Dragon Fruit

 

Days from Seed to Maturity: 5-7 years from seed to fruit. 1-3 years from propagated cuttings to fruit bearing stage.

Lifespan: Perennial. 20-30 yrs. 

Outdoor Planting Zones: 10-11

Pruning: Prune during summer. Clip away any dead or rotting areas of the plant.

Light: Full sun.

Soil: Well drained.

Indoor Planting: 

Water: Do not over water. Keep soil well drained.

Food: Feed with a basic Water Soluble All Purpose Plant Food, such as Miracle-Gro, that has a NPK of 24-8-6, or your favorite well balanced fertilizer. Fertilize indoor plants per the directions accompanying your fertilizer of choice. 

Potential Companions: More Dragon Fruit 

"Fruit trees should be planted in tandem (at least two together), and their best companions are alliums, tansy, comfrey and other nitrogen fixing plants, nasturtiums, marigold, marjoram, lemon balm, mustards, dandelions, daffodils, borage and other flowers." 
http://www.medicinegarden.co.za/about/companion-planting/fruit-companion-plants/ 

Do not plant with: Plants that require high moisture.

Additional information: Dragon fruit is a climbing plant and will require support. Dragon fruit will not continue to ripen after it is harvested, do not pick the fruit until it is ripe.

Additional Links and Resources:

https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/flowers-and-plants/fruit/grow-dragon-fruit-from-seed#:~:text=If%20dragon%20fruit%20has%20intrigued,two%20years%20to%20bear%20fruit.

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/long-dragon-fruit-bear-fruit-102059.html

https://www.bhg.com.au/growing-dragon-fruit

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/dragon-fruit

  

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Yeast

Wild Yeast Sourdough Starter Recipe:

Looking to buy bread at the grocery store, and seeing it was sold out at the time, I next moved on to looking for yeast. Thinking well I'll just make bread myself, and the yeast was sold out! After a few shopping trips at multiple stores I did indeed find yeast and eventually bread, but I was then inspired to start my own yeast to have on hand as well. An abundance of herbs and the cool spring weather fuelled the desire to bake as well.

What you need:

• Pineapple juice
• Flour
• Water
• Mason Jar 

How to:

1. Keeping at room temperature, Mix 2 tbsp of Pineapple Juice and 3 Tbsp Flour in a Mason Jar.
2. Stir the mixture 3 times in 24 hrs.
3. After 24hrs, add 3 Tbsp of Flour and 2 Tbsp of water.
4. Stir the mixture 3 times in 24 hrs.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for 5 days. Yeast should start forming after that, creating bubbling.

Ongoing Maintenance:

• Discard half, use in a recipe.
• If you plan on using a lot of yeast you can leave it at room temperature to grow faster while feeding it daily/or you may keep it in the fridge, feeding once weekly to make about enough for weekly use.
• ...And to Feed:
• After discarding half of the mixture, fill mixture amount back with equal amounts in weight of water and flour(2 parts water and 3 parts flour). Place the mixture in the fridge. 
• If your mixture starts to have an unpleasant smell or shows growth of mold, toss immediately and start again new.
• If your mixture accumulates access liquid, poor the excess liquid out and add more flour to feed it in the future.
• If you are going to substitute dry yeast in a recipe for your wild yeast sourdough starter: Substitute 1 cup of starter for a package of dry yeast, then subtract 1/2 a cup of water and 3/4 cup of flour from your recipe. 

All DIY projects shown on LittleLakeviewConservatory.com are purely "at your own risk". As with any DIY project, unfamiliarity with the tools and process can be dangerous. Posts should be construed as theoretical advice only. 

If you are at all uncomfortable or inexperienced working on these projects (especially but not limited to electronics and mechanical), please reconsider doing the job yourself. It is very possible on any DIY project to damage your cottage, void your property insurance, create a hazardous condition or harm or even kill yourself or others.

Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC will not be held responsible for any injury due to any featured DIY project.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Please feel free to contact us at LittleLakeviewConservatory@gmail.com be added to our email list or with any questions, requests and comments.

