Another grey day but something new

 Good day, not too hot now, clouds are always moving but same static flat layer with only a few blue spots showing through. Another find on the community table that I made use of that takes care of the crate issue. Sometimes you just have to be at the right place at the right time and opportunities arrive.

But first, pictures for the algorithm of google. Peas and Romaine are outdoing themselves. The soil was sufficiently dry that I did end up watering. You can see the difference in the lighting between the two photos. Bright light but cloudy one moment and then the clouds move aside and blazing sun.

Found this shelf thing on the table, it seems to be a stacking kind for putting in a cupboard or counter. No holes in the plastic coating but it was slightly tacky feeling like someone tried to clean it off. So, it's smaller, sturdy enough and swapped it out for the crate and moved the unused cups/containers to the bucket near the compost.  Voila!

Much tidier and more room to get to the back of the bed. Once that was all done, the hose came out and I watered everything.

 I actually saw a pillbug walking on the dirt, picked that up and tossed it in the bushes and then in the other bed an earwig that got the same treatment. I really need to get some white vinegar in a container and soak the spray head.

Peas are popping everywhere on those vines and now realize I needed to plant them further apart. I tossed the tiny potatoes into the window box because I know if I put them in the compost or just toss them in the ground they're likely to sprout. I've got enough potatoes. I wish the tiny lettuces would get into gear though. There's some progress but not as much as there should be same with the two cauliflower that I left in the west bed. 

Running out of time right now for posting and no more pictures so that's it for today. Might comment on FB after I share it.

Decisions, picture variations and compost.

It actually tried to rain for about five minutes. Big drops but nothing that continued and stuck around. Very grey and heavy clouds but I think it's too warm. I keep thinking I see rain drops outside my window but nothing on the pavement. I was playing with the picture ratios on my phone so photos are going to look a bit funky.

 

 

 

Not sure what the purpose of the tall and narrow is but got a picture of a crow breaking branches to make a nest. It's mate was in another tree and had done the same thing, taking the twig to the roof to check it out more before they both flew off to where the nest is.

Had to get a full picture of the sky to the East. Layered rippled clouds were really cool and decided to do a landscape full size picture. Wasn't very cold either, maybe high 60's due to cloud cover.

 

Okay so no more messing with the picture ratios after this. These pictures were a 1:1 ratio so perfectly square. Not bad to get a picture of the square bed but awkward to format into this space.

I decided to pull the two cauliflower plants on that side, really don't have the patience anymore for that. They should have been two or three times that big and other people actually had full size cauliflower to trade in the garden group. Wonder if they were growing it in a green house because I had started months ago and they were still tiny.

 

 

Back to normal photos and the south bed is starting to catch up. I didn't water because it's still plenty damp under the surface. I was moving the carrot tops around and noticed fresh worm castings next to one so there's plenty of organic matter in the ground for them to be there. 

Wish I hadn't been so anxious and angry when I made that bed.

I uncovered the compost bucket because I needed to add the remainder of the kale and parsley that had wilted in the fridge along with some potato peels. Of course fruit flies went everywhere but I stirred it as much as possible, noticed a worm in the front bucket which is good. That round fruit looking thing in the front bucket is one of two tomatoes that Layla gave me that was much too green/yellow for my liking. Kept the more red one to take upstairs. 

Need to figure out a proper lid for them that lets air in but not the bugs.

 The Sow Thistle is definitely starting to bloom so that's going to be coming out very soon as well. More fodder for the compost bucket for sure. I just had never seen something that thorny that wasn't a true thistle before and so it was an experiment to see what it was. Will have to remember my gloves when I decide to dig it out.

That's all for today for experiments in a small garden.

A hawk and lizard visitor and G. Washington.

 Another flat overcast day with moderate temperatures. Usually we get this sort of weather in May and June, but a bit warmer. I almost watered this morning but then dug in the soil and saw that it was still very wet about an inch down.

As I was walking Rocky one of the Red Shouldered hawks landed in the tree overhead. I actually got about 8 seconds of it calling but it's not worth posting here.  It flew off too soon which is why I only had 8 seconds. The soil in the raised bed is definitely wet below so no real need for watering despite about a half inch of dry on top. There aren't any seedlings or seeds that need the surface moisture so it'll stand until tomorrow. That west bed is coming long nicely for sure. It looks like everything will be ready at the same time.

