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rowretro · 9 months ago

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can you please write abt Chaeryeong having a crush on her friend who is a girl, not knowing that her friend is secretly in love with her too?

𝓜𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓷 𝓯𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓷𝓭𝓼

✧warnings: none that I know of but the reader is a female reader,

❁synopsis: Y/n had feelings for her dear friend Chaeryeong, and Chaeryeong had feelings for Y/n, yet the 2 had never told each other about their feelings...

✧❁✧❁✧❁✧❁✧❁✧❁✧❁✧❁✧❁✧❁✧❁✧

Two very pretty girls, who are sweet and friendly. They're basically any boy's dream come true. Y/n however, didn't see Chaeryeong as just a friend. She fucking loves her. How could she not? that sweet comforting smile, her warm hugs that she gave you every single day, her playful teasing, her pretty eyes. She's a goddamn angel sent to earth on a Lilypad. But she could never tell her that.

She feared to take the risk of exposing her feelings because she doesn't want to lose her. They're such great friends, and she'd playfully flirt, and y/n loved it. What if, when she tells her how she really feels, Chaeryeong ices her? or maybe even shame her for having feelings?

"Yoi! what are you thinking about pretty girl?" She asked as Y/n flinched. "Should I paint my nails blue or pink?" she asked as Chae smiled "Pink... it makes you look cute!" She said with a smile. Y/n didn't just look cute in pink, she looked cute in anything. She could wear a potato sack and Chae will still find her cute.

Because she's been in love with her for longer than Y/n has ever been in love with anyone. In her eyes Y/n is a goddess and no other woman can top her beauty off. Only one person knew about Chae's feelings and it was Lia. Lia supported her all the way, encouraging her to make a move, take her out on a little friendly date that'd progress to a romantic date where they'd celebrate their 1 year aniversary.

"Y/n... please take these flowers and be my girlfriend..." A male asked as Chae frowned. It was the hallway hottie, the classroom's crush, fucking Lee Minho. She didn't even want to see the scene unfold, knowing you'd probably say yes. Chae walked out hastily, Lia following behind. "I'm sorry Minho... but I like someone else... I love her actually..." Y/n kindly declined.

"Chae, you may still have a chance I mean- you don't know- she might have rejected him..." Lia tried to comfort her as the girl sniffled "Lia who are we kidding?... she only sees me as a friend because that's all we've ever been... god Why didn't I shoot my shot? I fucking love Y/n!" She cried. Her cries almost immediately being interrupted by the feeling of two arms wrapping tightly around her waist.

"I'll let you two be-" Lia mumbled, walking out. "Why didn't you tell me?... I thought I made it obvious that I'm crazy over you!" Y/n said as Chaeryeong turned around, her arms wrapping around the girl as her lips planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Y/n blushed at the feel of her lips. "Well... Will you be free tonight pretty girl? I want to take you on a date!" Chaeryeong asked with a smile as Y/n smiled back "Yes! we can go to our favourite place~" She added as she linked arms with Chaeryeong, leaving the empty classroom.

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#itzy lia #itzy updates #itzy #itzy yuna #itzy yeji #itzy icons #chaeryeong #midzy #itzy instagram #lee chaeryeong #chaeryoung itzy #lee chaeryoung #chaeryoung icons

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localmagicalboi · 5 years ago

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✨ local unfriendly black hottie.

— PEOPLE I’D LIKE TO KNOW BETTER !

——— BASICS! ♡

name! ♡ rae or diren or i don’t care, im gonna pull a prince and turn my name into a symbol u can’t even pronounce. dont perceive me. im holy and gorgeous. pronouns! ♡ i dont!!!! give a shit zodiac sign! ♡ capricorn sun, leo moon, leo rising, scorpio venus. we’re mean over here! we have ego! we dress very well! and we love it! taken or single! ♡ engaged to this dumbass fuckwagon ~> @notevenjupiter <~ that’s the dumbass fuckwagon in question.

