Building at the back of the nursery, from across the street. On this Sunday, it was easy to find parking on this street behind the nursery. There is no nursery parking lot and street parking can be tricky.
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Monday, May 02, 2005
Berkeley Hort. Continued
Wavy trellis at Berkeley Hort. Display only and apparently they're not being made any more. Bummer!
Posted by Hello
'Drama Queen' poppy
'Drama Queen' poppy from Annie's Annuals... not what her picture promised, but still pretty and it's as tall as I am!
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Umbrella Mosquito Netting
I wanted a bee/wasp/fly/mosquito-free eating area and this is it. Btw, it's out front! I think it looks festive and my son thinks it looks trashy. Perhaps it's festively trashy or trashily festive... It's from Gardener's Eden, by the way.
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Across the street and around the corner from Berkeley Hort is a Keeyla Meadows demo garden. Her designs are very inspirational... and expensive.
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Sunny outdoor perennials and veggies in foreground, shadier stuff under cover in background
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Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Pining for Smith & Hawken
Every now and then I check the Smith & Hawken website to see if/when we're getting a store in Sacramento. None coming anytime soon, apparently, but I did discover that we now have a Smith & Hawken "Authorized Dealer" in our area!
Davis Ace Hardware
240 G ST. (behind bldg. A)
Davis, CA 95616
530-758-8000
Woo hoo!
I still think Sacramento is worthy of a full-fledged store. They think we're not tony enough (locations are restricted to Beverly Hills, Walnut Creek, Palo Alto, etc.) and we may not be... but we sure love to garden and spend our hard-earned money on garden accoutrements. Heck, we're tony enough to use words like "accoutrements"! Give us a store! Please? Pretty Please? With a Mercedes Benz on top?
Davis Ace Hardware
240 G ST. (behind bldg. A)
Davis, CA 95616
530-758-8000
Woo hoo!
I still think Sacramento is worthy of a full-fledged store. They think we're not tony enough (locations are restricted to Beverly Hills, Walnut Creek, Palo Alto, etc.) and we may not be... but we sure love to garden and spend our hard-earned money on garden accoutrements. Heck, we're tony enough to use words like "accoutrements"! Give us a store! Please? Pretty Please? With a Mercedes Benz on top?
I Curse You, Computer Gods!
If you're wondering why the Events Calendar is down, it's because there are demons in the nifty new calendar software program I started using. I spent the time inputting all the fun happenings for May, uploaded them to cyberspace, went back to add a few more dates and kerplooey! Not only had dates disappeared, but some jumped to other dates! Soooooo.... I entered them again, feeling the pain of time lost forever to task tedium. That's how dedicated I am to the avid gardeners of Sacramento. Saved everything often (always save often), uploaded the calendar... and kerplooey... AGAIN! In defeat, the Events Calendar sits unlinked. Contrary to how much time I spend in cyberspace, I do have a life and can't get to it right now. But, hey, you shouldn't be spending money at another plant sale, and you certainly shouldn't be traipsing around another garden tour. Catch up on your laundry. Or spring cleaning. Or get your dates from the Bee, where people actually get paid to do this. ;-)
Monday, April 25, 2005
Cobalt Pot from Berkeley Hort.
In it, I planted a couple Annie's plants and a few annual seedlings from the greenhouse... um, um, viscaria 'Rose Angel', salpiglossis and toadflax 'Confetti' (Linaria maroccana).
Posted by Hello
Sunday, April 24, 2005
East Sacramentans, Rip Up Your Lawns!!!
That goes for all you other Sacramentans as well. Why do I wish you'd all rip up your front lawns and replace them with flowers and goo ga's? Because I've seen Garden Paradise. I've seen what we're missing, having spent a good part of the weekend driving around Berkeley and walking around in Oakland's Rockridge district. Our front yards are too well-behaved! They're... I'm gonna say it... boring! I don't think they accurately reflect our personalities. If they do, then yikes!
Oakland and Berkeley gardeners aren't afraid to let their opinions-- about plants, about art, about recycling, about anything-- show up in the front yard. If big blowsy red roses are dropping petals on the green Volvo still very much supporting John Kerry for president, it ain't no thang! If "Berks" have to slip on their Birks to go out front and do a little extra deadheading because Annie's Annuals and Perennials are blooming shamelessly all over the place, well, hey, crank up The Dead and let's deadhead!
Just remember, your front yard is YOUR front yard. Do whatever you want with it. Plant corn if you want to. Display that clay thing your kid made in art class. Buy one of those mooning garden gnomes and nestle it under your azaleas before they die of plant boredom. You know you want to... Put a little cafe table out front. Sit at it while drinking your coffee or your green tea. Shake things up a little.
I didn't feel like lugging around camera gear on this trip. Boy am I sorry now...
Almost forgot... I popped in to Berkeley Hort. and left with a couple Annie's plants and a gorgeous (yet reasonably priced) cobalt blue pot.
Oakland and Berkeley gardeners aren't afraid to let their opinions-- about plants, about art, about recycling, about anything-- show up in the front yard. If big blowsy red roses are dropping petals on the green Volvo still very much supporting John Kerry for president, it ain't no thang! If "Berks" have to slip on their Birks to go out front and do a little extra deadheading because Annie's Annuals and Perennials are blooming shamelessly all over the place, well, hey, crank up The Dead and let's deadhead!
Just remember, your front yard is YOUR front yard. Do whatever you want with it. Plant corn if you want to. Display that clay thing your kid made in art class. Buy one of those mooning garden gnomes and nestle it under your azaleas before they die of plant boredom. You know you want to... Put a little cafe table out front. Sit at it while drinking your coffee or your green tea. Shake things up a little.
I didn't feel like lugging around camera gear on this trip. Boy am I sorry now...
