Garden Bliss

City Chickens

2011-09-12T09:19:00.000-07:00

Coop of the Rising Sun

The City of Sacramento unanimously approved the right for City residents to keep up to three backyard chickens. Hens, to be exact. No cockadoodledoos. And at my workplace, Talini's Nursery, we just started carrying these wonderful, embellished chicken coops made by Greg and Brian at Two Flew the Coop.

Coop of the Rising Sun entrance

Karma Coop

Karma Coop (left) and Coop of the Rising Sun (right)

Karma Coop Entrance

Sweet little passion vine

2011-08-05T07:54:00.001-07:00

I have more "partial sun" at my house than I care to discuss, but it's a situation made more tolerable when I find beauties like this dainty, diminutive passion vine. It'll be planted out front, at the base of my small front porch arbor. I've already planted a pretty, peachy pink abutilon on the other side.

(Passiflora sanguinolenta)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

PVFS seedstarting video

2011-02-25T08:16:00.000-08:00

Makes me miss my greenhouse...

Coming soon... Seeds of Change Gift Basket Giveaway!

2011-01-12T15:25:00.000-08:00

[But wait... there's more. Chocolate. :-)]

The concept is "From Seed to Table". Entering is easy (a photo with short description) and I'll post full details soon. Looking forward to seeing your entries and picking the winner!

Arboretum All-Stars

2010-09-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that Fall is a great time to plant in Sacramento.

Plant Sales at the Arboretum Teaching Nursery

Several times each year, our support group, Friends of the UC Davis Arboretum, holds plant sales at the Arboretum Teaching Nursery, offering hundreds of different kinds of uncommon garden plants that have been locally grown, including the Arboretum All-Stars, our top recommended plants for Central Valley gardens. Members enjoy a special preview sale and receive a 10% discount.

2010 Fall Plant Sales

Download plant list

September 18 Preview Tour

September 25 : Focus on California Native Plants

9–11 a.m. Members only; 11 a.m.–1 p.m. Public sale

Spotlight on outstanding California native plants that require less frequent watering, support native pollinators, and make great additions to any Valley-wise garden. Join at the door for a 10% discount and a free plant!

October 9 Preview Tour

October 16: Fall is for Planting

9 a.m.–1 p.m. Public sale

Let the winter rains help your new garden plants get established before they have to face the hot Valley summer. Choose from a wide variety of great plants for Central Valley gardens, including the Arboretum All-Stars. Join at the door for a 10% discount and a free plant!

Map
Directions

Porch planter progress

2010-06-03T14:47:00.001-07:00

My Laurentia and Linaria from Annie's are starting to bloom!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Front porch pot

2010-05-16T13:35:00.000-07:00

I potted up a few plants

from my Annie's excursion and want to see how they'll do on my front porch. Could have done without the black widow inhabiting my green glazed pot. Me... no gloves, as usual.

Heuchera 'Marmalade'
Laurentia axillaris 'Blue Stars'
Corydalis sempervirens
Linaria triornithophora 'Three Birds Flying'

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Mother's Day, 2010. Trip to Annie's Annuals & Perennials

2010-05-14T11:53:00.000-07:00

Annie's Annuals & Perennials 2010 Mother's Day plant sale and celebration. Mom's got a free 4" plant! Lovely weather, lovely refreshments, and lovely company.

Just beyond this flowerbed is the "Bored spouses and boyfriends" table. ;-)

Magical.

Hypertufa containers. Hypertufa workshop/party is on my to-do list.

Kim and me.

Poppies and penstemon. Fabulous combo.

Wowsa.

After Annie's, we stopped at Annie's propagator's nearby open garden.

Clever use of an old pallet!

Heading home. Lunch consisted of delicious El Pollo Loco eaten in the car in front of the open garden. Great day.

DripWorks drip irrigation supplies

2010-04-23T16:21:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to alert you to a great resource for drip irrigation supplies: DripWorks in Willits, CA. A lot of times, nurseries and hardware stores carry a small selection of drip irrigation parts. Not only does DripWorks offer parts and complete systems, they will even help you design your drip system free of charge. Leery of ordering through websites? Not an issue here. DripWorks has earned a Dave's Garden Top 5 Garden Watchdog Rating. Check out the reviews.

By ordering a Row Crop or Heart Kit through this blog post or the banner ad on SacramentoGardening.com, you will receive 10% off on a battery timer. Want to learn more about their kits? Check out these videos.

CCUH Rose Workshop

2010-04-23T11:39:00.001-07:00

I'm (probably) baaaaaaaack.

2010-04-15T17:11:00.000-07:00

[When a man gives you cut flowers, it's nice. When a man gives you a rose bush (pictured above) on your first date... you might be a goner.]

It's been a year since I posted about my pending divorce and cross-town move. It's amazing how much has changed during that time, and how much hasn't. I think I put the T in Transition, because I didn't exactly delve into gardening at the new house like I thought I would.

First things first. Like my sanity. A little peace. Furniture, which I still don't have. Finding a new groove with my teenage son every two weeks for two weeks at a time. A new (and very important) relationship.

In 2009, I "lost" a husband of twenty years and two cats. The eldest of the two cats just passed away at nearly twenty-one years old. I'd had her for the entire length of the marriage. I do miss that cat.

In the last year, I blogged very little and Tweeted halfheartedly before deciding I hated Twitter. I did, however, do a lot of Facebooking. I loves me some Facebook. And gardeners are on there chattering away, posting pics and inspiring others the way blogs had in the past. And nurseries and garden shows are starting Fan pages on Facebook, so it's getting easier to keep up with the latest.

Will I continue to blog? Maybe. Maybe not. I do love being able to search my blog when I'm trying to remember something I planted or what time of year a certain plant bloomed, etc. And connecting with kindred spirits is an important element of blogging; Otherwise, why don't I just keep a plant diary, right? Note to kindred spirits: Find me on Facebook in case I ditch the blog.

So many more gardeners are blogging now, and it's hard to keep up. I abandoned the notion of adding more blogs to my blog's sidebar. There. Are. Too. Many. Again, Facebook can be a time saver in the sense that you aren't obliged to post anything but you can still keep in touch with friends far and near. And meet new ones in that weird past meets the present, Friends of Friends Facebookey way.

The downside to Facebook is that it isn't archived or searchable or editable. Argh! Not good when you want to find dated posts and photos. But you can play Scrabble with your friends and loved ones! Super fun!

And you can share articles and YouTube clips, not just on gardening, but on anything that floats your boat. Wanna make fun of Tiger Woods? Go for it. Want the latest news from all your favorite news sources? Look at your Wall. And, you know, good old garden talk too. It's all good.

Life continues to shift between peace and chaos, and in those moments of peace I finally feel the urge to garden again. Working part-time at the cutest little ol' nursery in town has definitely helped to reawaken my enthusiasm for plants. And the fact that it's Spring.

Time to bask in sunshine and to plant flowers and tomatoes and basil and those yellow zucchinis I love so much. And time to to yank out those God-awful Home Depot plants the sellers put in and replace them with cool stuff.

I also intend to buy a gas grill this summer. Yep, that'll be me... grillin' and chillin'. Because life is short and I intend to drink in every moment of bliss that comes my way.

Annual Mower Exchange

2010-03-11T13:31:00.001-08:00

Just a reminder...

"This year, the first-come, first served registration for the limited supplies of new Neuton cordless mowers takes place on Wednesday, March 17, beginning at 11 a.m. You can register by calling 1-888-742-SMUD (7683) or by entering your information here on smud.org (registration day only)." -- SMUD

Learn More...

Sacramento Vegetable Gardening: A Very Berry Experiment -- AKA: They Stay

2010-02-19T18:20:00.000-08:00

Who knew blueberries could cause such drama! ;-)

Sacramento Vegetable Gardening: A Very Berry Experiment -- AKA: They Stay

Edible Landscaping Workshop ALERT

2010-02-02T09:59:00.001-08:00

(Announcement from the California Center for Urban Horticulture)

Edible Landscaping

A "Your Sustainable Backyard" Workshop

Gardens are not just for flowers anymore! Come learn about variety choice, bed preparation, planting, and harvesting- all using sustainable practices. Learn everything you need to know to get started on producing your own delicious fresh produce right in your own yard, no matter how small!

Keynote speaker:

Rosalind Creasy, well-known speaker and author of "Edible Landscaping: Now you can have your garden and eat it too!"

$45 registration fee includes morning coffee and lunch.

To register online with a credit card, CLICK HERE.

To register by mail with check or recharge, DOWNLOAD HERE.

For DIRECTIONS to the ARC Ballroom B, CLICK HERE.

For tentative AGENDA, CLICK HERE.

What	public workshop
When	Mar 06, 2010 from 08:30 AM to 05:00 PM
Where	Activities and Recreation Center, Ballroom B, UC Davis campus
Contact Name	Missy Borel
Contact Phone	530-752-6642

Northern CA Home & Landscape Expo

2010-02-01T15:55:00.000-08:00

Stopped by the Northern California Home & Landscape Expo very briefly for a meeting-- more on that later-- and snapped a few phone pics of some nifty lighting and fountains that caught my eye.

NEW BOOK! Fearless Color Gardens: The Creative Gardener's Guide to Jumping Off the Color Wheel

2010-01-09T12:16:00.000-08:00

Brand new book by garden artist Keeyla Meadows!

NEW BOOK! Sunset Western Garden Book of Edibles

2010-01-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

Brand spankin' new book from Sunset. Being published by Oxmoor House (I know! Freaky!). Pre-order for February 9 release date.

Merry Christmas

2009-12-23T10:54:00.001-08:00

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace. -- Agnes M. Pharo

Christmas is the one time of year when people of all religions come together to worship Jesus Christ. -- Bart Simpson

Baking persimmons

2009-11-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

My aunt Eileen just gave me four plastic grocery bags of Hachiya persimmons that a friend shared with her. A bumper crop year, I gather. She doesn't bake, but gladly accepts such offerings because she knows she can deliver the goods to me or other suckers, I mean bakers, and that her gesture might just result in finished treats showing up back at her house. Slick trick, auntie.