——— THREE FACTS! ♡

1! ♡ not to toot my own horn ( tooooooooooooot ) but i really am that bitch at music. flute, piccolo, clarinet, oboe, saxophone. by saxophones i mean the only ones that matter, the tenor and the baritone. no offense to alto sax players out there but r u aware that ur playing a police siren. french horn, trombone, sousaphone, all the keyboards. im talkin marimba, vibraphone, tubular bells, glockenspiel. snare drum, bass drum, quads, timpani. ur other percussion but who cares about that unless ur a big ass fan of the bongos. or gongs.

i only fiddle on the piano these days tho no more of that for me. i am, tho, working on my digital production! buy my beat tape when i drop it in the year 2038. i havent opened the files for it since 2017 and i think that’s very sexy of me!

2! ♡ i know over 100 kinds of flowers and plants by appearance, alone. i was captain of the floriculture team against my will! however i kept up my studies and i keep myself sharp on the flower world™ for some reason. who knows. guess ill open a greenhouse. sell nothin but venus flytraps

call that the trap house

ba dum tsssssss.

3! ♡ i can lift about 200Ibs. don’t be fooled by my selfies, i’m actually built like a tank glkfjglkdfjgdflgdf. i once broke someone’s nose in one punch. contemplated going to wrestling school but my sensitive side said ‘u should…… do art or music or something……’

bonus fact! ♡ i used to run an improv comedy club in middle school! doing stuff that’s basically ‘whose line is it anyway’ except we werent as funny and we were inexperienced since we were... kids lol. but it taught me a lot on being creative and cohesive on the spot. speaking of improv i wrote an entire, plot hole free novel with a friend using two notebooks and our free time for fun. we had our characters and the basics with what we wanted. one of us would write like 5 pages, pass the notebook to the other during lunch, and then back-forth like that. ‘til we were done.

——— EXPERIENCE! ♡

platforms used! ♡ currently? tumblr. overall? i’m not going back to 2001 to list off all the horrible forums, shoutout to aol babey,

——— MUSE PREFERENCE! ♡

gender! ♡ female muses, actually! :/// hmu @ deadblush my daughter deserves love.

least favourite face(s)! i never wanna see jake gyllenhaal dopey lookin ass ever again

multi or single! ♡ single. i need a one solid, streamlined motif and focus.

fluff / angst / smut! ♡

fluff: yeah sure! but it has to have comedy in it or something, ya bih get bored

angst: yeah! but it has to be angst with a reason??? i dont like that angst for the sake of angst, lets give it an anchor and a reason for existing pls.

smut : sure thing babey but vi hasnt had a sex in like 84 years so who’s gonna smang him

plot / memes! ♡ im gonna be honest, i dont like memes because a lot of people dont know how to make them work. you end up with like 6-10 replies in to a thread w. no solid location and its like? lol. and my muse is too erratic for plots. i dont like being tethered to plots either, not when my muse is unpredictable as fuck. i like on-the-fly, on-the-go improv. we have a solid location, a solid motive to start with, and we improvise from there. either learn how to keep up or dont.

✨ TAGGED BY: i stole it :) ✨ TAGGING: im lazy so anyone that wanna do it

#( 🌙 OOC! THE COSMIC COURT JESTER SPEAKS. ✨ )#im also an ex-pageant contestant. trophies for exsting beautifully!#yeah the industry is awful and needs to be destroyed.#however.......#i love my crowns!

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localteaaddict · 6 years ago

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Death and the Maiden (Part 2)

Part 1: (Link)

Pairing: RK900 (Nines) x Female!Reader (MobBoss!Nines/Florist!Reader Human AU)

Warnings: Mentions of drug and glamorization of crimes/gang violence in general. I also have no idea how actual mobs operate.

A/N: So...this is the continuation of the MobBoss!Nines/Florist!Reader Human AU which, btw, thank you so much for all the reblogs and likes! Special thanks to @acciork800, @cyberlifeleds and @im-the-nerdiest-of-them-a11 for the kind comments they’d left on the previous chapter. I didn’t know so many people would like this, but boy am I glad I wrote it. I’ve also found a title for this ‘verse, taken from my favourite composition by Schubert.

As always, dedicated to the marvelous @bears-shitty-art for the encouragements and ideas she’s given me.

