And it rained, and was windy and thundering.

 It was wonderful. The rain started about mid afternoon, light sprinkles then morphed into a steady light rain. By late evening it really came down. I really should have held off watering but compared to the rain, I didn't do much. It is blustery and cloudy today so don't have to worry about the beds drying out.

I decided I wanted to try more seeds so rummaged through my collection and saw the Red Burgundy Onions. What the heck, give it a try.

The soil is very much wet, I used a chopstick to run a trench and even looked up how deep they needed to be planted. I only hope that the weather will cooperate and the soil will be okay. Onions do better in more acidic soil and mine is not alkaline but not high acid either.

The front row I decided on Crimson Giant radishes. Almost pulled out the Easter Egg but thought I'd give these a go.

In the future I will be marking the white packages with black pen, I took a picture of both rows but you can't even see the pencil in normal daylight. Oh well. Oh... popsicle sticks, have to remember that for marking the rows. Not like I have copious amounts of garden to do so, that's why I take photos.

Didn't water after planting as the soil was perfectly fine for moisture.

Everything else looked fine, still fussing over how much grit and rock is in the potato bed and still holding out for the radishes in the south bed. I discovered something yesterday when I was digging the soil after transplanting the peas.

Digging around the tomato and hearing the light crunch of hitting roots I discovered this:

Now, what the heck is that you say? It's no bigger than about an inch but since it came from the vicinity of the tomato I am concerned. It could be early signs of root knot nematodes on the tomato.

Without taking it to a lab and having them dissect and look at it under a microscope I am only going by my past knowledge of seeing infected roots.

 

As a precaution the the tomato plant will be pulled at the end of the season and won't plant any tomato or pepper in there unfortunately. The tomato is still looking great and when I pulled the pepper plant I didn't see anything. It could just be swollen roots but not going to take any chances. The radishes are doing well and we will see what happens with the seeds I put in.  

If they grow.

 

So I will monitor the tomato plant and if it starts dying prematurely that can't be explained by overcrowded branches or other reasons, yanking it. The tops can go in the compost pile but the roots will definitely go in the trash. I will also dig around and see if any other roots come up looking like that.

Having the rain is wonderful being in a desert climate it is just so refreshing and hope we have more days like this. As our weather goes, it will be like this for a day or two then run weeks without any and by then it will be summer and that's the end of the season. Sigh.

Rain, rain, come over here, we like having you near.

Just keep growing, just keep growing....

Much like my 'nothing is happening' posts with pictures for days on end, this is another 'everything is growing' post with pictures.

It is very very warm today a little breeze but definitely feels like the beginning of summer when it's actually beginning of spring. I think it's in the 80's today and since I was going to be out and about on a field trip, absolutely had to water.

Lemon bush

I had to take a picture of the lemon bush because it has a full flush of new growth all over it. Someone must have given it fertilizer last year, gee wonder where that came from? The tomato is looking scraggly as ever and I picked the two tomatoes that were ripe and since they were splitting and small I just threw them away. Not in the compost pile, would have tomatoes sprouting everywhere I don't doubt.

These were taken a little earlier in the day than usual so it was hard not to get my shadow in the picture. That lemon needs to be trimmed back soon, it's impeding the walkway.

North bed peas, two at the back and the two in the front. They still need some shade on days like this so tried to cover the smaller ones. The weeds are growing as well so I might have to get something to pick them out . This was after I watered and doesn't even look like it due to the sun.

Everything is growing by leaps and bounds so here's hoping the peas don't fail due to the early heat. The potatoes, carrots and radishes should still be okay. I didn't find what I needed at HD for the potato cages but will try again when I get more money. Didn't look for a sifter there but will look on Amazon or elsewhere for one.

I take the same angle photos for future reference and doing a collage/time progression which I failed to do for last year but can still do one. The largest radish is getting a swollen single root but not a bulbous type. Still will taste the same I suspect but will see when I decide to pull it. With this heat it might just start bolting which would make it tough so may end up pulling it by the weekend.

And last but not least, I finally caught one of the Bird of Paradise flowers just after it opened. The coloring is wonderful!

The 'blue tongue' is actually more purple so it's even more striking with the orange sail parts. Really still prettier in person.

We went to Balboa Park to visit the ComiCon Museum that recently opened because it was free today. Didn't get any pictures of plants or trees outside, we were pretty much done and there were too many people to stop on the sidewalk just to take a picture of a tree. Will be posting pictures from the museum on my other blog and facebook.