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Dehydrating

Preservation through Dehydration:

An easy way to help preserve fresh fruit, herbs and other foods is through dehydration. Making your perishables last a little longer. Dehydrated foods can last from 4 months to over a year!

There are many methods of dehydration:

• Sun Drying
• Air Drying
• Freeze Drying
• Open Coal Drying 
• Oven Drying
• Electric Food Drying (Which is how Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC usually dries our herbs, veggies and fruits).

What you will need:

• An electric dehydration machine. I use a Presto Dehydro Electric Food Dehydrator. 
• The Food Dehydrator you choose should come with instructions for how to best prep and process your dehydrations.
• Cutting Board
• Knifes
• Storage for you dehydrated Goods

How to:

• Read the directions for the dehydrating unit you have.
• Cut/Slice the items you intend to dehydrate according to the specifications of the machine you are using. 
• Place your food in the machine, turn on and wait!

 

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Maple Tree Tapping

Here in New Hampshire Mid February to Mid April, dependant on weather, is Maple Tree tapping season. Carrying out New Traditions today by using some of the Maple Trees located at Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC to collect Sap to turn into Syrup this weekend. 

What you need:

• A Maple Tree
• 12-20 inches in Diameter for one tap
• 21-27 inches in Diameter for two taps
• 28 inches in Diameter or wider for three taps
• Stainless Steel Maple Syrup Taps 
• Hammer
• Measuring Tape
• Drill with 5/16 Drill bit
• 5/16" ID 7/16" OD Clear Vinyl Tubing FDA Approved Food Grade Multipurpose Tube
• Food Grade 5 Gallon Bucket with Lid

How To:

Identify your Maple Tree(s). Measure the size of the Tree you intend to use to verify that it is an adequate size. With the Drill and 5/16 bit Drill a 1.5" hole straight into the tree. Using the Hammer, hammer the Maple Syrup Tap into the hole in the Maple Tree. Push the 5/16 tubing onto the tap to seal, Drill a hole into the lid of the 5 Gallon Bucket to fit the hose into. The lid should prevent anything falling into your sap while you are collecting it. 

You will need to collect 40 Gallons of Sap to boil down to 1 Gallon of Syrup. This is a weekend project here. After the buckets fill they will need to be slowly boiled down to evaporate the water and make the Syrup sweeter. We will follow up this Post with another showing how we made our Syrup.

...https://www.littlelakeviewconservatory.com/2020/02/making-maple-syrup.html 

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Pine Vinegar

Pine Vinegar

With all the things we use orange peels, lemon peels and lavender vs. all the cleaning that is to be done we have turned to other sustainable ingredients to make our cleaning vinegar. 

Foraging outside we picked up Pine to make a Pine variation of our favorite cleaner. 


https://www.littlelakeviewconservatory.com/p/orange-vinegar.html

Vinegar Cleaning Solution is great for all purpose cleaning. You should test it on the material you intend to clean first. Some varnishes may be taken off by these mixtures. You may add water as desired to dilute your solution to meet your cleaning needs. 

Here is a great link for vinegar cleaning uses: https://www.today.com/home/28-ways-use-vinegar-around-your-house-t72276

Ingredients:

Pine Needles (that may have dropped from your backyard trees).

White Vinegar

A jar to contain your mixture

How to:

Place Pine Needles in jar, fill with vinegar and seal for 3-6 weeks. To make the mixture faster, heat the vinegar before adding it in your jar. 

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All DIY projects shown on LittleLakeviewConservatory.com are purely "at your own risk". As with any DIY project, unfamiliarity with the tools and process can be dangerous. Posts should be construed as theoretical advice only. 

If you are at all uncomfortable or inexperienced working on these projects (expecially but not limited to electronics and mechanical), please reconsider doing the job yourself. It is very possible on any DIY project to damage your cottage, void your property insurance, create a hazardous condition or harm or even kill yourself or others.

Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC will not be held responsible for any injury due to any featured DIY project.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

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Sustainable Scraps

Sustainable Scraps

Some foods, such as celery, can be regrown from the produce you would normally toss. Instead of tossing our Celery scraps into our compost, we have decided to regrow our Celery. This is a great family project to do with kids or for anyone's own self sustaining household.