Almost forgot... I popped in to Berkeley Hort. and left with a couple Annie's plants and a gorgeous (yet reasonably priced) cobalt blue pot.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Medallion & Peace roses
Two of my fave hybrid teas, 'Medallion' and 'Peace', are blooming. Scored these at Home Depot last fall for next to nothing. Also got 'J.F.K.' and 'Chrysler Imperial' at the same time. 'Medallion' blossoms are HUGE!!!
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containerized Roma tomato plant
My most mature tomatoes, Romas, currently growing in a 5 gallon container and recently sprung from the greenhouse. Most of my other tom. plants aren't nearly as far along.
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Thursday, April 14, 2005
Mother Nature done be makin' a fool outta me...
My frozen fingers were barely able to dial Emigh Hardware's phone number to check stock on Wall O' Waters for my shivering in-ground tomato babies. They're holding two packages for me.
Friday, April 08, 2005
What the...
Tornado Warning
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
339 PM PDT FRI APR 8 2005
CAC067-082300-
/O.CON.KSTO.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-050408T2300Z/
SACRAMENTO CA-
339 PM PDT FRI APR 8 2005
...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 400 PM PDT FOR NORTHERN
SACRAMENTO COUNTY...
AT 330 PM PDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO NEAR TRUXEL
AND INTERSTATE 80 WITH DAMAGE TO VEHICLES. DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUES
TO INDICATE STRONG ROTATION NEAR THE INTERSTATE 80 SPLIT WITH THE
CAPITOL CITY FREEWAY. ADDITIONAL TORNADOS ARE POSSIBLE!
LAT...LON 3871 12152 3847 12145 3845 12104 3871 12111
SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SACRAMENTO CA
339 PM PDT FRI APR 8 2005
CAC067-082300-
/O.CON.KSTO.TO.W.0007.000000T0000Z-050408T2300Z/
SACRAMENTO CA-
339 PM PDT FRI APR 8 2005
...A TORNADO WARNING CONTINUES UNTIL 400 PM PDT FOR NORTHERN
SACRAMENTO COUNTY...
AT 330 PM PDT...LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT REPORTED A TORNADO NEAR TRUXEL
AND INTERSTATE 80 WITH DAMAGE TO VEHICLES. DOPPLER RADAR CONTINUES
TO INDICATE STRONG ROTATION NEAR THE INTERSTATE 80 SPLIT WITH THE
CAPITOL CITY FREEWAY. ADDITIONAL TORNADOS ARE POSSIBLE!
LAT...LON 3871 12152 3847 12145 3845 12104 3871 12111
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Millions of Painted Ladies Migrate through Sacto!
Posted by Hello
The main wave began Monday, March 28, but this straggler stopped by my backyard, today, April 3.
SacBee.com article on painted lady migration
Friday, March 25, 2005
Mendocino, March '05
Posted by Hello
Just got back from a trip to beloved Mendocino... Pride of Madeira, Echium candicans (E. fastuosum) is in full bloom there right now. Gorgeous!!! The taller echiums, wildprettii I think, bloom later. I'd recently admired E. candicans freeway plantings on the way to the bay area for the S.F. Flower & Garden Show.
I'd love to try E. candicans in my yard... The E. wildprettii I brought back from Mendocino two summers ago is sending up its first flower spike right now, so I might do o.k. with E. candicans as well. These are coast-preferring plants, but under the right conditions, we can get them to grow and bloom.
This photo was taken in the backyard of the house we rented. When I wasn't flower watching, I was busy whale watching!
Saturday, March 19, 2005
S.F. Flower & Garden Show
Went yesterday... What did I score at the vendors' booths?
Orchid plants: I suggest perusing each booth, comparing selection and prices and then returning to buy. Having such a wide selection in one area is a bit overwhelming, but there is quite a bit of difference in vendor pricing, so that's a good way to narrow your choices. I ended up buying from Valley Orchids, Inc. from Morgan Hill.
Cool metal stakes: I'm a sucker for rusted metal garden art and this time I scored two butterflies on wavy stakes attached at the base. They came from Susan Regert's company, "Z" Garden Party. Love 'em. Also got a single butterfly to stick in my herb box from the same vendor... and a copper star stake with marbles on the points from Jardinage Copper and Cedar Garden Art.
Words of warning: pack a nice lunch (last year's passable teriyaki vendor is gone and the alternatives are awful and expensive unless you want 2 soggy, underheated chicken tacos and a coke for $11!) and plan on getting out of there early enough or late enough to skip the afternoon commute (good luck on that one).
This year's garden vignettes left me a little flat. I saw several wilting plants, the few designs that stood out only did so because of shock value, and none of them made me say, "Wow, that's beautiful!" Last year's were much better in my opinion. I'd like to see something a little more reality-based next year. None of my favorite bay area landscape designers did the show this year. Hmmm... maybe there's a story there. The Cow Palace still needs a lighting makeover.
If you have a chance, attend one of the many interesting seminars! Matter o'fact, I'd say the seminars and shopping options are the show's strengths.
Orchid plants: I suggest perusing each booth, comparing selection and prices and then returning to buy. Having such a wide selection in one area is a bit overwhelming, but there is quite a bit of difference in vendor pricing, so that's a good way to narrow your choices. I ended up buying from Valley Orchids, Inc. from Morgan Hill.
Cool metal stakes: I'm a sucker for rusted metal garden art and this time I scored two butterflies on wavy stakes attached at the base. They came from Susan Regert's company, "Z" Garden Party. Love 'em. Also got a single butterfly to stick in my herb box from the same vendor... and a copper star stake with marbles on the points from Jardinage Copper and Cedar Garden Art.