Need to move one of the traps under the potatoes, they are still getting munched on like crazy by the slugs and snails and bugs. The plants still have another few weeks for sure of growing before I can dig them up.

Pea pods are all growing nicely, those are two of three that I picked about the same size. The rest of the pods are roughly the same size so will leave them all be until ready to pick. I ate all three of these pods right off the vines. Not bitter at all and looking forward to tossing some in a salad or stir fry sometime later.

 

One of the lizards came out of the woodpile and paused long enough for me to get a picture or three. I moved very slow and carefully in order to get some pictures. A dark variant of Western Fence Lizard. The coloring surprised me because I had only seen the lighter colors of Fence Lizards around the garden and growing up. This one was very healthy and full grown, not sure about male or female though. When it did move, it just ran along the wall and then onto the fence behind the peas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So it seems that it's entire possible this one may be the one that was in the raised bed the other day and I can now see how it would get in there. Easy jump for a lizard from the fence to the trellis or the edge of the bed. This makes me smile and thankful they are there, it means they're getting well fed on bugs and stuff not just in the woodpile but under the Jade bush and in my garden. Possibly even hanging out by the compost and catching fruit flies.

I tried finding a quote from George Washington's journals but it's difficult o get to any directly even going through the Library of Congress.This is from a summary of his journals:

"Washington's preoccupation with the weather was clearly an extension of his needs and interests as a farmer. He was not a scientific observer, as was Jefferson, and his weather records are irregular in scope and content. If he was not scientifically accurate, he was at least persistent. On April 30, 1785, when he was unable to record the weather personally because of a trip to Richmond, he put Mrs. Washington in charge of the thermometer. "Mercury (by Mrs. W's acct.) in the Morning at 68 -- at Noon 69 and at Night 62."  

He had a 'keen interest' in the weather and temperatures because that's what farmers need to do and his persistence but not scientifically accurate reports sound a lot like mine.

Nothing unusual, same with the weather

 Flat pale grey/white cloud layer to the horizon today. Not as warm as yesterday so it's very pleasant and perfect for wearing just a t-shirt. Barely any wind as well but the hawks have been calling as they fly around, no crows other than in the distance. (Just confirmed that the pictures on my phone won't sync unless it's on wifi and open to the gallery. Stupid samsung phone.)

Sunset last night was beautiful. Zoomed in picture and regular view. At least the colors turned out close to actual. Sometimes, not so lucky with camera phones.

 

And on to this morning. Clouds are a lot more flat right now around 2:30 than they were around 11 but still good weather overall and gives the plants some much needed warmth and light to do their thing.

Still untouched. Where the heck are all the bugs? Maybe I should have put leaves under the plants. The biggest of the potatoes I keep itching to pull but keep pulling my hands back. The biggest one I got from the small plant was only palm size. I want enough potatoes from the other two plants to last me a week of cooking. The tiny one in the corner hasn't grown much, that's a russet piece if I remember correctly.

Almost getting big enough to pick on those first pods, plenty more coming in after them for sure. There's one that's curled which I seem to recall means poor fertilization for that flower. Or maybe that was the cucumber?

At least that cauliflower is growing faster. The other four, not so much. This one in the west bed at least has a second set of leaves. The radishes are doing great too, so now is the time for everything to start leaping and growing faster because of the weather. Just needed a good soaking rain and now some sunshine like it's spring or something.

 Wish those lettuce would pick up the pace. Still nothing but tiny things almost the same size as when I transplanted them. Not very many of the Red Sails lettuce in there and it is impossible for me to separate them out now. I'll take any at this point.

Overall I'd say it's a successful winter so far. Keep needing to remind myself that it is, indeed, winter and not spring no matter what the weather says.

Even the thistle is getting ready to bloom. Soft leaves at the top but as you go down the stalk of course, they get stiffer so definitely a gloved hand needed to handle it when it's digging up time. If that stalk is any indication that must have a tap root for sure but according to my reading not a very deep one thankfully. Where it's growing has a good deal with how it looks obviously because I suspect in a sunnier location it would have tougher leaves and less glossy.

