Rose Garden: Winter Maintenance

Tomorrow, I’ll be removing dead plant materials from my rose garden, as well as removing weeds. This may sound like a lot of work, but over time, it’s very routine and manageable. I completed the heavier work of hard pruning last month and new leaves, and even a few flowers, have emerged, thanks in part to [...]

Weeding, with Less Effort

Weeds, the bane of many gardeners’ existence (including mine). Yet I take pleasure in time-saving garden maintenance activities. Last week, we had several days of rain. The soil remained moist for several days after, making the soil quite loose, an ideal situation to easily remove weeds with my bare hands. I’ll be doing more of [...]

Red Cestrum: Flower Bracht in Bloom!

The waxy flower brachts of my red cestrum (also known as Cestrum fasciculatum Newellii) have finally reemerged. This is the first of the beautiful, deep raspberry-magenta brachts to bloom.  This photo I took a few minutes ago.  We have had a few days of rain here and the wind was gently blowing. It was remarkably still for [...]

Water Conservation on Rainy Days

It’s the start of several rainy days, beginning tonight.  I always watch the weather reports for rain, because that will signal me to turn off my front yard sprinkler system until the rain has subsided. My back yard does not have a sprinkler system – I still water by hand. My patio is also in the [...]

Japanese Aucuba: Roots from Cutting!

On September 27, I placed a cutting of my Japanese aucuba into a small bottle, in an attempt to propagate it (see my previous post). It’s been about 1-1/2 months later and I am happy to report that this cutting is very clearly rooting! Click on the photo for a better view of the very [...]

Cymbidium Orchid: First New Spike for 2008!

I just finished watering my plants and noticed the first new spike in my lovely collection of cymbidium orchids, all in containers in my front yard shade garden. It’s a raspberry-colored orchid, and the one I have the most of. It’s such a pleasure to grow, the flowers are gorgeous and long-lasting, and the plant is robust [...]

Red Cestrum Growing New Leaves!

In early June, I posted a few photos of my red cestrum (aka Cestrum fasciculatum Newellii), when it was looking a bit sparse. As promised, here is a photo I took this afternoon. What a difference a few months make! Check out the new leaves! Purple-red flowers and berries will eventually dot the tips of this plant, hopefully in [...]

When To Harvest Tomatoes

I’d pondered this issue when I first started growing tomatoes. Reading advice from various experts, the “ideal” first choice is to allow the tomatoes to ripen on the vine, are fully red (or other color, such as yellow, depending on the variety of tomato), and slightly soft when squeezed. Then you can harvest or pick [...]

Summer Squash and Snow Peas Sprouting!

I only planted the seeds for summer squash (yellow and green) and snow peas on June 29. The seeds, in containers, are already sprouting! The squash seedlings are on the left and the snow pea seedlings are on the right. I planted a pinch of seeds and planted them in 5-gallon containers, set in a [...]

More Seeds in My Container Garden!

Earlier this afternoon, I planted more vegetable seeds in my container garden. I planted summer squash (yellow and green) and snow pea seeds. As each season passes, I have a better idea of what vegetables (and fruits) that I enjoy and actually consume and (hopefully) plant enough to meet my needs. If all seeds sprout, within a few months, [...]