I'm Planting Tomatoes! Tomato Update 2012

 

Bed ready to plant with tomato cage standing upside-down.

 Bed # 1,  I planted a row of Ruby Red Swiss Chard and a row of Round Black Spanish Heirloom Radishes along the long sides of the beds; both from Botanical Interests Seed.  These will do well here until the tomatoes get large. I never let space be wasted when I can plant something to eat!

I had planned on planting next week, but yesterday was so nice that I decided to plant a few tomatoes; seven to be exact. I still have many more to find room for but still need to let the lettuces and chard grow a little longer. I did pull up the peas and have the bed ready for tomatoes.  I will wait to put more in until next week as we are forecast for three days of heavy rains this weekend and Monday.  I may need to cover the plants with plastic buckets if the rain gets to heavy; I don't want to lose any!

Two San Marzano's and one Purple Russian

Paul Robeson and Persimmon Orange

Bed # 3, with space for tomatoes in April

Arugula, Watercress, and Bok Choy seedlings in bed # 3.  I will wait until April to put anymore tomatoes in here.  That should give these plants plenty of time to grow larger. Then I can plant the tomatoes amongst them.

Be 3: at left center is Crimson Carmello and tucked in the center of the Spinach is Flamme' Orange (you can't really see it)

Bed # 2 still picking lots of lettuces, onion, swiss chard, arugula and cilantro

Bed # 4: newly planted with Yukon Gold Potatoes

Bed # 4: these are onions I grew from seeds from my onions last year.

Adirondack Blue Potato growing under the Valencia Orange Tree

 Mystery Tomato Volunteer, I can't wait to see what it produces. Probably Dr. Wyche or Mr. Underwood

 

 Purple Fingerling Potato growing under Valencia Orange tree

 Garlic and Artichoke (lower left)

 Bok Choy bolting from heat the last few weeks.

 

Spring Onions and Bok Choy

 My seed basket and small garden journal I take with me when I go to the veggie garden. I put all my notes in here first, then transfer to my blog. Oranges were lunch and lettuce was one that I accidentally broke while working. I also keep plant markers, felt pen and garden gloves in this basket.

Pretty Calendula (calendula officinalis) plant growing in crack in driveway curb.  I didn't have the heart to pull it up when it was small.  I have Calendula's growing all over the property. They are a welcome visitor each spring and last well in the summer. This year they actually began blooming in December and have not quit.  We really didn't have much of a winter this year.  I guess that is why everything is growing so well.  The oranges, lemons and grapefruits have all done so well.  I am grateful to mother nature for providing us with so many wonderful plants and produce.

Almost Ready! 2012 Tomato Season is Just Around the Corner

I have one bed ready to begin planting tomatoes. I brought over one tomato cage but will need to wait for Tony to help me set it in. We have three of these cages that he built using a design that a friend of ours created out of PVC pipe; we went with the wood because it was cheaper. So far they have lasted three seasons and looks like we will get a few more years out of them. We could also replace the lower legs as that is the only section that is affected by rotting wood. At least it is organic material! We will flip this over to set in the raised bed. I plant two tomatoes in each section, for a total of eight tomatoes in this bed.  I do place one cane pole in the center of each square to tie the tomatoes to when young to help support the initial growth, then they are off and growing with no more need of support as the cages keep them contained, with plenty of space and height to grow.

I have the tomato seedlings outside now getting stronger; I am hoping to get a few of them planted this weekend.  I have plenty of each variety that I will be planting so if I lose a few I can replace them with older seedlings. I generally plant around the middle of March and with the weather we have had of late I think they will be fine. Today is around 78-80 and the soil is nice and warm.

Our oranges are really coming in now, even the Navels are getting sweet enough to eat. I knocked a few off the tree when I was pulling over the tomato cage; they tasted sweet but could use a few more weeks. The tangerine tree is loaded, more oranges than leaves.  Our lemon tree is the best I have seen it in a few years, the fruit is large and in great condition. The Valencia is setting blossoms now and we still have a few to pick.  I picked a huge basket yesterday and still need to get those juiced and in the freezer for summer smoothies.

Lemon's hanging close to the Tangelo Tree

Tangerine Tree loaded with fruit

Lemon Tree, looks small here but the tree is huge.

