Growing Cucumbers in a Hanging Basket

 

Yes you can grow cucumbers in a hanging basket.

Today I thought I would share with you, my "short vine" cucumber plant that I have planted in a hanging basket that's hanging on the edge of my patio. Now those of you that are new to cucumbers may not realize that there's a short vine version that you can grow that is perfect for a hanging basket. The one I've planted is called "Patio Perfect Cucumber".

Are you short on space but still want a garden?

If you are then growing vegetables in hanging baskets work great. Just hang it wherever the light requirements are and your good to go. Hang in on your porch. Hang it from a tree limb. Hang it from a post. Hang it from a bird feeder pole... it doesn't matter. All of the above will work.

In Closing

I hope this video will encourage everyone to grow cucumbers in a hanging basket. And I hope everyone enjoyed seeing the birds on my porch too.

Happy Holidays! Love Pam

► You may also want to watch: My other "Gardening Videos." https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKVnpA8j_rjfkD6zYvYPcnkDizrEcrsZc ...................................................................★☆★..........................................................

📅 June 14 / World Cucumber Day

📅 November 14 / National Pickel Day

📆  April / National Garden Month

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► 🛒 ❤ Cucumber Seeds / https://amzn.to/3ldBmfl ► 🛒 ❤ Cucumber Lover Gifts / https://amzn.to/3lctmvc ► 🛒 ❤ Holiday Calendars - https://amzn.to/3hfOcsn ...................................................................★☆★............................................................. ► My Youtube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/HolidaysCelebrations ...................................................................★☆★..........................................................

Growing the Chocolate Sprinkles variety of Tomato

Good morning everyone!

Today I thought I would share with you one of my tomato plants 🌿that I'm growing on my patio. The variety I'm talking about today is the "Chocolate Sprinkles Cherry Tomato". I thought I would give you some growing information about this plant and share my experience of growing it.

Let me start off by saying "I just love it."

This tomato has proven to be very easy to grow in a pot and produces many tomatoes on the vine. In fact it's considered a high yield plant. This plant is also considered indeterminate and I have never been without tomatoes on this plant. Every week I get more and more and more tomatoes. And the best part is.... it produces fruit all the way up until frost. Yep it's a high yield plant for sure.

The beautiful color of the fruit:

The fruit of this tomato is several different shades of red and orange. It has what's kind-of a chocolate color stripe on the skin but actually it's a green tone stripe that just looks chocolate when it's up against the other orange and red colors. The tomatoes are so colorful that they look very nice displayed in a flower pot. I just love the color pattern.

The Size of the tomatoes:

This tomato is considered a cherry tomato but not at all the size of the tiny little "sweet 100" varieties that are so popular. Nope this tomato is twice the size of that but still a small tomato that you could put whole on top of a beautiful salad.

Plant Groth:

This tomato will take full sun or at least 6 hours of sun. It grows to be 5 to 7 feet tall. My plant that I have is already 7 feet tall and just beautiful. I don't expect it to grow any taller but if it does I'm going to keep it topped. (cut) So it stays thick and doesn't get leggy.

Another great part about growing this tomato is the fact that it never splits. I love how all the tomatoes turn out perfect.

Fruit

The fruits are firm and is considered a full bodied tomato. It has a sweet tomato flavor with a high brix level. Brix level simply means it's the level of the sugar content in the tomato.

The Chocolate Sprinkles variety produces it's fruit in trusses.

Trusses are the clusters of stems on the vine where the fruit develops. You can see a good view of the trusses on the video I created about it. So be sure to watch and get a better view.

► Here's is the video I made about it: https://youtu.be/cqXSSOEtNrk

In Closing:

Growing the "Chocolate Sprinkles" variety of tomato in a flower pot has been a no brainer. lol! I really couldn't ask for an easier plant to grow or a prettier tomato to grow. So far I have not experienced any bug or disease problem at all. And.... I'm very happy with the look of the plant.

Thanks for visiting everyone! Love Pam

► You may also want to watch: My other "Gardening Videos." https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKVnpA8j_rjfkD6zYvYPcnkDizrEcrsZc 🍅 TOMATO HOLIDAYS TO REMEMBER
June 1 / National Tomato Day October / National Tomato Month April 6 / Fresh Tomato Day

► Chocolate Sprinkle Tomato Seeds / https://amzn.to/3N3Y8T7

Many Herbs are great Companion Plants for Tomatoes

 

Planting companion plants with my tomatoes

I've always known companion planting was best when growing a tomato in a flowerpot and I have to say it was one of the best things I ever learned when I took Horticulture in school. You really don't understand just how much of a difference it makes unless you do an experiment like I did to find out if it really makes a difference. 

