Eenvoudige oomblikke

Gewoonlik kan jy die groot, onvergeetlike oomblikke in jou lewe op een hand tel, maar dis die alledaagse, klein eenvoudige dingetjies in ons dag wat die lewe so lekker maak. Soos om 'n heerlike Cappuccino by die Wimpy te sit en drink, sommer so in die middel van die oggend. 

Hulle motto is mos "Enjoy every moment" en om sommer net so te sit en gesels is presies dit. Om elke eenvoudige oomblik te geniet. 

Op pad na die Wimpy...

Ek sê dankie vir alledaagse dinge... 

::

Echeveria

Family: Crassulaceae (krass-yoo-LAY-see-ee)
Genus: Echeveria (ech-eh-VER-ee-a)
Species: glauca (glau-ca) imbricata

Echeveria imbricata

Echeverias are arguably the most attractive of all succulents, highly valued for their amazing colours and variation, with the stunning leaf colour of many varieties at its most brilliant in the cooler months. Native to the Americas, they are prized by collectors and gardeners the world over. Their rosettes range in size from 2cm to 50cm in diameter. They generally flower in the warmer months with colours ranging from green to pink to red.

Echeveria imbricata exhibiting pink tinges on the tips of its leaves
.

Most Echeverias are summer growers. Once established they can tolerate extended dry periods without watering but will grow stronger if they receive adequate water during their growing season.

 As my trees got bigger, the shade started taking over my Echeveria patch. 
.
Here in Tarlton (Gauteng, South Africa) they do not seem to be able to withstand the severe frost we get, and a couple of winters ago I lost half this stock. So I've resorted to putting them all into pots and various other containers which can be brought inside or under cover during the winter months

Free-draining, porous soil is essential to prevent root rot. Echeverias are shallow rooted plants and therefore benefit from good levels of organic matter in the soil. Good ventilation is important for minimising pest and disease risks. Generally, the more sun they get the better they will display their colours and shape, but protect them from excessive sun during hot weather.

 Echeveria imbricata sharing a wooden crate with some Aloes

 

 Echeverias sharing space with Crassula imperialis in an Everite container

 

Echeverias in terracotta pots, ready to go under cover for the winter

As it does not tolerate temperatures below 7°C (45°F), in temperate regions it is grown under glass with heat. Like others of its kind, it produces multiple offsets (called pups) which can be separated from the parents in spring, and grown separately – hence the common name “hen and chicks”, applied to several species within the genus Echeveria.

However, one must be beware of the problem of common names. Hens and Chicks is a very poor name for this plant because it leads one to assume that it is the same category of plants called Sempervivums, also known as Hens and Chicks. But this is a far different plant – it is NOT an alpine succulent, but a Mexican succulent with very little cold hardiness, unlike the Sempervivum. This plant cannot survive temps much below freezing. It is nothing like a Sempervivum, and looks very little like one, too, other than being a succulent rosette. Please do not confuse the two or you will sorely disappointed when your ‘Hens and chicks’ melts to mush after the first real freeze.

When planted closely together, Echeveria will form very tight rosettes, so be sure to give them enough space to fully open up.

 

Echeveria imbricata in an Everite pot

 Happiness is more than just a state of mind, it's also a state of being, an act of spiritual courage.  It's a joy thing. Like an Echeveria.

::

Bly kalm en gesond

Baie van ons sal nie hierdie winter verkoue en griep vryspring, dis juis wanneer die seisoene verander dat daardie lastige verkoue of hoes posvat. Kenners beweer dat heuning antibakteriese kenmerke het wat die bakterieë in die keel beveg.

'n Teelepel rou heuning voor slaaptyd laat jou rustiger slaap en verlig ook hoes. Jy kan ook 'n teelepel heuning met louwarm water meng en dit voor slaaptyd drink.

'n Kombinasie van heuning en suurlemoen vir die verligting van hoes was ook nog altyd gewild. Meng 'n halwe teelepel heuning met die sap van 'n vars suurlemoen en drink voor jy gaan slaap. Jy kan die mengsel ook bietjie verhit voor jy dit drink. Drink elke vier ure twee teelepels van die mengsel. Dit beveg ook keel irritasie.

