April 12, 2013 by Born To Organize

A Pumpkin We-Will-Grow

Pumpkin seedling staying warm in the straw

That was easy!

The pumpkins are in. They’re lush, plentiful and thriving. In case you’re wondering about my mad gardening skills, you can sum them up in one word: compost.

I didn’t add compost to make them grow; instead they grew in the compost. I’m new to composting, and like any convert, I can’t say enough about the process (fun) and the end results (see photos, below).

When my nifty, thrifty, spinning composter reached capacity, I searched for alternatives. I re-purposed an old Rubbermaid bin, once used for children’s toys. I tossed in the straw left over from our Halloween party, then dry leaves, grass clippings and kitchen waste. I popped on the lid, drilled holes in the bottom for air circulation and drainage, and called it a day. Turning the compost was the biggest challenge. It was hard to get leverage in a narrow, small bin but I managed. About a month ago, I removed the lid and saw this: tiny pumpkin sprouts. Awe-some!!!

Pumpkin Seedling

Figuring I would transplant the seedlings when the weather warmed up, I simply returned the lid. I left it open just a crack for more light.

Then this happened:

Rich compost = happy pumpkins!

Out of the compost and into the planting bed

Success! Pumpkins thrive in raised bed

Now all I have to do is figure out what to do with all those pumpkin seeds I saved from last year! Any takers?

Have you found any surprises in your garden this year?

April 3, 2013 by Born To Organize

Tulips: Waving Farewell

Our tulips put on a lovely show for weeks. Thanks to all of you for encouraging me to give them a second chance. Years ago I planted a big batch of tulips from Costco and not a single one came up. My friend, Bob, thinks the squirrels made off with them instead.

One of the cool things about keeping a gardening blog is the log. With over a year of blogging, I can refer back to planting schedules, what worked, what didn’t and all the wonderful comments you post. It takes a village to plant an awesome garden. I love that. ♥

Here’s what I’ll be referring to this fall when I buy and chill garden bulbs:

Tulip Angelique

Angéliqué

Planted: 15
Survived: 4
Thrived: 2

I might try again, but in a different location. They’re stunning, but just didn’t take off.

Tulip ‘Attila’

Attila

Planted 15
Survived: 12
Thrived: 12

These will definitely be back next year.

Tulip ‘Passionale’

Passionale

Planted 5
Survived: 5
Thrived: 5

Also a winner, the Passionale tulips were the first up and the longest-lasting.

The not so dirty dozen

I thought I would feel wistful as the tulips faded, but signs of spring are in abundance everywhere. Farewell, garden beauties. Till next year.

Are you seeing signs of spring, too?

March 22, 2013 by Born To Organize

Mid-Week Trifecta at the SF Flower Show

Wednesday, was opening day at the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show. It was also the first day of spring and a day out with good friends, the perfect, mid-week trifecta.

So…two out of three ain’t bad.

The mere mention of the word ‘spring’ puts a bounce in my step. Seeing two girlfriends for a day of hang time was awesome as well. It was the much-anticipated show that left me feeling a bit deflated.

The show changed venues over the years and seems to have decreased in size and spectacle, perhaps a sign of the times.

At the heart of the show are display gardens. This year’s theme, Gardens Make the World Go Round, featured the ‘World’s Largest Rotating Succulent Globe.’ That was pretty cool, though not something the average gardener could reproduce out back. It’s been entered into the Guinness Book of Records.

Rotating Succulent Glove, Designed by Robin Stockwell of Succulent Gardens

Beyond that, only two gardens caught my eye. The first was ‘Thailand,’ a silver-medal winner designed by Bay Maples, featured below. The second, ‘Mexico: Inside Out’ swept the awards. More on that later in the week.

I spoke with designer Alan Hackler who, coincidentally, also lives in San Jose. He’s passionate about re-purposing resources, and is known to stop at construction sites, to reclaim materials for use in client projects. Hackler’s show entry featured planter boxes made from old garage doors, reclaimed lumbar, a used pond liner and other reclaimed materials. The ‘temple’ also features the window panels from former garage door. Fun! I loved the aesthetic and his enthusiasm for his art and craft. The design was restful and inviting.

Alan Hackler, Bay Maples

Thai Temple Garden

Temple built with reclaimed materials

From the program:

Inspired by the Buddhist temples of Thailand, our garden is intended to evoke the tranquility and simplicity of an ancient meditation space. Ecological gardening techniques featured are salvaged and re-purposed materials, locally sourced materials, and water efficient plantings.