Words of warning: pack a nice lunch (last year's passable teriyaki vendor is gone and the alternatives are awful and expensive unless you want 2 soggy, underheated chicken tacos and a coke for $11!) and plan on getting out of there early enough or late enough to skip the afternoon commute (good luck on that one).
This year's garden vignettes left me a little flat. I saw several wilting plants, the few designs that stood out only did so because of shock value, and none of them made me say, "Wow, that's beautiful!" Last year's were much better in my opinion. I'd like to see something a little more reality-based next year. None of my favorite bay area landscape designers did the show this year. Hmmm... maybe there's a story there. The Cow Palace still needs a lighting makeover.
If you have a chance, attend one of the many interesting seminars! Matter o'fact, I'd say the seminars and shopping options are the show's strengths.
Monday, March 14, 2005
Sprinklers and Puppies
Turned on the spray heads in one of my flowerbeds this morning only to discover that the heads were spraying toward the fence instead of on plants. Turns out my darling little sprinkler-eating doggies have been gnawing on the heads when I'm not around.
I tried adjusting one head with the water on. Lesson learned? Don't do sprinkler repairs pre-coffee... screwing counterclockwise results in a fountain and drenching of said repair person. I'm awake now, anyway.
I tried adjusting one head with the water on. Lesson learned? Don't do sprinkler repairs pre-coffee... screwing counterclockwise results in a fountain and drenching of said repair person. I'm awake now, anyway.
Saturday, March 12, 2005
Speaking of popcorn...
I just bought a new cordless electric mulching mower from Emigh Hardware, another popcorn-dishing nursery/hardware store. My 16+ year old Ryobi cordless electric mower finally bit the dust when it sustained water damage. Ryobi no longer makes cordless electric mowers, apparently, and it appears Black & Decker has a lock on the market with the B&D CMM1000. It ain't cheap at $449.99, but it happened to be on sale at Emigh for $429 AND they're delivering it for FREE... ASSEMBLED! Dontcha love Emigh? Not only that, I was able to order the mower over the phone. It couldn't have been easier.
Eisley Nursery in Auburn
First, let me apologize for the slightly fuzzy flower photo. When I took the picture, the wind was not cooperating. Let me also apologize for the prison-camp fencing designed to keep puppies out of forbidden areas. They jump the fence like track stars now, so I suppose it should come down...
Took my first trip to Eisley Nursery in Auburn yesterday. What a nice nursery! First of all, it's big. Inside the main building, they sell a dizzying array of garden gifts, supplies, seeds and bulbs. Outside, they currently have a nice selection of: color, herbs, perennials, peonies (herbaceous and tree), strawberries, asparagus, and more.
Nice pottery selection too! My friend splurged on 2 gorgeous glazed mexican wall pots. I got a nice (and very decently priced) trio of what I always think of as "British herb pots." They're like normal red clay pots, only taller. Since I had nothing in mind for the pots, I had to buy a lavender wallflower, yellow alyssum and edible Johnny Jump Ups (as seen in the above photo).
We both admired the soothing bamboo wind chimes (not at all annoying like some metal ones) but decided we'd already done enough damage to our wallets and would likely be back some other time.
The staff was very friendly and helpful. One staffer even gave me driving directions when it turned out I was on the wrong side of Auburn, with Hwy. 80 in between. She was pleasant and patient, something I don't often encounter with nursery phone inquiries. More times than I'd like to remember when calling a nursery, I've been told by the harried clerk, "I can't help you because I'm with a customer." Makes me think, "What am I, chopped liver? Last time I checked, my money's just as green as anybody else's. I promise, when I open my dream nursery, phone customers will be treated like real live customers.
Let's see, what other plants did I buy? Oh yeah, a little dill plant and a 'Magic Mountain' basil plant that made me swoon when I breathed in it's pestoriffic scent. And lettuce! Why did I buy lettuce? It's getting too warm for lettuce. I couldn't resist the fact that it was a variety six-pack and figured I might be able to squeeze a few sandwiches out of them before yanking the plants to make room for summer stuff.
Oh, and a 4" 'Jelly Bean' grape tomato plant!
Seeds I bought:
Cosmos 'Bright Lights Blend'
Nasturtium 'Dwarf Jewel Blend'
Nasturtium 'Mahogany'
Nasturtium 'Cherry Rose Jewel'
Chinese lantern
Gomphrena 'Strawberry Fields'
'Milas Rose Queen' Corn cockle
Pastel Blend balloon flower (blue, pink, white) (Platycodon grandiflorus)-- flowers the second year after planting from seed, but I've had a heck of a time finding single blue balloon flower plants in stock at area nurseries. There seems to be a preference these days for the doubles, but I prefer the singles.
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I almost forgot to mention, if you get hungry while shopping, hep yer sef to Eisley's free popcorn, hot out of the large popcorn popping machine. There's a soda/candy vending machine too!
Took my first trip to Eisley Nursery in Auburn yesterday. What a nice nursery! First of all, it's big. Inside the main building, they sell a dizzying array of garden gifts, supplies, seeds and bulbs. Outside, they currently have a nice selection of: color, herbs, perennials, peonies (herbaceous and tree), strawberries, asparagus, and more.
Nice pottery selection too! My friend splurged on 2 gorgeous glazed mexican wall pots. I got a nice (and very decently priced) trio of what I always think of as "British herb pots." They're like normal red clay pots, only taller. Since I had nothing in mind for the pots, I had to buy a lavender wallflower, yellow alyssum and edible Johnny Jump Ups (as seen in the above photo).
We both admired the soothing bamboo wind chimes (not at all annoying like some metal ones) but decided we'd already done enough damage to our wallets and would likely be back some other time.
