tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-204046332024-03-07T13:31:18.212-08:00Coastal CA GardeningMusings from a gardener whose home and garden is near the Elkhorn Slough (Sunset Zone 17) California. This is my gardening journal, and I welcome others who have gardening interests.CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.comBlogger157125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-11936464026759723462012-09-16T09:41:00.002-07:002012-09-16T20:00:55.230-07:00Reskilling Expo Fall 2012<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potato pot ready for harvest</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Today will be a second look at gardening in small spaces. I'll have an emphasis on in between crops and what to grow during the fall and winter. Click on the links to take you to the documents.<br />
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<a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pcWQofCH-_zuRi7x5M2DwJftWRwbzZCIasZEq-O0gqk/edit" target="_blank">What Size Pot? </a><br />
<ul>
<li>A summary of the minimal size pot for a particular type of vegetable. Also there are resources that recommend specific varieties for containers. Renee's Garden lists varieties they sell that work well in containers. Follow <a href="http://www.reneesgarden.com/hm-gardnr/resource/containerorder.htm" target="_blank">this link</a> to see them.</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B5QlgybrgQtMMkxHT0lvU1RVSW8" target="_blank">In Between Crops or Catch Crops</a> <br />
<ul>
<li>One way of making the most of the in between stages of container gardening. Whether you're waiting for the soil to warm up in order to plant summer crops or the summer crops are winding down and you have spare space to squeeze something in.</li>
</ul>
Renne's Garden is a great resource for seeds, and I find they work well for gardens in the Santa Cruz and Monterey areas. Below is a link to her When to Plant Guide:<br />
<a href="http://www.reneesgarden.com/hm-gardnr/resource/whentoplant.pdf">http://www.reneesgarden.com/hm-gardnr/resource/whentoplant.pdf</a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Good harvest and easy to do!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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To see post on growing potatoes in pots see my post <a href="http://ccagardener.blogspot.com/2007/04/potato-experiment.html" target="_blank">Potato Experiment</a><br />
<br />CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-77711920931582717512012-07-08T06:54:00.000-07:002012-09-16T20:39:36.318-07:00Pepino Dulce<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm experimenting with a new plant - <a href="http://www.crfg.org/pubs/ff/pepino.html" target="_blank">Solanum muricatum.</a> I picked it up at the Cabrillo plant sale (along with many others). I transplanted it into the greenhouse on 17 June 2012. A couple of fruit had set, but I felt it wasn't thriving in the cool foggy breezes.</span> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plant as it was on June 17th.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Now it's looking quite lush and the fruit that is in the above picture is now about 1-inch longer.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's also putting out another flush of flowers.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Same fruit on 7 July 2012.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plant on July 7th.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I was thinking I should call the greenhouse "Nightshade House" as that seems to be it's main purpose. Tomatoes are big (I'm growing German Strawberry) but there are only 2 fruits - and they are both on the same plant, further away from the door in the greenhouse. The fog has been keeping the nights too cold and I'm having blossom drop like crazy. I guess I won't have to worry about fitting canning into my schedule.</span>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-16045204870492860032012-05-15T13:06:00.002-07:002012-05-15T13:06:57.847-07:00Resilence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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What startles me most about gardening and plants is what survives. My poor neglected garden still hangs on. I spent last weekend poking through the empty pots and tall weeds to see what I could find.I was astounded to see my comfrey poking up young leaves. One of my lavenders (I think it's a Lavendula stoechas) has seeded itself in funny little niches here and there. Native irises are blooming as well as the heucheras. Native plants are tough as nails, thankfully. I'm also thankful for the tough herb plants. I'm resigned to the fact that I lost the stevia, but glad to see the hyssop sending up young shoots.<br />
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Pictured above is my re-configured front bed. My husband pulled out the last of the dying lavender. And as much as I hated to see it go, I got to rework this little corner and I'm pretty happy with the change. The blank spot will get some re-located Lavendula stoechas seedlings.<br />
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Luckily for me the bones are there, I just need to do lots of cleanup. <br />
<br />CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-81201429807148185552011-10-24T08:48:00.000-07:002011-10-24T08:48:22.949-07:00Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food SystemsI spent my Sunday harvesting some of the worm bins. Fun work especially when you have multiple 5-gallon buckets to add to the garden. But not very picturesque. Garden is a little bedraggled - I'm just getting ready for the winter rains, poking in seeds that I know will thrive in the wet and cold.<br />
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So even though I don't have pictures, I'd like to share an amazing video from my favorite local resource.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="265" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/30967973?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/30967973">Farm and Garden 2011</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user8992904">Weston</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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I love the Central Coast.CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-40969875225775504302011-05-15T00:01:00.000-07:002011-05-15T00:01:02.092-07:00Garden Blogger's Bloom DayHere's a happy little ritual I've noticed! Here are the flowers now blooming in my garden.<br />
I'll start with the weeds:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sorrel (Oxalis) which in some ways is a pretty weed.</td></tr>