Celery from Scraps:

What you will need:

Celery Stalk Cutting
A Cup/or Dish
Water
Sunlight/Plant Light

A method for transplanting the Celery once it is restarted:

• Dirt indoors in a planter or outdoors in your garden.
• Hydroponic planting system
• Aquaponic planting system. 

How to:

Once you have finished using your Celery, you will be left with a cut Celery Stalk. 

Take the Celery Stalk Cutting and place in a Cup or Dish with water covering the bottom of the Celery and leaving the top exposed to air. Place the Cup or Dish in a window for sunlight or under a Plant light if you have one. 

Change the water out with fresh water daily. After about a week or two you should see some growth in roots in the water, and leaves appearing on top.

Once there is regrowth, you can transplant your Celery to Dirt in a planter or outside depending on the season in your area. Celery is a harder plant to grow outside.

We have gone with an indoor small Hydroponic System to replant our Starters. 

What we used:

• Organic Clay Pebbles for a Media
• A Net Cup Pot
• A 32 oz Wide Mouth Mason Jar
• A water soluble Fertilizer to feed our Celery.

 

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC was est. in 2019 to provide sustainable plants in NH and to share information to help people create self sustainability in their own homes.

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Soil Sanitizing:

When recycling used soil from old planters or elsewhere, it's a good idea to sanitize your soil to remove possible pathogens. However, once your soil is "Sanitized" it will actually be dirt. You may need to add amendments, microbes, to bring your soil situation back to a living growing environment again. 

What you will need:

A Large container for your Mixture

A garden trowel/hand shovel to mix with

Soil 

Baking dishes

An oven

How to:

Preheat oven to 200

Place dirt in 5 gallon bucket.

Mix with garden trowel/hand shovel. Take out any unwanted matter. 

Place dirt in baking dishes.

Place baking dishes in oven for at least a half hour. 

Remove dirt and let cool before mixing with soil enhancers.

  

All DIY projects shown on LittleLakeviewConservatory.com are purely "at your own risk". As with any DIY project, unfamiliarity with the tools and process can be dangerous. Posts should be construed as theoretical advice only. 

If you are at all uncomfortable or inexperienced working on these projects (especially but not limited to electronics and mechanical), please reconsider doing the job yourself. It is very possible on any DIY project to damage your cottage, void your property insurance, create a hazardous condition or harm or even kill yourself or others.

Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC will not be held responsible for any injury due to any featured DIY project.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Additional resources:

https://www.almanac.com/organic-soil-amendments-explained

https://cedarcirclefarm.org/tips/entry/the-living-soil-microorganisms

Choose a large container to mix your sanitized dirt with amendments, bringing it back to healthy Soil again.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC was est. in 2019 to provide sustainable plants in NH and to share information to help people create self sustainability in their own homes.

Please feel free to contact us at LittleLakeviewConservatory@gmail.com be added to our email list or with any questions, requests and comments.

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Fertilizer

Fertilizer:

Plant Food:

Just like Humans, Plants need water and nutrients to live and grow.

Plant fertilizers are labeled in a NPK format. N=Nitrogen, P=Phosphorus and K=Potassium/Potash(Plant Ashes).

http://www.ncagr.gov/cyber/kidswrld/plant/label.htm is a great link for better understanding the fertilizer label. They also have other educational links for Children and Families. Information explaining plant nutrients: http://www.ncagr.gov/cyber/kidswrld/plant/nutrient.htm

The ratio or Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium in a mixture of fertilizer will serve different plants differently. Below is a chart explaining the three and their roles in plant growth, with information from Better Homes and Gardens: https://www.bhg.com/gardening/yard/garden-care/what-do-nitrogen-phosphorus-and-potassium-do/

There are many different types of Fertilizers that can be applied in different ways. Finding the right fertilizer depends on how you are caring for your plants, the envioronment in which they are stored and which type of plants you are fertilizing.