Recycled pond liner, boxes made from old garage doors

The garden features only California native plants to demonstrate that water conscious, climate appropriate plants can be used to achieve nearly any garden theme or motif. All Redwood logs were sourced from two downed trees salvaged from the Santa Cruz hills. Another water-smart feature about our garden is the recirculating aquaponic vegetable beds. This is inspired by the flooded rice fields of Thailand.

Thai Edible Garden

Bay Maples: Wild California Landscapes

The San Francisco Flower and Garden Show runs through Sunday, march 24th, 2013

March 10, 2013 by Born To Organize

There’s No Place Like It

Flowers in a cup
‘Kiss me I’m a Scrapbooker’

What a fun weekend! A group of us stayed at a local hotel and worked on crafts and photo albums the entire time. We did lots of eating, laughing, and impromptu dancing as well. Michelle Obama’s not the only one doing the ‘Sprinkler.’

I finished one of my craft-it-forward projects, and got a start on a second one. I came away with lots of great ideas, one of the perks of spending a weekend with so many creative souls.

One of the women at my table gave each of us a St. Patrick’s Day cup. March crept up on me and now Saint Patty’s day is just a week away. I bought the silliest of impulse purchases at the craft store before I left: a small shamrock kit, promising a sprouted plant within the week. We’ll see.

I walked in the door around 5 today, to the smell of homemade carrot soup and decadent brownies. A lovely bouquet of flowers were waiting on the counter.

My youngest son wanted to plant the shamrock seeds with me, something we often did together when he was younger. It was fun, proof that you have to go away once in a while to be missed. That little pot of seeds already brought me luck, whether it grows or not. ♣

If I had to summarize the perfect time away it would be this: feeling lucky to get away, and even luckier to come back home.

Will you be wearing green next Sunday?

February 26, 2013 by Born To Organize

A Compost We Will Grow

What the well dressed pumpkin seedlings are wearing this season.

I popped the lid off the green compost bin and oh, what a surprise.

Along side the rotting leaves and decaying kitchen scraps, there is a lot of growing going on. The first thing I noticed: the pumpkins! They’re enjoying the warmth and shelter inside the bin. I’m surprised though that they’ve found enough light. Will you look at them growing so tall and straight?

Lanky blades of grass are also taking root, along with sprouts of a to-be-determined nature. I’m using an old Rubbermaid bin for additional composting, since I quickly filled my tumbling composter. It’s hard to get leverage with the shovel, however, so I’m not turning it as often as I should. Now I don’t have the heart.

Happy Sprout

Finding Nemo?

Sprouting mushrooms are right at home, the more predictable compost heap resident. The silver cap would look great in the fairy garden, but I’m resisting temptation. Its questionable origin makes it an unsafe bet for a tiny garden with small visitors. It’s cute though…if you’re into grey flowers.

Grey Blooms: Tim Burton Inspiration

February 20, 2013 by Born To Organize

From There to Here, From Here to There, This Blogging Thing is Everywhere*

Shooting Star Hydrangea Closeup Today I surpassed a personal milestone. A year ago February, I set out to write every day for a year. During that time, the earth made a complete revolution around the sun. Four seasons came and went. Garden squirrels came and went too, along with aphids, scale and thrips. Raccoons dropped by, leaving tell-tale paw prints next to the overturned sod before washing there ‘hands’ in the fountain. It’s every critter for themselves in the world of gardeningnirvana.

Writing daily was sometimes challenging, but it was always worthwhile. I gained confidence along the way. Dr. Seuss said it best:

“Oh the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ‘blog’ will make you the winning-est winner of all.”

The good doctor was right. Here’s what I won:

The ability to persevere through illness, fatigue and, yes, procrastination.
Discipline, in both writing and gardening.
Goal-setting. It had been awhile since I set such a lofty goal. It was important to me to see it through.
The most generous, thoughtful, gracious, intelligent and engaged readers a person could hope for. (You know who you are)

*With apologies to Dr. Seuss

Dedicated to my fellow bloggers who inspire me daily. ♥

February 5, 2013 by Born To Organize

Under the Weather

Bee's Make Honey I’ve been moving deftly through the fall and winter months, avoiding the seasonal crud. Alas, I didn’t move fast enough and one of this winter’s ‘offerings’ caught up with me.

