Growing fruit in our tiny yard seems so exotic… and yet, we did! This afternoon Helaine picked our first lemon.
There’s not much you can do with one lemon other than make sure it’s sour. It was!
Tag: gardening
California Gardening
My friend Mike called today. He lives in Nashville, but he was raised in California. He said he was reliving his California years through my blog.
I’ve heard variations on that theme more than once. California is different. There’s lots to absorb.
One of our SoCal goals was to grow fruit. What kind? Who cares.
Our patio area has two little lemon trees. They’re supposed to grow to six feet. They’re not quite two feet now.
Each tree has loads of tiny lemons and one larger one. Do they glue one bigger one on at the nursery as a come on? It seems too good to be true.
I’m unsure whether to thin the trees or let all the fruit grow. This will be a learning year. As long as I don’t kill them we’ll consider the garden a success.
I’m also unsure when the fruit will be ready to pick, or if there will even be pickable fruit in year one.
Originally I was watering my garden seven minutes a day. Then came the mushrooms! I’m down to three minutes every other day. No one’s complaining. I might have discovered the sweet spot.
Helaine read an article that said I can plant tomatoes in the fall. That’s crazy.
Maybe the movie Endless Summer should have been about California gardening.
We Went Plant Shopping
Plants! We went looking at plants today. Think of this as recon for the actual planting. I am so in over my head! And the funny thing is we only have a tiny space to fill.
Our home is in a development where the homeowners association takes care of the front yard. The back of our home borders a service alley. I’m not sure my driveway is a foot long. No planting there.
The only place for plants is the side yard– the California room. Wedged between two houses it gets partial sun in some places, no sun in others. 75% of the space will be covered by our patio pavers.
Most of what I know about growing things is out the window. I knew how to deal with Connecticut’s flukey weather. This is a whole ‘nother animal.
Do we have the right soil? Is the drainage OK? Are there enough chilly hours per year? Yes, some fruit trees need chilly, not freezing weather.
Damn you demanding fruit!
We’ve been here seven weeks and it hasn’t rained more than three minutes! Mother Nature will have to be augmented.
I bought the Western Garden Book. You’ve got to see this thing. There are nearly 800 pages to browse. We’re in Zone 23 with a growing season 50 weeks long.
I spoke to my Dennis, my friend since age three, who lives in San Francisco. Growing things is his business. He wants me to go slow, but I’m not sure I can.
We want a few fruit trees. Living in California without homegrown citrus seems to defeat the purpose of being in California.
We want color. We are surrounded by earth tones.
So little room to plant. So much angst.
How Does My Garden Grow?
I grew up in an apartment. I was already 18 by the time I first saw grass that wasn’t in a baggie
There are some weeds coming up. Those need to be plucked. My garden is made-for-TV so that will have to wait for tomorrow when the camera is rolling. The same goes for cutting ‘suckers’ off my tomato plants.
“Wow!” It was Helaine on the phone. She was commenting on a photo I’d just sent from my cellphone. It’s my garden here at work.
They pay me to grow veggies at work. I’m a professional farmer? Where are my crop subsidies, please?
Helaine was impressed and I am too. Green thumbs do not run in the Fox family!
I grew up in an apartment. I was already 18 by the time I first saw grass that wasn’t in a baggie [rim shot].
There are some weeds coming up. Those need to be plucked. My garden is made-for-TV so the plucking will have to wait for tomorrow afternoon when the camera is rolling. The same goes for cutting ‘suckers’ off my tomato plants.
In the meantime I’m blown away. If I can do this anyone can!
Gardening Season Begins!
I’m heading downstairs in a few minutes. It’s time to plant my garden. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon at work!
I used to have a garden at my old station. Over time it became more-and-more difficult to get a crew to shoot it. I gave up over a decade ago.
I’m heading downstairs in a few minutes. It’s time to plant my garden. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon at work!
I used to have a garden at my old station. Over time it became more-and-more difficult to get a crew to shoot it. I gave up over a decade ago.
New place, new attitude. Last summer I made the suggestion to my boss who loved the idea. Before you could say “blossom end rot” a 5′ x 14′ plot had been cleared and tilled and horse manure added to the soil.
Note to future gardeners: Plant your garden at work and make sure there’s an amazing building crew. Without those guys I’d be lost!
Today the garden begins for season two.
I drove in with plants from a local nursery. During our 4:00 PM News I’ll put them in the ground.
Though there will be lots of different veggies (and flowers) little matters to me but the tomatoes. If my tomatoes grow strong and healthy the garden will be a success.
Here’s the segment open created by Jade Yoon and Chris Moran.