I love baking, but four bags?! Holy Hachiya! I shared one bag with my boyfriend's mom, who isn't a persimmon person but who's surrounded by a revolving group of kin, one of whom might happily take them off her hands.

I've never grown persimmons, and for awhile was hazy on the whole baking versus eating thing. Hachiya... baking... tannic, then pulpy. Fuyu... eating... crispy. Got it.

So what do I do with these beauties? I Google them.

And forget expensive floral centerpieces, folks. This looks like a fun excuse to scrounge up some candles, get out the clippers, and wander around your yard before Thanksgiving dinner guests arrive. Yes, you can use persimmons in your centerpiece.

What am I thankful for this Thanksgiving? The obvious choices, but also the generosity in people that makes them want to share their bounty... the ability others have to pull us out of the darkness when we have run out of matches... and buttery slices of persimmon bread. Oh, and that strange, terrible, wonderful virtual neighborhood we call Facebook.

Rest in peace, Emily... "Emmy"... "Em"

2009-10-12T11:27:00.000-07:00

You were my constant companion in the garden for the last decade. I could always count on you to jump on my back whenever I bent over to pull a weed... you kneeded my soft flesh with your sharp claws while I "relaxed" in the hammock... you slept in my birdbath and flower pots and window boxes... you tormented the dogs... and you made me laugh. You will be missed.

Mother Earth News tomato survey

2009-09-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

C'mon, Sacratomatans, this upcoming article needs your input!

Take the survey.

The New Digs

2009-06-17T21:54:00.000-07:00

Lordy.

Haven't had time to think about putting my horticultural stamp on this place yet... been too busy taking care of the basics-- like (temporary) window coverings, a washer/dryer, dish rack (buh bye, dishwasher), new IKEA bedroom furniture for the teen, cable TV/internet/phone and... God, I'm exhausted. And broke.

Did I mention being without internet for seven long days? Barbaric.

Love my new (old) neighborhood, love my funny little house, and love my new life. Stay tuned for gardening adventures and misadventures, backyard barbecues, and summer evenings spent swaying in my backyard hammock. Just needs reassembly.

Want to learn more about California native plants?

2009-05-18T10:49:00.000-07:00

“Please join Demo-Garden volunteers Brigette and Alicia this summer”

And California history? Then carve out some time in your busy, busy schedule to volunteer at the SacValley CNPS Native Plant Demonstration Garden at Sacramento City Cemetery. If you're not already familiar with the demo garden, see one of my past blog posts here.

Here's a recent update from SacValley CNPS chair, Sabrina Okamura-Johnson:

Notes from the Demo-Garden:

Spring at the Chapter’s native plant demo-garden has been glorious this year. The garden has been ablaze with the brilliant yellows of our Sunset fremontias, gorgeous blues of our Ray Hartman ceanothus, and vibrant pinks of our western redbuds. The fremontia’s are winding down and the Ray Hartman’s and redbuds are now setting seed. But as I write, the second act of Spring is in full swing. Current blooms include: our yellow sulfur buckwheats, golden lupines and bush monkey flowers, blue flax and penstemons, purple wooly blue curls, and the stunningly beautiful creamy-white blossomed California bush anemone.

Many of our native salvias/sages have now started to blossom. In fact at the May meeting, several of the young black-sage cuttings we brought for adoption had cute tiny little blossoms. I am also happy to report that all of the baby black-sages and creeping-sages found homes at the May meeting! Only one of the goldenrods and 3 of the ‘puniest’ baby Douglas iris were not adopted. In addition, thanks to Peggy Berry’s suggestion (that we put out a donation plate) and the generosity of ‘adopting parents’, the garden received $20 in donations for the babies! Be sure and make it to the September meeting so you can adopt demo-garden babies that make through the summer.

As many of you know, Mitchell Alford’s health has declined and she is unable to come out regularly on Saturdays to help supervise and give assignments to the Sheriff’s work party crews (after they muster in the morning) and to meet with volunteers that would like to come by on Saturdays at 10am. So I’m currently looking for folks that can fill her shoes to cover Saturdays at the garden. Please give me a call/email if you might be able to come out even 1 or 2 Saturdays this summer to meet/direct volunteers; and -if you’re up for it- to help supervise the Saturday work crews.

For those of you that can’t make it out to the garden on the weekends, let me know if you are able to swing by during the weekdays. We have several dedicated week-day weeding volunteers who swing by for 30 minutes or an hour to enjoy the garden and weed a plot or two. If this is something you think you might be able to help us with this summer, let me know and I’ll explain how we log your hours and dispose of the weeds that are pulled during the week.

During the upcoming Sundays, volunteers will help us with deadheading, pruning, and general maintenance. We will also be pruning the creeping sage (Salvia Sonomensis), so will be potting up about 25 cuttings for eventual give away at the September meeting, so could use help with this. We also have about 1,000+ baby St. Catherines lace volunteers, that we will be potting up regularly this summer for adoption/give-away at various summer events sponsored by the chapter and/or the Old City Cemetery Committee.

As always, I hope to see you in the garden.

Sabrina
SacValley CNPS Chair,
Native Plant Demo-Garden @ Historic City Cemetery
1000 Broadway, Sacramento CA

======================
GOAL OF THE DEMO-GARDEN

The goal of the Native Plant Demonstration Garden is to: enlighten our visitors to the beauty of California native plants; illustrate how they can be used in the home garden; show how to attract wildlife and beneficial insects; and educate about the many medicinal, cultural and edible aspects of plants used by the local Native Americans.

More April blooms

2009-04-27T19:45:00.000-07:00

Chilean Rock Purslane (Calandrinia grandiflora)- just keeps performing better and better each year, in the ground and in pots. Love it, love it, love it, and soooooo easy to propagate.

Byzantine glads (Gladiolus byzantinus)

Chinese Ground Orchids (Bletilla striata) just beginning to open

Geum

Not pictured but blooming now... and totallly worth mentioning: Queen's tears (Billbergia nutans)!

Mmmmmmm..... Spring.

2009-04-19T13:40:00.000-07:00

Days of Flonase and flowers...

The woody little stub of a tree peony cutting that I brought home from the San Francisco Flower and garden show three years ago bloomed and is fully open for the first time today. It's lovely... and unnamed until I can find the tag.

Just checked my blog archive and discovered that the vendor was The Lily Pad Bulb Farm. Judging from their website, it might be 'Blue Jewel'.

So much else is blooming as well-- tulips, wallflower, Byzantine glads, abutilon, coral bells, African daisies, ceanothus, calandrinia, columbine, blue gilia, etc.

And in other happy news, I found my lost keys! I had been looking "everywhere" for them... except the backyard, where they sat glistening on the teak patio table. The last few months of my life have left me a bit (OK, majorly) discombobulated-- lost keys, brewing pots of coffee without remembering to add the coffee, not being able to plan or plant my Summer veggie garden...

Why? The end of my twenty-year marriage, pretty much... not knowing where I would be living... worrying about how everything was affecting my son... and myself. But I'm happy to report that things are looking up. The dust has settled and everything is moving forward in a happier direction. For everyone.

My son will be with me week on, week off, and I may just rediscover who Angela is during the off weeks. I will be moving into a cute little house in about thirty days and may even be in there in time to pop some summer veggies in the ground.

Speaking of ground, my new grounds will be quite downsized. I'm moving from a 1/4 acre lot to a .1 acre lot. This was actually a conscious decision on my part. Not only was I feeling like scaling back because of the economy and my new circumstances, but I wanted to move back to my old neighborhood in East Sac. I'll be back in the Thrifty Fifties over by East Portal Park!

I have family nearby and would love it if my folks, who now live a couple blocks away from my Carmichael house, follow. There happen to be not one but two empty lots next to the new digs. I'm picturing adjoining gates... me helping them with their yard work... family parties... bike rides... dog walking chats...

I may not have as much space for gardening in the near future... and a giant sycamore currently dominates the backyard (more on that later)... but I still intend to pack that lot with as many of my current plants as possible. And if I need anything new, I can just ride my bike over to Talini's.

Goodbye quantity, hello quality. Goodbye driving everywhere, hello biking and walking everywhere. Hello new chapter in my life.

Green Gardener program coming to Sacramento!

2009-03-26T09:02:00.001-07:00

I'm really happy to see a program like this finally coming to Sacramento. Looks like it's under the wing of the River-Friendly Landscape Program. Be sure to tell your friendly, neighborhood mow & blow crew about it! Better yet, print the flier and give it to all your neighbors to give to their gardeners. Help spread the word!

Training begins March 31st!

RIVER-FRIENDLY LANDSCAPE
Green Gardener Training Program

Why become a Green Gardener?

This ten-week series provides high quality training in all the key principles of River-Friendly Landscaping, or “Green Gardening” including:

Conserving water, protecting the soil and reducing the use of pesticides. Many classes will include both indoor and outdoor hands-on components. Creating a healthier garden for you, your community and the environment. Offering a list of River-Friendly Landscaping Principles, helping you compete in the professional industry.

Registration begins on Monday, March 2, 2009.

Cost is $30 for 10 consecutive week-sessions.

Register online at www.fcusd.org/adulted
(courses and online registration, Job Training)

Or mail your completed form to:
Folsom Cordova Adult School
10850 Gadsten Way, Bldg C
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670

Class begins on Tuesday, March 31, 2009*
Class runs from 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
*Class will not be held on April 7, 2009 due to Spring Break.

How Do I Sign Up?
For more information call Regional Water Authority at 916-967-7625.

Download flier.

A few repeat performances...

2009-03-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

And some new beginnings.

Ceanothus is about to pop, bulbs are doing their thing (even last year's tulips), hummingbird sage is looking fresh and reinvigorated after I whacked it back, and my dogs are looking for something disgusting to roll around in. Must be Spring.

Tickets to the Good Life now available

2009-03-17T08:36:00.000-07:00

Wanted to pass this along. Tickets are now available for these wonderful-sounding Backyard Edible Gardening classes at the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science's UC Davis Good Life Garden! Whew... that's a mouthful.

