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My Garden Diary

July and August 2008

Copyright © 2008 by David E. Ross

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?


April-May 2004
June-July 2004
August-October 2004
November-December 2004
January-February 2005
March-April 2005
May-June 2005
July-August 2005
September-October 2005
November-December 2005
January-February 2006
March-April 2006
May-June 2006
July-August 2006
September-October 2006
November-December 2006
January-February 2007
March-April 2007
May-June 2007
July-August 2007
September-October 2007
November-December 2007
January-February 2008
March-April 2008
May-June 2008

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
27 Aug

Clear, sunny, and warm

Temp: 62-93
Humidity: 28%
Wind: 0-10

I must be getting used to the summer heat. What I would have called "hot" a month ago I now call "warm".

Potted the rooted cutting of Kalanchoe (30 Jun). I also added a section of the parent of the cutting to the pot.

Took cuttings of the variegated pothos (Epipremnum pinnatum 'Aureum') that is in a hanging pot next to the breakfast room greenhouse window.

I think my white-flowered Phalaenopsis orchid is dying. Two leaves have turned yellow without any new leaf sprouting. Also, two flower buds have been hanging on without opening. In the meantime, the magenta-flowered, miniature Phalaenopsis is still in bloom and sending out new leaves.

Trimmed the ground cover — pink clover and cinquefoil — from around some of the other plants in the rose bed and north end of the west bed.

Fed the blue fescue (Festuca glauca) and potted herbs with large pinches of generic lawn food.

Installed another screw-eye in the slough wall to tie down the climbing 'Peace' rose. (Aparently, I forgot to make a diary entry for the first two screw-eyes.) The climbing 'Dublin Bay' has not yet grown any long canes that can be tied.

21 Aug

Clear, sunny, and mild

Temp: 60-85
Humidity: 35%
Wind: 4-10

On the front porch, there is a large flower pot with four ficus (F. benjamina). While I really don't like to see these extensively braided, I do want a braid at the bottom to help keep them growing upright. Today, I carefully trimmed and then braided them.

Fed the dwarf citrus, gardenia, and Australian tea tree with a commercial citrus food and a pinch of zinc sulfate. The tea tree looks a bit chlorotic, so I also gave it a handful of soil sulfur and a handful of iron sulfate.

I seem to notice many more lizards and praying mantises this year than I have seen in a long time. I hope they find happy homes in my garden, eating many unwanted insects.

Fed the star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) and lilies of the Nile (Agapanthus orientalis) with a very light dose of ammonium sulfate.

Cut down more of the artichoke (17 Aug). New shoots hide the stump.

The 'George Taber' azaleas in the camellia bed have recovered quite well from the severe pruning I gave them (7 Jun). I did have to cut away a few branches that failed to leaf out.

Weeded more of the east bed in back.

17 Aug

Clear, sunny, and warm

Temp: 59-91
Humidity: 21%
Wind: 0-12

Spent most of the day just puttering around. I did not continue weeding the east bed today.

Trimmed the ground cover growing out of the rose bed and onto the adjacent walkway. I removed some cinquefoil from that bed. It was not intentionally planted there but appeared as a contaminant in a batch of soil amendment. I don't plan on removing all of the cinquefoil, but I do want to prevent it from dominating the pink clover.

Trimmed the lawn from the edge of the patio. I also removed and trimmed the grass from around the gardenia and 'Wenatchie Skies' bearded iris that are growing within the lawn near the patio.

The artichoke (Cynara scoymus) is starting to go dormant, so I starting cutting it down. As long as some leaves still have some green, however, I will not completely remove it. In the meantime, new shoots are already coming out of the ground.

14 Aug

Starting …
Clear, sunny, and warm

Changing to …
Cloudy, hazy or no sun, and hot

Temp: 62-97
Humidity: 31%
Wind: 2-11

Trimmed the pink clover in the front lawn from the brick walkway, from the stepping stones that connect the walkway with the driveway, from the shrub beds, and from the heather bush (actually a heath, Erica canaliculata 'Boscaweniana'). This task gave me special joy because it means the pink clover has become well-established.