Nines hadn’t had to see through an execution in a long time. He’d never really liked or enjoyed it and he certainly hoped he wouldn’t have to witness the aftermath of one today. He was wearing a new pair of shoes this afternoon; blood on the leather was awfully difficult to get out.

He realized that luck wasn’t on his side when he saw Connor already waiting for him. Standing by the door and dressed just as sharply but with a button or two loose at his collar, Connor looked every bit the more easy-going, carefree counterpart of his twin. As Nines approached, Connor’s face lit up in a boyish smile.

“Brother,” said Connor as he gave Nines a theatrical hug, “I’m glad you could make it.”

“You did see me just yesterday,” Nines couldn’t help but smile a little at Connor’s old antics. The smile disappeared quickly, however, once he sobered in the anticipation of what was behind the closed door. “Did he talk?”

Connor sighed. “Yes.”

“Do you think he was telling the truth?”

“With these turncoats? Who knows,” Connor rolled his eyes. “Maybe he was, maybe he wasn’t. Either way, he did admit to stealing from the regular shipments and pocketing the money. For himself, he claims.”

“So we’re still missing some red ice for the next delivery......” Nines furrowed his brows. “Markus won’t be too happy once he finds out.”

“We’ll make do; talk to him and the others, use some of your sweet charm on them. They like us,” Connor shrugged. “I’m sure they’ll excuse it for once. It’s not like we haven’t done the same for them before.”

That was true, but Nines had a bigger problem to worry about. Markus and the other leaders of Jericho were relatively easy to appease; the brothers’ mentor, not so much.

He looked straight ahead, cold grey-blue eyes not betraying a hint of emotion. Adjusting the collar of the trench coat, he nodded minutely at the security guarding the heavy door.

It opened. Nines walked in, followed by Connor close behind.

You sighed, tapping your aching shoulders lightly with a fist as you straightened your back. Moving fresh pots of succulents and cacti was not an easy feat, especially since there were few dozens of them; quite heavy, too.

Kara smiled apologetically from across the shop. “Thank you so much for all your hard work, (Y/N). I wouldn’t have been able to close on time without your help. I’m sorry the delivery came in late......”

“It’s okay, Kara, really,” you chuckled, waving your hand. “It’s not your fault the guy came in late. We’re just lucky the plants are still fresh.”

“Right,” Kara’s smile was still apologetic; she quickly tilted her head towards the window. The sun had fallen and there was only thirty more minutes to go until the finishing time. The day had been slow today and the trickle of customer had pretty much stopped another half an hour ago. It’d been quiet, hence you were able to move all these pots of plant into the shop from the back.

“When we’re done, why don’t you drop by the cafe? I’m sure Luther and Alice would love to see you.” Kara suggested, and you beamed.

“Really?”

“Yes, definitely,” Kara smiled. “I could ask Luther to make you your favorite drink. In fact, why don’t I call him to save a piece of that cake you like too?”

All that strenuous labor suddenly felt totally worth it. While Kara ran this flower shop, Luther ran a small cafe right across the street; it was the most cozy little coffee place you’d ever seen, and although it wasn’t Instagram-famous, all the good coffee and dessert connoisseurs knew about it. You’d found out about the cafe purely by the virtue of being Kara’s family friend, but you had never been more grateful for the friendship than when you’d first tasted Luther’s chocolate terrine. It was to die for.

As Kara pulled out her cellphone and started to make the call, and you were about to move the last of the succulents with a newfound vigor, the doorbell rang.

You nearly dropped the pot in surprise, not just by the sound but by the person who’d just walked in. You recognized him immediately. The Mysterious Hottie with a Great As―uh, the customer from that early morning.

Kara seemed taken aback by the last-minute customer too. She looked like she was about to just terminate the call, but then you could hear Luther’s faint “Hello?” across the space, so you just waved a hand at her in a silent go on, I’ll take care of this. Kara covered the phone, quickly mouthing a ‘thank you’ before returning to the call.

You put down the pot you’d been holding, lightly dusted off your green shop apron before approaching the man. He seemed no more certain than his last visit, scanning everything slowly and cautiously to take in any changes. He finally faced you, and you could see the quick glint of guilt flashing across his face. You put your hands on your hips in a mock annoyance, smiling to show you didn’t actually mean it.

