May 21, 2014 by Born To Organize

Starter Pumpkins

Aren’t these the sweetest?

Starter Pumpkins

My friend Stephanie’s young daughter ‘M’ crafted these for seed starters . She used the base of a water bottle, then decorated each one with colorful duct tape.

Duct Tape Planting Pots

She delivered them with her dad over the weekend and I planted them today. In one of those serendipitous moments, I realized I had an open space in the center of my EarthBoxes® just waiting to be filled. So I tucked my newest pumpkin starter into the opening of the Jack ‘o-lantern box. It already looks right at home.

EarthBox Pumpkins making space for the new addition

I planted the second plant in the curb garden. It gets full sun all day, and will have a long stretch of gravel to spread out as it grows.

With some trepidation, I planted the third starter in the back. Squash bugs beware! I’ll be keeping a close on that one.

Thank you ‘M’ for your kindness and generosity. It will be such fun watching them grow.

Meanwhile, here is the progress of our deck-top pumpkins, week three. My how they’ve grown.

Healthy Pumpkin Plants Line the Deck

Fabulous tips for growing pumpkins from The Older Farmer’s Almanac.

May 20, 2014 by Born To Organize

Wildflower Hike

Karen and Dylan weren’t able to join me on Monday for our walk. Instead I hiked the Quicksilver trail on my own in search of wildflowers. I hoofed it up the hill and got my heart rate going, but I also enjoyed the opportunity to stop several times along the way.

The hills, parched and dry, are a worrying site this early in the year. Most of the grass along the trail’s edge is golden brown instead of green.

View of Silicon Valley from the Almaden Quicksilver Trail

Here and there, though I spotted tiny dots of color. It stands to reason that wildflowers native to our region are able to withstand the drought.

Here’s a sample:

Santa Clara County wildflowers

This reminds me of a delicate orchid

I also passed several happy pooches enjoying the trail. A few of them stopped for a photo-op, but they were more interested in walking and playing.

Cutie-patootie number one

Cutie-patootie number two

Birds flew in and out of the dry brush, camouflaging well among the branches.

Can you see me now?

Half way down the hill, I heard a cacophony of birds in one tree, clearly distressed. Here’s a sample:

I strained to see what I assumed was a predator, moving the lens of my camera back and forth. In the split second it took to adjust my eyes, I spotted the hawk. Just as quickly it flew away, a jay hot on its tail. My reflexes just weren’t fast enough.

Steller’s Jay

On the other hand, I’m pretty sure I spotted a Who from the beloved book Horton Hears a Who! That, my friend, made my day.

Who-ville? Who knows.

May 16, 2014 by Born To Organize

Succulents ♥ Heat

While I’m not a fan of the heat, the succulents sure are. Amazingly, I’m only watering them about every ten days. They look refreshed, don’t they?

Senecio Vitalis

Panda Plant ‘Kalanchoe tomentosa’ from Madagascar

Echeveria agavoides * Echeveria peacockii * Rainbow Elephant Bush Portulacaria afra ‘Variegata’

A certain feline enjoys rubbing his fluffy white cheeks along the edge of the pot. He’s probably about to whisper “how do you manage to look so good in this heat?”

Remember to stop and smell the flowers

Felis catus

Thankfully,the high today is only 88 °F (31 °C ). It’s cooler still on Saturday which is such a relief. Our Little Free Library dedication is tomorrow at 3:00 so if you are in the area, please join us.

Little Free Library surrounded by roses and sweet peas

Have a terrific weekend.

May 15, 2014 by Born To Organize

What’s on Deck?

With the ‘rainy’ season behind us (ahem), I’ve pulled out the seat covers and the mat for our front deck. The deck feels like an extra room for about six months of the year. We generally put up an awning as well, but we waited for the winds to die down. Now it’s so hot, that we’re more comfortable indoors.

Ready for summer

That took about 30 seconds

I’m trying something different on the deck this season: pumpkins. Pumpkins growing in EarthBoxes® to be precise. We’ve grown pumpkins in the back garden for many years with great success. Last year, however, this happened:

Unwelcome Squash Bugs

Squash bugs. Voracious, pumpkin-eating, squash bugs. I salvaged what I could by harvesting early, but not without casualties. I crossed my fingers that they would die off over the winter and all would be well. Ha! Thanks to our unseasonably warm *and* dry winter, they’ve seasoned over. I spotted one in the garden last month.

I just couldn’t face another infestation, so I’m trying a covert operation instead. I’ve surreptitiously planted the seeds in the EarthBoxes®, far from the vegetable beds along the deck. My hope is that mum’s the word. One of my readers suggested planting a decoy out back, and I may well do that too. I have plenty of extra seeds.

