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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 |
|---|---|
| 31 December
Scattered, thin clouds; hazy sun; and cool Temp: 47-65
Rain — |
When I awoke this morning, there was frost on the roofs across the street. The first frost this season was actually back in November. This should be a good spring for flowering trees and bulbs.
Rake, rake, rake those leaves. Used a paring knife to dig weeds out of part of the brick walkway in front. Stopped when I started to get a stiff neck. Pruned a second limb of the peach tree and even started a third limb. Only one limb does not have severe damage from bark borers. Unless the tree gets some new growth from near the trunk to replace the damaged limbs, I may have to remove the entire tree and plant a new one. Pulled more seedlings from The Tree from around the peach. Why won't the borers attack the seedlings and leave the peach alone? |
| 28 December
Clear, sunny, and cool Temp: 44-57
Rain — |
(Temp and wind values are based on fragmentary reports; the local weather station is reporting only sporadically. The worst of the wind did not come until late at night.)
Started piling leaves from The Tree on the patio and walkways. The volume is too great to add to the compost pile, and the trash bin for garden waste is already full from leaves raked in front. Pruned one of the four major limbs of the peach tree. While the tree is well beyond the normal productive life-span for peaches, I think I can prolong its productivity by removing much of the older growth. Pulled many seedlings from The Tree from around the peach. If I don't get them now, they might grow too big to pull in the spring. Some of them had taproots twice as long as their top shoots! |
| 24 December
Clear, sunny, and mild Temp: 59-75
Rain — |
The weather is quite changeable. Last night's low was higher than the daytime high two days ago. We already had frost a month ago, but
In anticipation of more rain this coming week, I stirred the compost pile again and added more leaves. Finished pruning the roses in front. Trimmed one of potted the Epiphilum cactus on the patio. It was interfering with adjacent potted plants and growing out where someone might walk into its thorns. |
| 22 December
Clear, sunny, cold, and windy Temp: 42-55
Rain — |
Pruned three of the roses in front.
Trimmed the pink clover (Persicaria capitata) around the stepping stones in front. Trimmed around the teardrop bed in back. The Dracaena that I cut (12 Nov) already has new buds swelling. |
| 3 December
Clear, sunny, and cold Temp: 56-65
Rain — |
Santa Anna weather has returned — constant winds and relative humidity in single digits for more than a day. In the past week, we had our first frost.
Took a cutting of the Aloe vera in the greenhouse window. Instead of my usual 50-50 mix of sand and peat moss, I used two parts sand and one part peat moss for this succulent. |
| 12 November
Clear, sunny, and cool Temp: 51-70
Rain — |
Cut the Dracaena in the greenhouse window, the one with the solid dark-green leaves. It was far too overgrown. I hope the stump sprouts more than one new shoot. In the meantime, both stalks of the large Dracaena that my son gave me (2 Sep) are finally sprouting.
Been raking leaves in front. So far, I've used the leaves to renew the much on the front lawn and around the oak (valley white oak, Quercus lobata). When the red fescue in back was mowed, I asked the lawn service to dump a load of clippings on my compost pile. The clippings are quite dry, so I stirred the pile. For the first time since it was planted in 2003, the 'MacBeth' loquat tree (Eriobotrya japonica) in the circular bed in back is finally preparing to flower. If it does well, we should have some tasty fruit next summer. |
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 2 Oct 2006 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.
The signature line I use when writing messages about my garden includes the following:
 Main gardening page |
 Current month's diary page |
 David Ross home |
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