Six on Saturday

Joining the Propagator and other gardeners around the world for another Six.

Cistus ladanifer – Crimson Spot Rockrose

Helianthemum

Verbascum “Southern Charm”

Penstemon heterophyllus “Electric Blue”

Lupine

Imperata cylindrica “Rubra”

Six on Saturday May 7th

Joining the Propagator and gardeners around the world for another Six.

The rain continues. The mountains are very green, frequently veiled in mist. The garden is responding to the moisture, lengthening days, and warming temperatures.

Cistus “Silver Pink” is covered in blossoms.

Opuntia in the rusty metal planter with new growth

Oregon sunshine (Eriophyllum lanatum) – native here and very cheerful, with silvery foliage contrasting with the gold of its flowers

Pine

The pollinators seem to gravitate to this lavender.

Six on Saturday: April 23

I am joining the Propagator and other gardeners from around the world for another Six.

The recent rain has been such a relief after our dry winter and early spring. The water level in the creek is higher; the garden is looking refreshed; the mountains are lush with spring growth, and their heights are snowy. The festive blooms of madrones festoon the freeway. Manzanita blooms have faded, their bell shapes replaced by plump berries – green with a tinge of deep red. The frost-free days of early summer are almost upon us.

Borage (Borago officinalis), being grown as a companion plant for strawberries, having read claims that they improve the flavor of the berries. Last year, these self-seeded generously. I potted most of the progeny, fearing they wouldn’t make it through the winter. Those I left in place not only survived, but fared significantly better than those sheltered in the mini greenhouse. I am delighted by the profusion of blooms and hope that the bees are, too. There are so many flowers I can almost bring myself to harvest some for use as a lovely, edible garnish.

Yarrow (Achillea x ‘Moonshine) with its furry buds beginning to open into sulferous yellow flowers.

The aforementioned manzanita (Arctostaphylos) berries. I would like to try propagating this plant.

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) blossom and developing fruit. In the foreground, newly laid soaker hose and side dressing of manure.

The white sage (Salvia apiana) has put on significant growth this spring.

Giant cape restio (Rhodocoma capensis). Despite being stressed by freezing temperatures and hastily transplanted into a barrel to benefit from the warmth of the house earlier this spring, the restio is putting out new growth – the lovely reed-like spears from which its lime green, feathery foliage will unfurl.

Learning: Growing from Seed

I admit my lack of experience when it comes to raising plants from seed, which is equalled only by the depth of my ignorance with regards to growing fruits and vegetables. My fascination with perennials has led me to neglect these critical skills for far too long and resulted in countless blunders, wasted resources, and a loss of possible pleasure.

And that brings us to this season, in which I resolve to rectify this sad state of affairs. In taking on this challenge, I hope to remain patient with myself and enjoy the learning process.

Growing from seed. I do have a decent LED light setup, heating mat, and propagator sets (water tray, seed cells, and clear cover), as well as a small, dedicated area for this purpose. Of seeds I have far, far more than I need. They are roughly organized into vegetables, flowers (annual and perennial), and paper bag full of a jumble of unlabeled envelopes of seeds I have collected on walks. I have been using a seedling mix acquired at the local Grange.

Lately I have been sowing the cells with 12 different types of seeds. Labeling has always proven challenging for some reason. I have tried stickers (soggy) and recycled plastic labels (interfere with closure of propagator cover). The most recent innovation is simply labeling one side of the tray with a short plastic tag that reads “1,” while the other side is labeled “12” and then maintaining a separate list of which plants have been sown into each numbered row. This system worked well enough until it was time to transplant seedlings into larger pots with more nutrient rich soil to grow on. As you will likely not be surprised to hear, this resulted in a plethora of unlabeled seedlings. The solution is pretty self-evident.

I had been turning the LED lights on immediately after sowing, but recently decided to wait until the first seedling emerges before doing so. I had also been keeping the heated mat on even after the seeds germinated. Research suggested that this was inadvisable. Now it is unplugged as soon as the first seeds sprout. The clear plastic cover is removed once the heating mat is turned off. The seedling mix is moistened with a mister until germination, when I begin watering from below.