With rest and fluids, I hope to be back to my blogging self soon. In the meantime, sending good health vibes to you and yours.

It will come as no surprise that, although not a cure for a cold or flu, many things in nature can help alleviate the symptoms including garlic, honey, peppermint, oranges, cauliflower and foods containing zinc.

February 4, 2013 by Born To Organize

Sweetheart Celebrations in the Fairy Garden

Button flowers on a ribbon-wrapped spool.

St. Valentine’s Day is just ten days away. Is your fairy garden ready?

I’ve been busy with mine all afternoon. First up, the fescue needed a haircut. Once the ends where neatly trimmed, I tied them together with a red bow. I cut the top in the shape of a heart, but you’ll need to squint your eyes and conjure up lots of imagination to see it properly.

Next up, dead-heading the miniature cyclamen. These jobs take seconds when working in a tiny garden.The baby tears are healthy but given the cool weather, they’re holding their growth. No extra work there.

I scraped up the remaining ‘snow’ and glitter from New Year’s Eve, then turned my sights to decorating. I challenge myself to use materials on hand, pulling together a bit of this and that. I’m never sure how things will turn out, but always have a great time with the process.

Painting:

Martha Stewart’s Pomegranate Red Glitter paint makes yet another appearance. I’ve used the same 10 OZ/295 ML jar for four different projects and I’ve barely put a dent in my supply. I freshened up the chairs with a coat of red, then painted the legs of the chair with Craft Smart silver acrylic paint. While I was at it, I painted the patio and dance floor silver, too.

Fruit tree branch fence
Painted chair
Button flowers
A lantern lights the way

Building:

When I pruned the fruit cocktail tree last month, I saved several small branches. They’d make a perfect fence. Today I fashioned open-style posts,dipped in a bit of Martha paint.

Beeswax hearts and bunting, red fence posts

Decorating:

At last, I could hang the bunting fashioned from last year’s garden calendar. I made tiny triangles from one of the pages, glued them back-to-back, then passed them through a piece of baker’s twine. A small ‘floral’ arrangement made from crafting buttons provides a focal point. Heart-shaped ‘plates’ complete the setting.

The ‘oil cloth’ table cover is a piece of beeswax, left over from a candle-making class. Additional hearts, tucked here and there, provide cover for a fairy game of hide and seek.

Heart shaped bench shows the long view

Fescue cut in the shape of a heart

We’re all set. Garden fairies welcome! Please help spread the word.

January 29, 2013 by Born To Organize

Twiddling My Green Thumbs

It’s still January. Boy oh boy this month is creeping by. I keep checking my Mercury News calendar to be sure I haven’t missed any garden chores. It’s a short list.

Protect frost-tender plants. Check. Winter weeding. Check. Watch out for snails and slugs. Haven’t seen ’em. And finally, if it’s to cold and wet, order spring seeds. I did that ages ago.

I pruned the fruit cocktail tree, gave the compost a few spins and checked on the worms. I put out a large bag of laundry lint for the squirrels, and made a delicate wreath of the same for the birds.

Today, in need of a few hardware store items, I quickly perused the garden section. Ho-hum to that as well.

Can you hear me tap, tap, tapping my green thumb? I’m suffering from a serious case of garden withdrawal.

How are you managing the mid-winter doldrums?

January 26, 2013 by Born To Organize

Cauliflower Fail: Yes or No?

Browning Cauliflower
January 26, 2013

I’ve been trying to deny the inevitable for a week now. My cauliflower is done-for. Gone. Kaput. Or at least it looks that way

It didn’t occur to me to protect the plants from frost damage. Cauliflower is a winter crop in warm climates. Shouldn’t it withstand the elements? The plants look okay, but all of the cauliflower heads turned brown.

Upon further reading, I’m wondering if I missed a step, something known as blanching. It sounds counter-intuitive: instead of allowing the flower heads, called curds, exposure to the sun, you cover them. The articles I’ve read suggest folding the leaves over the curds and holding them in place with twine. Leaves should be tied loosely to allow air to circulate.

Apparently I’ve spent one too many years eating vegetables from the supermarket. Or not. At this point, I suppose time will tell. The browning will continue or abate. The curds will grow or wilt. Meanwhile I just evicted some gray scaly pests from the broccoli plants. In a word: ick!

Stay tuned.