Spooning
🍴 Spooning
"Spooning is always a good idea, unless you're a fork."
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"Spooning is always a good idea, unless you're a fork."
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Index > Garden Blog
The Tree Everyones Talking About: Variegated Mahoe
Hibiscus tiliaceus Variegatum - Variegated Mahoe
Hibiscus tiliaceus Variegatum - Variegated Mahoe flowers
Hibiscus tiliaceus Variegatum - Variegated Mahoe leaves
Hibiscus tiliaceus Variegatum - Variegated Mahoe young tree
🍀 The Tree Everyone's Talking About: Variegated Mahoe
🛒 Add color, shade, and tropical flair to your garden with Variegated Mahoe
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- 🌳 Hibiscus tiliaceus Variegatum is the must-have tree of the year - and for good reason! This stunning, fast-growing beauty delivers shade in just one season, with a more compact, umbrella-like shape than its wild cousin, the standard Mahoe (that grows into a very large tree).
- 🌳 Variegated Mahoe's eye-catching foliage is a show in itself: splashes of red, white, green, and pink create a living kaleidoscope. The blooms are just as magical - starting yellow and deepening to orange and red as they age.
- 🌳 Perfect for Southern gardens and hot-climate landscapes, the Variegated Mahoe is low-maintenance, colorful, cool and cooling, and endlessly rewarding. Everyone wants it, and once you see it, you'll understand why!
🛒 Add color, shade, and tropical flair to your garden with Variegated Mahoe
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Do good
🔍 Do good
"While you are young, strong, and full of energy, never tire of doing good! Happiness does not exist, nor should it. If life has meaning and purpose, that meaning and purpose are not in our happiness but in something more rational and greater. Do good!" - Anton Chekhov
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"While you are young, strong, and full of energy, never tire of doing good! Happiness does not exist, nor should it. If life has meaning and purpose, that meaning and purpose are not in our happiness but in something more rational and greater. Do good!" - Anton Chekhov
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Can I Grow Avocado Outside the Tropics?
Mexican Avocado
🥑 Can I Grow Avocado Outside the Tropics?
👍 Yes - with the right variety and care.
While avocados love tropical and subtropical climates, certain cold hardy Avocados types - especially Mexican varieties - can survive outside the tropics, even in USDA Zone 8b (like San Antonio, TX). Once established, some can handle short freezes down to 15F, even as low as 10F in dry climates.
Key Factors for Cold Hardiness:
✏️ Tip: Always check the hardiness rating for your avocado variety. Protection matters most during the first 1-2 winters.
📚More about Avocado:
Posts about #Avocado
Avocado Variety Guide
🛒 Shop cold hardy Avocados and grow your own guacamole
#Food_Forest #Discover #Avocado
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👍 Yes - with the right variety and care.
While avocados love tropical and subtropical climates, certain cold hardy Avocados types - especially Mexican varieties - can survive outside the tropics, even in USDA Zone 8b (like San Antonio, TX). Once established, some can handle short freezes down to 15F, even as low as 10F in dry climates.
Key Factors for Cold Hardiness:
- 🔤 Plant Size: Young trees are tender. Protect with mulch, blankets, and even Christmas lights during freezes. Mature trees are tougher.
- 🔤 Wind Protection: Wind chills do more damage than cold air alone. Plant near a south-facing wall or sheltered spot.
- 🔤 Tree Health: Healthy trees handle cold better. Fertilize regularly during the growing season.
- 🔤 Water & Humidity: Water less in winter. Avoid soggy soil - good drainage is a must. Trees in dry winter climates tolerate more cold than those in humid areas.
✏️ Tip: Always check the hardiness rating for your avocado variety. Protection matters most during the first 1-2 winters.
📚More about Avocado:
Posts about #Avocado
Avocado Variety Guide
🛒 Shop cold hardy Avocados and grow your own guacamole
#Food_Forest #Discover #Avocado
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Date:
Secret Banana Daiquiri Recipe:
Healthy Never Tasted So Good!
Q: What can I do with a lot of Bananas? All three trees I got from you last year produced lots of bananas and I can eat only so much. Any exotic recipes?
A: When we get lots of bananas (which happens every year!), we make banana bread or banana pudding for the whole team. But those are pretty common recipes. Try Banana Daiquiri!
Banana Daiquiri Recipe Ingredients:
1 ripe banana
2 ounces light rum
- tablespoon sugar
1 ounce lime juice
1/2 ounce triple sec (optional for added depth)
Ice cubes
Slice of lime or banana for garnish>
Instructions:
Prepare the Banana: Peel the banana and cut it into chunks.
Blend the Ingredients: In a blender, combine the banana chunks, light rum, sugar, lime juice, and triple sec. Add a handful of
ice cubes. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth. If the mixture is too thick, you can add a small amount of water or more lime juice to adjust the consistency.
Garnish and Serve:
Pour the mixture into a chilled glass. Garnish with a slice of lime on the rim of the glass or a small wheel of banana. Serve immediately and enjoy the refreshing tropical flavors!
