Lia's Fruit and Veggie Cakes

Sinful? Nope. Lia's Cakes are basically baked and produced from fruits and vegetables. Selections include Avocado, Kalamansi (Lemon), Carrot, Ube, and Strawberry cakes among so many others. Surprisingly, these cakes are deliciously fused to feature the natural taste of their ingredients and just enough sweetness for the sweet tooth.

Lia's Cakes is situated along the Food Strip of Kapitolyo in Pasig City, parallel to Shaw Boulevard.

Seasonal Planting Calendar

Thank you to the original author of this seasonal planting calendar. I'm  sharing it now:

January

Plant bare root roses, trees, berries, and vegetables

Plant flowers: California Poppies, Daisy, Delphinium, Hollyhock, Snapdragon, Stock,

English Daisy, Candytuft, Columbine, Wildflowers, Alyssum, Primrose, Pansy, Sweet

Peas, Cineraria, Iceland Poppies, Viola

Plant vegetables (beets, carrots, chard, onions, lettuce, radish, spinach, cabbage, parsley,

cauliflower and leeks

February

Begin ordering Daylilies and Dahlias

Cut back and divide some perennials: Daylilies, Erigeron, Stachys, Iris, Nepeta,

Geranium, Lamium, Ajuga, Alstroemeria, Agapanthus, and most ground covers

Plant annuals (Alyssum, Bacopa, Petunias, Nemesia, Snapdragon, Hollyhock, Candytuft,

Felicia, Ranunculus, Petunias, Marguerite Daisy, Cobbity Daisy, Euryops).

Plant bulbs (Lilies, Calla Lily, Canna, Dahlias, Gladiolus, Tuberous Begonias).

Plant Camilleas and Azaleas, Fuchsia baskets, flowering shrubs (Lilac, Mock Orange,

India Hawthorne and Viburnum), bare root Roses, trees, and berries.

Plant vegetables (chard, carrots, beets, cauliflower, cabbage, spinach, radish, onions,

parsley, lettuce, leeks and peppers).

Plant spring blooming perennials (Alstroemeria, Coral Bells, Dianthus, Diascia,

Foxglove, Violets, Brunnera, Campanula, Catmint, Scabiosa, Marguerites, Poppy,

evergreen Candytuft, Linaria purpurea, Columbine, Dicentra, Delphinium, Bergenia).

Plant vines Vines: Hardenbergia voilacea ‘Happy Wanderer’, or ‘Rosea’, Jasminum

polyanthum, Clytostoma callistegioides (Lavender Trumpet Vine) Carolina Jessamine

(Gelsemium sempervirens),

March

Plant low water ground covers as an alternative to lawns: Try ‘Huntingon Carpet’

Rosemary, Kinnikinnick (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi ‘Wood’s Compact’), several cultivars

of Lantana (L. montevidens) and a variety of Juniper, including (J. conferta, ‘Blue

Pacific’, ‘Emerald Sea’, J. communis ‘Mondap’, and J. horizontalis ‘Monber’.

April

Annuals: plant or sow seeds of Ageratum, Lobelia, Marigold, Petunia, Phlox, Verbena,

Sweet Alyssum, Zinnia, Impatiens, Globe Amaranth, Portulaca, Stachys and Sunflower.

Plant bare root deciduous plants, flowering vines, fruit trees, Roses, Tomatoes and

Strawberries, culinary and medicinal herbs, Calendulas, Dianthus, Forget-me-Not,

Pansies, Cosmos, Impatiens, Marigolds, Petunias, Sunflowers and Zinnias.

Plant frost tender plants such as Bougainvillea, Citrus, Geraniums, Hibiscus, Tecomaria,

Tibouchina, Grewia, Limonium, and Datura.

Plant low maintenance perennials: Armeria, Catmint, Coreopsis, Gaillardia, Erigeron,

Heuchera, Penstemon, Rudbeckia, Yarrow, Sedum, Delphinium, Echinops, Guara,

Verbena, Scabiosa, Diascia, Heuchera, Scaveola and Dianthus.

Brighten shady spots with colorful plantings of Astilbe, Begonia, Bergenia, Chinese

Foxglove, Impatiens, Lady’s Mantle, Lamium, Cineraria, Coleus, Columbine, Coral Bells,

Campanula, Brunnera, Cranesbill and Geranium.

May

Plant a cutting garden of Alstroemeria, Lavender, Limonium perezii, Purple Coneflower,

Shasta Daisy, Yarrow, Scabiosa, Mexican Sunflower, Gloriosa Daisy, Coreopsis and

Gaillardia.

