Lazy Daddy

Busy in the garden before the heat wave rolls in this weekend.  Looks like garden time will be reserved for very early morning and late evening as temperatures scream into the 100s.

Farmer MacGregor really got busy.

• Leveled the garden fence that was sagging in spots.  It happens to all of us.
• Painted the garden fence and gate.  No surprise here.  Farmer paints religiously.
• Washed the entire outside of the house - windows included.  Everything sparkles.
• Edged and mowed the yards.  Better to do before the heat hits hard.
• Gets up extra early on the weekdays to make sure all the irrigation is done before 7am.  Excellent.
• Rigged a gizmo up so one of the spider plants can hang in the shade of the Chinese Elm tree.  Just don't bash your head into it when you mow.  Ouch!
• Got all the grocery shopping done so I can BBQ on Fathers' Day.  Thanks?
• Installed new rollers on the sliding glass door.  An oversite on my part omitted this stupendous task.  Old man MacGregor pointed out this flaw.
• Removed the double pane for cleaning.  Now I can open the clean door with just a push of my pinky finger.
• MacGregor, if you're reading this, prepare to go shooting early on Fathers' Day.  The ammunition has been purchased.  BBQ when you return.  Happy Fathers' Day even though you're not MY father.  It's better than an Hawaiian shirt right?

Good to get it done and enjoy the most wonderful invention ever...air conditioning.

Garden Update:

• Tomatoes are ripening.  Harvesting Celebrity and Gold Current.  The Gold Currents are all volunteers that grow vigorously in zone 8-9.  They grow so well that I need to dig some out because they are growing too big.
• Boysenberries are done.  Bird netting was removed.  Next - tie up new canes and prune out the old.
• Netting moved to the apricot tree.  It really burns me up when a bird pecks at one piece of fruit then moves on to another.  Can't they at least finish the piece of fruit they started with before moving on?  Honestly.
• Carrots are booming and need to be pulled.  Carrot cakes?
• French Marigolds are thriving with the heat.  During the evening garden inspection, seed heads are pulled and the seeds are scattered wherever the ground is bare.  Take THAT nematodes.
• Zucchini is the king of the garden now.  Black Beauty is a bush variety and grows well here.  The plants stay neat and dark green.  Squash are harvested when they are small to enjoy tender, tasty babies.
• Kentucky Wonder Green Beans are kinda puny.  Very disappointed that they have not gone wild with the heat.  Even used a soil inoculant with hopes of a bountiful crop.  I'm unimpressed.
• Nasturtiums (Dwarf Cherry Rose) were planted on May 28 and have not germinated yet OR if they have something ate them down to the nub.  Puzzling.
• Sadly, another fruit on the Split Leaf Philodendron has aborted.  Only one fruit remains on the plant.

Stay in from the heat and avoid swamp pants.  Time to do indoor housework.

Going to Seed

A work associate has a wife interested in gardening.  The only problem is - she wants immediate gratification.  She buys full grown plants rather than trying seeds.  But she's young and learning.  A package of seeds costs so much less than a full grown plant and produces so much more.  Plus, the plants are probably healthier when started properly by seed.  I start seeds in place outside most all year round.  The right seed in the right hole works most every time.

Nasturtiums and peppers planted May 28, 2012.

Being contrary to the last statement, I was searching for some bell pepper plants to add to the garden this weekend.  The available specimens were either pitiful or outrageously overpriced ($2.98/seedling!).  I had to revert to my original mantra and grow from seed.

Not only is it the most economical way to garden, but it's convenient too.  Whenever possible and practical, seeds are collected to use the following season.  If the variety works well in the garden, why mess with success?  Collect the successful varieties for later use or trade and share.  Don't forget to label the container.  That's a trick I'm still learning.

Sweet Peas collected in an old peanut butter tub for drying.

Radishes, herbs, beans, and squash can bring fairly fast results.  Sunflowers, sweet peas, and morning glories may grow so fast and furious that they may gain "weed" status in the garden.  What a danged shame more gardeners don't use seeds.

Sadly, Ferry Morse Seed Company is closing down it's operations around the USA.  Hope this is simply a reorganization and not an indicator of the preference of gardeners. 

Try picking up a packet of seeds and see how much more satisfying gardening can be from seed to seed.

Name That Flower

There are loads of blossoms in the garden...especially since we had a brush with triple digit temperatures last weekend.  Mind you, there was snow on the passes just one week earlier.  This week, has been pleasant with some nice rain.  The flowers have responded... 

Sweet Peas - The wall of vines just keeps on giving.

 Sweet Peas have been attracting bumble bees and that's okay.  Bouquets are clipped regularly.  That must stimulate the vines to continue to produce blossoms.  As the season comes to an end, the stems are shorter. There are some seed pods forming so this won't last much longer.  I keep the seeds for the fall planting.

Nasturtiums

Volunteer Nasturtiums are thriving.  They have been all winter long.  I thought they were summer plants but it seems these are fairly sturdy.  Did you know that nasturtiums are related to cabbage and that the flowers and leaves are edible if no pesticides are used?  I didn't know that. Have you tasted Nasturtiums?

Iceberg Rose

One bare root rose was planted this winter to accent the boysenberries.  It was moved a few times before I settled on  the current location.  As the temperatures have warmed this week, the buds have opened and have a light scent.  As marigold blossoms fade, I scatter those seeds under the rose and berries to help deter aphids and nematodes.  If this grows well this summer, a companion Iceberg Rose will be planted at the opposite end of the boysenberry row.  I'm also looking for a purple tree rose that grows well in zone 8-9.  Any suggestions?

Aloe Vera

 The potted garden Aloe Vera is quite large and needed to be repotted.  I thought that it was getting sunburned and pot bound so it was repotted in a shadier location and seems to be thriving with less sun and water.  The reason for the sunburned looking plant may have been due to over watering.  It was drenched when we repotted this beast.  The gel of this succulent is great to have handy in the garden to soothe scrapes, bites, and burns.  Has anyone ever seperated the pups of Aloe Vera?

Name this flower

Can you name this flower?  If you garden in the Central San Joaquin Valley, your garden may currently have quite a bit of this flower.  Mine did but they're now in the green waste.

Bloomin' Fabulous

There's more blooming in the garden besides all the fruit trees.

Volunteer Sweet Peas

The Sweet Peas are germinated from 2011 seeds.  They are pretty much growing wherever the pod exploded so they are scattered around the garden but some were planted intentionally under a trellis.  Once the trellised vines are finished, green beans will use the support.


Nasturtium

The Nasturtiums are growing along with the Sweet Peas under a trellis.  Some are growing under a support where zucchini will soon be planted.

Strawberries - Duh!

Strawberries are blooming well but the berries aren't making it into the kitchen.  They are falling prey to the gardener (me) who cannot resist eating raw peas either.

Marigolds

The Marigolds (French) are doing so-so in the tomato bed.  I believe I'll plant more soon to replace any the feable plants.  They were stung with a recent cold spell.  These plants are in place to team with Basil and Celebrity Tomatoes to discourage nematoads.

I'm looking for companion plants for the boysenberries; but I don't believe there is any recommendations.  Only if aphids are a problem are marigold companions recommended.