EarthBox® pumpkins

This year’s selection includes three seed types: an assortment of saved seeds from last year (the mystery box) along with Botanical Interests Jack-o’-lanterns and Luminas. Mystery seeds are always fun to grown. Three months from now, we’ll be pleasantly surprise. My son requested carving pumpkins this year and the Luminas are one of my favorites.

The EarthBoxes® escaped the squirrels notice, but not my paintbrush. Pauline and Boomdee convinced me that bling adds zing, so I put my Martha Stewart stencils to use. I don’t have the free hand skills to paint flowers and leaves, but I can definitely paint a stencil! It’s good fun, too.

Seed packets, stencils and the finished boxes

Do you have season-changing rituals?

May 14, 2014 by Born To Organize

Heat and Water

First, the heat.

Our forecasted high for today is 100F (38C). It’s going to be hot again tomorrow and Friday before cooling down for the weekend. I have both the temperament and the complexion for the British Aisles, so this weather puts me out of sorts. Mouse agrees.

Mouse Trying to Cool Off

My lettuce looks a bit on the wilted side, but the rest of the garden crops are enjoying the summer. (Oh wait, it’s still spring…it’s hard to tell anymore). The pumpkin seedlings are up, the raspberries are flourishing and the tomatoes are yelling, ‘look ma, I’ve grown!’

Sprouting Pumpkins

Tomatoes and Raspberries Enjoy the heat

Unfortunately we’re in the middle of a terrible drought. Above-average temperatures further evaporate our low reservoirs. Dry grasses increase fire risk.

Which brings me to water.

I met with Cheri Garza of San Jose Water Company for a household water audit. She really knows her business, and taught me a lot. Outdoors, she inspected the hose bibbs, our irrigation system, the irrigation schedule and the water main. She tested for leaks and watering efficiency, then measured the square footage of our lawn. She liked the sidewalk strip conversion (we removed the lawn and capped several sprinkler heads. She said a lot of water goes to waste in the strip.

Indoors, she checked faucets, showers and toilets in each bathroom, then checked the kitchen faucet, dishwasher and washing machine.

On the plus side, our indoor water usage is efficient. All the faucets, toilets and showers use 2 gallons per minute or less. I do minimal hand-washing , which is less efficient than a fully loaded dishwasher and the same for clothes washing. The down side is that it will be harder to reduce when mandatory rationing sets in.

Outdoors, however, there are many ways to improve our water efficiency. San Jose Water is offering partial rebates and we qualify for all three. They allow you one year from the date of the audit to complete the projects. Originally they rebated seventy-five cents per square foot. They’ve increased that amount through September to $2 per square foot if you replace water-thirsty lawn with approved native and drought tolerant plantings.

The second rebate offers up to $5 per sprinkler head. Our sprinklers are only four years old, but the new and improved Rainbird U-Series uses up to 30% less water.

The third rebate went into effect in January and applies to a graywater system. Water savings amounts to 17 gallons per person, per day, or on average 14,565 gallons per household per year. I need to do my research on this, but on the surface, I love it. You divert graywater from your washing machine and use it to water non-edible landscaping.

Water Wise Group graywater/greywater system

Here are a few general tips for water savings outdoors:

Drip irrigation is the most efficient way to water landscaping.
Water in the morning, to reduce evaporation
In California, turn off your irrigation system completely in December until mid-March.
Water your lawn for three to seven minutes, three to four days a week.
Go Native! Attract birds and beneficial insects and at the same time conserve water

To save water indoors:

Shower for ten minutes or less
Don’t flush at night
Run full loads of dishes and laundry
Replace out of date toilets with 1.28 gpf

It’s a lot of information to digest, but I’m excited at the possibilities.

If you have more tips, please share them in the comments below.

May 13, 2014 by Born To Organize

Fairy Garden Renovations

Are you familiar with the old adage, “one thing leads to another?” The classic children’s book If You Give a Mouse a Cookie uses this concept with great humour.

The book is known for its playful, circular pattern. A boy gives a cookie to a mouse. The mouse asks for a glass of milk. He then requests a straw (to drink the milk), a mirror (to avoid a milk mustache), nail scissors (to trim his hair), and a broom (to sweep up). Next he wants to take a nap, to have a story read to him, to draw a picture, and to hang the drawing on the refrigerator. Looking at the refrigerator makes him thirsty, so the mouse asks for a glass of milk. The circle is complete when he wants a cookie to go with it. – Wikipedia

So, if you give a friend a craft store gift card (thank you Stephanie), she’s going to want to use it. When she goes to the crafting store, she’ll discover cute little stencils. She buys those stencils along with a few acrylic paints.

