More of the same weather, and a bird sang to me

 It was hazier today and weather says it should stay in the mid to high 60's with lows about mid 50's. Still nippy but that sunshine warms up the soil really fast. Air temperature doesn't matter as much to plants, and seeds especially, what counts for them is soil temperature.

Yes, this is the same view because I was seeing the difference between HDR and without. There really isn't that much difference. Was hoping the non HDR wouldn't be as intense colors but really not. I think I was getting a picture of just how pale blue the sky was toward the south.

Everything was looking rather dry so watering happened. As long as the temps stay below 75 those cauliflower should do okay. That squash is about ready to get put in the raised bed since I've seen nursery plants that size being sold.

Tomatoes are looking more purple than green which is not good. There's another pepper coming up in that container and the tomatillos and peppers are coming up really well. Unfortunately they've kind of gone all over the place so I'll have to be extra diligent and pay attention to what the leaves look like as they get bigger.

I think I saw some green in the black round pot, will check tomorrow but likely not get a chance to post until late like today. I wish I had written a tag for those plants in the long containers. I know tomatoes and peppers were in one, fish peppers and tomatillos I think in the other and more peppers. Did I mention I wanted a lot of peppers this year?

 

I put the squash in the middle of the bed and decided that it would be fine there. Two or three peppers on either side and maybe green onions in the front. Can't think of anything short for the summer to put in the front of that bed. I pulled a good handful more of the sweet peas, tried to get as high as possible for those burgundy and purple ones. I added a few more to that handful after the picture and had enough that I gave away a third of the bunch to two different ladies I saw. So many flowers! No white yet, just pale pink but that's okay.

Maybe basil? That's the only thing I can see to plant the next two months. Maybe just leave the front open for easier harvesting.That category of 'Greens' is rather vague because spinahc, cilantro and lettuce are all greens. I seem to be right on time for my lettuce, peppers, tomatoes and squash planting. Everything is subjective of course, we had a longer spring than usual and so seeds weren't sprouting as quickly. I had started the tomatoes and peppers indoors last year and they took off, this year I chanced it outside and due to cool nights and cloudy days last week keeping the soil temp down, they were poking along. This week will give them a shot in the roots most likely, would be nice to have some fertillizer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 I don't know why cilantro flowers make me so intrigued. I love the form of them and it's very similar to the Queen Anne's Lace which I have never grown but have always loved the symmetry. There's a hydrangea called Lace Cap which is another very pretty flower. Yes I  know there are four flowers in the wild and all look very similar with three being poisonous.

And now my favorite wild songbird decided to check out the satellite dish bracket for a possible nest site. Or maybe was staking it out for territory but this just made my day. Right outside my window singing his little birdie song.

 Wonderful Purple House Finch. Just cannot help but smile hearing his song.

 

Yay for sunshine for the plants! (a short post)

 The day dawned completely clear of clouds. Full on sunshine from all around, which is perfect for the pepper seeds that need the heat to germinate.

Standard caveat about the sky not being that deep blue but still wonderful to have all that sunshine finally with my screen screwed up it's harder to see what photo looks like until I get inside and look at it on my computer).

Watered thoroughly of course, and that cilantro plant is just keeling over since I pulled the other two plants out. That one will likely be the next to go and will keep the other plant for seeds. I'm really reluctant to give up any of my beds, but Dolores kind of needs it. Maybe after this summer I'll relinquish the west bed for her. 

That squash I tell ya, might be tempted to start another one but not sure where I would put it other than the west bed that has little enough room as it is. I'm doing mostly peppers and tomatoes this year gosh darn it.

Tomatoes, peppers and tomatillos seem to be coming along and it's about time right? But you can see the difference in the soils with the potting soil and perlite against the bedding mix and wood chips.

My beloved sweet peas just doing what they like to do and the onions coming along nicely. The 'bulb' onions are growing as fast as they are supposed to but have definitely improved compared to what they were in the pots.

And an experiment. I believe the rose hip I recently got was from the Angel Face and only now cut it open to expose the seeds. Pulled out as many as I could and dried them for a little before popping them into a little envelope. Will research on best time and situation for growing them from seed as I've never done it before. 

Will see what happens as always, gardening is an adventure.

Weather holding steady, more flowers picked

 It is supposed to be a good time to start warm season seeds but with this weather being so cool, the peppers especially are not going to do well. 

I love that 'little hill', which I just researched and discovered how big it is and how far away, as well as it being not climb/hike able.

The only things on it is an exclusive looking home and on the very top is another expensive neighborhood and some antenna facilities. The heart marker is the front of our complex the red one is where our apartment is and my picture was from the grass area to the right of our building. Not approachable but it looks nice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I counted 12 or 13 buds on that epiphyllum so that makes me very happy, it should be blooming for at least a week or two when it starts up. Four buds on that one branch, it's a very happy plant this year! I hope to have cauliflower before the end of April. As long as it doesn't get too hot it should be fine. Need to find out if I need to do anything like close up the leaves when it starts to bud.

