Garden Bits & Pieces

A couple of little bits & pieces today. First up, been meaning to mulch my weeping maple with stones but keep forgetting. Well, I've finally done it. Here's some before & after's

 

 

Next up, I purchased a little garden mascot for the veggie patch! Husband rolled his eyes at this purchase, but he obviously can't see how cute it is to have a little gnome mascot for your garden now does he?

Here's a pic of my side balcony. Here, from the left, I have my cream dahlia, cat grass & cat nip for my siamese cat, a dwarf peach tree, my newly planted coffee plant, my much loved Japanese maple, a rescued fuchsia & a gorgeous apricot rose.

 

I'd like to re-arrange & re-pot a few things on here in the next few months, so stay tuned!

Bye for now,

Bel

A Coffee Plant? Why, YES!

I bought a lime tree around a year ago & potted it up & it seemed to be frozen in time for EVER! I was told they do that as they spend the first year putting out roots & then they put work into leaves & fruit. Well, I'm pretty sure this tree was a dud from the start. I recently noticed it was covered in ants & scales & I thought "right, see you later" & I pulled it out & threw it in the bushes. It actually had barley any roots so, as I said, think it was a dud from the start.

So out with the old & in with the new- A coffee plant! This plants proper name is "coffea arabica". I had no intention of buying a coffee plant or even knew you could, but when I saw it in the nursery I thought, yeah, that sounds right! I need a coffee plant!

First, cleared out the old potting mix from the lime.

Really supposed to wash & disinfect at this point but a) have two kids under 2.5yrs, don't have the energy b) I'm living on the edge! "I'm sure it will be fine!" are often my famous last words, so, I'm sure it will be fine!

Filled my lovely terracotta pot up with premium potting mix (never buy the cheap stuff! Did that once, nothing grew, never again!)

 

Little helper back in helping again. Here he is putting some slow release fertilizer into the planting hole. I always try to remember to do this, then I don't have the pressure of remembering to fertilize all the time. I often forget what day it is, so anything like this helps.

Popped the plant in its hole. Patted it in & watered it in well with some seasol & water. It's a funny little thing isn't it?

Apparently It has fragrant jasmine like white flowers in spring & brilliant red berries in autumn, that can be harvested late autumn, roasted & sipped ever so lovingly- well that's how I intend to do it anyhow. It likes full sun to part shade & doesnt care for frost. So hopefully, this time next year, I'll be brewing my own coffee.

Be well & thanks for reading,

Bel