Category Archives: Uncategorized

Lotsa Potting…

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Saturday, March 17, 2007

I hardly did any gardening today since I went to San Francisco and Oakland to hang out with friends. We saw Zodiac then had “tea service” at… um, I forgot the restaurant. Later, we did some shopping and had dinner at The Home of Chicken and Waffles in Oakland.

I also happened to see a common weed along the side of the road, but this one had variegated leaves, so I took a cutting. I’ll post a photo of it later, to see if anyone can identify it, since I don’t know its name.

Sunday, March 18, 2008

I took a whole bunch of photos in the garden today. I was going to take more photos, but the sun was kinda harsh. My mom was so cute; she helped my by holding a sheet of cardboard to block the direct light from the plants and flowers I photographed.

Siberian Squill   First Columbine Flower

My Mom also showed me a shrub that she had been growing for a few years. She said that this is the first time it bloomed this profusely. I asked he what it was, but she said she lost the tag. Anyone know what this plant/flower is?

Unknown Flower (2 of 3)   Unknown Flower (3 of 3)

I made some Orchid mix with some bark, perlite and charcoal. Initially, I was just going to pot the all white Cymbidium that I bought for my Mom, but she caught me and asked if I can pot the other Orchids she purchased at the SF Orchid show too… so I ended up potting about 3 Orchids.

Potted Cactus and Succulents

I also made a large batch of Cactus mix out for potting soil, perlite and sand. I potted most of my recent succulent purchases from the 99¢ store and the Sonoma Orchid show. I ended up potting about 18 Cactus and Succulents.

Lithops, Tomato, Eggplant and Pepper Seedlings

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Six day old Lithops seedlings:

Lithops Seedlings (6 Days Old)   Lithops Seedlings (6 Days Old)

2+ week old Tomatoes, Peppers and Eggplant seedlings:

More Nightshade Seedlings (2 Weeks Old)   Tomato Seedlings (2 Weeks + 2 Days Old)

Flickr Update: Collections + Layouts

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This entry is mainly for those of you who use Flickr.

Flickr has updated their site with a new feature called Collections. These are basically containers where you can put sets and or other collections. Think of it like folders for albums.

I just tested it out and created a new Collection of Gardening Events and Field Trips that I have gone to.

They also updated layouts of your first page, so you have the choice of small or medium (thumbnail) images. You can also have a side bar of our sets, collections or just fill the first page with images (no sidebar).

Massive Seed Sowing Sunday…

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This weekend, we had beautiful summer-like weather with highs reaching 78°F (normal average is 63°F). Looks like we are going to have an early spring (which is what I think Mr. Groundhog told us). I remember last year, I couldn’t plant outside until May because he had rain everyday in April.

Sowing Seed

It’s funny seeing myself plant seeds… Does anyone else sit down cross-legged with slippers and short on and work on the ground like that? I think I need a potting table…

I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and start planting seeds… and I did some massive seed sowing:

– Lemon Cucumber
– Cosmos ‘Picotee’
– Cosmos ‘Sensation Mixed Colors’
– Orange Cosmos from treebreeze (Thank you for these! :)
– Sunflower ‘Summer Sun’ (Ox-Eye) (Heliopsis Scabra)
– Agrostemma ‘Ocean Pearl’
– Strawflower (Helichrysum) Tall Double Mixed Colors
– Nasturtium ‘Jewel Mixed Colors’
– Zinnia ‘Envy’
– Zinnia ‘Candy Cane Mix’
– Zinnia ‘Dahlia Flowered Mixed Colors’
– Zinnia ‘Giant Cactus Mixed Colors’
– Zinnia ‘Thumbelina’
– Lamb’s Ears (I think they are Lamb’s Ears) seeds that I collect from San Anselmo

Spider Fancy Spider House?
Spiders, Spiders, Spiders: As I was filling the 6-pack cell pots with soil, I found a Spider living in between them. I released it so it can find a new home. My Mom then noticed a Spider that had made a home in our of our decorative bird house. Then when I was sowing the seeds, I notice hundreds of tiny baby spiders around the 6-packs, so I tried to disperse them around the garden to make new homes.