Types of Fertilizer:

• Straight
• Mixed
• Complete 
• Incomplete
• Organic
• Inorganic
• Soluable
• Nonsoluable

Some plants, such as Air plants, don't have roots in soil. They would get their nutrients best through misting a liquid fertilizer on them, or when they are scheduley soaked. Plants that are able to be grown in Hydroponic Gardens will need a fertilizer that is water soluble. An Aquaponic Garden should fertilize itself. If you're growing in an indoor garden or with houseplants, most likely you won't want a harsh smell associated with your home. Each plant has its own needs for best fertilizing them. Always research the needs for a plant's care based on the type of plant and where you are growing it.

This link has a reference chart with a list of Organic Fertilizers and their average NPK ratios:
https://www.americantreeinc.com/healthy-soil-healthy-plants/ 

  

Where Plant care meets Selfcare:

Some teas that do double duty for human and plant care:

Black Tea:

Black Tea is high in Potassium and Phosphorus.

Green Tea:

Green Tea has Nitrogen in it, and is less acidic than Black Tea. Different Plants require more or less acidity to thrive best. 

Chamomile Tea:

Seasonally we use our own Chamomile, grown here at Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC. Chamomile Teas can be used as a calcium fertilizer. 

This link has a recipe for Chamomile Fertilizer:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/calcium-fertilizer.htm

Banana Peel Tea:

A fantastic Potassium source can be found in Banana Peel Tea. Whether made for a fertilizer source or for drinking yourself, Banana Peel Tea is easy to make. It is a great way to reuse your discarded fruit peel.

Banana Peel Tea Recipe: https://www.littlelakeviewconservatory.com/2019/12/banana-peel-tea.html

Always use plain, cooled, unsweetened tea for plants.

Always check with your Doctor or Medical Professional to best serve your own dietary needs.

All DIY projects shown on LittleLakeviewConservatory.com are purely "at your own risk". As with any DIY project, unfamiliarity with the tools and process can be dangerous. Posts should be construed as theoretical advice only. 

If you are at all uncomfortable or inexperienced working on these projects (especially but not limited to electronics and mechanical), please reconsider doing the job yourself. It is very possible on any DIY project to damage your cottage, void your property insurance, create a hazardous condition or harm or even kill yourself or others.

Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC will not be held responsible for any injury due to any featured DIY project.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC was est. in 2019 to provide sustainable plants in NH and to share information to help people create self sustainability in their own homes.

Please feel free to contact us at LittleLakeviewConservatory@gmail.com be added to our email list or with any questions, requests and comments.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC * Grow a little!

Homemade Herb​al Tea

Homemade Herbal Tea:

Making your own Herbal Tea from Scratch. 

Some Methods for Making Hot Tea:

• Microwave Hot Water in a Microwave Safe Mug.
• Brew Hot Water on the Stove in a Tea Kettle. 
• An Electric Tea Maker.

We used a Tea Kettle to Brew Hot Water here on the Stovetop.

Some Ingredients you can use:

• Fresh or Dried Herbs -Mint, Lavender, Chamomile, Echinacea, Lemon Balm, Rose, Rose Hips.
• Fresh Fruit
• Banana Peels
• Fresh Ginger
• Dried Spices
• Other Beverages, Honey or Flavors can be added to taste.

Here's helpful and informative links we found:
https://www.marthastewart.com/1512086/make-your-own-herbal-tea-blends-what-need-know

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-herbal-teas

Whichever method for water and ingredients chosen, next you will need to steep your ingredients in the hot water to taste. Be careful, hot tea is hot.

We used our own Mint grown here at Little Lakeview Conservatory, Oranges from the our fridge and Spices -Cinnamon, Anise, Whole Cardamom, Whole Cloves, Whole Nutmeg and Dried Orange Peels. Discover your favorite recipe and share with others for gifts or get togethers!

We used one of our all time favorite gifts, a Green Remi Glass Tea Mug with a stainless steel infuser by Teavana. It's been a cherished kitchen item here and would make a great gift for anyone, perhaps with some of your own homemade tea. Here are some amazon links for these and similar products:

   

Another gift idea for sharing your favorite Tea Mixture are Drawstring loose-leaf disposable Tea Bags. And whether for a gift or just for yourself, this Long Handled Heart Shaped Tea Infuser is adorable. 