Deesdae is dit taamlike 'n uitdaging om die spasie en tyd te vind om te ontspan. Hoe balanseer mens die uitdagings van ons alledaagse lewe?

(Foto en resep vanaf Everything Lavender)

'n Koppie tee kalmeer en verlig altyd. Laventeltee is 'n ideale ontspanningsmiddel en maklik om te maak.

Jy kan vars blomme pluk of gedroogde laventel gebruik.

3 Eetlepels vars laventelblomme of 1½ eetlepels droë laventelblomme
2 Eetlepels heuning (met suurlemoen indien verlang)

Om die tee te maak, gooi die blomme in 'n teepot en gooi in kookwater. Roer die heuning by. Laat trek vir 4 of 5 minute. Gebruik 'n teesiffie en bedien in pragtige tee koppies!

.

Haworthia

I’m absolutely crazy about cacti and succulents and never miss a chance to lay my hands on a new specimen not yet in my collection. This is Haworthia minima and I am thrilled that it's now making a pup!

Haworthias are small succulent plants native to South Africa. They are closely related to Aloe, Gasteria, Kniphofia, Poellnitzia and Astroloba.

Haworthias in the wild grow in Southern Africa. They are relatively small (pot sized) plants that are classified as succulent – which means that they can cope with relatively harsh waterless hot environments. Their leaves are swollen to store water and may be green or attractively coloured. They are however not frost hardy, which means that for cultivation they need either a sunny windowsill or preferably a greenhouse.

Haworthias are grown for their shape and markings. There are many different types (or species). Some collectors also grow hybrids, which are crosses between two or more plants and are selected for their attractiveness. In many cases they multiply by producing “pups” or offsets and may also be grown from seed.
Info from the Haworthia Society

Another Haworthia in my collection

At the moment my Haworthias are outside but every winter I bring them in as the frost here in Tarlton can get quite severe.

.

Gasteria

Gasteria armstrongii

Gasteria is a genus of succulent plants native to South Africa. Closely related genera include Aloe and Haworthia.

Members of the Gasteria genus, named for their stomach shaped flowers, generally prefer no supplementary water during winter, and regular, but not excessive watering for the rest of the year. The majority of species prefer light shade and should be protected from direct sunlight and frost. In the wild they tend to grow under other plants for shelter from the elements but mine are mostly in pots so I bring them inside every winter because of our heavy frost.

Gasteria armstrongii is vulnerable, occurring in a popular farming region. It is also only known from a few sites along the Gamtoos River in the Eastern Cape. Although it is well camouflaged and difficult to find, it is threatened by collectors and ploughing. Plants grow on a flat terrain in Renosterveld vegetation. The plant has been well established in cultivation (ex situ preservation) and is grown by succulent plant enthusiasts all over the world.

 Gasteria are prolific pup-makers and here I have transplanted a few into another bowl.

 A few of my Gasterias on a plant-stand on my patio in summer

 Some Gasterias over-wintering inside in my flower room

Gasterias don't seem to mind whether they get watered or not. They withstand drought easily and are just as happy if flooded with a lot of water. I must confess I have this tendency to kill my plants with lots of "love" in the form of too much watering, but the Gasterias have withstood this onslaught with happy faces!

.

Preserve the taste of summer

Winter is on our doorstep here in South Africa and although most perennial herbs will go through Winter, their growth slows down, which means that you may not have enough of the fresh stuff to meet both your culinary and medicinal needs. This is particularly true of herbs like, Thyme, Sage and Peppermint that are particularly good for relieving coughs, colds and sore throats.

There are other herbs like Oregano and Bay that are better when dried. Bay leaf is much more palatable and less bitter in the dried form. The stronger and sharper flavour derived from drying Oregano is well-suited to Italian dishes, marinades and roasts.

Sweet Basil and the various Mints are also coming to the end of their season and they need to be preserved if you want to keep the taste of Summer going through Winter. Because they lose most of their flavour when dried, it is better to chop the leaves, put them in ice trays with water and freeze. The ice cubes are then stored in a plastic bag and used when cooking.

