Preserving Acorn Squash Seeds

KD is sick. Time to make some good soup. I saw a great recipe in my Food and Wine magazine (Nov. 09 issue) for Creamy Carrot Soup with Scallions and Poppy Seeds and I also remember another magazine recipe for Carrot-Butternut Squash soup (can't recall which magazine, I get so many!). So, inspired by these recipes, I am going to make Carrot, Leek, Acorn Squash soup with Scallions and Poppy Seeds.

A few minutes ago, I cracked open the acorn squash (using the chefs knife and rubber mallet trick) and scooped out the seeds. Though I have roasted these seeds in the past-like 4 days ago- I am not a big fan. But, I just don't want to throw them away.

I whipped on the Internet to see if I could save the seeds for the garden next spring. Of course. Of course, the Internet is teeming with info about this.

Bottom line. Clean the seeds. Put them on a newspaper, cloth, paper towel (basically something absorbent). Let them dry. Then when they are dry. Put them on new absorbent material. Stick them in a cool dry place for about a week to really dry out. Then stick them in a bag or foil and save them until next spring. Done and done. Here is a nice little article, short and sweet about it.

I'll give it a try! Can't hurt, it will be an experiment.

Marjoram in the Garden

As it turns out, I have no recollection of ever actually cooking with marjoram. For some reason, though, I thought it was about time have some in my fall herb (container) garden. I spent about 3 dollars on a 4 inch marjoram plant (I also bought an oregano plant because I have failed in growing it from seed). As I reflect, I am certain I made a mistake because, rather than start with new soil, I just re-used the dirt from my summer garden without adding any compost or other type of fertilizer. (I'll have to remedy the situation soon). Not a great way to start off the fall herb garden.

I have another confession to make: I also planted this small (consisting only of oregano and marjoram) herb garden in a giant pot. The pot that housed two tomato plants and a marigold.

Despite shortcomings, the plants seem to be thriving. The marjoram is all about flowering. I also planted some basil seeds, sage seeds, green onion seeds, parsley, and chive seeds... I figure, why the hell not. So far, several basil seeds have germinated. The green onions are a few inches tall and there are a few parsley sprouts. Time will tell if these guys hang on.

I digress.

Origanum Majorana. Genus Origanum (think marjoram and oregano). Family Lamiaceae (think basil, thyme, lavender, rosemary, oregano,mint). Marjoram and oregano are of the same genus and are strikingly similar, even difficult to tell apart. There are thought to be 44 species of origanum (yikes! Some plants are tall, some spreading, some are conveniently used as ground cover for their anchoring qualities) The two can be used interchangeably in cooking (if your palate isn't too discerning). Marjoram is generally milder than oregano and some people, including me, describe it as having a citrus taste with floral hints. The flowers of oregano are purple/lavender, while, marjoram has white flowers.

According to Sunset Magazine, Sweet Marjoram needs well drained soil and only moderate water (I am never sure what that means exactly). It is a perennial or annual, depending on where you live (I have a perennial). It is supposedly easy to grow and likes to be really trimmed several times a year.

Here is an interesting tidbit: what you and I think of as Italian Oregano (or the stuff in pasta and pizza sauces) usually a cross between Origanum Vulgare (oregano) and Origanum Majorana (sweet marjoram). Real oregano is commonly called 'wild marjoram.' Oh, and if some one refers to 'sweet oregano,' they are talking about marjoram. Just fantastic. If you want some regular peppery tasting oregano, try 'Greek oregano.' If you want really spicy oregano find some za'atar, a spicy Middle Eastern oregano (yes, the sauce is named after the main ingredient). I was wondering about Mexican Oregano, so I did a search. Turns out to be a whole other source of confusion (try out this article if you are curious). In a nutshell, it is not in the Origanum genus or even the Lamiaceae family, rather it is in the Verbenaceae family (think lemon verbena).

My very smart friend Samin, suggested I dry some of my marjoram and oregano by hanging stems upside down in a dry dark spot. Sounds like fun. I will take pictures of the process. I am thinking everyone gets some oregano and marjoram under the Christmas tree (hey, we are in a recession...).

Now I just need a few vegetarian suggestions for casual uses for marjoram and I am in business. Anyone?

Some Links:

Check out the Herb Society of America's Guide to the Genus Origanum.

A great article about marjoram and oregano from Sunset Mag.

Growing Marjoram

Black Caterpillar in Marigold

Sorry for the silence for the last two weeks or so. I was off visiting my granny in RI. So, thanks KD for watering. Everything is looking good over here. I have much to report about new garden items and several that I had to let go. Check back in soon!

I saw what looked like animal refuse on the petals of my marigold. Upon closer inspection I found that it was actually a jet black caterpillar. I tried to take a good picture, but ended up with this one. I wonder what kind of moth/butterfly it would have been.

P.S. You may remember my story about the 20 cent packet of seeds I bought from Wal Mart. Yes, this is the result of those seed packets. I have many wild looking marigolds!

How Tropical!

The local swap meet in SD is named Kobey's.  I have no idea why our swap meet has a proper name, but it does.  I used to go to Kobey's when I was a kid.  It contained loads of perfect finds for teenage girls.  Tons of cheap hair-thingies, bags, and backpacks.  I think I got a knock-off Esprit bag when I was in elementary school.  Ha. 

KD and I took a trip to Kobey's last weekend.  She had spotted these wrap dresses two weeks earlier when she was there.  We decided that we couldn't live without these dresses, so off we went to the swap meet.  It certainly hadn't changed much: still loads of hair-thingies.  There were some really cool booths with handmade purses and other handmade items, and there were some booths that looked like really bad yard sales- crap, crap, and crap. 

And, there were booths and booths of plants.  KD was not interested in strolling and shopping, so I could really only glance from afar.  But, I did manage to get one purchase in: a cutting from a dragon fruit for a buck.

It is likely that I will mess this up somehow.  The foot long spiny and prickly cutting is very handsome (as you can see in the pic).  But, I stuck the spine in some dirt and watered. 

Has anyone ever tasted a dragon fruit? After a terse search, I learned that these plants are quite tropical and grow in Hawaii, Thailand, and Vietnam.  Also, the flowers bloom at night so they are not pollinated by bees, but by other insects and moths.  Depending on how well my cutting does, I can expect fruit in 6-9 months. 

P.S. I also broke down and bought an Italian Oregano plant (not at Kobey's).  Planting from seed did not work out.  Has anyone had success growing oregano from seed?