As an Amazon Associate, Little Lakeview Conservatory LLC earns from qualifying purchases. Since we love Amazon, enrolling in this program was an easy choice.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC was est. in 2019 to provide sustainable plants in NH and to share information to help people create self sustainability in their own homes.

Please feel free to contact us at LittleLakeviewConservatory@gmail.com be added to our email list or with any questions, requests and comments.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC * Grow a little!

Self-Sufficient

"Self-sufficiency is the greatest of all wealth" Epicurus.

Self-sufficiency, the ability to take care of oneself, is an all encompassing ideal. Sustainable Living isn't an impossible goal. Life skills are skills we have acquired, whether through formal education or life experience, that enable us to effectively handle issues and the problems that we encounter in daily life. Applying learned life skills to how we function can help us become more self-sufficient.

Self-sufficiency, like self care, is relative to the individual and circumstances. Time, Energy, Costs, Available Resources, Geographical Circumstances, Weather and Knowledge are all factors that affect how we are able to function in our environment. Learning, Adapting, Persisting and Growing are choices that can help achieve a more self-sufficient lifestyle. Do the best you can. As Maya Angelou said...

"Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better do better." Maya Angelou.

Why take steps to a more Self-sustainable lifestyle?

• Money
• Self empowerment
• Food Security
• Improved nutrition
• Becoming more in touch with nature
• A better understanding and respect for our resources
• Positive affect on the environment, positive affect on climate change.
• Independance
• Sense of control

Some Steps to take to become more self-reliant: 

• Start growing. Grow herbs in the kitchen, indoor house plants, and/or adding new plants to your yard.
• Make the most of what you have. Choose plants that grow best in the environment that you are able to provide them. 
• Get creative. Try new ways to grow. Vertical Hydroponic gardens are an easy way to grow more in a smaller space, and faster. Upcycling your recycling into planters or finding fun new ideas from sources such as https://www.pinterest.com/.
• Immerse yourself in your community. Find the community gardens and farm shares in your area. Many cities have community gardens and farm shares because many people that live in larger cities have less space available to garden. 
• Talk, talk, talk. Check out your local farmers markets. Ask local farmers for tips from their experience with gardening in your area. http://nfmd.org 
  
• Collect rain water (if it's legal in your area) and/or look into a grey water system. https://greywateraction.org/greywater-reuse/
• Raise your own Chickens. Chickens provide eggs and eat insects like ticks.
• Forage. Foraging for local resources is a great way to save money and better learn about your surroundings. 
• Learn to fish or hunt. And how to clean, store and prepare your catches.
• Raise meat rabbits or dairy animals. Goat milk is naturally homogenized.
• Tan your hides. Waste not want not. Make the most of what you caught hunting or even raised yourself. 
• Hang your clothes to dry when possible. Save money and energy.
• Learn how to mend or make your own clothing or blankets. Learn to sew, quilt, knit and/or crochet.  
• Make your own cleaners. Placing your orange peels in a jar with vinegar for two weeks makes a powerful cleaner. There are endless recipes online to make a variety of cleaners that are natural, non-toxic and sometimes upcycling from what would've been tossed out, like orange peels.
• Beekeeping. Raise your own Bees.
• Learn to make candles and start a fire.
• Learn how to preserve your food. Research food preservation and choose the best methods to accomodate your lifestyle. 
• Learn how to ferment food. Try new recipes you find for items that you already have.
• Research the uses for plants or products you have.
• Tap your trees. Identify and tap your maple trees if you have them.
• Do what you do, better. Make small changes to your own routines, without changing what you love doing.

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Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC was est. in 2019 to provide sustainable plants in NH and to share information to help people create self sustainability in their own homes.

Please feel free to contact us at LittleLakeviewConservatory@gmail.com be added to our email list or with any questions, requests and comments.

Little Lakeview Conservatory, LLC * Grow a little!