Another scorcher, watering happened

 We buttoned up around 11 am today because at that point in time it was already 89 degrees and was expected to get to the mid 90's. Boy howdy did it get beyond that.

 95 at 12:15 and 100 at 2:10 then it ticked up to 101 less than an hour later. So needless to say I didn't go outside until sunset when it got back down to the high 80's to do gardening. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rocky went first and did his walk around almost getting pelted by a branch the crows somehow knocked down. Yeah those three bullies were pulling small branches and stuff off the tree but luckily that was the only serious branch that fell. I then took him back upstairs so I could get watering done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I decided to bring down the tomatoes and after changing my mind about where they would be planted, twice finally just put them really close together on the same upright. I was going to plant one on the left but then realized it would be way too close to the edge. Buried them a bit deeper and watered them in good. I also watered before putting them in the soil but as usual, that didn't get very deep. The potatoes sure could use being buried deeper for sure. They're really leggy and unfortunately, that is just going to be the way it is.

I decided yesterday evening to cut the two cauliflower loose. I was getting worried the heat would make them spread out more and start bolting so just did it. The stems were a bit more green than white, which was another cue that it was too soon. I think this is going to be the last year for cauliflower, I forgot I already had some in the freezer from a head someone gifted me so I broke these apart and parboiled them in the microwave. Have to figure out what to do with them since I don't have any cheese sauce at all. Roasting them in the oven is right out of the realm of reasonable with the current heat wave. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I watered for about fifteen minutes total, using the trowel to dig around and tried to get as much water in the dry areas as possible. I took pity on the potatoes and moved my wind spinner to make a support for the largest one. It'll be all good tomorrow for sure and certainly can't wait for those to be ready to harvest. Will have to really exercise strong will power to not pull the plants before they're ready so I get some good size spuds. As far as I remember, those are all russets and hoping the soil and conditions are right for them to get good size, otherwise, next year it's red or gold or both. 

I've always wanted to try and grow beans to dry like pintos. I tried it before but planted them in the wrong spot or never figured out whether they were pole or bush. That's another long process that needs a dedicated trellis so not likely happening. 

I need more room to experiment with different crops. An onion/garlic bed, at least two potato beds, a rotation of tomatoes, peas and beans, squash/zucchini.... all the things. Don't get me started on the flower garden. With all that I need a serum that will keep me going twenty years younger.

 

More heat and a miscount.

The heat wave comes in again. It was 89 around noon today so we buttoned up and it is now 6:05 pm and 89 again after climbing to 96. Sun is just at the horizon now and should be reasonable temps in a half hour or so. Needless to say I have not been outside other than going to the store around 11 this morning. 

Rocky checking the carrots on our evening walk yesterday. I'm glad he's getting brave and exploring over there so I can check the garden at the same time. As long as I don't get too close to him or move suddenly he's fine. 

Cauliflower in different stages. Smallest one is finally getting some girth, the middle one is spreading a bit so concerned it might be bolting and the largest one is picture perfect so far. I am going to try broccoli next year for sure if I have this kind of luck with cauliflower.

 The Romaine is doing well enough, starting to gain some size but also looking a bit wide and not compact as it should be. This heat is throwing everything off for sure. The tomato is now topping out at 12" according to the wire fence and it just isn't looking green and healthy as it should. No money for fertilizer unfortunately. The potatoes are doing good as far as I can tell, they have a long way to go before the tops start fading and then have to wait and keep them underground for a while. Midsummer for sure is what I'm thinking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the carrots, again was tempted to pull the largest bundle of leaves but it just didn't look big enough yet. Will see what they look like by the weekend and then separate out the largest ones. Can't wait too long because then they start getting tough and bitter.

 As for the miscount, I went back through my posts and sure enough, I planted 4 each of the three different peppers so guess what, they're all accounted for. Yay! I have no idea where the squash seed is. there's three 'empty' pellets that I'm still watering just in case and I think one of them is sprouting. The two tomatoes have roots showing through the paper mesh so am having to keep those constantly moist and may well plant them out this weekend. Hopefully. Weather says it's going to still be in the 90's so taking a chance for sure. Might just take them down with me tonight with a bottle of water and plant them.

This also means I have to get out and water real soon again. Evening activity of course. 

More pictures and stuff when it happens. 

Lull between the waves, heat that is

 It's downright reasonable today and yesterday but will be cranking up again this coming week. Such is the spring and summer of our discontent in San Diego. No new pictures that are photo worthy, barely got out yesterday until the evening. Not that it was heinously hot but it was warm enough wasn't in the mood to be out in the sun.