I have to tell you.... YES it makes a difference

Some plants just naturally love each other and thrive to live with each other. They are no different than us as humans. I took 2 of the same variety of tomatoes and planted one as a stand alone in a flower pot and I took the other one and planted companion plants with it. I placed them both side by side in the same sunny location and started my experiment.

There is no dough in my mind / Here's my results

• The tomato with the companion plants tasted much sweeter or sharper in flavor.
• The tomatoes with the companion plants grew bigger
• The plant with the companion plants looked bigger and healthier
• The tomato with the companion plants were richer in color
• The tomato with the companion plants had no white fly problems at all. Come to think of it... I haven't seen any black fly's either.
• Oh.... and horn worms.... none attacked but I did have to pick them off the tomato that wasn't planted with companions.

What Companion Plants did I use?

Look at the photo above... do you see the pretty purple plant on the right hand side? Well this is a purple basil. This is a garden herb and any variety of the basil family is great to plant in the same pot with a tomato. I have 4 different basil varieties planted among my tomatoes in pots. Eash one is a different color and looks just beautiful in the pot. Basil is know to repel insects, improves the growth of the tomato and enhances the flavor of the tomato. 

Basil Smell repels mosquitoes:

I really love how the smell of basil repels mosquitoes and flies especially since I have it on my patio where I sit all the time. Yep, it not only helps my tomatoes to grow but it helps protect me from getting mosquito bites too.

🌱I use many herbs as Companions Plants for Tomatoes in pots

To sum it up... I like to plant all herbs in the same pot as my tomatoes. I use all varieties of basil, chives, parsley, sage and.... so on. 😀 I like using these herbs because not only are they good for the tomato but they grow short and flat which is perfect for plants under a tomato in a decorative flower pot. I've been known to stick a few marigolds around too but that's not an herb now is it. LOL.... but you can eat the flowers. Ha!

Both the basil and tomato enjoy the same nutrients, water & sun.

A tomato plant grows up right and tall and a basil plant grows low and short. The two planted together is perfect because the basil plant help to shade the soil and keeps the tomato roots cooler. They help keep the tomato from drying out. They work great together.

List of Companion Plants for Tomatoes planted in the garden / in alphabetical order

• Amaranth
• Asparagus
• Basil
• Beans
• Borage
• Calendula (marigold)
• Carrots
• Celery
• Chives
• Cleome (spider flower)
• Cosmos
• Cucumber
• Garlic
• Lemon Balm
• Lettuce
• Mint
• Nasturtium
• Onion
• Parsley
• Sage
• Squash

In Closing:

Plants bring me so much joy; even vegetable plants that are not known for their beauty. But when you combine them with beautiful herbs of all colors... it's just so darn beautiful! Really! I hope this encourages readers to try growing tomatoes and herbs in a flower pot. It's the best choice for small space gardening and so rewarding to watch them grow. Give it a try.

► Shop Herb Seeds / https://amzn.to/3m1IBre

Thank you for visiting today. Pam

Let me show you my baby tadpoles, frogs and what I feed them

 A great joy in life for me is watching tadpoles take shape into frogs.

Every year I can't resist keeping tadpoles. I usually set up a home for them that they will love and I will feed them and help them through until they are big enough to hop out of their home on their own and live life in my yard. Yessss!

I usually keep around a 1000 a year. Yep I'm for real. Come to think of it... that's probably why I have a lot of snakes in the area too. Hummm.... now that part is not so good. Snakes eat frogs and are attracted to areas that have a lot of frogs. I should share some snake photos with you too. Maybe I will do that in future posts.

What do my frogs eat?

They love brussel sprouts. Did I say they loveeeeeee brussel sprouts! LOL! They really do. They enjoy cabbage too. And.... they love the yellow blooms off my squash plants too. When I drop a big fat blossom in the water they circle it like sharks and start munching away. It is so fun to watch.

Here's a picture of my squash plants that I have growing in flower pots. I pick the blooms from these plants to feed the tadpoles. I do NOT put chemicals on my vegetable plants so there is nothing on the yellow blossoms that would hurt the baby tadpoles at all. 

I know I will get questions about the squash plants so maybe I will do a post in the future about all squash and tomatoes in the pic. Just so you know... my tadpoles do not like the green tomato plants so I don't try and feed them those.

Now here's a sweet fact for you. 

I don't put fertilizer on my squash plants. I use the circle of life so to speak. I water them with my tadpole water which is fantastic natural fertilizer for the plants.