Gardening With the Stars

I was in Sacramento not too long ago and picked up a local publication. It was the type of newspaper/magazine that had pages of "massage" advertisements and a story about the history of the term D-Bag; clearly high class. I flipped through the paper while I sat with KD in Pyramid Brewery eating a brownie and sipping on a Haywire Hefeweizen (for those of you wondering about the name 'Haywire', new owners = new beer names). I stumbled upon the horoscopes and took a peak. Here it is:

Let's take inventory of your harvest, Scorpio. What blossomed for you these past months? Which of the seeds you planted last March and April sprouted into ripe, succulent blossoms? Which seeds grew into hard spiky clumps? And what about weeds, pests and predators? Were you tireless about keeping them away from your beauties? Finally, what did you learn about growing things that could give you a green thumb when you cultivate your seeds in the next cycle?

How appropriate! And deep.

The Summer Squash Is Not My Friend

In April I bought a Patty Pan squash. Al told me that her mother insisted that squashes need friends and will not grow as a single. But I didn't buy a companion. Needless to say, the patty pan squash was a failure. I got two squashes out of it. The rest shriveled and died. So, I bought and planted seeds for another mini summer squash. This time, I planted two seeds and got two plants. Both plants give constant blossoms. Blossoms every morning. Yet, no squash. All the little squash turn yellow, shrivel and die. I believe this is because they flowers did not get pollinated. Well, gosh, I just don't know how to remedy this problem. Any ideas?

PS. There are loads of bees around my house. They seem to shun the squash.

Marigolds & Tomato

Here are a few of my marigolds. I planted a few in with my tomatoes
and as you can see they are as tall the tomatoes!

The Importance of Pruning

Remember my post about marigolds? I bought the 20 cent packet of marigolds from walmart, so did KD. We both planted them and they sprung up. But, neither KD, nor I snipped the stems when they started to grow tall. Well, KDs garden looks like a rain forest. The marigolds are so tall, and there aren't that many buds. (not to mention that the caterpillars seem to love the flower buds). They look unrefined and haphazard. Not at all what you want to look at.

What we should have done was snip the growing stem of the marigold when it reached the desired height. This would have encourage the plant to send out side stems and eventually have more flowers. I will post a picture soon.

Next time...

Tip: I read that September is a great time to buy plants in nurseries- lots of sales. I will be hitting up the Armstrong to see if this is true. Do you know?

Lunch!

The Wasp and the Luffa

The luffa: where did I leave off? The story of the luffa in a few sentences for those of you who do not remember. Surprise-- a luffa is a squash! I bought some seeds from Target and planted them several months ago. Two big leaves popped out right away. Then, nothing. The two seemingly enormous leaves just sat there for weeks. Very boring. Finally, a third leave (very different shape) shot out from the center of the two leaves. Then, again, nothing for several weeks. The leaves began to look scraggly and tattered. It seemed that the experiment to grow a luffa would be unsuccessful.

Expecting failure at this point, I was shocked when, in what seemed like two weeks, the plant experienced a sudden growth spurt. It climbed its way up and past the 2' thin bamboo sticks tee-peed around it. Every morning there were at least two new perfect yellow flowers, the color of butter. The vines teemed with baby (about 1/2 a centimeter long) squashes in the shape of male genitalia (not joking). It seemed like we were in for a very bountiful harvest of luffas. Sadly, all but one of the babies turned yellow, shriveled, and fell off the plant. The luffa retained only one pollinated squash. As it turns out, squash have both female and male flowers and require a visit from bees and insects in order to grow. All those sad shriveled yellow mini squashes died because they were never properly pollinated.

But all was not lost; one luffa remained. For several weeks it just got bigger and bigger. The plant looked quite humorous-- a pretty large green squash hanging from a pitiful looking vine with no other squash to keep it company. What must the neighbors think?

I thought it would look cool if I could train the vines around a hula hoop. The luffa is not too keen on the hoop and it is hardly snaking around the thing. Rather, its tendrils are wrapping around other vines. There is hope, however, since the luffa seems to sit around for weeks before deciding its next course of action. So, I imagine, I will wake up one morning to find the luffa has wrapped itself around the hula hoop. Won't that be a sight? A circle with giant gourds hanging all around it! A neighbor even complimented my hula hoop, though it could have been one of those, "that-girl-is-insane-but-I-don't-know-what-else-to-say-so-I-will-just-tell-her-I-like-her-hula-hoop compliments."

Last week, for several days, a clan of wasps settled into Pacific Beach. Maybe they were taking a mini vacation from Tuesday to Friday. Perhaps there was a wasp convention or something. The wasps seemed to adore the luffa. Always one or two crawling all around the vines. I am sensitive to bee stings (I am not sure about wasps, but I did not feel like finding out) so watering was scary-- who wants to piss off a vacationing wasp?

It might be just a coincidence, but this week, there are four more pollinated luffas growing at a lively pace. I might get a bath sponge after all!

So, thank you wasps for refraining from stinging me and for pollinating my luffas. (If only you also pollinated my summer squash! Those plants refuse to give me anything- Where is Demeter when you need her?). And thank you mother earth.

A Brief Aside

I am going to take a moment to discuss something other than plants. I want to share with you all an experience I had last night and give you a little warning should you ever go through what I did. Because of the problems with my hearing and ear, my doctor ordered me to have a MRI done of my head. The order said that I would be getting an MRI both with and without contrast.

I arrived at my appointment yesterday and all was seemingly well. I laid down and the technician placed a helmet type thing over my head and cushioned me in there with towels so my head wouldn't move during the procedure. I was given a panic button and had ear plugs in. The first part was fine. I mean, there were very loud noises and the MRI capsule was tight, but nothing so bad.

Then I was slid out of the machine and was to get an injection of contrast. This is where the problems began. I remained in the prone position with my head in the helmet. The technician told me that I would feel a little pinch when he put the needle in. I did, and it was fine. However, something went wrong. The contrast was not going into my arm. He started moving the needle and re-tying the band on my bicep. It was very uncomfortable. Burning even. Eventually, I took the needle out and said enough got in. I bent my arm to squeeze it and was slid right back in the MRI machine for another 12 minutes.

That is when the agonizing, stinging and burning pain began in my arm. I was fully crying because of the pain in my arm. The longest 12 minutes ever. I could have pressed the panic button, but I didn't want to start the whole process over. When I was finally slid out of the machine (still crying) the technician asked me if he got a little contrast outside. Was that what that was? A little contrast in the wrong spot in my arm? He went to get me an ice pack and another man came over and explained that it happened to him once and would wear off in 10 minutes or so.

He was right, it did wear off in 10 minutes. At least the burning and agonizing pain wore off. However, my arm is still extremely sore and tender. It hurts to extend my arm and feel like someone beat on me.

If you are having an MRI with contrast and you start to feel a burn where the needle was, ask for an ice pack right away!! Don't be like me because the burning will only get worse once you are slid into the machine, then you can't move. Serious pain.

