Rocks in Your Bed

Mexico’s National Flower

Por Juan Jardinero

Here in East Cape we start our vegetable gardens after the heat of the summer season changes to our mild fall, winter and spring seasons. For many of us the challenge of growing strong, healthy plants is an ongoing battle. We give up on the sandy, porous soil in our yards and either make or buy huge bags of composted soil to replace what we find around us. Here’s something that all of us can find close by that can be added to the compost and will give our gardens an additional boost ... rocks.

Plants need a full spectrum of raw mineral nutrients in order to form and function well and our local rocks have just what el doctor ordered. Adding pulverized rocks or rock dust to our gardens can replace key elements that have been depleted from our soil over the years. We get the best results by combining the rock dust to the organic matter in the process of making compost.
Rock dust also keeps vegetables free from insects. You can even pulverize rock dust to the constancy of talc and spray it on the plants to repel insects. Just be sure you’re wearing a protective mask when you do this!

Pulverized rocks or rock dust can be ordered from several sources. The closest one to Baja is: Earth-Wealth Rock Dust Livingston-Graham, 16080 Arrow Highway, Irwindale, CA 91706 Tel: (818)960-5471.
But, since we don’t live in Estados Unidos you might try filling a burlap bag half full of small rock pieces and pounding the bag with a large hammer. Or maybe you could run over it several times with a heavy car or truck. Or, on second thought, it’s probably better to ask Jose Luis if he can help!
 

In 1963, Presidente Adolfo López Mateos decreed that the dahlia should be the nation’s national flower. With more than 30,000 other native flowering plants to choose from, who would have thought that the humble dahlia would be chosen?

The story begins, like so many others in Mexico, with the Aztecs. They called the flower acocoxóchitl   which means “plant with tube-like stems”. They used it to carry water and to treat epilepsy. In the 1500s biologist, Dr. Francisco Hernández, was sent to New Spain by King Phillip 11. He determined that the dahlia was native to the Mexican state of Morelos in the region around Cuernavaca.. Modern scientists have found that the dahlia is not only native to Mexico but to Guatemala as well.

Today, the dahlia is now cultivated widely all over the world. In 1872 the only surviving tuber in a box of dahlias sent from Mexico to Holland yielded a brilliant red bloom, with pointed petals. This flower was unlike any previous dahlia seen in Europe, leading to a race to develop new varieties by crossing this new red dahlia with earlier varieties.

To date, however, no blue variety has ever been cultivated. Although a prize of 1,000 pounds has been offered for a blue dahlia, no one has been able to claim the prize. Perhaps that’s why the term “blue dahlia” has been used figuratively for something that is impossible or unattainable.
 

Building “Green” for the Future

Building “green” is becoming second nature in many parts of the world. It used to be that do-it-yourself types, pioneering architects and custom home builders in remote locations were the only ones interested in using energy saving materials and building techniques. Things are changing in places like San Diego where entire housing developments are being designed and constructed to conserve energy and natural resources. The design of these homes will reduce reliance on fossil fueled power plants and will save owners money on utility bills. Ironically, Southern California Edison recently announced a raise of nearly 18% on utility bills, to pay for building additional fossil fueled power facilities. In Baja we face raises in electric bills on a regular basis.

The California Building Industry Association (CBIA) which represents more than 6,200 businesses is now throwing its weight behind the building “green” movement. Members see this as essential to ensure the health and well-being of this and future generations. The CBIA and the Metropolitan Water District of southern California, recently announced a new California Green Builder Program. 1,300 homes using less water and energy are already in the works, with at least 5,000 more being planned through this voluntary effort. The focus of this program is:  Energy efficiency, water conservation, use of materials from sustainable sources, use of advanced energy saving heating and cooling systems, and using paints and carpets that don’t emit volatile harmful chemical compounds. Builders in hurricane prone Florida are now supporting the use of cement blocks for home building. They point out that cement blocks are not only stronger, but help reduce the use of wood products. Does this sound familiar? 

Here in Baja we can easily save energy if we build our new homes using “passive solar design”.  Passive solar design is a much simpler and less costly way to utilize solar energy. Recovering the costs of building the passive solar designs into your home may take only 2 or 3 years. Here’s a few resources that will tell you everything you will need to know about building with passive solar design, from proper window locations to interior design for effective air distribution: Amazon.com sells a paperback book titled, The Passive Solar Energy Book for about $10 usd. Other web locations are: oikos.com and www.builtgreen.net.