My Garden Diary

Today, pruned my 'Santa Barbara' peach tree. Since it is rather new and is also a semi-dwarf, I finish all in one day. My previous peach trees took at least two days to prune and often took three days.

Gave the liquidambar tree in front generous doses of sulfur and gypsum. These should help relieve the persistent chlorosis that affects this tree.

Usually, The Tree's leaves turn brown before they fall. This year, however, they turned golden yellow. They look very nice on The Tree. But then they fall!! When I looked onto my back lawn this morning, I saw only a mass of leaves, no grass.

The green trash bin (for the county's composting program) was already full from last Sunday (22 Dec), so when I raked — first in front and then in back — I had to create mounds of leaves. In front, there is a long mound on the driveway, marking the center line to guide us when we park our cars. On the patio in back, two mounds are approximately 2 feet high. On the paths surrounding the back lawn, the mounds have to be lower; otherwise, leaves would shift back onto the grass and smother it. No, I did not use any leaves to mulch the shrub and flower beds in back; the wind already distributed a generous layer of leaves there.

Pruned two more rose bushes in front.

Started winter pruning by cutting two roses in front.

Rain —
This season: 0.69
Week: 0.05

Raked more leaves in front. The Tree has not really started to drop leaves yet.

By this time last year, we already had 1.8 inches of rain, more than double this year's amount. Since last year was an exceptionally dry year, California is definitely headed for trouble with our water supply.

The rain that accompanied the cold, however, did not bring us anywhere near last year's very dry 2.9 inches by this date. If we do not get more rain, the coming year could be a record-breaking drought.

Raked more leaves in front. Besides filling the green bin for the county's composting program, I also used some leaves to mulch the oak, which is the source of most of the leaves. Western oaks such as this valley white oak require a heavy mulch of leaves to thrive.

Harvested herbs for seasoning a pork roast we plan to barbecue for dinner tonight. I noticed that the basil (Ocimum basilicum) is half frost-bitten. This annual has survived much later than usual, so I am not upset by the damage.

Fed the artichoke (Cynara scoymus) with a house-brand 21-0-6 lawn food. Feeding it now supposedly promotes more edible flower buds in the spring.

I was going to rake leaves in front, but the wind was strong enough to do the job for me.

November passed without any winter chill (temperatures below 45°F). We are also way below our normal rainfall.

Sifted compost, not from the compost pile but what I could not return to the pile after laying down the ground cloth under the pile (27 Oct). Then, I watered the pile quite thoroughly and also put some water into the barrel with the sifted compost. While sifting, I notice a large amount of seeds from The Tree. Wetting the sifted compost will promote those seeds to sprout — and then die — before I use the compost.

Gave the circular and camellia beds in back generous doses of gypsum. The soil in the circular bed is quite hard and needs to be broken up while the camellia bed always needs a fresh application to improve drainage. Unlike last year when I applied about 250 pounds of gypsum to all my beds and lawns, this year I will only apply it selectively.

As I passed the counter outside the kitchen window, I noticed that the upper plastic pan where I put up acorns to sprout (6 Oct) was slightly askew. I lifted it with its upper layer of peat moss and discovered that two acorns were moldy and two already had shoots. I left the upper pan off and discarded the two rotting acorn. I hope the other two survive the winter.

Something has been eating my oranges, not bugs but something large enough to carry an orange half-way across my back yard. I ate one for lunch today. Only three remain.

By this date last year, the accumulated rainfall (starting 1 Oct) was 0.83 inches, almost twice what has fallen in the same period this year. And last year was an extremely dry year; in some parts of California, it was the driest on record. While this past week's rainfall was quite welcome, the overall situation is cause for concern.

Also by this date last year, the accumulated winter chill (hours of temperatures at or below 45°F, starting 1 Nov) was just shy of 11 hours. So far this year, we have not had any winter chill at all, putting my peach tree at risk.

Several years ago, we received a potted Cymbidium orchid in bloom. After it finished blooming, it sulked for several years without any flowers. Right now, it has FOUR flower stalks in bud!

1 Nov: While walking through my garden in back to pick some kumquats (Fortunella margarita 'Nagami') to eat with my lunch, I noticed the 'Study in Black' bearded iris (I. germanica, 31 Oct) had been dug up and were lying on the soil surface. I could find only two of the three rhizomes. I replanted them and then stepped heavily on the soil to discourage further digging. The ranunculus did not seem disturbed. I'm not sure, but I think that whatever is digging up newly planted bulb-like plants is attracted by the scent of the bone meal at the bottoms of the plant holes.

Divided the 'Wenatchee Skies' bearded iris, something that I should have done a year ago. This time, I used superphosphate instead of bone meal at the bottom of the planting hole. I hope this switch will cause whatever creature that has been digging in my garden to leave the iris alone.