Now I have to wait 7 days for results. GRRRRR.

So HOT!

It has been hot these last several days; the kind of hot where you realize life is going by in slow motion. I have about a hour left in my apartment before the temps reach the upper 80s in here. Needless to say, my garden is not happy with this dry soaring heat. I pulled up the tomatoes I planted in the spring. They were only producing small tomatoes and the plant just looked sickly. I repotted my pomegranate to a larger pot, but it seems the heat is taking a toll on it as well. Where it was lush and green with dozens of buds a month ago, now it is scraggly with loads of yellowing leaves.

Despite all this death in the garden, I am a bit comforted since I took a walk to the local community garden last week. Normally, I am incredible envious of all those plots filled with lush dense veggies three times the size of my container varieties. But the dog days of summer have had their way with the community garden. The plants look like pure weeds and decay. Tomatoes rotting on the ground and still attached to their withered brown stems. Straggly herbs, dead flowers. It was like a horror movie. So, naturally, I felt better about my situation.

I am greatly looking forward to the new cooler season. I have been pondering which fall crops to plant. I am toying with the idea of growing some chard or kale but I am not even sure that I like the taste of those two plants. Has anyone grown either of these two plants in a container?

Though I love growing from seed, I think for the fall I will buy some already established plants (like oregano- that darn thing will not grow from seeds!!!). I read in the Sunset Magazine that nurseries have sales in September, so I will wait until then to do some shopping.

Until then, I would love to hear how any of my readers summer planting went.

First Figs of the Season!

Well, here they are: Figs. There were only about 15 on the tree, so there are not too many to go around. They are pretty tasty, though, I wish they were a tad sweeter. I figure, next year the tree with be teeming and the tree will be 2.5 years old.

So, after I eat the rest of the figs, I will prune the tree(!) and hope to encourage a bushier tree next year. I have read some posts about how to prune, but it seems a bit crazy to me. However, since there are only 5 branches, I suppose I can't screw it up too bad...

Has anyone ever pruned a fig, dwarf fig, or any other dwarf tree varietal. Should I do it after I pick all the fruit, or next spring?

New Ginger Plant

My Orchid Flowers Died, And a Few More

Ginger

That lovely orchid that I posted a while back is no longer looking beautiful. The petals began to get brown and wilty along the edges, then the flowers came off. After a brief inquiry, I have learned that it is likely my fault. Duh, right.

I thought that my apartment was just too hot for the delicate flowers. Not the case. Rather, I probably misted it too late in the day and water remained on the petals overnight. Apparently, something as basic as that can cause the flowers to fall. Don't fret, I will not give up on orchids quite yet.

I trimmed it back and placed the foliage in the bathroom. I hope I can keep it nice and see if it will bloom again.

To compensate, I picked up a 6 dollar ginger plant from Home Depot. It looks beautiful. I will post a picture after this post. I would like to do a complete post on all that is ginger, but for now I will just give a few thoughts.

One website said that you could just buy a knob of ginger at the store. Soak it over night and then plant it in potting soil (mix it with peat moss if it is heavy-- you want to make sure there is plenty of drainage). Other people have reported sticking toothpicks in the side and immersing one part in water and letting it sit until roots develop. This sounds a lot like what I remember doing with an avocado seed. You should start this process indoors so you will be ready to plant outside in the spring. The plant needs a lot of humidity, so give her a mist. Then you can dig it up and eat it! Or just stealthily cut off pieces of root as needed.

Note, I have not tried any of this, it is all hearsay. I will just try to keep my plant alive! But if the flower dies, you know I will be digging up that root!

On a side note, I have been a bit delayed with blog postings since I have been pretty preoccupied with my current medical mystery. Sorry for all of you checking to see if I have updated! As soon as the weather cools down and I figure out what the heck is going on, I will get back posting several times a week.

peace,

Melissa

When to Harvest Carrots

Image courtesy of cafe-ole on freeimages.com

My favorite Seattle gardener wondered when she will know when her carrots are ready.   When do you know that root veggies are ready?
1.  You really won’t know until you pull out a trial carrot.  BUT, there are some signs that are indicative of grown carrots.  More on that in a minute.
2.  Carrots will not go bad underground if you don’t harvest them right away.  Some say that a light frost will make carrots even sweeter.  So, if your carrots were ready last week, or a month ago, they are still good to eat (maybe even better). 

Go find your seed packet.  -- What, you threw it out? No, you bought the starts from a nursery and can't remember the name? You need to find out the average length and diameter of the carrot varietal you planted.  When the carrots are ready or near ready to harvest, you will see a bit of the carrot poking up from the ground. You can then measure the diameter of the carrot top.  Compare that measurement to what the seed packet says the diameter should be.
It is likely that the carrot length will be appropriate if the diameter is appropriate.  But, when in doubt, just pull one of them up and see.

In May, I wrote a post about carrots and focused a bit on the lore and scientific evidence about using carrot seeds as a birth control.  Whether you believe it or not, if you are trying to get preggers, I would be careful to not eat a bunch of carrot seeds—just in case!

August is the time to start planting your fall garden.  Carrots are perfect cool weather plants.  Several varietals are great for all areas of the west: Purple Haze, Yellowstone, and White Satin.  Sunset Magazine has a great article about what to plant in your garden in August. Check it out here.  

Strawberries

I have several strawberry plants. Several months ago, I bought two Chef Jeff June Bearing Strawberry plants from Anderson’s. I planted one of the plants in a hanging basket (the kind with the coconut husk basket) and the other in a 10 inch plastic pot. Then I absorbed three of Sandra’s plants that were planted in a shallow but very wide terra cotta pot.

The plant in the hanging basket has been sending out runners for the last two months. Runners are basically long vine-like shoots that will grow into individual plants after then root in the ground. The strange thing is that only the plant in the hanging basket is sending out runners, the sister plant in the regular pot has not had a single runner. I did cut off two runners and put them in a separate pot. They seem to have adapted well and are growing new leaves. But I decided to do some research because I am unsure of whether I should be cutting the runners off of my parent plant more frequently- particularly, do the runners stop the plant from producing fruit. The following are the answers I found:

An article on ehow.com explains the proper method of preserving strawberry runners. I apparently did not do it correctly when I simply put the runner in the pot…Apparently I am supposed to chill the runners after they root to encourage vigorous growth. Though, I am not too keen on this article because it does not give information about how long the runner should chill. But be wary of this chilling method because this was the only site that suggested chilling.

The Bonnie Plants website confirmed my theory that I should be snipping the runners to encourage more berry development. The June bearing plant I have, puts out a crop in early summer and then does not bear again for a while. However, there are everbearing plants that continuously produce strawberries, but have larger yields in Spring and late summer. Look for Ozark Beauty, Quinault, and Sequoia varieties for everbearing.