DRYING HERBS
Drying your own herbs is very easy and there is simply no comparison between home-dried herbs and those bought from a supermarket.

You will need a sharp pair of pruning shears, a sharp knife or a sharp pair of small scissors and a basket or similar container to carry your harvest in.

DRYING METHODS
The main aim of the drying process is to remove the moisture as quickly as possible, while losing as little colour, taste and aroma as possible.

Air drying is the most satisfactory method and a dark, dry place is best for this. Drying the herbs in sunlight will cause the colour, taste and aroma to face.

The herbs can be formed into small bunches, tied with a piece of string and hung up in a cool place. Alternately you can use a table or other flat surface and lay them out on an oven rack, a looking rock or something similar to dry.

Drying times can range from a few days to a few weeks, depending on the drying method and moisture content of the herbs at the time of harvesting. the easiest way to check whether the herbs are dried, is to rub them between your fingers. If the herbs crumble and break, they are dry enough.

Microwave drying is not suited to large quantities and aroma and taste of herbs dried in this manner is not as good as those that are air dried. Most herbs should dry within 2 to 3 minutes in a microwave. Test your herbs every 30 seconds.

Oven drying is also a popular method, but once again the quality is not as good as air drying. the exception to this is cut roots, which dry very well in the oven

STORING DRIED HERBS
As soon as the herbs are dry, store them in air tight containers in a cool, dark spot. rub the leaves off the ranches, but try not to crumble them unnecessarily. It is better to crumble the herbs just before you use them

Remember to label the container with the name of the herb and the date they were dried.

WHEN TO HARVEST
Herbs for drying or other processing should be harvested early in the morning, once the dew has evaporated.

Never harvest more than you can process quickly. Try to avoid harvesting many different herbs in one basket. Discard any leaves that are diseased or yellowing.

.

Affirmasie vir elke dag

::

Echeverias in summer

We've had a lot of rain and my Echeveria glauca are hosting their beautiful bell-like little flowers en masse this summer and are offering plenty of babies, ready for picking and transplanting. E. elegans is not frost resistant and I have learnt the hard way, almost losing all my plants as we live in a heavy frost area. So I have transplanted all my stock into pots and various planters, bringing them indoors during winter.

Native to Mexico and also known as the Mexican Snowball, these beautiful rosette-shaped succulents are summer growers. Once established they can tolerate extended dry periods without watering but will grow stronger if they receive adequate water during their growing season. Free draining, porous soil is essential to prevent root rot.

Echeveria are shallow rooted plants and therefore benefit from good levels of organic matter in the soil. Good ventilation is important for minimising pest and disease risks. Generally, the more sun they get the better they will display their colours and shape, but protect them from excessive sun during very hot weather. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Camera : Canon EOS 550D

Location : My garden, Tarlton, Gauteng, South Africa

.

Bunny Ears Cactus

Opuntia microdasys is a species of cactus native and endemic to central and northern Mexico. In fact, the name Bunny Ears, or ‘Opuntia Microdasys’, refers to the shape of the cactus and the way other offshoots grow off the main stem at an angle, and not to the texture of the bunny ear-shaped growths. If you were to try to feel the surface of the huge succulent leaves, you might get a nasty shock as a beginner cactus-carer, as one of the first things to beware of when caring for your Bunny Ears, is the highly irritant spines.

They are tender houseplants and cannot handle frost. Mine spends summer on the patio and is brought inside to a location that is bright and dry but not too cold.

The polka dot cactus (other common name) is fairly easy to grow if a grower can provide enough bright light, no over-watering, provide it’s winter resting period and average room temperatures. Simple!

But despite the cute name, the Bunny Ear Cactus is in no way cuddly. When handling this cactus, be extremely careful. The spines come off with a simple touch, and despite thick gloves I always manage to get thorns somewhere and it’s the most irritating burn and itch you can imagine and very difficult to get rid of! The Bunny cacti is native to northern Mexico and desert regions stretching into Arizona. This plant has the appearance of a shrub, and spreads out to cover between 2-5 feet of ground as a mature plant. The name is derived from its appearance akin to a bunny’s ears.

 

::