“Good to see you again,” you said, and he blinked in surprise, as though he hadn’t expected you’d remember him. Pish. As if anyone could forget someone this gorgeous. “Although I have to warn you, we’re closing in twenty-five minutes.”

He relaxed his shoulders minutely, the corners of his lips twitching like he wanted to smile but didn’t know how to. “I apologize for dropping in so late. I’ll make it quick; would you happen to have a cat grass?”

“Cat grass?” You couldn’t help your eyes growing big; the man, to his credit, merely nodded. You rubbed the back of your neck, quickly looking back and around the shop in general. “Uh, let me think......so that’s, like, the plants safe for cats to eat, right? I think I’ve seen them around the shop before, but I’m not sure if we’ve still got them. Would you mind waiting while I do a quick look around?”

“Not at all. Thank you,” the man gave you a little nod; he made such a tiny gesture look so graceful, you couldn’t help but grin like an idiot.

Kara caught the look on your face as you dashed to the shelves at the back; she quickly followed you, a (hopefully) safe distance between you and the mystery man so he couldn’t hear.

“Do you know him?” she asked, point blank. You were still grinning.

“Sort of? He came by few days ago. First customer of that day, actually, bought exactly fifty-nine roses for his mom―I think―and gave me a nice tip, too. Told him he didn’t have to, but he insisted,” you prattled as you searched through the shelves; nope, they weren’t here. “Hey, Kara, didn’t we have some wheatgrass over here?”

“We don’t have them anymore, I think,” said Kara, but she seemed more thoughtful than before, and it definitely wasn’t about the whereabouts of the wheatgrass. Finally, you turned to look at her.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing,” Kara’s smile turned airy immediately, but you swore you could have seen a......shine of knowing shift in her eyes. “We haven’t got wheatgrass in pots, (Y/N), but if he’s okay with the seeds, they’re here.”

“Thanks, Kara!” You happily took the packet of seeds from her; Kara shooed you towards the open area.

“You give that to the customer. I’ll finish tidying up.”

“Are you sure? I could help―”

“It’s fine, (Y/N),” she shooed again, still smiling. “Go on, don’t keep him waiting.”

When you returned to the shop floor, the gentleman was still surveying the area, everything about him just as meticulous as the first time you’d seen him. That bit of dark hair shadowing the forehead just right, a long trench coat over a black turtleneck shirt and matching pants. Damn, but his legs were long and shapely. You’d only seen that kind of legs on supermodels in magazines. No gloves, which was a shame, but his naked hands were pale, with translucently blue veins faintly prominent, his fingers long and elegant. You’d never thought a day would come when you’d use the word beautiful to describe a man’s hands, but never say never, as they said. And you’d never been more happy to be proven wrong.

He noticed you and turned to face you. You tried to erase that stupid, appreciative grin on your face but probably only succeeded in making yourself look more idiotic. Still, you didn’t falter as you held out the packet.

“We didn’t have the grown plant in a pot, but I did find the seeds―well, my boss did, but anyways,” your rambling suddenly stopped when he gave you a smile; a genuine, barely-there-but-still-a-perfect smile.

“Thank you,” he said, that sexy, sexy baritone ringing pleasantly and doing something insidious to your poor heart, “I understand this is a strange request, and at such late hour, too. I really appreciate you doing this for me.”

“Oh, uh―no worries? I mean, that’s what I do! That’s what I’m paid to do. Not that I’m just helping you out for the sake of money! I mean, I―” you stopped, burying your face in your hands. You were so lucky Kara was at the back and only this guy was a witness to you making fool of yourself. This very, very handsome guy who was practically your fantasy on legs. “Ohmygod......”

To your absolute mortification - or surprise? - he let out a quiet chuckle. He gently took the packet from your hands, silently gazing at you.

“Thank you,” he repeated, and this time, it felts more sincere, more heartfelt on your burning ears. “I hadn’t even realized how much I’d needed that today. Truly, I’m grateful.”

