Holes in Hibiscus leaves Save Hibiscus plants from Winter pests Right procedure to add Ash fertiliser Nostalgic Beginning of Terrace Gardening Memories

Winters have begun with cooler temperatures by evening, and so have come up unexpected guests, pests. One of the reasons I had stopped growing hibiscus, we had more than fifteen varieties of unique rare, hibiscus flower plants, in fact our garden five years back was actually a hibiscus garden!But white aphids and beetles, it was a trying task to save them till spring burst in!We now have only one hibiscus, The Red Layered hibiscus, vibrant vermilion flowers. 

Red layered hibiscus

Red Hibiscus plants with two flowers.

Holes, and many holes, each day, the beetle, and also the caterpillars eating up, many plant leaves. 

Pests in winter hibiscus leaves

The beetle, bug, flying pests, eat leaves so fast, holes and holes and plants shrivel after few days. 

yellow blooms

Then also the yellow flowering plant which I had plucked  few years back rainy season that was growing under our car in compound , it would have died after rains, so emotional connection and brought it home!   its really so Awesum, gives out beautiful yellow blooms, and even after trimming last a week back, it gave us two Awesum blooms! 

yellow flower eaten by red ants

Red ants have come up eating the flowers, Our garden has become host to many creatures this winters and also trimmed a lot of heavy growth this time. 

How to take care of Hibiscus and other plants during winters-

1) Take note, sunlight will be for less hours, choose sunny spots, may require shifting of some plants to a sunnier location. 

beetle eating hibiscus leaves

2) Take extra care to avoid over watering,and avoid very late evening watering. We lost a precious one-...

Sad ...we lost this one...canna...many years...enjoyed so many vibrant blooms...

red canna bulb after rains...usually plants get affected by root rot, in twiners. seen as white fungus on roots.

3) Avoid fertilizing them now, cold temperatures may kill your plants.

4) Really practical workable tip-wash them!Bathe them!this helps remove beetles, bugs, and other pests , just be careful that the water from containers is drained well after this. 

Pests in winters

5) Advisable to trim the tips as these are most affected. 

6) I avoid harmful pest control sprays for my plants as they kill my plants  along with the pests! water spray with force helps, and manual removal(a very patient task, wear gloves to give them bath) 

Holes in hibiscus leaves

7) Ash has always helped my plants. 

Burning old paintings 

Nostalgic, clutter clearing of old paper paintings, burning them , fire is beneficial  to purify my little space under the sun. Then also clearing some old art makes way for fresh space and creative energies. 

8) Right procedure I follow-

burning paper paintings

 burn old newspapers, paper,(paintings)  be careful with fire...

fire purification , old paper artworks burning

positive intentions, let the ash dry and cool down a bit after extinguished, there is hot ash, be careful. Once cooled add some water to avoid the ash spreading with the wind.I amke a black paste out of this ash, and then add to all my plants. Pests don't like this, at least what I have noticed over the years. water everyday over the ash so that it does not create a layer over the soil and block seepage of water to roots. Remember to loosen the soil so that all ash gets absorbed by the soil. 

Ash for garden plants

Don't forget to add loads of love along, this also helps! Hope this helps! All the Best from Rizwana!

Each year, goes by, enjoying every bit of this spiritual journey..clutter clearing, letting go of some old paper paintings, great feed for my plants, they love this ash!
Nostalgic sweet memories ...came across my old photographs, My parakeet who flew freely, came into my life, lived for many years,..was caught by someone and caged...Love compassion and true friendship!My garden was quite neat then, then I kept adding, and now the little space has whole lot of  exotic, varieties, flowering most of them, it is a riot of colors! .
Plants and Gardening has given a lot of inspiration in my art, I  love them, I have more plant and bird friends than humans!

A corner of My little space under the sun ten years back 

My loving friend Alexandrine parrot

 Sharing a few of my old original paintings inspired by my little space under the sun!. 

