Bulbs

Bulbs come in endless variety which makes them perfect for any type of garden. Varieties include corms, rhizomes and tubers.

Corms are sometimes confused with true bulbs, they are similar in appearance externally but the inside of corms is structured differently.

Examples of rhizomes are irises, Lily of the Valley and cannas. Tubers are begonias and dahlias. Tulips and daffodils are considered true bulbs.

A bulb is a self-contained flower factory.  It contains nearly everything the flower needs to come to life. If you split a bulb open you will see the baby flower bud, leaves, roots, stem and food supply. All it needs is to be placed in the ground at the appropriate season of the year, some water then left to work their magic.

I planted a dahlia a few years ago and it keeps coming back every spring. The one I planted is the cactus type. It has fully double flowers with pointed florets. The flower is pinkish to white in color and around 5” to 10” in diameter. The first year blooms were really big but becoming smaller every year which means the bulb needs to be dug up and divided.  This needs to be done before spring.

Dahlias came from Central America and Mexico. The Aztecs cultivated dahlias for food and decorative purposes. They are also used for ceremonial purposes. The dahlia is named after Swedish botanist Anders Dahl an 18^th century botanist. It is also the national flower of Mexico.

Grape Vine 2

Almost 2 months after the first post about my grapes, some of the fruit of my grape vine is already ripe. The grape is red in color and very sweet but it has some seeds in it. Other than having seeds, I am happy with the grape vine. It is sweet, juicy and has a very fruity taste.

I harvested at least 5 bunches and after removing the unripe and disfigured grapes, washed and chilled them in the refrigerator. Grapes is a very good and healthy snack.

Most nutritionist and health experts would recommend to consume more of red grapes than green grapes. Red grapes has high content of antioxidants called flavonoids. It is also low on calories and contains nutrients and vitamins like vitamin C and B, copper, manganese an potassium and also high on dietary fiber.

   

Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the most common garden fruits in the United States and have the reputation of out-producing the needs of the gardener. Most commercial tomatoes in California are grown under irrigation for use in canning and processing and also for the fresh fruit market.

Basically tomatoes are considered fruit. However since it contains very low sugar compared to most fruits, tomatoes is classified as vegetables.

Tomatoes originated in South America and spread worldwide after the Spanish colonization of the Americas. It is now grown worldwide often in green houses in cooler climates.

The fruit can be harvested ripe or green. Fully ripe tomatoes can be stored in the refrigerator but they tend to lose flavor. It is best to store ripe tomatoes at ambient temperature.

With the good climate California, tomatoes are grown extensively. California grown tomatoes accounts for 90% of US production and 30% of world production.

Tomato varieties are divided mostly according to shape and size. Last April I planted 2 cherry tomatoes in pots. I bought the seedlings from a local nursery and they are thriving very well in the pot. Cherry tomatoes are small and round and are generally added in salads and eaten whole.