Watering and stuff

 It's been warm then cool, windy then cloudy then rained overnight then cloudy and warm. So, welcome to Spring...again.

 

 The red epiphyllum bloomed and the roses were mostly done. The picture doesn't do the size of the flower justice. It is bigger than my hand if it was open flat so at least six inches wide if not bigger. That was taken three or four days ago and it is very much wilted and finished now.

 

Definite overcast for at least two days early in the week but the only rain that fell was overnight and it was merely a sprinkle. I think I have an ID on this single petaled rose finally, thank you Google images. 'Dainty Bess'. The petals are slightly different but given it's growing mostly in the shade and has been neglected all it's life it's doing pretty good. Yay! 

 

Two different days and directions but similar cloud layer. It's just been an interesting week for weather for sure. 

 

Layla asked me to take care of her garden while she was away for three weeks on vacation. She's got tomatoes a couple of citrus stems, cilantro from my bed that washed in, I think at least two sprigs of ginger trying to grow. In her pots she has some radishes that are now blooming, I wish I had asked her about it before she left but oh well. It's her stuf not going to mess with it other than watering. I put the small cage on the one tomato but she has three or four more that are spindly and need support. I'm wondering if she was growing them in her apartment or got cuttings from somewhere else.

 

 

I noticed the other day that suddenly there was a small hole at the front of the west bed. Not necessarily freshly dug and too small to be gopher. I was wondering if it was a lizard nest hole but to be sure I used my foot and covered it up. If it's a lizard she'll dig it back out again. I didn't see anything unusual today so am assuming it was just something random.  I know the lizards are out more often with the warm weather so will be seeing some babies in another month.

 

 

Can't tell but I finally got fertilizer. Yay! Nothing crazy just the Vigoro organic vegetable food that was the cheapest option. Will see how much a difference it makes in another week or two. Supposed to use it every 4-6 weeks and I'm going to opt for the 4 weeks schedule as close as possible. Kist scratched it in then watered lightly to get good contact. I tend to go a bit light on fertlizer so I might do it again when I water in a few days. I'll be happy if those peppers look less yellow and the cucumbers start growing more.

I was tempted to buy an actual plant or some seeds when I got the fertilizer but couldn't justify spending the money on that. Strawberries were tempting but wanted to have them in a hanging container, which was $20. When I was working at HD, they were $15. The same size container but not hanging was that lower price so no, not this time around.

 Rocky observing and making noises at the Mourning Doves. The one on the top of the window was a male making small cooing sounds then joined his mate on the railing when I moved the blinds to get a picture.

The oregano is sending up vertical stems for flowering, I looked at the Italian Oregano and other herbs at the store as well but again, not this time around and I was hoping for some lemon Thyme but didn't see any. Multitudes of peppers and tomatoes but I'm socked in with those. Parsley was tempting for the south bed, which reminded me I was going to drop cilantro seeds in there as well. The zinnias are still growing and I tossed some fertilizer (again not nearly as much as I should) in that bed.  So at least they all got a feeding and I can rest a little easier.

Other than the half feeding in the next few days full feeding will be end of May. Seriously that is easing my mind more than I realized. 

 

Still not a whole lot going on

 Weather is being.... sunny and breezy. Was supposed to rain, drizled a bit late evening a few nights ago but that was about it. Not enough to forego watering so did that day before yesterday, the days are kind of blurring together without any doctor appointments or shopping to do. As far as I know the weather should hold being clear and sunny with maybe some clouds by he beginning of the month.

 Trying to use a filter on the phone camera so the colors are truer to what I'm seeing. This is still a bit more blue than what it was. The sky is usually a dusty pale blue and gets lighter at the horizon. I had to take a picture of these cloud formations when I saw them though. Corrugated clouds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Watered day before yesterday, the cucumbers are hanging in there, after and before photos. Everything really needs some fertilizer for sure especially the peppers. Given my past failures, they are extremely heavy feeders and I won't be able to get any for another week.  

