On the Way to Work + On the Way Home

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As I was walking to work this morning, I took an alternating route and saw this Coleus planted outside a large-well-known company’s window.

I was so tempted to take a little piece off to root, but they still look young… plus there were a lot of people around and I was sure they had a security camera…

Hmmm? Maybe when these grow bigger, I may revisit it… and accidentally bump into it.

Coleus Seen on My Way to Work

The weather is nice and has really warmed up, so I’m slowly taking the overwintering cuttings at work home… I’ll be bring them in batches… basically, whatever I can fit in a grocery bag.

Welcome Back Home (Batch 1)

top (left to right): Coleus ‘Amora?’, Coleus ‘Oompah’
bottom (left to right): Unknown Coleus (from Target), Plectranthus ‘Zulu Wonder’

Once I got to Vallejo, I stopped by Home Depot, and tried to resist buying more Coleus… Didn’t work…

Both unlabeled. Damnit!!!

New Coleus 1   New Coleus 2

I had the one on the right last year, but it didn’t survive. The label said ‘Cache’, but other Coleus were also labeled ‘Cache’, so I don’t think that this is it’s actual name.

Houston… We Have Leafage!

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Back in April 17, I posted a photo of a sprouting Taro from our pantry. After 16 days, its first leaf has emerged.

Day 0

Coleus ‘Copper Splash’

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Copper Splash

This is one of my Coleus from last year (2005). This was a tall Coleus that tried to bloom as much as it could.

I took cuttings of this to overwinter and it survived at work, but the main stem recently started to die and all I was left with were the small tips.

I cut the remaining tips off and those are now in ICU at home under growlights. They look like they may make it.

I just noticed that this photo was taken last year on Thanksgiving. It’s colors are very autumn-esque.

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

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Taken on Friday on my way home from work.

Red-masked Conure (Aratinga erythrogenys) atop a traffic light on the corner of Drumm and Clay in San Francisco.

These are the bird featured in the film “The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill“. Here’s a link to rent it from Netflix.

The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill   The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill

After their tiff, they fell off, but were able to fly away without hitting the pavement (or cars).

Garden Status

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I spent yesterday (Saturday) doing a little bit of cleanup on my three vegetable beds in the backyard.

Vegetable Bed Photos

Sun Star

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Last weekend, me and some friends went to Alameda to have lunch and walk around.

We passed by this florist shop (on Park Street) that had a plant that I’ve never seen before. The label on it says “Sun Star”. Unfortunately, the shop was closed on Sundays.

Sun Star

[Added April 30, 2006] A Flickr user has identified this as Ornithogalum dubium, a South African native.

Seeds-a-Beckoning + Dog Walk

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As I was walking from the carpool lot to my car, parked several blocks away, I noticed these seeds scattered here and there as if it was a trail marker. It was beckoning me collect it… so I did.

Seeds-a-Beckoning

I have a feeling that some school children were eating “whatever this is” and spitting it out the seeds as they walked home. These may be Loquat seeds, but I’m not sure.

Once I got home, I took our dog Kelly for a walk. We walked all the way along the bay. She’s getting old, but she still enjoyed getting out. We saw these two doin’ it on a bush by the bay.

Makin' Baby Ladybirds

Finally, the sun began to set… and we headed back home.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeysplanting/136295662/

Sprouting Kiwi Question?

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The Hayward Kiwi branches that I got from the California Rare Fruit Grower’s 2006 Golden Gate Chapter Scion Exchange back in January have sprouted quite a bit and I’m not sure what to do with them. Should I:

1. Plant the whole branch in soil?
2. Cut the new (green) growth and root the cutting, then plant that?
3. Something else?

These branches (one male and one female) are sitting in water on my shelf under grow lights.

Kiwi 'Hayward' New Growth   Kiwi 'Hayward' Roots

One more photo of the whole branch