The nice part about growing tadpoles into frogs is that since I patio garden every year, I have all I need for tadpole food without having to buy any food.

I could sit for hours watching my little frog family

Every day I get to enjoy the tadpoles I take full advantage of it. You see tadpoles in my area only lay eggs in the spring / summer so I only get to watch them 1/2 a year. So every morning I have them I take a cup of coffee and sit down and watch them eating their breakfast. I could sit for hours watching them swim and watching them grow their legs and then watching them learn to crawl up a limb or plant for the 1st time. It is so exciting.

Live Everyday like a Holiday

In closing... nature is a beautiful thing and sometimes life is so fast pace that we have to remember to slow down and see the beauty in nature. I hope this post is a reminder to you, to love nature and the love of critters such as frogs. It must be said...not all days bring snakes. ~wink

Live everyday like a holiday. Love, Pam

My Fresh Green Beans are Cooking

 Ohhhh ya'll! 

There's nothing like fresh green beans from green bean plants I promise you. Now this year I planted Blue Lake Bush type green beans and not the vine type. Doesn't matter which one you plant they are both very tasty. Anyway... what you see simmering in the pot is green and yellow bush beans both. You also see fresh herbs, onions and seasoning. Tomorrow I will post more pictures of the 1 pot meal that I cooked with these beans. So keep an eye out for my "Munch for Lunch" tomorrow.

Now what your looking at is the bush type blue lake green beans. 

These are the plants that I picked my beans from that you see simmering in the pot. I could of planted these in the ground but I hate to pick beans from the ground. LOL~ I like them planted in a tall flower pot so I don't have to kill my back when I'm picking beans. If you've ever picked beans you will know what I mean. With green beans you just about have to use both hands to pop them off so you don't break the limbs. You can also plant the vine variety. 

Here's the mess of beans I picked for the meal.

 It was plenty for a big pan full. I snapped off the ends, washed them, then added to the pan.

That's my post for today

❤  I hope you enjoyed watching my simmering beans today. I loved the sound of the simmering water didn't you. LOL~ I just want to encourage everyone to be thankful for the little things in life. Something as simple as a small green bean bush is special. Especially when it provides you enough of beans for a full bowl and a full meal. So thankful! Remember, something as simple as watching simmering beans cook is relaxing. That's a blessing too ya know.  Don't take anything for granted. 

❤  Remember to watch my "Munch for Lunch". I will have it ready for you by tomorrow. Love Pam

Let's plant some ginger root

 Let's Plant some Ginger Root in a flower pot

Ok everyone, it's time to talk about the video. I went to the grocery store and bought a bundle of ginger root. I looked through the pieces and found a couple that we're sprouting and I was delighted that I had some pieces that were just begging to be planted. ~Smile

It's really easy to plant the ginger sections. All you do is bury about 2 inches deep in potting soil, dampen the soil and place in a sunny location in your house. Before you know it.... you will have your very own ginger root growing in the pot. I think the large slender green leaves are pretty too.

Would you like to know some Health Benefits of Ginger?

It's long been known as a folk medicine. It fights germs!!! It's been used for years as a anti-inflammitory. It reduces swelling. And they say it's helpful with treating rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. It halts the growth of bacteria they say. Calms Nausea ~ Soothes sore muscles ~ some studies say it slows down cancer growth ~ lowers blood sugar ~ helps battle bad cholesterol ~

Magic Herb ? ~

Yep that's what they say.  It's a magical herb too and used in spell casting. Uses: courage / creation / healing / love / success / money / sex / increases magical workings

Does it have Emotional Aspects?

Well yes indeed they say it does. In fact they say ginger releases victim mentality,  humiliation, blame and powerlessness. Wow! So that means it instills empowerment, accountability and fortitude. Hummm~ my my my

How about Ginger Tea Time

Most of my readers know I loveeeee meeee-some tea time and there's no way I could leave out drinking ginger tea either.  OOOooo and what about Ginger Chicken to go along with the tea? Yes Please! Another favorite of mine.

In Closing: Thank you to all my readers:

Thank you to all my followers who take the time to read my sites. I hope you find each day fun and informative. I enjoy creating all my videos on youtube and I really enjoy going into more detail about those videos here on my blog. Now if your interested... I did created a #shorts video for everyone which is 60 seconds long that you can watch or share here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoTVcprWPe8 These are made to be best viewed on a cellphone ~ iphone / vertical viewing and made to share or pass on. 