The staff was very friendly and helpful. One staffer even gave me driving directions when it turned out I was on the wrong side of Auburn, with Hwy. 80 in between. She was pleasant and patient, something I don't often encounter with nursery phone inquiries. More times than I'd like to remember when calling a nursery, I've been told by the harried clerk, "I can't help you because I'm with a customer." Makes me think, "What am I, chopped liver? Last time I checked, my money's just as green as anybody else's. I promise, when I open my dream nursery, phone customers will be treated like real live customers.
Let's see, what other plants did I buy? Oh yeah, a little dill plant and a 'Magic Mountain' basil plant that made me swoon when I breathed in it's pestoriffic scent. And lettuce! Why did I buy lettuce? It's getting too warm for lettuce. I couldn't resist the fact that it was a variety six-pack and figured I might be able to squeeze a few sandwiches out of them before yanking the plants to make room for summer stuff.
Oh, and a 4" 'Jelly Bean' grape tomato plant!
Seeds I bought:
Cosmos 'Bright Lights Blend'
Nasturtium 'Dwarf Jewel Blend'
Nasturtium 'Mahogany'
Nasturtium 'Cherry Rose Jewel'
Chinese lantern
Gomphrena 'Strawberry Fields'
'Milas Rose Queen' Corn cockle
Pastel Blend balloon flower (blue, pink, white) (Platycodon grandiflorus)-- flowers the second year after planting from seed, but I've had a heck of a time finding single blue balloon flower plants in stock at area nurseries. There seems to be a preference these days for the doubles, but I prefer the singles.
Posted by Hello
I almost forgot to mention, if you get hungry while shopping, hep yer sef to Eisley's free popcorn, hot out of the large popcorn popping machine. There's a soda/candy vending machine too!
Thursday, March 10, 2005
Sunday, March 06, 2005
Romping Rathuahuas
Dan and Annie had a blast romping in the yard today. Now that I think about it, this is the first truly spring-like day of their lives! Oh, and don't feel sorry for little Annie (white & black one)... her brother may be bigger, but she's the boss. Just like me and my brother...
Posted by Hello
Is your dog eating enough peas?
Even dogs like 'Sugar Snap' peas. Matter of fact, mine eat 'em right off the vine. I'm not kidding!
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Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Potted 2 of these 'Blue Jacket' hyacinth and alyssum combos in lovely pots from Target. The pots developed this really cool algae scum aged look that adds character, I think. The buds were still kind of tight when I took this picture. They're even more spectacular now.
Martha would be proud. Oh yeah, Martha's about to be sprung! Woo hoo! White collar criminal or not, I like Martha.
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Planted More Seeds Today
In the greenhouse:
Chinese foxglove
Cleome 'White Queen' (free bonus)
Tomatoes (Black, Copia, Azoychka, Believe it or Not)
'Bright Lights' Swiss chard
In Place:
Detroit Dark Red beets
'Bright Lights' Swiss chard
Got my son to plant his own sixer of Cerinthe a few days ago, by the way. He claims not to be interested in gardening, but neither was I, really, at his age. I told him I needed his help planting some seeds. Little does he know, what I'm really hoping will germinate is a love of gardening. Some seeds just need a little help breaking dormancy, I figure.
Sure, when he was younger I dressed him in little denim overalls and bought him tiny gardening tools... even fancy kids' gardening gloves... but that ended up being solely for my amusement. He gets good grades in a challenging school program, so when he chooses to spend his down time playing Xbox and GameBoy games, I can't really complain... or compete. My new plan is insidiously subtle. I'll let him see how much I enjoy watching seeds sprout and grow, ask him to help every now and then, and let nature take it from there.
To be fair, he gave up on me as a video game partner. Video games are so boring to me I'd rather scratch my own eyes out than play them. Now, if they made a gardening video game, it might be a different story...
Chinese foxglove
Cleome 'White Queen' (free bonus)
Tomatoes (Black, Copia, Azoychka, Believe it or Not)
'Bright Lights' Swiss chard
In Place:
Detroit Dark Red beets
'Bright Lights' Swiss chard
Got my son to plant his own sixer of Cerinthe a few days ago, by the way. He claims not to be interested in gardening, but neither was I, really, at his age. I told him I needed his help planting some seeds. Little does he know, what I'm really hoping will germinate is a love of gardening. Some seeds just need a little help breaking dormancy, I figure.
Sure, when he was younger I dressed him in little denim overalls and bought him tiny gardening tools... even fancy kids' gardening gloves... but that ended up being solely for my amusement. He gets good grades in a challenging school program, so when he chooses to spend his down time playing Xbox and GameBoy games, I can't really complain... or compete. My new plan is insidiously subtle. I'll let him see how much I enjoy watching seeds sprout and grow, ask him to help every now and then, and let nature take it from there.
To be fair, he gave up on me as a video game partner. Video games are so boring to me I'd rather scratch my own eyes out than play them. Now, if they made a gardening video game, it might be a different story...
Monday, February 28, 2005
Tomato Escalation
Got some free tomato seeds with my tomato seed order. What a shocker!
Azoychka #3680 (30 seeds) $2.10
This is a delightful small yellow beefsteak tomato that matures so early it will be one of the first varieties to ripen in your garden. Beautifully smooth, lemon yellow fruit weighs about 8 ozs. and is very flavorful, rich but pleasantly sweet with a delicious hint of citrus. Heirloom variety from Russia. Our stock seed is from Craig Le Houllier. Indeterminate. 70 days.
I'll also be planting a grape tomato variety... long story... may explain later.
Who cares if garden space is limited, right? Tomatoes are irresistable. After all, a very wise woman once said, "What's a sandwich without a good slice of..."
Oh, nevermind.