Predators!

Slugs like to eat strawberries and the leaves. But, my main problem is the darn birds!! I left for a weekend in June and some bird ate all my berries (I could tell from the peck marks!). So, sadly, I have only enjoyed a few of my strawberries. But those few were delicious. When you see strawberries beginning to ripen, use a lightweight bird net to avoid loosing your lovelies to birds. I lined the lip of my pot with foil to avoid more birds, but I am not sure if this was proper.

Fun Facts:

• Plants will last 3-4 years!
• You must keep the soil moist. Strawberries need lots of water to grow big juicy berries.
• Strawberries need at least 8 hours of full sun.
• Strawberry plants make great ground cover.
• Don’t try growing strawberries indoors, because they need to be pollinated by bees and other insects.
• Avoid growing Strawbs in soil that previously held other berries or tomatoes to avoid viral disease.
• Mulch with straw. Strawberries will rot on the ground, use mulch to avoid rotting and to hinder weeds.

Links

Bonnie Plants

Green Harvest

Learn about all the varieties of Strawberries here and here and here

Garden Broadleaf Sage- Salvia Officinalis

When I think about sage, so many thoughts come to mind. First, I think of autumn and squash ravioli. It makes me think of spirituality. Just the smell of it burning... It also bring visions of hippies at farmers markets. So much.

Sage is from the Lamiaceae family, also the Mint family which includes lavender, thyme and basil. Apparently all these guys have square stems. Though, I am reflecting upon basil and cannot seem to picture this square stem.

I bought some seeds and planted them in with my patty pan squash. The squash has grown in a single direction and has gone over the side of the pot. So there is plenty of room in the pot for other plants and it gets a lot of sun. I am concerned because the seed package tells me that it is easy to grow from seed, but some other random website says it is tough from seed and should be grown from cuttings. I have tried to keep it especially moist to encourage sprouting and even planted some more seeds in with my strawberries. So far, after only 8 days one seed has sprouted.

Fun Facts About Sage

• The latin name for sage is salvia, which means to heal.
• At some point, sage has been said to heal every ailment including warding off evil and encouraging women's fertility.
• It is one of the historical ingredients of "Four Thieves Vinegar" which was thought to help people ward off the plague.
• You should prune your sage regularly to encourage more growth of leaves rather than flowers.
• Germans apparently use sage in their eel dishes. Anyone tasted this?

Gnat Infestation

I have had a gnat infestation for a very long time. I do not know what to do to get rid of them. They live in the soil of my plants. Even if I don't water, the darn gnats just are ever present. Does anyone know any secrets to get rid of these pests?

Common Oregano (Origanum vulgare)

The genus name for oregano (Origanum) means “joy of the mountains,” which is appropriate since it is native to the mountainous area of Greece and the Mediterranean.  It is called wild marjoram in some parts of Europe due to its close relationship with sweet marjoram.  Mexican and Greek oregano are slightly different that common oregano and should not be substituted.

Back in Greek and Roman times, oregano was used medicinally more than for food.  Oregano tea was whipped up to treat coughs and asthma.  According to the seed packet (by Botanical Interests), bald and balding men rubbed a mixture of olive oil and oregano into their scalps in an attempt to grow back their hair.  I wonder if it worked. Oregano came into its own in the US after World War II when soldiers returned from Italy.

Antioxidant Powerhouse!

Researchers at the University of Ogden, Utah found that oregano essential oil can effectively fight streptococcus (i.e. strep throat, pneumonia, meningitis, and other bad stuff).  Studies have also shown that oregano essential oil can stop the growth of some harmful bacteria such as E. Coli and salmonella. This is really bizarre, I read that some restaurants put some drops of oregano oil in salad bars to protect them from dangerous bacteria settling into the food. --- Does anyone know a restaurant that does this?

More Traditional Medicinal Uses

Medicinal Uses Today:  Used in treatment of coughs, colds & flus, upset stomach, lady-type cramps,  and cuts & scrapes.  I don’t know why (yet), but the packet says the pregnant ladies should avoid large amounts of this herb.  Some researchers have found that oregano is more effective in treating Giardia than the commonly used prescription drug (I wanted to add a link to the study, but it is in Spanish and I cannot be certain I am finding the right thing… sorry).

I Am Growing It Too!

I planted some oregano seeds over a week ago. I planted it the normal way, meaning I made a hole and stuck the seeds in.  Well, then I read the packet and found out the oregano seeds need light to germinate.   You are just supposed gently press them into the soil.  So, I tried again and gently pressed them in.  One seed has barely sprouted.  There is green.  I have been regularly watering, which I also learned is wrong.  Oregano prefers soil that is not constantly drenched or else the oregano will be bland.  It is also companion planted with beans.  I suppose that as soon as the plant is established, I will move it in with the beans. 

Radishes

Sandra gave me a few radish seeds from a seed packet she picked up at Anderson's the weekend before last.  I pushed some seeds in with the carrots. They are supposed to be ready in only 30 days-- WHAT? 30 days, ridiculous. I will take a picture once a week (first picture is posted here it was taken one week after planting) to report on their progress.  Supposedly, the radishes and carrots live nicely together. When the radishes are done, we take them out and the carrot just moves into the radishes old home.  I will believe it when I see it.  

Radish History

Radishes were cultivated in Hellenistic and Roman society.  Their genus, Raphanus, "quickly appearing",  describes their quick germination period.  (See above-- Radishes supposed to be all grown up in one month!).  The radish is related to the turnip and mustard.  Since radishes grow so fast, you want to plant new seeds every week, in order to get a continuous crop.  Radishes are in season April-June and October to January (they are not into full hot sun). I hope that San Diego's June-Gloom, paired with the placement on the east facing porch will ensure that the radishes don't die of heat.  Since I have the radishes in a pretty shallow box, I am not expecting any massive plants.

Night of the Radishes

On a festive note, some folks in Mexico (Oaxaca to be precise) celebrate the Night of the Radishes (Noche de Rabanos) on December 23.   At the festival, radishes are the main event.  People enter their carved radishes in contests.  Some are themed radish carvings of the Nativity, saints, and buildings. Radishes were brought to Mexico in the 16th century and historians believed that monks in Oaxaca advised the local radish growers to carve their radishes to entice buyers.   Thus began the radish carving and the rest is history.  This year Oaxaca will celebrate its 112th festival of the radish.  If you are in town, check it out.  Or perhaps, we should have a honorary Noche de Rabanos at my house this year and all try to carve those little guys.  I should point out, that with coaxing radishes can grow pretty large.  Sadly, these radishes are merely ornamental.  So I am sure any radish carving that we do will be quite difficult since I am not sure how to get a hold of the giant radishes!