“Uhh......for me being silly? Or for the seeds?” you threw a haphazard guess just to cover up how awkward you felt, but he still sounded frustratingly sincere.

“A laugh.” Alright, at least he sounded like he meant it. You could live with that. You swallowed, nodding, still not looking up from the floor. You could still hear the faint mirth in his voice. It made his voice sound lighter, more humane. You had a feeling that he wasn’t like that often enough. “Today was......difficult, so to speak. So thank you, not just for your help but also for making my day.”

“Or an evening.” You couldn’t help but quip as you raised your head to meet his eyes. The grey-blue of his eyes felt like a quiet storm, or maybe that was just your heart doing a marathon right now. Shit. Not now, heart. “If you’d like to take the seeds, I can help you with the―is that blood on your shoes?”

His face immediately hardened at your blurted words. You’d only just noticed the small, dark stain on the edge of his loafer, and he quickly looked down as well. You didn’t miss how his jaw tensed up all of a sudden, but he merely started speaking again, calm and composed. As if he’d been aware of it all along.

“I was helping my brother bandage his hand,” he explained. “He cut his palm quite deeply and couldn’t manage on his own. There was blood everywhere―I thought I’d cleaned everything,” he shrugged a little, “I guess I missed a spot.”

“Oh. Oh dear, I hope your brother’s alright,” the tension in your shoulders deflated instantly. “That was awfully nice of you to help him. You’re not afraid of blood?”

“No, not really,” he said as he followed you to the counter to make the payment. “My brother would get himself hurt all the time; he’s older, but he’s always been the more careless one as well. It’s nothing new, although it was alarming when he bled all over the carpet.”

"Aw,” you gave him a sympathetic smile, ringing up the price. He politely declined the bag but took the receipt. As you handed him the piece of paper, you solemnly and discreetly added:

“Hydrogen peroxide.”

“Excuse me?”

“Hydrogen peroxide. Bleach. For getting rid of the bloodstain,” you waved a hand to emphasize, “just spray some hydrogen peroxide on the spot, wash the area with dish-washing liquid, scrub it with warm water and it’s as good as new. You’ll save your carpet in no time.”

He blinked, then promptly bursted into laughter. This was no restrained chuckle like before; this was a full-on, genuine laugh that stunned you, but most of all, even the man himself seemed bewildered by his own reaction. Yep, he definitely wasn’t someone who laughed often. But it was still a very nice laugh, a deep and resonant sound that made something in your chest tickle. You giggled as well, before holding out the receipt at him again.

“Just giving you a valuable tip. Carpets can be expensive to replace, you know.”

“They can be, yes,” he agreed easily. Your fingertips brushed his as he took the paper. As childish as it was, you couldn’t help the thrill that rushed through your heart. “Thank you for your help, the seeds and the advice.”

“No worries. Happy to help,” you gave him a mock salute, to which he nodded. His face seemed much softer now, less uncertain. More alive.

As he reached the door to leave, he paused, before turning back to look at you.

“How did you know about using bleach to remove bloodstain?”

“I’m a girl, sir,” you gave him your most flat look. “Of course I know how to remove a bloodstain or two.”

#rk900 x reader #nines x reader #dbh #dbh nines #rk900 nines #dbh reader insert #detroit become human #female reader #reader insert #comments are always appreciated #nines has a cat #nines the secret cat butler

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marybromley · 4 years ago

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Brian Minter: A floral gift this year, above all other years, could mean more than you might imagine

When you take a moment to consider the enormity of the harsh new realities being experienced worldwide, caused by a microscopic virus, it’s quite sobering. So many things have changed, such as the interactions we have with family, friends, associates and distant acquaintances.

Even how we celebrate traditional events is different. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, folks are choosing to mark this occasion in significantly new ways. It has become less about romance and more about appreciation of those in our circle of relationships, particularly anyone living alone; anyone isolated due to COVID-19; folks who find themselves in difficult situations for any number of reasons; front-line people in the medical field; and staff who serve in retail environments to provide daily services that we often take for granted. Any recognition or token of appreciation, such as an uplifting email, a card, a small gift or simply a heartfelt thank you, can give these individuals a much-needed lift in these challenging times.