Azoychka #3680 (30 seeds) $2.10
This is a delightful small yellow beefsteak tomato that matures so early it will be one of the first varieties to ripen in your garden. Beautifully smooth, lemon yellow fruit weighs about 8 ozs. and is very flavorful, rich but pleasantly sweet with a delicious hint of citrus. Heirloom variety from Russia. Our stock seed is from Craig Le Houllier. Indeterminate. 70 days.
I'll also be planting a grape tomato variety... long story... may explain later.
Who cares if garden space is limited, right? Tomatoes are irresistable. After all, a very wise woman once said, "What's a sandwich without a good slice of..."
Oh, nevermind.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Started More Seeds Today
In the greenhouse...
Mexican sunflower (Tithonia 'Torch')
Nasturtium 'Whirlybird Cherry Rose'
Nasturtium 'Vesuvias'
Yesterday, I started some Cerinthe major 'Purpurescens'
Am soaking seeds of Love-in-a-Puff and still need to start more seeds, time permitting. I'm trying to be good about labeling everything, which isn't my usual haphazard, "adult ADD" approach to gardening... So far, so good... well, except for my 'Roma' and 'Yellow Pear' tomates which got mixed up in the heat of the moment. As soon as they fruit, I'll sneak little labels on them to restore the illusion that I possess both enthusiasm and discipline. ;-)
Just ordered more plant tags from Peaceful Valley. I think I'll go pat myself on the back now...
Mexican sunflower (Tithonia 'Torch')
Nasturtium 'Whirlybird Cherry Rose'
Nasturtium 'Vesuvias'
Yesterday, I started some Cerinthe major 'Purpurescens'
Am soaking seeds of Love-in-a-Puff and still need to start more seeds, time permitting. I'm trying to be good about labeling everything, which isn't my usual haphazard, "adult ADD" approach to gardening... So far, so good... well, except for my 'Roma' and 'Yellow Pear' tomates which got mixed up in the heat of the moment. As soon as they fruit, I'll sneak little labels on them to restore the illusion that I possess both enthusiasm and discipline. ;-)
Just ordered more plant tags from Peaceful Valley. I think I'll go pat myself on the back now...
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Ordered Tomato Seeds
I've already got Roma and Yellow Pear growing in pots (they were free bonus seeds, so what the heck), and finally reached a decision on the others I'll grow this season. From Tomato Growers Supply, I ordered the following:
(descriptions are from Tomato Growers Supply)
Black
Compact plants bear plenty of wonderfully rich, dark mahogany-brown tomatoes that average about 4 ozs. Fruit is smooth and somewhat elongated with a pointed tip; in fact, this variety is what some gardeners grew as Black Prince years ago. Black tomatoes have a delicious blend of sugar and acid and a distinctive, complex flavor that is to be savored. Some folks say this variety is one of the best-tasting black tomatoes and prefer it also for its nice, medium size. Russian heirloom. Indeterminate. 80-85 days.
Believe It Or Not
What is unbelievable about this plant is an exceptional set of very large, bright red tomatoes that can also claim excellent flavor. Fruit is smooth in shape, which is special for an extra large variety that can easily reach 2 lbs. This makes a wonderful sandwich tomato as well as a good all-around garden variety. Full, sweet tomato flavor and plenty of juice. Indeterminate. 85 days.
Copia New!
These very beautiful tomatoes are a stunning combination of fine-lined golden yellow and red stripes. While visually exciting, the real treat comes when you cut them open. Their gold flesh is streaked with red and is very juicy, flavorful, and sweet. A stabilized cross between Green Zebra and Marvel Stripe, these tomatoes weigh about one pound each, They were named in honor of Copia, the American Center for Food, Wine and the Arts, in Napa California. Indeterminate. 85 days.
Celebrity VFFNTA Hybrid
A 1984 ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS WINNER. Absolutely incredible set of exceptionally flavorful, firm 8 to 12 oz. fruit on strong vines with good cover and outstanding disease resistance. Large clusters of consistently large, beautiful tomatoes. Determinate. 70 days.
This selection leaves a little room for impulse purchases, dontcha think?
(descriptions are from Tomato Growers Supply)
Black
Compact plants bear plenty of wonderfully rich, dark mahogany-brown tomatoes that average about 4 ozs. Fruit is smooth and somewhat elongated with a pointed tip; in fact, this variety is what some gardeners grew as Black Prince years ago. Black tomatoes have a delicious blend of sugar and acid and a distinctive, complex flavor that is to be savored. Some folks say this variety is one of the best-tasting black tomatoes and prefer it also for its nice, medium size. Russian heirloom. Indeterminate. 80-85 days.
Believe It Or Not
What is unbelievable about this plant is an exceptional set of very large, bright red tomatoes that can also claim excellent flavor. Fruit is smooth in shape, which is special for an extra large variety that can easily reach 2 lbs. This makes a wonderful sandwich tomato as well as a good all-around garden variety. Full, sweet tomato flavor and plenty of juice. Indeterminate. 85 days.
Copia New!
These very beautiful tomatoes are a stunning combination of fine-lined golden yellow and red stripes. While visually exciting, the real treat comes when you cut them open. Their gold flesh is streaked with red and is very juicy, flavorful, and sweet. A stabilized cross between Green Zebra and Marvel Stripe, these tomatoes weigh about one pound each, They were named in honor of Copia, the American Center for Food, Wine and the Arts, in Napa California. Indeterminate. 85 days.
Celebrity VFFNTA Hybrid
A 1984 ALL-AMERICA SELECTIONS WINNER. Absolutely incredible set of exceptionally flavorful, firm 8 to 12 oz. fruit on strong vines with good cover and outstanding disease resistance. Large clusters of consistently large, beautiful tomatoes. Determinate. 70 days.
This selection leaves a little room for impulse purchases, dontcha think?
