Fort Bragg garden

In My Garden – June 2025
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In My Garden – June 2025

Summer is finally here. It means something else here on the north coast of California, though. While the inland areas are heating up and experiencing sunny weather, we have fog. Lots of fog. It’s not just sweater weather, it’s down jacket weather. What does that mean in the garden? It means that I can’t grow tomatoes or cucumbers without a greenhouse. Last autumn, I made green tomato chutney; it wasn’t a complete loss, although it was disappointing. This spring, we decided to invest in an inexpensive fabric greenhouse to see if it’s possible to get tomatoes to ripen.

2025 Greenhouse
Tomatoes

Stay tuned.

My vegetable garden has expanded to 11 raised beds. You may remember, if you are a regular reader, the battle I had with invasive redwood roots. When my beds were in the ground, the surrounding redwood trees would come through the weedcloth into the bottom of the beds. It was backbreaking work to dig them out a couple of times a year. We ended up putting the beds up on legs (stumps), they really are raised beds.

Raised beds – old
Raised beds – new
Vegetable Garden, now flowers too

Vegetable Garden, now flowers too

Because I was away most of May, I missed the rhododendron show. A few were still blooming but most were finished by early June.

Rhododendrons – early June

What’s growing in my garden this month? Here is a quick peek.

herbs
zucchini
artichokes
snap peas
potatoes

We are lucky to increasingly be able to eat out of the garden as summer progresses.

We’ve had a few already…

Roast Carrots

Roast Carrots

Grilled zucchini and baby leeks

Grilled zucchini and baby leeks

I grew leeks for the first time, sowing them from purchased transplants last fall. It wasn’t a win. They never grew very large in diameter and were somewhat tough. I need to do more research. Have any of you grown them successfully? Tips would be appreciated.

Apparently, in many places, leeks are grown as a perennial in a single bed/area. The leeks will form the “bud” on top, which then flowers (the flowers look like alliums and can range from white to lavender, and from what I have read, they are EXTREMELY good at attracting bees and butterflies). Once they have flowered, they form seed heads, with hundreds of little black seeds (a lot like chives) that self-sow very easily. Within a few weeks, you’ll have lots of little seedlings shooting up in and around the original leek. Where gardeners are growing them in this way, they thin out the seedlings so that they have space to grow to a good size and let them grow on.

Meanwhile, the original leek will die back for a couple of months. The bulb will split, much like a garlic bulb splitting into cloves, and from this, new leeks will shoot up. This is where the perennial bit comes in. The new shoots can be allowed to grow before being harvested as several leeks, or you can pull them up whilst young, separate them, and replant them in rows.

I’m loving this idea, and I think I might give it a go this fall to see how successful it is.

From: Rocket Gardens, a U.K. web site.

 

Tomato, nasturtium, and arugula salad

Tomato, nasturtium, and arugula salad (the tomatoes did not come from the garden)

And, there are flowers…

Roses
Lavender and Yarrow
Rock Rose
Columbine
Firest dahlia
Nasturtiums
Sweet peas
Mixed bouquet

Here is a picture of one of the island beds. The others just remind me that it’s time to go outside for early summer chores. It’s time to prune the early spring perennials, and weed. There is always lots of weeding. The spring annuals should also be pulled out, but I like them to sow their seeds throughout the garden. It’s such a lovely surprise to see where things want to grow.

Back garden island bed

Back garden island bed

That’s it for my garden this month. Thank you for visiting and please leave a comment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In My Garden – June 2024
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In My Garden – June 2024

It’s been a busy time in the garden lately, it has kept me from my desk as I spend most of my time outside. I am calling this a June post even though it is at the very end. Many of the pictures, especially of flowers, were taken earlier this month.

My husband completed a couple more raised beds for the vegetable garden. In our case, because of the invasive redwood roots, they are raised above the ground. I had to dig out roots several times each year as they competed with my vegetables, choking them and acidifying the soil. It was hard work sometimes requiring a hacksaw. Having them above ground saves my back and the plants. Here’s a peek…

There are still two more boxes to complete my mini-farm. The resident carpenter thinks they will be completed sometime this week.

Tomatoes don’t do well here unless you have a greenhouse, which we don’t have. The night temperatures are too cool. I grew wonderful tomatoes in Oakland with the aid of something called Walls of Water. They are plastic tunnels with tubes that you fill with water. During the day the water-filled tubes are warmed by the sun, releasing their heat during the night. I’ve placed four plants in one of the warmest areas of the yard where there is south sun and protection from the wind.