This Banana Daiquiri is not only refreshing but also offers a creamy texture and a perfect balance of sweetness and citrus. It's a fantastic choice for hot days or when you're in the mood for something a bit exotic. Cheers!
10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own
Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) fruit on a tree
Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) tree in a pot
Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) opened fruit with cacao beans
💩 10 reasons why chocolate is actually good for you and how you can grow your own
☕️ With all these benefits, why not grow your own source of chocolate? Plant a Theobroma cacao tree and enjoy the magic of harvesting your very own cocoa pods. It's not just a tree - it's a conversation starter, a wellness booster, and your personal chocolate factory in the making.
🛒 Get your Chocolate Tree today and grow your own goodness
#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts #Discover
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- ☕️ That's right - the source of your favorite sweet treat, the Chocolate Tree (Theobroma cacao) we introduced in earlier post, produces cocoa that's packed with powerful health benefits. Growing your own chocolate tree isn't just fun and rewarding - it's a way to bring a superfood right into your backyard!
- ☕️ Here are 10 reasons why cocoa is a health hero:
- 🍫 Loaded with Antioxidants - Fights free radicals and supports overall cell health.
- 🍫 Heart Healthy - Helps lower blood pressure and improve circulation.
- 🍫 Mood Booster - Promotes feel-good chemicals like serotonin and endorphins.
- 🍫 Brain Power - Flavanols support memory, focus, and cognitive function.
- 🍫 Fights Inflammation - Natural compounds help reduce chronic inflammation.
- 🍫 Supports Blood Sugar Balance - May improve insulin sensitivity.
- 🍫 Glowing Skin - Boosts hydration and protects against UV damage.
- 🍫 Aids in Weight Management - May reduce cravings and support metabolism.
- 🍫 Rich in Minerals - Packed with magnesium, iron, copper, and more.
- 🍫 Good for Gut Health - Acts as a prebiotic to feed good bacteria.
☕️ With all these benefits, why not grow your own source of chocolate? Plant a Theobroma cacao tree and enjoy the magic of harvesting your very own cocoa pods. It's not just a tree - it's a conversation starter, a wellness booster, and your personal chocolate factory in the making.
🛒 Get your Chocolate Tree today and grow your own goodness
#Food_Forest #Fun_Facts #Discover
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This is why Atemoya is better than any other Annonas
Atemoya (Annona cherimola Annona squamosa) fruit on a tree
Atemoya (Annona cherimola Annona squamosa) open fruit
💋 This is why Atemoya is better than any other Annonas
Atemoya cv. Geffner: An Israeli cultivar renowned for its heavy cropping capacity and excellent flavor. Geffner is highly productive and is considered one of the best varieties, producing good fruit yields without the need for hand-pollination.
Atemoya cv. Lisa (48-26): Developed by Gary Zill, Lisa is praised for its outstanding taste and attractive appearance. The fruit has a pinkish-gray exterior and a soft, light pink interior. While not as naturally productive as Geffner, Lisa can yield well with hand-pollination.
Atemoya cv. Priestly: This cultivar produces large, green fruits with a creamy texture and uniquely sweet flavor. It is a grafted variety that combines desirable traits from both parent species, making it a delightful addition to home gardens.
📚 More delicious Annonas:
Spiny Hedgehog fruit: what does it taste like?
🛒 Plant Atemoya and enjoy your own rare exotic fruit!
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- 🎃 Atemoya (Annona cherimola × Annona squamosa) is a hybrid between the Cherimoya (Annona cherimola) and the Sugar Apple (Annona squamosa), combining the best traits of both fruits.
- 🎃 This tree is notably hardier than the common sugar apple and thrives in tropical heat, unlike the cherimoya, which prefers cooler summers. Its resilience makes the atemoya an excellent choice for both subtropical and tropical gardens, as it can tolerate light frosts.
- 🎃 The tree reaches about 15-25 feet in height and spreads equally wide at maturity.
- 🎃 One of the advantages of Atemoya over the Sugar Apple is its fruit, which contains fewer seeds, making it more enjoyable to eat fresh..
- 🎃 Grafted Cultivars:
Atemoya cv. Geffner: An Israeli cultivar renowned for its heavy cropping capacity and excellent flavor. Geffner is highly productive and is considered one of the best varieties, producing good fruit yields without the need for hand-pollination.
Atemoya cv. Lisa (48-26): Developed by Gary Zill, Lisa is praised for its outstanding taste and attractive appearance. The fruit has a pinkish-gray exterior and a soft, light pink interior. While not as naturally productive as Geffner, Lisa can yield well with hand-pollination.
Atemoya cv. Priestly: This cultivar produces large, green fruits with a creamy texture and uniquely sweet flavor. It is a grafted variety that combines desirable traits from both parent species, making it a delightful addition to home gardens.
📚 More delicious Annonas:
- • Sugar Apple: how does it taste?
- • Guanabana - the most delicious Annona fruit
- • Top 10 fast-fruiting trees: #1. Annona
- • Why everyone wants the Sugar Apple?