Martha Stewart Craft stencils

Since the garden nursery is *right next door* to the crafting store, she’ll pop in for a look. While there she’ll find the perfect, over-sized plant trays and the wheels begin to turn. Fairy garden renovations, here I come!

Large plant trays

She’ll rush home with the loot, but days will pass before she has time to play. She moves the project from the garage workbench to the kitchen counter, thinking she’s more likely to work on it there. She’s right! Racing the clock, she stencils one of the trays before heading off for another appointment. Family memories say lovely things, spurring her on.

Stenciled plant trays

The stenciled trays must wait to dry. Once dry, they need a sealer. Once sealed, they need some soil. Mother’s Day rolls around and she wants nothing more than an afternoon renovating the garden.

Fairy Garden on Deck

Two planter trays are the perfect size and shape for my garden bench.

Patio Fairy Garden

The perfect spot for the newly renovated fairy house.

Newly renovated fairy house flying the rainbow flag

Fairies can cozy up in a Magnolia petal hammock.

Magnolia petal hammock

A log bridge connects the house and the garden.

Log bridge to the reading garden

My son painted the ceramic plate, the focal point of the reading garden. The chair, lantern and glazing ball are gifts from Alyster the Gnome.

Reading Garden

There are already signs of visitors: a tiny deer behind the house, an open copy of Fairy News and the faintest movement from the wishing pond. Ahhhh….

Fairy Garden Activity

So if you give a friend a gift card…well, you know the rest.

May 12, 2014 by Born To Organize

Fairy Garden Cottage: Apply Within

If you talk to any realtor, they’ll say this cottage is move-in ready.

Friends and fairies will love this exclusive home, tucked among the ferns
Freshly painted inside and out
Brand new green roof
Window treatments included
Stone facade so *no one* can blow your house down

Here’s the scoop. My teenage son, a huge Halloween fan, loved creating a ‘spooky village’ when he was young. Over the years, we purchased foam crafting kits, balsa wood trees and this cute little house pictured below.

He painted the house black and grey and affixed ‘haunted house’ decor. The house went on display in his room for the month of October, along with the other assembled kits. Then as quickly as it began, it ended. Last year he said, “You’re free to get rid of it all, Mom.”

The foam houses made it into the shrubs at Halloween providing hide and seek entertainment for the day-care kids next door. I couldn’t bring myself to toss the house, though. Where he saw trash, I saw potential.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been rehabbing the balsa house, taking it from spooky to kooky, fairy style. My hands are a wreck from all the painting and glueing, but my heart is happy and whole. I’d forgotten how relaxing this creative process is.

Three coats of paint

While waiting for layers of paint to dry, I looked at cottages on the net. I liked the idea of a thatched roof and a stone facade. It would be fun to add a small window box too.

As always, I try using the materials at hand. I like the challenge. Some of the building materials came from the garden. I pulled the rest from “the drawer,” that special place in the kitchen where items of interest lie in wait.

Fairy house remodel

First up, some trim from an old pair of sandals. They were the perfect size for the pitched roof. In the center is a bottle cap, layered with an amber gem. The gem and the curtain lace were once wrapped around a gift from Boomdee. Next, I glued tiny pebbles to the facade and added a front door. I fashioned a door from the outer bark of a sword fern. The tiny handle is a seed.

Using a small scrap of paper and some double-sided tape I made quick work of the planter box. All it needed was a few snips of purple Statice and a window to call its own. Dried moss keeps the house warm and dry. Liberal use of glitter adds the sparkle that fairies know and love.

Please pop in tomorrow for the full reveal: the fairy house is move-in ready, with all sorts of little extras to make a house a home.

May 9, 2014 by Born To Organize

Bruce’s Garden

We celebrated my friend Laura’s birthday last weekend in her parents spacious back yard. Her father, Bruce, is an avid gardener and her mom, Shirley, an artist. Together they’ve created a beautiful and eclectic home filled with personal treasures and stories to match.

The back door exits into a greenhouse/sun room filled with flowering succulents, small cacti, and sculptures. The sun room exits on to a covered patio, then opens on a walkway. Wooly thyme grows through the cracks. Shirley tells me that they built a brick walkway in a circle surrounding the house so the kids could travel the path.

Garden paths unfold into other areas: the vegetable garden under way, berries along the fence, fruit trees and flowers and grass. Laura’s husband is a certified nurseryman, so between Doug and Bruce, I’m always learning new things.

