing of foliage for certain deciduous species.
  • Deadwood bonsai techniques called jin and shari simulate age and maturity in a bonsai.




The purposes of bonsai are primarily contemplation (for the viewer) and the pleasant exercise of effort and ingenuity (for the grower).[3] By contrast with other plant cultivation practices, bonsai is not intended for production of food, for medicine, or for creating landscapes. Instead, bonsai practice focuses on long-term cultivation and shaping of one or more small trees growing in a container.





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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Sunflowers are special .... it is like a big smile.

My sunflower bloomed today and i'm happy about it.
There is something about the size and the long time from seeing the flower pod before it blooms (about a week).

The extra good news is that I have three more getting ready to bloom.

The true test is whether or not I get to eat the seeds. It is gonna take both green thumbs..... I am ready.


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Saturday, May 23, 2015

Drought tolerant yards still need maintenance... but not much!

My neighbor changed her landscape into a Japanese style drought tolerant theme.

She did this about 5 years ago not for the drought but because of the difficulty and expense (gardeners) of maintaining a grass front and large back yard.



                                                          

Now she can manage her yard at her age with simple weeding and clipping. No more lawn mowers nor gardener bills.

Her watering is minimal.

She was the first to be a rebel and have a different style. Everyone else on the street has the traditional grass lawn with a few shrubbery. 

Her Japanese heritage is shown in her landscaping appearance.

RicksPicksPlants.com
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Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Drought Friendly Plants .... here is a list.

Here is a screenshot from a local Southern California grower.
Most all of these plants are usually aboard the "BIG PLANT VAN"
Call for a visit from "THE BIG PLANT VAN"


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Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Drought tolerant color. Bromeliads are plants that are adapted to a number of climates.

California Drought Friendly

Bromeliads are plants that are adapted to a number of climates. Foliage takes different shapes, from needle-thin to broad and flat, symmetrical to irregular, spiky to soft. The foliage, which usually grows in a rosette, is widely patterned and colored. Leaf colors range from maroon, through shades of green, to gold. Varieties may have leaves with red, yellow, white and cream variations. Others may be spotted with purple, red, or cream, while others have different colors on the tops and bottoms of the leaves.

The inflorescences produced by bromeliads are also regarded as considerably more diverse than any other plant family. Some flower spikes may reach 10 meters tall, while others only measure 2–3 mm across. Upright stalks may be branched or simple with spikes retaining their color from two weeks up to 12 months, depending on species. In some species, the flower remains unseen, growing deep in the base of the plants.

Pineapples are Bromeliads...

Bromeliads are able to live in a vast array of environmental conditions due to their many adaptations. Trichomes, in the form of scales or hairs, allow bromeliads to capture water in cloud forests and help to reflect sunlight in desert environments. 

Some bromeliads have also developed an adaptation known as the tank habit, which involves them forming a tightly bound structure with their leaves that helps to capture water and nutrients in the absence of a well-developed root system.[Bromeliads also use crassulacean acid metabolism(CAM) photosynthesis to create sugars. 

This adaptation allows bromeliads in hot or dry climates to open their stomates at night rather than during the day, which reduces water loss.


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Huntington Beach. California

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Friday, May 15, 2015

Wheat Germ ... What is it ... Annessa will tell you.



Wikipedia ....

Wheat germ or wheatgerm is a concentrated source of several essential nutrients including Vitamin E, folate (folic acid), phosphorus, thiamin, zinc, and magnesium, as well asessential fatty acids and fatty alcohols.[8][9] It is a good source of fiber.[10] White bread is made using flour that has had the germ and bran removed.[11] Wheat germ can be added to proteinshakes, casseroles, muffins, pancakes, cereals, yogurt, smoothies, cookies, and other goods.[12] Wheat germ can become rancid if not properly stored in a refrigerator or freezer,[13] and away from sunlight.[14] Some manufacturers prevent rancidity by storing wheat germ in vacuum sealed glass containers.


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Thursday, May 14, 2015

Pumpkins ...... growing fun.


Have you got your pumpkins planted for Halloween?


The word pumpkin originates from the word pepon (πέπων), which is Greek for “large melon", something round and large.The French adapted this word to pompon, which the British changed to pumpion and later American colonists changed that to the word that is used today, "pumpkin".

Pumpkins are grown all around the world for a variety of reasons ranging from agricultural purposes (such as animal feed) to commercial and ornamental sales.

 Of the seven continents, only Antarctica is unable to produce pumpkins; the biggest international producers of pumpkins include the United States, Canada, Mexico, India, and China.

The traditional American pumpkin used for jack-o-lanterns is the Connecticut Field variety.

Rick's Picks Plants has pumpkins plants on board "The Big Plant Van".

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