Plugging along, birds are nesting

 Skies are blue, temperatures are warm, seedlings are growing, animals shuffled dirt.

 Not a very good picture but first blooms to open on the Indian Hawthorn. Just a random flower that is a harbinger of spring is all.

This pair of doves startled me when I went out to the garden yesterday. They were under the nandina at the entrance to the area and just simply, walked ahead of me. Kept a very watchful eye of course but just kept picking up grit or tiny seeds and didn't take off in a flurry and whistle of wings until I got to the south bed. I am hoping this is the same pair that's building a nest in the jacaranda outside my window. I hear them going up and down or in and out of the tree in the morning. I can't see where the nest is because it's likely right in the branches on the corner of the building. Rocky watches them with great interest sitting in my window.

The south bed I smoothed out the day before after digging it through again and came out yesterday to a pile of dirt in the middle. Now it's rather odd that there are three scrape marks that look like they would be from the cultivator but I am a bit too OCD about things like that but the divot and pile to the left of it in the first picture, definitely from something else. I got the trowel and moved the dirt around but didn't find anything and there was no smell. Digging around today I found a small pellet that seemed to have fur on it. Definitely way too small for cat or other mammal and rabbits don't cover up their poo. Oh well, not disturbed today so will water everything tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I culled another tomato seedling so am now down to four. More than enough still for what I need. As much as I am wanting to jump the gun and plant them out now, they are still entirely too small. Way too small. Besides I need more soil in the raised bed and if the sweet peas ever pop it will be a real race.  Surprisingly, the peas and peppers have not dried out despite the afternoon heat and yet the ones in the window needed water the other day. The window amplifies the heat for sure and I bring them in from the window in the evening.

Funny thing when walking Rocky the other day. I found a small piece of a jade plant or other succulent in the grass. Rocky is wandering around, eating grass but looked over at the sidewalk a moment, just as I tossed the piece I found, hoping to get in the other plants but by chance landed inside that 'watering can' decoration. He immediately darted over thinking (hunter that he is) something was worth hunting. He knows lizards are out, he's seen at least one twice. So he spent a good five minutes sniffing around, thinking something was moving in the spider plant then eventually gave up with a small growl and went back to finding grass to chew on.

I am hoping to make a trip up to the Safari Park on Thursday, last day for the month of getting in free for senors. If I do get up there, I will likely have pictures of plants and animals..

A few more seeds planted and leezard sighting

 It's still clear weather, warming to the mid to high 70s and then will get cloudy again, maybe some rain in a week but perfect weather for planting more seeds and enjoying the sun.

Yes that is the color of the sky it was gorgeous! Nary a smudge of a cloud anywhere and then I saw Rocky homed in on the wall behind the bushes. First lizard sighting of the season, it makes me happy. The hawks have been calling every morning now. Coyotes were in the hills as well in the evening, the sounds of a thriving ecosystem despite houses as far as the eye can see.

 

 More signs of the gopher in the lawn, two more mounds on the other side of the sidewalk where the other ones were. Not my lawn, not my problem. I worked in the last bag of soil in the West bed and think it could still use one more to get a good level. Oh and that white thing is apparently Layla reserving that spot for her own pots. I wish there was more than enough money to do a proper garden for everyone to have their own space and safe from gophers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 And finally sorted through my seeds and decided on four sweet pea and four Jalapeno. I will be cultivating the south bed and hope to strew mixed lettuce seeds in there. I discovered two small packets of cilantro seeds and the baggie that I had previously in the spice cupboard. That is going back to the kitchen as there are plenty of seeds for the garden and I need some coriander to use. I left those out on the bakers rack for maximum sun exposure in the afternoon. Technically needed to soak the peas but oh well. Will keep them moist and hope for the best. 

It's going to be a race between the sweet peas and the tomatoes. The tomatoes may well be first considering how far ahead they are right now. At the most, six more days until we get money again and will try and get some fertilizer as well. Oh yeah and I really want to try and get the compost buckets dumped, the random branches on top cut up and everything cleaned up in the corner. I still need a giant tarp to do it properly. All I have are the empty bags from the soil which would need to be connected somehow into a bigger area. Or try and get a small tarp, initial search finds smallest one is 6 x8 for about ten dollars at HD. Just checked Harbor Freight and BINGO! small tarp the same size and weight is only $3.00! I had not thought to look at them until just now. 