Nutrition Facts

These gems are pretty high in the vitamin count.  Here is a sample of just a few of their vitamin goodies:  folic acid, potassium, B6, magnesium, calcium, and more;)

In addition to the edible root, the leaves of this plant are also edible and can be tossed in a salad.  Has anyone ever nibbled radish leaf?  What does it taste like?

Artichoke Flower

I have been stalking the PB CG again. I stopped by my favorite artichokes (I posted a picture of them earlier in the week); I caught the artichoke with a thistle flower! The flower is pretty big and the color is a lovely lavender. Check out the picture I took with my iphone.

Stay tuned for tomorrow’s entry on Radishes!

P.S. Props to KD for getting her mini garden up and running. She prepped her box and planted some of the 20 cent marigolds. Whoo hooo! We will be following her progress.

P.P.S. I am waiting for some updated pictures from the JS & GS Seattle Patch. Send them over :)

Garden Going Ons

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A few pictures from my endeavors. I tried to take a picture of my back patio. It is dark but you can get an idea of my crazy (especially when you note that so many plants couldn’t make it into the shot). The follow list gives a brief update of the going ons in the eclectic container garden.
1. Dwarf Fig is looking good. Loads of new leaves and even some fruit starting up. I am considering picking all the fruit off since it is still only 1.5 years old. I am not certain that he is ready to be fruit bearing.
2. Tomatoes (Early Girl and Cherry)- I have sampled one early girl and have had several cherry tomatoes. They are delicious and I wish that more were ready to eat. The vines are looking good and strong. Loads of mini green tomatoes and loads of flowers ready to turn into juicy tomatoes.
3. Green Onions- Slow and steady. They are still looking pretty puny, but getting taller each day.
4. Contender Beans- They were quick to give a bunch of yummy green beans. They were delicious dipped in hummus. But the plants got attacked by some powdery mildew, so I chopped off all the affected leaves. Now I have stems that are still trying to grow flowers. Last Friday, Sandra and I pushed some additional seeds in the container. I am hoping I will get another crop of beans in late July.
5. Parsley, Basil, and Cilantro- Looking good. The they are still pretty tiny, but getting bushier and taller every day! I can't wait until they are big enough for daily snippings. PS- Grew them all from seeds! Nutty.
6. Chocolate Peppers & Jalapenos- These guys have peppers growing. They are still too small for picking, but I am excited.
7. Radishes and Carrots- Recently sprouted!
8. Oregano & Thyme- Still waiting for these guys to sprout. Getting pretty nervous.
9. Strawberries- There are so many berries growing out of these plants! I am trying to devise a way to put a net over them to avoid the birds eating them all (like they did a month ago!).
10. Chocolate Mint- Living large. Has made several lovely mugs of tea.
11. Lettuce- I ate two delicious heads of lettuce already and just planted new seeds. Several have sprouted. I have learned now that I really need to be constantly putting new seeds in the pot to have a more frequent supply. Now I have a little lettuce growing in a former yogurt container.
12. Luffa- Well, this guy has some rather interesting looking leaves. I think it is getting ready to have a major growth spurt. Mark my words.
13. Patty Pan Mini Squash- Actually just picked two of the squash and haven't tried it yet. I am very concerned about this plant because several of the leaves are turning yellow. Anybody have any experience with this?
14. Artichoke- Not a whole lot has happened to this plant. It got big leaves and constantly has new ones growing, while old ones die. I have struggled with some kind of burrowing pest. I keep having to cut off infected leaves.

Artichokes

There is a local community garden here in PB. I love it. I go there at least once a week to check everything out. The waiting list is about 2 years, so I look on with supreme jealousy. I am certain that all the plants grow twice as fast as mine do in containers.

Anyway, I love artichokes—easily my favorite veggie. Several community garden plots include artichokes. The plants are just huge and the artichokes look delicious! So, when I was strolling through Anderson’s (mid March) and saw a small artichoke plant I thought I’d give it a try. I planted it in a fairly medium sized pot and set it in the front. Over time, the plant has grown, but there is no indication that it intends on producing an artichoke. I should probably mention that the plant can be 6 feet tall! I, almost certainly, need to re-pot it to a much bigger container. But, I think I have some time.

AC first introduced me to artichokes when we lived together in Berkeley. She and JE bought a few, steamed them up, and proceeded to show me how to scrape the flesh away from the inedible leaves. She also dunked hers into mayonnaise and melted butter. Since dunking things into mayonnaise and butter are not things that I enjoy, I found myself uninterested in the artichoke. Actually, a bit grossed out. It is not pleasant to watch people eat artichokes (especially when they are dipped in mayonnaise). But several years later, when I was living in LA, I found myself stuck with an artichoke that I paid for (came in my Organic Express delivery), so I figured I would give it a second shot. This time, I steamed it, loaded it with salt and pepper and drizzled with olive oil. Loved it. Thus began my artichoke love. Now, when I get them, I steam them up with some potatoes and consider it a perfect meal.

All About Artichokes

The artichoke is actually an undeveloped flower. If you were to leave the artichoke on the plant, it would open up and grow a thistle like flower. The picture to the right is an artichoke from the PB Community Garden. It has ants swarming all around it, but I have been watching this guy to catch a glimpse of this thistle flower.

Nearly 100% of US grown artichokes are grown in Monterrey County (think Castroville).

Artichokes can be made into an herbal tea (WHAT?) and is available commercially in Vietnam. Tell me someone has seen this product? (Upon further research, I learned that artichoke tea is just the water left over from boiling… sounds like broth to me. I’m just saying). Artichoke Tea Bags Link

In Ancient Greece, artichokes were thought to ensure the birth of a boy.

The “Artichoke King,” NY mafia member, Ciro Terranova (1889-1938), created an artichoke uproar when he bought crates of artichokes from California and sold them in NY for 30-40% more. He bullied people into purchasing the chokes. In 1935 the Artichoke Wars where in full swing. The Mayor of NY had to issue a ban on the sale, display and possession of artichokes. Ban only lasted a week. –Whoa, and I thought the thorns were bad….

Marigolds- My first attempt to grow flowers from seed!

*NEWSFLASH* I clearly posted this entry too soon! The seeds I planted last Thursday have indeed sprouted today, June 2; I shouldn't have doubted.  Only a 5 day germination period. I guess those bizarre rainy days were great for them.  

I bought some cheap seeds (20 cents) by American Seed. The package merely says Marigold, Crackerjack Mixed Colors. There is no reference to what type of marigold or the official name. The seeds look like mini sticks that are black and yellow colored. I bought them because I read somewhere that they are excellent companion plants because their pungent smell repels insects. So, I filled three pots with soil and these seeds. I am not convinced the seeds will sprout-- I mean, 20 cents is pretty cheap.