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I've been attending a Herbal Medicines seminar and I now have a greater appreciation for thistles (although I'm still likely to take the string trimmer to them).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGcoW6cChgaWrPezCinj37Fkv7XAHZ_1S69AhftTNg6OYn2LOzqEipi9q0Ko1v8gMc-L8QkKVBs3ZjXMaCtd9qPUp3yV9nqtWFoLHq893WNS25Zmv4XdoVnme4IEF0HviZs5D/s1600/DSC01355.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJGcoW6cChgaWrPezCinj37Fkv7XAHZ_1S69AhftTNg6OYn2LOzqEipi9q0Ko1v8gMc-L8QkKVBs3ZjXMaCtd9qPUp3yV9nqtWFoLHq893WNS25Zmv4XdoVnme4IEF0HviZs5D/s1600/DSC01355.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Common Thistle</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blueberry flowers</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghC10qD8NnPlRqpjH5jyR5y0b5OVBePqo7CcMb4BU1cG_Hqavqj1PyGss2aUC6leWdVRol3CdToBoL85ppcsiOlpQaRC5An6wO_RGW-1ZGS5iaKrniqCYquKPKlUQqS6odRljF/s1600/DSC01352.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghC10qD8NnPlRqpjH5jyR5y0b5OVBePqo7CcMb4BU1cG_Hqavqj1PyGss2aUC6leWdVRol3CdToBoL85ppcsiOlpQaRC5An6wO_RGW-1ZGS5iaKrniqCYquKPKlUQqS6odRljF/s1600/DSC01352.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mint Geranium</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiGF79tuAuxH6bAC48DIFSVKE-UvNPh-mjyitFVEm8eMOA5jdKQPGKVkROhbskafAxQ_yvUdvyMG7H2EtGIsZ4xR5_B3ptKsIdQdctPlbLKIPur5nGC_v5i-IXNvMPPqnu08FK/s1600/DSC01357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBYBNblPfm0BWW95z4SZtg0DNWqJkHnYaOTr2BTrXAnNuqcbiW9krO8H9EnN7CpV8NqD8LclG20lHdc5fAGilUeuqBrEIernnDJe80x9wvJkqwmeGLseEgCS8zXKpMrGYD3Ap/s1600/DSC01358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKBYBNblPfm0BWW95z4SZtg0DNWqJkHnYaOTr2BTrXAnNuqcbiW9krO8H9EnN7CpV8NqD8LclG20lHdc5fAGilUeuqBrEIernnDJe80x9wvJkqwmeGLseEgCS8zXKpMrGYD3Ap/s1600/DSC01358.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Calla Lilies</td></tr>
</tbody></table> And these were a surprise:<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsciXdPf6H6bH0cjBQjwfv1fJifmj4Tmc0UVDC_aNI6w3zPVJOh31i-nhh3gsCfn6q_u2rOxcQL7KH9mXC8EDc8ibNk6l-e2QxJUAXLpdh1nWjCS7i-Ql3xJSqxmr06gT7CbA/s1600/DSC01351.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhsciXdPf6H6bH0cjBQjwfv1fJifmj4Tmc0UVDC_aNI6w3zPVJOh31i-nhh3gsCfn6q_u2rOxcQL7KH9mXC8EDc8ibNk6l-e2QxJUAXLpdh1nWjCS7i-Ql3xJSqxmr06gT7CbA/s1600/DSC01351.JPG" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCkVaFclpV1XezScIhgRatj_tBDpL_TFwDC-NudbE-kXJzp07bEez2W3C81TBHIHVdj14Kvj8qo9n_uYLLpt2Yqy-zKzCZEatpa7VgkSeTgfUvuMIxt_KFZTANNj55ipg7Sta/s1600/DSC01350.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLCkVaFclpV1XezScIhgRatj_tBDpL_TFwDC-NudbE-kXJzp07bEez2W3C81TBHIHVdj14Kvj8qo9n_uYLLpt2Yqy-zKzCZEatpa7VgkSeTgfUvuMIxt_KFZTANNj55ipg7Sta/s1600/DSC01350.JPG" /> </a></div><div style="text-align: left;">My friend Ann gave them to me and this is the first time they've bloomed. Her garden is filled with irises at this time of year. She has better luck with them. </div>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-38212796053022351862011-05-06T19:20:00.000-07:002011-05-10T06:04:37.116-07:00Reworking the garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0sBuX3LoZ7vVgQtjFvP6I6N37o2N2-3eomNbYjN5kQxUA5vbpwAwAoMWSexq3kgxmQLjhLTOUVWJYpPEp1b5GA4mJeIJ-HGXtBZL0vhyQuv3QTdNivb2ENR_79IZ7Hm50_xc/s1600/DSC01341.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0sBuX3LoZ7vVgQtjFvP6I6N37o2N2-3eomNbYjN5kQxUA5vbpwAwAoMWSexq3kgxmQLjhLTOUVWJYpPEp1b5GA4mJeIJ-HGXtBZL0vhyQuv3QTdNivb2ENR_79IZ7Hm50_xc/s1600/DSC01341.JPG" /></a></div><br />
It's not the prettiest picture. But I've been spending time re-working the bed next to the south side of the house. The reason for the change? Gophers. They finally found a way through the wire somewhere and devoured nearly everything in the bed. (Here's the<a href="http://ccagardener.blogspot.com/2006/06/wall-in-progress.html"> first post</a> where I made the bed originally and the <a href="http://ccagardener.blogspot.com/2006/06/weekend-work-update.html">second post</a> where it's completed.) Now I'm happy to say that it lasted a long time, and perhaps if I didn't have school occupying much of my time, I could have stopped the invasion. But that wasn't happening. So I'm putting gopher baskets in on top of the wire and making it a permanent planting.<br />
<br />
Which is rather odd for me in a way. I was trying to think "when have I ever planted a rose bush?". I don't think I have, except for the occasional transplant of a miniature rose that I received as a gift. I have always kept my roses in containers. Now, they're getting a permanent home, interspersed with a variety of herbs and flowering plants. Wonder what that will be like?<br />
Here's a picture from the last of the side garden's "hayday" in 2008:<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="insertedphoto"><a href="http://shen1hui4.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SJ2mxgoKCG8AAFAX9ZU1"><img border="0" class="alignmiddleb" src="http://images.shen1hui4.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SJ2mxgoKCG8AAFAX9ZU1/DSC04370.JPG?et=CR9YY7xVnOmahBtJdxIl8Q&nmid=0" /></a></span></div></div><br />
<br />
When this is done, I'd like to finish "the orchard".<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrTi8N7vucbS83PgCs66lhnFX7rcGWMZq-g3Smet_dV75g8VXo-XNNn6vWSej8od_VfbK9MU-vMcWHoePKpJ4BlBtitBEUS6vjysir6YM6tLYiYvb0VtvyR2AeFXwaOQBceUt/s1600/DSC01347.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixrTi8N7vucbS83PgCs66lhnFX7rcGWMZq-g3Smet_dV75g8VXo-XNNn6vWSej8od_VfbK9MU-vMcWHoePKpJ4BlBtitBEUS6vjysir6YM6tLYiYvb0VtvyR2AeFXwaOQBceUt/s1600/DSC01347.JPG" /></a> </div>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-65081963992000998802011-04-26T18:51:00.000-07:002011-04-26T18:51:00.785-07:00Disappointment<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoiPwPjS5ToDMVjvWP0K6ZJ6hpqGDgSQRnLzJhMGNvcPkojWeCb7guuyH3kRIYHKiUr8BpGQVHS7gWIc1gPNkFTlQ7zLNg14Qk7Tb1L2xRIq256qMt3ueU9e2ay99Iq6wAr174/s1600/DSC01318.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoiPwPjS5ToDMVjvWP0K6ZJ6hpqGDgSQRnLzJhMGNvcPkojWeCb7guuyH3kRIYHKiUr8BpGQVHS7gWIc1gPNkFTlQ7zLNg14Qk7Tb1L2xRIq256qMt3ueU9e2ay99Iq6wAr174/s1600/DSC01318.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Potted up pepper and zinnia sprouts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Last Sunday it finally warmed up enough to go outside and pot up all my little sprouts from my desk. I was so pleased with my work. I had dreams that my next photo would be of healthy little plants all ready to be set out in the garden.<br />
<br />