Started more weeding in the east bed in back. But the weather got so hot and humid that sweat was pooling in my eyeglasses when I looked down. I gave up trying to do any more work in the garden today.

10 Aug

Clear, sunny, and mild

Temp: 66-90
Humidity: 20%
Wind: 0-11

During my docent shift yesterday at Gardens of the World, I collected some dry seed pods from some Alstroemeria. Today, I planted them in a flower pot to see if they would sprout.

Two of the eugenia (Syzygium paniculatum) cuttings (20 Apr) finally rooted. I repotted them with my home-made potting mix blended with some of the sand-peat mix used for the cuttings. When these larger pots have good root development, I plan to plant them in the front yard, extending the line of eugenia that is along the east edge to the sidewalk.

Took cuttings of two wax-leaf begonias that are growing around the dwarf tangelo: a green-leaf with pink flowers and a red-leaf with white flowers. I hope to use these — and other combinations of leaf and flower colors — to edge the brick walkway in front.

In the 1950s and into the 1960s, vaudeville appeared on TV in variety shows. One of the most popular was Ed Sulivan's "Toast of the Town", also known as "The Ed Sulivan Show". Between major, first-line acts, minor acts would feature acrobats, magicians, and jugglers. A common juggling act involve a long stand with thin sticks. The juggler would spin a plate on the top end of a stick at one end of the stand. Then he would spin a plate on the next stick. Before spinning a third plate, he would wiggle the first stick to keep its plate spinning. After adding each additional plate, he would then run to the beginning of the stand to wiggle the first, second, third, etc, sticks to keep all the plates spinning.

Weeding is very much like spinning plates. Today, I had to remove new weeds from the camellia bed (17 Jul) before I could continue with the east bed. Instead of resuming from where I left off in the east bed (7 Aug), I worked the area adjacent to the camellia bed, going all the way to the peach tree.

7 Aug

Clear, sunny, and warm

Temp: 68-95
Humidity: 26%
Wind: 0-11

Weeded more of the east bed in back, advancing about 7 feet from where I previously left off (27 Jul). Removing spotted spurge takes a lot of time and effort. It grows close to the ground, and the stems take root whenever they touch damp soil. So even if I cut the main tap root, I can't always lift the plant off the ground. Spurge forms dense mats. When I finally lift a substantial plant — about a foot in diameter — and then look down, it doesn't look as if any progress has been made at all because of all the overlapping mats.

Fed the established roses in front with ammonium sulfate. After the last feeding (2 Jul), I increased the amount of water applied to the roses. Instead of once a week, this requires watering twice each week so that the water will soak into the soil and not run off. The roses are responding nicely to the additional moisture. One is now in bloom, and two others will be in bloom very soon. With the more frequent running of the drip irrigation system, I'm considering having the manual valve converted into an automatic valve on the same clock as the lawns and beds. (My Hill is watered only once in two weeks; its four valves are easily handled manually.)

Finally finished weeding the parkway. Fed the cinquefoil in the newly weeded portion in anticipation of the automatic sprinklers running early tomorrow morning.

30 Jul

Clear, sunny, and warm

Temp: 61-89
Humidity: 31%
Wind: 5-10

Fed the dwarf citrus, gardenia (G. jasminoides 'Veitchii'), and Australian tea tree (Leptospermum laevigatum) with ammonium sulfate along with generous pinches of iron sulfate, zinc sulfate, and Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate). I also gave the two potted chrysanthemums (C. morifolium) each a large pinch of ammonium sulfate.

The last of the 'Baby Blanket' shrublet roses in the large pot on the patio was dying. To replace it, I bought and planted a 'Salmon Ovation' miniature rose. If this doesn't survive, I will have to dump the potting mix and prepare a fresh batch before trying any more roses in that pot.

29 Jul

Clear, sunny, and mild

Temp: 57-87
Humidity: 37%
Wind: 1-9

Dug up and divided a survivor daylily that was growing right at the edge of the rose bed, against the walkway (24 Jul). I got one good size and two small plants. Using a post-hole auger, I dug two planting holes in spots I had marked earlier this year in the rose bed, where digging and planting would not disturb any spring bulbs. I planted the larger daylily by itself and the two smaller ones together.