Plant Camellias and Rhododendrons, and Canna.

Plant vegetables (Cucumber, Eggplant, Peppers, Tomatoes and Squash including

Pumpkins).

Plant watermelon

Plant Japanese Maples

Sow seeds of bush and pole beans, corn, summer annuals and vegetables

  

June

Plant Artemisia, Dusty Miller, Saliva, Begonias, Gladiola and Dahlias.

Plant Citrus

Plant herbs

Plant warm season crops (beans, cucumbers, peppers, squash, tomatoes, etc.

Plant low maintenance, low water shrubs: Tree Mallow, New Zealand Flax hybrids,

Lavender, Plumbago, Rockrose, Russian Sage, Cape Mallow, Euphorbia, Ceanothus,

Jerusalem Sage.

Plant summer bloomers: Globe Amaranth, Vinca, Scarlet Sage, Zinnias, Sunflower,

Portulaca and Verbena.

Plant annuals and perennials favorites, Coreopsis, Gentian Sage, Gaillardia, Penstemon,

Verbena ‘Homestead Purple’, Rudbeckia, Statice, Salvia, Summer Phlox, Mealy cup and

Russian Sage.

July

Plant fall vegetables (beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, green onion, spinach, peas,

winter squash, bush beans, turnips).

Plant gopher resistant plants (Plum, Japanese Maple ‘Senkaki’ and ‘Koshimino’, Lemon,

Pomegranate, Bottlebrush, Breath of Heaven, Borage, Butterfly Bush, Ceanothus,

Escallonia, Grevillea, Euonymus japonica, Fuchsia, Heavenly Bamboo, Hydrangea,

India hawthorn, Lavender, Rose, Lily, Foxglove, Salvia, Rosemary, Strawberry Tree,

Catnip, Coral Bells, Ferns, Lantana, Oleander, Penstemon, Shasta Daisy, Fortnight Lily,

Fibrous Begonia, Agapanthus and Vinca).

August

Plant cool season crops (Broccoli, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Spinach, Swiss Chard, and

Lettuce).

Plant shrubs (Lavatera, Butterfly Bush, Plumbago, Princess Flower, Cape Fuchsia and

Oleander).

Plant Salvia and Sweet Peas.

September

Buy bulbs (Anemones, Crocus, Daffodils, Dutch Iris, Hyacinths, Ranunculus, Tulips,

Freesias, etc.).

Buy trees noted for fall color when color is showing.

Plant bulbs (Freesia, Grape Hyacinth, Amaryllis, Ranunculus, Anemone, and Dwarf

Narcissus).

Plant natives (Bush Anemone, Arctostaphylos, Fremontodendron, Pacific Coast Iris,

Sticky Monkey Flower, Mahonia, Penstemon Salvia clevelandii, Western Columbine and

Heuchera).

Plant cool season annuals after mid-month (Calendula, Forget-me-Not, Poppies,

Ornamental Cabbage and Kale, Pansies, Primrose, Larkspur, Violas, Stock, Snapdragon,

Sweet peas, Toadflax, Cineraria, and Nemesia).

Plant cool season vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, beets, carrots, lettuce,

parsley, chard, chives, radishes, spinach, sugar/snap peas, onions), ornamental cabbage

and kale and salad mix seeds).

Sow wildflower seeds.

October

Divide perennials such as Aster, Calla, Daisy, Yarrow, Helianthus, Rudbeckia, Daylily

and Bellflower.

Plant annuals: Nemesia, Ranunculus and Snapdragon.

Plant berry producing plants to support birds and wildlife over winter (Barberry,

Mahonia, Nandina, Strawberry Tree, Cotoneaster, Holly and Pyracantha).

Plant bulb covers using cool season annuals (Violas, Forget-me-Not and Primrose).

Plant bulbs that naturalize (Daffodils, Muscari, Ornamental Allium, Tulips and Scilla).

Scatter bulbs by hand over planting areas to create a natural look.

Plant California natives when rains are predicted.

Plant early blooming perennials (Campanula, Columbine, Verbascum, Delphinium,

Foxglove, Candytuft, Coral Bells).

Plant groundcovers to cover banks and large areas (Arctostaphylos ‘Emerald Carpet’ and

A. uva-ursi, Ceanothus, Coyote Bush, Juniper (J. chinensis, J. procumbens and J.

horizontalis, Myoporum, and prostrate Rosemary).

Plant winter annuals (Iceland Poppies, Sweet Peas, Forget-me-Not, Primroses,

Cyclamen, Violas, and Pansies).