 Seven peppers have sprouted and since I only planted six of each variety, these are a dice throw at this point. I'd like to say they're mostly green bell peppers but really, really have to wait for true leaves to sprout. They all look the same at this stage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I noticed one of the garlic were soft at the neck/ground area and decided it was not going to survive. No idea what happened but I dug it up and it was barely bulbing. The other two have a much thicker neck and same with the third one at the other end of the bed. My guess is it is much more dry at this end and will have to focus on watering better in that area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Very soft neck and not chewed by anything so I tore the tops off but then just discarded them. I love the smell of garlic greens and they make a good substitute for garlic chives. Everything else is doing reasonable, almost pulled a carrot or two bu decided to wait, have to see if my willpower holds out today. I honestly would have had more uses for radishes than carrots but I did use the first carrot in a dish the other night. I'd eat more salad with them in it for sure. 

So hard to grow vegetables that we are used to having year round from the stores. I can have a salad with carrots, radishes, two kinds of lettuce, cucumber and tomato buying from the store. When you grow your own veggies, carrots and radishes are early in the season with lettuce, then cucumber and tomato are in the summer. I remember suggesting to people to make a 'salsa garden' and then years later realized that won't work out as well when you have to grow them at different times of the year. Onions, peppers and tomatoes you might be able to swing but cilantro would be early season for sure. So I ended up just saying, 'what are you going to eat?'  Why grow something if you aren't going to use it or, in the case of flowers, admire them and provide pollinators with food? I remember someone saying, 'oh I just want to grow something'. Almost walked away from them but ended up helping them pick out some things and honestly, their yard and their effort not my problem. If they wanted advice on what went wrong later on, then it's kind of the reason we were there.

Anyway.... not much other than that goging on. Will probably water tomorrow but maybe only use a bottle or bucket for that one corner. It's been warm but not hot enough for both beds to dry out too far in just two days.

Yippity skippity. 

It's suddenly summer and ramblings

 It has now peaked at 97 where I am at 3:15 pm. I didn't get a chance to get out and water this morning and it will have to wait until the evening. I expect everything will be wilted and overheated. The romaine, probably toast, tomato likely will be falling over as well as the carrots. I suspect the only plant that isn't going to be stressed is the oregano that basically shades it's own roots.  Good thing I didn't transplant the tomato seedling(s). It's also quite breezy right now which is an even worse combination with heat. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It wasn't a reasonable temperature until around 6 and sunset time. I chanced it and went out around 5:30 and survived. The roses certainly got blasted by the heat the last two days, especially that bicolor one, edges totally ruined. The 'Tiffany' was a little better off but still fully open and the older petals showed some damage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bees were buzzing in the Indian Hawthorns that are in full bloom now as well as that Azalea. They were obviously preferring the pink flowers as usual. The jade bush is almost completely done, mostly brown flowers now so these bushes are their only choice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before watering everything looked okay, nothing too wilted but then a light cloud cover moved in about an hour before I got outside. Carrots were just fine, potatoes and tomato were a bit loose and the romain was also showing signs of heat stress. 

 Cauliflower are coming along for sure. They aren't quite as yellow as the pictures show but definitely not bright white, which is how the variety is. Largest one is about the size of my palm and the tiniest one in front I had to dig for. 

After about twenty minutes of watering all three beds. Same problem as before, you think it's enough but the water is making a lake on the surface and only penetrating about half an inch. I had to go digging around and turning the soil to make sure everything got a good soaking. Oregano didn't care. Seriously, you want a tough edible ground cover, that's the ticket right there, Greek Oregano. The carrots were fine, still going to give them another week before pulling the larger ones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tomato is just about a foot tall now, roughly, it should be a lot more full and green at that size. Had it gotten more fertilizer and water, sometimes they surprise me and catch up later on. There's enough room at the front (and soon on the side where the cauliflower are) to put in the peppers when they're ready. So far I have six for sure of unknown variety, possibly all of them are the same, but will put three of them in the raised bed and three in the west bed. If more come up in time I'll put two in the south bed at the front. Maybe. I saw Dolores the other day and she said she's giving up on the tomatoes and most of her garden space along the wall due to lack of energy and time. She likes her little hot chilis but that's about it.

Can barely see Rocky checking out the smells near the lizard log pile. He's got good camouflage that's for sure.

Still trying to decide what to put in the south bed. Two asparagus would have been great but not this year, It's an odd bed that gets full blasting sun for about four hours in the summer and absolutely full shade in the winter. So something that goes dormant in the winter would be perfect and can tolerate partial but hot sun in the summer. A perennial would be ideal as well. (Sounds like I'm asking for advice from the garden group). Maybe flowers? Dahlias? Would like something productive because If I want to grow flowers I want to see them more often. The sweet peas were great and very prolific but prone to mildew at the end and had to pull them out.