After some research, I have determined that the seeds I planted are the Common Marigold (Tagetes). Marigold is a member of the daisy family. Wikipedia says that the name marigold describes the calendula flower in some other areas. Apparently, the leave juice of this flower is used in wart removal. Anyone try this?

But Can You Eat Them?

Some marigolds are edible--very exciting. However, since my cheap ass seeds fail to tell me what freaking kind of marigold it is, I have no method of determining whether the ones I planted are edible! Time will tell (if they even sprout).

Dying For Marigolds

The lovely deep yellow color of the marigold flowers are used to make dye. One website said that farmers even feed chickens marigold petals so that the chicken skin is yellow. Wierd, I don't eat meat, but I am not certain if I did that I would want yellow chicken skin.

PS. Totally unrelated to gardening, as I write this post I am watching some random SciFi Channel show where Baltar (you know, from BSG) is playing Merlin (yes, the wizard) with the worst "voice" ever. It sounds like he is trying to sound like a mix of James Earl Jones, a dying person, a person with a speech disorder, and Darth Vader. It is AWFUL. so sad.

Cilantro/Coriander

Cilantro and coriander are the same thing, sort of. Here in North America, when you cook with coriander, you are using the seeds from the cilantro plant. Other cultures call the leaves coriander, as well as the seeds. 
About two months ago, I planted some cilantro seeds directly in the soil outside on my back patio.  The seeds are mustard color and the size of that colored ball on the end of a push pin. Two of the seeds sprouted and are now tiny little plants.   They have taken, what seems to be, a long time to grow.  They are about 3 inches tall and pretty bushy.  Despite planting about 5 seeds, only two sprouted. 

I have done a bit a research and learned that cilantro likes a cool sunny environment.  If the soil reaches over 75 degrees the plant will "bolt," meaning send up a flower and die.  It is short-lived, the best plants only live 8-10 weeks.  As a result, it is suggested that you plant new seeds every 3-6 weeks.  (I guess I need to push a few more seeds into that pot.)  I am a bit unnerved about this since San Diego summer whether is often warmer than 75 degrees.  Perhaps I am engaged in a losing battle.  I need to mulch it and place it under another tree so that it gets more filtered light.

Fun Facts About Cilantro:

• Coriander seeds can be briefly roasted on a dry pan to enhance flavor. Has any one ever done this?
• Coriander roots are also edible (the whole darn plant is edible) and are stronger than the leaves. They are apparently used in many Thai dishes.
• There is a website called www.ihatecilantro.com dedicated to people who dislike cilantro.  Really people, aren't there better ways to spend your time.  
• Coriander is referenced in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament in Exodus.
• Cilantro is one of the few herbs used in Chinese cooking (also called Chinese Parsley)
• My favorite Cheeseboard Pizza is the Corn Cilantro pizza- YUM!
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Common English Thyme (Thymus Vulgaris)

To further my quest for a superb herb garden, tomorrow, I will plant thyme. I bought a seed packet from Henry's last week for $2.69 (packet says its organic). The flowers and leaves are edible in this plant, though I am not sure that I have ever tasted the flowers. I would love to hear from anyone who has tasted thyme flowers. This packet has a wealth of information typed in very light gray print on the inside of the seed packet. Really? On the inside of a packet with 75 or so teeny tiny seeds. It is completely bothersome to have to empty the seeds out (because I am certainly not planting all 75) to be able to read exactly how to plant them, and in the process, destroy the seed packet because I have to cut it open.
Thinning, huh?
Here is my problem, I don't know that much about gardening. When the darn packet tells me to space the seeds 4 to 5 seeds per inch, I honestly don't really know what that means. Since I am potting in a container that is round, how do I calculate this. Hold on, it gets worse. The next instructions tells me to plant in groups. Okay....do they mean the 4 to 5 seed group per inch? And for the icing on this cake, it then tells me to thin to 1" when the plant emerges and then when it is 1" I thin to 10."
It cannot possibly want me to be handling seedlings so frequently. It sounds as though I am supposed to plant 5 seeds, then when I detect something emerge I am supposed to then dig the mini guy out an inch away. How odd. Wouldn't I completely disturb the other seeds that may just need a few more days to emerge? But following the thinning guidelines, if I just want one plant that will live in a 10" round pot, I should only plant a single 1" seedling in the pot.
The packet should really come with some pictures or something to translate. Or maybe I am just a dim wit and the instructions are completely self explanatory.

Thyme and Tomatoes
According to the seed packet, I should companion plant thyme with tomatoes in order to discourage white flies and worms. Sounds fabulous to me. The only question now is whether I attempt to put the seeds directly in my tomato plant container, or just keep a separate pot near the tomato. I am leaning toward the separate pot scenario to ensure the tomato doesn't block out the sun for the thyme.

Just A Few Fun Facts:

• Thyme and lavender are members of the same family
• It is drought resistant
• Ancient Egyptians used it for embalming
• Ancient Greeks believed that it brought courage
• It retains much of its flavor upon drying
• Common thyme essential oil consists of 20-50% of thymol, which is an antisceptic and the main ingredient in Listerine
• You can gargle water infused with thyme (boiled with thyme and cooled) to reduce throat swelling associated with bronchitis or sore throat. Think antiseptic! -- i am totally trying this if i have thyme for my next flu!

Carrots Come In Many Colors

Just bought carrot seeds. The little itty bitty carrots, not the long ones. I am anxious to plant the seeds, but the packet tells me that I have to wait until the fall. Perhaps it is too warm right now to plant carrot seeds. What if I put them out on the back patio where the morning sun is not as hot as the afternoon? Any advice?
I really like carrots and prefer to eat them cooked in butter (but who doesn't love food that is cooked in butter) until they are nice and sweet. I have also been all but obsessed with carrot ginger soup. Sadly, I have never loved raw carrots-I like them, just don't love them. And I really am not a fan of the baby carrots that the stores sell. Is it just me, or do they taste bland and horrid? I hope that home grown mini carrots will make me love raw carrots.
Carrot Memories
I don't have too many memories of by Grandpa Earl-my maternal grandfather. I lived in Rhode Island for about 9 short months when I was only four years old. After that, despite my yearly visits, I just cannot remember that much about him. Though, I do remember a few things- his little garden in particular. My gramps was all about growing his own veggies! And composting (I took a look in that old compost trash can a few years ago--yucky. Full of sand-like stuff and loads of spiders)! I distinctly remember him growing carrots, the full sized ones. Strangely, I don't recall ever eating these carrots, so I can only wonder whether my visions are of real life or a mere memory of a photograph of my grandpa with carrots. Either way, when I think of growing carrots, I think of Grampa Earl (sometimes called Earl the Pearl-- he couldn't have appreciated that nick name). I know many stories about him; but, by the time I was a teenager, he was already quite aged. I don't mean to say that he was very old, but he was certainly aged. Alcohol took a toll on his life and, sadly, shortened it. So I am left with the notion that my grandfather was a fisherman (those who have seen his basement in RI might remember the serious array of fishing supplies and various homemade fishing gadgets), a gardener, and a melodic whistler. This journey down memory lane reminds me that I have delayed in asking my grandma about which veggies my grampa used to grow. I wonder if she recalls the taste and variety. My granny is my only living grandparent, so I really need to absorb all the memories from her because time is the enemy now.
Since I have not yet planted any carrots, I have no picture to show for it. Perhaps I will try to find that picture that, may or may not exist, of Grandpa Earl and the carrots. I'll have to ask KD and my mom if they remember.