Friday, February 18, 2005
Seed Starting
Here's the thing about seeds. You order something from Select Seeds (LOVE that catalog) and as a bonus for ordering seeds, they send you... more seeds! Nearly every time I order something from Peaceful Valley, they ask me to choose some bonus seeds. Friends send seeds impregnated in greeting cards. Real estate agents leave seed packets at the door in hopes that I'll let them sell my house. Friends are very generous with their extra seeds. The point is, I have enough seeds to start a seed company.
Does that stop me from ordering seeds? Of course not! I am always in search of new and wonderful (or old and wonderful) varieties that area nurseries don't sell. I also promised myself I'd make an effort to find seed sources for Annie's Annuals' tempting plants so I don't have to look my son in the eye six short years from now and explain to him how I frittered away his college education on really cool annuals and perennials in pricey little 4" pots.
In addition to the seed section of the greenhouse, I've also been forced to set up a plant hospital. Until I get some sort of gate set up to keep the puppies out of the main garden area when unattended, there will be plant casualties. The list just keeps getting longer and longer. I don't blame them for digging. It's what dogs do. Heck, they see me doing it! Until I get a chance to "explain" to them which beds are off limits, I have to be prepared for plant triage.
As I write this, the puppies are curled up with each other, sleeping. They're probably dreaming about digging.
Posted by Hello
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Super Garden Sunday
What football game? I honestly couldn't tell you who was playing in Sunday's game, but I can tell you that Super Bowl Sunday is a great time to make a pilgrimage to Annie's Annuals! Traffic was a breeze and except for getting way lost in Richmond-- No, I did not remember to bring a map, but I did remember to bring chocolate... It's just that chocolate turns out not to be a very good navigational tool-- we made great time.
We were also blessed with very little nursery traffic, which made plant perusing much more relaxed and enjoyable.
Here's my haul.
Sparaxis grandiflora ssp. grandiflora
Leptosiphon 'French Hybrids'
Romulea atranda
Linaria purpurea
Penstemon heterophyllus 'Blue Springs'
Ixia dubia
New Zealand wind grass (Stipa arundinacea)
lavender breadseed poppy
For lunch, we continued up the road to 4th Street in Berkeley. Cafe Rouge. Yum. Stopped at The Gardener, which I think should be re-named The Fancy Table Setter. It's not very gardeney these days... Hopefully that'll change with the season...
We were also blessed with very little nursery traffic, which made plant perusing much more relaxed and enjoyable.
Here's my haul.
Sparaxis grandiflora ssp. grandiflora
Leptosiphon 'French Hybrids'
Romulea atranda
Linaria purpurea
Penstemon heterophyllus 'Blue Springs'
Ixia dubia
New Zealand wind grass (Stipa arundinacea)
lavender breadseed poppy
For lunch, we continued up the road to 4th Street in Berkeley. Cafe Rouge. Yum. Stopped at The Gardener, which I think should be re-named The Fancy Table Setter. It's not very gardeney these days... Hopefully that'll change with the season...
Friday, January 28, 2005
Leafy Stepping Stones
In case you missed this thread on GardenWeb, check out these fabulous DIY stepping stones!
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/
load/calif/msg011915246515.html?19
http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/
load/calif/msg011915246515.html?19
Monday, January 17, 2005
Thanks, Cheryl!
Thanks for the big beautiful beets plucked right from the earth... and for being such a great hand model.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
First Greenhouse-ripened Tomato!
NOT ACTUAL SIZE (it's only about an inch and a half, but exciting nonetheless!)
Will report back later with a flavor assessment...
Ok... it's later and I can now offer a taste evaluation. My January tomato was tasty, with that fresh, gardeny tomato fragrance and sweet yet somewhat zingy flavor. My only complaint is that some of the typical 'Caspian Pink' juiciness was replaced with meatiness, perhaps because of the longer ripening time.
Will report back later with a flavor assessment...
Ok... it's later and I can now offer a taste evaluation. My January tomato was tasty, with that fresh, gardeny tomato fragrance and sweet yet somewhat zingy flavor. My only complaint is that some of the typical 'Caspian Pink' juiciness was replaced with meatiness, perhaps because of the longer ripening time.
Saturday, January 08, 2005
Leave your oaks alone, folks...
It was bound to happen. Still, I was rather shocked to see this when I drove down Kenneth Avenue in Carmichael yesterday:
The property on which the tree sits, er, uh, sat is right across the street from a school. I've watched parents and their little ones parking under this tree for years. I've also watched the tree being systematically and publicly abused for years.
In the past, I've called the Sacramento County Tree Coordinator whenever I happened upon a tree assault in progress. Our Tree Coordinator is currently a man... a nice man facing the difficult task of enforcing a native oak ordinance that is given very little weight in populated areas. He does what he can, but the bottom line is that most of Carmichael's oaks are on private property... and in private backyards where nobody can see ya whip out the chainsaw (wink, wink).
My interpretation of the County's take on the ordinance (in other words, I'm paraphrasing) is that, because of the potential for trees to fall on people, houses, and cars, enforcement of the ordinance is futile except in areas with intact woodlands and no peeps... woodlands like those being plundered in the controversial Bickford Ranch development.
Here's the upshot-- if a protected tree bites the dust here in Carmichael, the County might plant an oak seedling replacement... well, wherever there's any open space left in the county. Ha ha.
Still, isn't it worth preserving existing oaks as best we can? Can't we do better as homeowners? These magnificent and gorgeous trees are part of our natural and cultural heritage and can live for 300+ years! If treated properly, they ain't gonna fall on your house. Or your minivan. Or you.
Let's just say I am not surprised to see the above oak's demise and the crashing results of such an end.