For more information and tickets: www.goodlifegarden.ucdavis.edu/event_list
Contact: Kira O’Donnell, (530) 681-6412; kdodonnell@ucdavis.edu

****************************************************************

Backyard Edible Gardening
Presented by the UC Davis Good Life Garden
Saturday, April 25 and Saturday, May 23, 2009

Interest in the establishment of backyard edible gardens has increased significantly as food and gasoline prices skyrocket and consumers become increasingly concerned about food safety, freshness and quality. A rising demand for organic produce and honest, home-grown flavors are also important contributing factors in the backyard gardening movement. All these elements, notes Charlie Nardozzi, senior horticulturist at the National Gardening Association in Burlington, Vermont, are setting the stage for “a perfect storm for vegetable gardening.”

Gardening organizations, seed wholesalers, and local nurseries are all reporting hikes in the number of consumers purchasing vegetable seeds and starter plants and trees. But do consumers have the information they need to establish a functioning and successful garden? The UC Davis Good Life Garden will offer two in-depth seminars, designed as an overview on how to establish, maintain, and utilize the many benefits of a productive backyard edible garden.

The seminars will be taught by University of California master gardeners, farm advisors and respected gardening experts. Offered on Saturdays, the seminars will run from 9am to 2pm, and cost $35 with box lunch included ($25 with no box lunch). They will be held in UC Davis’ Good Life Garden and the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science sensory theatre. For more information, visit the UC Davis Good Life Garden website at www.goodlifegarden.ucdavis.edu or call Kira O’Donnell, (530) 681-6412.

Growing a Successful Vegetable Garden
Saturday, April 25, 2009

This in-depth class will focus on growing vegetables successfully all year.
Subjects addressed include:

• planning your garden
• vegetable varieties
• the importance of climate
• seed saving
• when and how to plant
• pest and weed management
• harvesting and storage

Participants should have a basic working knowledge of growing a garden with a desire to learn how to create a highly productive garden. Instructor Robert Norris is a UC Davis Plant Science emeritus professor, and has been teaching UC Master Gardener trainees the craft of vegetable gardening for 29 years. Also instructing will be Terry Allan of Seeds of Change, whose mission is to help preserve biodiversity and promote sustainable, organic agriculture. Seeds of Change cultivates and disseminates an extensive range of open-pollinated, organically grown, heirloom and traditional vegetable, flower and herb seeds.

All About Fruits, Nuts and Berries
Saturday, May 23, 2009

A backyard garden can be much more than simply a vegetable plot. In this information-packed seminar, we explore ways to plant, train, grow and enjoy fruit and nut trees and berry bushes.

Subjects addressed will include:

• planning and planting your orchard
• variety selection
• space requirements
• growing fruit in small spaces
• fertilization, irrigation, weeding, and thinning
• training and pruning
• pest management

Participants should have a basic working knowledge of gardening, with a desire to learn how to create a highly productive backyard orchard. Instructors for this unique and informative class will be Chuck Ingles, Sacramento County Farm Advisor; and Ed Laivo of the Dave Wilson Nursery.

KCRA "Favorite Garden Center" Poll

2009-02-25T12:03:00.000-08:00

Got a favorite Sacramento area garden center? Check out the contenders here and cast your vote!

Want to see the current standings?

Catch our very own Farmer Fred on California Heartland?

2009-02-24T10:09:00.000-08:00

I like the fact that he's promoting IPM and organic methods here.

Sunset Magazine!

2009-02-23T18:29:00.000-08:00

OK, so this isn't quite what I envisioned in my enduring fantasy of being in Sunset Magazine (kicking self for not majoring in journalism or English). Still, this is pretty fantastic!

In its March issue, Sunset included my oddly URLed little Garden Bliss blog in a list of "go-to sources for cooking, gardening and living well in the West."

I will try to post a link to the article if it shows up online. Until then, I did happen to scan the page in order to preserve it for all eternity... and for kicks.

Kicks don't pay the bills, though, so if I continue blogging myself into the soup line, it's a good thing I'll have Sunset Magazine to read while I'm waiting for my rations.

May I take this opportunity to say that I think the print version of Sunset Magazine just keeps getting better and better? Pretty impressive feat at a time when many magazines have become thinly veiled adverzines or, failing that, have gone to that great magazine stand in the sky. And have you seen Sunset.com lately? Wow! It's gorgeous... and slick... and educational... and interactive. Kudos, Sunset.

Cash for Grass

2009-02-09T13:39:00.001-08:00

Just learned about a cool program through City of Roseville, CA called the Cash for Grass Rebate Pilot Program. If you live in Roseville and want some extra incentive to lose the lawn, check it out!

Make it stop...

2009-01-30T11:34:00.000-08:00

Amy at Garden Rant just posted about an article in the Seattle times announcing the demise of the San Francisco/Pacific Northwest Flower & Garden Shows. What's next, Sunset Magazine? My local Starbuck's? My neighborhood Border's? Whole Foods? Raley's? My little library? My son's school?

Top story in my local paper today is the lovely "Official: Sacramento could ax 500 city jobs to close deficit". What's in your paper today?

This is getting ridiculous. Gotta remember to breathe and to keep up the yoga practice. Forget Victory Gardens... I think we're heading toward Subsistence Gardens. Survival Gardens? Are we gonna have to eat our pets? Oh, man, and they're so cute! They're my babies! Wait... am I going to have to eat my child? My only child?!

Think vegetarian thoughts, Angela. Ask yourself, "What would Alice Waters do?". She would plant something obscure and complete-protein like quinoa. In her front yard. Oh, my neighbors are gonna love that. But maybe they don't care about that kind of nonsense anymore. Maybe they, too, are starting to "rethink the front lawn" in a way they never could have imagined would be necessary.

Interesting times we live in. Deep breath. More coffee... which I will grow myself if I have to. OK, so maybe that horticulture degree isn't as worthless as I thought. I think I can probably teach myself to make elderberry wine too, if necessary. If only I had some elderberries.

Wait, I can barter. That's what scrappy survivors like us do. I'll give you a dozen lemons for a basket of elderberries. These lemons will keep you from getting scurvy, you see. You need them. And I... well, I could use a nice, relaxing glass of elderberry wine. After 5:00, of course.

Another home and garden magazine bites the dust

2009-01-29T18:44:00.000-08:00

Domino magazine has folded. While I was never a subscriber, I really enjoyed reading The Germinatrix, Domino's online garden blog written by Ivette Soler. It was fresh, funny, plant-related and had photos. What's not to love?

It's not surprising to me that printed media is being replaced by digital media, but I'm a little surprised that Domino didn't try to make a go of it online. Perhaps their publishing company has other online mags they want to focus on...

The good news is that Ivette will reportedly have her new website, thegerminatrix.com, up in about a month. And she's a landscape designer, right? So she still has her day job. Anyone who can say that these days is lucky.

NORCAL Trade Show

2009-01-26T14:15:00.000-08:00

Hey, all you avid, avid gardeners...

Farmer Fred reminded me that the NORCAL Horticultural Trade Show-- which he says is "free...except for parking and the time & money to drive there..."-- is this Thursday in San Mateo.

Go... drool... dream... see what your nurseries are going to be carrying this Spring... and be sure to take pics.

Strybing Arboretum podcast

2009-01-14T11:06:00.000-08:00

Did you know Strybing Arboretum has a podcast? I didn't, until just now when I got their newsletter. I'll give it a listen. If it's a video podcast, then just pinch me... but it's probably audio.

Tule fog of the garden blog

2009-01-13T17:21:00.000-08:00

Haven't done a dot of gardening lately. It's cold. It's wet. The dominant color in my garden is brown, excepting those evil little green baby weeds in the backyard beds and walkways.

I suppose I should hula hoe them... and prune my roses, and yet...

It may take awhile for something or someone to pull me out of this gardening funk. Right now I am uninspired and yet... restless. Luckily, the garden doesn't really need me right now. My houseplants do, though, so I continue to water my orchids and my new Stapelia cuttings and the cute little carnivorous plant a friend gave me.

Too bad that little meat eater hasn't gobbled up all the ants that are wintering in my orchids. I'm not fanatical about poison, so the most they have to put up with at the moment is an occasional surprise monsoon from my kitchen sprayer. I keep meaning to buy some ant bait.

I do have a few photos to share from a recent trip to the newly greenified Academy of Sciences in San Francisco. Any place that checks you for butterfies on the way out of the elevator is cool in my book.

Take the Academy's advice to visit mid-week in the afternoon to avoid crowds. Planetarium and 3-D bug movie tickets are first come, first served.

4-story rainforest, which felt like being in a human terrarium. Dress accordingly.

5 butterflies

weirderrific plants...

Just your everyday albino alligator...

At the moment, I must scrounge up something edible for two unexpected guitar-wielding, teenage dinner guests. It's Finals Week, the kids get out early all week, and my son has friends over. Par... tay! Oops, I mean high school U.S. History finals rock!

I would have been frantically cramming all night back in the day. My son is a genius slacker. Slacker genius? Anyway, he almost never studies, which both frightens and impresses me.

To the new year... a new season... new life bursting forth from tight, dormant buds. Oh, and a new president! Can't wait to see what kind of rose is named after him. I bet they'll call it the 'Hope' rose. It better not be a bush rose. Make it a bicolor grandiflora or a hybrid tea, please.

A Day in San Francisco

2008-12-11T21:32:00.001-08:00

New Album 12/11/08 9:36 PM

A cathouse in Carmichael

2008-12-10T09:06:00.000-08:00

This is the cedar cat house kit I ordered online for my outdoor cat, Emily. She's an outdoor cat because she sprays and doesn't get along with our 19.5-year-old indoor cat, Bud. Emily does fine outside, though. She rolls around in the dirt, supplements her PetSmart diet with a bit of hunting, and knows her way around the culdesac. The neighborhood cats know this is Emily's place.

Still, I'll sleep better at night knowing she has a warm house to come home to. Carmichael gets cold in winter.

