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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.
Now I am retired. I am well-rested and have plenty of time to both garden and maintain a diary. So here it is.
Also see What's Blooming in My Garden Now?
Entries 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.
Dates refer to other entries in the same year (but perhaps a different page) as the entry in which they appear unless a different year is given.
| Date and Weather | Observations and Activities |
|---|---|
| 28 February
Clear, sunny, and warm Temp: 56-77
Rain — |
Weeded more of the parkway in front. Now, I'm two-thirds done. When I am done, however, I'll have to start over. Until the cinquefoil is fully established and can choke out most weeds, this will be a never-ending task.
Finished pruning the dwarf myrtle in back. Then I fed all the myrtle and also the one Artemesia that survived the repair of My Hill (17 Feb). Started rearranging the wax-leaf begonias around the dwarf tangelo. While My Hill was being repaired, the grading contractor kept nudging the concrete blocks that frame a raised bed for the tangelo. When the repairs were done, the grading contractor put the blocks back into place but without any regard for the pattern in which the begonias were planted. Spring bulbs are coming up where I never planted them. My conjecture is that, when the grading contractor dug the trench for the three drain lines from My Hill in back to the street in front, he did not put back the soil in the exact same place from which it had been removed. Now I see 'Soleil d'Or' narcissus (which I planted only in front) in the west bed in back. Other bulbs have foliage but no flowers yet, so I can't identify them. |
| 26 February
Clear, sunny, and mild Temp: 58-70
Rain — |
Weeded part of the parkway in front. I generally ignored the pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis); the seedlings are so tiny that I would have to use tweezers to pull them. I'll wait until they are much larger but before they begin to bloom; then pull them.
Pruned two more dwarf myrtle bushes in back (13 & 17 Feb). Only one more to go. |
| 17 February
Clear, sunny, and mild Temp: 41-60
Rain — |
Pruned two more dwarf myrtle. One of them was damaged during the repair of My Hill and had to be cut severely. It's already showing new growth, so it should recover quite well. There are three more to do. As with the dwarf Burford holly in front, "dwarf" is relative (10 Feb). At least one myrtle is taller than I am.
Pruned the one Artemesia 'Powis Castle' that survived the grading equipment that repair My Hill. With the Artemesia, this is an annual task. Started feeding the garden:
We had frost just two nights ago, so I would not have fed the citrus this early in the year. However, both the 'Eureka' lemon and 'Robertson' navel orange are starting to bloom. More than before, the orange shows damage from the "Great Freeze of '07" (15 Jan 07). I removed some damaged branches. Because the other damaged branches still have some foliage, I'll wait until there is new growth elsewhere on the tree before further pruning. I fed only the four roses in front that remained after My Hill was repaired, plus the 'Baby Blanket' roses growing in a container on the patio. In order to avoid stressing the newly planted roses with too much top growth for roots that are still getting established, I won't be feeding them until next year. While feeding the roses in front, I heard shrieking above me. I looked up and saw two golden eagles circling high in the air. About a mile or two east of my house — in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area — is one of the most important nesting areas east of the Mississippi River for golden eagles. One shoot near the top of the Podocarpus by the front porch finally decided to grow vertically. I pruned the tree to promote the growth of that shoot as a new leader (6 May 07). Then I fed the tree with ammonium sulfate. |
| 13 February
Clear, sunny, and cool Temp: 57-67 Rain — |
Used dormant spray on the peach tree, roses, and grapes. I use a water emulsion of dormant oil and copper sulfate, adding some liquid soap to ensure the spray thoroughly wets the plants. I should have done this a month ago, but I wanted to include the new roses that I just planted (6 & 10 Feb). The flower buds on the peach tree are already swelling, and leaf tips are emerging from the leaf buds. Some of the roses are already in leaf. Instead of my usual two treatments for the peach tree, this will be the only one.
While spraying the grapes, I setup the eye bolts for their supports. Now I have to buy the wire rope, hardware, and rebar. Finished pruning the holly in front (10 Feb). Started pruning the dwarf myrtle (Myrtus communis 'Compacta') in back. What a sweet fragrance there is from the cut branches! |
| 10 February
Mostly clear with a few thin clouds, sunny, and warm Temp: 62-74
Rain — |
On Friday, the landscape contractor finished repairing the damage caused in both my back and front yards when My Hill had to be regraded. The only issue to be resolved is a mispositioned drip irrigation emitter in my front rose bed.
