Gardening - wood ash can be good

Due to fires that consume my state, ash and smoke fill the air, making it unsafe to go outside. 

The sun is blotted out with only an orange glow that can be seen through the haze. 

But did you know that wood ash from forest fires can actually be good? 

I was thinking, this ash falling from the sky couldn't be good for the trees and plants but I was wrong. It's not like a dump truck full of wood ash is smothering the plants and trees. 

The ashes fall and gently distributes the only good we can get out of a wildfire. HOPE! 

Our plants, trees, scrubs, and the soil,  benefit - by the added nutrients as the falling ash repairs the soil, adding potassium, and a liming effect - that reduces soil acidity. 

Not to mention a natural pest repellent. 

Forest and wildfires are devastating. I'm just trying to find some positivity by having to stay indoors. 

The end of a bad season

 

I wish I could say this little harvest of red grapes were from this year. This was last year. 

We were really hoping this year would be bigger and better. 

The husband trellised them and we trained them at first...all was looking well. 

We had the baby grapes - and then the HOT weather came, which in itself isn't abnormal,

 we just obviously didn't protect the babes. 

Then they were invaded by little white bugs - when the water would hit them, they would be hundreds of these itty bitty buys that would fly out from among the vines and swarm me. It was disgusting. 

When the temperature finally went down into 98 yesterday,  we finally whacked the vines down. 

That is it. It is done. 

They are to the side of our house - FULL sun till around 6pm or so. 

No homemade grapevine wreaths this year. 

Sunflower Heaven

 

The Tall sunflowers are starting to bloom. Because they are so tall - about 7-8 feet, they bloom toward the sun, not necessarily facing me. In fact, most of them look like they will be facing south; that's understandable, but...

"come on guys, face me."  

Same sunflower seeds - these guys decided they wanted to grow shorter and stockier. You can see where some have turned their backs to me. 

"Hey dudes and dudettes, don't forget who planted you."

What can I say? I am in Sunflower Heaven and more are coming. 

The marigolds have been growing nicely. They had a rough start a month or so ago - I lost most of them due to the high heat. The little flecks of ash you see on the leaves are from some fires south of us.  We're safe - just the way the wind and breeze have been blowing upwards our way. We have ash everywhere. 

Too early to be winding down for Autumn

By the end of the month, if not sooner, I should have many more sunflowers in bloom. 

I am frustrated to say that, the patio won't be completed until the end of Sept or the first of October. 

My husband broke his toe and is off for 5 more weeks. Oh well, we're not doing anything anyway - 

but working on the patio was keeping him productive and not bored. 

I've slacked off as well - Maybe tomorrow I will get back into the yard - 

Meanwhile, there's always laundry! 

My Happy Sunflowers

 

You plant them and wait approximately 90-100 days. 

So much can happen - the birds for one, love the little seedlings with the seed still attached. 

One plot of sunflowers I planted - I only had 34 come up. 

Every morning I would go out and count and I'd lose a couple. 

At this date, I only have 15 in this particular plot.

Doesn't this sunflower just radiate "Happy?"  

Same type of sunflower, all planted at the same time - 

some grow really tall, and others came in shorter and stockier. 

The bugs tried to annihilate my flowers before their time. 

I as, their PROTECTOR came to their defense. 

You do have to keep a daily watch on them. 

They are big and strong but in some ways, just as fragile as any smaller more delicate flower. 

New plants

I needed some filler plants - I bought these three. 

All of them were on the "clearance table" at Lowes. $3.00 each. 

The sunflowers are starting to get really big now - 

and forming their future flower. 

The other day, I found a flying beetle infestation 

covering my sunflowers. 

Used some Neem oil and so far so good. 

I placed these in a pot - If I plant them directly in the ground, they could die, due to the extreme heat. Although they are drought lovers, I still want to give them some time. 

Can't beat Petunias - 

probably not the best filler plants to have in the 105+ heat 

here in Shasta County. 

Pretty little Zinnia 

This just sprouted in my garden bed. 

Is it a weed? It is big. Is it a tree? 

BEWARE!

Apparently people all over the country are receiving FREE SEEDS from China. I haven't yet but our local news has reported a couple of people have. 

They say DO NOT PLANT THEM! 

DO NOT THROW THEM IN THE GARBAGE! 

They will end up in our landfills. 

I found my Dad's sunglasses - A story about my House

I was digging in an old flower bed that used to have a thick hedge that we recently cut down when I unearthed a pair of sunglasses. I live in the house my folks lived in so no doubt these are my dads. He was always losing his sunglasses. I can imagine him saying, 

“So that’s where they were - I’ve been looking all over for them!”

 And my Mom saying, 

"Your father!"

It is special living in the house my parents lived in. This was their last home - they lived here about 15 years. I bought my sister's half after my mom passed in 2008. I've always been sentimental. I could have bought something new and different. There isn't anything unique about this house, only that my parents lived here and it felt like home to me. It wasn't the home I grew up in - but any place my parents were, was like "home." 

Sure we made changes - and put our stamp on it but somethings won't ever change. 

