Reviewing The Growing And Care Of Dracaena As A Houseplant

Dracena House Plant

I rescued two lovely Dracaena houseplants recently. It was a spur of the moment decision, I had gone into the shop for compost!! Anyone who knows me will understand that I cannot resist a beautiful plant let alone two sitting unloved on a shelf. They were a quarter of the original price so an extremely good bargain, as long as I can keep them alive.

I do like to buy or rescue outdoor plants this way as bargains and bringing back to life the unloved and unwanted, but I have never bought a houseplant in need of rescue. Houseplants can be a little harder to restore to full health once they have been very neglected, but I wanted to give it a go. 

So this Dracaena is a stunning-looking plant. Both were sadly completely dried out and shrinking from their pots which is not good. So the first thing I did was to put the pots into a bowl of water and allow the plant to drink what it wanted for an hour. This way I did not overwhelm it with water but it could quench its undoubted thirst.

Next was to give it the very best of treatment. This means the correct position in the house, the food, water and environment it needs. It also means the correct soil, but on this, I am waiting as it is always stressful for a plant to be repotted and they had enough stress so far. So I will repot in a month or so when they are more settled.

Dracaena House Plant In Kitchen

The Name Dracaena

This plant is named Dracaena which means female dragon in ancient greek. Apparently, the red stems that are found in many of these houseplants are like the colour of dragons blood! Sometimes it is also referred to as the Dragon Plant which I like.

Dracaena Are Good For Us! 

The Dragon plant is also a great air purifier and therefore very good to have in our homes. It is a lovely thing to have a plant that is beautiful in our homes and this one is stunning especially as it grows tall, but quite another when it benefits us directly. 

Our homes are surprisingly full of toxins and pollutants from our furniture, paint, materials for building, clothing and cleaning chemicals we use every day.

If we can help to offset at least some of this pollution with beautiful houseplants we are doing our health good. Dracaena is one of the most effective plants for air purification and so deserves a place in every home.  

Generally, for the majority of people this plant is safe to be around. For most people, this plants leaves are not toxic if touched and handled, but clearly as with any houseplant avoid anyone eating them. If anyone has especially sensitive skin or allergies to plants then direct contact with the plant is best avoided.  

Dracaena Is Toxic If Eaten By Pets

It must be noted that beautiful as it is, Dracaena is toxic if our pets eat it. It is the chemical in the plant, saponin that causes the issue. This will result in vomiting and diarrhea and if that occurs get your pet to a vet immediately for treatment. 

If you have pets it is wise to keep this houseplant out of their reach. 

Dracaena House Plant In Bathroom With Filtered Light

Where to Position Dracaena

Dracaena comes from the floor level of tropical rainforests and arid deserts. I know mine came from Costa Rica. Dracaena like humidity so unlike the houseplants I have reviewed previously this one loves being in a bathroom or kitchen.

This is great news as I love houseplants in these rooms. To keep them happy and in good condition, they appreciate regular misting of the leaves and a humid environment so placing them on a dish of pebbles topped up with water is also helpful.

The dragon plant likes to keep warm so heat of about 15 to 20 degrees celsius is good, but it hates direct bright light so after some thought I have positioned one in the bathroom window that is south facing but the window is opaque so it filters the suns rays very well which is just what this plant requires, filtered sunlight.

This plant is currently quite small but it will grow much taller which is not a problem here as the window is quite tall as well. The taller one is in the kitchen again by a window this time east facing but quite sheltered from the sun by the foliage in the garden. So I will see if it likes it there.

Leaves Of Dracaena House Plant 

Water And Food Requirements For Dracaena

The soil must always be moist for this houseplant but it does not like to sit in soggy wet conditions. The best soil is free draining so compost mixed with perlite would be a good combination. It allows for generous watering but permits good drainage to let excess water through. Always make sure there is an inch or to at the top of the pot to allow for easy watering. 

Once watered, allow the plant to drain through before you site back in its outer container. I would recommend having the plant in a plastic or terracotta pot then putting that pot inside a slightly larger decorative pot. That way you can water thoroughly but allow it all to drain off before repositioning.

If the leaves go yellow and droop then it has been overwatered and we must cut down on the watering and ideally repot into fresh compost to give it the best chance of recovery.

My two both need repotting and then placing into proper decorative pots but that will wait until they have settled down.

Feeding is quite important and a task we need to do every fortnight during spring and summer, reducing to once a month in autumn/fall and no feeding is necessary during winter. You can buy Dracaena feed or any usual houseplant fertilizer is fine.

Pruning Dracaena

It is not necessary to do any pruning of this houseplant. The only reason I can see to prune is if it grows too tall for the space. It grows in an upright habit so actually occupies only a small space on any surface. 

However, if you need to prune the canes or stems to reduce the height you can simply cut them with secateurs like these Wolf By Pass Garden Secateurs and then in time new growth will shoot from the pruning cut.

