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.

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.

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!

Either I need more coffee...

... or there's a turkey walking across the lawn!
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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...
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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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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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Tulips

These little 10" cuties are blooming now. They open up to reveal a bright yellow center.
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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...

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.

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...

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?

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.

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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...

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

Thanks, Cheryl!

Thanks for the big beautiful beets plucked right from the earth... and for being such a great hand model.

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.

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.

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!