December Garden Update

Favas are growing well, as expected. The other cover crops I planted with them are looking a little weak. I'm not sure what the issue is with that, I'll wait and see. Mandarins should be ready soon. I have eaten one since the time I took this video and it was a little tart. Citrus only ripens on the tree so they will stay until they are sweet.

Garden Tour Summer 2009

This was taken after I got my little camera. Its been on YouTube. I now figured out how to make it fit in this blog so perhaps I may start using YouTube again.

Strawberry Container

I always wanted to grow strawberries in a container. Mainly because I like the look. Last year I bought the terracotta pot and some bare root plants in a bag. When I was planting them I was sidetracked or something and left the roots out overnight. When I discovered them they were pretty dry. I planted them anyway but nothing grew.

I did notice that the pot did not water well and expected that they would not have survived anyway. The pot is tall and has many pockets on the sides. It would need regular watering so as not to dry out. Also it would be difficult to be sure water made it from the top to the bottom.

I now have done a new planting with fresh live plants. I also made a PVC tube run down the center that I capped on the top and packed solid with perlite. The tube and the cap have holes drilled in them so water can enter. The perlite will allow the water to move and keep out soil. I also built a drip irrigation system to keep them alive. There are 9 strawberry plants and I planted a sweet marjoram on top. Lets watch it.

Planting the cover crop

Last week I prepared the garden for my cover crop. I normally plant favas because Wanda likes them. They are good. An acquired taste I think because they are kind of bitter but good. Like endive. So this year I added a vetch mixture as well. I want to keep the weeds out and I am hoping the vetch will crowd them out.

One week and I have sprouts already. I should have had this done by October 15th, Steven's birthday. So it is one month late. The weather has been quite warm so perhaps that will push them. I want to harvest in March. March 12th to be exact. Jennifer's birthday. Then do a full double dig in the garden and plant my summer garden before the end of March.

Wall Extension

In an effort to provide more privacy to my yard I started growing jasmine along the wall with my neighbor. When we built the wall we both agreed that after the inspector had approved the height that we would add two more layers to get a full six feet on his side. The city measures six feet from the bottom of the first block on the foundation. When the day came to add the blocks my neighbor chickened out and didn't want to risk getting caught. So the wall is about 4.5 feet on my side. The stupid thing was that the city only started inspecting backyard walls two weeks before we built ours. Anyway, bottom line is I have extra blocks I still don't know what to do with and I can look into his yard.

I had been slowly adding the lattice work. I did the back area first and moved toward the front. The plants have been growing for almost a year now. The back plant is over a year and was a transplant from the front planter. Just recently I added the connections between the vertical lattice. I will add the front horizontal parts before spring. I'm adding it slowly because when I mentioned it to his wife as a solution she turned her nose up at it. Well. Tough. I can do what I want on my side.

Bennie the Cat

Bennie helps me test Motionbox.

Here's Bennie.

Some thoughts...

Remaining in the center expends less energy.

Laziness is the true mother of invention.

Productivity is a by-product of laziness.

I am more aware when I am stillest.

Listen to the quietest silence. Look in the darkest dark.

Filter out everything and see the life.