Morning Snack

Coffee and Oranges? Why not!

They were a Sweet Treat!

Spring Cleaning and Rocking Chairs

My day yesterday: I Need A Rocking Chair and Some Ice Tea, Please

I stepped outside around 9:30 in the morning to pick some Swiss chard and do a little cleaning up around the raised beds to get ready for my tomato plants. I still have about 2 weeks before I will set out the seedlings, but I needed to get the compost mixed in to let it rest and get the worms settled in their new home.

I wasn't going to do the whole compost pile but as usual I get sidetracked and end up spending the day outside. Oh my gosh I am so tired. I turned the compost pile, which is about 4 1/2 feet tall and about 3 feet across. I also used a sieve to run the compost through to remove any large pieces of twigs and such before I put it in the beds. If you have never done this before it is like using a hula hoop for two hours except you just go back and forth and not around.

I raked up two piles of leaves that Tony had left from cleaning up around the trees on Saturday, but the compost was too full then to add more so he left it sitting. I needed to empty the bin before adding the new clippings, leaves and such. I had just pulled up all the old pepper plants, some kale and swiss chard that aphids had got to earlier and my brussel sprouts; I tossed them in the new bin.  I tossed in a few bags of manure to heat up the new additions and  sat down to eat some oranges. I was too tired to head to the house for a drink of water, which I forgot to bring with me since I had not planned on spending the whole afternoon in the garden.

A lot of work!!!

My arms still feel like I am swishing compost back and forth. My thighs are sore from using the pitch fork and from hauling the compost to the beds.

I am ready for the rocking chair and some ice tea!

Coming Soon Herb Festival, Spring Plant Sale and Tomatomania at the SD Botanic Garden

 Mark your calendar for the San Diego Botanic Gardens Herb Festival, Spring Plant Sale and

Tomatomania® March 17 and 18th.  

And while you are there pick up a mint plant; fill a bowl full of water add fresh mint leaves and stems too.  No need to heat the water, the mint will release it's wonderful oils and scent into the water in just a few hours.  Use the water to freshen your face each morning.  I keep a jar of mint water in the refrigerator, on days when I need a pick-me-up I splash this on my face; especially after a long day in the sun gardening.  It really works, and as an added bonus people will tell you how good you smell.  If you have lemons or oranges on hand add some zest to the water. Heavenly!

Click here Tomatomania and Herb Sale

I can't wait! It's hard to believe that Spring is just around the corner and that means Tomatoes are not far behind! I've been going through withdrawals for a few weeks now that all of my canned tomatoes have been used.  I will plant more to make sure I don't run out this early.

Cool with Clouds Yielding to Sun

As a gardener, one of the things I do each day is check our local weather report for that day and the week ahead.  One of the best things about living in Southern California is the weather.  Even when hit by a hail storm like we had last night, our local Farm Bureau forecast lets us know that sunny skies are on the horizon with their creative 5-day outlook.  I think my favorite one this week is for this upcoming Saturday; mostly sunny and BEAUTIFUL!

Tuesday	Cool with clouds yielding to sun
Wednesday	Cool with intervals of clouds and sunshine
Thursday	Partly sunny and remaining cool
Friday	Mostly sunny and breezy
Saturday	Mostly sunny and beautiful

Pink Cymbidium Orchids In Bloom

Late last summer we purchased two one gallon Cymbidium Orchids from The Madd Potter.  Since their blooms had faded, we were able to pick these beauties up for 50% off.  I think we paid somewhere around $10.00 for each.  I planted them just a few weeks ago when I noticed the flower stock shooting up.  Saturday I was taking my regular morning walk around the house and spotted the blooms.  The other plant only had one open so they should last for a month or maybe two.  I am hoping to have a few to put on my Easter table.

 

To find out more about Cymbidium Orchids check out the Cymbidium Society of America after you learn how easy it is to grow these beautiful plants, see if you can find some at your local nursery.  They should be just coming in for Easter and Mother's Day.  You can save money by buying the plants and making your own Mother's Day corsage.

Enjoy these orchids my friend today,

please listen to what I have to say,

orchids much joy and happiness bring,

I know because they make my heart sing.