The biggest surprise in the garden lies just beyond the arch of a climbing rose: a wondrous garden of cacti.

Bruce’s cactus garden

The largest of this group tower over the house. They’re at least twice my height. Two of them were in bloom when we were there. This one

Saguaro Cactus in bloom

and this one

Saguaro Cactus

Of all the cacti, I found this one the most interesting.

Golden Barrel Cactus Echinocactus grusonii

Apparently they are close to extinct in the wild, but are popular with cacti enthusiasts. I gently touched one of the spines, amazed at how rigid and strong they were.

I hope I’ve properly identified the plants. There was no time to take notes. We were all too busy chatting, laughing, taking pictures and making crowns. The party theme was a Celebration of the Accomplished Woman, so what better way to personify that than with a crown.

Here’s a photo of me with the ‘birthday girl’ sporting our freshly minted crowns. We had so much fun.

Birthday Crowns

Clumping Peruvian cactus with cat sculpture in background

Blooming cactus closeup

This one reminds me of a rattle snake

Cacti vs. cactuses (I had to look this up)

Cacti is the Latin plural of cactus, and some writers use it in English. Cactuses is the English plural. Dictionaries list both, and neither is right or wrong. Also, like many names of plants, the uninflected cactus is sometimes treated as plural.

The prevalence of the Latin cacti can be attributed to the influence of Latin on biological nomenclature. These Latin plurals are not considered out-of-place in botany and other scientific fields, and some make their way into broader usage, but there’s no good reason that the ordinary English speaker should have to abide by the rules of Latin grammar.

Source: Grammarist

May 7, 2014 by Born To Organize

Nesting Material: Do’s and Don’ts

First, a retraction. For the last few years I’ve been stuffing mesh apple bags with laundry lint, an offering for the neighborhood birds and squirrels. I’m not sure where I originally found the idea or if I came up with it on my own.

I asked about the lint at a recent birding class, and they said that experts no longer recommend it. The owner of our local birding store said it compacts when wet. According to this Humane Society article it ” crumbles, and it may contain harmful residues from detergents and fabric softeners.” I use green products in the wash and don’t use a softener so I thought it was fine. Now that I know better, I’m spreading the word.

Conversely, the birding store suggested offering animal fur. This seemed counter-intuitive to me since birds are cat’s prey, but I decided to give it a go. Instead of tossing the cat fur collected in the brush, I’ve been tucking it into the trees in our garden. Would we have any takers?

The answer is yes, and today I got photographic proof.

With my camera in hand, I saw a bird lift out of the shrubs with something white in her mouth. Could it be? I snapped from a distance, but couldn’t be sure till I looked at the picture close up. Sure enough, this bird has a mouthful of Beijing’s fur. Yeah!!!!

House Sparrow

So to recap: Laundry lint is bad for nesting but animal fur is a hot commodity. My apologies for leading anyone astray.

May 5, 2014 by Born To Organize

Blended Edges

Early spring is all about growth. Seeds sprout, bulbs emerge, and branches fill with leaves. It’s an exciting time.

By mid-season, everyone is branching out. Creepers move across the ground at a steady pace with flowers popping up along the way. Plants seem to fluff themselves up, growing taller and fuller daily. Like guests at a party, individual plants seek the company of others. Once distinct, they’re all blending at the edges. It’s one of my favorites times in the garden.

Hydrangea and Bellflowers

Campanula, commonly known as Bellflower, hug the patio. Hydrangeas branch out just above.

Alyssum and baby tears

Sweet Alyssum joins the party, merging with baby tears growing along the path.

New Zealand Flax mixes with flowers

New Zealand Flax shades the Anemone which will be covered in white flowers by August. On the subject of white flowers, the Alyssum smells like honey as it takes over the pot. A begonia came back from the frost last year, now shadowing the tiny bulbs below.

Daphne and Bell-flowers

It’s a fun time to explore the garden, too. Here Lindy emerges from behind the wheelbarrow, her green eyes blending with the Daphne and Campanula. I think they’re all sweet.

Mighty Mouse is the garden exception. He’s not the blended edges type. Bright white fur and his stand-out personality defy convention. It’s only fitting that he’s photographed here with a bright orange geranium, craning his neck to see the hummingbird, above.

Growing up with bright red hair and freckles, I had a hard time ‘blending edges’ as well. It took some growing up to get comfortable with my ‘center.’ This wonderful cat and my blended garden are happy metaphors for healthy growth in life.

Do you like to blend at the edges or stand out in the crowd?