Planted three more roses: 'Arizona' and 'Sunsprite' in back and 'Oregold' in front. I need two more roses for the back: 'Color Magic' and a replacement for climbing 'Chrysler Imperial' (which unfortunately is no longer available). These two won't be available until next month. Started pruning the dwarf Burford holly (Ilex cornuta 'Burfordii Nana') in front. "Dwarf" is a relative term, in this case meaning that the plants do not become trees. The one plant that I already pruned was blocking the lower half of the picture window in our living room. Spring bulbs are sprouting all over the rose and west beds in back. Since the ground was severely disturbed during the repair of My Hill and the subsequent repair of my landscape, I have no idea what to expect. I already see 'Soleil d'Or' narcissus blooming in back although I only planted it in front. |
| 6 February
Mostly clear with a few thin clouds, sunny (sometimes hazy), and cool Temp: 44-61
Rain — |
Planted four roses: 'Mr. Lincoln' and 'Honor' in front and 'Iceberg' and climbing 'Peace' in back. I still have three roses yet to plant, but I was too exhausted to finish all seven today.
The climbing 'Peace' was a true bare-root specimen. The roots were all in good condition, and the canes were properly pruned. I bought this one via mail-order. The others were potted in cardboard pots with potting mix. I peeled away the pot and shook loose the potting mix to blend with the native soil in the planting hole. I found several broken roots that had to be cut. The canes were poorly pruned. In some cases, the ends of the canes extended an inch or two beyond the last buds. Other canes were cut to buds that faced the center of the plant. I ordered these in advance from a local shop of a well-respected nursery chain. I really wanted bare-root roses, but none of the local nurseries sell them any more. I mixed two handsful of super-phosphate into the bottom of each planting hole. This will be the only fertilizer the new plants get this year. I will definitely avoid any nitrogen fertilizers because I want the roots to be well established before promoting any top growth or flowers. I blended a generous amount of peat moss and a small handful of soil sulfur into the soil that I used to fill the planting holes. Since I didn't have any potting mix for the climbing 'Peace', I also added some partially composted wood chips, a by-product of having my trees pruned two years ago. While planting the 'Iceberg' rose, I noticed that the Ranunculus that I planted (30 Dec 07) were finally sprouting. Also a number of true bulbs are coming up; some of them are bulbs that survived the regrading of My Hill. Many Fresias have sprouted. I hope they are indeed all Fresias and not Aristea ecklonii. I had Aristea — which has new foliage very similar to Fresia — in my back yard before My Hill was repaired. I found it to be very invasive and asked the landscape contractor to remove it. |
| 4 February
Clear, sunny, and cold Temp: 39-52
Rain — |
Piled leaves around the white oak (Quercus lobata) next to my driveway in front. Most western oaks need a leaf mulch in their root zones. However, the winter winds often scour all leaves away. So after applying the mulch, I placed poultry mesh (chicken wire) over it, anchoring the mesh with the same kind of hooks that my landscape contractor used to anchor jute netting on My Hill. |
| 2 February
Clear, sunny, and cold Temp: 42-55
Rain — |
Installed the trellis (31 Jan) by the star jasmine and tied some star jasmine shoots to it. I expect that, by the end of summer, the vine will climb to the top of the trellis. However, it might take until the summer of 2008 before the metal frame is completely hidden by the vine.
Took another cutting of pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum 'Aureum') from the hanging plant in the upstairs blue bathroom. I originally took two cuttings (2 Dec 07). One took root, but the other died. So I took another cutting, which also died. I hope this one roots. I want to use the cuttings to replace the existing plant, which has too much bare stem. |
| 31 January
Clear, sunny, and cold Temp: 42-60
Rain — |
Here I am with seven new roses sitting on my patio, and the ground is too wet to dig and plant them. We've had a very wet week, with more rain in the past seven days than we had all last rainy season (October 2006 to September 2007).