Things done to the above tree that should never have been done:
1. large heading cuts (last year)
2. landscaping within 8 feet of the crown
3. installation of paving and irrigation within 8 feet of the tree's crown
4. thirsty plant selections such as: roses, azaleas and Japanese maples
To learn how to care for native oaks like the Valley oak, Interior live oak, and blue oaks, visit The California Oak Foundation website.
The property on which the tree sits, er, uh, sat is right across the street from a school. I've watched parents and their little ones parking under this tree for years. I've also watched the tree being systematically and publicly abused for years.
In the past, I've called the Sacramento County Tree Coordinator whenever I happened upon a tree assault in progress. Our Tree Coordinator is currently a man... a nice man facing the difficult task of enforcing a native oak ordinance that is given very little weight in populated areas. He does what he can, but the bottom line is that most of Carmichael's oaks are on private property... and in private backyards where nobody can see ya whip out the chainsaw (wink, wink).
My interpretation of the County's take on the ordinance (in other words, I'm paraphrasing) is that, because of the potential for trees to fall on people, houses, and cars, enforcement of the ordinance is futile except in areas with intact woodlands and no peeps... woodlands like those being plundered in the controversial Bickford Ranch development.
Here's the upshot-- if a protected tree bites the dust here in Carmichael, the County might plant an oak seedling replacement... well, wherever there's any open space left in the county. Ha ha.
Still, isn't it worth preserving existing oaks as best we can? Can't we do better as homeowners? These magnificent and gorgeous trees are part of our natural and cultural heritage and can live for 300+ years! If treated properly, they ain't gonna fall on your house. Or your minivan. Or you.
Let's just say I am not surprised to see the above oak's demise and the crashing results of such an end.
Things done to the above tree that should never have been done:
1. large heading cuts (last year)
2. landscaping within 8 feet of the crown
3. installation of paving and irrigation within 8 feet of the tree's crown
4. thirsty plant selections such as: roses, azaleas and Japanese maples
To learn how to care for native oaks like the Valley oak, Interior live oak, and blue oaks, visit The California Oak Foundation website.
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Bulbs, veggies, etc...
Got sidelined by the holidays and a Christmas head cold (Thank you, Santa!)... Still sniffling a bit, but functional.
My timing was a bit off for harvesting ripe tomatoes at Christmas. I do have some seedlings growing right now and we dragged one of my giant half-barrels into the greenhouse when the weather turned un-tomatoey. Here's what my 'Caspian Pink' tomatoes look like today, January 4th:
In the yard, some of my bulbs are coming up... Dutch iris and hyacinth, mostly. The puppies have all my plants looking a little battered. What are ya gonna do? They're puppies. They run, they dig, they rip things out of the ground with their bare teeth. They're adorable!
Emily the outdoor cat doesn't seem too bothered by them. They bark at her and she just sits there, unlike our indoor cat that has been in self-imposed seclusion since the puppies came home. Here's Emily with her thick winter coat:
My latest garden project, completed just before Christmas, is this teacup birdfeeder. Drilling was harder than I imagined, but I love the way it turned out. I still need to drill a couple drainage holes so for now it's purely decorative. No, wait, it's a tiny bird bath!
My timing was a bit off for harvesting ripe tomatoes at Christmas. I do have some seedlings growing right now and we dragged one of my giant half-barrels into the greenhouse when the weather turned un-tomatoey. Here's what my 'Caspian Pink' tomatoes look like today, January 4th:
In the yard, some of my bulbs are coming up... Dutch iris and hyacinth, mostly. The puppies have all my plants looking a little battered. What are ya gonna do? They're puppies. They run, they dig, they rip things out of the ground with their bare teeth. They're adorable!
Emily the outdoor cat doesn't seem too bothered by them. They bark at her and she just sits there, unlike our indoor cat that has been in self-imposed seclusion since the puppies came home. Here's Emily with her thick winter coat:
My latest garden project, completed just before Christmas, is this teacup birdfeeder. Drilling was harder than I imagined, but I love the way it turned out. I still need to drill a couple drainage holes so for now it's purely decorative. No, wait, it's a tiny bird bath!
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Poor puppies...
It's COLD outside, especially if you're a little rat terrier/chihuahua (i.e. "rathuahua") with super short hair and you've already outgrown your adoption-day sweater. No problem staying warm inside the house, though!
I spoke too soon
After the freeze and frosts, my veggies all perked up and so did many other plants, but my 3 newly-planted princess flower shrubs (Tibouchina) and 3 Mexican bush sages (S. leucantha, pictured below) really suffered.
Compare backyard-planted ones with an unprotected southwestern exposure...
.
...to the east-facing ones planted out front, right up against the house (reflected heat):
.
They were all planted from the same batch of plants at the same time. Just goes to show you... Microclimate really does matter!
I think all plants will survive, but it's a drag that some got nipped back.
Compare backyard-planted ones with an unprotected southwestern exposure...
.
...to the east-facing ones planted out front, right up against the house (reflected heat):
.
They were all planted from the same batch of plants at the same time. Just goes to show you... Microclimate really does matter!
I think all plants will survive, but it's a drag that some got nipped back.
Friday, December 03, 2004
Plants fared better than I thought...
After a week of frosts and a freeze, all plants are faring better than I thought. Well, my newly planted Mexican Bush Sage is looking a little limp. That's not surprising since it's a bit marginal for our area (hardy in Zone 14, but not 8 or 9). Its blooming tips wilted and leaves shriveled about a third of the way down. Several other plants looked dull, dark and limp during the frost, but all perked up considerably when the sun came out.
Looks like rain is returning in a few days, so that should give us a break from freezing temps. I don't dabble in tropicals much since Sacto's climate is subtropical (i.e. too hot and sunny in the summer and too cold in the winter for tropicals). Tropicals tend to have big, fleshy leaves that turn to mush after a freeze. Hmmm... what's the fleshiest plant in my yard? Bird-of-Paradise. Since it's next to the house (stucco) and under an overhang, I didn't bother covering it last week.
