Garden July 2013

This is how the garden looks now that it has been raining frequently. It is fuller and greener.  There are not many flowers since I keep on trimming some plants.  I do not want them to get out of control like last year.

I started planning a garden makeover.  I started by getting rid of some plants that seed a lot.  I also planted more chaya plants in pots.  I do love eating chaya leaves and I want to start sharing them with neighbors and friends.

I have been researching products and I cannot wait to improve the look of the garden.
**********************************************************************

Asi es como se ve mi jardin ahora que estamos en temporada de lluvias.  Todo esta mas verde.  No tengo muchas flores pues he seguido podando las plantas para que no crezcan demasiado pues eso me paso el ano pasado y perdi el control.

Estoy planeando cambiar algunas cosas en el jardin y he estado investigando productos.  Estoy tratando de erradicar las plantas que hacen muchas semillas pues despues tengo que estar arrancandolas para que no invadan el jardin.  Tambien he puesto mas plantas de chaya en macetas.  Me encanta comer las hojas de chaya y espero tener mas plantas para poderlas compartir con mis vecinos y amigos.

 

Pool area in need of makeover

A new plan for the garden

I listened to Michael Pollan's Ted Talk "A Plant's Eye View" and it made me realize I have been doing some things wrong in the garden.  Pollan says that we humans, think we are in control of the plants but that maybe it is the plants that make us do things for them.  After working in the garden for a couple of hours last night, I could not agree more.  I need to make a plan and decide which plants I need or can manage in the garden and get rid of some others.

The first one to go is going to be Potter's Weed.  I knew it was called a weed but it was too prety to pass and the butterflies and bees love it but it is too much work and I do not have the tiem to manage it.  I have hundreds of volunteers in the garden and not enough time to pull them out.  Another thing that I need to manage is the palm trees.  We have had them for 10 years but this is the first year that the seeds are going crazy, sprouting everywhere.  I am going to keep some to try to grow them but I need to put cardboard and much all around the palm trees.  I did not want to spend money on mulch but I might have to.  I have been putting the dead palm leaves on the ground but they do not cover the soil completely and there are still weeds and sprouted seeds.

Garden April 2013 and Chaya plants for sale

I have been working for the last month in the garden. I trimmed a lot of things and I am trying to compost.

BUY CHAYA PLANT CUTTINGS

 

Our ficus hedges have suffered a lot from white fly.  We tried to use ladybugs to combat the white fly but it has not worked.

 

The smallest mango tree.  It was supposed to be a dwarf variety but this one has stayed like this for years. One year we got a big mango but we did not cut it in time and an animal ate it.

 

 

The chaya garden

 

Shadow, my little helper in the garden

I cut back the chaya tree a lot.  I was thinking it was dead but then I saw some little leaves on some branches.  I do have smaller trees but this one is the largest.

                                          

Chaya cuttings

I planted some pineapple plants under the tree.  I have gotten pineapples from plants that have been in shade on the ground and from potted plants in full sun.  I still do not know what is best.

 

Bananas!

Another banana stalk

It looks like we will get only one pineapple this year.  I am starting more plants so hopefully we will get more in the future.

 

I repoted the fig tree.  I also planted an unknown banana plant on the ground.

Banana patch

Happy tails!  The cats love it when I work in the garden.  They crave so much attention and love that even if I am not right there with them, they are happy just to see me.  Of course I talk to them nonstop.

My Crystal.  She is my little princess.

I planted some green beans and okra on the west side of garden.

 

I planted a pineapple plant on the west side of the garden.

 

Another chaya tree

 My other chaya tree

Chaya I collected from the garden.

 

I have started a chaya project in Guatemala and I need funds to buy potting materials and plants."I have a video on YouTube about chaya and I get asked "where can I find chaya plants for sale?" all the time. I am selling chaya cuttings and chaya plants via my websites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CkMiFH5wlQ

www.chayaplant.com   BUY CHAYA PLANT CUTTINGS

www.chayaplant.org

All the proceeds from the sales will be donated to the chaya project.

 

Please contact me at carmiewest62@yahoo.com

*****************************

Hace mas de un ano puse un video en YouTube sobre la plantas chaya y mucha gente lo ha visto.  Varias personas me han preguntado en donde pueden comprar plantas de chaya y si, yo tengo chaya de dos variedades que estoy vendiendo. Las dos no tienen espinas.  Vendo aqui en Estados Unidos y en Mexico tambien. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CkMiFH5wlQ

Favor de contactarme a mi correo carmiewest62@yahoo.com para mayor informacion