Mark Your Calendars for the Encinitas Garden Festival in April

I never miss these events. There are so many fantastic ideas and gardens to visit and the plant sale is wonderful.  If you live in San Diego county and are within walking, driving or can take a train, make sure to save this date in April.  Here is the link  Encinitas Garden Festival and Tour

Rainy Day and Vegetable Beds

I'm afraid this will be the only sun I can show you shining on my garden today.  The rains have finally come to Southern California; if the weather man is correct it sounds like we will have about three days worth. I took a quick walk to take a few photos of the beds and to cut a lot of the lettuces before the rain beats down so hard that they get muddy.  We are forecast for some hail and I don't want it to ruin the leaves of the kale and swiss chard, so I cut as much as I think we will need for the week.

Bed 1, Kale and Beets

Bed 2, Swiss Chard and lettuces

Bed 3, Snow peas.  Also in this bed is newly seeded Cilantro, Arugula, Radishes and more Onion Sets

Oak Leaf Lettuce. Ruby Red Swiss Chard to the right

Mache (or Corn Salad), Red Sails, Tango Lettuce Leaf and Spring Onions

more Red Sails, Tango, and cilantro popping up in back

this is a blend of Asian greens, includes Arugula, Chinese cabbage, Japanese Spinach, Mizuna (mustard) , mustard greens red and green, Ruby Streaks mustard, and Tatsoi Bok Choy.  A nice blend of mild an spicy salad greens that is also nice to add to soups.

Nero Toscana or Italian Lacinato Kale; also known as Dino Kale

Garlic and Bok Choy seedlings

Onions and more greens seedlings. 

Seedling progress. These will go in the garden in March. Peppers and tomatoes.

Tomato and Summer Squash seedlings

Swiss Chard, Kale, Arugula and Cilantro backups

Nasturtiums coming up on front bank and under grapefruit tree. I like to save a lot of the fresh seeds to pickle and use like capers. The flowers are wonderful in salads or stuffed with an herb goat cheese.   I am happy that they reseed freely!

Lavatera (tree mallow-malva) in the Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden along our driveway

Rain

The rain is raining all around,
It falls on field and tree,
It rains on the umbrellas here,
And on the ships at sea.

- Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1895).
Scottish essayist, novelist and poet.

Before and After in the Pellie Bed

I spent yesterday afternoon raking leaves and pruning the Pellie bed. I wish I would have taken a closer picture of the plants to show what I have but if you would like to see them click Here (the lower photographs on that post will show the flowers in this bed)

On the left side of this photo is cannas and then just ahead is about 6 pelargonium plants, about 10 feet or so.  I pruned them severely this year because the fallen leaves had pretty much covered the lower half of the plants making it difficult to get in to clean around them, and many were just too large.  They can cover that area when blooming and it makes it difficult to get past them.  I took some cutting just in case I need to replace a few.  I want to transplant some of them back closer to the wall of the house to give them more room to expand without reaching the pavers. When I put these in a few years ago they were only 4 inch pots.

 Here is the area after I raked up the leaves and pruned the plants. You can see how I cut everything down to the ground level. We are forecast for rain for the next three days.  I will fertilize and mulch after the rains.  Looking at this photo I see I also need to plant in-between the pavers with more Dichondra seed.

 

Another view looking North

Lavender in bloom at end of paver path

Blue Flax in the Herb Garden

Rosemary Bush in Bloom

Here are all the leaves I raked up. The compost bin was half full when I started and it stands just under 5 feet. Notice the overflow on the side. After the rains come it should lower enough for me to put the rest in.  Lots of good compost in the near future!

The leaves had a wonderful frolic.

They danced to the wind's loud song.

They whirled, and they floated, and scampered.

They circled and flew along.

The moon saw the little leaves dancing.

Each looked like a small brown bird.

The man in the moon smiled and listened.

And this is the song he heard.

The North Wind is calling, is calling,

And we must whirl round and round,

And then, when our dancing is ended,

We'll make a warm quilt for the ground.

-Anonymous

Birth Announcement! We Have Seedlings!

