Posted on : 09-04-2010 | By : Admin
Wow. Another unusual butterfly sighting in my very own backyard. I’m not sure if I just happen to be noticing them more or if there actually are more this year. I say unusual because ordinarily I see the more common Monarch variety here in this neck of the woods. This one alit on a California Redwood for several minutes on Thursday just before 6 p.m. This afternoon I glimpsed what looked like a couple of Monarchs passing through the yard. Neither sat and stayed awhile, so no photo. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on : 06-04-2010 | By : Admin
With hail in the forecast last week I was glad I hadnt invested too much effort or cash into this years garden. To protect the few tender seedlings that I had already put in the ground, I placed a few cloches, fashioned from recycled plastic drink bottles, over them. The hail never materialized but we have had high winds and heavy rains the past few days. Above is a 5-inch green bean seedling in its plastic housing.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on : 29-03-2010 | By : Admin
Posted on : 15-02-2010 | By : Admin
Yesterday I got out into the garden for the first time this season. Trying not to be discouraged by the weeds surrounding my raised beds I got busy making and planting home-made seed tapes. I had seen the idea in Organic Gardening magazine and was eager to try it out. If successful it should eliminate the need to thin seedlings, a chore that seems so counter productive to me. Seed tapes are ideal for small seed crops like carrots, radishes and lettuces.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on : 30-07-2009 | By : Admin
Posted on : 15-06-2009 | By : Admin
While slightly out of focus it is still ample proof that we are finally getting tomatoes. I know many California gardeners both in the north and south who have already had tomatoes starting to ripen and in some cases ready for harvest, we got a later start. I was trying to be patient and heed expert advice to wait until the soil was indeed warm enough for setting out the garden. (I almost never wait this late — we planted May 10 — but with the late rains, things didn’t get going as fast as I would have liked.)
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on : 11-06-2009 | By : Admin
I mentioned last post that the cucumber had set fruit. These are Spacemaster, a bush variety that I have planted in an old recycling tub.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on : 06-06-2009 | By : Admin
The vegetable garden is thriving even after a late-season storm early Thursday morning that dumped nearly a half inch of icy rain. Typically Sacramentos rainy season is October through April so this was different for us. This storm was also unusual in that it included nearly continuous lightening flashes and thunder so loud it shook the windows and activated car alarms all over town. Primarily I was worried it might hail. So when I heard a heavy downpour shortly after midnight I went outside to feel the precipitation. It had a slushy feel to it but I dont believe we got hail in our area and the garden survived intact. A retired National Weather Service meteorologist described the event as the most impressive display of lightening I have ever seen, according to The Sacramento Bee. The storm lasted at least two hours as I was awakened after 3 a.m. by similar storm characteristics.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on : 04-06-2009 | By : Admin
On Sunday while out doing some shopping I stopped by Capital Nursery to pick up some fish emulsion for the garden. In the past I have used this type of fertilizer exclusively with the exception of compost at planting time. But this year I spotted this adorable little bottle.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted on : 02-06-2009 | By : Admin
…one can never have enough. The leaves are great on turkey sandwiches, with good mozzarella and vine ripened tomatoes and of course in pesto on pasta. With just a few dollars left and a sack full of strawberries, blueberries, peaches, plums and apricots at the farmer’s market Saturday, I picked up another basil start and a green bell pepper. The grower said an average bell will produce between a dozen and fifteen peppers. Since these are one of my youngest son’s favorites I figure if we want any for cooking we needed another one. I placed the basil and pepper in the spots where I had attempted to start two watermelon varieties. The seeds were old and only one of each variety sprouted but within days of emerging the tender seedlings were plucked and disappeared. I blame the mischievous scrub jays that nest in the Redwood trees in our backyard. After contemplating I decided the location was probably not sunny enough for watermelons anyway. Read the rest of this entry »