Because You Know You Want It: Some Fun Facts About Carrots!


There is a website called www.carrotmuseum.com --- Hmm. This website goes far into the history of carrots and carrot eating. I make no promises about the veracity of this website, but it sure is detailed. It reports that the carrot as we know it did not really emerge until the 1500s, though it reveals numerous documentations of earlier historical pictures of carrots (even orange carrots). It is referred to as the modern carrot, in contrast to the wild carrot. The wild carrot is from present-day Afghanistan and has a woody rough bitter spindly root. At some point in history, the modern carrot emerged and became domesticated. Bizarre, that the first domesticated carrots were not orange, but purple! Back in the day, the wild carrot seeds were considered medicinal. I can't possibly cover all the detail of this root


The Super Carrot Revealed! Don't know where you stand on GMOs but: Scientists in Texas have released a super carrot that helps people to absorb more calcium. It is still in the trial phase, but a carrot with 41% more calcium is pretty crazy. Check it out here
Or here.


Oh yeah, and eating carrots to improve nighttime vision is a myth... sorry.

Dwarf Pomegranate

I love pomegranates. I'll never forget the day Samin threw a small dinner party and served a small bowl of pomegranate seeds for dessert. She took the pains of separating the seeds from the rind and presented them in a lovely bowl for each guest to easily sample without worry of getting red juice stains on their clothes. Naturally, I went in for some fruit, gently nibbled the fruit and juice from the seed and then spit out the hard nut-like interior. Well, that sure did put Samin in a tizzy. She refused to believe that anyone but my family and I would go to the trouble to spit out the seeds. Thus began the pomegranate seed controversy. If I remember correctly, it ended in a truce: some chew the nuts, some spit the nuts. Ah, but the sweet look on her face when she saw me spit out the seeds was priceless. Why anyone would ruin the sweet, tart smooth flavor of the pomegranate by chomping on the nasty seed, I don't know. Apparently, some people believe it is too much work to gently nibble the fruit from the seed.



I had a pomegranate tree in my back yard one year when my family lived in Spring Valley, CA. I tried intently to squeeze the seeds to release just the juice. I was rarely successful, but it was loads of fun. I remember that I always had to do my juicing experiments in the garage because the juice was so dark and stainy. The trick is to open the pomegranate under water, the rind floats and the seeds sink and no squirting, voila!



Pomegranates are a very old fruit. They are harvested in fall here in the Northern hemisphere and is grown over, particularly in Mediterranean climates. The fruit has long been recognized and documented. It makes an appearance in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible (hence its appearance in my Fruits of the Bible debacle), and in Greek Mythology (Poor Persephone!). Wikipedia has a fabulous entry on the pomegranate and discusses the many other cultures, ancient and present that use the pomegranate as a symbol.

Needless to say, about 6 months ago I sucked it up and bought a dwarf pomegranate tree from Gurneys. The picture here is the tree. It has a lot of growing to do and I don't expect to see any fruit growing for at least

another year or two. But I am excited for when it does. I seems to have adapted will to my front patio and the little leaves appear healthy. It is not growing quite as fast as the fig grew when

it got to San Diego, but I am patient. So stay tuned for more news on this young plant as the months go on.

Black Rose

This succulent is called a Black Rose (also called Aeonium Arboreum Zwartkop).  I see this is many front yards and borders in my neighborhood.  It is a very hardy plant and requires minimum attention.  It grows quite tall  with large rosettes that vary from greenish to a deep dark purple atop long stalks.  Reminds me of something out of a Dr. Seuss book. 

Because of its height, it is prone to tipping over.  When I first got the Black Rose (a story that really should not be told on the Internet, sad indeed), it was recovering from a pretty brutal fall: Al had kept it perched on a high ledge on her patio where it toppled over and cracked in half. With its tall skinny stalks and large head, it tends to be delicate in high winds.  Though, this plight can be avoided as long as the plant is housed in a sturdy and heavy pot.  Since I replanted the Black Rose in a terracotta planter it has not toppled.  

Those of you who are detail-oriented may have noticed that my plant is staked.  I was very concerned that it was so top heavy.  It began ripping itself out of the soil. So I staked it.  I supposed I probably should have pruned it, but I have trouble cutting of any of this gorgeous plant.

You Can Have One Too

I have read that propagating this plant is rather simple: you just snip off a rosette and stick it in cactus soil.  According to my research, the time to propagate is early summer, so I should buy some cactus mix and snip away.  I will keep you all updated on my progress.  I read that its dormant period is Summer and Fall, so I guess you are supposed to propagate before the dormant period.

It Blooms?

Supposedly, this plant has yellow flowers.  I have had the plant for about two years now and have not seen a single flower.   I am unconvinced.  One website reports that once a flower forms in the summer, the branch will shrivel up and die! I would mind this, but I really don't have that many stalks to afford to lose one to shrivel.  I cross my fingers that this plant does not flower for a very long time!

Here are some links for those of you that want to learn more:

http://www.finegardening.com/plantguide/aeonium-arboreum-zwartkop-black-rose.aspx

http://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Crassulaceae/Aeonium_Zwartkop.html

Easter Cactus

This lovely Easter Cactus was a gift from Al for my graduation from Loyola.  It is so easy to care for and forgiving.  I have already had to chop it up and give parts away because it grows so rapidly.  

I took this picture two weeks ago when it was in full bloom.  Now the flowers have mostly all fallen off.  I will be cutting it apart again soon and giving some of the plants away because it is once again two big for its pot.

Anyone interested in having a piece of this cactus?

Chocolate Mint Tea- Yum

Loofah, luffa, loofa!

