September 3, 2013 by Born To Organize

Growing Peas and Carrots

Not only did I grow up eating peas and carrots, but I liked them, too. It will be nice growing our own crop this year, assuming the crafty squirrels let them grow.

grey squirrel

Peas:

Last week I mentioned hedging my bets by starting a few seeds indoors. Once I consulted the seed packet I decided to direct-sow. I soaked half the seeds in water for 48 hours, then planted them directly outdoors. I saved the rest of the seed packet to replenish the inevitable casualties.

Looking left and right for squirrels, I surreptitiously pushed several seeds into the soil around the arbor. I planted the rest amongst the still-flowering annuals. With luck, they’ll all come up and produce lovely green vines along both sides of the sidewalk.

Carrots:

I have a lot of faith in the success of the carrots, since we planted starts instead of seeds. I say ‘we’ because this year I had help from several of Jazzy’s day care children next door. The older kids planted two each; I filled in later with the rest. Planting was fun, but the real hit: watering cans. I never met a youngster that didn’t like water.

Watering

I think they’ll get a kick out of watching the carrots grow. I’ve added a carrot countdown in the sidebar to the right so we have a general idea of harvest day. Hopefully each young gardener grows at least one or two carrots to take home.

Stay tuned!

Little hands planting carrots

Flip, tap, squeeze and release

August 29, 2013 by Born To Organize

Wouldn’t You Like to Eat This Pepper, Too?

Peculiar pepper poetry in four verses

I planted peppers side by side,
in lovely soil they do reside.
From Bonnie Plants they first did grow
Now I have them in a row.

Small at first, they slowly grew,
As often happens, summer flew.
Before I knew it, the plants were leaning,
This happy gardener, smiling, preening.

Crisp green peppers now were mine.
I sliced them open, they’d be divine.
They tasted…awful, how can this be?
Did my garden peppers turn on me?

I puzzled through with careful thought.
They looked so good, but clearly not.
I found their tag in my garden plot.
It was orange peppers I had bought!

Bonnie Plants: Peppers

August 27, 2013 by Born To Organize

Pumpkin Harvest and a Squash Named Frank

You don’t have to hit me over the head: dying vines and abundant squash bugs spell harvest day. I plucked my ‘prize’ pumpkin a week ago, fearing the worst, then made the worst come true. My garden lovely rolled out of my arms and with an unmistakable thud, landed hard and cracked down the middle. It was a sad pumpkin day. Since the squash bugs continue to nibble unabated, I figured it was a matter of time before they moved on to the rest of the patch. Three once-viable pumpkins have since turned to mush. Generally speaking, I would have left them to grow a bit oranger, but I didn’t want to take the risk. So…here they are.

Pumpkins

I have two late-season arrivals, all shiny and yellow that I’ll leave in place for now. It’s still August, so they may be viable. One of the two is sitting out in the open, practically inviting trouble but the second one is hiding under the vine. Shhhhh.

You can’t see me!

Little yellow pumpkin, hiding under the vine

Oh and before I forget, I’d like you to meet Frank. He’s quite the character, but the way he’s been ‘running on’ I don’t expect him to hang around for very long.

Frank

Be sure to stop by tomorrow to meet Frank’s cousin Shelley.

August 26, 2013 by Born To Organize

Curb Garden

Much is made of ‘curb appeal’ when you sell a house. I often notice that a pretty garden appears, followed shortly by a realtor’s sign. It seems a shame that the homeowners wont’ be staying long enough to appreciate it. Personally, I like the idea of a beautiful curb *all* the time, hence my new and improved curb garden.

The curb garden (take two) is almost ‘done’ or as done as a garden can be. (You can read about my first attempt here). Jazzy’s day care kids are planting carrot ‘starts’ on Wednesday. A few of the sweat peas are direct sow, but I’m planting some back-ups in my kitchen window ‘just in case.’ You can’t trust those birds and squirrels. If I have enough extras, I’ll plant them in the raised beds where the pumpkins are dying back.