I am going to allow these two to grow pretty tall as I think they look especially stunning as a huge plant and I love having them in our home.

Dracaena House Plant 

So in summary Dracaena is a stunning plant that takes up little room on a surface, but can grow quite tall. It is beautiful and requires filtered sunlight, warmth and steady watering and feeding.

Do be careful where you place it if you have pets as it is toxic to them. Keep it out of the way of any person who is especially sensitive or allergic to plants. 

It is a very easy care plant overall and has air purification qualities to help us be more healthy in our homes. Overall a very deserving plant and one I am glad I rescued.

 

 

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Reviewing Vera: A British TV Drama

I must admit I love British murder mysteries and Vera is definitely one I enjoy a lot, let me tell you a little bit about it.

Press Release photo (itv.om) adapted by Louanne Cox using Canva

DCI Vera Stanhope is a middle-aged, blunt-talking woman with a brusque attitude who gets things done.   Donning a trench coat, tatty hat and driving her (very old) landrover around the wonderful landscape of Northumberland she hasn't been portrayed as a sex symbol and there's no love interest in the cast.   Basically, her team feels like 'real' people which means you can concentrate on the crime at hand and trying to solve it .... along with the panoramic shots of the area (British tourism must appreciate this series).

I love her down-to-earth mannerisms, her use of the words love and pet just really consolidates her character.   She gets frustrated with her team on occasion, but you can tell they have respect for her and the unit is very cohesive.

I haven't watched Vera from the beginning, I stumbled across it one evening as it was about to start so watched it, then I found another episode a few weeks later.   It was a few seasons in before I started to watch every episode, I have since watched older episodes so I think I'm completely up to date now and eagerly awaiting Season 11 to be aired.

I mention this because you could easily watch just an odd episode and enjoy it without needing to start from the beginning.   In fact, some critics have panned the first series (even though it continually ranks well in the countries it's shown) so maybe it was good that I saw a couple of later episodes first.

If you are like me and get invested in characters you will get a shock in one of the episodes in season 6 (I won't ruin it by telling you which one) as something happens which almost made me cry.   For the record, I rarely cry over television shows or movies.

If you have heard of the novelist Ann Cleaves you may have heard of Vera as this drama series has been based on her novels: Hidden Depths, Telling Tales, The Crow Trap and Silent Voices. 

If you want to watch Vera you can see her for free on the ITV in the UK and ABC in Australia, you can also watch her on Prime Video in other parts of the world or purchase her DVDs.   Each series has four episodes in them, but according to the latest information Series 11 which is being filmed as I write this should be having 6 episodes, two being filmed in 2021 and four in 2022.

If you enjoy series such as Broadchurch, The Stranger, Endeavour or Shetland (also written by Ann Cleaves) then you should really check out this series.

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Mini Increment Measuring Spoons for Tad, Dash, Pinch, Smidgen & Drop

When I first started cooking and saw the words pinch or a dash in a recipe, or had verbal instructions to add a pinch of salt to something, I was confused by those words.  Exactly, what is a "pinch" of salt or a "dash" of cinnamon?  

Because I tend to take things literally, I would pinch the salt and drop it into the bowl or grab a shaker and dash the ingredient into the mix.  But, it still bothered me that I didn't know exactly how much to add.

This past Christmas, my sister-in-law gave me a set of mini increment measuring spoons.  I love them!  Now I know how much a pinch of salt is (1/16 tsp) and I have a measuring spoon in that tiny increment. How awesome is that!!!

I prefer to take the mystery out of a recipe so I can duplicate a cooking creation that is perfected.

Also, I love having measuring spoons that are in such tiny increments.  After all, it is pretty hard to measure out 1/16 of a teaspoon!  

Tiny Increment Measuring Spoons

 BERYLER® Measuring Spoons SetCheck PriceThese measuring spoons take the guesswork out of those not so well defined measurements in recipes.  

• Drop - 1/64 teaspoon
• Smidgen - 1/32 teaspoon
• Pinch - 1/16 teaspoon
• Dash - 1/8 teaspoon
• Tad - 1/4 teaspoon

I never would have guessed that a drop is only 1/64 teaspoon!  Plus, I never would have been able to accurately measure it.  I would have previously thought a smidgen and a pinch were the same thing.  Clearly, I would have been wrong.

These measuring spoons have the words and the measurement engraved in the stainless steel, which means they won't have the measurement plate knocked off. 

My mini increment measuring spoons are dishwasher safe and come with a ring to keep them together in my kitchen drawer.  I also like the brushed stainless steel appearance. It just looks clean and rugged by design. No need to worry that they could be melted when cooking or cleaning. Plus, I don't have to worry about them picking up smells with years of use.

For those of you who enjoy cooking, I highly recommend these must-have kitchen utensils. Why guess when you can know for sure!

Oh, and they make a great gift!