Did you know that the bath sponge, commonly known as a loofah or luffa, is a squash?  Well, it is.  I was in the dark about this fact when, one afternoon, while KD and I were browsing the seeds at Target, KD discovered luffa seeds.   Naturally, I had to buy the seeds and attempt to grow my own cleansing product.  Seriously, how good will life be when I can exfoliate with a gourd I grew on my patio?

This all happened about a month and a half ago.  I planted about five seeds (they resemble pumpkin seeds) in a medium small pot.  One seed sprouted out of the ground and really made a statement.  Two big leaves seemed to arrive overnight.  

The seed packet says the following: "Astonishingly tasty when picked young (2"), soft and light green.  Exquisite nut-like flavor steamed or sauteed.  Or harvest dry for terrific bath sponges"   I thought, great, I can grow this in a container.  No problem.  We'll see about that.

Well, I have not had much experience growing squash--it didn't occur to me that this plant would become enormous.  So, I was very surprised last night when I researched the luffa plant online and learned that this plant is going to become a freakin monster! Apparently, the darn plant can have vines that are 20' long and gourds that are longer than a foot long!  I also learned that it crawls up walls and will actually grow up your gutter and around your house!  Crap!  Perhaps I should name the plant Audrey.

Aside from that, people are extolling the virtues of growing the sponges.  Folks on the net are saying how they use the sponge as a dish scrubber and a bath mat.  Pretty cool.  

I am a bit concerned, though, that I couldn't find a site that discussed the possibility of growing luffa in a container.  So, I clearly will need to transplant this guy into a bigger pot (story of my life).  Then I suppose I will "train" it to vine around my decrepit back patio fencing.  I am scared. 

If you are interested in learning more about this plant, check out the following sites:

Groovy Green

Luffa Info

 This is the infamous dwarf fig. 

Introductions

It began a few years ago when I lived in Venice.  I am not sure what awakened the crazy within me, but I became a plant-person.  My apartment was absurdly close to the beach (spitting distance, practically) and had a north-facing balcony.  The sun hardly shone on my little spot, but I didn't care: I bought several plants and willed myself into believing I could keep them alive.  Despite, constant fussing over the plants, most died.  It did not weaken my resolve to buy more and more plants.  I was successful (though I have no idea why since I got the sun hardly shone on my balcony and the marine layer was constantly blocking the little sun it received) at keeping several cactus alive.  My Easter cactus is lovely and still blooms beautiful fuchsia flowers every spring! 

Then, for my birthday one year, by aunt Lynn bought me one of those mail-order amaryllis bulbs. It comes in a kit with some kind of freeze-dried or space saver soil that you add water to and watch it grow.  Then you stick the bulb in and start watering.  I planted it in November and by December I had a gorgeous red and white amaryllis flower.  (I went home for Christmas and the flower ended up falling over and breaking.  Apparently I needed a heavier pot...I learned that lesson.  I am just happy I wasn't the one to come home and find it all broken on the carpet. I would have certainly shed a tear for the flower--that's how much I loved it).

I was hooked.  I tried growing more bulbs-- failure.  I tried keeping various herbs alive (the one from TJs), that wasn't a total failure, but certainly no success.  

I bought a dwarf lemon tree from Target.  Al and I piled it into her car in LA and brought it to my house.  A neighbor- with a south facing balcony- had a lemon tree that was seemingly always full of fruit.  I swear it was fake.  My lemon tree flowered and teased me with mini green fruits that never made it.  I loved that tree.  I watered it, talked to it, etc.  No luck.  Soon it was a tall pile of branches.  So sad.

Along comes the dwarf fig...

What the heck was I doing shopping the garden section in Amazon - I don't know.  I absolutely abhor shopping online.  Will avoid it like the plague.  Can't inspect the product, have to wait for it to arrive, have to pay shipping-- not for me. But nonetheless, I was on Amazon and found the unbelievably cheap offer for three dwarf fruit trees for 15 bucks.  There was a dwarf pomegranate, dwarf fig, and dwarf olive. I think it was called plants of the bible, or something like that.  I was giddy, couldn't think of any reason not to buy those lovely plants.  Olives! I could cure olives and eat them! Figs-- seriously, excellent.  Pomegranate, beyond words.  So I ordered away completely confident in by purchase. 

I bet you know what happened next.  Behold, no plants.  Then, weeks later, I get a lousy email from Amazon telling me some mumbo jumbo about how the order wasn't available.  Basically, I was p.o.'ed.  Majorly.  But the taste of fig in my mouth did not cease.  I had to have that dwarf fig.  I was obsessed with the fig.  

I searched the local box stores and Anderson's for a fig.  Found nothing but the full blown tree.  That couldn't do. So I sucked it up and went directly to the Gurney's website (where Amazon was supposedly ordering from) and bought that darn dwarf fig ($20 bucks after shipping!).  Then I waited. And waited and waited.  Eight months later I got that email telling me that my order had shipped.  I now understand that even if you order a tree, you must wait until harvest to actually get the order.  

The Fig Arrived.

Now, I was in law school at the time and had told all my friends about the tree.  Actually, most had already known about the heartbreak of losing those "fruits of the bible."  The box came, about the size of a shoe box.  I opened it and found the tiniest of "trees."  I use that word loosely because, what I really got was not a 'tree' it was two mini twigs in a small block of soil.  The mini twigs where about 4 inches tall and had a cumulative of 3 teeny leaves.  I was so disappointed.  The picture of the plant was lush and thick with leaves!  I got twigs! I was monstrously p.o.'ed.  I even wrote a review on the website explaining my disappointment.  The company never published it, rather I got an email back telling me that the plants in the pictures are several years old.  Whoo hoo-- I was supposed to know that apparently.  Well, I didn't; and my feathers were quite ruffled. 

I re-potted the pitiful twigs, like the instructions told me.  A few days later the fig lost its three leaves.  Then I really just had two twigs in dirt.  Months passed.  I couldn't bring myself to throw it away.  It just sat in its mini pot on the balcony.   Finally judgment day arrived for the fig.  I was moving to San Diego to a little apartment that got loads of sun.  I closely inspected my fig-twig. I thought I noticed a few greenish colored areas on the tips of the twigs.  With a whimper of hope, I packed the fig-twig in my car and transported it from LA to SD.  Within a few weeks of putting the fig on my front porch it was growing like crazy! Leaves bigger than my head! It even started growing a few figs last summer (none made it all the way, but that was expected).

So the gardening demon awoke! I went insane buying plants. I actually ate my own tomatoes last summer.  Insane.

This blog is for me to get all my gardening excitement out without completely driving all those people around me nuts.  (I can't expect anyone else to be as excited about my plants! Well, maybe Sandra and Al, but that is all).

So here I go.  Enjoy.  Maybe, if I get good at this urban gardening thing, you can come over some day for a fully apartment grown meal ;)