Sadly, when I went out to the greenhouse to check up on them this morning, something had gone in and nipped of the heads of nearly every sprout. Looks like a mouse made a salad of my new plants. sigh..... Back to the sprouting pods.CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-58432684474269210572011-04-24T13:12:00.000-07:002011-04-24T22:04:43.106-07:0024 April<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJxlndQBnfmIbywI3FitbxXb4vubyVDJPLW-b5kU5P7vBVbqyiDfq2CUn-MsGSi5jg7aAnmRkW2VG1BbfMqlOYc8kugiOAfGcGkkYhulzHHEpQ6wJn4sieGbTxcINx3VAQ0xF/s1600/DSC01317.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyp4vVQA6oY-N4zaf3KXfX7aTqJi3EOFfQ3MyNvblLCynnTlDaz8M5w3zOvlaEOwhZALN6XwtKHmPfHYOHs1kCHlgliPAW6L2Xj9kfceH2OuoKe0yCXxZtXKp05R_-QS7BqKwd/s1600/DSC01314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyp4vVQA6oY-N4zaf3KXfX7aTqJi3EOFfQ3MyNvblLCynnTlDaz8M5w3zOvlaEOwhZALN6XwtKHmPfHYOHs1kCHlgliPAW6L2Xj9kfceH2OuoKe0yCXxZtXKp05R_-QS7BqKwd/s1600/DSC01314.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Paddy is glad that spring brought the catnip back.</td></tr>
</tbody></table> Ever notice how spring starts slowly? After the long quiet of winter, there are these little bursts followed by slow downs. Similar to my usual Sunday, I jump up from my slumbers to feed the cat. After that, I will often amble back to bed for a 15 minute snooze with the excuse that I'm waiting for the kettle to boil. Then I'm up a second time looking for tea and a little breakfast. My favorite has been stinging nettles chopped and stirred into my buckwheat cereal. A meal necessitates a short lie about on the couch, snuggled with my crocheted afghan. Then I have to finally get things going.<br />
<br />
Spring has been like that here. First damp, cold winter weather - then burst of sunshine and 70-80 degree temperatures. Next rain and hail, then another week of delightful spring sunshine. And now this weekend, it's rain and gloom after quick tease of sunshine late in the week.<br />
<br />
Time to have another cup of tea and maybe poke in some more seeds into peat pots.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJxlndQBnfmIbywI3FitbxXb4vubyVDJPLW-b5kU5P7vBVbqyiDfq2CUn-MsGSi5jg7aAnmRkW2VG1BbfMqlOYc8kugiOAfGcGkkYhulzHHEpQ6wJn4sieGbTxcINx3VAQ0xF/s1600/DSC01317.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrJxlndQBnfmIbywI3FitbxXb4vubyVDJPLW-b5kU5P7vBVbqyiDfq2CUn-MsGSi5jg7aAnmRkW2VG1BbfMqlOYc8kugiOAfGcGkkYhulzHHEpQ6wJn4sieGbTxcINx3VAQ0xF/s1600/DSC01317.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finally, the drizzle ended and the sun became warm around 2pm. Time to garden.</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><br />
<a href="http://news.ucsc.edu/2011/04/spring-plant-sale.html">UCSC Farm and Garden Plant Sale is April 30th and May 1st. </a>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-48149995029070875502011-04-14T19:05:00.000-07:002011-04-14T19:05:00.667-07:00Seeds<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgZEc_xj75MQILa_A6-jNxxl6hiWCw8grkXuEcibanWd6LuO1M9aqjVVOIHaR0lOz2qynYS3vLIJqO_R8XedQJxP3z-mJ8TWwmZ84yT5o0sC69a4CNgvjTj8xpV8w5t1PC4Vv/s1600/DSC05650.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikgZEc_xj75MQILa_A6-jNxxl6hiWCw8grkXuEcibanWd6LuO1M9aqjVVOIHaR0lOz2qynYS3vLIJqO_R8XedQJxP3z-mJ8TWwmZ84yT5o0sC69a4CNgvjTj8xpV8w5t1PC4Vv/s1600/DSC05650.JPG" /></a></div>Do seeds experience fear? I think not, but it's a thought that has recently crossed my mind. I've been struggling with my own fears - fears of beginning, fear of making mistakes because you're a newbie. It's caused some writer's block in a school project. If you have experience in something it's much easier to write about. For me, it's gardening and plants. But when I'm new to a subject, I'm afraid of making mistakes. There it is. Fear of making mistakes. And as I stared at some of the inactive peat pots, the thought that they're afraid to sprout crossed my mind. A close friend of mine reminded me that<br />
<blockquote>"the first time is always the hardest - in science we call it the energy of activation. It's a known fact that changing movement takes more energy than sustaining it"</blockquote>Yang burst - that change in movement that drives the seed to spout or the flower to break bud and flower. But it is the burst in spring that takes us into summer.<br />
<br />
One more plug for the <a href="http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=6kcc86cab&v=001EjBomfbIyfhUil7lkJO6x9IznytN6xLJNcSI_6PxYf4I8OKoAoDSgDtAP67UlCYEWdrJ14yPwA9PkA3fwskT0V3zR0JXAoKzziwQDnWC3I4%3D">Smart Gardening Fair</a>. Renee Shepherd will be speaking at the Smart Gardening Fair this Saturday. Find out the real dirt on how the seed business works and which seeds are the best choices for avid gardeners. For more info go to <a href="http://www.smartgardening.org/">http://www.smartgardening.org/</a><br />
<br />
(Brazenly lifted from the Master Gardener's Facebook page -<br />
<a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Monterey-Bay-Master-Gardeners/120763298657">http://www.facebook.com/pages/Monterey-Bay-Master-Gardeners/120763298657</a>)CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-20106574123364228502011-04-05T19:16:00.000-07:002011-04-05T19:16:00.366-07:00Sprout Update<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jrwLXDO1XSJXBiBQbfSSJWbQk8yPZNTXLXgx75s-lAeozPnmP77cCOfy07MGe5n517cuPgEh_xhGJb0WL3dGDxJJKz_8wydaEmyWnoZHfRFz5aDwzKhvyNwDo829r3p7jKxW/s1600/DSC05648.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jrwLXDO1XSJXBiBQbfSSJWbQk8yPZNTXLXgx75s-lAeozPnmP77cCOfy07MGe5n517cuPgEh_xhGJb0WL3dGDxJJKz_8wydaEmyWnoZHfRFz5aDwzKhvyNwDo829r3p7jKxW/s1600/DSC05648.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First seeds to sprout: 1 sunflower, 2 kale and a scabiosa.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Although I haven't been in the garden much over these last few years, I still have a tendency to save seed. Waste not want not I guess. And I always figure that I will get a chance to plant such-and-such so why not grab that discounted seed packet? Or I'll pocket a few seeds from a plant I see that I'd love to have someday. Problem is that I have too much seed now. I was half tempted in the fall to just scatter it all into the yard and see what came up. But I resisted.<br />
<br />