The kit I bought was pre-built, then disassembled, then shipped to me so I could whine and cuss and reassemble the thing. I was having a hard time with the square-holed screws (WTF? Not flat-head? Not Phillips-head?) UNTIL I discovered the custom drill bit included in the bag with the screws. My bad. Took me a lot longer than the projected 15 minutes, but I did it all by myself! I am woman, hear me grunt, curse and whine!

This is actually a semi-enclosed front patio area. A hopseed hedge conceals Emily's house from the street.

Emily's temporary housing, clearly judged to be inadequate.

Emily's first walk-through.

Emily's imagining living here.

I think she likes it, but she seems to be saying, "Hey, this pad's supposed to be heated. You better get crackin' on that, Angela."

Tree dahlias 2008, mission accomplished!

2008-12-10T08:34:00.000-08:00

Yay, my tree dahlias bloomed before they froze! The open buds pictured below, which were looking happy on the day I took these pics, are fairly withered this morning. Today's remaining unopened buds look like they could still open. Judging from the frosty feeling outside this morning, I'm not betting on that.

The lighting wasn't great when I shot these pics, but I couldn't really sit around all day waiting for better light.

My tree dahlias are so tall that turning on my flash didn't help much.

Lower leaves look a little funky. A fussier person than I would probably get on a ladder and remove them.

Look what I scored on ebay

2008-11-27T10:58:00.000-08:00

After seeing Cheryl's bloom in person, ebay called out to me. For $9.99 plus shipping, here's what I got. I hope to be able to share stem sections as the plant matures. This highly-rated ebay seller also offers lots of epi varieties. http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/mattslandscape

Ebay description:

GIANT STAPELIAD - Has 10"+ diameter blooms, likes simular soil mix as Epis-kinda rich it likes fertilizer in warm months, little or no fert in cold months. Blooms from July to Nov. and occassionally at other times (in my climate,bloom times maybe longer shorter depending on your location). Like most Stapelias it has a pungent smell the first day the blooms open to attract insects to reproduce itself, but mainly its only the first day open. The blooms are huge and look like 5" balloons before opening. Easy to root and grow, just change the soil in spring if you want lots of blooms and fertilize when you fertilize your other plants, not a picky plant likes alot of water too except Dec to feb when its resting or semi-dormant, just dont let it go completely dry. The pictures below shows one close up and a full shot to show how it grows, its in a large 24" opening basket to give you an idea of scale/size. The stems can grow even longer but they interfere with other plants i may have beneath it so i cut them off, new shoots emerge laterally from the main stem,self branching and self duplicating but if you want alot give it some help and you will have even more. Almost too easy to grow, doesnt really need maturity to bloom only fert and rootbound helps so many plants in one basket is best. One thing that can kill it- cannot go below freezing! Other than that its foolproof! Really easy to grow. If you remove some early developing buds on each stem leaving only one you can get 12" + blooms too!

This auction is for 1 large branch 10"+ Long of GIANT STAPELIAD with at least 3 + stems attached ,all the stems if separated can be rooted, but this will be sent as a big piece. GIANT STAPELIAD Is an easy to grow Stapelia that grows and roots very easy and is a reliable bloomer every season.

Buyer pays $5.95 s/h to the lower 48 states, i'am willing to ship to more areas but additional shipping cost may apply. After first auction shipping is actual cost via U.S.P.S. Priority mail, just let me know when your ready and i'll combine all for you.

Please e-mail me if you have any questions

THANKS FOR LOOKING AND HAPPY STAPELIAD & EPI GROWING!

Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-27T10:21:00.000-08:00

Lots to be thankful for. Like Obama. And tree dahlias opening before the first frost. And family and friends. And food!

Before I embark on a new stuffing recipe (see below) that I'm bringing to my family's Thanksgiving dinner at 3:00 p.m. Lynch time (a rather nebulous concept of time), I wanted to share a few pics I just snapped in the yard.

Today is misty and overcast, with lots of dew. The moment you step out back, it feels like you're getting a fancy facial. Or, what I imagine a fancy facial to feel like should I ever get one.

I also wanted to share a link to Anne Lamott's Thanksgiving piece in Salon. I was wondering when we'd hear from her after this oh, so nerve-jangling election and was pleasantly surprised to come across this in my feed reader in box.

Way high up in the sky... my tree dahlia's beginning to bloom.

My cigar plant guarantees hummingbirds will visit my garden today. I feel better knowing they're well fed.

Valley oak leaves resting on an Acanthus leaf.

Oak leaves often pile up on my Cordyline plants this time of year.

Salvia leucantha and Tibouchina urvilleana going purple-crazy in my garden right now.

Where's the bird bath?

Oh, yeah... my stuffing recipe. Fine Cooking has this really fun, interactive Create Your Own Recipe feature where you pick your own ingredients.

Here's what I concocted:

Bread Stuffing, Just the Way You Like It

My Recipe: Sausage, Pine Nut and Sage Stuffing

Serves eight to ten

ingredients

16 oz. French bread
1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and crumbled
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cups chopped celery
2 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup pine nuts, lightly toasted
3 Tbs. chopped fresh sage
1/2 cup chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
2-1/2 cups low-salt turkey or chicken broth (homemade or canned)
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 tsp kosher salt; more as needed
freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter (optional)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
vegetable oil or cooking spray, for baking dish

instructions

Tear or cut the bread into 3/4-inch pieces until you have 8 to 10 cups. If working a day ahead, lay the pieces out on a rack and leave them uncovered on the counter to dry overnight. Otherwise, spread the bread out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake in a 275° F oven, stirring every 10 minutes or so, until it is crisp and mostly dry; it will continue to dry a bit as it cools. Depending on how moist the bread is to begin with, oven-drying takes 15 to 45 minutes.

In a large skillet, cook sweet Italian sausage over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and fully cooked. Add the garlic, celery, and onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're slightly softened but still have some crunch. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and stir in pine nuts.

Add the bread to the large mixing bowl, along with the sage, flat-leaf parsley, and lemon zest, and toss well. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pour 1-1/2 cups of the broth, plus the wine, over the stuffing. If the liquid isn't immediately absorbed and pools at the bottom of the bowl, you have enough; just toss the mixture occasionally for a few minutes until the liquid is absorbed. At first, the bread cubes may feel wet on the outside and still be dry on the inside, but they'll even out as the stuffing cooks. If the bread immediately sucks up the initial 2 cups of liquid, add another 1/2 cup of broth and taste the mixture. The bread should be moist but not soggy. Add up to another 1/2 cup of broth if necessary.

Taste the mixture and add salt and pepper as needed. If the mixture doesn't taste as rich as you'd like, add enough melted unsalted butter to suit your taste. Once you're satisfied with the flavor of the mixture, stir in the beaten eggs.

Sunday at Cheryl's place...

2008-11-25T09:22:00.001-08:00

is always colorful. In between trying to attract some particular bird visitor with a tub of Birdacious Bark Butter, knocking over a cement egret (or whatever that thing is), and making sure Phoebe the dog didn't literally bowl me over with canine enthusiasm, Cheryl walked the yard with me to scout for blooms and other camera-worthy slices of the garden.

Here are just a few. The big deal that got me out of the house on this lazy Sunday was the fact that the Stapelia her daughter gave her was in bloom for the first time. That, alone, made it worth getting out of my pajamas. I had to see that thing in the flesh. Oh, and it was nice seeing Cheryl too. ;-)

It may look like she's strangling that bird, but she's actually trying to keep it from falling over. I think.

11 inches!

Carrion Plant (Stapelia gigantea)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stapelia_gigantea

I was hoping for a hint of its reported "rotting meat" scent and maybe a few flies, but it didn't smell like anything. I'll bet if we get a warm day, though, Cheryl might end up moving that beauty off the front porch.

Lost in Translation

2008-11-13T11:29:00.001-08:00

OK, you guys gotta check out this French blog post about my blog. Can't read a lick of it, but it looks like a really cool blog!

http://paradisexpress.blogspot.com/

As bloggers, we have the ability to see who's linking to our blogs, and my curious nature has me checking every now and then, especially when I'm avoiding an unpleasant task or tasks.

When I followed the link, I saw that the post was written in French, a language I had a brief fling with in my freshman year of high school. Needless to say, French and I parted way as friends, but with my foreign language skills virginity still intact. In other words, I have no idea what this blogger was saying about my blog.

So I Babel Fished it. The translation sheds a little light, but remains fascinatingly cryptic.

From this...

"Très joli blog d'Angela Pratt, qui vit vers Sacramento dans le nord de la Californie où elle ballade son appareil photo. c'est chez elle que j'ai repéré cette graminée barbapapa."

I got this...

"Very pretty blog d' Angela Pratt, which lives towards Sacramento in the north of California where it ballade its camera. c' is at it that j' located this graminaceous barbapapa."

Better French students than I... I need a better translation and I've got to know what is meant by this "graminaceous barbapapa"! It sounds so... so... well... kind of Italian, actually. Not that I speak Italian.

Coupon alert- Windmill Nursery

2008-11-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite local nurseries is offering a 20% off coupon through my gardening website, SacramentoGardening.com! I've never charged nurseries for a listing on my homespun site, but I decided it was a genius idea to offer coupon space. Why? Because it benefits you, the gardener... me, the web slave... and any nursery wanting to increase foot traffic.

Windmill is a family-run nursery, manager Andrew has a hort. degree from UC Davis, their plants are meticulously cared for, and they carry a wide selection of... well... everything-- native plants, interesting perennials, Annie's Annuals and perennials, water plants, Christmas trees, herbs, bonsai starters, succulents, trees, shrubs, grasses, gifts, seeds, bulbs, organic products and more. They had me at Annie's Annuals, really, but I also really appreciate all the other stuff. See my Windmill-related blog posts.

Anyway, check it out! Print that baby and get over there before the coupon expires. It's still fall, which we all know is the best time for Californians to plant just about everything. It's also a great time to do a little Christmas shopping and Windmill goes all out this time of year.

When you use your coupon, report back and let us know what you got!

