Southern Post Journal

Houston… We Have Olives!

by Jacqueline D'Elia on August 31, 2010 · 4 comments

The Pendolino olive tree (Italian variety) that is on my driveway is filled with olives. It stands about 12 feet tall and is in a large clay pot (about 36 inch diameter). This week I noticed that some of the olives are beginning to darken.

So I headed over the my favorite website about olives Sandy Oaks Olive Orchard located in Elmendorf Texas (near San Antonio). It seems my type of tree is best suited for oil production vs table olives (I did not know that when I purchased the tree). I bought this tree from Thompson + Hanson in Houston in a 15 gallon pot about 2 years ago.

Olives can not be eaten until cured. This helpful site provides instructions on several ways to cure olives. I am going to do a little more research to find out which method would be best for the variety I have.

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Photos from the Garden This Month

August 23, 2010

I‘ve taken a break from blogging this month to catch up on a few projects at work. With the relentless heat I’ve found it best to spend time working on my website designs. Southern Post blog has a new look but it is not completed yet. I’ve got a few more enhancements to make. Hope [...]

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Basic of Making Compost Video for Beginners

July 26, 2010

There are a lot videos about making compost. This one is good one for beginners that want to understand the basics of making compost at home. If you’ve been hesitant about starting a compost pile, this method is a simple and affordable way to recycle your yard waste and food scraps into rich organic compost. [...]

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Beneficial Anole Lizard Shows It’s True Colors… But Which?

July 21, 2010

The Green anole lizard (Anolis carolinensis) is very common in the Gulf Coast area and it’s continued presence in the garden is a sign you are NOT using harmful pesticides. What a wonderful balanced world your garden becomes once you free it from poisons. Anoles are also referred to as chameleons because they can change color [...]

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Garden Insectary Lures More Than Beneficial Insects

July 10, 2010

Garden insectaries lure more than beneficial insects, they lure photographers. It is a literal smorgasbord for the senses. I couldn’t help but stop by this informal insectary in my neighborhood. While I may be an Aggie, I love orange. I really do. A spray of gorgeous orange flowers caught my eye last week as I [...]

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Photographing Butterflies Can Be Challenging

July 6, 2010

For two days I’ve tried to capture a decent photo this Swallowtail in my garden. It fluttered around the lemon and orange trees in a frenzy. It just wouldn’t stop long enough for me to get a shot. I thought surely it would stop and rest for a moment to allow me to snap a [...]

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Permaculture Garden Diva Shares Her Secrets

June 11, 2010

During the Urban Harvest Organic Vegetable Series course this past spring, I had the opportunity to meet Diana Liga, a horticulturist and permaculture designer. She was an instructor for one of the classes in the course and I was so impressed by her lecture, I followed up with her to schedule a visit to her [...]

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Crinum Mrs. James Hendry is an Outstanding Summer Bloomer

May 27, 2010

This week, on the edge of my driveway, in a reused plastic 5 gallon pot a delightful surprise appeared. A Mrs. James Hendry crinum bloomed. I had forgotten which variety it was. Sometimes I neglect to mark things I plant in pots. My good friend, Chris Wiesinger of Southern Bulb Co., gave me this bulb [...]

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Urban Harvest Garden Tour Part II – Dr. Bob Randall

May 25, 2010

Our Urban Harvest garden tour continues at the home of Dr. Bob Randall, Urban Harvest founder. He has been living at his home for 30 years. When I opened the car door, I saw this galvanized cistern on the street side of the house. It was large… about 8 feet tall. I had no idea that there was [...]

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