The roma is putting out lots of buds and fruit and as I mentioned, it seems like they're a bit more round than I remember but will see what they look like later. The Terra Cotta I actually had to nip off a bud cluster at the top of the taller one. The difference between the two is like older and younger sister, about two inches. Debating on whether to cut the shorter one off given the cucumbers are now in... decisions decisions.

 

 

The Easter Lily has four stalks with a 3  bud cluster and one at the bottom with only one bud. Double the number of flowers from last year. I remember being disappointed there weren't that many blooms on the plant last year so I'm glad to see it was just an off year. There area four confirmed zinnias coming up and perfectly spaced. Considering how many seeds I sowed that's not a very good germination but not sure I would know what to do with twenty some zinnia plants if they had all sprouted. If they all flower well I'll see what colors they are and maybe save the seeds for next year.

 And finally, Rocky decided he was going to just lounge in the shade for about five minutes during his outing. Such a goofy kitty. Seriously, he really does think the entire area is his domain, the people and other cats and dogs are intruders or adoring fans. 

That's all for now.

 

 

 

Amazingly fast germination and things

I planted the zinnia seeds six days ago and they are already sprouting. I'm so used to vegetables taking forever to sprout this took me by surprise but the package says 5-10 days for germination and voila!

But first just another photo of the rose because it's so darn pretty and fragrant....meanwhile back in the garden....

 At least four, possibly five or six (I may have circled a grass sprout by mistake) have sprouted already and if that's all I get I'll be happy. Technically needed to water but it's a bit warm and I already got my exercise for today. That will be a task for tomorrow.  The garlic is thickening up nicely as well but it's still a long while before it's ready to pull up. Hoping they can hang on long enough to develop their bulb.

Cucumbers are out of the window and into the raised bed. I filled the half gallon milk jug with water to at least water them in because the soil was very warm and not that wet. Everything will have to just hang in there until tomorrow for me to water again. I also didn't peel off the casing for the pod because the roots were growing through so well will see how that works out for them. Lots of tomatoes on that roma right now, hoping they all turn out well. I only have $4 to spare and that isn't enough to get any kind of fertilizer for everything. 

Just noticed how I plant everything away from the front edge a bit far, compensating for the plants getting big and healthy. Also a reaction to when I planted squash too close and it ended up hanging over the edge. Hoping the cucumbers climb well on that trellis because there's no room anywhere else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then there's the south bed. This picture was taken around 1 pm and it's already in shade except the front edge. I cannot for the life of me figure out what would survive in only four or five hours of intense sun and only an hour or two of direct sun in the winter. Lettuces and other green things in the winter of course but summer time... it's maddening. Although the tomatillos did really well there as well as a tomato when I first started gardening. Going to be the conundrum of the garden for a long while. 

Meanwhile in someone else's garden hard to see but there is an absolutely flourishing star jasmine on the wall there. I don't know what they're doing but it is overtaking the trellis it's on. It actually looks better than the one growing out in full sun across the street. Need to ask their secret and if they have any spare fertilizer. Hazarding a guess they probably use dish water, coffee grounds and tea bags. 

Anyway, things are planted and growing best they can. Hoping for better things next month. 

Just a few pictures, not much new

 Weather is being stable thankfully, will probably ramp up in another week and by Mid May we will have 'May Grey' and then 'June Gloom' which mostly happens closer to the coast. Essentially, the marine layer creeps in around sunset or early evening but the conditions are just right during the day that layer only disappears for a few hours then it comes right back. Since I 'm further south and inland, we don't get it as much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Things that are blooming other than cilantro in the garden. The 'Tiffany' rose has two flowers and about knee high but smells heavenly. The asparagus fern is also blooming and smells wonderful if you are down wind. Sweet apricot scent that takes a moment for you to realize what it is, oh and the star jasmine is starting to bloom as well. I'll walk along and catch a whiff of it and pause trying to remember what it is.