At the risk of being accused of simply promoting the horticultural industry, I think many of us overlook or underestimate the powerful connection between people and flowers and plants, and how that relationship can significantly affect us.

Science is discovering new and important relationships between plants and people, and here are four points condensed from the research of Dr. Jeannette Haviland-Jones of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J.:

• Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. Study participants expressed true or excited smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.

• Flowers have a long-term positive effect on mood. Study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.

• Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

• Flowers are a symbol for sharing. The study explored where in their homes people displayed flowers. Once received, arrangements were placed in areas of the home that are open to visitors — such as foyers, living rooms and dining rooms, suggesting that flowers make a space more welcoming and create a sharing atmosphere.

Roses, with their long, celebrated history, are an excellent example of this strong link. Prized for their beauty and perfume, they have been cultivated in eastern Asia for over 5,000 years. Many of today’s antique roses had their beginnings in the Middle East. It wasn’t until the early 1800s that rose-breeding began in earnest in Europe, resulting in the parentage of today’s hybrids.

The symbolism of rose colours, long associated with human emotions, has changed over the years. Today’s consensus, however, is that: reds represent passion; yellows, happiness and friendship; pinks, appreciation; and whites, purity and innocence.

The strong worldwide demand for Valentine roses creates higher pricing, and this year there are even more issues. The pandemic is creating challenges for South American growers, and current restricted airline flights are compounding the problems of importation. Rose wholesalers are, however, assuring us that there will be an adequate availability. In B.C., we have a few local growers who do an amazing job. If you would like to gift roses for Valentine’s Day, remember that even a single rose, or three, is appreciated, but order early.

There are many other wonderful floral options available, and most are grown locally in B.C. Cut cymbidium orchid stems are elegant and last longer than virtually any other flower. It’s hard to match the perfume of Oriental lilies that come in many colours from pure white to all shades of pink and red.

Although not super-long-lasting, stocks have a lovely fragrance, and they make a nice addition to mixed bouquets. Freesias, too, have a beautiful scent, but this year the supply will be somewhat limited. Hyacinths as cut flowers are something relatively new and are available in pure white, shades of blues and pinks, and even red. They have a special way of filling a room with fragrance.

Mixed bouquets of alstroemerias, gerbera daisies, chrysanthemums and carnations are popular because of their artistic beauty and lasting elegance. Today, tulips have become one of the most sought-after cut flowers. They come in a wide range of colours and are very reasonably priced. We’re fortunate to have excellent tulip growers in B.C.

Indoor tropical plants are certainly trendy, and flowering tropicals are a big part of that interest. Beautiful, easy-care anthuriums are some of the finest flowering plants. From traditional red to pure white, pink, burgundy, lavender and orange, their heart-shaped blooms are so appropriate at this time of year. A new variety, called ‘Livium’, has stunning red and white flowers and has won numerous awards in Europe.

As for other plants, azaleas, cyclamens, begonias and kalanchoes are in good supply. Potted miniature roses have also become a favourite for Valentine’s Day. Bred for indoor conditions, they come in a wide range of colours, and once spring arrives, they can go in the garden for blooms all summer. The only fragrant mini-rose, a pink variety from Kordes in Germany called ‘RosAroma’, is one of today’s ‘hotties’ — it can be a little hard to find, but it’s out there.

Although indoor conditions for succulents aren’t the best at this time of year, resilient varieties, like haworthias, jades and aloe veras stand up well. Two philodendrons, ‘Swiss Cheese’ and P. birkin, also make great Valentine’s gifts.

For smaller gifts, there are lots of locally grown options, such as exciting new perennials, like ‘Coco’ primulas, double-flowered ranunculus and lots of potted bulbs that are much treasured as table or windowsill charmers. Miniature cyclamens, azaleas and kalanchoes in tiny pots are inexpensive and cheerful.

We have a week to ponder who in our circle of relationships might really appreciate a floral gift. This year, above all other years, it could mean more than you might imagine and truly brighten someone’s spirits.

