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Many years ago, when I first started my Web site, I created an online diary of my gardening activities and observations. However, with work and the commute from Hell, I was often so tired I had to choose between maintaining my garden and maintaining my diary. Sometimes, I did neither. In 1998, I stopped my diary and removed the pages from my Web site. 7
Now I am retired. I am well-rested and have plenty of time to both garden and maintain a diary. This diary is primarily for my own benefit, so that I can look back upon what I did and when. But I thought others might also be interested, so here it is.
Also see What's Blooming in My Garden Now?
Diary entries for 2004 through 2012
Entries below are in reverse order (latest at the top). Daily, I might stoop to pull a weed or use a hose to water some potted plants; however, I don't consider those significant gardening activities. Thus, you will not see daily entries. Also, I might accumulate a few entries before updating this page on the Web.
When plants have well-known common names, their scientific names are given only the first time they appear on this page (entry closest to the bottom). There, the common name is in bold or appears as a link to another Web page.
Dates without years refer to other entries in the same year as the entry in which they appear — including entries on prior pages for the same year — unless a different year is given.
| Date and Weather | Observations and Activities |
|---|---|
| 30 Aug
Clear, sunny, and hot Temp: 69-99
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Because of recent problems with leaks, I tested the sprinkler system. In front, I trimmed the pink clover (Persicaria capitata) around one head. In back, I had to clean debris from two heads and trimmed the red fescue (Festuca rubra) lawn from around one head. No, I did not see any leaks this time.
Rain —
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| 28 Aug
Clear, sunny, and hot Temp: 63-94
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Pruned the loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica). This time, I did not prune as severely as last year. Because of last year's pruning, I got very few loquats this spring. Apparently I removed too much fuiting wood last year. This year, I limited my pruning to removing excessively tall branches and branches that were growing towards the center of the tree. Yes, I know it is strange to prune a tree in the late summer. After my experience with fireblight (27 May & 3 Aug, both 2018), however, I was advised that I might avoid that plant disease by pruning during the summer.
Rain —
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| 25 Aug
Clear, sunny, and hot Temp: 68-99
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Fed the pruned dwarf Burford holly (21 Aug) with a 27-0-6 fertilizer. I generally do such an extra (not spring-time) feeding after I severely prune shrubs.
When I fed the roses (23 Aug), I used up all the special fertilizer that contains a systemic insecticide before I reached the last rose bush in front ('Oregold'). Yesterday, I bought more; and I fed it today. Rain —
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| 23 Aug
Clear, sunny, and warm Temp: 60-86
Rain —
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Fed the roses with a commercial fertilizer that contains a systemic insecticide.
Trimmed the Podocarpus at the south-east corner of the house. I remove some branches that were interfering with the walk that goes around the side of the house from the driveway in front to the patio in back. Gave the mailbox a haircut. That is, I trimmed the dwarf English ivy (Hedera helix 'Hahn's') growing on the mailbox. It had become quite shaggy. |
| 21 Aug
Clear, sunny, and hot Temp: 71-98
|
Squirrels got all my peaches this year. Either squirrels or raccoons got all my 'Perlette' grapes. Today, however, I picked several large bunches of ripe 'Black Monukka' grapes. They are sweet and very flavorful.
Finished pruning the dwarf Burford holly in the rose bed. Rain —
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| 18 Aug
Scattered clouds, mostly sunny, and warm Temp: 57-88
Rain —
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Cut down the artichoke (Cynara scoymus) that grows in the back lawn. As is usual in the summer, it had gone dormant.
The stubbed stalks of the 'Illumination Flame' foxglove (14 Jul) in the west bed are covered with new shoots. They are doing so well that I cut down the remaining old stalk. Once again, put up cuttings of dwarf Burford holly (16 Jun). This time, I put the pots in the greenhouse window in our breakfast room to ensure that the cuttings do not get direct sunshine, which I think "cooked" prior cuttings. Pruned two more of the holly in the rose bed. The 'Color Magic' and climbing 'Don Juan' roses already have new shoots (24 Jul), possibly a result of my prior pruning of the holly near them (14 Aug). |
| 16 Aug
Clear, sunny, and hot Temp: 59-96
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Fed the dwarf citrus and gardenia with ammonium, iron, and zinc sulfates.
Rain —
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| 14 Aug
Clear, sunny, and hot Temp: 68-103
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Severely pruned three of the dwarf Burford holly in the rose bed. One of these was seriously blocking a shrub sprinkler, so the plants in that area should now show some new vigor.
Rain —
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| 9 Aug
Clear, sunny, and warm Temp: 62-89
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Finished pruning all five lavenders in the circular bed in back. Next up for pruning: the dwarf Burford holly against the slough wall in the rose bed.
Rain —
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| 2 Aug
Clear, sunny, and hot Temp: 67-97
Rain —
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Finished pruning the second lavender (26 Jul) and stsrted a third.
The drip irrigation for the roses in front has not been shutting off when it should. I did not notice until it actually ran for two solid days. I then received a warning from my water service that a failure to "repair a leak" could result in a fine. Also, sprinkler lines in front and back have leaks, but only when the sprinklers are running. My favorite landscape contractor did the repairs today. |
| 26 Jul
Clear, sunny, and hot Temp: 71-101
Rain —
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Fed the dwarf citrus and gardenia with a commercial 10-4-10 citrus fertilizer plus a small amount of zinc sulfate.
