tangerines

There are lots of tangerines on the tree maybe they'll be ripe before the end of the year.

Last year I almost killed this plant by leaving it in exposed sun all summer, the heat was too much for this tangerine in a small black pot, and all the fruit dried up before it even got bigger than a golfball.

this year I kept it under the partial shade of an Elm, where it only got forect sun late in the afternoon, and got filtered sun all day, it seems to have done better (maybe the fact that it was a mild summer also helped). I've now moved it into the direct sun since the weather has cooled.

Compost piles

I have managed to create some compost in the bin on the right. it only happened in the middle of the pile so I clearly didn't turn the pile enough - ok at all...the bin on the left was a total failure, as well as the one in the middle. so I consolidated the two into the middle pile which needs more green matter in order to break down, and have turned the pile on the right, and told myself that I will do it again soon (we'll see).

Alstromeria repotting

This Alstromeria the third harmonic that I got at Annies Annuals in august was bursting out of its 4" pot, so I put it into a 1 gallon pot, but the rots of this plant are kind of tuberous, so I didn't loosen up the roots for fear of breaking them even though they were tightly bound together.

Cape Honeysuckle

The Cape Honey suckle is starting to bloom, I think this is a month or two earlier than last year. Yesterday, as I was sitting on the swing in the backyard reading a book, I heard the unmistakable sound of hummingbird wings flapping, I turned and saw one drinking out of a bloom, and then the little bird went to the unopened blooms an nudged them a bit to see if they would open.

Then it flew around to the front side of the swing and hovered for a while in front of me, I wonder if it was weighing it's options of trying to see if the red on my shirt was edible.

New Lavender & Geranium Plants

These plants were actually purchase a couple weeks ago, because we've been having some issues with flies bothering the dog, and I read somewhere that Lavender is a natural fly repellent, so I stopped by Lowes and picked up a few lavender plants. Some were in the annuals section of the store and some the perennials section (which means they cost more), but I think they are all perennials here in Zone 9.




Mounding Purple Lavender - Lavandula stoechas 'madrid purple'
Munstead Lavender - Lavandula Angu
Three (3) Provence Lavander - Lavandula x intermedia 'Provence' (these were in the annuals section)


I also couldn't resist getting this Ivy Geranium - Geranio hiedra peargonium x peltatum. It's labeled as a trailing annual, and says it should only have morning sun.



Unfortunately, the dog knocked over the geranium, and broke a large branch off of it, so I cut it up and stuck them in water, geraniums are usually super easy to propagate this way, so hopefully they'll start rooting soon and then I'll have four pants for my one purchase.



FYI - the lavender did seem to help with the flies for the first week or so, but lately the flys have been hanging out on the lavender plant, so I think they theory has been shot down.

California fushia more blooms

It's really blooming compared to my last photo of it!

I'm really surprised it's doing so well.. All through the spring and early summer it looked like it was barely hanging on. I hope I can keep it alive through the winter.

New Euphorbia & Aster Plants

On my vivist to Murphy's I stopped at one of the two awesome nurseries up there, Murphy's Nursey... and ended up buying an aster, and a euphorbia.



Euphorbia Breathless 'White' - Chamaesyce x hybrida
This euphorbia is so delicate and lacy, it almost has the feel of baby's breath, but even lighter and airier. The tag says it takes full sun, and will get to be 14" high. It says it's ideal for containers, which is great, because I'm picturing this one in a container with some dark flax, or maybe an aloe...

Aster Latiaflorus 'prince'
Whn I saw this aster of the table, I instantly fell in love with it's dark foliage, and tiny bright little pinkish-white blooms. it will be 24-36" tall and wide, and the zones are listed as Sunset zone 1-10, and 14-24. I'm in 14, lucky for me!

Ironstone Winery, Murphys California

Last weekend, I went to Murphy's California, for an event at the Ironstone Winery. The grounds there were gorgeous, and they had a fantastic topiary shrub that spelled out the name Ironstone.

Canna Red King Humbert

The Red King Humbert Canna is blooming this week... I love this one because it's nice and tall!

Salvia

This is a lipstick salivia which is called this because of the pattern on the petals. I saw a large version of this in Oakland in from of someones house, and the owner said it grew like a weed, and after they severely cut it back it came back quickly and more full.

Some of the petals actually come out all white or all pink:

Black Mondo Grass

http://mypalegreenthumb.blogspot.com/2010/06/black-mondo-grass.html

Plectranthus 'Mona Lavender' Blooming