November splendor

2008-11-09T09:51:00.000-08:00

My tree dahlias (Dahlia imperialis) are right on schedule. I first noticed buds at the beginning of November... way high up in the sky... approaching twenty feet... despite the fact that I cut them back in summer in an apparently futile attempt at shorter, bushier plants.

So, yeah, this is year three and I think it's safe to say that tree dahlias will grow for extreme gardeners in Sacramento. They're crazy fun-- way too tall, prone to toppling from strong wind gusts, and might be snuffed out at the first cold snap before the buds open. But OMG, when you see those sky-scraping pink flowers you'll want to yell, "The tree dahlias are blooming! The tree dahlias are blooming!" with the same level of excitement Navin Johnson expressed when the new phone books arrived.

Mexican bush sage (Salvia leucantha), pink sedum (now yellow, with brown seedheads), and spent agapanthus

In the last few years, I've been trying to provide overwintering hummingbirds with a source of homegrown nectar. Why? Because I'm too lazy to keep fresh nectar in my hummingbird feeders. The mixing... the boiling... the pouring... the storing. The doing it all over again. Ugh.

So far, Salvia and Cuphea have made November more nectarrific and colorful. Since November 4, doesn't it seem like everything is just a little bit more sparkly?

Giant Cigar Plant (Cuphea micropetala)

Hummingbird Sage (Salvia spathacea)

It's a big, bushy, sprawling plant with lovely gray-green leaves.

Purple oxalis and Corokia cotoneaster in a pot.

Mushrooms, oak leaves, and nasturtiums

Greenlee event recap

2008-10-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed John Greenlee's grass talk on Saturday at the lovely Sierra 2 Center in Curtis Park. Greenlee seems to be aiming to broaden our concept of what a "lawn" can be. It doesn't have to be fertilized and watered and mown within an inch of its life; Instead, you can simulate a mini-meadow using undulating waves of ornamental perennial grasses. And while you're at it, why not sprinkle in a few native bulbs or wildflowers? How does mowing once a year sound?

Achieving a meadow look on a small scale, and in a way that dares to please even your fussiest neighbors, can be accomplished. But you want to have a plan in place before you kill your sod.

Read all you can about ornamental grasses, see what's native or suited to our Mediterranean climate, and seriously consider calling an APLD member for help. Many APLD designers attended Mr. Greenlee's seminar and are probably pretty fired up about ornamental grasses and meadow gardens. Hey, if Greenlee's famous clients like Diane Keaton can kick the grass habit, so can we.

One of the grasses Greenlee talked about a lot was California native grass Carex pansa. It's cute and he had some for sale at the post-seminar plant sale. One audience member asked for a deer-resistant grass recommendation. Know what he said? Deergrass, Muhlenbergia rigens. They may bed down in it, but apparently they won't eat it. Your roses, on the other hand...

You can get a taste of Greenlee's presentation by checking out his website's Products page. There's a slideshow, plant list and plant gallery.

Eye-catching yards

2008-10-30T11:35:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd share a couple garden elements that caught my eye on a recent bike ride through a nearby neighborhood. Right now with the leaves turning, flowers still blooming and ornamental grasses in peak plumage, it's a great time to hop on your bike or go for a walk in the greater Sacramento area. Hurry, before winter chaps all our... um... grasses.

How cool is this rock wall planted with Echeveria?!

Beautiful example of an autumn-focused plant palette

Too distracted to garden much

2008-10-24T12:10:00.000-07:00

My thoughts lately have been consumed not by gardening, but with the election. I'm fine to ignore my garden right now. It's autumn and plant growth has slowed to an enjoyable pace. The election, though, is peaking with only two weeks left before perhaps the most important vote in our lifetime. There can be no Garden Bliss when one is in Election Hell.

To soothe myself, I read my Mark Morford, my CNN... I watch my SNL, my Daily Show... I bite my fingernails... while my bulb auger sits in the garage untouched.

I count the Obama yard signs on the morning drive to my son's school. I curse their absence every time a thief sweeps through in the night, leaving the inexplicable McCain/Palin signs untouched.

And this is California, where Obama is in like Flynn. Still, I fret. Like Obama said, "Don't get cocky". When someone steals your yard signs, buy more. When someone sprays hateful graffiti all over your fence, repaint as soon as possible.

Like these guys did.

What prompted me to grab my slightly dusty camera this morning was the un-ignorable light shining on a few unexpected orchid cactus blooms and buds. In late October! While walking the yard, I discovered my little Annie dog in one of my half-barrels, triumphantly digging up an acorn planted by a squirrel she hopes to finally catch one day. To Eukanuba-fed Annie, pure sport; To the squirrel, an investment lost to a fatcat chihuahua.

We all have our dreams and desires... sometimes clashing and sometimes meshing. At least I know I'm not alone. Here's someone who has a worse case of Restless Voter Syndrome (RVS) than I do.

Digging Dog Nursery at McKinley!

2008-10-22T12:55:00.000-07:00

FYI, Sacramento gardeners... here's a reminder from the Sacramento Perennial Plant Club that one of our most fabulous northern California nurseries is giving a talk on Fall color in the garden. Yes, there will be plants for sale!

October Program Speaker
Deborah Whigham, owner Digging Dog Nursery
Fall Color in the Garden
Shepard Garden and Arts Center
McKinley Park
Thursday October 23, 2008 at 7:00 PM

Deborah Whigham and her husband Gary Ratway are the owners of Digging Dog Nursery, a family run mail-order plant nursery. Situated on the Mendocino Coast in Northern California, their mail-order nursery has been growing high quality perennials, ornamental grasses, shrubs, trees, and vines for 20 years. If you are visiting the Mendocino area, call the nursery to schedule a visit. This is a wonderful nursery. Deborah loves to encourage gardeners to plant for fall color and will share her knowledge of plants using pictures and plant material she will clip from her own garden and the nursery gardens. Deborah will also bring plants for sale.

http://www.sacramentoperennialplantclub.org/
http://www.diggingdog.com/

John Greenlee Event: Sacramento

2008-10-13T14:33:00.000-07:00

(Photo from greenleenursery.com)

The California chapter of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers (APLD) is hosting The California Lawn Revolution, a seminar and plant sale by renowned ornamental grass expert John Greenlee.

When? Saturday, October 25
What time?

10-12 pm Seminar by John Greenlee.
12 pm John's collection of grasses available for purchase.

If you're an ornamental grass fan, you probably already own Mr. Greenlee's book, The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses: How to Grow and Use Over 250 Beautiful and Versatile Plants

If you're interested in joining the California Lawn Revolution, you won't want to miss this seminar and plant sale.

Here's the blurb from the APLD website:

John's passion to reinvent America 's lawn culture will educate and inspire you to do the same.
Founder of Greenlee Nursery, the West Coast's largest ornamental grass nursery.
The John Greenlee Collection of Grasses is sold nationally by Proven Winners and Smith & Hawken.
Author of the best-selling book The Encyclopedia of Ornamental Grasses and the upcoming Meadows by Design.
His award-winning garden designs have been featured in numerous publications including Sunset & Garden Design.
His clients include Disneyland, San Diego Zoo, Getty Center , Hess Winery, Eric Clapton & Steven Spielberg.

John's collection of grasses will available for purchase following the event.

Cost: The seminar is $20 in advance or $25 at the door.

Mail check to Sacramento APLD, 3755 Esperanza Dr., Sacramento, CA 95864.

There is a private reception and champagne brunch from 9-10am for APLD members and guests. No charge for APLD members with paid admission to the event, limited to the first 50 members to respond. $10 charge for guests.

Location: Sierra 2 Theatre, 2791 24th Street, Sacramento, CA 95818

Sponsored by: Sacramento District

View Larger Map

Rio Americano High School Garden Tour

2008-09-26T08:12:00.001-07:00

My son's high school is having a garden tour this Sunday! Come check out the gardens, art, chat with Master Gardeners, enjoy refreshments, and melodious live performances by the current crop of Rio's award-winning band members.

Outdoor Living Tour 2008

The annual Rio Americano Garden Tour will be held Sunday, September 28th from 11:00am to 4:00 pm. Unique gardens with exquisite design and imaginative detail in the neighborhoods surrounding the Rio Americano attendance area. Master Gardeners will be available at the gardens to answer questions and provide tips along with outdoor- related vendors. In addition, entertainment will be provided by Rio’s award winning bands. The proceeds will benefit the Rio Americano PTSA Landscape Projects and the General PTSA Fund.

Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door.

For further info please contact Debbie Munter, dmunter@surewest.net or Dania Lukey dlukey@surewest.net

2009 Master Gardener Calendar

2008-08-26T12:50:00.001-07:00

(Colorful cover art and interior black & white and semi-transparent illustrations by Susan Poirier)

I'm enjoying my advance copy of the 2009 Sacramento County UC Master Gardeners Gardening Guide and Calendar. This year's popular theme is "Savoring Home Grown". Printed on off-white recycled paper with embedded bits of color flecks, each month features harvest-ready vegetables.

For instance, September tells you it's time to harvest melons, how to determine ripeness and how to store your melons once picked. There's plenty of space to add your own notes on the calendar pages.

In addition to Harvest This Month, other categories include:

Garden Maintenance
Pest Notes
Be Water Wise
Try Something New

At the back of the calendar, you'll find two very handy charts-

Vegetables: A Guide for Cultivation in the Sacramento Area Sacramento Vegetable Planting Schedule (Yes!)

And finally...
How to Have a Happy Lawn

Calendars are available at the UC Cooperative Extension Office, 4145 Branch Center Road, Sacramento, 875-6913 and soon at most nursery locations in the Sacramento County area.

Here's to a delicious new year!

UC Davis Good Life Garden

2008-08-25T08:55:00.000-07:00

Hey, fellow foodie gardeners... check this out!

Click on thumbnail for large version (PDF) or visit the website: http://goodlifegarden.ucdavis.edu/events/

When: Saturday, September 27, 2008
Where: Sciences Lecture Hall & Courtyard
Time: 4:30 pm
Includes: Three speakers and a "Taste of the Region"
Cost: $75 per Person

You can buy tickets online.

NatureSweet's Homegrown Tomato Challenge

2008-08-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

Hey, a fellow Carmichaelian won the grand prize!