It is still interesting/amazing/boggling to see so amny different plants and landscapes in yards just in my own neighborhood. My area is not the most well maintained due to the lower income factor and age of the properties. I keep daydreaming about what I would do with a home and I can never get past having roses and a vegetable garden. The rest of the landscaping is blurred since it doesn't really matter. Lawn? Maybe, but it takes upkeep that I will not likely have the energy or money for. Definitely not rock or paving. Grass is good for sure just not a huge expanse of lawn. Meadow or lawns are necessary for certain insects, butterflies and moths. Not looking at picture perfect almost artificial style lawns but certainly not patchy old and never maintained. Somewhere in between is a meadow grass type lawn that can be mowed or not and if it is where it snows in the winter who cares what it looks like until spring.

Now off to more of that garden daydreaming.

The rain did good and sun is doing better. Happy Spring!

 If the sprouts in the shade got more sun I suspect they would be double their size by now. Compared to the ones in the north bed that I uncovered, I would say that would be true.

Barely visible

Very evident growth

Didn't have to do much watering, just made sure the north bed and potatoes got wet and pulled a few weeds. In another week I'll know if those are peas or beans for sure. I'm betting on peas since I put more of those out than the beans.

And again I swear the potatoes are doubling in size every day.

March 21

March 20

Yes I know there's a difference in the distance just joking but honestly they are growing faster for sure. Warm weather and soil makes all the difference.

March 18

 

From the 18th to today there is significant growth no doubt! Doubled in size in four days I think, another week or two and I'll be able to cover them with more soil and start the potato tower.

Almost picked two tomatoes but they didn't come loose immediately so leaving them on. Radishes will stay in the ground still for another few days or so. 

Now with things growing I can't plant anything more or I run out of room. The peas are going to take up a sizable area in both beds and the carrots and radishes will stay in place for another few weeks. Didn't check on the maturity time for the carrots and would need to backtrack my posts to find out when I planted them and then tack on another two weeks or more due to them being in the shade. They'll thank me later when it gets blazing hot.

Going to go ponder some more plans and plants and enjoy the day!

More progress, albeit small and stuff.

 Procrastinating on pulling and spraying weeds is a blessing in disguise. I think the pea sprouts are coming up in the south bed!

Barely noticed until I was down almost at dirt level in order to try and hand pick some of the larger weedlings out. Then I saw the little vertical green sprout and yay! In the examination I also saw a pea that had started to try and sprout but was laying on the surface so I buried that one. With the warm weather and increasing sun here's hoping they sprout quickly and I will be needing a trellis soon.

I checked the north bed in the little makeshift shaded spots and sure enough another one was coming up there!

How can I tell? Comparing it to the grass weedlings coming up and the peas poking through it looks closer to the peas. I didn't disturb the logs for fear of dropping one and completely obliterating the small thing.

I need to get some weed tweezers on a long stick. There are trash grippers but those are too big and not accurate enough. I need something like long bbq tongs but with flat tweezer tips on the ends. Hmmmm more McGyvering is called for.

The potatoes are gaining speed and the next tomato is getting better color. I pulled three radishes but should have left one of them in the ground unfortunately. I might try to replant that small one or toss it because it's not really big enough to even eat. The pink one is almost eating size so I'm just going to have to be more patient with these and leave them be. As they thin out I'll replant with some Cherry Belles or whatever I have left.

Watered everything lightly as it was still damp close to the surface, just want to keep the soil from crusting over. Not sure what to plant around them really other than radishes or maybe some flowers, have to wait until they get big enough to cover them again and see what's available. Peppers maybe? Potato plants get about as big as a good pepper or small tomato plant, roughly about 2 feet depending on how much stalk I cover. If I get two approx. 5 gallon size pots and cut the bottoms out and use that it gives me another 12-18 inches of potato growing vertically. Given the hot sun I don't think i want to use something black, and again there's the logs I can use for a makeshift tower around them. So many possibilities.

I watered the 'compost corner' really well also, making sure that stays damp and remembered that deep corner never really gets any sun at all. After research I'm doing it all wrong. Composting should be done in a sunny, dry location. Well shoot. Okay then, stop watering and move it closer to the jade plant. It needs about 4-6 hours of sun so that cinches it right there. No corner for you compost. Right where it is will be fine as long as I can get some sort of containment for it.

