Magnificent Mandevilla Tuesday, Jul 5 2022 

Everyday Life and Gardening and Nature , , , , , Mary K. Doyle 4:37 pm

Dipladenia or Mandevilla? I received a stunning, tall plant with brightly colored trumpet-shaped flowers for Mother’s Day from my son and daughter-in-law.  The plant was tagged “Mandevilla.” I loved it so much that I bought a second tall one and a small one in a pot.

I later noticed the small one was labeled dipladenia. With a little research, I found that dipladenia is a type of mandevilla. However, the taller variation is simply noted as mandevilla.

Mandevilla plants are evergreen, tropical vines, commonly known as Funnel Flowers or Rock Trumpets and bloom from June to October. They can be grown as annuals or perennials. Those typically noted as mandevilla crawl upwards to 16.4 feet. They have larger flowers and broader shaped leaves than dipladenia.

Dipladenia belong to the mandevilla genus. The plant grows bushy with downward growth rather than upward and vine-like. The leaves are fine, pointed, deep green, and slightly glossy. Dipladenia grow well in containers and hanging baskets.

All mandevilla plants need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day and well-drained, moist soil. They may be grown in or outdoors. If grown indoors, the plants should be kept warm and watered deeply and thoroughly about every 8-10 days. Plants do best when dead and damaged leaves and blossoms are removed. They also may also be trimmed to maintain a desired shape.

Hummingbirds and bees are attracted to the enticing blossoms of these beautiful plants. So, not only do we enjoy the flowers in our gardens, but we also have the birds and bees to watch, as well.

I’ve read that dipladenias are easy to propagate and will try to do so myself. Instructions say to cut a short length of healthy vine and remove the lower leaves. The cutting is then to be planted in a free-draining potting mix and placed in a bright, warm spot. The soil should be moist but not too wet or it will develop root rot.

If plants become infected with spider mites or aphids, the leaves may be wiped gently with a cotton swab and neem oil. 

Mandevillas are toxic to humans and pets.

* Information for this post was gathered from Plantophiles, Gardening Know How

*Peace begins within us. See Grieving with Mary, The Rosary Prayer by Prayer, and Fatima at 100. Fatima Today.

 

Summer-Fresh Herbs Thursday, Jun 3 2021 

Cooking and Everyday Life and Gardening and Health and Midwest and Nature , , Mary K. Doyle 2:52 pm

One of the prime factors in cooking the tastiest dishes is to use fresh, quality ingredients–fresh herbs being particularly important in most recipes.

Purchasing herbs in your local grocery store offers a convenient but expensive option. However, these herbs are only as fresh as the harvesting and transporting allows and are handled by multiple people. Also, we typically only use a portion of the packet and toss the rest.

The best alternative is for us to grow our own herbs. We then know the quality of the soil and seed, especially when choosing organic products, and likely are the only ones to touch these herbs. Most significantly, we can pick the exact quantity we need for a dish.

In the Midwest, cilantro grows best in spring conditions. However, most others grow well throughout the summer. Rosemary is said to be the easiest herb of all to grow.

A sunny window can offer space for a mini-indoor garden, if your herbs can get at least four to six hours of direct sunlight. Use pots with drainage holes to avoid over-watering.

I have limited garden space, so my herbs are planted in pots on outdoor shelves. I prefer purchasing small plants rather than starting my herbs from seed. This allows me to beginning harvesting within a couple of weeks. This year my herb garden consists of the end of the cilantro and lavender, mint, parsley, basil, rosemary, and sage. These are ones I know that I will use and work within my allotted space, but there are so many more from which to choose.

In addition to cooking with herbs, I also toss a few leaves in my iced and hot tea, lemon and limeade, and water. The hint of flavor and fragrance of the herbs transforms a normal beverage into a special treat. They also offer numerous health benefits. For example, sage and rosemary can improve brain function and memory. Peppermint relieves IBS pain and reduces nausea.

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Inspired Caregiving was written for the caregivers in your life. It’s a gift book with lovely photos and manageable bits of information and inspiration.

You can see all my books on my website.

Have you seen my other blog, Mary K Doyle Books? Posts relate to my published books.

 

Bird or Bug? Monday, Jun 15 2020 

Everyday Life and Gardening and Midwest and Nature , , Mary K. Doyle 3:47 pm

They may be young but they are often smarter than the adults.

I have two seven-year-old grandsons, a five-year-old granddaughter and five-year-old grandson. Technology doesn’t intimidate any of them. The two oldest grandsons became ZOOM experts before I did. Their parents expose the children to nature, athletic classes, and travels that I didn’t experience until much later in life.

And their energy can be deceiving. As they literally run circles around us, the wee ones are taking in everything around them and remember what they saw and heard, especially if it is something we’d rather they hadn’t noticed.

This past weekend, my grandsons Daniel and Nathan helped me water my garden. We saw an unusual creature hovering over the petunias and sucking up nectar. I thought it was a bee or other type of insect because it had three body parts—a head, thorax, and abdomen, but it was larger in size than a normal bee or moth. Nathan insisted that it was a hummingbird.

Thanks to the “Bug Queen,” my friend, Carol Hendrix, we learned we both were somewhat correct. This beauty is a Hummingbird Clearwing Hemaris thysbe, an insect that mimics a hummingbird. It belongs to the Family Sphingidea (a family of moths, commonly known as hawk moths, sphinx moths, and hornworms). These moths are moderate to large in size and are distinguished by their rapid, sustained flying ability. Their subfamily, is the Macroglossinae, moths in the order Lepidoptera.

Most of my plants are on a set of three shelving units against the back of my house. It allows me full use of my limited space and plenty of sunshine with southern exposure to promote hearty growth of flowers, herbs, and vegetables and less consumption by chipmunks and rabbits. The Hummingbird Clearwing Hemaris thysbe isn’t often seen in my area of the Midwest, so I appreciate that it visited my little boxes of plantings. The opportunity to have witnessed one in action up close and personal was a special gift of nature.

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Check out my posts, “Waling in Someone’s Painful Shoes” and “Why We Suffer.”

 

Citronella Beetle Bath Thursday, Jul 25 2013 

Everyday Life and Home Decor and Nature , , , , , , , Mary K. Doyle 10:22 am

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Discoveries are often found by accident. I recently made one such finding I’m excited to share with you.

Japanese Beetles have attacked my roses for years. The healthy rose buds open only to serve as tasty treats for the visiting pests, who immediately destroy them. Sprays intended to prevent this do little to help.

I recently set two unlit citronella candles out on the ledge of the deck during a barbecue. The following morning I found dozens of the Japanese Beetles frozen in the melted candles.  I hadn’t even lit the candles. They melted in the warm sunlight.

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Citronella is considered a natural insect repellent, but it must actually attract the beetles, which then get stuck in the wax. I have moved the candles closer to the roses and am morbidly delighted to see this collection continue to increase. The roses appear to have less infestation, but I honestly am not certain if in fact I am drawing more beetles to the garden.

Citronella oil is an essential oil obtained from the leaves and stems of different species of lemongrass. It is especially effective against mosquitos, lice, and stable flies. There are no known adverse effects when used as a topical insect repellent, including when used on children and people with sensitive skin. Citronella oil is used in chemicals in soaps, candles, and incense. It is also recognized as an antifungal.

©2013, Mary K. Doyle

 

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