These little guys actually sprouted a few days ago but I just got around to taking a picture today.  So far we have Rainbow Blend Cherry Tomato, Yellow Crookneck squash, Patty Pan squash, Zucchini (Cocozelle), German Queen tomato, San Marzano tomato, Green Zebra tomato, Cherokee Purple tomato and Dr. Wyche's tomato.  These are all seeds I had from last year and some for more than 2 years.  Also a few are from seeds that I saved from my tomato plants that I grew last year.  Everything looks promising so far. We are off to a good start. Tomorrow I will begin planting up the seeds from my recent orders.

If the day and night are such

that you greet them with joy

and life emits a fragrance like flowers

and sweet scented herbs,

that is your success.

all nature is your congratulations.

-Henry David Thoreau-

The Seeds Are Here!

Botanical Interests

I received my two seed orders on Friday. I had just placed the order on Monday and I was surprised to see both orders in my mailbox.  If you click on my photos it will be enlarged and you will be able to read the names on the seed packages.

I know I don't have to tell all you gardeners out there how excited I get when my orders arrive, but just in case you are not a gardener and are reading my blog think of it like a long awaited Christmas gift or maybe a shopping spree at your favorite shoe or clothing store. That is how excited I get!

I read each package and then stare at the picture (if there is one) dreaming about the plant growing in my flower or vegetable garden.  I make notes on when I will plant it and where it will go. These are the first steps I take each year when planning my gardens. I envision the flower blooming in my "minds eye garden" and what plants will be planted around it.

 

 

Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (the Black Radish in the back is actually from Botanical Interests)

Tomorrow I will begin potting up the seeds. Some of these will be direct sowed in the garden when the planting time is right,  but all the tomato seeds will be started indoors and I will also pot up the Mexican Sunflower seeds.  We generally do not get freezing temperatures in our area and if we do it will only be a day or two so I will probably be planting many of the flower seeds and of course the radish seeds directly in the ground this week. If you check back on my past posts you will see that we are harvesting radishes, and a few other greens now.  I also will be making up my annual spreadsheet of the tomatoes I will plant and post it here when I get them planted out in the garden; that should be in mid March.

A nice rain has been falling all day today. I here my plants singing out....

Awake, thou wintry earth -
Fling off thy sadness!
Fair vernal flowers, laugh forth
Your ancient gladness!
~Thomas Blackburn

Seed Catalog Order!!

I just love this time of year when all the seed catalogs arrive.  I spent last weekend visiting nurseries and browsing my seed catalogs.  I placed two orders, one from Botanical Interests and one from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds. 

I ordered Southern Night, Chocolate Stripes, Gold Medal, Big White Pink Stripes, Henderson's Pink Ponderosa and Hillbilly tomatoes from Baker Creek, also a State Fair Mix Zinnia, Parisienne round Carrot and Orangeglo Watermelon.

From Botanical Interests I ordered, Organic Dill Heirloom seed, Round Black Spanish Heirloom Radish, French Breakfast Organic Heirloom Radish.  For tomatoes I ordered Black Krim Organic Heirloom, Cherokee Purple Organic Heirloom, and Green Zebra Organic.  I also ordered a Charentais Heirloom Melon, and Love in a Mist, Verbascum, Mexican Torch Sunflower flower seeds.

 I am still pondering on what to order or whether to order from Seeds from Italy. They are a bit more expensive. We'll see...

Carnival Bell Peppers, New Mexico Pepper, and Sweet Pepper Pimento and Tarragon cutting

 I spent yesterday potting up some seeds that I had and also some that I saved from last year. The Tarragon is from my plants.  I took a few cutting just in case I have problems in the next few months. I picked a bunch yesterday and have plans to make Tarragon Pesto today.

Back row: Jalapeno, yellow Crookneck Squash, Dr. Wyche's yellow tomato, San Marzano Tomato. Middle row: Patty Pan Squash, Cocozelle Squash, Cherokee Purple tomato, German Queen Tomato (rare).  Front row: Scallop White Bush squash, Rainbow Blend Cherry Tomato, Cherokee Purple Tomato, and Green Zebra Tomato.

I planted about 5 dozen spring onion sets and have all these that I will plant to replace those I pull.

Now we wait.....patiently.....

"Little January
Tapped at my door today.
And said, "Put on your winter wraps,
And come outdoors to play."
Little January
Is always full of fun;
Until the set of sun.
Little January
Will stay a month with me
And we will have such jolly times -
Just come along and see."
-  Winifred C. Marshall, January