GRAPE BABIES !!!

   We have grape babies ! Last year I planted three varieties of grapes, two white and one red. The other two are just starting to set leaves. hopefully this means fresh grapes all summer long.

Thelma and Louise are Pissed!!!!

    We have  had chickens for about 17 years now. We started with 3 hens in a small coop next to the garage . Erin was 4 years old and would spend hours petting them and playing house with her friends.  Approximately  five years ago and many chickens later it grew to a flock of over 30 running the 1/2 acre
 
  For quite some time I have felt the need to start over. As we like to travel and I would like to have non-fertile eggs to eat, I felt a flock of five hens with no roosters  would be nice. A nice small manageable flock.

    Well during this years "Rooster Roundup" I found the perfect home for most of them. These folks were interested in breeding chickens. Something my chickens did well. I  did keep 2 of the hens from last years clutch. Two sweet little gray hens we promptly named Thelma and Louise.

       The " Rooster Roundup " was particularly rough this year as these birds were raised on the property and know all of the tricks. Plus my chicken catcher extrodenair Erin is at college. After all was said and done ,  Thelma and Louise went into deep hiding for two days. I would have too.

    Eventually they resumed their quest for the best bugs in the yard. For once they had first pick. they were the queens of the yard. I was hoping they would lay their eggs in the coop but my chickens never do. It's like an Easter Egg hunt everyday. I find the eggs and the next day they  move on.

    Well yesterday I caught Thelma in the act and boy was she mad . She took after me like a hen  with a full brood. Who knew this unassuming little bird had that in her. Sweet little gray hens?  Yeah right, I can  almost hear them clucking bad about me now.......


 
 

 

Goodbye winter garden, you will be missed...

  So the winter garden is on its way out. despite the strange Winter weather with way too many days of frost, it was a success. I planted  broccoli, cabbage, mustard greens, cauliflower , arugula and spinach from nursery plants . Then bokchoy and romaine from seeds. I do believe the bokchoy and romaine did the best. 

   Planting them closer to the garage seemed to help due to the structure giving off some heat. They were also somewhat protected from the cold winds. It is amazing how each of these plants can freeze solid and still survive. 

   These plants will definitely be a part of this years winter garden. I did plant them way too close this year . Next year they will have more space as they should have produced more and got the gray goobers on the leaves. My broccoli started to bolt this week . Too many hot days in a row. I cut all the flowering parts off but I'm sure it's over. I just don't want to accept it. 

  learned one important thing this year, or shall I say proved my sister right. She has always said to pick the leaves and more will grow back. Well , growing tired of dragging garden dirt into my kitchen, I decided to cut the romaine at the base and left a one inch stub in the ground. That was a little more than a week ago. Now a whole new head of lettuce has grown up through the middle. You can see the small stubs still at the base of the plant. I guess my nutty sister was right !!! 

First fruit of the year!!!

  Woohoo !!!! fuzzy little balls on my apricot tree. I'm in gardeners  heaven...

Gnomes !!!

 Who gets 2 weathered Gnomes for her 22nd Wedding Anniversary?

   Me of course. That is  why I married him!!!

Raspberries and Blueberries and Strawberries ,Oh my !!!

  Some years ago a neighbor planted Raspberries along our communal fence. I don't know why but somehow in my mind I thought such things were not for us in Southern California. I guess with folks always making new varieties and pushing the boundaries of planting , berries are more than appropriate here. 

  Last year I planted a few along with some grapes on a cross fence in the yard.  Having a half acre in California there is the obligatory chain link fence everywhere .Very ugly obligatory chain link fence. I jumped at the chance to cover this hideous but necessary monster. They  did alright but it was their first year and I am sure they did not get enough water . But they lived , anything that lives in this semi-arid condition deserves a second chance. 

     A few months ago the city cut down a row of trees along the side of my property leaving me with 50 feet of open fence line in the garden area. What to do? plant berries!!!  And I did. And I did .And I did. Raspberries , Blackberries, Boysenberries , and Blueberries. I now have a veritable berry farm!!!!   

    My drip irrigation experiment started last year.  I remember looking at the directions and my eyes started to cross when they mentioned  GPM and water pressure and flow .Instantly I was back in College taking a Physics exam, sweaty palms and all . I did the  best I could. Now I know , thanks to my good friend Bob, everyone needs a good friend Bob, that I did it wrong. Or let's just say he put the Physics in perspective for me.

 To make a long story short , something seemingly impossible for me, I embarked on my drip irrigation project. I did have a billion berries to water. If there is one thing berries need its water. My husband remarked I was beginning to look a bit beaverish as I proceeded to drip irrigate everything in the yard, including the chickens. Yes I have included them too and I believe they appreciate the effort. 

   I bought all of my berries bare root. At five dollars a piece it is not so bad. It is a very quick season though as they are only available January through February here. Once the nursery pots them up they instantly turn to $30 plants. Patience and planning will definitely help you keep the gardening process cheap. From what I understand berries root very well so if anyone a near me is interested I have no problems sharing. 

   Another plant I don't ever grow is strawberries. Strawberries are so cheap here in California . I changed my mind this year though. I read where strawberries were a great mulch around your berry plants. I put one strawberry plant near the drip emitters on my berries. Water two plants at a time. Now that's exciting!!! I really do need to get a life.......
   

      

Every picture tells a story.....

  I know ,  know  the picture is not too pretty. but it is real. I regularly peruse Pinterest and many other sites looking for inspiration and information. Everything is  soooo pretty. which is great but c'mon people this is gardening. It involves dirt , bugs and a multitude of  weeds. Myself I have been fairly lucky. the insect pests have been few but I constantly battle four legged creatures and of course weeds. Lots of weeds. Soooo many weeds I have wanted to quit.

     This ugly little picture will never  be put on Pinterest but it tells a fantastic story. It almost did not make it to the blog. I need to contain myself from letting this thing get out of hand. No I don't want to teach people how to garden. just share my experiences and keep a journal of my garden. With that said I will explain my lowly little picture.

    These are my Roma Tomatoes I lovingly grew from seed. hopefully they live but that's ok there's always plan "B" , the nursery. Open any seed catalog and you will be assaulted with 6 pages of Tomato varieties. In all the years I have been gardening The Roma and Cherry Tomatoes not only preform the best but are the most useful. Yes I will grow a few beefsteak tomatoes but nothing beats the Roma for cooking and freezing. They have less seeds and the skin is easily removed in the blanching process.

   The next point to this picture is planning. These were planted against the pen walls. I may use a bit of chicken wire but really only need to tie the plants to the poles to keep them growing. No need for expensive Tomato cages. Although I have been considering experimenting with some techniques found on the Internet.

  One of the pests I can always count on returning is the dreaded Whitefly. this will be my mortal enemy in the coming months and it will be slain. Hopefully. I grew up with the practice of Organic Gardening . So pesticides aren't really an option. You know you have Whitefly when you shake the bush and a white cloud of bugs fly out . these little guys will suck the juices right out of your plant. Not good for fruit production. Or is the tomato a vegetable ? Eh who cares.

  This year I have planted Onions within the Tomatoes. According  to Nick Federov , the plant guy on the local news, this will help. Good thing as I have a ton of Onion bulbs.  Went all out on the Onions this year. I guess I will need a good root cellar. Hmmmm.

   The next point to the picture is the straw.  Love the straw. Place some old newspapers on the ground And add two inches of straw on the top . At $8 dollars a bale you will save yourself  countless hours of weeding. Not only weeding but you are starting the composting process for years to come.

    So, every picture tells a story, or four.