$6,000 IN PRIZES AWARDED TO BEST BACKYARD GARDENERS

NatureSweet Tomatoes congratulates Bob Peruch of Carmichael for winning the $2,500 grand prize in the small tomato category at the August 23 Homegrown Tomato Challenge. Peruch won the competition with his Gardeners Delight variety of tomatoes. NatureSweet Tomatoes also congratulates Lin Cole of Citrus Heights for winning the other $2,500 grand prize in the large tomato category. Cole won the competition with her unknown variety of tomatoes. This year’s competition was held at the Raley’s located at 25025 Blue Ravine Road in Folsom.

While Peruch and Cole can now claim to be two of America’s best tomato gardeners, they each faced stiff competition by the following runners-up, who all received a $250 store voucher for their premium tomato entries: August Spagnolo (Sweet 100), Kaitlyn Shupe (Small Cherry),Jan Decker (Bonnie Hubby),and Bryan Sattler (Black Krim).

Six finalists were chosen from 280 entries. NatureSweet’s distinguished judges included Pat Rubin, The Sacramento Bee; Robbie Guggenheim, Edible Sacramento; Michael Marks, Your Produce Man; Al Pierleoni, The Sacramento Bee; Judy McClure, Sacramento County Master Gardeners, Chuck Person, Sacramento Kings Assistant Coach; and Michael Schutt, Raley’s.

Finalists were chosen based on a Brix test which determines tomato sweetness -- the higher the Brix number, the better the taste. The finalists were then taste-tested by the judge’s panel. All tomato entries – approximately 600 pounds of tomatoes – were donated to the Twin Lakes Food Bank after the Challenge.

Now in its sixth year, the popular Homegrown Tomato Challenge continues to trek across the country as NatureSweet seeks out America’s best homegrown tomatoes.

What's my name?

2008-08-24T17:09:00.000-07:00

I'm cute, about a foot tall, have slightly succulent-looking foliage, and am growing in full sun at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens in Fort Bragg, California. Sadly, I have no identification. Can anybody tell me my name, preferably in Latin?

North Star Nursery

2008-08-19T13:32:00.000-07:00

Finally... both free time and motivation bumped into each other at the same and I'm blogging more of my Mendo trip. After my second visit to the nearby Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens, I popped into North Star Nursery. I was looking for fairy wands (none in stock), but left with a few succulents and a fun new phormium. Love the peace sign... and how great are those pillow stepping stones... and no, they wouldn't be "so easy to make". You go right ahead.

Nouvelle Images Home Stickers

2008-08-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

At super cool Racine's Office & Art Supplies in Fort Bragg, CA, I was wowed by their display of Nouvelle Images Home Stickers. These larger than life photo-realistic wall stickers are fabulous! I was torn between their selection of iceland poppies, saucer magnolias, stones and orchids, and Japanese anemones. In the end, the Japanese anemones lured me with their pink daintiness. When in doubt, pick pink I always say. Works especially well for flowers, lipstick and cute tops. May not work as well with cars, houses and financial portfolios.

Check these out. Seriously, you're gonna love 'em. If you can't find them locally, try amazon.com or allposters.com.

Naked Ladies

2008-08-13T09:01:00.000-07:00

My Naked Ladies (Amaryllis belladonna) are blooming right now in my Carmichael yard, and they were also blooming (some just spiking) in Mendocino during my trip a couple weeks ago. I wanted to point out this website showing pics of a wide variety of Naked Lady hybrids. The link appeared at the end of a recent S.F. Chronicle article. My friend, Weeder, has some and I wonder if they're as tough as A. belladonna. They're pretty... and tempting to someone who doesn't just garden, but also collects. Pictured above is a variety growing in Weeder's garden. x Amarcrinum?

A mere morsel...

2008-08-11T20:53:00.000-07:00

of Mendocino. Here I am (behind my sexy camera), shopping at the nursery... at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens. Have I died and gone to Heaven? Yes! Wait... there's more... they happen to serve the best handmade ice cream on the planet... in the most beautiful place (I've seen so far) on the planet. I highly recommend the coffee ice cream. Extensively researched. The grilled cheese panini sandwich was no slouch, either. Hey, and you know what? The man next in line was from Sacramento. Small world... town... whatever. Stay tuned for more pics.

Gone Mendocinoing...

2008-07-27T12:41:00.000-07:00

Leaving tomorrow... for a whole week! See past adventures here.

Smith & Hawken, Roseville, CA

2008-07-19T11:58:00.001-07:00

(Photo from City of Roseville website)

Smith & Hawken is opening a store in our area. I would have applied for a position in a heartbeat if they weren't putting the store in Roseville... at The Galleria. Ugh. We're never going to revitalize downtown and cut down on driving if all the stores people will drive out of their way for (Sur La Table, Bare Escentuals, Nugget Market, etc.) head for the burbs. Thank goodness the Apple Store is at Arden Fair. That's at least somewhat centrally located.

Anyway, if any horticulturally inclined people in the Roseville area are looking for work and can stand the soul-crushing Galleria Mall five days a week, check out the job ads on Craigslist. Several positions open.

Are you serious?

2008-07-14T09:38:00.000-07:00

You haven't planted any lilies in your garden? Tsk tsk.

Backyard Pano

2008-07-14T09:21:00.000-07:00

Just went out into my backyard, turned in a complete circle while taking shots and popped those shots into Photoshop's photo stitching thingy. The results are crude, but fun.

I love that Annie (my little b&w dog) was walking across the lawn with a rawhide shoe in her mouth at the time. I didn't even see her when I was taking the pictures.

What I should have been doing during the cool morning hours... instead of taking pictures... is deadheading and weeding. Just felt like taking it all in instead.

Angela's Outdoor Kitchen

2008-07-14T09:14:00.000-07:00

Someday, I'm gonna git me one of them gas grills...

Foodie Gardeners

2008-07-09T13:48:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the King Arthur Flour blog? I just subscribed. OMG... so much deliciousness. Their Sir Lancelot flour makes great pizza dough and there's a recent blog entry on grilling pizza outdoors. Yum! http://blog.kingarthurflour.com/

California Heartland is back

2008-07-06T10:22:00.001-07:00

Hey, I was just listening to Farmer Fred on the radio and he mentioned that KVIE's California Heartland show is back! The KVIE intro video mentions new faces and the inclusion of backyard gardening. Looks like Farmer Fred is the new gardening host. He keeps warning everyone that he has a face for radio, but I think he looks great.

The cooking segments look like they're being hosted by the woman who does cooking spots for Raley's and whose name escapes me. Anyway, check it out! I'll be adding California Heartland to my DVR lineup.

Starts tomorrow.

Black Widows Killed

2008-07-04T20:12:00.000-07:00

Photo is from UC IPM website (see link below)

2 today, 1 the other day. They're everywhere right now. When I see them, I screech, do a little dance and run for the can of Spider Killer. Wonder if anybody makes an organic Black Widow spray. I let nearly everything live in my garden. Except Black Widows.

Venom from its bite can cause reactions ranging from mild to painful and serious, but death is very unlikely and many symptoms can be alleviated if medical treatment is obtained. Anyone bitten by this spider should remain calm and promptly seek medical advice; it is helpful if the offending spider can be caught and saved for identification.

http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7442.html

I don't know... I think they're dancing around the whole death issue...

Fireworks in the Garden...

2008-07-04T12:52:00.000-07:00

...courtesy of nature, well, and our friendly neighborhood plant hybridizers. When my daylilies, agapanthus and lilies bloom, I know summer's here for real. The lilies have come back on their own for a few years and the agapanthus are fairly new additions. I absolutely love agapanthus and don't care one whit that it's common. My orange Lion's Tail (Leonotis) is pretty fun too. You can just tell it doesn't take itself too seriously.

More front yard ridiculousness

2008-07-02T08:35:00.000-07:00

Reason... OK, more likely public pressure... prevails:

Sacramento won't fine couple who let lawn die
By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com
Published 12:00 am PDT Thursday, July 3, 2008
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1

Sacramento couple who let lawn die to save water face $746 fine
By Matt Weiser - mweiser@sacbee.com

Published 12:00 am PDT Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Story appeared in MAIN NEWS section, Page A1

Their small brick home was declared a "public nuisance" in violation of city code section 17.68.010, which states that front yards "shall be irrigated, landscaped and maintained."

Irrigated? Check; she waters her ferns and hydrangeas.
Landscaped? Check; plants, trees and mulch.
Maintained? Check; plants alive... mulch behaving in an appropriately mulch-like manner. I see no violation here. Move along.

Love the hand-watered lawn next door. Kudos to the photographer.

I think she should install a chocolate garden... nothing but brown-colored flowers and foliage. No law against that. Or is there?

If it's watered and maintained and irrigated, then it's legal, correct? Seems to me the perceived offense is the lack of green. If so, then her neighbors with bermudagrass-infused lawns (a common sight in East Sacramento) are breaking the Green Law every winter unless they reseed with annual ryegrass in time to cover up... the brown. Ooh, maybe she should plant a combination of bermudagrass, oxalis and nutsedge. What a green lawn that would be. Ridiculousness.

Hey, Sacramento Veggie Gardeners

2008-06-30T17:07:00.000-07:00

To those of you who were missing my SacramentoGardening.com veggie page while I was switching to the new design, I just got it back up. I renamed the page Edible Gardening, so note the new link.

http://sacramentogardening.com/edible_gardening.html

Daylilies at dusk

2008-06-26T11:20:00.001-07:00

The California fires are leading to some pretty colorful sunsets. At dusk yesterday, my backyard was bathed in an eerie orange glow. Even my orange daylilies were extra orange.

How could I switch to summer color when these pansies are still going so strong?!

My verbena would be looking a little more lush if I could just remember to hook... up... drip at the front of that bed.

The other day, I cut back my tree dahlias. They've grown taller each year and since I really don't need them to reach 20+ feet, I thought I'd try this. They were already a bit frighteningly tall, and it's only June. Now they're a little over 6 feet, and beginning to bush out.

