Saturday, May 31, 2025

And... cold weather gone...again

 Overcast today but in the low 80's thunder and lightning with a spatter of rain. Changed back to my shorts and looking at the weather, going to be warm and overcast off and on for the next week.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Spatter of rain left on the cement and dead grey skies with very little breeze/wind. Three stems of the lilies with 2,1 and three flowers in order left to right. Doesn't look like it the way they're bent sideways but I counted. 
 

















Could only see two pepper seedlings after I watered yesterday oh well,  have three in the west bed doing much better now. The Romaine is doing fantastic! Will have a first harvest in another two weeks (hopefully) then the one on the left and then hoping they will continue to grow and not bolt as the weather warms up. Rain wasn't enough to do anything but I watered yesterday well enough they'll survive until tomorrow or Monday. Those lettuce look so good want to harvest now.... must resist.


















Am just busting with garden pride at the tomatoes. Still not been a month since I first fed them, have another week or so to go, first feeding was on May 3. Will have to add a 'label' to the post when I fertilize again to find it easier or just add it to my phone calendar.
Still waiting for the oregano, but noticed all the side branches growing as well. With that second identifier I am growing 'Italian Oregano'. I think I'm going to trim it back heavily but leave some of the taller stalks for the flowers. Apparently you're supposed to harvest it when it starts flowering.... bull pucky, you can use the leaves any time but supposedly after flowering the essential oils start to decline. I'm going to have more oregano than I know what to do with.  At least it will make good compost and possibly pest deterrent? Anecdotal evidence from a random video I saw.
 
That's all I've got today, going to be busy with other things over the next few weeks so will post when I can.

Thursday, May 29, 2025

Just when you think the weather is...

 I had to change into my long pants this morning because it is overcast and not the right temps for shorts. Super crazy weather for sure which also means, I thought I had to water today but apparently it may have drizzled overnight because things were damp enough to hold off another day. Supposed to be up to 74 or so today and it's definitely warmer now around 1pm than it was this morning.


















First pair of flowers on the trumpet vine. Hoping for more and wish it had been cared for better to really bloom like I've seen in other places. Maybe I'll scratch in some fertilizer for it but the roots go all over I'm sure so putting some at the base won't do much good.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
There is a difference between the biggest Romaine and the next one. Toward the back you can see how the center leaves are cupped to the center whereas this one is still open. I'm kind of anxious that they are going to bolt before forming a head. They're all still usable as long as they don't bolt but they are still a long while before they are true mature/harvest size.
 


 













 
Squash has what looks like flower buds on it already and there is a flower on the tomatillo. Go figure. For fast growing and reliable plants, I have most of them. Roma tomatoes, tomatillo, cilantro and Romaine. I vowed not to grow tomatillo again but compost in the ground said otherwise.
 


 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The three pepper seedlings in the west bed are still going and none the worse for being tossed around. The oregano is being eaten by something and suspicion says thrips from the damage on the back side of the leaves. Possibly minute caterpillars. Still waiting for flowers to do a positive ID. Hoping by next week to see *some* color.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Speaking of peppers, was shifting the top compost around and there they are. Three seeds are sprouting from the bell peppers I planted almost two weeks ago. Three out of eight so far so will see what happens. I put the plastic container over them to give a bit more warmth and humidity because..weather being what it is. 

Seems like everything will work out at this point, will see how well I can keep up with it in the coming month.

 









Tuesday, May 27, 2025

Not much happening except things are growing

 Although, I went to check on things yesterday while walking Rocky and discovered some enterprising and desperate cat used the west bed as a sandbox.
 
 
Yes, it was later in the day and the soil was very dry so that meant it came in early that morning or evening the day before. No solid matter so I moved the dirt around and just used the very short grey hose to wet it down. The cilantro and two pepper seedlings were a bit tossed but they survived.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
I actually used a few of the leaves off the larger cilantro in this bed for salsa today. Still don't know what to do with the rest of that bed since it's too late to start seeds of any sort. I need a good strong person to help dig that out this fall/winter and either reposition the chicken wire or build a raised bed that is more square. Same with the west bed.
 

















Rogue cilantro blooming away with a green onion in the background doing the same. Layla tried to just break off one of the cilantro stems and plant it.... needless to say it did not work. The oregano is still not blooming but the stalks are looking great. I have a tiny jar of dried oregano in the cupboard thanks to that plant. Could likely trim back most of it and double my harvest but I honestly don't use it that much. Put a little in the salsa today because it is very strong.
 
And the tomatoes... so satisfying to see them respond so well and just bust out with fruit. I will have to try a different variety next year just to see if it was the soil or me or whatever. I'll still grow one of these Roma because it's a guaranteed producer. 
That is, if all things go as well as possible.


Sunday, May 25, 2025

Definitely starting with the summer now

 It's not unbearably hot because we've got the May Grey/June Gloom happening early in the day. Keeps temperatures very pleasant this week. Only got up to the mid 70's today and that trend is going to continue until next weekend. There was a possibility of rain when I checked the weather last night but it's not on the forecast now. Cloudy Wednesday but very low chance of rain and temps are still in the mid 70's.

Just cannot wait for the lettuces to be harvest size! Going to have a head every two weeks it looks like and then some. Just makes me dang proud of myself that this is a successful year compared to last year. I need all the positive vibes I can get right now.


