The snapdragons were bowing their heads on Sunday, but after a long drink they’ve returned to their perky selves.

Snapdragons

I replanted a few of the original herbs including mint and lemon thyme. They’re looking as tired as I feel, but hopefully they’ll perk up now that they have nice soil wrapped around their roots and room to grow.

The Curb Garden includes:

1 Achillea millefolium aka yarrow ‘Pink Island‘

3 Scabiosa ‘Vivid Violet‘

3 Eriogonum Grande Rubescens ‘Red Buckwheat‘

3 Penstemon ‘Midnight‘

4 Lysimachia ‘Goldii‘ trailing golden plant

4 Cilantro

18 Snapdragons in assorted colors

I bought all of these plants at our local Almaden Valley Nursery. My friend Doug recommended the yarrow for repelling some insect pests while attracting beneficial ones. Yarrow attracts predatory wasps, which drink the nectar and then use insect pests as food for their larvae. It also attracts ladybugs and hoverflies.

The Mighty Yarrow

I learned further that yarrow:

is also planted for improving soil quality. Its leaves are thought to be good fertilizer, and a beneficial additive for compost.

It is also considered directly beneficial to other plants, improving the health of sick plants when grown near them. Source, Wikipedia.

What an amazing plant.

Meanwhile, I’m enjoying the novelty of several new varieties. The snapdragons are the only ‘garden tried-and-true.’

Further good news: so far no one has asked if we’re moving.

Carrot Starts

Lysimachia ‘Goldii’

Scabiosa ‘Vivid Violet’

August 24, 2013 by Born To Organize

Gardening vs Blogging

Newly replanted sidewalk strip

Today was one of those days: I could garden or I could blog about gardening, but I couldn’t do both.

Gardening won! With great joy, I replanted the sidewalk strip with a bounty of perennials. I’ve reserved a spot along the sidewalk and away from the street for carrots. I have several cell packs in reserve for next week, when my neighbor’s day care kids will get to ‘plant a row.’ The children love playing on my ramp and deck, and last year helped me plant a few bulbs. I know they’ll have fun planting the carrots and watching them grow. I also bought a packet of sweet peas, and *bonus* a sweet little climbing trellis. It creates a nice focal point in the center of the garden.

Darkness fell by the time I finished planting, watering and putting away my tools. I promise a better set of pictures by daylight soon.

And with that, this happy gardener is taking her aching back to bed. Sweet peas…I mean dreams.

August 15, 2013 by Born To Organize

Fairy Garden Treasure

Look what arrived in my mailbox last week? Isn’t it a treasure? It flew all the way from Edmonton, Canada via the effervescent Boomdee of Boomdeeada. I love it!

The cover features a one-dimensional cut-out of the 3D version, above. Once open, you’re treated to this. I love fairy gardening, so my mind has been spinning ever since this arrived. I carried my Boomdee card around the garden today and snapped a few shots.

What are you doing down there?

Here…

Fairies and birds at the fountain

and here.

Kissing near the roses

I’m planning on color-copying the front of the card, but reducing it in size. Then I’ll figure a way to use the miniaturized copy in the fairy garden. I’ll be tickled pink, and I know that Jazzy’s day care kids will too. I wonder what the fairies will think?

Do you know what I think? I’m the luckiest gardener in the world. ♥♥♥

Have you discovered the joy of fairy gardening?

August 14, 2013 by Born To Organize

Ladybugs vs. Aphids: Last One Standing

Last bug standing?

I mentioned last week that I would be heading to the garden center for another batch of living ladybugs. My lovely, onion-scented Allium is dripping in aphids and soot. Ick, yuck and blech!

The first batch of ladybugs made some progress, but now all but one or two are gone. They didn’t even leave a note to say why.

Where did they go? The tasty aphid smorgasbord remains. What’s an organic gardener to do?