Peanuts: I also took the Peanut outdoors and repotted it (again) into a larger container (its permanent home) filled with potting soil and a lot of perlite to make the soil really loose.

Garden progress:

Recent blooms: Spring Starflower, Rananculus

Spring Starflower Ranunculus

About to bloom: the very first Columbine, Pears, Apples, Clematis, Wisteria

Emerging growth: Forsythia leaves, Taro

Saturday Plant Sale…

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Saturday, March 10, 2007

Early this morning I went to the San Francisco Botanical Garden Plant Sale with my friend Howard. I purchased a Sempervivum and a type of Crassula. I’ll have to check on the names later.

I also snapped some photos, but left my camera at Howard’s condo… ARGH!… I feel weird without my camera… It’s funny how it’s become a part of me.

When I got home, I noticed that there are about 5 tiny specks of green in my Lithops container. YEAY!!!… Little baby Lithops being born, 3 days after sowing.

I also noticed one of the 12 Japanese Long Purple Eggplants sprouting. It’s been 13 days since I sowed this, so maybe the seeds are not viable… (Pause)… I just checked the seed packet and it was packed for 2003, so they are probably old… I’ll have to plant more of the newer seeds. (I don’t know why I didn’t do this in the first place?)

Garden progress:

Recent blooms: Peaches, Sparaxis Tricolor, Tulip

About to bloom: Italian Plums, Persimmons

Not doing well: some Carnation cuttings, Orange Grafted Cactus

More Found Plants + More Sowing

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Found Succulents and Asparagus Fern Seeds
I collected a few cutting along my way to work this morning. I got a sprig of Fairy Crassula (Crassula multicava) and an unusual relative of the Ice Plant (Oscularia deltoides). I also found some Aspargus Fern seeds (Asparagus densiflorus ‘Meyersii’).

Potted Succulents   Potted Succulents

Once I got home, I planted these as well as the three other succulents that I found last Saturday.

I sowed a few more seeds:

– Red Pear Tomato from penguingardener
– Wonder Light Tomato (Lemon-like Yellow Heirloom Tomato) also from penguingardener (Thank you, Thank you!!)

– Red Texas Star Hibiscus from gypsy_soul
– Pink Flowering Maple (Abutilon) also from gypsy_soul (Thank you, Thank you!!)

A few more seed just started to sprout:

– Orange Ornamental Peppers from Virginia (sown 3/1, 7 days)
– Calendula ‘Pacific Beauty’ (sown 2/20, 16 days)

Sown Lithops Seeds + Peanut Progress

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Wednesday, March 7, 2007

This evening I finally planted the 100 Lithops seeds that I got from eBay.

Lithops Seeds (and Grains of Sand)

Don’t let the size of these seeds fool you… They are tiny! For comparison, I placed grains of sand which are the larger pieces in the center of the photo.

Sown Lithops Seeds
I drilled holes on the bottom of a plastic storage container (4.5 x 7 inches), then filled it with strained potting soil mixed with crushed perlite and sand.

To make sowing the tiny Lithops seeds easier, I mixed the seeds with sand then sprinkled the mixture on top of the soil. I hope these all grow.

Peanut Progress (12 Days Old)
I also transplanted the Peanuts that I just planted 12 days ago into a larger container. They have grown very quickly and I don’t think I’ll have room for them in my room. I’m hardening them off by placing them on my window sill until I bring them outside and plant them in an even larger container.

Wish List: Popcorn Cassia

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I was watching “Secret Gardens of Palm Beach County” (episode 608) on HGTV and saw a very interesting plant called Popcorn Cassia (Cassia didymobotrya). It had pretty yellow flowers and the crushed leaves has the scent of popcorn or peanut butter.

Popcorn Cassia Flower   Popcorn Cassia Leaves

I wonder if these will survive in our area.