When I bought the peat pots, I had a vision of all the little plants I wanted. But sure enough, my filing system is not as good as my dreamy memory. In other words, I have no idea where my Swiss chard seeds are or the mizuna or even a summer squash or two. So, I planted the peat pots with whatever was in the seed files that appealed to me. And I left 3 rows for "surprises". I have a "bring back the butterflies" mix that I purchased at discount. Many of the seeds I recognized by sight - scabiosa, borago, cosmos, calendula, tithonia, lupinus, echinacea. But I was intrigued by a few that I didn't recognize and I popped them into the peat pots anyway. Everyone needs a good surprise.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jrwLXDO1XSJXBiBQbfSSJWbQk8yPZNTXLXgx75s-lAeozPnmP77cCOfy07MGe5n517cuPgEh_xhGJb0WL3dGDxJJKz_8wydaEmyWnoZHfRFz5aDwzKhvyNwDo829r3p7jKxW/s1600/DSC05648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuUfSXBLjhqJjKo925ornkdJlp9olnoElTzxJ6DWXJJ35jxXcTJQtlwIOEeDF4C-WZtDZycUh6oT96FDWe1s3B5HMeueTnfWgcv88wv8edmuKuAB0B6x518n6M4ffcbZfrksf/s1600/DSC05649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeuUfSXBLjhqJjKo925ornkdJlp9olnoElTzxJ6DWXJJ35jxXcTJQtlwIOEeDF4C-WZtDZycUh6oT96FDWe1s3B5HMeueTnfWgcv88wv8edmuKuAB0B6x518n6M4ffcbZfrksf/s1600/DSC05649.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Sunflower is going home with me.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
If you're in the Monterey/Santa Cruz area, mark your calendar for the Smart Gardening Fair presented by the Monterey Bay Master Gardeners. It will be held in Carmel on <span class="style83">Saturday, April 16th</span><span class="style83"> ~ 10 AM to 4 PM adjacent to the Crossroads Shopping Village</span>.For more details see: <a href="http://smartgardening.org/">http://smartgardening.org/</a><span class="style83"> </span>I'm sure the weather will be stunning.CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-75988811806809820892011-03-29T18:30:00.000-07:002011-03-30T14:27:46.436-07:00Sprouting, burgeoning and spreading<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzNyoRQM7MdEtwz2L4avxc-jKCXkQWhoTCMZxfltavzbm2K9pBHUWTxSW5os0uU1OeZFm7V1DWWzPR4MfDCPZrVsaRk7siQ1zJbeS6LOYvUQpgyDKevuPIitYTjZtNwNZySm0/s1600/FILE0024.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBzNyoRQM7MdEtwz2L4avxc-jKCXkQWhoTCMZxfltavzbm2K9pBHUWTxSW5os0uU1OeZFm7V1DWWzPR4MfDCPZrVsaRk7siQ1zJbeS6LOYvUQpgyDKevuPIitYTjZtNwNZySm0/s400/FILE0024.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5589986445343303410" border="0" /></a><br /><blockquote><span style="font-size:85%;"> <span style="font-family:arial;">The period of three months in spring is a period of sprouting (burgeoning). Everything in heaven and earth comes to life and flourishes. Sleep late and wake up early. Stroll in large steps in the courtyard, letting loose the hair and relaxing, so that the desire to live arises. Let live and do not kill anything. Give out but do not take anything by force. Reward generously and punish parsimoniously. This conforms to the spirit of spring; it is the right way to pursue the Dao. If one acts against this spirit, the liver will suffer. Then in summer, one will feel cold due to an insufficiency in the vigour of growth.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Traditionally the Chinese year is divided into 24 time periods, the jieqi (solar terms). Beginning with lichun (spring commences), sometime in February of the Gregorian calendar, every fifteen days will see a new time period. Agricultural and social activities follow this time schedule closely and observe its special current features (jieling). Spring covers the three months beginning with lichun, the first time period, with the spring equinox (chunfen, March 20 - 22) as the fourth of these periods. The most salient feature of this period is characterized by the term fachen, "burgeoning or sprouting and spreading".</span> <a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://books.google.com/books?id=LOHrndTlg7MC&lpg=PP1&dq=huang%20di%20nei%20jing&pg=PA11#v=onepage&q=huang%20di%20nei%20jing&f=false">Huangdi Neijing: A Synopsis with Commentaries By Y. C. Kong</a></span></blockquote><br /><br />Strolling in large steps in the garden of late would require waders. Saturday morning we were being doused by torrential rain. I was sad that I didn't have my camera as I headed out to a meeting because I wanted to capture the muddy river that was pouring down our neighbor's private driveway from the strawberry fields. In the fields were there are plants, you could see the berries being washed away with the soil, sprinkled along the muddy sand bars left when the waters receded.<br /><br />The garden is a sopping wet catastrophe.<br /><br />And yet, I'm eager to see the sunshine and I'm thinking about what I can do in the minute amount of time I have available. Funds are tight too, but I'm really missing the garden and I got the crazy idea to start my vegetables on my desk at work. After all, I'm there so much of the time and I can baby the starts for the first few weeks before transplanting them. And it would be so nice to share my south facing window with a cute flat of sprouts.CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-82007160223023692772011-03-16T22:49:00.000-07:002011-03-17T07:26:13.016-07:00Time to get out and about<div style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKLTvk9f5JUsi6_KjeD7UwKBANYYdOpDzuHG8Ij88cPu1YKiybC1lR0ahDuXJYeFoEsjrfAOyBTRcE_TBWWWoaAOduaWWJDRCdMDF3cGHwqtCprhrybt1BUe5Nz5jYVx0DnPS/s1600/DSC05517.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitKLTvk9f5JUsi6_KjeD7UwKBANYYdOpDzuHG8Ij88cPu1YKiybC1lR0ahDuXJYeFoEsjrfAOyBTRcE_TBWWWoaAOduaWWJDRCdMDF3cGHwqtCprhrybt1BUe5Nz5jYVx0DnPS/s320/DSC05517.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br />This is a picture of mulberry flower (Morus nigra) from my weeping mulberry tree. I'm so looking forward to Spring. I'm watching the leaves unfurl from dormant branches and trying to figure out what to plant and what to clear.<br /><br />If you're in the Santa Cruz area, I can recommend some classes that a friend and instructor teaches. Darren Huckle, L.Ac. is offering a wide variety of herb classes, from herb walks to herbal preparation classes. Get more information from his website <a href="http://www.rootsofwellness.net/classes.html">http://www.rootsofwellness.net/classes.html</a><br /><br />I blogged about his Herbal Medicine in the Garden class at CASFS in 2006. Here's a link to my post <a href="http://ccagardener.blogspot.com/2006/07/today-i-ate-echinacea-purpurea.html">"Today I ate an Echinacea purpurea"</a><br /><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none; padding: 0px; background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-63361490362260672662010-03-23T15:31:00.000-07:002010-03-23T15:58:12.927-07:00Lost in my studies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufd9i3QcYrlM9VWh5JjpRkK_1eILEI6d9yUjqo9qbKf-LEauKtGTkOX0G0ktCKCO8KLPLsxAe_fevAaVEvpkxWaLZHY85tS5S1UbKaQXRSlDKNGt-VMBUAipMhJ3Mmvz5-8hu/s1600-h/DSC04872.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; clear: both; float: left;" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgufd9i3QcYrlM9VWh5JjpRkK_1eILEI6d9yUjqo9qbKf-LEauKtGTkOX0G0ktCKCO8KLPLsxAe_fevAaVEvpkxWaLZHY85tS5S1UbKaQXRSlDKNGt-VMBUAipMhJ3Mmvz5-8hu/s320/DSC04872.JPG" border="0" /></a> So instead of being in the garden, I've been lost amongst tomes of books. The study of herbs has most of my attention. They're harder to learn than just the vegetables in my garden. And the garden suffers from my inattention. But I find I can only really pay attention to work and my graduate studies.