After being transplanted, the seedlings are placed in my mini greenhouse with hopes that they will increase in size and hardiness. The mini greenhouse is watered 1-2 times per week. Unfortunately, some of my seedlings seem to be stunted, putting on little or no growth following transplant. Others have done quite well. I am uncertain whether the cause of the stunting is low temperatures, waiting too long to transplant, insufficient nutrients, or something else I have yet to identify. I plan to try transplanting earlier in the future and introducing organic fertilizer once the true leaves emerge.

A future post will relate my experiments and travails in the vegetable patch.

Six on Saturday April 16th

Joining the Propagator and other gardeners around the world for another Six. The weather here has blessed us with cooler temperatures and much needed rain, which has lingered on as snow at higher elevations in the surrounding mountains. And more rain has been predicted.

The garden has responded to the more favorable conditions, and everything looks a bit healthier than it did a week ago. In particular the various cane berries and blueberries are starting to look like they might survive long enough to bear fruit, which I attribute to recent watering efforts, rain, and an overdue but generous dose of acid mix fertilizer. Soon they will (hopefully) need to be tied up.

The borage, verbena, ajuga, strawberries, blueberries, ceanothus, and numerous bulbs continue to bloom, while the dogwood has come into full flower and promising buds have appeared on the yarrow and even one of the bearded irises clumsily transplanted to the verge this winter. Meanwhile, my planted out seedlings remain stunted and my hastily planted (and unmarked) root vegetables have declined to make an above ground appearance. Did I bury them too deep? Did I order them too far in advance and keep them stored for too long under less than ideal conditons before planting them out? I am disappointed, but not deterred.

1. California poppies (Eschscholzia californica), grown from seed scattered on the verge last fall, are blooming prolifically. I appreciate the silken, almost neon orange of the flowers at a time of year when blues and purples are dominant in the garden.

2. Jerusalem sage (Phlomis fruticosa) is sending up a flower stalk for the first time this year. I believe this was originally planted in its current location around 2 years ago. While it has remained healthy, it has taken some time to get settled before putting on new growth or flowering. As it is situated mid-border, I am hoping that it will gain in fulness and stature this year and generally become a more imposing presence.

3. Dogwood (Cornus florida) in full bloom, featuring newly acquired copper birdfeeder (found at local Humane Society thrift store). The countless delights of the dogwood have persuaded me to add more small trees to the garden, which exert a cooling influence in summer without shading out the lower growing perennials and provide much needed perches, where birds can rest and feed while keeping a watchful eye out for the all too plentiful feral cats. Specifically, I have planted a palo verde in one corner and will be adding a Western redbud (native) in another corner before the month is over.

4. Grevillea juniperina in bloom, though the flowers are too small and sparse to make much of an impact yet. I was drawn to this plant by its needle-like leaves; nevertheless, I am looking forward to a point in the future when, if all goes well, this plant will be filling the space and covered in red blossoms.

5. Another blooming Grevillea (Grevillea gaudichaudii). This one is prostrate, with very interesting leaf shape, and is planted under the dogwood. It seems to be growing rather quickly and generally thriving in this location. If it continues to do well, I plan to take cuttings and add it to the congregations of groundcovers in other areas of the garden.

6. The large opuntia (grown from cutting) appears to be gradually resuming a more dignified, upright posture after its winter prostration. The other cells of the rusted metal planter could use some attention. I would like to see an abundance of spiky and cascading plants as well as flowering ones to add color. The small opuntia (a regrettable hardware store purchase) in the terra cotta pot on the top tier is really not doing well. Not only has it lost its blue color (for which it was selected in the first place), but it is covered in scabby looking spots. I am uncertain whether to attribute its decline to intolerance of winter weather conditions or its recent transplant from a spot at the back of a border where it taking up space without contributing anything positive aesthetically. Regardless, I have taken a couple of cuttings in anticipation of its immanent demise.

Six on Saturday April 9th

Joining the Propagator and other gardeners from around the world for another Six.

1. Aphids! So very many aphids. And the only ladybugs I have seen were on a fennel that did not appear to be afflicted. I have been resisting the impulse to reach for horticultural oil or soap, hoping that natural predators would take on the challenge, but my patience is wearing thin.