Then I read this from OurWaterOurWorld.org:

Tolerate low to moderate numbers of aphids as long as they aren’t causing noticeable plant damage. There is a reason for this: aphids have many natural enemies such as spiders, ladybugs, lacewings and minute parasitoids (tiny non-stinging wasps) that often keep aphid numbers below damaging levels. These beneficial insects rarely appear on the scene until after aphids have begun attacking plants. This “lag-time” can be a day or two or as long as several weeks. As the season progresses, aphid control by these natural enemies improves because more natural enemies are attracted to your garden and more stay to breed.

So…I’m taking the wait and see approach as I keep a close eye on the plant.

Meanwhile, I’m trying to identify a different set of insects on my beloved pumpkins. Stop by later this week for a look-see. I bet you can hardly wait. ;-)

August 13, 2013 by Born To Organize

Garden Walks

One of our favorite summer pastimes at the end of a hot day is taking a walk. The days are long so the sun is still up past 8 here in Silicon Valley. It’s nice to simply head out the front door and meander through the neighborhood.

Mighty Mouse likes to follow us down the block, though on our last walk, he encountered a territorial feline. ‘Words’ were exchanged, but he thought better of an altercation and returned home. I worry about him when he heads toward the park, so if he insists on coming we just circle the block instead.

Aside from the balmy weather and my husband’s good company, I love checking out all the gardens. It’s a great way to get ideas for your own yard.

I wish I could identify all the plants we see, but since half the fun is speculating, I’ll let you guess along with me.

A fabulous pumpkin growing along a cute picket fence.

I love this shade of rose. Do you know the variety?

More roses

Gorgeous foliage, unknown plant.

Any ideas? It’s a bulb of some kind.

iFruit
I didn’t think we could grow apples in the Valley. I thought they needed a good frost.

I wonder what this was? It reminds me of a rose hip, but the foliage looks like a different plant entirely.

Oh, and I think Mouse’s ears were burning when I greeted this kitty at the curb. I couldn’t help but notice the resemblance. This sweet kitty has personality to spare as well.

Thanks for joining me on my virtual walk. If you’re in the neighborhood, be sure to stop by.

August 12, 2013 by Born To Organize

Anenome Redux

It’s that time of year again. The Anemones gather steam throughout the early summer, then as August dawns, so too do the stunning white flowers.

Last year I wrote Party in the Anemones which received quite a few giggles, so I’m sharing it again, below. Perhaps you missed it the first go around. If not, then please enjoy Anemone Redux.

The first day of fall is just five weeks away in our hemisphere. Time flies when you’re gardening!

* * *

Prolific Anemones bloom every summer, monopolizing the back garden fence. I’ve been gathering them into bouquets every few days to bring indoors. Little did I know that atop those crisp white blooms and their buttercup yellow centers there was a party going on.

Prolific Anemones

It wasn’t your typical, garden-variety party. In fact, I wasn’t even invited. Apparently you needed four to six legs to attend, and the invites are on the QT. I don’t think my neighbors even knew!

The party host wasn’t available for comment, so instead I snapped a few pics of the guests. Our host has an eclectic group of friends, including elegant katydids, busy-body ants and even the low-brow house fly. I didn’t recognize all of the party goers. A few of their identities remain a mystery.

Mystery Guest

I don’t want to name names, but things may have gotten a bit out of hand. I saw a small spider chatting with a katydid, and in the next shot…the spider was gone! Do you think I should say something to the host?

Katydid…or didn’t?

One of the spotted guests spent most of his time at the food table, while the ant kept darting in and out of the petals. I think he had too much pollen to drink.

Anty Em! Anty Em!

The house fly enjoyed making the rounds, but the others seemed to be avoiding her. It might have been her over-powering perfume.

House Fly

I’m no party-crasher, so I finished taking my pictures and left. Back on the patio steps once again, you would never know there was a party going on.

Going to Seed

August 9, 2013 by Born To Organize

Ladies in Red

The ladybug entourage seems to be moving on, but darn it, I’m not ready to see them go. They still have aphids to eat, people to see. It’s too soon! I’ve being watching intently, but I don’t see a lot of bug noshing. I guess their time has come.