Sow wildflower seeds.

Plant sod lawns.

November

Divide perennials that are overgrown

Plant bulbs. Chill Tulips and Hyacinths for 4-6 weeks before planting in December.

Plant a butterfly garden (Butterfly Bush, Mallow, Milkweed, native grasses of Carex and

Festuca, Penstemon, Willow, and Buckwheat.

Plant Crape Myrtle, Japanese Maples, Liquidambar, ornamental Pear and Persimmon,

deciduous Azaleas, Oak leaf Hydrangea, Smoke Tree, Viburnum and Wisteria.

Plant greens (Mustard, Chard, Lettuce and Kale).

Plant herbs (Chives, Marjoram, Parsley, Thyme, Sage, Rosemary and Oregano).

Plant native shrubs (Oregon Grape, Pacific Wax Myrtle, Ribes speciosum, Salvia

clevelandii, Toyon, Arctostaphylos and Bush Anemone).

Plant perennials (Alstroemeria, Campanula, Columbine, Geraniums, Scaveola, Coral

Bells, Delphinium, Lamium, Oriental Poppy, Penstemon, perennial Foxglove, Phlox,

Salvia, Artemisia, Catmint, Dianthus, Diascia and Scaveola).

Plant spring flowering bulbs. Add 1t bone meal to soil in each hole. Its high phosphorous

content contributes to root growth.

Plant sweet peas and wildflowers (California Poppy, Clarkia and Lupine).

December

Plant spring flowering bulbs: Tulips and Hyacinths

Plant Cyclamen, Camellias, Roses, and Living Christmas trees

Planting Cassava

Cassava is not as delicate as other plants. It can be planted almost anywhere with ample supply of water and sunlight. It also needs very little care, and can even grow without any. But if you want better results, follow the planting procedure below.

1.        Make a planting bed. Cultivate the soil in the area you have chosen to plant your cassava. Remove weeds from the bed and water it everyday to let remaining weeds grow. Once they start growing, remove them. Do this continuously until you are sure that there are no more weeds lurking in the coarse soil of your planting bed. As you know, weeding from a growing plantling is dangerous. You might be able to remove the small roots that starting to sprout out from the plant.

2.        Prepare the cassava. Look for a good cassava stalk to use a planting source. Cut this stalk in as many portions as you can make from it. A good planting portion should be 8 to 10 inches.

3.        Planting the cassava. Make slits or planting cuts on the soil of your planting bed. Insert the cassava into that ‘soil cut’ until the inner end reaches a deeper area. That should be good enough.

4.        Nurturing your plant. After a day, small cassava leaves should come out from around the stalk portion. Cultivate the soil that’s inches from the plant.

5.        Watering the plant. The reason why you should plant cassava in an exposed soil area of your lawn or backyard is that they need plenty of water and sunlight. If there are many things that prevent them from getting what they need, their growth will not be as good as you want them to be. Trim other plants or trees that prevent sunlight from penetrating into the plant and soil, and water them everyday. If properly nourished, you will be able to harvest your planted cassava after a month or so.  

Tips to Live By When Gardening

1.        Cultivate the soil before planting.

2.        Remove weeds prior to planting.

3.        Once the small plants are transferred to the planting bed, refrain from removing weeds as this may damage the roots of your new plants.

4.        Sprinkle fertilizer at an average of 2 inches from the torso of the new plants.

5.        Water the plants everyday.

BGC Yellows

Caution: A/C and Your Health

Hello Friends, please note...

Do not turn on A/C immediately as soon as you enter the car!

Please open the windows after you enter your car and do not turn ON the

air-conditioning immediately. According to a research done , the car dashboard ,

sofa , air freshener emits Benzene , a Cancer causing toxin (carcinogen- take note

of the heated plastic smell in your car). In addition to causing cancer , it poisons

your bones , causes anemia , and reduces white blood cells. Prolonged exposure

will cause Leukemia , increasing the risk of cancer may also cause miscarriage.

Acceptable Benzene level indoors is 50 mg per sq. ft. A car parked indoors with

the windows closed will contain 400-800 mg of Benzene. If parked outdoors

under the sun at a temperature above 60 degrees F , the Benzene level goes up

to 2000-4000 mg , 40 times the acceptable level... & the people inside the car will

inevitably inhale an excess amount of the toxins.

It is recommended that you open the windows and door to give time for

the interior to air out before you enter. Benzene is a toxin that affects your

kidney and liver , and is very difficult for your body to expel this toxic stuff.

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