The waterfall and pond my dad built in the backyard. He was so proud of his pond and waterfall. We've maintained it and last year had to replace the pond liner. In 12 years, we've replaced the waterfall pump just one time. We added water hyacinths and water lilies, oh and the fish. 

The twin cedar trees he planted in the front of our house. Inosculation is a natural phenomenon in which trunks, branches or roots of two trees grow together. It is biologically similar to grafting and such trees are referred to in forestry as gemels, from the Latin word meaning "a pair." 

The Twin Cedars are smack dab in the middle of our front yard. My husband and I call our home, "The Twin Cedars Homestead." 

My dad's work shed is still here. Yeah, it needs to be painted. The whole house exterior needs to be painted once again. We last painted the house in 2009. 

The black iron American eagle is displayed over the garage gable.  The eagle needs to be taken down and touched up. 

My Dad loved Oleanders and he planted them all over the property. For one, they grow big and profuse like weeds here in our Mediterranean climate. These oleanders are close to 20 feet tall. 

So yeah, we could have bought a nicer, newer home, where we didn't have to do anything. But it would have lacked soul. 

I love my house - it's still a work in progress but we've loved it here, since 2008! 

Watching my sunflowers grow -

There is some progress in my sunflower garden. They are growing fast - still have to wait - late summer should be beautiful. 

It's hot again - 105+   I just can't do it. I started at 6:30 am but then took a side trip to both Home Depot and Lowes. Seems since the lockdown, everyone is gardening. At least in my area, many items in the garden departments are picked over. I didn't do any gardening yesterday because we had smoke blowing in from the wildfires that are burning east of us. Today, we were good. 

My backyard, while it is not picture perfect (yet) is still my happy place. The world can go to hell in a handbag (what does that even mean?) and if I am in my garden, I am calm, happy and life is worth living.  I feel the same about nature and going into the forests to get away.

I confess, during summer months I become addicted to anything gardening. I dream, sleep, eat gardening. I can't get enough. I want to roam more gardening centers - I'd travel miles if I could, just to scope out a new place. That goes for garden junk as well. 

The storm before the calm

My backyard is a mess! So many projects going on - it's a good thing we're not having people over. I'd be embarrassed. It is the "storm before the calm." It will get cleaned up soon as some projects are done. 

Husband is working on extending the existing patio to the planter on the other end. He painstakingly digs the grass up, lays down silicon sand and places the paver down. He is methodical. That area is exceptionally challenging because when my parents owned this house, they had rocks around the edges of the lawn area, that we just let the grasses grow up and between. What a chore. So, he sifts the dirt and the rocks - and keeps a pile of rocks in another area of the yard. Oy Vey! 

I've already improved this. 

Taken this morning, I hauled over a wooden pallet with plywood nailed to it and made a flat-level surface to work on. Removed the pavers (which was my husband's doing) I did not want them there. I laid down a weed barrier under the table and placed the pallet on top.  It is already looking better. 

 I dug around in my china cabinet and pulled out these aluminum chargers I got years ago at Sonoma and Williams - I never use them anymore. So I plan to edge the top of that garden area with them. It's still a work in process...

Saturday I bought a 4 x 4 raised garden bed at Home Depot. It's been so hot, I put it together last night in my living room and my husband helped me carry it out and place it in the yard. This morning, when this was taken, I placed some pavers to the side - I weed-whacked down to the bare dirt. I also decided to remove my dad's ladder. I will put that somewhere else. It's too precious to me so I believe I will place it under the house eves and place empty pots on it. 

For this summer, I plan to just fill the bed with dirt, plant various sunflowers for the Fall and start some blue morning glories by the picket fence. I already have some started in another area and our growing season is long. Should look real nice for my family bonfire and weenie roast which is usually in early October. 

My covered patio? That is junked up with tools and supplies. I want to power wash the cement - hopefully, next week. 

It's getting there. We're just not that fast - we poop out, plus it's HOT. We do what we can, but WE WILL GET IT DONE! 

Sunflowers

Woodland, Ca

I LOVE SUNFLOWERS. I am sunflower CRAZY! I've decided with my many flower failures in the past, sunflowers grow really good here in the Sacramento Valley of California. HOT DRY summers and an extra-long growing season.

I did not know this! According to the National Sunflower Association, most sunflowers are grown in the Dakotas but 95% of the seeds for all sunflower farms come from California—especially the Sacramento Valley. 

In terms of acreage, it’s the number-one seed crop in the state. 

My new little garden area above is under construction right now and has been delayed due to extreme heat (105+) I purchased a 4 x 4 raised garden bed I will install and I have a few mixed sunflower seeds that I will hopefully get planted this week. I like sunflowers to be blooming from June to October!

Just down the valley from me is a town in Yolo County, Woodland. They have many Sunflower Farms. Just off the I-5, you will see them in full bloom on both sides of the interstate - They are so beautiful. Great place to visit but NOW everything is closed.

Maybe something like this

I have some plans to incorporate my small garden area into an abundance of sunflowers next year. That's my plan.

All different types -

What a happy flower the sunflower is. So that's my plan for next year. I am tired of planting flower seeds that are just too delicate for our HOT summer heat.