Alrighty then, soil and tarp it will be next month. Might see if they have any garden supplies other than trimmers and lawn mowers and stuff. 

Compost purchased and mostly worked in.

 The weather is definitely warming up compared to the last two months. Should be up into the mid to high 70's today and almost clear skies. So, cool air, warm sun and cheap dirt.

But first, seedlings! I am slowly culling the tomatoes so I will eventually be left with three or four. The smaller ones and ones that are too leggy or have damaged leaves go first. At least three of them show good growth and leaves so I'll be glad when they are big enough to plant out.

 

 

HD has .75 cf bags of MG 'In Ground' planting soil, essentially compost, 3 for $10. Booyah! So I put two bags in and even with digging as deep as the shovel could go (before hitting a log) turning the soil over it only raised the level by an inch. Next week when we get more money, will be getting six more bags, sweetie will get three and I'll get three so it spreads the cost out. Now the issue is, they have the 3cf compost bags back in at almost the same cost, but...that's almost 50 lbs of soil that neither of us can handle. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I ended up pulling both cilantro plants and got a really good bunch you could never find in the store. I just grabbed the base and the leaves and twisted them. 

 

 

Last night just after sunset or close to it, I realized I had left a pristine bed of fresh soil open to the world. I did my best to put deterrents in just in case and then watered everything. I was rewarded with a still pristine bed of soil and then proceeded to cultivate it again and decided to pull the larger onions so I could dig more soil. Those roots were deep. I used the cultivator to pull them up mostly and there were still a lot of roots left behind. That one last corner of small onions that will stay there until I get the rest of the soil. I want that soil level all the way to that first bump out below the lip.

 

I cut off another section of the chicken wire just to have for either the south bed or the raised bed. Will likely need another piece for the raised bed when I get the seedlings in there. I'll add that last bag to the East bed, pull up the measly onion and cilantro that's in there and mix it all in good. Two more for that bed, another one for the south bed and the rest goes to the raised bed. I was considering getting a bag of potting soil as well but I think I have enough humus soil and perlite in there to be good. 

First of the trumpet vines to bloom. You would think I would remember that the larger more veined leaves were red and the smooth and shiny small leaves were purple but nooooo. It clicked today seeing the two vines. The purple one is on the opposite side to this one. Nice to see flowers so early.

Yay for digging in the dirt again!
 

Still growing and a random movie recommendation

 The weather is supposed to warm up this week to possibly low 80's for one day at least and mid to high 70s during the day. Night time will still be nippy so extra blankets are still needed on the bed.

Variable weather from smudgy overcast to mostly blue skies. The picture on the right is of a Lesser Goldfinch I was trying to identify by photo. Not so good. They are very quiet and honestly I thought they were bigger, these are smaller than a finch.

The tomato seedlings are starting to put out secondary true leaves and so is the cucumber. I actually was able to get three small bags of 'in ground' soil like Dolores gave me. They're on sale 3 for $10 so yeah howdy I snagged three of them. I was also glad to see they had the 3 cf bags of compost again but I do not have the strength even close to hauling one of those to the car and then to the garden. I could barely handle them when I was working. That will have to wait until we have a wagon to haul it.

So I spread the soil around in the west bed, two onions and the cilantro survived. The garlic is doing okay but kind of yellowing on the tips, I suspect I need to toss them some fertilizer. And then.... walking Rocky this morning and he stopped to sniff at a pile of dirt. Gophers are making their way into the main lawn now. There's actually two piles, the other one is down right corner. So, I'm hoping they have been deterred enough from the garden with various means we've had to deploy.

That random cat house cover or whatever isn't from Dolores, it's probably Layla staking out space to put her meager plants she doesn't take care of. Dolores was out in the garden yesterday and I asked her about it. She rarely looks in that direction so she had no idea what it was. Mystery solved on that as far as ownership but it was still a random thing to put there to stake out a claim. Gardeners can be some of the most giving people but also some of the most territorial and a bit vindictive.

That reminds me of a cute but random film hardly anyone knows about called Gnomeo and Juliet from 2011. Stop motion/CG animation about garden gnomes that follow their namesakes but also tosses in bonkers British gardening fever. It's a cute movie so go check it out.

That's all for now, will get some pictures of the growing seedlings and adding in the compost to the beds next time.

And.... rampaging mammals again.

 We got some serious rain over the week. Some places reported almost four inches! I don't know how much we got but it was a nice gentle rain on and off for about three days. It is now windy, mostly clear with smudgy whispy clouds and cold enough for a jacket. 