Artichoke and Asparagus are two that are top of the list so far that I'll eat. Other suggestions on google are tree collards, kale and 'walking' onions. Riiight. So it seems that asparagus is the only choice. Artichokes are prone to aphids and get huge, I would only grow one in that spot and don't trust it will do well later in the season. 

Asparagus also does not play well with others because of it's growth habit. Might be able to plant strawberries along the front border where it gets more sun longer. Need to find some good wire cutters and dig some of that chicken wire out of the front and sides. I really did not do well with that installation. I would need to get the shovel and dig that entire bed out to remove it and maybe reposition it at the back of the bed. That.... that is not in my energy level anymore. But might have to be if I want a functional area to work in. I put the wire about two inches in from the actual border so I've lost six inches in the sides and two inches in the front (the math doesn't sound like it works but given the curves and all). 

So if I could swing two asparagus crowns or maybe one, and then maybe four or five strawberries that would work.  More garden daydreaming.

Might have to water again...

 It's Summer this weekend! Today we have already closed up and started the AC because it's going to be 92 outside and I was running the stove for lunch. So temp inside apartment is very comfy, well at least it is in the bedroom, hoping there's enough air movement in the living room.

 Got a trunk eye's view of the tree yesterday with the the lime green spring growth looking good with the blue sky and dark branches. There were crows out before I took the picture, three of them with two on the ground and one doing lookout in a tree. As soon as Rocky turned the corner to the lawn he saw the two on the ground and the one in the tree was cawing an alarm. I stayed back to see if Rocky would go into full hunter mode but I think he knows the crows are almost as big as he is and not a challenge so they were able to fly off when he started walking again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The two larger cauliflowers are growing nicely and I will be going out to water tonight because I can guarantee they will be a bit on the wilty side, along with the Romaine. These were taken yesterday and everything was nice and perky. Despite the holes in the leaves they aren't being ravaged as badly as I thought. The heads are smaller than my fist but getting there, hoping the heat doesn't trigger them to open up and bolt. The one in the front has some leaves curled in the center so it may be forming a flower head but I fear the coming heat may not do it any good.

Tomato is almost twelve inches high now but still looking a bit thin and weak compared to what it should look like. I'm thinking it's a combination of the heat at the back of that bed drying out the soil a lot more and no fertilizer. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, remember the tray of seeds? There are three different varieties of peppers in that tray and due to the accident of knocking them on the kitchen floor.... well your guess is as good as mine on which ones are which now.  But so far six have broken the surface with another two coming up. I don't have the space for growing all of them so will be picking random ones out that are the strongest and will eventually drop them in the south bed and maybe in the raised bed after the potatoes are done.  The issue with pepper plants is the difference between the leaves of the varieties is very minimal. Tomato leaves can vary quite a bit so if you don't know what you have, at least you know they're different. But peppers, good luck. Other than unusual varieties like the Fish Pepper that's variegated and smaller high heat peppers like Thai chilis that have smaller leaves. With the Poblano, I think the leaves are bigger than the Jalapeño and I think the green bell is somewhere in between This all has to be determined when they have a full set of true leaves at about the stage that larger tomato is.

The two tomatoes are doing well, the tallest one is almost four inches which is survivable size compared to the foundling that's growing now. I may well plant both of them together due to lack of space. 

Technically, and by all garden rules, what I am planting in the raised bed for the third or fourth year is a big hokey pokey no no.  Have to rotate crops and definitely not plant tomatoes in the same place year after year. I rotated with peas and sweet peas one year but the timing didn't work out this time. I've got potatoes (which are also in the nightshade family) in the bed and will be following them up with peppers, which are not advised to be planted near tomatoes either. But I really have no choice. Limited space and crops I will eat.

If things go well this year I will consider planting peas or something like that in the fall/winter. The weather is so screwy in San Diego that you can say 'Fall/Winter' and it's going to end up planting in November because you have to start in September or October and it's usually too warm for planting out purchased starts. 

I almost agreed to pick up two asparagus crowns someone was offering but that would involve driving off to my daughters neighborhood and didn't want to spend the extra gas right now. Besides, of the three varieties they had only one I think would have marginal for success in my small pocket of the county which is called Purple Passion. I told them if someone else wants them I can wait it's just a daydream for me.  UC157 is the preferred variety that tolerates the heat and is a male plant (yes it makes a difference). I know some nurseries sell it but they are in bundles of like 25 which I do not need. I would plant it in the south bed due to having shade in the afternoon and not much else would grow there. 

I would plant it in the south bed due to having shade in the afternoon and not much else would grow there. Asparagus can take up to 3 years to mature in order to grow good size spears and who knows what's going to happen in the next four or five months let alone a year.