 

The tomatoes are growing, but they seems to be more globe rather than oblong, need to check progress from previous years to see if they look the same. Looking as far back as my bumper crop year 2023, they're fine and likely will taste fine also. This definitely is not going to be a bumper crop year but it's all good. Still need fertilizer.

 

The Easter lilies are going to be blooming up a storm, late but there's five stalks with buds on them. That'll make for some great pictures for sure. The other little plant is just a random 'weed' that looks like Broad Leaf Plantain. Nothing overly incredible just don't see it very much in the lawn since it gets mowed weekly. It's an edible plant from what I remember but not desperate or adventurous enough to use it.

And the plants are showing signs of needing that fertilizer. I watered and dug around to make sure everything got a good deep soaking. Layla is on vacation for three weeks and asked me to take care of her garden areas. She watered thoroughly on Saturday so her south side bed doesn't need water for a while.

 

And the two cucumber seedlings are almost ready to transplant. Because the roots are starting to show through the 'casing' I wrapped them in damp paper towel and keep that wet. One of these days I'll get a tray made specifically for those pucks. I may be taking those down today to plant on the trellis since I took over the west bed with zinnia seeds. Those are going to have a difficult time germinating since I can't be down there every day to water or keep it mulched/covered. Whatever survives will be fine if not, will plant something else. Maybe. Cilantro! Haahahah. 

Laundry is happening rather than gardening today. 

More planting, warm weather

 Good weather for the end of spring season.  We actually got some rain the other day, nothing spectacular but it was cloudy and drizzly for a little while. Got my car rinsed off a bit driving through a cloudburst on Monday. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was also rather windy and brought down another sycamore branch longer than I am tall.The colors in the other picture are way off of course. Blue not nearly that intense, tried to add a filter but don't think it succeeded. 

The potato plant was finally done so I pulled it up and then dug around. Spuds are less than stellar size unless they're yukon gold (which they aren't). Total of four which all will be relegated to seed category for the fall/late summer. I then planted the remaining four of the peppers and the cucumbers go back upstairs until they get more leaves. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After planting yesterday and today. I watered thoroughly today of course, the littlest peppers were a bit droopy and soil was very warm and dry. So that is peppers and tomatoes this year, probably cucumbers as well and scattered onions through the season. I decided to put them all in this bed because the west bed gets too much shade in the afternoon. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The tomatoes are growing well and the largest one is about the size of my thumbnail. Can't wait to see how well they grow. Still a long way from fruiting for the Terra Cotta tomatoes, so will have a successive crop hopefully. I decided on a lark to sprinkle zinnia seeds in the west bed. I know they got huge the first time I planted them so will see what happens now that they're 2 years older.  I was going to make that my herb garden but since I can't find any herbs to plant right now, going to be flowers. Might just do that going forward for the summer. Still don't know what to do with the south bed, I was out there at 2 pm and it was in full shade. That means maybe four hours of sun, that's considered part shade. Not much grows in that kind of exposure for vegetables, possibly flowers and maybe herbs. But useful plants have to be something I'll use. More research is needed apparently.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 'Tiffany' rose is blooming again and so is the epiphyllum behind it. Only one flower on that plant this year unfortunately and the hanging one in the gazebo doesn't seem to have any buds on it at all. Bloomed like crazy last year and this year hardly at all. I guess that's the cycle.

 And more crimes against landscaping. That was a full and dense bush from the bottom branches up to the top of the other branch. No other shrub has been touched in the area. I noticed the bougainvillea that was wiped out from a car at the corner of our building is growing back again, sadly will likely be hacked back again like the other one.. Really need to catch the maintenance guy Mike and ask if he can have them leave those alone and lightly trim to keep them manicured. Sigh.

And on it goes, cycle of gardening... just noticed seedpods still on the jacaranda with some flowers blooming at the same time. Typically they bloom in May, but other gardeners have noticed trees in bloom now in their areas. Weather determines flowers not the calendar.