Tag: organic gardening

  • I Laughed When She Said “Plant It”—Then This Happened 🍍

    I Laughed When She Said “Plant It”—Then This Happened 🍍

    A neighbor handed me the top of a store-bought pineapple she’d cut off while slicing the fruit. Instead of tossing it, she thought I might want to plant it—just to see what happens.

    I literally laughed out loud. “Plant it? Really?” I bellowed.

    Two years later, the joke’s on me.

    Despite my ignorance and complete lack of nurturing, that pineapple top I stuck in a pot turned into a legitimate, fruit-bearing plant in my Florida garden. I think I fertilized it once, watered it now and then, and never weeded it. Basically, a felony case of plant neglect.

    Honestly, I forgot it even existed.

    The pot sat abandoned in a back corner of my garden—out of sight, out of mind. But then, while mulching in early spring, I noticed something unbelievable: a pup sprouting from the center of the plant.

    That got my attention.

    I kept an eye on it, hoping for a sweet payoff. And sure enough, it happened! That little pup turned into a full-blown pineapple. Once it ripened to a golden hue, I cut it free, sliced it up, and shared the sweet success with my family.

    So good. 😊

    Now, the freshly twisted top is sitting in water, starting the rooting process all over again. This time, I might pay more attention.

    Or maybe not.

    Why mess with success?

    Story Writer/Photographer: Steve Geiger, Mellow Wanderer Creator

  • Showers To Flowers: Welcome May!

    Showers To Flowers: Welcome May!

    The old adage—”April showers bring May flowers”—doesn’t quite apply here in Central Florida. I sweat more than the scant rain we receive all month. Yet, despite the dryness, my garden bursts with color and life. Wildflowers flaunt vibrant coats of red, purple, yellow, orange, and white. Caterpillars munch on milkweed, fattening up before transforming into Monarchs, Giant Swallowtails, and Gulf Fritillary butterflies.

    Cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, and the stunning painted buntings land on my bird feeders, fill their beaks, and take off more efficiently than commuter jets stacked on an airport runway. The visuals are stunning—far more attractive, though no less satisfying, than my rather bland-looking edibles.

    As the calendar flips to May, my tomatoes and cucumbers wind down. Their abundant organic goodness has delighted the appetites of my family and neighbors. There’s nothing like sharing goodness from the garden.

    I know my ebullient nature over my natural wonderland may not sit well with those of you dealing with spring frost, waiting—tick tock—to get your knuckles and fingernails dirty for planting season. If spring patience is a virtue, I have none. I’m well on my way, growing melons and beans for the summer season. Happy harvesting!

  • Goodness From Mother Earth

    Goodness From Mother Earth

    Spring brings abundant pickings in my backyard Florida gardens. I’ve got cucumbers, tomatoes, corn, spinach, lettuce, eggplant, and cauliflower flourishing. Everything was seeded back in January. There’s no greater feeling of accomplishment than growing your own food. I’m no expert, just an ordinary guy willing to get some soil under my fingernails.