Plant Choices
Antonio Robles
Aloe Vera- Aloe Vera is a succulent and is drought resistance, and will be able to stand on its own without care for the times we can’t go out to the garden. It will make regular maintence easier on me because it is level of maintence. Because they are drought resistant they will not require a lot of water which will spare the garden water usage and money. It is a succulent. It grows year round; it can last in the summer with dry arid weather and can last until whenever it gets water. You can grow the plant by trimming off a smaller stem from an adult plant and planting it in the ground. It requires no special preparation. Germination ranges from 30 to 180 days depending on conditions. Should use about 5 feet of space when it gets older its roots go deep so it’s best to prevent too much contact with other plants. As for the soil it can survive acidic soil and neutral soil but it is good to stay away from basic soil because it can be harmed when it begins to hit that type of pH. For N-P-K rations it should 5:5:5. It will grow well with other small plants, because even though it will not consume a lot of water, it can grow to be large so it is best to have plants around it that do not consume as much space. Aloe Vera can be used a medicinal treatment for rashes and burns. Its insides collect moisture and that is what has medicinal properties.
Crescendo Tea Rose – The Crescendo rose is a good choice in my mind because not only is it decorative but it also serves practical purposes. I think it would contribute well to the garden because it would add some color to it, as I noticed it lacked some because most of the material was green. It is a hybrid flower and will survive in San Diego especially since we are getting in to the warmer part of the year which is when it grows at its best. It is however, a somewhat high maintenance plant. It comes in seed form and does not require any special treatment prior to planting. It is a bush so it does require quite some space for it to grow. It needs moist soil and is I better health the closer the soil is to a neutral pH level. Drip irrigation works better for this plant because small doses over a period of time would be far more effective than a single watering on a regular basis. It can’t really be with too many other plants because it is a bush and takes up a lot of space. The leaves can be used to make a spicy-bitter tea that does not have too many great properties, it is however said to have a very good taste.
Cucumbers are a vegetable that grow best in the summer and spring, at least in San Diego because those are the times in which it begins to heat up again. So it should do just fine, however before planting the soil needs to be really fertilized and enriched, so it will require more help in its earlier stages. Germination should take around 30-50 days, and can be picked from usually after 70 days. It should be spaced away about a yard from other plants and should be planted 5-6 seeds at a time. It would be a good plant to have in the garden because once germinated it grows pretty quickly, so once established it shouldn’t require too much maintence. As for watering the plant, drip irrigation will work best because of its need to be in a semi-moist environment on a regular basis. It will require slightly acidic soil, otherwise the leaves on the plant may begin to curl and wither away.