<br /><br />I miss blogging. And I miss gardening.<br /><br />Spring has me looking more closely at the herbs, and lately, what catches my attention are seeds. <br /><br />One of my beds was finally raided and cleared by the gophers. The dahlia in my profile picture is gone. I was out last Sunday trying to decide what to do. I think I'll see which of these herb seeds sprout. Jing jie (Schizonepeta tenuifolia) seems like a possible candidate. Then I'll make the bed a permanent planting, with individual gopher cages. <br /><br />The gopher invasion had me a bit glum on Vernal Equinox, so I tramped around the edges of the garden looking at my weeds. I have a large amount of chickweed (Stellaria media) and plantain (Plantago lancelolata) growing everywhere. I decided to try and make salve. Added some Salvia apiana and Salvia mellifera leaves which gave the coconut oil a pungent smell. It's not to bad for a first try. But next time, I'll try and remember to have small containers to put it in, ready to go. I spent part of the afternoon madly looking for sampler honey jars to put the finished salve into, so I can share it with some friends and family.<br /><br />The only other accomplishment was planting catnip on the deck for my cat. He was particularly happy that Spring is finally here. (I think he's getting bored with the dried stuff.)<br /><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-31977174798823929052009-10-26T10:07:00.000-07:002009-11-02T13:28:29.354-08:00Anyone missing a Kitty Cat?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QYZcw4uDE87mTErNs98bMjxY2blYdK1-gHb5MNX_OnbCSbu27TKAEtpYX-rcFtr3Wpf5jnQjmF23jlFntGrKCCKz4dKFZVHt6Pnju3sB-3a1PpERVx7hiyDolxOCnOR30ZIp/s1600-h/lost.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5QYZcw4uDE87mTErNs98bMjxY2blYdK1-gHb5MNX_OnbCSbu27TKAEtpYX-rcFtr3Wpf5jnQjmF23jlFntGrKCCKz4dKFZVHt6Pnju3sB-3a1PpERVx7hiyDolxOCnOR30ZIp/s400/lost.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399621275735116914" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">She's been hanging around my garden for the past few days. Very thin, but very affectionate. Think she might be lost or abandoned.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://localhost:50046/529aff148f6d5a9c5459b126b237711b/image/fb35afcdbfe752cb.jpg"><img alt="" src="http://localhost:50046/529aff148f6d5a9c5459b126b237711b/image/fb35afcdbfe752cb.jpg?size=320" border="0" /></a> </div>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-80422616749397541892009-09-19T08:38:00.001-07:002009-09-19T08:41:24.152-07:00Dinnerplate Dahlia<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1jcfYbpHYBkKFNPZMHaWM5k0rg0-5Z3HeDh9YKHS-lSqkIPIpIQhA7-0vjItoPz9Z7iuHXm8-nnMo89OQ4cIDCAWT_PqQ_mJmgEdnfLE79xTbRYwLlzvnY-EXAtjLJW-bieH/s1600-h/P9118276.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1jcfYbpHYBkKFNPZMHaWM5k0rg0-5Z3HeDh9YKHS-lSqkIPIpIQhA7-0vjItoPz9Z7iuHXm8-nnMo89OQ4cIDCAWT_PqQ_mJmgEdnfLE79xTbRYwLlzvnY-EXAtjLJW-bieH/s400/P9118276.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383203793791431442" border="0" /></a>I can't say my garden is well tended this year. I haven't been taking pictures or doing much out there at all. But a dahlia that I purchased at the San Francisco Flower Show just bloomed, and it's as big as my head! I'm amazed.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCgGSkaGbAqswV3KRTXfGwpx9PKhVdTrvIRQOZEp6NjNbBPzwnTMMAqVlEFdbvDumHt66T4ZiKc6LywuOX3obz1kNBnlyuYdw470KsPlxywJfbewodyCJP6b4mFKHMzHEspUd/s1600-h/P9118278.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 250px; height: 352px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQCgGSkaGbAqswV3KRTXfGwpx9PKhVdTrvIRQOZEp6NjNbBPzwnTMMAqVlEFdbvDumHt66T4ZiKc6LywuOX3obz1kNBnlyuYdw470KsPlxywJfbewodyCJP6b4mFKHMzHEspUd/s400/P9118278.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5383203548275636418" border="0" /></a>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-91998054007676489222009-07-15T15:57:00.000-07:002012-09-16T20:59:57.456-07:00Dear Park Seeds<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9_szamjI6L2eCNnfmB8Xy98HSLlSz9ikn8ZumPn91esL3OghTf9epcj86nssLUTuUVuEebTvVLf1qcZ5zr0Fk_lFQwOlME4w_U_7LnAtcQopRsE2YxVfzAeA6VxwM5_x1sVw/s1600-h/87500.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 190px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9_szamjI6L2eCNnfmB8Xy98HSLlSz9ikn8ZumPn91esL3OghTf9epcj86nssLUTuUVuEebTvVLf1qcZ5zr0Fk_lFQwOlME4w_U_7LnAtcQopRsE2YxVfzAeA6VxwM5_x1sVw/s400/87500.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5358825143631295042" border="0" /></a>Why would I want pay you $9.95 for 6 leek plants? Unless of course, they're guaranteed to grow 10 feet tall.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">le poireau n'est pas l'asperge du pauvre</span>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-48561455875502828402009-01-04T00:16:00.000-08:002009-01-04T00:19:38.327-08:00Weeding Season Again<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="insertedphoto"><img class="alignmiddleb" src="http://images.shen1hui4.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SWBurQoKCG8AAHAySpc1/DSC04779.JPG?et=r%2Bd92i0BvYgNt23qFUFkYw&nmid=0" border="0" /></span><br /></div><br />Nothing like a relaxing afternoon pulling up weeds. Didn't get very far, but it's coming along. The rest of the garden full of oxallis, but I'll start with this patch. I'm hoping to transplant a couple of trees and move the blueberry barrels up here. I'm hoping that this nice weather holds, especially next weekend when there will be a <a href="http://casfs.ucsc.edu/community/calendar.html">pruning workshop</a>. Ah, winter.CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-55021743766395253542008-12-08T10:26:00.000-08:002008-12-08T10:58:31.132-08:00Interesting Article<a href="http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre4b45kb-us-climate-biochar/">Scientist Says Ancient Technique Cuts Greenhouse Gas</a><br /><br />Sounds intriguing. But what makes me wonder is how you heat up the crop biomass to make biochar? Is this some fancy smancy way of saying "gee, composting works"? (Somehow I don't think so.) Ancient technique, eh? So what is it? This article leaves more questions than answers. At first read it seems to say they burn the crop and plow it under. Sounds like a way to put lots of soot in the air. But the article says "under airtight conditions". Okay, so how does it heat up to "charcoal"? Guess it's something to hunt down more information on.