So, get out there and buy yourself some Ginger .... eat it, drink it, grow it... and pass on everything you learn to others. Love you all, and stay strong during these changing times. Pam

Easy To Grow Plants

Like any other hobby, gardening is a challenge when you're first starting out. But don't worry! There are some plants that are perfect for beginners. We'll share some tips and tricks to help both easyand difficult to grow flowers and houseplants thrive. With the proper preparation and knowledge, you can grow a cavendish banana plant or a venus flytrap. Or if you're looking for something simple, try a peace lily or aloe vera. You'll be a green thumb in no time!  Source: http://www.a...it-to-grow    Click to Inlarge photo

From Visually.

What a Blessing it was to enjoy Mothers Cactus on Thanksgiving

This beautiful cactus budded the 1st week of November. Went into full bloom the second week of November and now it's the end of November and the new buds still continue to open. It was in full bloom the whole week of Thanksgiving and rightly so because it's a Thanksgiving cactus. One side is red and one side is white. I took a picture of the red side but on the left you can see a bit of the white peeking through.

I gave this cactus to my Mother on Valentines Day in 2010. Hence the reason it's red and white. Sadly, 10 months later we lost our Mother after a long 7 month battle in the hospital. Mothers beautiful cactus continues to live and bless us with it's beauty. For this Thanksgiving I placed the cactus right in the middle of my dinner table. I wanted to be able to look at it and be reminded of how blessed I am during this holiday season. Her beautiful cactus will never go without love.

For all you cactus lovers; if you have a cactus but don't know what kind it is, maybe this information will help. I took Horticulture many many years ago but didn't dare try to remember the spelling of these names so I went to the trusty Internet for help. Below I will pass on cactus descriptions and names in hopes of helping you figure out which cactus you may have. Happy Holidays! :)  Pam
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Fun Facts about the cactus:

Schlumbergera is a genus of cactus from the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil. Plants grow on trees or rocks in habitats which are generally shady with high humidity and can be quite different in appearance from their dessert-dwelling cousins. Most species of Schlumbergera have stems which resemble leaf-like pads joined one to the other and flowers which appear from areoles at the joints and tips of the stems. Two species have cylindrical stems more similar to other cacti. In Brazil, the genus is referred to as Flor de Maio (May flower), reflecting the period in which they flower in the Southern Hemisphere.

This genus contains the popular house plants known by a variety of names including Christmas Cactus, Thanksgiving Cactus, Crab Cactus and Holiday Cactus, which are Schlumbergera cultivars, and flower in white, pink, yellow, orange, red or purple. (The Easter Cactus or Whitsun Cactus, which may also be called a Holiday Cactus and has vivid scarlet flowers in the most commonly grown form, is now placed in the genus Hatiora.) The cultivars of Schlumbergera fall into two main groups:

• The Truncata Group contains all cultivars with features derived mainly from the species S. truncata: stem segments with pointed teeth; flowers held more or less horizontally, usually above the horizontal, whose upper side is differently shaped from the lower side (zygomorphic); and pollen which is yellow. They generally flower earlier than members of the Buckleyi Group and although common names are not applied consistently may be distinguished as Thanksgiving Cactus, Crab Cactus or Claw Cactus.
• The Buckleyi Group contains all cultivars with at least some features clearly showing inheritance from S. russelliana: stem segments with rounded, more symmetical teeth; more or less symmetrical (regular) flowers which hang down, below the horizontal; and pollen which is pink. They generally flower later than members of the Truncata Group and are more likely to be called Christmas Cactus.

Common names

Plants are offered for sale under a variety of common names. The earliest English common name was "Christmas Cactus". In Europe, where plants are largely produced for sale in the period before Christmas, this remains the most widely used common name in many languages for cultivars of all groups (e.g. Weihnachtskaktus in German, Cactus de Noël in French, and Cacto de Navidad in Spanish). This is also the name used in Canada. In the United States, where plants are produced for the Thanksgiving holiday in November, the name "Thanksgiving Cactus" is used; "Christmas Cactus" may then be restricted to cultivars of the Buckleyi Group, particularly the very old cultivars such as 'Buckleyi'. The name "Crab Cactus" (referring to the clawed ends of the stems) is also used for the Truncata Group. "Link Cactus" is another common name, describing the way that the stems of the genus as a whole are made up of linked segments.

The Easter Cactus or Whitsun Cactus is now placed in the genus Hatiora, but was at one time included in Schlumbergera (or one of its synonyms). The name "Holiday Cactus" has been used to include both Schlumbergera and Hatiora cultivars.

resources:
wikipedia
growing information
watch the bloom in time lapse
The Thanksgiving cactus
Plant name results
Cactus de noel
britannica.com/Christmas-cactus