Tag Archives: spider

Massive Seed Sowing Sunday…

Posted on by

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

Weekend Gardening…

Posted on by

I did quite a lot of gardening this weekend.

The weather is getting cooler and it was overcast pretty much the whole weekend. Leaves are changing colors and the summer vegetables are slowing down. There was a lot of leaves from the Pears and Apples to sweep up and I cut off more of the dying leaves on the Tomatoes and Cucumbers.

The Lettuce, Swiss Chard and Bok Choy that I planted about 2 weeks ago are getting crowded in the six packs, so I divided them up and planted 3-4 seedlings into 3 inch pots. (I have to remember that one Swiss Chard seed actually comprise of many seeds) I’ll let these grow a bit until I have space to plant them in the vegetable beds.
( before photo – after photo )

My brother went to a yard sale and bought a whole box of terra cotta pots (with 3 bags of cactus mix included) for only $3.00… what a deal! ( photo )

I potted the three $1.00 Cactus and Succulents into pots. ( photo )

As I was planting the Cactus, a spider paid a visit and I think it took residence on the Cactus. ( photo )

It seemed to be a spider weekend. I must have seen 4 different spiders, but I guess that’s not too unusual when you are cleaning up around the garden. Here are two of my favorite photos:

Unknown Spider

Mama Daddy Long Legs with Eggs (1)

Lastly, I harvested the first big batch of Tomatoes… along with Pears and Lemon Cucumber.

This Weekend's Harvest

Yeay! Good night :)

Spider (Long Exposure Test)

Posted on by

Spider (Long Exposure Test)

I saw this spider in front of our doorway in the middle of the night.

There was barely enough light, so I used a combination of my Palm Treo’s screen, plus a 2 second exposure to capture this. (I didn’t want to use a flash)

I wanted to take another one, but she decided to go.

(Levels and sharpness adjusted with iPhoto)

More (Found) Ornamental Grass Seeds

Posted on by

I’m not sure what type of ornamental grass these are. Both were found at the shopping center on Mini Dr. & Sonoma Blvd. (Vallejo, CA)

Found Ornamental Grass Seeds   Found Ornamental Grass Seeds

The first one is possible some type of Fountain Grass?

The second has upright blades with these seeds sticking out mid-stem. Possibly a Rush?

[I spy a spider]

A Little Green Suprise…

Posted on by

Although I haven’t been able to garden much this past week and a half, I have been checking the plants after work to make they have enough water. I’ve also been keeping an eye on the seedlings and they look fine.

This morning as I was weeding and dead-heading in the front yard, I spotted a Praying Mantis on the Dahlia. At first it freaked me out, but then I ran to get my camera. It’s weird because I’ve only seen one Praying Mantis in our garden before… so I’m wondering if this is the Praying Mantis that I brought home on July 7th.

The Praying Mantis on the Happy Single Dahlia

Grooming Praying Mantis (Note the deep purple foliage on the Dahlia)

… and speaking of bugs that freaked me out, I saw this spider on our patio last night…