Lightly broadcast ammonium sulfate on the latest portion of the parkway in front that I had weeded (27 Jul). I then rinsed the fertilizer off the cinquefoil foliage. I also used some off-brand lawn food to feed parts of the front lawn where the pink clover was somewhat thin.

Set screw eyes into the top of the slough wall behind the climbing 'Peace' rose and tied down two of the four canes. The other two canes are not yet long enough to tie down.

27 Jul

Clear, sunny, and mild

Temp: 59-88
Humidity: 31%
Wind: 0-11

Rain —
Season: 12.35
Days since last: 62

Late yesterday afternoon, I lightly broadcast ammonium sulfate on the latest portion of the parkway in front that I had weeded (24 Jul). I then rinsed the fertilizer off the cinquefoil foliage. As noted earlier, I will be doing this for each newly weeded section on the day before the sprinklers are scheduled to run.

Weeded another section of the parkway. I'm now about two-thirds done.

Weeded the east bed in back adjacent to the small circular brick patio. Note that, when I indicate I weeded an area, it's because I give special attention to clearing all weeds from that area. Actually, I'm always pulling weeds. I can't walk through my garden without yanking an ash seedling or a tuft of wild grass.

24 Jul

Clear, sunny, and mild

Temp: 60-90
Humidity: 28%
Wind: 0-11

Rain —
Season: 12.35
Days since last: 59

Yesterday, I harvested dill (Anethum graveolens), which I have growing in a 12-inch flowerpot. It had many flower clusters, which will cause the plant to die if not removed. I cut all the flower stalks, including long stems with leaves. After rinsing, I laid the stalks on doubled paper towels, which I then placed on top of my refrigerator to dry. I'll leave it there for about three weeks. I actually cut more than I could handle and gave some to a neighbor. The kitchen now strongly smells of dill.

Late yesterday afternoon, I lightly broadcast ammonium sulfate on the portion of the parkway that I had weeded (20 Jul). I then rinsed the fertilizer off the cinquefoil foliage. Very early this morning, the automatic clock on my sprinkler system ensured that the fertilizer was thoroughly watered into the soil.

Weeded an additional quarter of the parkway.

Trimmed the edge of the pink clover from the shrub bed in the main part of the front lawn.

Some daylilies that were in the rose bed in back survived the repair of My Hill, but they seem to have been moved. I want to keep the variety with golden yellow flowers, which has a summer-long bloom period, but not the variety with maroon flowers, which seems to bloom only twice a year. Well, I now have golden yellow daylily flowers right against the walkway; so I plan to move the plant back, within the bed. Other surviving daylilies have not yet bloomed.

Now that the peach crop is gone, I started removing the CDs that I hung to keep birds away (2 Jul).

20 Jul

Morning: cloudy, gray, and cool

Afternoon: clear, sunny, and mild

Temp: 58-85
Humidity: 48%
Wind: 0-13

Rain —
Season: 12.35
Days since last: 55

Weeded about a quarter of the parkway in front. Part of the area seemed dry, so I watered it thoroughly when I was done.

Picked the last of the peaches. They seem to ripen all at once. Since they are truly tree-ripened, they are quite perishable, turning into moldy mush within a very few days after being picked.

17 Jul

Clear, sunny, and warm

Temp: 67-90
Humidity: 33%
Wind: 0-11

Rain —
Season: 12.35
Days since last: 52

Trimmed the Podocarpus trees in front. The new leader on the tree by the front door (17 Feb) was drooping, but other shoots were also drooping. I splinted the leader with a thin stake and then gave the tree a long soaking.

Weeded the camellia bed in back. When scarlet pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis) was growing vigorously, it prevented any other weed from growing in the same area. Now that the season for pimpernel is past, dense mats of spotted spurge (Euphorbia maculata) were mixed with a miniature forest of seedlings from The Tree. The ash seedlings were easy to pull; then, I just dropped them where they had been growing in order to create a mulch. The spurge, however, had to be removed carefully to ensure that none remained. Spotted spurge seems to sprout already in bloom and immediately starts dropping seeds. Further, where a broken stem touches moist soil, it will take root and resume growing. Besides the ash seedlings and spurge, I also removed various kinds of grasses.