Brian Minter: A floral gift this year, above all other years, could mean more than you might imagine published first on https://weedkillerguide.tumblr.com/

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marybromley · 5 years ago

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Brian Minter: Plant small berries for a tasty treat

COVID-19 has created a shift in our thinking and priorities, and more people have become focused on planting their own gardens this spring. In terms of food security, what can we plant in our gardens now, apart from traditional vegetables, and expect a crop this year? Not a two-year-old fruit tree — it would still need a couple more years before it could provide a crop. However, many small fruits, especially larger-sized plants, can give you something tasty to enjoy this season.

Everbearing strawberries, for example, planted now will produce a reasonably good crop this year. I love their versatility to perform well in containers, hanging baskets and gardens. Varieties, like “Albion”, “Quinault”, “Eversweet” and “Seascape” are among the best. Day-neutral varieties, like “Tristar”, are also excellent and produce over a very long period. Most strawberries are started from “runners”, but many growers today are using seed varieties which, when started very early, will also produce nice crops all season long. Varieties, such as “Berri Basket” and “Berries Galore”, will have beautiful pink or red flowers for some added colour.

Everbearing raspberry production has surged in the past few years. While main season varieties, planted now, will produce sucker growth for next season’s harvest, everbearing varieties produce fruit on this year’s shoots that come out of the root system below. Older varieties, like “Heritage”, are now being replaced by newer, more productive varieties with larger berries, such as “Autumn Bliss” and the new hottie “Cascade Delight”. “Fall Gold”, an older yellow variety, remains very popular because of its mild but sweet flavour. These varieties can be planted in the ground or in larger containers. “Raspberry Shortcake” is an attractive container variety that is very compact and produces tasty berries, but it is not as productive as everbearing varieties.

Well-draining soil is a must for raspberries as they hate wet feet. Planting four or five canes in a larger container will get you a fairly good crop this year. Be sure to cut your canes back to about 10 cm (four inches) to encourage new shoots to develop. Adding composted manures to your soil and using slow-release fertilizer will help achieve a more continuous production. In colder areas, mulch them heavily for winter protection.

Blueberries round out the top three favourite small fruits, and there have been some positive changes here as well. I always suggest planting early, mid-season and late varieties together for a more constant supply of berries. Vaccinium “Early Blue” is one of the earliest to produce. The mid-season favourites are “Blue Crop”, “Duke”, “Reka” and “Chandler”, which has the largest berries of all. “Elliot” is the last variety to ripen, giving you fruit well into September. Although the berries are smaller, a newer variety, called “Perpetua”, is amazing. One of the earliest to produce, it keeps going well into fall. For very cold areas, “North Blue” and “North Country” are hardy to Zone 3.

In terms of space, some innovative growers are planting three varieties together, both for good pollination and for extended production times. It’s a great idea and one you can do yourself by picking the varieties you want and growing them together as one plant.

Blueberries grow nicely in containers if they have well-draining soils and have fine fir or hemlock bark mulch worked into the mix. To maintain good health and steady fruit bearing, make sure your blueberries are well fed by applying a slow-release fertilizer, like 14-14-14.

Even though the Lower Mainland, the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island have an abundance of “thorny” blackberries growing wild, “thornless” blackberries are the fourth most popular garden fruit. They are not as invasive as their prickly cousins and when grown espaliered on a fence or trellis, they will give you a considerable quantity of fruit the first year, especially if the plants are larger in size. Over the years to come, they will provide a profusion of large, sweet, delicious fruits. “Black Satin” is one of the favourite varieties and for colder areas of the province, “Chester” is the hardiest. If size matters, the “Prime-Ark Traveler” has huge, eye-popping fruits.

A whole range of novelty fruits, such as jostaberries (a black currant and gooseberry cross), tayberries (a blackberry and raspberry cross), “Munger” black raspberries and haskap berries, will produce fruit this year. Elderberries, with their high antioxidant content, will provide berries for preserves and wine. Today, vastly improved varieties of most small fruits are readily available, and they will perform exceedingly well. In these challenging times, if you have a garden or a sunny patio pot, all of these fruits are not only a great food investment, but you’ll also love harvesting your own home-grown bounty.

Brian Minter: Plant small berries for a tasty treat published first on https://weedkillerguide.tumblr.com/

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