<br /><br />But I say, grow your own organically and compost. Easiest way to reduce your personal carbon footprint.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Later</span><br />Note:<br />I should do a little research before I post. A google search on biochar rendered plenty of results.<br /><a href="http://www.biochar.org/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=6&Itemid=7">http://www.biochar.org</a><br />I'm still more in favor of composting. Still looks like too much soot.CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-49592029864141542032008-11-22T14:01:00.000-08:002008-11-22T23:20:29.264-08:00Home is where you hang your heart<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiizjpGcxOc9JbVP4rIbUim4OU5F8s5af7aDpIRGV1i1s6Y3UojkV6FZhJv1XFXMosMN_izzb_R2Q215C-UWzfeNLGr8F5g4WOz0UYEXariTEuntpXMtH7f1i-MGS3GWwKbr84/s1600-h/DSC04542.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiizjpGcxOc9JbVP4rIbUim4OU5F8s5af7aDpIRGV1i1s6Y3UojkV6FZhJv1XFXMosMN_izzb_R2Q215C-UWzfeNLGr8F5g4WOz0UYEXariTEuntpXMtH7f1i-MGS3GWwKbr84/s320/DSC04542.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Tomato: Anna Maria's Heart<br /></span></div><br />Summer didn't wait for me. I have been busy with my studies and rarely spent time in the garden. But it grew quite happily. I was able to steal away with a few tomatoes, handfuls of green beans for dinner, Swiss chard and arugula into my stir frys. However, the zucchini rebelled against the automated drip sprinklers. For some reason they didn't produce much this year, except for flowers.<br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPpWuI3pdinV5k1uD6TQhaphNuGB0aHWjUVCo2iPlR6GV5nAxCPTlnJ-Uaik9YssTZUy1Dam7HfIeUqcfdsz-ottsv1ltcOhgAnzhbU4jfAyfyYJez-REyJE_I153gaYYtBBw/s1600-h/P8196515.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAPpWuI3pdinV5k1uD6TQhaphNuGB0aHWjUVCo2iPlR6GV5nAxCPTlnJ-Uaik9YssTZUy1Dam7HfIeUqcfdsz-ottsv1ltcOhgAnzhbU4jfAyfyYJez-REyJE_I153gaYYtBBw/s320/P8196515.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><br />One of the best parts of my summer garden was the flower bouquets I would bring in for my desk. The dahlias, sunflowers and cosmos seemed to be endless. <br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwcrkCtrTKf-CTIN5TVK1mZ3f1UI1pMVes6-2H7VQ0M5-jFsXlWOxsFiwYtfy47_fNYP9xUX8gitIGZIzdMW9POFNfOYt-Ac59jlRVcrLYzIp4E0phw599Yp07L0Y4Jj_lgwA/s1600-h/DSC04426.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEwcrkCtrTKf-CTIN5TVK1mZ3f1UI1pMVes6-2H7VQ0M5-jFsXlWOxsFiwYtfy47_fNYP9xUX8gitIGZIzdMW9POFNfOYt-Ac59jlRVcrLYzIp4E0phw599Yp07L0Y4Jj_lgwA/s320/DSC04426.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div><br />So last weekend I decided to remove the last of the tomato vines. I was excited to find these large ripe Anna Maria's Hearts towards the back of the bed. I hadn't noticed them until the vines had died back from the cold air. I gathered all the green tomatoes and pondered if I could let them ripen. Most of the time, I just leave the vines in the garden and pull the fruit off as they color. But I thought it's November, what's the point of tomato vines? I decided to clean up, amend the soil and add in my winter crops. <br /><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnzKwpD6-SiYXqHvvKjA1wTvGnXBuOXKpk6ZGmbRp9hAfSsMo_igdBz25YaytU7lFZH2n4xlXkXsMJuhvJpMlQBW6HYrgbuzv3B69y_nj9R5Rqa3o9Tl18wgRhT7N0Y4A0Hlgv/s1600-h/DSC04585.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnzKwpD6-SiYXqHvvKjA1wTvGnXBuOXKpk6ZGmbRp9hAfSsMo_igdBz25YaytU7lFZH2n4xlXkXsMJuhvJpMlQBW6HYrgbuzv3B69y_nj9R5Rqa3o9Tl18wgRhT7N0Y4A0Hlgv/s320/DSC04585.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br />So many green tomatoes, what to do? The picture is only one-third of the green tomatoes I picked from the garden. I mentioned my dilemma to a friend and she suggested <a href="http://veg2eat.blogspot.com/2008/11/green-tomato-mincemeat.html">Green Tomato Mincemeat</a>. I love mincemeat. She even stopped by last Saturday to show me how to make it, and to help process all the tomatoes. Not a huge crop, but I'm glad to have the quarts of tomato sauce and mincemeat ready for winter. And my greens are happily transplanted, ready to grow during the winter rain.CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-54732582129840307652008-08-26T06:34:00.000-07:002008-11-17T14:18:26.471-08:00Tomatoes for fog<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9ZY__T218-j2_-UjaJ76vfUAEIDoHrkyTRUezIrG2MMWeg6fw5SXubg55JthA7Q5vBybx4pDW14S6zMkzajPlzO83skxJkAIYuVxCedX5v6aMohgaFrLEatgR_0uAUdjjec6/s1600-h/P8196516.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE9ZY__T218-j2_-UjaJ76vfUAEIDoHrkyTRUezIrG2MMWeg6fw5SXubg55JthA7Q5vBybx4pDW14S6zMkzajPlzO83skxJkAIYuVxCedX5v6aMohgaFrLEatgR_0uAUdjjec6/s400/P8196516.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236480060369757202" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I overheard a conversation at the Farmer's market last Saturday.<br /><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote>"No, I don't grow tomatoes anymore. Just not worth waiting all summer for a few lousy tomatoes."</blockquote>Too bad, I thought. But everyone makes those sorts of choices when they garden. And I can honestly say it's not easy growing tomatoes here on the coast; too much cold fog for those jungle weeds. But I like the challenge.<br /><br />This year, in the spring, I was trying to figure out what to do about growing tomatoes myself. February was quickly disappearing and I knew that I didn't have the time to sprout the varieties that I have learned to love and that do well here. I had resigned myself to looking for something at the garden center or maybe going to Love Apple farms and getting a few plants. I was pretty resolved not to buy an Early Girl. I don't think they have much flavor.<br /><br />It always amazes me the synchronicity of the universe. Just as I was reviewing my options I received an email from this blog. A neighbor had sprouted more tomatoes than they knew what to do with and would I like some? A neighbor I had never met before. Ah, the power of the internet. Can you believe my luck? I was so excited to pick up those plants, Azoychka, Anna Maria's Heart, Yellow Zebra, Silvery Fir Tree, Nygomous, Berkeley Tie Die, Bloody Butcher, Black Cherry, Lemon Boy, Moscovich, Cosmonaut Volkov, just to name . Then another friend of mine, a true tomato fanatic emailed me to say he also had extras. Double luck!<br /><br />So although I'm not out in the garden much (thanks to graduate school), it always makes me happy to know that plants grow whether you watch them or not. And the tomatoes are looking great.<br /><br />I'm happy to wait for them.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30XUwIMuG1xAP3YJhn0Zjl2DEO1gmoySwM2B16UTEItj2ueAgeR7AjHv0L-AIwKh9Mi6-cONSy_nVZUUxMWUSHKsqO0CJBc79v2b1jbatJp4ts45DA_uazGl44CQh9Ef1mbcr/s1600-h/DSC04381.