I think just about every flower on these bushes has been pollinated. I have not seen any sign of them dropping and have begun to recognize if they are. See how they all do a sharp downturn and hang? 99.9% accurate they are pollinated. I saw some Hover flies moving in and around the plants, likely looking for aphids but so far, they're clean. Except for the caterpillars which I haven't seen anymore but they are very good at hiding. 
 

















Hard to tell but it looks like there are two peppers coming up finally in the west bed. I think there was another one but I was watering and moved the soil around, uprooting it. I need to figure out the secret to growing peppers successfully. Start them sooner? Feed the heck out of them? Will see what happens with the two survivors in the raised bed, they are finally getting taller than the lettuces since I gave them an extra shot of food. 
 
Not much noticeable difference but I trimmed some of the branches out of the tomatoes, just random ones that were sticking out or tangled in the middle.  The bottom picture is from when I watered yesterday The tallest one is almost three feet tall and hanging out all over the place. I can definitely see why people would use the 'Florida Weave' method but I don't have the space and situation to do that. Using the green wire and had to actually reposition the more recent higher one to catch another branch. Just trying to keep them from falling over and breaking branches off when the fruit comes in. I'll likely  trim some more branches out of the middle and keep the fruiting branches more to the outside. 
 

















Three stems on the lilies, two have three flowers each and one has one flower. I did bend down and smell the flower, and yes it has a wonderful light fragrance.  
Speaking of flowers, I realized I have a good condition little square pot that Dolores gave me and I think I'll be using that for some bulbs. Someone else has a collection of containers perfect for flowers but I'm not sure exactly who's they are so not going to ask until I have bulbs or plants to plant. 
Besides, I still have that crate to use for planting either potatoes or onions in the fall. But like everything right now, we will see what happens week to week. 

Thursday, May 22, 2025

And rain is gone.... lonnng gone.

 The last three days have been well into the mid to upper 80's and actually got up to 90 on Tuesday so we closed up and had AC on both Tuesday and Wednesday. Today we're toughing it out as it started rather nice with cool marine layer that  unfortunately burned off by noon.

















 
Did some googling about this rose and the best candidate is called 'Dainty Bess' fits the coloring and it's an 'antique' rose meaning it first was sold back in 1926 (I think or there abouts). Supposed to be a hybrid tea and is about 3 to 4 feet tall so it fits the description the best. I really want to either take a cutting or some seeds from it even though it is still listed by Edmunds' Roses and David Austin. Just wish I could take over the care of all the roses and see about replacing some of them.
 

















After watering today, cilantro mowed down of course but it's fine and I didn't remember until it was too late that tomatillos need at least two or three plants to get pollinated. Oh well. Trying to keep the row of bell pepper seeds between the squash and tomatoes moist but will see what happens. I have just not had really good luck with growing peppers. The jalapeños last year were okay but not up to size, the other peppers just barely cut it because the soil situation wasn't ideal.  The lettuces are just busting out wonderfully so I guess Romaine and Roma tomatoes are my forté.
Can you see them??? There's tomatoes growing already!

















Yay for tomatoes! 
Now on the down side, I found another one of the little green worms (not tomato worms) making holes in the leaves and hope that they don't find the tomatoes. Those should be nice and ready to pick in another month hopefully.
 
And speaking of that, some of you know that I have a health challenge again, breast cancer is back and I'll be going through a bit of a tougher time this go round. I will be having more testing and a biopsy as well as possibly having all four treatments to knock it down (HRT, Radiation, chemo and surgery). I'm hoping that I will still be able to garden during all this but might be needing some help. As always, updates when they happen on my main blog Walkabout Revelations.

May the sun shine on your garden and your harvest be bountiful!

Saturday, May 17, 2025

Rain, such as it is...

 Good thing I watered thoroughly yesterday. Weather says it's going to be back up to 90 next weekend. Oh joy.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Yesterday and today, what the actual heck in a handbasket weather? Weather app said rain would be expected around midnight with a 35% chance...well it's sprinkle/spritzing right now (7:30pm) with serious rain in the distant hills. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 It was not that hot outside yesterday, little fluff butt though felt it necessary to just walk over to the shade and lay down. I have no idea what the point was and I can't walk that far from him in case someone who doesn't know who he is might come by. Silly kitty.
 
 
 















As I was watering I noticed a green worm under the tomato and moved it (barely visible on the soil bag above the o), there is definite chomping going on and I'm sure that's not the only one on the plant. No money for preventative spray so will just have to be vigilant. I thought I took more pictures than that with some today but I guess not. I sometimes go out and just assess what's going on but nothing worth taking pictures.
 

It was very windy today as well and also tried to get a video of the Eurasian Dove that was cooing but all you can hear is the Purple Finch. Deleted that one because this was a much better sound.

Good to have the rain, I would have watered tomorrow anyway given the misty nature of what we're getting. If there's more serious rain later that's fine. I sprinkled a little more fertilizer around the peppers and watered the bell pepper seeds really well. The tomatillo is growing like a weed that it is but had to prop it up with a small stick, same with the garlic that were both leaning away from each other. 
I am just ecstatic about how well the Romaine is doing, those should be getting to harvest size by middle of next month for full heads. I pulled the languishing small lettuce because it wasn't really worth trying to keep it going. Almost looked like another Romaine so no loss there. 
At this rate won't need to water for at least three days thankfully, it's getting really annoying having to deploy my own hose every day or every other day. That will come I'm sure when the summer finally decides to stay.

 


At least I got out and watered yesterday.

 The heat is ramping up and hitting 90 two days in a row. I went out around 7:30 last night and it was downright pleasant as long as you did...