 

Seeing Layla had watered her beds and cut down the onions reminded me that she went on vacation today. Did she take those onions with her? What the heck is up with that? The south bed is just fine and staying moist because of the wall shadow, which is barely discernible. Maybe should have put the chive plant in the front corner?

It's really not surprising that the purple tomatillos are up before the peppers. They're closer to tomatoes than the pepper cousins. Had to water the Fish pepper soil as that was completely dried out for some reason. So, like last year with the cucumber and tomatoes going in first, it's on track this year. If I pull out that cilantro there's enough room to plop the squash plant in that bed but I really want to amend it first. That's why it'll probably do better in the raised bed, but then there's those dang pill bugs and snails. 

This mix is supposed to have white flowers also but so far just pink, purple and burgundy. Luck of the mix like the lettuces. Those onions are almost ready to pull as well and I still have the last four in the fridge. I use them for dressing up eggs and put them enchilada casserole, but for now they're onion substitute.

This was unexpected on my walk yesterday around the park. Huge branch on the eucalyptus broke off. Hoping it happened overnight or early morning when no one was around.

Looks like it was a bad angle combined with a compromised section. High winds in the wrong direction and it goes down. This is why Balboa Park took out a lot of their trees due to it being high foot traffic area and some tourists almost got hit by a falling branch. The shaded Zorro Garden turned into the Butterfly Garden in a matter of a year. There are still trees there but the two biggest ones that were shading it were taken out years ago.

Other people's gardens. That's the onion plant that is practically taking over that container and another spot in the same yard. Looked like someone had broken off two huge stalks already so I didn't dare do anything other than take a picture.The base of those stalks at the ground is at least two inches! Without breaking off a piece it's hard to tell whether it really is an onion or not. Seeds say it is. There's also milkweed growing in various places, so it's just a confusing chaos garden with geraniums, lemon trees, 'onions' a hibiscus or two and who knows what else.

Then there's the lantana that I moaned about her trimming back so hard again. I wouldn't be surprised if she trimmed it again because it's getting so full. I think she took the lights off at least.

Wishing it would warm up for the seeds but then can't be too warm because of the cauliflower....

New plantings, moving plants and disaster

The weather is the same, no real change so not going to dwell on that and get on with garden things. Got my hands in the dirt today, determined to plant seeds and move plants into the ground. 

 

 

So yeah, same weather different day. Makes for on again, off again with the overshirt I was wearing but it's good weather for working in the garden and not getting too overheated.

Flowers abound in the garden and outside. I have walked past this plant three times now and named it correctly, now I can't think of the name and had to look it up. Watsonia. Only one flower stem so far which is sad because it had like five or six last year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Hard to see but that is what's left of the little pink rose bush in front of the giant BoP. Someone took it upon themselves to trim off the one seed pod and bud that was on it and pull off all the leaves. None of the other roses have any problematic pruning. Grrr. Seedlings are coming up just hard to see them.

 

Everything got a good cultivating to stir things up . Notice that little notch of untilled soil? That's the lone carrot over there. The onions are doing great, even the larger bulb ones. Hoping those survive the year long process of growing. As much room as that looks like, it really isn't that much in either bed.

Planted more romaine and mixed (aka BSS) lettuce in the south bed. Put out a lot of seeds in two rows with the romaine at the back of course. Will see how they fare.

Fish pepper seeds are in! Total of eight seeds in two rows, using the potting soil. Still have more in the packet but didn't really look to see how many. Please please please grow!

I then decided to move the smaller chive plant to the back of the south bed. After I put the seeds in. Always an afterthought with me but it'll all turn out fine. Oh I watered that west bed really well yesterday. It's almost bone dry again.

I then decided to move the oregano out of the pot and into the ground in the sunniest spot I had. Look at how root bound it is! No wonder it's struggling! Those roots were really tight too, I tore that rootball apart by half and sunk it in the soil then watered it in. I bet I'm going to regret putting it there in six months. 

I may well be planting the squash in the middle of the raised bed and put peppers in the west bed. Tomatoes on the trellis and the lettuces in the shade. I suspect there will still be room for two more peppers in the raised bed even with the squash in the middle. So two tomatoes on the trellis, squash in the middle, two peppers on the right and maybe another on the left. maybe some green onions (if I find seeds) along the front. 

Now on to the disaster.

It still works, screen isn't totally ruined but fumbled it putting it back in my pocket and it landed face down on the rocky soil. This is why I always got a case with a screen cover. I couldn't afford it this time and it happened. Packing tape on the screen and it still functions just hard to read, small orange halo around the biggest impact point on the left side. Sigh. Have to go through the same insurance as last time but have to pay $40 to get the phone replaced. Need to see how much it would cost to replace just the screen but initial search says it's more expensive.

First world problems.