I had hoped that the rain would keep the critters out of the west bed..... 

 

Nope. This was the first incursion the day after I rearranged the logs thinking it was safe. I didn't bother watering because I knew more rain was on the way. 

 

This was today. Fresh and completely dug up the few radishes that were left. The raised bed had a few scrapings but no real disturbances, same with the south bed.

Well at least the west bed is tilled for the seedlings when they get big enough. 

One cucumber and nine tomatoes. Those Roma I tell you are such good growers! I have been putting them all in the window when it's sunny. This is the first strong sunny day we've had in four days so they are soaking it up for sure. I am still debating on whether to put the cucumber on the trellis with a tomato or put it in the west bed. 

Since I've put tomatoes in the same beds every year I Really need to add not just soil but fertlizer. I think I still have that bag from last year in the electrical closet. So something is happening at least, bad and good.

We green to grow!

We are expecting rain and right now, it's raining off in the distance with the wind blowing to the East and a little south according to the clouds.  75-85% chance of rain starting tomorrow and running to Friday. So given the cold and possible rain, didn't have to water outside. 

The tomato seedlings have sprouted finally and I think one of the cucumbers. I brought them inside and was keeping them on the microwave because that was the warmest place. We had sun for a few days and then I noticed one of the tomatoes had sprouted but it was very lanky. I moved both trays to the kitchen window because that gets warm enough if the windows are closed and the sun is shining. I thought I took pictures of them but I think I held off because at the time they weren't very big. I think one cucumber is sprouting but it is so much too cold for that one right now. Need to start some peppers soon.

And the 'Paradise' rose is blooming at least. Just one flower, the yellow also has a flower but the other one that was stripped is growing, but not flowering. Stupid gardeners.

 I have no idea what Dolores plans to do with that cat shelter/litter box top. Maybe using it as a place holder or something for later because it certainly won't make a good planter with that cut out on the side. The garlic is doing well at least. I moved some of the logs away so they weren't being pushed under the wire. IF I'm lucky I might see some garlic by the end of summer.

 

The skies were clear yesterday with a slight almost smokey haze. The Norfolk Pine is now taller than I am. That tallest trunk is six feet tall. Certainly has survived and thrived with what it's gone through to this point. 

Things are growing, still no money for compost so I'm hoping that the timing of the seedlings works with getting money next month. I know I say that every month about having money and never do but some day, it will be true.

Not much to report

 The skies are clear, temps are still low at night into morning, mid to high 40's by sunrise. Breezy wind rustling the windchimes downstairs so I know it's got some force behind it. 

Top of one of the trees showing the clear blue sky. Yes it was that color, no enhancements needed on that. I think that's an elm tree that has lost most of the leaves and is growing them back at the same time. Short lived winter here for sure.

 

 

I started working the soil in the raised bed, digging deep and discovering more roots. I'm thinking they are from whatever is growing below, like the logs or something. I pulled and broke up most of them and then said 'what the heck, might as well' and dumped the rest of the in ground compost that Dolores had given me. Compared to what is in there, it is an excellent amendment. I need about twenty more of those 1 cu ft bags for that bed. Oh and I dug up what was left of the potatoes. Seriously, the one sprouted clump had two tiny, bb size nodules on the roots and nothing left of the original piece of potato. I'm going to have to give up on growing them at all.  I just don't have the room, soil and patience for it. Sure I have that crate right there to grow them in but that needs a bag of soil all on it's own. To really replenish my beds I need about $50 worth of soil.

 

At least the garlic is doing okay so far.  Nothing has disturbed any of the beds recently but am not taking any chances. Oh and none of the seeds I planted have sprouted yet. Likely too cold since they're outside. Will see if I can remember to bring them in after the sun goes down.

I heard not only the hawks yesterday morning, but crows and some ravens as well. Purple Finches, I think I heard some Lesser Goldfinches, and the Mourning Doves have returned. I haven't heard that many Eurasian doves lately which I'm a bit relieved actually. Mourning Doves are native, the Eurasians are not.

Oh and they came and chopped back the pepper tree sprouts again. They're going to likely keep doing that with the chainsaws every six months I bet. Thought I had a picture of them but can't seem to find it or they weren't worth keeping due to screen and window. So here's a shot of the skies to the north the other day.

That's all that's fit to print at the moment.