Interesting water-saving article in Chronicle

2008-06-12T13:01:00.000-07:00

UC Davis offers water-saving wisdom
San Francisco Chronicle
Ron Sullivan,Joe Eaton
Wednesday, June 11, 2008

If we want to save the bees...

2008-06-08T10:28:00.001-07:00

... maybe we all need to plant more lavender. I'm seeing lots of bees around my lavender plants this year and remember noticing their lavender preference last year too. Wonder what lavender honey tastes like!

Here's one of this morning's visitors to my garden.

Calandrinia-- my ticket to freedom

2008-06-08T10:07:00.001-07:00

1. I took cuttings from this in-ground plant (1-gallon impulse purchase from Emigh Hardware):

2. I immediately stuck them in a couple plantless pots, and not long after am enjoying this:

I've decided to keep stuffing Calandrinia cuttings in pots and window boxes so I can go on summer getaways without worrying so much about what's croaking while I'm away. Plus, there's something so appealing about a plant with tough-as-a-camel grayish green foliage and incredibly delicate, poppy-like hot pink flowers. Tough, yet girly... like me. ;-)

Mendo Getaway

2008-05-19T14:21:00.000-07:00

Back from a painfully brief 3-night Mendo getaway... didn't plan on any serious picture taking during such a short visit, but I managed to snap a few pics of things that caught my eye on Main Street the day I was leaving. How could I not, faced with the riot of floral color and sense of fun that is Mendocino in springtime. Most of the time, though, I just went with the flow, which this time happened to revolve around shopping, dining, and relaxing. Not that I'm complaining.

Mendocino was experiencing a rare heat wave during our stay. I think it was pushing 90, which for non-air-conditioned businesses, is rough. I joked to our waiter at dinner that, "We're not used to this heat because we're from Sacramento." He paused for a second and said, "That's funny." Actually, we're not used to this kind of heat, this early in the season. We need time to acclimate.

When we left Sacramento on Tuesday, temps were mild. They have been all spring. Upon our return, we suffered through several post 100 degree August-like days. When the heat spell broke, we couldn't really enjoy the milder temps because they were accompanied by a maddening wind that sucked the moisture and good humor out of everything and everyone. Then, finally... clouds and a night of gentle rain. What a refreshing relief. Today, it's cloudy and a cool 63 degrees. My bike ride is postponed until tomorrow, but that's OK. Very bizarre, this thing called weather.

Nice landscaping outside a local Mendo shop.

The flowers, totems, gargoyles and other decorations in this local garden make it very popular with tourists.

A sun with antlers? Sure, why not.

Hey, you can never have too many gargoyles, right?

Envy. Yep, that's what this garden inspires.

Down another little alcove, I spotted this display of driftwood garden art. It must be fairly new because I've never noticed it before. Fun stuff!

That's 707-937-3869.

More late April blooms...

2008-04-27T15:09:00.001-07:00

Ah, Spring...

New to the garden... 'Summertime Blueberry' Osteospermum, next to Babiana stricta.

Calandrinia grandiflora... just now starting to bloom. Great plant-- pretty, drought-tolerant, easy to propagate (just pluck a sprig and stick in a pot).

Chinese ground orchids (Bletilla striata)

Bearded Iris

2008-04-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

Weeder, the bearded iris you gave me is blooming. Any idea which cultivar it is? Do you remember where you got it? Any bearded iris aficionados recognize this beauty?

'Sunny Sheila' Osteospermum companions

2008-04-18T14:19:00.000-07:00

Cloverann got me thinking about plant combos for Osteospermum 'Sunny Sheila'. Whattya think?

Top row: Royal Purple smoke tree (Cotinus coggygria 'Royal Purple')

Bottom row (left to right):

Good news for nurseries?

2008-04-18T12:50:00.000-07:00

Will more people-- of all ages, not just Gen X/Yers nursery consultants are urging nursery owners to woo-- start growing their own food? Gardening? Yup.

How I learned to stop worrying and love the recession
The market's in a slump and America's heyday is long gone. But I've found comfort in being a coupon clipper.
By Heather Havrilesky, Salon.com

Store-bought vs. homemade
Sometimes convenience makes sense -- and can even save cents
By Gwen Schoen - gschoen@sacbee.com, SacBee.com

Bring back the WWII-era victory garden
Philip S. Wenz
Saturday, April 12, 2008, SFGate.com

Saved

2008-04-16T09:11:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd pass this along...

You are receiving this because you signed the online petition at
savethecowpalace.com...



Dear Friend of the Cow Palace,

Great news!

The Senate Agricultural Committee today (4/15/08) voted to "approve" SB 1527
with amendments that protect the Cow Palace and most of it's parking lots,
and allow the potential sale of ONLY the 13 acres that the Cow Palace Board
has been working to lease to Daly City from the beginning!

In other words, the Cow Palace is saved and the Senate will continue to work
on lease or sale of 13 acres of the Cow Palace parking lot for a retail
center.

You, along with thousands of others, made your voice heard.
You helped save the Cow Palace!  All 5 Senators were delivered a BOUND copy
of all 2,800 signatures (and your comments!) received by
savethecowpalace.com

Thank you for signing the petition and for everything you did to help!


So, we can breathe a sigh of relief and perhaps write letters of thanks to
the 5 Agriculture committee members, but this is not the end of the issue
forever.

The amended bill has now moved to the Government Organizational Committee.
If the language is not amended again to require a lease of the 13 acres
instead of an outright sale, the Cow Palace will not have enough money over
time to pay for needed upgrades to it's facility and operations.

We will keep you posted and let you know if there is anything else you can
do once we have seen the actual amendment language.

In the meanwhile, say "Yeeee-Haaaaa".

We will continue to communicate about ways to assure a bright future for OUR
Cow Palace.

Spread the word!  If your friends that you tell the good news have signed
the online petition too, they will automatically receive updates as a
"Friend of the Cow Palace".

If they have not signed the petition, please tell them to do so! It will
stay up for a while and will put them on the email list for the ongoing
"Friends of the Cow Palace"!

Thank you again for everything you did to help!

Sincerely,

Kevin

Kevin Patterson
Friends of the Cow Palace
(formerly the Coalition to Save the Cow Palace)
http://www.savethecowpalace.com/
Email: info@savethecowpalace.com
--

Osteospermum 'Nuanza Copper Purple'

2008-04-12T16:38:00.000-07:00

During a much-needed plant-fondling trip to Berkeley Hort yesterday, I spied another gorgeous Osteospermum, 'Nuanza Copper Purple', in a planter. It's very reminiscent of 'Sunny Sheila' in its jewel-toned color blend and iridescence, but here purple dominates with just a hint of copper. Didn't take a pic, but here's a link to a pic. None in stock at B.H. that day, unfortunately, but I'll keep my eye out for it locally.

When Weeder and I left Sac, it was downright chilly; bizarrely, Berkeley was experiencing a scorcher! Note to Berkeley... we like you better when we need a sweater.

Fun site: http://www.capedaisy.com/

Osteospermum hybrid Sunny 'Sheila'

2008-04-09T16:28:00.001-07:00

I'm still loving Osteospermum hybrid Sunny 'Sheila'. The colors are amazing... much more intense and coppery in person than in photos and the way light plays with the petals is really fun.

Incentive to hand wash the dishes

2008-03-29T15:21:00.001-07:00

The secret to growing orchids? A sunny corner kitchen window. This magic orchid-growing window faces south and west. I water every few days with a quick squirt from the kitchen sprayer. For added humidity, the pots sit on pebble-filled drainage trays and I leave the accumulated water.

Every month or so, I rinse off my plants and give them a little liquid orchid food. I believe I've had the same container of orchid food my whole life. I should probably feed these guys more often, but likely won't. I would like to divide them soon; things are getting crowded, especially since I don't tie up my orchids like the pros do.

Hard to see, but on the lower right, my little Tillandsia plant is about to bloom! Other than these, I don't do houseplants.

Snippets of Spring

2008-03-27T19:14:00.001-07:00

My first plum crop on my "Backyard Orchard Culture"... um... orchard. Tastings to follow, I hope. I planted three varieties 18 inches apart and each tree has lots of little plums. Fingers crossed!

Edible violas in my window box

Freesiaaaaaaaaaaah...

Nasturtiums abound...

'Rainbow' Swiss chard is being enjoyed stir-fried by me, and raw by my little friend.

When life gives you olives...

2008-03-20T16:07:00.000-07:00

make olive oil!

http://oliveoil.ucdavis.edu/

UCD celebrates another year of turning olive mess into moneymaker
By Jim Downing - jdowning@sacbee.com
Last Updated 12:13 am PDT Thursday, March 20, 2008
Story appeared in Sacramento Bee BUSINESS section, Page D1

2008 SF Flower & Garden Show

2008-03-18T17:40:00.001-07:00

Another great annual return to the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show! Came home with two new orchids... the very ones I wanted to buy last year but didn't! Ah, orchid closure. Well, almost. There was a peachy, pinky cousin of these two that I had to leave behind until next year.

Masdevallia (veitchiana 'Pacific Giant' x 'veitchiana 'Bolin')

Masdevallia (Pixie Lavender 'Fine' x FalconSunrise 'Scarlet')

Of the display gardens at this year's show, the Zen Spa Garden was the most impressive (to me). Not only was it a welcome drop of Zen in a sea of Cow Palace excitement, but unlike many show gardens, this is one you would actually install in a real backyard here on planet Earth. Derviss + Chavez did a fabulous job and it was really interesting watching the project's progress on Derviss' blog.

The crowds weren't tooooooooooo bad for a Friday, but I still made a mental note to save the display gardens for last next year. There's nothing more frustrating than visiting an an exhibit that can only be glimpsed through a wall of people. Yes, Monterey Bay Aquarium, I'm talking about you too. Oh, to be able to vaporize peop... um... nevermind.

My new plan of attack will be to hit the vendors/seminars for a bit upon arrival, then have lunch, then hit the vendors/seminars some more, and finally... enjoy the gardens at a leisurely pace once the crowds begin to wane. Perhaps it'll be best to take a break for chocolate and coffee as well.

