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Bulb Auger works great!

by | Oct 22, 2004 | Uncategorized

With this break in the weather, I wanted to get some of my tulips in the ground using my new bulb auger. It took a few tries before I got the hang of it, but now I’m a bulb-plantin’ fool! I think having a powerful cordless drill helps. I don’t, so I borrowed a nice Makita. Did I manage to hit drip tubing with the auger? Yes. Several times. I have a knack for killing my drip system. With me, an auger becomes more of a drip system sensing device.

The important thing is, now I look forward to bulb planting instead of dreading it. One word of caution. The recent rains probably made the soil a lot more penetrable than it usually is. Don’t try the thing in dry, unamended soil.

Just checked Gardener’s Supply and they’re sold out on the augers! Glad I got mine when I did…

It’s raining!

by | Oct 19, 2004 | Uncategorized

Looks like fall is really here… I managed to get my California poppy seeds sprinkled just in time. This year, instead of my usual wildflower mix, I’m going with ‘Mission Bells’ and ‘Apricot Chiffon’ California poppies. It’ll be interesting to see if any of last year’s wildflowers that went to seed come up in spring/summer.

Now that I have a greenhouse, I’ve been ordering more seeds. There are so many fun things to grow that you just can’t find in our local nurseries. Plus, it’s waaaaaaay more economical. Ok, not so if you count the cost of the greenhouse. Oh, nevermind.

In the garden, my tomatoes are winding down, but in the greenhouse, they’re just getting going. We’ll see if I can manage to produce some winter tomatoes. I think I remember Farmer Fred mentioning on his radio show that he had trouble with whiteflies on his greenhouse tomatoes. I’ll be watching out for the little buggers. I grew them in the greenhouse in one of my classes at UCD on these really cool vine supports. We did a lot of pinching and tying, so they really did act like vines and only took up about a square foot of soil.

I’m behind on my bulb planting. Wishing very much that I’d gotten them in the ground before the rain. Oh well. Because I hate those bulb planter thingies, I ordered a bulb-planting drill bit from Gardener’s supply. I’ll let y’all know how it works.

More later…

by | Oct 3, 2004 | Uncategorized


Saucer magnolia, penstemon, white echinacea, Chinese ground orchids (Bletilla striata), Salvia (labeled ‘May Knight’, but could be another… it’s dark purple anyway) and pansies.
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by | Oct 3, 2004 | Uncategorized


Veggies are growing nicely. Sugarsnap peas are sprouting. I was disappointed to learn that my 4 4″ scallions were in fact 1 scallion, 2 Walla Wallas and one leek! They all looked the friggin’ same when I bought them and the first one was labeled “Scallions.” I made the mistake of assuming the others were too. My bad…
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by | Oct 3, 2004 | Uncategorized


More progress… ignore the plethora of chairs. They’re leftovers from a big party and I’m too lazy to do anything about them just yet.
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I feel like a Mini Martha…

by | Sep 28, 2004 | Uncategorized

Pre-conviction, that is.

Favorite Martha quote of late: “If events unfold as I have been led to believe, I will have this ordeal behind me and be back to work before spring planting season.” Sounds like she’s finally getting her priorities straight. Martha, Martha, Martha. I know gardening is an expensive hobby, but sheesh, you’re a gazillionaire with absolutely no reason to do anything crooked. I still love you.

It’s a… GREENHOUSE! Well, ok, it’s still under construction, but what isn’t in my life? I want to add that I had nothing to do with its existence other than ordering it, selecting its location and stepping all over its pieces while it sat in my garage for, well, for a long time.

I did, however, plant the lettuce, chard, parsley and peas in the foreground. I’ll be adding the scallions I picked up yesterday evening in a few minutes. The Sugarsnap pea seeds were from Johnny’s Selected Seeds, a great mail order company. Also ordered Easter Egg radish seeds and Royal Mix flowering sweet peas.

My 2nd dwarf avocado arrived from Wayside Gardens the other day. I’m keeping it in my kitchen window until the greenhouse is operational. The 1st dwarf avo didn’t survive the winter. I ordered it thinking the greenhouse would be ready but you know what? They don’t build themselves. Neither do I.

Whatcha gotta do is find a few dudes who paid attention in shop class. I actually took shop class on a lark in middle school. Got yelled at for walking away from the disk sander while it was still spinning. So, anyway, I find the use of power tools NOT to be my calling. The fact that my shop teacher was missing part of his thumb may have something to do with that feeling.

Btw, the uuuuuugly pool filter and a/c unit will be screened with redwood lattice panels. Soon, I hope.

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Nursery Cans Flying Everywhere!

by | Sep 26, 2004 | Uncategorized


Another bed is coming together… I love my Smith & Hawken cobalt blue birdbath. I’ve surrounded it with yellow lantana, pink sedum, Mexican bush sage and lavender. In the background are 3 princess flower shrubs. You can’t see them because they’re still tiny! Got ’em at Whole Foods in 4″ containers. I think they’ll do well up against the fence since they tend to be sorta viney, as shrubs go. Adding interest in the foreground is a rusted metal quail family. Rusted metal yard art is included in my lengthy list of garden addictions. 😉
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It’s amazing how quickly the birds and butterflies come when you start making a garden. Well, ok, it helped that I put up two hummingbird feeders and a gourmet selection of shelled sunflower seed and niger thistle. The hummers found the nectar feeders right away, but the seed eaters haven’t come around yet. I’ve been told it’s a somewhat quiet time in my area, birdwise. By the way, am I crazy or do hummingbirds seem smart? Maybe both.