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi30XUwIMuG1xAP3YJhn0Zjl2DEO1gmoySwM2B16UTEItj2ueAgeR7AjHv0L-AIwKh9Mi6-cONSy_nVZUUxMWUSHKsqO0CJBc79v2b1jbatJp4ts45DA_uazGl44CQh9Ef1mbcr/s400/DSC04381.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236479479445513922" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Silvery Fir Tree - growing outside the greenhouse. It produced my first tomato of the year on August 20th.</span> </span></div>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-39310485950599724942008-08-21T06:52:00.000-07:002008-08-21T11:10:42.448-07:00Blueberries<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNS1yVSr-UyoDorYs_l88Uv1g5_uAWYPIPZYkRnPtdotaivMNAOFE1EJYHvLtW0FYNsi6YWrpYLqYDODcii6cGpak3xFGi79ggfeI_zLBneV4t7Li2Zqk7Yqyg4zoRZR7JW64/s1600-h/DSC04375.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsNS1yVSr-UyoDorYs_l88Uv1g5_uAWYPIPZYkRnPtdotaivMNAOFE1EJYHvLtW0FYNsi6YWrpYLqYDODcii6cGpak3xFGi79ggfeI_zLBneV4t7Li2Zqk7Yqyg4zoRZR7JW64/s400/DSC04375.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236489991038271298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Sunshine Blue</span><br /></span></div><br />I have been having a boon year for blueberries. Last winter, while the plants were dormant, I dug them out of the half barrels I had them in and changed the potting soil. It was Ed Laivo from <a href="http://www.davewilson.com/homegrown/promotion/blueberries.html">Dave Wilson Nursery</a> that drove this change.<br /><br />I was at a fruit tree talk and the subject of blueberries came up. He commented that they are really easy to grow, not like what some garden magazines would have you believe. I have to concur. My plants are in partial sun, just on the edge of the oak shade that predominates my yard. I grow southern highbush varieties that don't need such long chill hours. I grow Duke and Blue Ray. They do alright, but the ones that really seem to flourish are Reveille, O'Neal, Sharpblue, Misty, Sunshine Blue, and Jubilee.<br /><br />He also said that they're <a href="http://www.davewilson.com/homegrown/promotion/bluecontainer.html">easier to grow in containers</a> because you can control the soil more easily. He mentioned his "magic mix" to make a fantastically acidic soil for them. That's what caught my attention. So the moment they went dormant, I went to work and changed out most of the potting soil in the half barrels. And in the spring, the change was noticeable. Many more clusters of flowers and lots of vigorous new growth. I have had the luxury of going down every Sunday morning and harvesting a basketful or more. I've had over 5 weeks of harvest. Blueberry pancakes, <a href="http://veg2eat.blogspot.com/2008/08/blueberry-corn-muffins.html">blueberry corn muffins</a>, and blueberry tarts have been some of this summer's joy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKhXPO-ICOqo5Vj4TLn7C869Q7NaGUIttoqJYsinkNjphDaqnpkuisuSsYgBliKPjyDIohWMG0EMK_34jXijvC5WysBSi83akmlva89uxbnXEOXLMC6WDlgfL_qbH2jWLIW6Z/s1600-h/DSC04360.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJKhXPO-ICOqo5Vj4TLn7C869Q7NaGUIttoqJYsinkNjphDaqnpkuisuSsYgBliKPjyDIohWMG0EMK_34jXijvC5WysBSi83akmlva89uxbnXEOXLMC6WDlgfL_qbH2jWLIW6Z/s400/DSC04360.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5236489872957661602" border="0" /></a>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-4047932790318859622008-08-13T20:30:00.000-07:002008-08-14T10:44:08.711-07:00Warning: Worm Bin Pictures AheadThis isn't a post to be reading at lunch, especially if you have a weak stomach. But a co-worker of mine asked about worm bins and if there was "undigested" food in my bins, to which I would say absolutely yes. And since I fed the bins some nice corn cobs recently, the worms have been coming up through the layers just to get first dibs on the corn cobs. So you've been warned.<br /><br />I put just about anything vegetarian in my bins, except dairy and anything particularly greasy. I've decided that egg shells need to be dried and then ground as they take a long time to decompose and lately there has been lots of eggshell bits in my garden beds, which I find unattractive. I also have put cotton into the bins, one, just to see what happened and two because I couldn't seem to just toss away an old cotton wash cloth that I'd had for years. I felt better knowing it wasn't going into the landfill.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPfAzfneGWswFah7VRF5VIH34L41eD2JGaD1HwXXjEzzqM_SOzOLLH2XyrDmAajsWUj_4BCTQN_Ad-wsHzCdSvUaR-hWSwC3XRjw68trunUmy5BvGEGqa8ATgiCtIWYnERWPS/s1600-h/DSC04399.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPfAzfneGWswFah7VRF5VIH34L41eD2JGaD1HwXXjEzzqM_SOzOLLH2XyrDmAajsWUj_4BCTQN_Ad-wsHzCdSvUaR-hWSwC3XRjw68trunUmy5BvGEGqa8ATgiCtIWYnERWPS/s400/DSC04399.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234210860953066930" border="0" /></a><br />Close up shot of the worms working on the corn cobs. There's even one on the side of the rubbermaid container. I have no idea why they like to hang out on the sides, in the space between the edge and the lid, and on the lid itself. But I can find loads of them there sometimes. Other times, they just mosey back into the pile. Maybe it's their idea of a little day trip.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomcWRfD9PBT6lrljKy9k0uzsWNLdCozUiv7TR8ktBlL6FXu7u42ukspzEItleo3CPQs2XVEka5_kzPOAQ4Mk9sYrlV39LX_KoQMghd5GSyxS7LzUwi1N-r-DvFVa6-MYu40Dr/s1600-h/DSC04399-1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomcWRfD9PBT6lrljKy9k0uzsWNLdCozUiv7TR8ktBlL6FXu7u42ukspzEItleo3CPQs2XVEka5_kzPOAQ4Mk9sYrlV39LX_KoQMghd5GSyxS7LzUwi1N-r-DvFVa6-MYu40Dr/s400/DSC04399-1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5234210984781906466" border="0" /></a>Other than grinding eggshells, I freeze banana peels just so they break down. This was upon the advice of the Master Composter who helped me start my worm bins. I now have 6 bins going and they take kitchen scraps and garden waste that isn't full of weedy seeds. Worm bins are really easy to keep and I like to give starts to friends and coworkers who decide to try vermicomposting.<br /><br />I remembered when I first got started, and I called my Mother with great excitement. "Hi Mom! Guess what? I have worms!!"<br />After a long pause, she replied "Well, it's not exactly something I can brag about to the neighbors."<br /><br />I don't know. I would.CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-8898165429491795982008-08-07T10:17:00.000-07:002008-08-21T11:49:21.401-07:00Of all the things I've lost..... <div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://shen1hui4.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SJ2mxgoKCG8AAFAX9ZU1"><a href="http://shen1hui4.