13 Jul

Clear, sunny, and warm

Temp: 64-90
Humidity: 31%
Wind: 0-12

Rain —
Season: 12.35
Days since last: 48

We moved into our house 35 years ago today!

Finished weeding the main part of the front lawn.

Checked the parkway. The failure of the cinquefoil (Potentilla neumanniana) to spread is more a result of insufficient water than crowding by weeds. Yes, some parts of the parkway do need to be weeded. But with enough water, other parts of the parkway will develop a dense enough mat of cinquefoil to choke out most weeds even if the mat is not as thick as the pink clover (Persicaria capitata) in the main part of the lawn.

Weeded around the pineapple guava.

10 Jul

Thin high clouds, sunny (sometimes hazy), and warm

Temp: 61-95
Humidity: 35%
Wind: 1-16

Rain —
Season: 12.35
Days since last: 45

Although the high temperature was the same as the previous entry (4 Jul), everything I did today was in the shade. It just didn't seem as hot.

Had ambitious plan to weed the main part of the front lawn, the parkway by the mailbox, and the area in back around the pineapple guava (Feijoa sellowiana). After all, there were only a few weeds in the front lawn. Only when I got down on my hands and knees did I see how many weeds were there. I pulled and pulled until my knees began to hurt. I had to stop with not quite all of the front lawn still to be weeded.

The 'Baby Blanket' roses in the large flower pot on the patio are dying, one by one. I don't know if it's an insect, fungus, or something else. Whatever is killing them works through the soil because there is no sign of damage to the foliage until the foliage wilts and the canes are dead. I originally had five of these together in the same pot. I now have only two survivors, and they don't look good.

4 Jul

Scattered thin clouds, sunny (sometimes hazy), and hot

Temp: 71-95
Humidity: 21%
Wind: 1-13

Rain —
Season: 12.35
Days since last: 39

Trimmed the edges of the walkway in back between the lawn and the teardrop bed. I also trimmed the lawn away from the heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica), society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea), and daylilies that are growing in the lawn near the walkway.

Trimmed the edges of the brick walkway in front. I also weeded the smaller part of the front lawn, the part between the driveway and the brick walkway.

2 Jul

Clear, sunny, and hot

Temp: 66-96
Humidity: 15%
Wind: 1-11

Rain —
Season: 12.35
Days since last: 37

Hung CDs from the peach tree and the nearby Australian tea tree (Leptospermum laevigatum) in back. I drilled a small hole near the edge of each disc and used kite twine to hang it. The silvery surfaces of the CDs flash in the sunlight as the slightest breeze causes them to turn. This tends to scare birds away from the ripening peaches.

Trimmed the edges of the walkway in back between the lawn and the circular bed. I also trimmed the lawn away from the heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica) and society garlic (Tulbaghia violacea) that are growing in the lawn near the walkway.

Fed the established roses with a commercial rose food that contains a systemic insecticide. I also gave each a little sprinkle of Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) to promote the growth of new canes. While feeding the roses in front, I discovered the soil to be quite dry despite a thorough watering last weekend; so I ran the drip irrigation system for about an hour.

The 'Baby Blanket' roses in the large flower pot on the patio do not seem to be doing well. Earlier this year, one died. Now a major cane on another also died. The potting mix is not soggy, I am careful not to over-feed the pot, and no insect damage is visible. I'll have to observe the plants more carefully to see if I can find what's killing them.

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:

Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
May-June 2008
March-April 2008
January-February 2008
November-December 2007
September-October 2007
July-August 2007
May-June 2007
March-April 2007
January-February 2007
November-December 2006
September-October 2006
July-August 2006
May-June 2006
March-April 2006
January-February 2006
November-December 2005
September-October 2005
July-August 2005
May-June 2005
March-April 2005
January-February 2005
November-December 2004
August-October 2004
June-July 2004
April-May 2004

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