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My Garden Diary

November and December 2019

Copyright © 2019 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. 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?


January-February 2013
March-April 2013
May-June 2013
July-August 2013
September-October 2013
November-December 2013
January-February 2014
March-April 2014
May-June 2014
July-August 2014
September-October 2014
November-December 2014
January-February 2015
March-April 2015
May-June 2015
July-August 2015
September-October 2015
November-December 2015
January-February 2016
March-April 2016
May-June 2016
July-August 2016
September-October 2016
November-December 2016
January-February 2017
March-April 2017
May-June 2017
July-August 2017
September-October 2017
November-December 2017
January-February 2018
March-April 2018
May-June 2018
July-August 2018
September-October 2018
November-December 2018
January-February 2019
March-April 2019
May-June 2019
July-August 2019
September-October 2019

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
27 Dec

Clear, sunny, and cold

Temp: 43-56
Winter chill: 126.2
Humidity: 22%
Wind: 1-18

Started pruning my roses. I did two rose bushes in front before the cold forced me back indoors.

Rain —
This rain-year: 6.41
The past week: 2.87

24 Dec

Partially overcast, some hazy sun, cold

Temp: 44-58
Winter chill: 84.7
Humidity: 79%
Wind: 1-12

Rain —
This rain-year: 5.17
The past week: 1.63

The Kalanchoe daigremontiana that I had in the living room (26 Dec 18) died. About a week ago, I bought a Sansevieria trifasciata 'Laurentii' to replace it. Today, I moved it from the nursery's small plastic pot into a somewhat larger clay pot and put it on the plant stand near the front window in the living room.

In the meantime, the Schefflera arboricola with variegated leaves near the fireplace has also died. I plan to take cuttings of the weeping Chinese banyan (Ficus benjamina) that is on the front porch and try growing the results in the blue jardinière next to the fireplace. Of course, I will have to move it whenever we use the fireplace.

I planned to start pruning my roses today, but it was just too cold to stay outdoors.

11 Dec

Scattered high clouds, mostly sunny, and cool

Temp: 54-67
Winter chill: 71
Humidity: 34%
Wind: 0-10

Raked leaves again. There were so many in front, that I filled the green bin for the county's composting program. Since the public sidewalk was not completely cleared, I then raked leaves onto the parkway (the strip between the sidewalk and the street curb). Then I raked the brick path from the sidewalk to the front porch, forming mounds of leaves along the sides of the path. Looking up, I saw that the valley white oak and The Tree in back still held most of their leaves. Most of the leaves that I raked were from the Japanese zelkova (Z. serrata), which has turned a beautiful gold and orange; it too still has most of its leaves.

Rain —
This rain-year: 3.54
The past week: 0.39

22 Nov

Cloudy, mostly gray, cold

Temp: 48-67
Winter chill: 0
Humidity: 40%
Wind: 5-10

Bought more gypsum a few days ago and finished applying it to the Australian tea tree (15 Nov). I then broadcast gypsum around the tangelo (Citrus reticulata × paradisi 'Mineola') and gardenia (G. jasminoides 'Veitchii'). Unlike my other citrus, the tangelo is planted in the ground in a raised bed; but like all citrus, it needs excellent drainage.

Rain —
This rain-year: 0.47
The past week: 0.46

15 Nov

Cloudy, gray, and cool

Temp: 51-71
Winter chill: 0
Humidity: 40%
Wind: 0-9

Rain —
This rain-year: 0.01
The past week: 0.01

Generously broadcasted soil sulfur and gypsum around the liquidambar tree (L. styraciflua) in front in an attempt to prevent the chlorosis that repeatedly afflicts it and prevents its leaves from showing brilliant colors in the fall. While I was doing that, I noticed that the mock orange (Pittosporum tobira) bushes behind the tree seem to be dying.

Broadcast gypsum around all my camellias (C. japonica and C. sasanqua) and azaleas (Rhododendron indica) in back to improve drainage, which is vital for keeping these alive. I partially treated the Australian tea tree for the same reason, using up all the gypsum I had.

11 Nov

Clear, sunny, and mild

Temp: 50-84
Winter chill: 0
Humidity: 24%
Wind: 2-9

Rain —
This rain-year: 0.01
The past week: 0.01

Yes, rain fell very early this morning. However, 0.01 of an inch is not enough to wet dust. It certainly is not enough to mitigate the extreme low relative humidity we experienced recently. In 6 of the first 11 days of November, the relative humidity did not exceed 20%; in some of those days it did not even exceed 10%. Fortunately, humidity has returned to more usual levels.

Raked more leaves in front. Then, I looked up at the valley white oak (Quercus lobata) next to my driveway in front and at The Tree in back. They are still full of leaves!

Trimmed pink clover (Persicaria capitata) away from several Cuphea hyssopifolia in the teardrop bed. One of the C. hyssopifolia is dead. I will replace it in the spring. I also trimmed the Australian tea tree (Leptospermum laevigatum) where it was interfering with my walking along the adjacent path.

Cut away dead branches of a 'Goodwin Creek Grey' lavender (Lavandula lanata × dentata) in the circular bed.

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:

Climate: California Mediterranean
Sunset Zone: 21 -- interior Santa Monica Mountains with some ocean influence (USDA 10a, very close to Sunset Zone 19)
See also My Climate.
September-October 2019
July-August 2019
May-June 2019
March-April 2019
January-February 2019
November-December 2018
September-October 2018
July-August 2018
May-June 2018
March-April 2018
January-February 2018
November-December 2017
September-October 2017
July-August 2017
May-June 2017
March-April 2017
January-February 2017
November-December 2016
September-October 2016
July-August 2016
May-June 2016
March-April 2016
January-February 2016
November-December 2015
September-October 2015
July-August 2015
May-June 2015
March-April 2015
January-February 2015
November-December 2014
September-October 2014
July-August 2014
May-June 2014
March-April 2014
January-February 2014
November-December 2013
September-October 2013
July-August 2013
May-June 2013
March-April 2013
January-February 2013

Diary entries for 2004 through 2012


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