Tomatoes with walls of water

Tomatoes with walls of water

I know it’s late to plant tomatoes (these are a determinate variety) but our warmest days are yet to come. I am keeping my fingers crossed, stay tuned.

Those same redwood roots make their way into the half-wine barrels where I have planted roses. I dig out the roses every other year in late winter, add new potting soil and fertilizer, and then replant them. They seem to thrive despite the disruption.

The rhododendrons are almost finished blooming. They were very late this year due to the cold and wet winter. These pictures were taken in early June (sorry I missed a post last month), this is catch-up time.

I have sweet pea flowers, one of my favorites.

Sweet peas

Sweet peas

And lastly, just a walk about the rest of the garden.

It’s an English cottage look, a bit messy most of the time but lots of flowers. The dahlias are not quite blooming yet but they will be when I post in early August. There is lots of activity out there…bees, hummingbirds, buzzing insects, and the birds hunting them.

In My Garden – March 2024
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In My Garden – March 2024

Until the last week or so there hasn’t been much going on in the garden. A few sunny days have changed all that. Although spring and our last estimated frost free date (April 16) are still some time away, I see signs of spring. The tree swallows are back, I saw them this morning zipping in and out of their favored bird house. And the hummingbirds are voracious at the feeders. I have seen three types…Anna’s (here year round), Allens, and Rufus. The Rufus birds are particularly aggressive in their attempts to drive the other birds away and defend the feeders.

Although I have a flowers they favor in the garden, most of them have yet to come into bloom. An exception are the wild huckleberries and Manzanita on the property. I did see one flowering salvia, this one is Mole Poblano. It’s a variety which seems to do well here, unless it is cut back it can reach over 6 feet.

Salvia

Salvia

Also in flower this month are Cuphea and the Hellebores.

There is a brownish-purple Flax in the back which had completely overgrown its designated spot and shaded neighboring plants. After watching a video on Youtube we cut (or rather hacked) it back.  Fingers crossed it survives.

The flowering sweet peas have been planted in a half wine barrel. They are one of my favorite flowers, grown every year in memory of my English grandmother.

flowering sweet peas

flowering sweet peas

The edible peas are in the vegetable garden. These are snow peas planted last fall. The snap peas haven’t emerged yet.

Snow peas

Snow peas

The mint is taking off. It’s planted in a container so it doesn’t take over. There will be mint to serve with lamb for Easter.

Mint

Mint

I’ve already been able to cut chives for use in the kitchen.

Chives

Chives

I direct sowed salad greens, (arugula, cress and various mixed varieties) about 10 days ago when we had a break in the rain.

Salad greens, direct sowed

Salad greens, direct sowed

The first starts from a local organic grower have shown up at the market, I couldn’t resist buying several 6 packs. Grocery store greens are no match for those picked fresh from the garden.

Salad greens, spinach and chard

Salad greens, spinach and chard

I had to dig out the roses from the half barrels, remove redwood roots and replant them. This is a yearly chore, otherwise the redwood roots would choke the rose bushes. This one is a new one, Julia Child in honor or my mother who had a cooking school and studied with her.

New Rosebush - Julia Child

New Rosebush – Julia Child

We have a few days of a break in the rain, 47 inches so far this season. More is predicted next weekend. So, I am going to take advantage of the sun and get out there.

What’s happening in your own garden?

 

In My Garden – October 2022
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In My Garden – October 2022

We’ve been busy cutting things back this past month. The redwoods and tan oaks needed limbing up for fire safety reasons. Instructions say the lower branches of the trees surrounding the house need to be removed until they are at least 10 feet off the ground. Normally the branches reach the ground, looking like skirts. (See the picture below.) The trunks look quite sculptural with them removed. Before the house was built in the ’70s the area was logged. All the redwood trees on our property are second-growth, the daughters (they are clones) surrounding the mother tree.

I love the redwoods on our property, their roots stretch and intertwine under the entire acreage. I imagine them talking and giggling along their root ‘telephone’ lines, laughing at the antics of our dogs as they chase their balls into the threshold of the forest, under their skirts, tickling them. And carrying away needles in their fur, the footprints of the trees.

Where did that ball go?
Redwood trees

Our property looks quite different without the branches reaching the ground. We plan to leave the skirts on the trees that are on the outer edges. A puzzle for the dogs to find their balls.

back of the garden
agility field

I am currently followed throughout the garden by the chirping of hummingbirds. At a time when most of the garden is starting to sleep, the salvias are blooming like crazy. I can watch the hummingbirds sipping nector from the ‘honey melon’ “Pineapple Sage” that is throughout the garden. This is a smaller version of the much better known Salvia elegans “Pineapple Sage'” which can reach 4-6 feet in height.