Looks like rain is returning in a few days, so that should give us a break from freezing temps. I don't dabble in tropicals much since Sacto's climate is subtropical (i.e. too hot and sunny in the summer and too cold in the winter for tropicals). Tropicals tend to have big, fleshy leaves that turn to mush after a freeze. Hmmm... what's the fleshiest plant in my yard? Bird-of-Paradise. Since it's next to the house (stucco) and under an overhang, I didn't bother covering it last week.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Row Covers from Peaceful Valley
I decided to order some inexpensive row covers for frost protection. One is for light frost; the other, heavy.
Here's a link to the one designed for heavy frost protection: Agribon
Could be a cold winter...
Here's a link to the one designed for heavy frost protection: Agribon
Could be a cold winter...
Frosty Freezy Carmichael
We've had several consecutive days of frosts or freezes (3? 4? 5?). I'm starting to see some casualties. Nothing's dead, but I think I'm going to end up with a fair bit of top-kill on the following: Mexican bush sage, echium, my veggies, some herbs (esp. sage) and a few others. I'm keeping a close eye on my 9 citrus trees. I've been covering them with plastic tarps or bubble wrap (whatever I have handy), but they're young and vulnerable. If this keeps up, I may go the extra step and wrap the trunks. It's not even winter yet!
Sunday, November 21, 2004
Finally planted sweet peas
I've been feeling pretty proud of myself lately for getting my bulbs and "Annie's plants" (4" perennials from Annie's Annuals)in the ground. I guess I'm proud because I did something for which the reward comes later. Now that the work is done, I can sit back and enjoy the show come springtime.
I planted more bulbs than ever before. A Berkeley landscape designer whose work I admire, Keeyla Meadows, relies heavily on bulbs for a really big color show. Many bulbs are spectacularly showy, but because they have a dormant period or might be lost to critters, rot, or might be a one-shot deal (most tulips), I haven't focused on them as much in the past. I'm hoping for a great show this year, especially since my soil is recently improved with lots of compost. Fingers crossed that squirrels don't eat everything I planted. I'm pretty convinced they gobbled up nearly the entire bag of 100 daffodil bulbs I planted last year in a raised planter. Now I've added lilies to the menu... heirloom lilies.
I also got my wildflowers planted (they're sprouting). The one task I kept neglecting... well, that and housework in general... was planting my flowering sweet peas. If I'd planted them when I planted my SugarSnap peas, they'd probably be 3-4 feet tall by now. Just got my 'Royal Family' seeds in the ground today. Better late than never, I guess. I hope.
It's supposed to be frosty tomorrow. Gotta protect my citrus tonight. I'm also going to move my containerized 'Caspian Pink' tomato plant into the greenhouse to see if I can get a few more ripe tomatoes out of it.
I planted more bulbs than ever before. A Berkeley landscape designer whose work I admire, Keeyla Meadows, relies heavily on bulbs for a really big color show. Many bulbs are spectacularly showy, but because they have a dormant period or might be lost to critters, rot, or might be a one-shot deal (most tulips), I haven't focused on them as much in the past. I'm hoping for a great show this year, especially since my soil is recently improved with lots of compost. Fingers crossed that squirrels don't eat everything I planted. I'm pretty convinced they gobbled up nearly the entire bag of 100 daffodil bulbs I planted last year in a raised planter. Now I've added lilies to the menu... heirloom lilies.
I also got my wildflowers planted (they're sprouting). The one task I kept neglecting... well, that and housework in general... was planting my flowering sweet peas. If I'd planted them when I planted my SugarSnap peas, they'd probably be 3-4 feet tall by now. Just got my 'Royal Family' seeds in the ground today. Better late than never, I guess. I hope.
It's supposed to be frosty tomorrow. Gotta protect my citrus tonight. I'm also going to move my containerized 'Caspian Pink' tomato plant into the greenhouse to see if I can get a few more ripe tomatoes out of it.
Friday, November 19, 2004
Cottony Cushion Scale...
... It's not just for breakfast anymore. ;-)
But a few of my newly planted citrus trees have it. According to the UC Pest Note on cottony cushion scale, a few natural enemies provide "excellent control." Cool, I don't have to spray! Not wanting to do nothing, however, I remembered an old house plant trick for scale where you swab the scale off with Q-tips dipped in rubbing alcohol. What does the alcohol do? I haven't the foggiest. Since I didn't see any predators, I went ahead and swabbed all the scale insects I could find.
But a few of my newly planted citrus trees have it. According to the UC Pest Note on cottony cushion scale, a few natural enemies provide "excellent control." Cool, I don't have to spray! Not wanting to do nothing, however, I remembered an old house plant trick for scale where you swab the scale off with Q-tips dipped in rubbing alcohol. What does the alcohol do? I haven't the foggiest. Since I didn't see any predators, I went ahead and swabbed all the scale insects I could find.
Wednesday, November 10, 2004
Bulb Closure... almost
Finally got all my bulbs planted except for one bag of paperwhites which I'll use for forcing. I'm sure I'll forget where I planted many of them and will have some nice surprises come springtime. Most bulbs went in the ground, but I also stuck some in pots.
I'm happy to see that my 'Mission Bells' and 'Apricot Chiffon' California poppies are sprouting. I also planted Calendula 'Pink Surprise', which came from Select Seeds as a free bonus. It's pretty!
I'm happy to see that my 'Mission Bells' and 'Apricot Chiffon' California poppies are sprouting. I also planted Calendula 'Pink Surprise', which came from Select Seeds as a free bonus. It's pretty!
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