The Tomatoes are here!

Finally the tomatoes are here! This is the longest wait I have ever had for tomatoes, which doesn't make any sense since it's also the earliest I've ever planted them! Guess I shouldn't have skipped the "Early Girls" this year. This year I planted  Brandywine (of course!), Green Zebra, Marvel Stripe, Black Krim, Persimmon, and Costoluto. My cherries are Sungold, Sweet Gold and Supersweet 100. I started all my tomatoes from seed this year indoors.

Oh! the peppers, eggplant and squash are all doing well too!

Monday Harvest

Boy this heat sure shifted the garden into high gear! Sugar snaps and greens are just about done. but plenty of Starburst Squash, Onions, beets, blueberries and boysenberries. Looks like the cukes are here too!

Did a Little Harvesting Today

The garlic is falling over, The onions not quite yet, but had to pick a few anyway. The beets are Chioggia.... my favorite! and on top is a purple Kohlrabi....... That's a nicea!

Radishes are just about always ready to pick.

Potatoes compliments Mother Nature.... can you beleive these came from a slice of potato peel in my compost pile? Mother Nature beat me again on this one as the ones I planted aren't ready yet.

And of course Snap Peas. I'm really happy with these Burpee Super Sugar Snap Peas. Unfortunately they will be withering away soon.

My Name is Ron McDonald And I Let My Artichokes Flower!

Whew! what a relief, it's like a giant weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I'll say it again.... Yes! I let my chokes flower! Oh God!, that does feel good! Thanks Bill Bird for making me belly up to the bar and admit it.

Do I still have to pay the price of smaller chokes even two years later? I guess I won't let that happen again. sure were pretty though.

One Man’s Trash is Another Man’s Treasure

A few months ago a beer drink ‘n buddy of mine came over to drop off some wire, and to share a cold one of course. After I finished my first one, I reached into the bed of his truck for another. As I leaned over the tail gate my eyes went over the ice chest, full of frosty cold ones and straight for a pile of 12 gleaming empty 5 gallon Sierra water bottles . Of course being the scavenger that I am and not having a clue what I would use them for (only that I had to have them!), I hollered “Bob! What the hell are you gonna do with these?” Well to make a long story short, when Bob drove off, that gleaming treasure laid right there in my driveway….. Humm! What am I going to do with those. Better haul them down to the garage before the wife gets home!


Well, Dog Bite My Pecker! if they didn't come in handy!

Just cut the bottoms off with a saber saw and Walla! The top is a mini greenhouse and the bottom is a plastic tray for potted plants! Just right to get my tomato plants off to a toasty start.

Gotta Love That Clover!

I've really got into using cover crops and green manures in the last several years. Crimson Clover (Trifolium incarnatum ) is one of my favorite. It's beautiful to look at, improves the soil, attracts beneficial insects and seems to do just fine in the shade of my oaks.

It's totally abuzz with all kinds of bees, wasps, ladybugs and soldier beetles. Speaking of ladybugs it seems like there aren't nearly as many as last year.... wonder if it's the weather?

Another clover I like is White Dutch Clover (Trifolium repens) it doesn't get nearly as tall and has all the same benefits. I can mow it to add to my compost pile and in a few weeks it's back again. it also takes traffic pretty well. About the only down side of clover is it attracts snails and slugs but what the hell I'll have those anyway!

I think eventually I'll replace all of my worthless grass with it!

Here Goes!

I've been gardening in the Fair Oaks area for more than 35 years. I'm fortunate to  have an acre lot but most of it is covered with very large oak trees so my actual gardening area is just a fraction of that, It's getting harder and harder to find sunlight around here.
After following some interesting gardening blogs I thought I would get in on the action...... I'm much better at gardening than I am Blogging though, so bare with me please.
Hey! what's up with the spell check?