Started pruning the 'Goodwin Creek Grey' lavender (Lavandula lanata × dentata) in the circular bed in back. Not only are the four lavenders crowding adjacent plants, but they are also blocking the path that circles the bed. I finished pruning one lavender and did about half of another. Lightly trimmed two of the dwarf Burford holly in the rose bed that were blocking a sprinkler. Earlier in the day, I trimmed some of the eugenia (Syzygium paniculatum) along the east edge of the front lawn that were also blocking a sprinkler there. |
| 24 Jul
Clear, sunny, and hot Temp: 75-103
|
Fed the roses with ammonium sulfate (21-0-0). Two of the roses in back — 'Color Magic' and climbing 'Don Juan' — look quite sad. I hope that when I prune the adjacent dwarf Burford holly (Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii Nana'), the roses will revive.
Rain —
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| 19 Jul
Clear, sunny, and warm Temp: 56-86
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Finally finished pruning all the dwarf myrtle (12 & 14 Jul).
Rain —
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| 14 Jul
Clear, sunny, and hot Temp: 62-100
Rain —
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Yesterday, I had someone remove the weeds and cut down the seedling trees on My Hill. This was quite expensive. However, it had to be done; and I am getting too old to do it. (I am well past my "best if used by" date.)
Last year, I cut out the stalk of faded flowers from the 'Illumination Flame' foxglove (Digitalis purpurea × canariensis), leaving the base stalk with its leaves. Multiple stalks grew. This year when the flowers faded, I cut one of the stalks quite low, below any of its leaves. Now new shoots are starting from the stub. Thus, I cut low several of the other shoots. Since the foxglove had signs of whitefly, I gave it a small dose of fertilizer that contains a systemic insecticide. I also gave very tiny dose of that fertilizer to the rooted cutting of 'Simply Marvelous' rose that is in a gallon nursery can on my patio. Pruned the remaining myrtle some more (12 Jul). I could have finished, but the green trash bin (for garden waste) is now full. In each of July, August, and September, the averages of daily high temperatures are greater than 90°F. The past few days reflect such heat, so I changed the timer for the sprinkler system to increase output by 25%, from 6 minutes per valve twice on every third day to 5 minutes three times on every third day. Yes, my garden is irrigated only once in three days. I water deeply and infrequently to promote deep rooting. For plants that are naturally shallow rooted, my beds have a generous mulch of leaves. |
| 12 Jul
Clear, sunny, and hot Temp: 63-98
|
Finished pruning the rosemary.
Started pruning the last dwarf myrtle (Myrtus communis 'Compacta'; 16 Jun and earlier) in back. Rain —
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| 8 Jul
Clear, sunny, and warm Temp: 56-80
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Finished trimming the edges of the paths in the back yard. I still have to trim the lawn at the edge of the main patio.
Pruned another major limb of the rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) in front. Rain —
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| 5 Jul
Clear, sunny, and warm Temp: 56-87
Rain —
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All leaves on the sapling valley white oak (Quercus lobata, 24 Jun 2016) in the 5 gallon nursery can on the patio suddenly all died. I feared the tree was doomed. Now, however, it is getting new leaves. I do not know what happened.
Fed the dwarf citrus and gardenia (G. jasminoides) with ammonium, iron, and zinc sulfates. As usual, I very lightly trim these trees when I feed them, primarily removing dead, puny, or misplaced growth. Trimmed most of the edges of the path between the back lawn and the teardrop bed. |
| 3 Jul
Clear, sunny, and warm Temp: 66-93
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Trimmed the edges of the front lawn — again (1 May).
Rain —
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Weather data are from the Cheeseboro (CHE) weather station, about 2 miles ENE of my house.
The high temperature (°F) is daytime for the indicated date; the low temperature (°F) is for the previous night.
Winter chill is the cumulative hours of temperatures at or below 45°F from 1 November through 31 March. It is reported during that period and through April.
The relative humidity is at noon. (In my garden, it is likely higher than reported, a result of regular irrigation.)
Wind speeds (mph) are average (not peak) low and high, midnight to midnight (subject to later correction for diary entries posted before the end of the day). I also indicate peak wind gusts parenthetically when they are significantly high.
Rain is in inches. Rain-year is the cumulative amount of rainfall from 1 October until 30 September of the following year (our "rain-year"). Week is the cumulative amount of measurable rainfall from noon seven days ago until noon of the indicated date. If no measurable rain fell in that period, Days since last is reported.
Characterization of the weather (e.g., Clear, sunny, and warm) is purely subjective; for example, "warm" might occur with higher temperatures than "hot" if the former occurs with lower humidity and more breezes than the latter. Also, a day that would normally be characterized as "mild" might instead be "warm" if the immediately previous days were quite cold. Finally, such characterization reflects when I was actually outside and gardening and ignores changes that occur while I am inside.
The signature line I use when writing messages about my garden includes the following:
Diary entries for 2004 through 2012
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