I always end up with sensory overload at the end of my Show visit, but it's a good kind of sensory overload... the kind that later inspires new touches in my own garden. And new orchids on my kitchen windowsill.

SLIDESHOW: Click slideshow below to launch.

VIDEO SLIDESHOW-- stills and a couple video clips to music (takes awhile to download)

Watch the video

Music: Demolition Man by The Police

It's hard to believe the Cow Palace might be torn down soon. For whatever it's worth, you can go to SaveTheCowPalace.com and sign the online petition. I did.

Vegetable-powered homes? Hmmm...

2008-03-16T09:00:00.000-07:00

(photo from http://frontiers.ucdavis.edu)

UC Davis Frontiers: Energy from table scraps

Bigfoot... he not dead?!!!

2008-03-12T10:10:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited that Graham Roumieu has a new bigfoot book coming out on April 29. If you haven't had the pleasure... be sure to start with some of his older titles.

Who knew?

2008-03-11T18:37:00.000-07:00

(photo from cowpalace.com)

... back in the early eighties when I was blissfully screaming my head off to AC/DC and The Police at the Cow Palace, that I wouldn't return to that fine rock & roll and livestock venue until I was all grown up and attending the San Francisco Flower & Garden Show each year like a proper dork. I mean grownup.

This Friday. I'll bring my dorky camera too.

Looks like Spring

2008-02-29T11:18:00.001-08:00

Isn't it nice when plants you like reseed or naturalize? Below are some flowers I'm enjoying that I planted a few years ago. And yes, I'm finally emerging from hibernation mode. It's totally mental because I live in northern California. All of a sudden, flowering quince, Japanese camellias, wild lupine, saucer magnolias and daffodils have exploded into color and that's just something you can't ignore.

I've even started torturing my teenage son on the drive to school by offering him twenty bucks to name neighborhood flowering trees, shrubs, annuals and perennials. One of these days, I'm going to have to pay up... because he's starting to remember the names.

On the pizza front, I'm making my first batch of homemade dough tonight using King Arthur's Sir Lancelot flour. Wish me luck. Or, rather, wish my son and his friends luck. They're my culinary guinea pigs.

LBAM spraying controversy heats up in Bay Area

2008-02-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

Migden battles aerial moth spraying
Jane Kay, Chronicle Environment Writer
Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Succulent Superstars

2008-02-20T13:53:00.000-08:00

VIDEO CLIP: Martha Stewart and actor Jeffery Tambor make terrariums using succulents from Annie's Annuals! Enjoy.

A little rant.

2008-02-15T08:22:00.000-08:00

I usually try to stay focused on the positive aspects of gardening, but this morning I feel like a little rant on this blurb that showed up in my Home & Garden feed. The Bee is calling for 100-word reader submissions on the topic of nosy neighbors. As stated, all submissions become property of The Sacramento Bee.

I've been seeing a lot more of this lately; Newspapers and magazines which have slashed or outright decimated their gardening content to the point where you can barely line a birdcage with the stuff, are now asking us to write their articles for them... for no pay... and they get to keep all rights to our submissions.

I don't think so. We need to nip this nasty journalistic habit in the bud.

Call to Readers: Curious neighbors?

Got a nosy neighbor, a world-class buttinsky? Seen them peering through fence slats, focusing the binoculars, hiding behind the drapes? If so, we want to hear about your neighborhood busybody for an upcoming Home & Garden story. Are they good, bad or just annoying? Please e-mail your story of 100 words or less to scene@sacbee.com. All submissions become property of The Sacramento Bee.

Here's another...

A little help from readers, please

Do you take your love of gardening to work with you? Is your workspace overflowing with greenery? I'd love to know - and see - how you decorate your cubicle or desk with plants for a coming story. Send me an email telling me about the plants on your desk or in your cubicle. Send along a photo if you can. Send comments and pics to h&g@sacbee.com and put "cubicle plants" in the subject line.

I'm also interested in hearing from readers who grow houseplants that bloom, especially during winter. Tell me about your plants and send a pic to h&g@sacbee.com, and put "indoor plants" in the subject line.

Be sure to include your full name and the city and state where you live. And thanks for the help.

No, thank YOU! And can I make you a pot of coffee and bring you your slippers after I write that article for you?

Yep, I've seen 'em.

2008-02-13T11:37:00.000-08:00

Warmer weather brings mosquitoes' buzz back
Drain standing water and wear repellent to fight the bite
By Hudson Sangree - hsangree@sacbee.com

Last Updated 6:07 am PST Monday, February 11, 2008
Story appeared in METRO section, Page B2

Pizza #2

2008-02-11T09:30:00.001-08:00

Hits: This one crisped up better than the first, probably because I transferred it to a pre-heated pizza stone after a few minutes (easier said than done). Also, pesto is just delicious on a pizza.

Misses: The T.J.'s Canadian bacon turned out to be a thicker cut than you normally want on a pizza, but it still tasted great. After awkwardly transferring the pizza from a metal pan to the pre-heated pizza stone, I accidentally turned my oven off for the remaining baking time. That made the pizza crust a little on the chewy side.

Next, I'm going to try making my own dough using my Kitchen Aid mixer. Oh, and I think I need a metal pizza peel.

02/13/08 edit:

Other things I've gleaned from the web recently:

Place pizza on lowest rack in oven.
Go easy on the sauce... less is more.
Don't cover the entire pizza with cheese... always make sure you can see through to the bottom so you don't create a seal.
Use bread flour (King Arthur's Sir Lancelot is preferred by some) instead of all-purpose flour
Heat up your pizza stone for about an hour before baking pizza.
If you're rolling out your pizza, don't flatten the edges.
A little sugar or honey helps activate your yeast.

I also discovered lots of interesting pizza video tutorials on the web. Some are funny, some are strange, some are slick productions, some are homespun, some are awful, and some are very instructive. Most of them will make you hungry.

In the slick and instructive category, you have Tyler Florence.

Tyler Florence Making Pizza Dough

Tyler Florence Making Mushroom Pizza

Pizza

2008-02-09T13:57:00.000-08:00

My home pizza baking project was overall a success. I was pleased with how large (approx. 16") and thin the crust was, but it didn't crisp up and brown on the bottom as much as it should have. This is probably why people use pizza stones... to try to replicate commercial pizza oven conditions. I think I have some brick-like pizza stones... somewhere... and will try to find them. I may also have taken it out of the oven a bit too soon.

Tonight, I'm making another pizza; this time with pesto instead of red sauce and Canadian bacon instead of turkey pepperoni. I might also get a little crazy and use kalamata olives in place of the regular ol' canned sliced black olives.

Meanwhile, I'll get back on PizzaMaking.com and see what they recommend for achieving a slightly crispier, darker crust.

Mmmmm...... pizza.

Pizza? Garden? Or a Pizza Garden?

2008-02-07T10:59:00.000-08:00

I have been feeling doubly guilty about not blogging much and not gardening at all lately. What can I say? Except for the first hint of green at the base of my dormant perennials and a few cruelly random sunny days, the garden is still looking pretty bleak and mucky and frost-worn.

I find myself indoors a lot, wearing my UGGs and my North Face winter coat. It's 59 degrees outside, for God's sake. What's wrong with me? I can be such a pansy sometimes.

Aside from recent quandaries about where to cast my vote in the California Primary, what to do with the rest of my life, and how to save Britney... and all the abandoned animals... and planet earth (not necessarily in that order), I have also been doing some serious thinking about pizza.

My taste buds are easily bored and since my son inherited the same trait, I've been trying to find ways to curb our trigger-happy gourmet pizza delivery dialing habits; especially considering I'm usually feeding his ginormously tall best friend too. Sure, we've tried take-n-bake, but the crust just doesn't have that artisanal taste or texture we're craving.

My brother, the ex-chef, says he's going to teach us how to make pizza from scratch. Won't that be some wholesome down-home family fun? Until then, I bought some Trader Joe's refrigerated pizza dough to try. Pizza fanatics on the fantastic site PizzaMaking.com say good things about T.J.'s dough. These people are deep into pizza. Read the forum and you'll see what I mean. I want to be just like them.

So far, I've assembled nearly all the ingredients and tools I need to make two 16" pizzas. It's become sort of fun tracking my expenses because it's looking like I can make two fully loaded pies for under eight bucks total.

By chance, I came across a little article about a pizza garden today. While theme gardens aren't usually my thing, it's a cute idea and reminded me that not only can I assemble my own pizzas when I feel like it, I can also grow some of the ingredients!

If you think about it, pizza is made from really basic stuff: dough, tomatoes, olive oil, cheese, herbs, veggies, and meat if you like. I'm no locavore, but it's neat to think that I'll be making sauce from my own tomatoes and herbs this summer. I miss you so much, fresh basil and tomatoes. And pizza? I want to marry you.

Anybody else out there still hiding inside? Anybody ever make their own pizza from scratch or part scratch? Anybody out there ever make their own pizza sauce from garden-grown tomatoes? If so, I salute you and would love to know how it turned out.

PlantSF

2008-01-29T10:34:00.000-08:00

PlantSF is reclaiming little patches of San Francisco greenspace where concrete has taken over. I like this. Even renters can get involved, with the landowner's OK.

http://www.plantsf.org/FeaturedProjects.html

River-Friendly Demo Garden and UC IPM Kiosk

2008-01-28T13:26:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I checked out EcoLandscape California's River-Friendly display garden at the Northern California Home & Landscape Expo. It's really great to see this topic reaching the general public at a home show.

The Sacramento UC Master Gardeners also had a booth nearby. I finally got a chance to try out the UC IPM kiosk! Woo hoo! It's super, super cool and much smaller in person than I imagined from the photo on the IPM website. It's the perfect size for a nursery counter! I want one... though I have no nursery... rats! Speaking of rats, after a test search, the machine spit out environmentally friendly control recommendations for rats. A friend of ours in East Sac. is having a rat problem.

The little machine works great. The touch screen is easy to use, buttons are fast and responsive, and the little printer is a very nice touch. Great job, UC IPM folks!