- • The fastest to fruit: Annona
Spiny Hedgehog fruit: what does it taste like?
🛒 Plant Atemoya and enjoy your own rare exotic fruit!
#Food_Forest #Discover
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Why this tree is so popular in Asia: health benefits of Chinese Olive Superfruit
Chinese Olive - Canarium album
👍 Why this tree is so popular in Asia: health benefits of Chinese Olive Superfruit
🛒 Plant Chinese Olive - add timeless wellness and culinary magic to your garden
#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders #Discover
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- 🫒 Chinese Olive Tree (Canarium album) is a time-honored Superfruit tree that packed with nutrients, history, and amazing flavor.
- 🫒It has been celebrated in Asia for over 2,000 years - for good reason.
- 🫒 The olive-like drupes are packed with essential amino acids, healthy fats, fiber, and vitamins. Plus, they’re rich in antioxidants, anti-inflammatories, and other powerful bioactive compounds.
- 🫒 Enjoy the fruit raw, pickled, candied, or cooked into soups and stews. It can even be dried as a snack, brewed into herbal teas, or roasted like a nut.
- 🫒 With its unique flavor and ancient reputation in Asian medicine and cuisine, the Chinese Olive is both a conversation piece and a functional food tree for your garden.
🛒 Plant Chinese Olive - add timeless wellness and culinary magic to your garden
#Food_Forest #Nature_Wonders #Discover
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MANGO VARIETY CHEAT SHEET
Mango fruit on a tray
🥭 MANGO VARIETY CHEAT SHEET
How to pick the right mango tree for your yard, Quick Guide
📚 More: Top 10 Dwarf "Condo" Mango - great for container culture.
1. Glenn - Easy to grow, consistently produces excellent fruit.
2. Pim Seng Mun - Super productive and reliable.
3. Sweet Tart - Intense flavor, new and exclusive variety.
4. Fruit Punch - Tastes like a medley of tropical fruits.
5. Orange Sherbet - Sweet citrus flavor on a moderately vigorous tree.
🛒 Select perfect Mango trees and enjoy your own treats
#Food_Forest #Mango #Discover
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How to pick the right mango tree for your yard, Quick Guide
- 🟠 Condo Mango - for containers and small spaces
1. Cogshall - Compact and colorful, with sweet flavor and fungus resistance.
2. Ice Cream - Stays under six feet with rich, dessert-like flavor.
3. Julie - Caribbean favorite with sweet tropical flavor, but very cold sensitive.
4. Mallika - Indian condo mango with rich, sweet flavor and hints of citrus and melon.
5. Carrie - Super sweet and fiberless, perfect for small yards.
📚 More: Top 10 Dwarf "Condo" Mango - great for container culture.
- 🟠 Most popular varieties everyone wants
- 🟠 Most vigorous reliable producers
1. Alphonso - Rich Indian mango with coconut-like flavor, highly prized.
2. Maha Chinook - Rare, ultra-sweet Singapore mango, good for pots.
3. Fralan - Hardy tree with sweet green fruit that cracks when peeled.
4. Fruit Cocktail - Tastes like a blend of pineapple, citrus, and guava.
5. Nam Doc Mai - Most beloved Asian mango, semi-dwarf and versatile.
1. Glenn - Easy to grow, consistently produces excellent fruit.
2. Pim Seng Mun - Super productive and reliable.
3. Sweet Tart - Intense flavor, new and exclusive variety.
4. Fruit Punch - Tastes like a medley of tropical fruits.
5. Orange Sherbet - Sweet citrus flavor on a moderately vigorous tree.
🛒 Select perfect Mango trees and enjoy your own treats
#Food_Forest #Mango #Discover
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A Prayer for Our Feline Friends
🤫 A Prayer for Our Feline Friends 🐱
O holy St. Gertrude of Nivelles, Patron Saint of Cats,
I ask you to pray that my sweet kitty(ies) will always be content, energetic, curious, playful, and good-natured.
I pray my cat(s) will be a joy to me and those I love.
Carry my cat(s) to the throne of the Father and ask Him to bless them with long life and great happiness.
Pray, dear saint, that my cat(s) stay free from illness and always feel safe, protected, and loved.
Thank you for asking blessings upon my cat(s).
Ask the Lord to pour out special graces upon all cats and cat owners.
May they bring great love to one another and live companionably in peace.
Amen.
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O holy St. Gertrude of Nivelles, Patron Saint of Cats,
I ask you to pray that my sweet kitty(ies) will always be content, energetic, curious, playful, and good-natured.
I pray my cat(s) will be a joy to me and those I love.
Carry my cat(s) to the throne of the Father and ask Him to bless them with long life and great happiness.
Pray, dear saint, that my cat(s) stay free from illness and always feel safe, protected, and loved.
Thank you for asking blessings upon my cat(s).
Ask the Lord to pour out special graces upon all cats and cat owners.
May they bring great love to one another and live companionably in peace.
Amen.
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