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SJ2m2QoKCG8AAFJrB1o1"><span class="insertedphoto"></span></a><span class="insertedphoto"></span></a><span class="insertedphoto"><a href="http://shen1hui4.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SJ2mxgoKCG8AAFAX9ZU1"><img class="alignmiddleb" src="http://images.shen1hui4.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SJ2mxgoKCG8AAFAX9ZU1/DSC04370.JPG?et=CR9YY7xVnOmahBtJdxIl8Q&nmid=0" border="0"></a></span>Gardener, oh gardener<br>Where have you gone?<br>You're not weeding 'maters<br>or lost in the corn.<br><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://shen1hui4.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SJ2mxgoKCG8AAFAX9ZU1"><span class="insertedphoto"></span></a><a href="http://shen1hui4.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SJ2m2QoKCG8AAFJrB1o1"><img class="alignmiddleb" src="http://images.shen1hui4.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SJ2m2QoKCG8AAFJrB1o1/DSC04390.JPG?et=kFmpkhWErfRlqPH4jV0SLQ&nmid=0" border="0"></a>The cosmos are waving <br>their lazy soft heads<br>Spaghetti squash vines<br>o'er running their beds<br>Dahlias (planted late)<br>are beginning to pop<br>And where are you; where are you?<br>There are fresh beans to crop!<br>Walkways to mulch <br>and pots all awry<br>the sunflowers endlessly<br>reach for the sky.<br>All of this beauty and<br>you're not around.<br><br>(Maybe your mind<br>is simply not sound)<br><br></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://shen1hui4.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SJ2m2QoKCG8AAFJrB1o1"><span class="insertedphoto"></span></a><a href="http://shen1hui4.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SJ2m7woKCG8AAE827ls1"><img class="alignmiddleb" src="http://images.shen1hui4.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SJ2m7woKCG8AAE827ls1/DSC04394.JPG?et=tNvEDcEvstHf2aZhc3cxtw&nmid=0" border="0"></a><span style="font-style: italic;">Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most.</span><br> </div><!-- multiply:no_crosspost --><p class='multiply:no_crosspost'></p>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-39357047274461752672008-06-21T07:40:00.000-07:002008-06-21T11:43:00.764-07:00Red sky in the morning, Shepherd take warning.<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="insertedphoto"><a href="http://shen1hui4.multiply.com/photos/hi-res/upload/SF1IXgoKCG8AACMXwGs1"><img style="width: 405px; height: 303px;" class="alignleft" src="http://images.shen1hui4.multiply.com/image/1/photos/upload/300x300/SF1IXgoKCG8AACMXwGs1/fireysunrise.JPG?et=h0uF8EL6ZLbPQx1%2C1wkEJg&nmid=0" border="0" /></a></span><br /></div><span class="insertedphoto"><br />This is a picture of the skies at dawn this morning. I'd say it's lovely but the <a href="http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_9658468">Trabing fire</a> is a terrible tragedy and the reason why there is a bright pink sunrise.<br /><br />It was heart-rending to see. I didn't mind the hold up on the freeway. But as usual I was annoyed that other drivers weren't letting emergency vehicles pass. Since my trek home is southbound on Highway 1, I could see the fires in the groves. And I was actually watching a house burn down. My husband and I know people who live in that area, and we still haven't heard if they are okay yet. I'm sure they have other worries. I hope to hear from them soon.<br /><br />We were on the road and out of town when the fire in Bonnie Doon occurred. We came home to a garden covered in ash. And of course the Summit fire in May was troubling. Again, one friend was watching his pasture burn - but the house and buildings survived. And they were able to move their pets and horses off the property.<br /><br />With this heat, we're sure to have a bad fire season. I was reading a local blogger's entry recently about how lovely the sunsets were with the smoke in the air. I felt it was insensitive. Just like the people who don't get out of the way of Emergency services. Shameful......<br /></span> <!-- multiply:no_crosspost --><p class="multiply:no_crosspost"></p>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20404633.post-52168529546000215672008-04-19T23:35:00.000-07:002008-12-11T16:30:40.867-08:00A story continued - after by far too much delay.<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSe-HUW2sR-EhNVjBhyHucJXH6p3xEff2nwr6Zpa-r5ZkaZvDGZE7hVB2_-9XthJRYxnvPh4HjGwfYbsAas6Qqn8zW8z25EMYlw3fS2RwrsBhf_LQQ4pHWrx5coeK34ocXCLMi/s1600-h/DSC03987.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSe-HUW2sR-EhNVjBhyHucJXH6p3xEff2nwr6Zpa-r5ZkaZvDGZE7hVB2_-9XthJRYxnvPh4HjGwfYbsAas6Qqn8zW8z25EMYlw3fS2RwrsBhf_LQQ4pHWrx5coeK34ocXCLMi/s320/DSC03987.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />I didn't tell the end of the story of the amaryllis. Well, they didn't go to the wedding. Not a single one was in bloom on the 22nd of December. They waited until mid-January to open. I took these pictures on 1/16/08. One frustrating thing is that the colors were supposed to be "Apple Blossom" Pink and "Dazzler" white. One of the white ones bloomed pink. Most of the others were white. But if the bloom below is "Apple Blossom" - I will eat my gardening hat! (They were more salmon colored - not white with pink stripes in the trumpet).<br /></div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFvrcZfzgiIcUu3uftAL1iFTf6VnGUKxShGJdViBvLfUywYHpi6CMDg8M-jbVFp4e34YpRdCtF1sTLXIvo2ZNsGQZg4gjjhyphenhyphenuKrfxozppTQcXmyBTR6vNbO9iZbYM0cHl8QNp/s1600-h/DSC03988.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMFvrcZfzgiIcUu3uftAL1iFTf6VnGUKxShGJdViBvLfUywYHpi6CMDg8M-jbVFp4e34YpRdCtF1sTLXIvo2ZNsGQZg4gjjhyphenhyphenuKrfxozppTQcXmyBTR6vNbO9iZbYM0cHl8QNp/s320/DSC03988.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Very disappointing. I will think twice about buying amaryllis, I would expect this sort of result from buying out of a general nursery bin. In that situation, I can understand when the colors get mixed. <br /><br />I gave most of the white ones away to the Bride. She said they bloomed beautifully in early February. The rest I gave to friends as Valentine gifts. I kept a white one for myself. I ended up having about eight plants that didn't do anything. They are about to hit the compost pile tomorrow as I'm getting the greenhouse ready for tomatoes.<br /><br />Yay! Tomatoes!!<br /></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: -moz-initial; -moz-background-origin: -moz-initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: -moz-initial;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>CoastalCAGardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09098668391291009991noreply@blogger.com0