 Measuring Spoons Set, Heavy Duty Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons, Mini Measuring Spoon for Cooking Baking, Tablespoon Teaspoon for Dry or Liquid Ingredients, Fits in Spice Jar,set of 5Check Price

 

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Mini Increment Measuring Spoons for Tad, Dash, Pinch, Smidgen & Drop Reviewed by:

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Beneath Devils Bridge by Loreth Anne White-A Book Review

 

A Book Review

Beneath Devils Bridge is a compelling mystery that had my attention from page one.  In this story the author weaves a tale about a ambitious podcaster, Trinity  Scott, who is interviewing a condemned murderer. She wants to tell the story of a 24 year old murder of a 14  year old girl in a small town in British Columbia.  The  story flips between the present day story of the podcaster and her quest for the truth and the crime that took place 24 years in the past.  The murderer Clayton Jay Pelley confessed to the crime and is now serving a life sentence, but is that all there is to the story.  When Trinity starts to dig into the past the members of the small town community are not anxious to help her uncover what really happened.

Characters

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book is the way the author developed the characters as the story progressed.  Here is a short synopsis of some of the main characters.

 Trinity Scott

 Trinity is an interesting character.  She is a podcaster who is very ambitious.  She researches cold cases and features them  on her podcasts.  At first glance you feel that her interest in this case is purely to have a great podcast.  But is that completely true or does she have some ulterior motive?

Leena Rai

Leena Rae is the murder victim in this mystery.  She is a fourteen year old girl who wants very much to belong, but she is very plain, shy and awkward.  She is often bullied and made fun of by others in her class.  On a cold November night she is brutally murdered on her way home from a "secret" bonfire in the small town of Twin Falls.  The circumstances of her murder are covered up by the people in the village till podcaster Trinity Scott brings up the case 24 years later.

Rachel Walczak

Rachel is the lead detective on the case and also the mother of one of Leena's classmates.  When she and the other detective start interviewing the students after the murder they both feel something is being hidden from them, but when a teacher confesses the case is quickly closed.

My Thoughts on the Book

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I like the way it was written giving both Trinity's and Rachel's perspective.  The book really pulls you in and has several twist and turns that I did  not anticipate.  It also has a lesson to be learned on what happens when bullying becomes the norm and a small town sticks together to hide the truth.

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There are Big Celebrations Coming our Way - Show Your National Pride!

Whether you live in Canada or the USA, July is a month for Celebrating! 

Celebration Products Reviewed!

July 1st is Canada Day followed very closely by July 4th Independence Day in the USA!

Those are two big holidays that just happen to fall in a great place this year.  Thursday July 1st and Sunday July 4th make it quite possible if you live close to the border, to enjoy each other and our holidays together.

After all the close downs, it will be nice to be able to travel even if its just down the road a ways.   I'm looking forward to that as a possibility!

Now whether or not that happens, don't let the holiday pass without getting some enjoyment from it all.

I love putting out my flag a week to two weeks before our holiday and then I leave it in place for the whole month.  Many Americans have their flags waving all year round, so it's a great time to make sure your flag is in tip top condition!  There is nothing sadder to me than seeing a tattered and tired flag.  There is no excuse!  Take a good look at it now and if it needs replacing then do the right thing and replace it!  Everyone will appreciate seeing a new flag flying. 

What I love even more than seeing a flag flying in the breeze during these holidays, is people getting their community spirit up by the wearing of "flag" inspired clothing!  Yes I love seeing the tee shirts and shorts, bathing suits and fitness gear all decked out in colors that represent your favorite place on earth!  After all this is the place you call home.

Cents of Style does a great job with T-shirts that reflect that patriotic notion.  And they do it in a great size range too!  

 T-shirts are a summer standard and everyone knows you can never have too many!  Are you getting the whole family together?  Can you just imagine the photo opportunities with everyone decked out in their finest deeply patriotic T's?

My bet is that everyone will be taking a picture of the whole bunch of you enjoying yourselves to the fullest.  Isn't that what these holidays are all about?

Now I'm sure that there will be food involved in all this celebration with family and friends, but did you know it's real easy to make something spectacular for everyone without breaking the proverbial bank?

Food and Family go together like a hand in a glove.  So be prepared ahead of time by getting some ice cream sandwiches (you know the ones with the chocolate cookies on the outside and vanilla ice cream in between).  Dip the outside edges of the ice cream with red and blue sprinkles to give them that holiday feeling.  Or dip pretzels sticks or ties into white chocolate and sprinkle them with red and blue to give them that Holiday feel!  Easy to do and can be done days ahead of time too.

                                                                       Linked Photo & Directions on craftcreatecook.com

Can you tell that I'm looking forward to this special time?  I enjoy the holidays, especially after the last couple of years when many festivities needed to be curtailed.  It's time to stretch out our wings and fly with the flags that are waving their hellos to the world.  Won't you come and join in the fun?

To all my friends Canadian and American who are celebrating these wonderful holidays,  May I wish you all the best from the bottom of my heart and my hopes that our tomorrows will always be brighter!

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