Mulched the Camellia japonica 'Daikagura' in back with the output from my office shredder. Generally, this is not a good idea because the decomposing paper takes nitrogen away from the soil. However, Camellias actually prefer a lean soil. Built another new trellis for the star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides). The original trellis was trashed by the grading contractor who repaired My Hill, even though I had told him to set it aside (5 Jul 07). I built a new trellis that promptly buckled in a wind storm (22 Oct 07); I used 18-guage steel when I should have used 14-guage, which is heavier. I then built another one with 14-guage steel (2 Dec 07). I couldn't install it because the landscape contractor had tools and supplies in the way, so I leaned it against my house just in front of the side gate. It disappeared! Possibly a scrap metal scavenger took it. Today, I built yet another trellis. This time, it's behind the gate. I hope to install it by the beginning of next week. |
| 18 January
Clear, sunny, and cool Temp: 46-61
Rain — |
Finished pruning the peach tree. Some of the cuts removed entire branches, including a few large, old branches; these are called "thinning cuts". However, most of the cuts shortened the branches that were kept; these are called "heading cuts". Every branch that remains has a heading cut even if only one inch was removed. As each major limb was finished, I sealed all significant cuts with white glue.
Yes, some believe that trees and shrubs should not be pruned at all. They advocate allowing nature to prevail. Even more believe that pruning cuts should not be sealed, again appealing to nature. However, both my peach tree and my roses (1 Jan) are hybrids. Neither of them would exist if I allowed nature to control my garden. While outside pruning the peach tree, the nursery where I ordered roses called. My order has arrived and is ready for pickup. These are 'Oregold', 'Mr. Lincoln', and 'Honor' for the front and 'Iceberg', 'Sunsprite', and 'Arizona' for the back. Since the nursery could not get me climbing 'Peace' from its contract growers, I mail-ordered it directly from another grower. Another grower that is nearby will have 'Color Magic' and a replacement for climbing 'Chrysler Imperial' in March. (While 'Chrysler Imperial' is available as a bush, it is no longer available in the U.S. as a climber.) |
| 16 January
Clear, sunny, and cool Temp: 48-61
Rain — |
Pruned more of the peach tree. I'm now more than half-way done. |
| 11 January
Mostly clear with a few thin clouds, sunny, and mild Temp: 56-74
Rain — |
Restored the dwarf English ivy (Hedera helix 'Hahn's') in front under the Liquidambar tree. A large swath of ivy had been removed when the drain lines were installed during the repair of My Hill (26 Aug 07). I used the ivy cuttings I took last year (24 Mar 07), which were now very well rooted. I originally took those cuttings to plant in the parkway. However, the landscape contractor who restored the damage to my garden from regrading My Hill planted cinquefoil (Potentilla neumanniana) in the parkway, which I really prefer over ivy.
Trimmed the mock orange (Pittosporum tobira) behind the Liquidambar tree. Not only did I have to remove a number of broken branches resulting from the excavation for the drain lines, but I also had to reduce the undamaged growth to compensate for all the roots that had been cut. Started pruning the peach tree in back. I'm about a week late starting, but we actually had rain last week. It should take me another 3-4 sessions to finish. For a peach tree, it is getting old. If it doesn't bear a good crop this summer, I plan to have it removed in the fall so that I can plant a new tree next winter. |
| 1 January
Cloudy, hazy sun, and cool Temp: 51-59
Rain — |
Pruned the roses. In the past, this took 3-4 days. But now I have less than a third as many (4) as I used to have (13). Now, I'm waiting from a phone call from a local nursery that my order of replacement roses has arrived. |
Weather data are from the Cheesebro (CHE) weather station, a little less than 1.2 miles ENE of my house.
The high temperature (°F) is daytime for the indicated date; the low temperature (°F) is for the night ending on that date.
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 then end of the day).
Rain is in inches. Rain amounts are omitted after 60 consecutive days elapse without any measurable amount.
Season is the cumulative amount of rainfall since the start of the current rainy season, which began on 24 Sep 2007 with the first measurable rain, until noon on the indicated date.
Week is the cumulative amount of rainfall from noon seven days ago until noon of the indicated date. If no 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.
The signature line I use when writing messages about my garden includes the following:
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