Behind the seeds
Sometimes I almost wished that they would stop offering free shipping. There are enough different kinds of seeds in my collection to keep me busy but the April Fool’s Day offer was another difficult one to resist. These are the seeds that arrived today (in no particular order):
Oriental Poppy. At the last house I lived in, my immediate neighbor had a cluster of these growing in his garden. They looked amazing and seeing them assured me that they will grow in my area. I tried my hand at growing these and purchased seeds (from a seed company different than the current). It took a few tries before there was successful germination. In fact, it was not until I moved to my current house did I see poppy seedlings. The seedlings grew happily in a pot until one day to my horror I found that they had been mowed down by a cut worm. To say I was heartbroken would be an understatement. Afterward and as I had hoped, they regrew. I believe that was three years ago. The surviving plant is about 8-inches in diameter and it has yet to flower.
That plant may never flower so I hope to get a new start. This time I will also direct sow the seeds as it is written that they prefer that over being transplanted. Continue Reading
Building my first raised planter
Located close to the house and features of the house (like the brick succulent planter that it is adjacent to) aesthetics was one of the primary concerns when planning out this new ground to work and plant on. Raised planters with their long and symmetric lines are more aesthetically pleasing than say a row of nursery containers. Needing more growing area, it was time to finally install a more formal looking planter. Continue Reading
Corned Beef Hash with Potatoes from the Garden
Traditional American breakfast is my favorite type of breakfast. One of my favorite items is corned beef hash. With some potatoes harvested from the garden, I cook up some of that in my latest video.
Pruning and Digging Day
Today was a productive day. I got done what I have always wanted to do– lop off a part of the weeping fig (ficus benjamina) tree that was preventing the garden tool shed from sitting flush with the wall behind it. I also gave the weeping fig its second pruning since being acquainted with it. One of the reasons for the dramatic hair cut is to bring more light into the garden. Light that I need for sun loving crops. The second reason is to thin it out as the brown scale (insects) are beginning to amass. Continue Reading
February 2016 Fruit Tree Round Up
February 2016 fruit tree round up is in video format this year.
“Resort Garden” tour on YouTube
Often ti
mes being a “Stay at home, Dad” means making sacrifices because there are simply not enough hours in the day to get everything done. Actually, a more accurate statement is, ‘ there are simply not enough hours in the day to get everything done without your neighbors thinking that you are crazy.’ If it was not weird, I would probably plug in my work light and garden into the night. Since it is, the alternative is to skip on a breakfast outing and instead stay behind and work in the garden.
With no interruptions, I was able to create a few more planting plots by terracing the Resort Garden. I am very excited about the seeds that were sowed as a result: sun flowers, collards, brussel sprouts, marigolds, Thai basil.
Be sure to check out the video tour of this space!