2. Vegetable garden path edging. A little messy, a little sharp, but at least the narrow pathway is now delineated.

3. Verge. Looking far better than expected, though my second golden rain tree lags substantially behind the first and looks generally sickly. It may have to be replaced.

4. Seedlings. The sowing continues. This batch includes tomatoes, cardoons, malabar spinach, and several flowers. The pots of seeds that overwintered out of doors are also beginning to sprout. I am particularly excited about my milkweed and California Dutchman’s pipe.

5. Wisteria. Excised from my neighbor’s yard, hacked at, with few remaining roots, the wiateria is nevertheless showing signs of life. Green buds have emerged from trunk and branches. Now to build a trellis sturdy enough to bear its weight.

6. Flowers. Bergenia, verbena, bluebells(?), borage, Henderson’s shooting star, spurge and ajuga, strawberry, blueberry, kale, dogwood.

Six on Saturday: April 2nd

Joining the Propagator and other gardeners from around the world (see the Comments section on the Prop’s post) for another Six:

1. Mulching with spoiled straw. Used up my bale on the perennial fruits and vegetables after recent weeding. Hoping that the mulch will aid in moisture retention during the dry months to come.

2. Dragonfruit (Selenicereus sp.) moved outside. Maybe too early? But I’m prepared to move it back inside if freezing weather threatens. My hope is that it will wend its monstrous way up the porch.

3. Ocotillo (Fouquieria splendens) planted out, after getting hooked on my skirt and dragged unresistingly from its pot, where I had fondly and mistakenly imagined roots were growing. Now doused in root growth hormone, its soil amended with cactus mix, and thoroughly watered, it has been planted outside, and we shall see what transpires. There is still a greenish tinge to the trunk that inspires a measure of optimism.

4. Desert Museum Palo Verde (Cercidium x ‘Desert Museum’) planted out. This plant arrived in the mail in far better condition than its counterpart, the ocotillo, and has put out substantial new growth since being potted up. The question of where to place this tree was troubling for a time, but ultimately I settled on the other end of the big perennial bed from the olive.

5. Overview.

The garden May 2020

April 2021

March 2022

6. Restio transplanted. This year, my Giant Cape Restio (Rhodocoma capensis) suffered damage from the cold, with exposed foliage turning brown. After a little research, I ascertained that this restio is only hardy to USDA zone 9 (we are in 8). Yes, it seems like I should have determined hardiness before buying/planting the restio, but I was distracted by its beauty and incapable of considering mundane practicalities. The restio was accordingly transplanted with a degree of difficulty to a barrel planter next to the house, where I hope it will benefit from the added warmth.

Illinois River Hike

While the weather is still mild, J and I have unertaken to do as much hiking as possible. This weekend we stumbled upon a new trail in the Illinois Valley, which brought us down through a mixture of pine, manzanita, and Oregon myrtle to the rocky banks of the Illinois River.

A wide variety of wildflowers were in evidence, despite this year’s dry weather.

From upper left: silene?, death camas, ceanothus, lomatium, viola, fawn lilly, viola, shootingstar

Many of the manzanitas showed signs of damage on their new growth. Preliminary research suggested that it might be the aftermath of manzanita leaf gall aphid (Tamalia coweni). I submitted a question to the Oregon State University Extension Service Ask an Expert site for a more conclusive diagnosis.

Pine trunks blackened by wildfire

In this harsh climate, a pine seedling benefits from the shade cast by a manzanita.

Tiny seedlings emerge in the wake of a minor avalanche.

Oak tree galls

Six on Saturday April 30th

Joining the Propagator for another Six.

Opuntia and lavender (Lavandula)

Lavender visited by bee

Kniphofia flower stalk

Yarrow (Achillea millefolium “Moonshine”)

Borage (Borago officinalis)

Plants on the verge after a welcome rain: Calendula officinalis, Iris germanica, California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

Six on Saturday: March 26

Joining the Propagator for another Six.

Verbena canadensis Homestead Purple

Ceanothus Blue Jeans

Bergenia cordifolia

Arctostaphylos densiflora Howard McMinn

Chondropetalum elephantinum

Anisodontea Strybing Beauty