Speaking of the woodpile, better pictures as a refresher.

So they cut down a decent sized Liquidamber tree some years ago it looks like. Not going to move all of them as much as I want to because the lizards still live there. Have to leave some for them and because they're in there I don't think I have to worry about black widows or other bugs but will still be cautious. Go lizards!

I saw a hat/headband mounted mini camera like a 'GoPro' at Costco for only $20, then have to find the rig or a way of mounting it which is another $20 on Amazon. Am really tempted to get that and then I can do running commentary videos when I garden and take Rocky for walks. That would be interesting to say the least. 'Old lady learning video causes thousands to get motion sick!' Honestly would try to mount it on my neck/chest area because I move my head around entirely too much. 'Squirrel!'

Anyway, lovely spring day, breezy with sketchy wispy clouds and warm temps, might just get a little rain in the next few days, who knows.

Another warm day, beautiful weather

Kind of wonky schedule today so almost didn't go to the garden but grabbed the sprayer and went down anyway. Everything holding steady, radishes are slowly progressing except for that big leafy one that looks like it's supposed to be a white one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Still not very big but useable. The pink/red ones are almost to a size to pull but will hold off on those as well. The only thing I can think of that has caused the big one not to bulb is a nitrogen pocket. The others likely have more phosphorus so they formed perfectly. I suspect that spot is where a lot of the previous compost has settled and the corner is less compost though it's where the water drains off.

Whatever. The potatoes are also growing well though a bit slower than they should from my memory. That is a situation that will be dealt with when they get bigger. I only hope the other radishes will start growing and the peppers and the peas.... sigh.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since I have a tomato and some cilantro, all I need is onion and jalapeños. The carrots are going to be a while and I will be very very lucky to get any carrot like roots from them. 

I said there wasn't much progress on the potatoes but actually they are doing pretty well considering their age and the soil.

Today vs. four days ago and the older one is a bit closer picture as well so yeah. Still not happy with the soil consistency but that will be fixed later. 

I can smell the lemon blossoms on the bush from the one large cluster of flowers. One of my favorite smells and whenever I get a place of my own I will be planting either an orange or lemon just for the flowers.

I went to Trader Joes to look for something  yesterday and just HAD to stop and smell the blooming hyacinths at the door. Another one of my go to flowers I mentioned before. So everything is moving along nicely, light breeze today stirring the windchime outside and just adding to the relaxing atmosphere of the day. Birds chirping as they make nests... good day today.

Progress is steady and slow but radishes!

 It's another gorgeous day! Light breeze, sun with not too many clouds, kids screeching the next street over, dogs barking...

 I am slowly training myself to not only use the veggies I have but save all the scraps and peels to put back in the garden. I pulled three small radishes because I couldn't stand it anymore.

What is interesting is the larger plants aren't showing any signs of bulb and the small ones are. Likely explanation later on.

I threw the last of the fertilizer along the potato bed and dug it in. Tried to rake out some of the larger stems and branches from the compost pile and took a sample of dirt from the south bed for pH.

Cilantro is doing amazing, it isn't very strong though due to being in the shade. It's a tough balance to get lots of leaves but not bolt in heat. The key is high nitrogen and phosphorous for growth and strength. Neither of which I have in abundance. It will do though for now.

I wanted to pick one of the radishes because an enterprising small mollusk invaded it. These are by no means full grown but they still tasted good. A little bitter but that's due to picking too small.

Now as to the reason why the smaller ones were bulbing but not the bigger one. Nitrogen and phosphorous as well as sun and water. In other words, location, location, location. There may be more nitrogen where the larger plants are, thus creating more healthy leaves and less root which you would need P for (remember the letters? N P K Up: Down, All Around). Will have to see what happens with the other ones in the south bed that has more shade.

I would have to individually test every small area for nutrients and frankly am hesitant to trust the results simply because of the way they need to be done. Small capsule with powder that has to be dumped into a small tube. I swear I lose about a third of the powder when I open the capsule. I know I did this time. So it's possible the results are skewed to a bit too light.  Need to find the other type of test that may be easier to do correctly.

I used the radishes in a large salad I made that included greens, carrot, cucumber, celery, tomato a boiled egg and some ham. Yummy! As you can see I twisted off the tops of the radishes...where did I put them? In a baggie with the other scraps to put in the garden tomorrow!

I really need a compost bin now.