Gardening on the Last Weekend in August

Saturday, I cleaned up the square where I previously planted the four Fun Jen Bok Choy that was attacked by some digging critter.

Four Red Winter Kale Planted

In its place, I planted four Red Winter Kale plants and placed wire edging around it to try to deter whatever critter did the digging last time.

Bok Choy 'Fun Jen' Potted Up

I then decided not to plant some of the other Fen Jen Bok Choy in the square foot garden bed and planted four in a large Daiso pot.

Hydrangea macrophylla 'Tricolor' Potted

The Tricolor Hydrangea that I recently purchased looked like it need to be potted up, so I did that, placing it in a 3-4 gallon pot. I also moved it over to a more shaded area.

My Aunt and Cousins came over and I gave them some Red Giant Mustard and a cutting from both my Santa Barbara Red Dragonfruit and the Dragonfruit that I grew many years ago.

Dragonfruit Progress

Now that I see my old Dragonfruit plant getting bigger and bigger, I really need to figure out where to plant them. I initially thought of planting it by a pole in the front yard, but I noticed the Santa Barbara Dragonfruit in that area gets too much sun and is getting bleached out, so I need to fine a more shaded location.

Unknown Succulent

As I was cleaning an area under our Bosc Pear tree, I noticed a multi-stem succulent that was growing there, it started rooting but was still able to pull it up. I thought it would look nice if it were properly planted into a pot and given more light. So I planted it into a 3 gallon pot. I didn’t know what it was, so I posted a query with a photo of it to Flickr and Instagram and some responded that it was a Sedum praealtum.

I noticed that the Bromeliads that I purchased back in June (2016) are doing well.

Neoregelia 'Lucky ???'

The Aechmea recurvata of them actually has two pups now.

Aechmea recurvata

I moved the Echeveria ‘Chroma’ from the front yard where I thought I may get attached by slugs and snails to the back to join all my other succulents.

Echeveria 'Chroma' Blooming

I took six cuttings from a broken Iresine branch and also potted up a little Spearmint cutting.

Iresine and Spearmint Cuttings

It was already dark Sunday evening and I ended my gardening by potting up a Masdevallia barlaeana ‘Harold’ that was still in a 2-inch pot into a hanging Orchid basket.

Masdevallia barlaeana 'Harold'

Orchid Box/Basket Inspirations…

I was looking around Flickr for Masdevallia Orchids in Orchid Boxes/Baskets and found a few photos that inspire me:

limahuli’s Masdevallia hybrid

sycamorecreek77’s Masdevallia pinocchio ‘Sycamore Creek’
and Phragmipedium Stairway to Heaven ‘Sycamore Creek’

Plant Lady2009’s Babies Dove in a bird nest

low.’s orchid basket

This is a alternative way of making a Orchid Basket:
red head10’s Orchid basket

Ideas for a octagonal Orchid Basket:
jhainaut’s Orchid Basket-05 and Orchid Basket-01

Filipino Food + Starting Wooden Orchid Box…

1:22pm Filipino Food (@filipinofood) is following me on Twitter… (it sounded funny when I said it out loud)… #

7:14pm I started on the my Wooden Orchid Box, but I’m not done yet. You can view my progress here: j.mp/bTipw4 #

10:05pm Spaghetti with sliced Hot Dogs!!! Yumm#

10:10pm I just heard that Manny Pacquiao will be on Jimmy Kimmel Live… and he’s gonna sing “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You”!!! 12:05am ABC #

Breaking Dormancy…

09:15am The Lilac in the front yard is breaking dormancy and I think it’s leafing out. I’m not sure if leaves comes out first or flowers… #

7:14pm I started on the my Wooden Orchid Box, but I’m not done yet. You can view my progress here: j.mp/bTipw4 #

11:43pm The White Grape Hyacinths are starting to emerge out of the ground, while the purple ones are already blooming… #

11:48pm Peach ‘Elberta’ in Veggie Bed is starting to flower and leaf out at the same time… Peach ‘Stark Saturn’ grafted onto it is leafing out… #

My DIY Wooden Orchid Box…

I was inspired to make my own Wooden Orchid Box, so I used Cultivating Life’s Cedar Orchid Box as inspiration.

Yesterday, I borrowed my boss’ Dremel drill.

Look what my boss let me borrow...

I collected the tools and materials I needed to create my DIY Wooden Orchid Box.

DIY Wooden Orchid Box (Tools and Materials)

– Redwood Stakes (these were 3ft. stakes)
– Saw
– Tape measure
– Small nails
– Pencil/Marker
– Long-nosed pliers
– Galvantized wire
– Dremel (with drill bit)
– Scrap wood (to drill through)

1. I first cut the Redwood Stakes into 3 inch strips.

2. I then took one of the strips and drilled a hole on each side. Using this as a template, I drilled the other strips. The lengths of the strips can vary a bit, but since the holes have to line up, it’s important to use the first drilled strip as a template.

DIY Wooden Orchid Box (Step 1-2)

3. I then cut some galvantized metal wire, straightened it and made a hook on one side.

DIY Wooden Orchid Box (Step 3)

4. Slide the wire through the holes on the strips.

I was originally going to make a square, but then decided I wanted something rounder, but I didn’t want to make an octagon… so I made a hexagon shape.

DIY Wooden Orchid Box (Step 4)

This is how the hook looked under the strips. I think I will modify this and bend the wire end more to create a loop.

DIY Wooden Orchid Box (Bottom Hook)

5. Keep adding strip in an alternating pattern (see photo below).

I’m still figuring out if I like this shape or if I want to revert back to a square shape. If I stick with a hexagon shape, I need to figure out how to make the bottom… I’ll do that later.

DIY Wooden Orchid Box (Step 5)

…to be continued…

Long Commute + Dremel…

9:02am After driving more than 1.5 hours from Vallejo toward SF on I-80, I’m calling it quits and pulling over at El Cerrito and taking BART#

2:54pm Look what my boss let me borrow… a Dremel

Look what my boss let me borrow...

I’m planning on making a Orchid box like this j.mp/bdrcbz #

Orchid Wooden Pots + Chayote Progress + Coconut Orchid Goes to Work…

12:36am I need to do some research on Orchid Wooden Pots… I want to make some for my Masdevallia Orchids… #

6:19pm My Chayote at work has really sprouted!… It has about 7 branches with the tallest about 5 inches… j.mp/clf0rT #

Chayote Progress (March 1, 2010)

7:47pm Brought in my new Maxillaria tenuifolia (Coconut Orchid) to work today… I have to pass by OSH tonight and get some Orchid Mix. #