I was triple checking to see what this is exactly and it's kind of hard to do a positive ID because it's been growing in the shade, I have never seen a stalk like that on Prickly Lettuce, and this is definitely Prickly or Spiny Sow Thistle. Not a pretty flower but since the bees like dandelion type flowers I'll leave it until it flowers then dig it out before it forms seeds. Absolutely.

So that's the round up in the garden. Compost is cooking, plants are growing and more rain on the way next week but not nearly as much as previous storms. Spring swinging in!

Impatient gardener is impatient

 Slightly more cloudy today than yesterday but about 10 degrees warmer. Yes indeed it is 75 outside right now and from the snippet of the weather report I heard we are having a 'mild' Santa Ana condition. Considering I woke up in the wee hours of the morning to go potty break and sneezed as I got into bed. Yeah. Only time I sneeze seriously is when the air goes exceedingly dry suddenly. 

I still haven't figured out why my phone isn't automatically syncing the photos and have to open up google photos for them to upload when I get to my desk. I am thinking it has to do with the wifi and will test it.

It looks like it should be cold and dreary but nothing of the sort. Warm enough for only a short sleeve shirt and t-shirt. Actually worked up a sweat in the garden as the sun broke through the clouds a few times.

 

 

A bee was visiting a few dandelions at the base of one of the trees. Rocky was watching it and I warned him not to mess with it because I did not have the money to take him to the vet. He wisely chose not to and moved on to some grass to chew.

A different kind of bird flying overhead, a biplane was on final approach to the local airport with a very distinctive engine sound I knew what it was. Got a very cool photo with the sun clouded over and tree silhouette.

Mostly pill bugs in the west bed trap and the soil is rapidly drying out on the surface but still plenty  most down below. I will try and reset the traps if I remember this evening and see what happens.

 

The lettuce leaf I put down to check on chewers yesterday...not a single thing wrong with it. Absolutely untouched. So, from what I've seen, lettuce, carrots, cilantro and radishes are safe from slugs/snails and pill bugs. Who'd have thought. 

 

Millipedes and pill bugs in the raised bed but not much more than yesterday. Where are the slugs and snails that have been merciless on my potatoes?

 

Speaking of potatoes, impatient gardener strikes again. I have not been happy with the way this smaller plant looks and decided to dig it up. Some good size potatoes and some smaller ones were revealed. I pulled the largest one and some smaller ones that would be the same size as the 'baby potatoes' you can buy in a bag. I ate the last few I had gotten a while ago last night. Potato is potato.

 

 

Soil as I said is acceptable moisture below so will probably water tomorrow or this evening. I put the saved potatoes in the cloth piece and covered them to dry out. I then chopped up the potato plant, left some leaves in the bed and the rest went to the compost bucket. I also pulled the other potato growing in there as I really do not have need of another potato plant.

 

I also had a full scrap container in the kitchen with tangelo, onion skins, kale, tomato, potato skins and lettuce. Wonderful greens for the buckets and yet more fodder for the flies so I put the bag over it again. I then noticed a whitefly flitting around and you betcha I chased that sucker around until I finally smashed it. Saw another one and got that one as well. Last thing we need is rampant Giant White Fly population on the plants.

The peas are doing good, lots of pods coming on and once again need to hold off picking them until they're big enough. Those are still too small and it doesn't show but there's actually five or six pods in that photo with three of them in my hand. Going to need to move that crate soon.

Was trying to get an overhead picture of the west bed and somehow the carrots seem to not quite make it in the photo. Hard to take a picture when the phone is above your head and you can't see what is in frame.

The sun is definitely returning to the upright location in the sky, that west bed is in full sun and the shadows are very short. This was before noon of course but still plenty of sun for that bed and the raised bed. South bed is the one that will need work and careful planning and planting.

Whoever originally designed this garden area was not a gardener nor did they care. The south side gets almost no sun and is not good for planting anything but greens. Hmmmm..... but shade flowers would work. Will have to see what I can figure out since in mid summer the front edge gets full on sun but the back side gets more shade. Fuchsia should be in a pot, too late for bulbs, impatiens are ho hum... will have to give it some more thought.

Definitely had not thought of a flower garden there.