tz_garden

 It was 73 degrees and I pretty much lost my mind with happiness, while wearing shorts all day!  I spent a few hours on all the grass coming up in the pathways and beds.  I kept asking myself "where is this coming from I don't have ANY grass".   I brought out the expanding saw/pruner and got down a good portion of the ratty palm leaves.  Then chopped them up for the green bin. My avocado trees are kinda doing ok?  The were really chewed up over the summer by all the grasshoppers Ugh! This smaller one is protected by the Meyer lemon, and I think he likes it that way. This much larger Mexicola dropped lots of sun burnt leaves but seems to be springing back into action.  I can only hope for NO freeze after flower buds set.  Fingers crossed I'll be out pollinating with the makeup brush this year.  Who knows, I'll give this experiment another 2 years.   Now who would've done this?  Someone planted a crinum, narcissus, random lily and then nasturtium seeds on top? 

 Some aloes starting to open and show color, Aloe mutabilis nice and bright and I can see it from inside which is so nice. Aloe tangerine, if I remember right. Aloe ferox x capitata, the tip top of the blooms were a little sad from the transfer- they were already budded when I purchased them from  Waltzing Matilija end of everything sale.  But they held on and are nice and fat now. The back dry garden is looking pretty, the milder winter we had really kept things nice.  Acacia podalyriifolia's yellow blooms have begun to burst.  I think this will eventually do a great job hiding the fence as it grows. *I hate seeing fence. Random pots in the sun. My first protea bloom, I go look at it every morning. Still weeding the pathways, the vinegar is doing the trick! Aeonium sunburst and a smooth Aloe marlothii. Now the front perennial garden is a big mess!  The squirrels went after these cushions as well - dang it.  I need to order some outdoor fabric to recover.  I'm not much of a se

Weeds. Although I am trying out boiling water and/or vinegar on the pathway weeds, I'm pulling all the others by hand.  And with the ground being soft and wet it's really the perfect time. If there's room for that many weeds, then there is definitely room for a plant and perhaps some larger rubble. By the time I weeded my way to the top, the rain picked up. This year my goal is to fill in any open spots in the slope, but without crowding anything.  Some repeating pops of color would be nice.  I have some speedwell, salvia and sisyrinchium dotted throughout, but it is a weak showing, need to beef that up.  Since they are all blue, I'll to stick with blue and perhaps add perennials with white or yellow flowers.  I think this would be a nice spot for a hammock, hahaha. While I was weeding, Ivan sent a picture of this beautiful Aloe speciosa. from The Dry Garden in Berkeley.   I have a few of these, much smaller.  Patience, patience.  I started some tomato seeds, and a few

Sun and rain.  It has warmed up a bit in Livermore, 60 days and 40/50 nights.  2024 has started off very kind to this area.  *My parents did lose power for 17 hours, they live in Portland, OR.  They are both in great health, however they are both 81 so I worry about them.  They pushed their couches up to the fireplace and slept there to stay warm.  I'm relieved this is the last day of ice and looks like a big thaw is coming.   I headed out to tackle some grass/weeds coming up in the pathways, I really should've used a pre-emergent. I pulled a few buckets full, and thought "there must be a better way"!  I don't want to use Round-up, obviously.  I've heard of using boiling water, so I'm trying that.  I don't think it will kill the roots though?  Just boiled the tops, has anyone used this method with success?  I also have vinegar I'll go dump that around today. Most of the time, I don't mind weeding -but I was just not into it.   I found myself dr

 Barely rainy Saturday.  This winter has been so mild, I'm starting to forget how nasty last year was.  Initially we were to expect a half inch of rain, it looks like closer to a quarter inch.  The winds died down, and it is warmer thankfully -about 55. Several of my aloes are ready to burst forth with bloom, I'm thrilled even if they seem a little late. Aloe 'Tangerine', this was planted in the Spring of '23 so I am delighted it has bloomed. And both of the new Aloe Munchii have blooms starting. Aloe ferox hybrid of some sort.  Salvia still enjoying the mild winter.  I like it paired with this dark euphorbia and dudleyas behind. I planted several of these salvia to border the path, thinking I'd like some blooms amongst all the cacti in the summer.   And after lunch, put together a shallow bowl of cuttings to use for a project in the Spring.   I've been getting updates from my parents in Portland, OR.  The temperature keeps dropping, I think it is 11 degrees