Sparkling Diamonds Enchanting Garden Cubism Abstract razarts

Blue Flower year 2002, Razarts

Pure Luck White Chrysanthemums

Outstanding my first oil painting year 2000

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Very Important Practical Tips for trimming and Cutting Garden plants After Rains Pest making holes in leaves Brahma Kamal Plant progress

Huge Rose Flower from my garden, Awesumness

 While there is Awesumness all over my little space under the sun, a riot of colorus and fully loaded plants with blooms the main tiring difficult task comes after all this enjoyment, trimming .
Container plants love rains and they express themselves in huge overflowing growth but just after rains as cold chilly winter sets in they begin to dry and drop leaves. To prevent this energy leak and keeping in mind plant health they have to be trimmed before the strong winter cold sets in.

The huge scissors for trimming garden plants

This time they plants had grown really huge and our little space resembled a thick forest! LOL, a mini Jungle!Had to take help from my husband as many of the plants had grown quote thick and tall. I really feels ad, tot rim them as they look happy now, but thinking about later times of winter it is really necessary to trim them on correct time.

My small and large scissors , my regular trimming tools, also were of no help so we borrowed huge scissors from our society garden. 

The caterpillars are enjoying and feasting on my plants, the thick foliage,  as also the black and the white mealy bugs, beetles and pests eating away many plant leaves. The garden had more pests and was a bit difficult to go close to any plant as spiders too rule during rainy and winter season.

One tiring energy task trimming the over grown plants

larvae of butterfly

holes in hibiscus plant leaves

contrast in nature, rose and juhi flowers

Thorns on Euphorbia Milli crown of thorns plant 

Black bugs nests making holes in plant leaves

Black bugs on leaves pests on leaves

Caterpillars so many of them

Beautiful sky from my little space under the sun

Very important practical tips for trimming and cutting plants from your garden-
1) Check for insects , pests and creatures first. Trust me there are many who make homes during rains and as the plants also grow into quite a thick foliage.
2) wear gloves, I didn't, many ties I make this a resolution and again forget! but it is very important to prevent skin rashes and cuts.
3) Take extra care to cut plants with spikes and thorns, wear spectacles to protect eyes.  and also very extra care to pack them for throwing. wrap in news papers so that the garbage collector does not get hurt.
4) Check for buds, please do not trim stems with buds and growing flowers, yes we have to some times, just request the plant, thank it for the beautiful blooms and trim it. I did accidentally, still feeling sad, but it was accidental.
5) Check for plants with fine hairs and sticky oozing liquids. This makes the skin burn and also develop rashes, red patches.
6) I have trimmed them frequently during the rainy season months, to prevent over growth , this is necessary as leaving them off hand the plant loses nutrition and it affects its health, many huge plants in small containers also do not survive it they outgrow with overflowing roots.
7) Many plants like champa, Magnolia, that have very thick fleshy stem are really difficult to cut with scissors, we had a trying time, as I did not want to give much pain to the plant, but they can be bent by hand and cut off easily.
8) Most important choose sharp tools, scissors and knives for cutting to reduce and minimize pain to your plants.
9) talk to them and even after trimming to send love and healing so that they recover fast from the trauma of cutting wounds.
10) personal care, wash hands and take bath with antiseptic soaps after trimming garden plants. Apply generously moisturizers and antiseptic creams on cuts, bruises. Also do check for allergies in case you accidentally came in contact with ozone liquids from cut plants.Apply antiseptic creams and also take anti allergic medicines if required.
11) protect family, children and pets while you are at this trimming cutting task in garden care.
12) Pack and cover all cut plants , share if possible cuttings,each one makes into a new life! Neatly wrap them in paper and dispose them, or if you have a large yard let them dry and then burn them to make recycled fertilizer.
its every time an emotional time to see a bit barren smaller stems,after trimming and cutting,  but hoping and praying my precious ones , they grow healthy and happy again!

Crown of thorns cutting precautions and care

Meanwhile my obsession continues...Brahma Kamal plants on my window sill are taking well to less watering. they are looking happy with new growths on every plant.

Have to keep this in mind, 

new growth in Brahma Kamal plants

Take care for adding feedings, some leaves are burnt , I think the ready mix I tried for first time was a bit too strong for these little ones! some leaves are burnt.will have to give a through wash. Keeping my fingers crossed so that my Brahma Kamal plants, they grow healthy!

burnt leaves of Brahma kamal plants

Hope this helps! Do share your experiences and don't forget to connect with me on Face Book, the same name Group, Garden Care Simplified! All the Best and God Bless from Rizwana!

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