Salvia elegans 'Honey Melon' "Pineapple Sage"

Salvia elegans ‘Honey Melon’ “Pineapple Sage” and Shanna

Salvia elegans "Pineapple Sage"

Salvia elegans “Pineapple Sage”

Both plants, in my garden, have bloomed nonstop since May and usually continue through to late November.

This one is Salvia purpurea ‘Lavender Lace’. It’s just starting to bloom but continues till spring. A great source for nector during the winter months. This salvia can also get quite large, you can see the sunflower bending over it. I have left it so the birds can eat the seeds. 

Salvia purpurea 'Lavender Lace'

Salvia purpurea ‘Lavender Lace’

The hummingbirds also love the cupheas and they bloom year round in my garden. This one is very happy in a half barrel. Cuphea ignea x C. angustifolia is also sometimes called bee plant as they love it. The fall chill has dramatically reduced the numbers of bees so I haven’t seen many lately.

Cuphea hybrid ‘Starfire Pink’ (C. ignea x C. angustifolia)

Cuphea hybrid
‘Starfire Pink’
(C. ignea x C. angustifolia)

The Allen’s hummingbirds have the garden to themselves since the other two species we see in the spring and summer have migrated to warmer climates. I expect them back around March of 2023. It’s comforting in this small world of my garden to have trust in some things when so many things seem to have gone crazy and are out of my control. I try to concentrate on this when I feel dread for our larger planet and nation.

The Rudbeckia in the pollinator garden are still going strong. They have been blooming nonstop. I hope they reseed new plants for next year.

Pollinator Garden

Pollinator Garden – October 2022 Rudbeckia triloba

The patch is looking quite messy right now but I leave the grasses so the birds can eat the seed.

Only a quick tour through the vegetable garden is left. I have seeded arugula and some winter salad greens which are said to be cold tolerant. We will see if they actually come up. But the carrots have sprouted, also radishes. I have hope.

Arugula and Radishes
Carrots

That’s not fungus you see but Sluggo. We have slugs, giant slugs right now!

I love comments. Thank you for joining my on this little walk through my piece of the world. What’s up in your own garden?

P.S. I know arugula is misspelled but can’t seem to correct it!

 

In My Garden – September 2022
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In My Garden – September 2022

This is going to be a short one since it is now early October. These pictures, however, were taken in September.  It’s been a busy time in the garden, lots of cutting back and some new plantings in the pollinator garden. It’s not going to really show much until next year. Hopefully there will be lots of butterflies, bees and other insects in addition to the hummingbirds in 2023.

The native bumblebees were late this spring and summer, most likely because it was so cold in the early spring. At least it was cold for us. They are still buzzing around although their numbers have decreased. I cut back the Spanish lavender and they have been on the flowers for the much smaller second bloom.

Here is the pollinator garden in September, with three new birdhouses. Last spring there were two and we had chickadees and wood swallows nesting in them.

Pollinator Garden September 2022

Pollinator Garden September 2022

It looks a little sad since the Shasta daisies have been cut back. But there are lots of clumps of sweet William, columbines, yarrow, and salvias just waiting for spring. The grasses are providing seeds for the birds.

We still have some lettuces that are ready for the table in the vegetable garden. But I pulled out the last of the zucchini and directly seeded lettuce, carrots, radishes and arugula.

New bed seeded with greens

New bed seeded with greens

They doesn’t look like much yet since I just planted last week.

This container has newly seeded carrots.

Carrots

Carrots

The screens are to keep out the birds and stop the dogs from digging. They love to dig in the new fresh dirt with worm castings and manure.

They keep me company in the garden.

Casey and Shanna

Casey and Shanna

Watching my every move, just in case I have a ball in my pocket.

The dahlias are beautiful.

dahlias

September Dahlias

They are perfect colors for fall. I have been asked about the time it takes to deadhead them, but I bring armloads into the house. It’s no trouble at all.

The rest of the garden is slowing down, things will look much better in the spring. Natives, of which I have many, go mostly dormant in the dry summer. I do water but try to slow down this time of year. Mostly I am tired of watering but it’s also better for them to start to sleep.

An exception to that tendency is the Cupheas. They bloom all year, much to the joy of the hummingbirds.

We are enjoying the crisp fall weather and had our first rain of the season a couple of weeks ago. There are V’s of Canadian geese flying south, a sign of the coming winter. We hear them, honking encouragement to each other, before we see them overhead.

And that’s a peek at my garden. What’s new with your own?