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More seedlings
I bought a roma seedling and pineapple sage during the garden tour. Then my sister and I dropped by the nursery and wandered around trying to decide what else to get. I finally settled on chocolate mint and peppermint for the companion plants. I also picked a ‘purple beauty’ pepper and a yellow pepper. I already have a chocolate (color) one called ‘hershey’. I was thinking about eggplants but the nursery didn’t have any of the bambino ones.
Now, all the wine-barrel planters are full. I’m using some of the 5 gallons pots for the smaller herbs. The snow peas in one planter isn’t doing too well so I’ll be removing it if it doesn’t improve by next weekend; it’s been fertilized and watered but I’m not so sure nutrients were the problem. A tomato cage has been settled over the Sun Gold seedling.
Veggie Garden
It’s been difficult getting the seeds to survive. I managed to save them from dampening off but bugs got to them in the first week they were transplanted. Only the daikon is still alive. So, I’ve started to buy seedlings, both veggies and herbs. It’s also very tempting to spray the pests but since I want to eat the veggies, I just have to wait and see if the companion planting will work… soon.
I had a coupon for a free tomato seedling so I chose Sun Gold. I got lemon balm and catmint last week and just bought parsely and basil. Of the seeds I started outdoors, cilantro (2 bunches) and a broccoli survived. My sister also started some seeds in my yard and only the bok choy came up. She moved some of the napa cabbage–they were being eaten by bugs–and they’re doing better in the planter bed now. The marigold is working, the slugs are eating it instead of the seedlings… the poor marigolds are looking bald without their leaves. I just added a geranium so I’ll see what happens.
Oh, my sister seems to have built the planter bed right on top or next to an ant colony. Oops. Now we’re trying to get rid of the ants (using baits) but they’re still there so far.
Now the other problem? Stupid dog from next door is using my front and back yards as his toilet. The stupid owners let the dog wander without a leash. The cats from the other neighbor seems to be avoiding my yard, since I moved in. I’ll be trying the cheyenne pepper idea to see if it’ll make that dog go away.
The front yard won’t get any veggies so I’m tempted to use a weed-killer. For exercise, I’ve been pulling (and cutting and digging) weeds but it’s getting old. Weed wacker thingie is next and give the “lawn” a buzz-cut.
Trees and shrubs
When I moved into my new house, I already knew there were 2 lemon trees (one meyer, other possibly eureka) and an orange tree. After a month, I identified a rose and camellia once the leaves started and buds formed; let’s just say I didn’t notice them because of the weeds. Well, between my sister, co-workers and some gardening forums, most of other the trees have been identified, sometimes just by the leaves and flowers. Now that they’re fruiting, I can confirm they were right!
So far I also have a viburnum, lilac, fig (humongous!), apriocot, walnut, one of those christmas holly things. The garden forum even identified a weed called Jupiter’s Beard that I took a photo of. I also bought a bing cherry and will grow that in a barrel planter. I think there are two more left: possibly cherry or plum (no one really knows but apparently, by the drupe, it could be either) and possibly apple. The latter tree may not be that healthy since it took so long before leaves even started.
What’s blooming now?
Well, I didn’t get to enjoy my orchids much of this summer. I was out of state on a project for 12 weeks so my sister got to baby-sit my orchids. So far, three cattleyas have bloomed and almost all of my Neofinetias. I also found that while the majority of the Neo are white, I do have one green. :) And most are fragrant! There are a few more orchids in bud right now and I’m hoping they’ll make it to bloom.
Pics that my sister took, to be loaded when I find them.
My collection has grown; I got most of the Neofinetias this year. On the other hand, some of my cymbidiums are dead. It’s either from no water/too much sun or they were virused. I’ll probably be posting the full list later this month.
Plant-wise, my plumeria bloomed; and the jasmine of course. The peony didn’t and I think the root may be dead as well; I have the herbaceous type and unfortunately, they’ve been dying one by one. A co-worker mentioned we probably should have dug them up and put them somewhere cool and dry for the winter. The sundew also bloomed; that was a pretty long stalk of flower, twice.
The end in site?
Yes, I mean site… although sight should be the actual word. :p
House-hunting has been interesting because if there’s anything in common with what I’ve seen, all the homes had been “in the family” since it was built and is finally being sold. What does this mean? It means that most everything needs updating, esp. the kitchen, bathroom and electrical. It seems the easiest thing to do is to paint and maybe re-do the floors. I’ve seen some gems, but I haven’t come up with “a ha!” reaction, that the house is so mine.
At least, I hadn’t.
I added townhouses, more out of curiosity, and came across a possible gem. There are ‘green’ homes being built in the city next to where I work; commute is within 30 minutes, even by not going on the freeway. My agent is now checking on the new community and if everything checks out, I get my pick of the units. It’s so brand new that it’s still the Grand Opening.
Spring is almost here
Just a quick post. I’m still around. At work, I’m currently on a year long project (converting our Hawaii employees onto the HRIS system) and yes, it does/will include travel. On the personal side, I’m house hunting! It’s fun! More later.
Orchid Collection - Update
As of 08/19/2007:
Ascda. John DeBiase ‘Angela’ (AM/AOS)
Ascda. Muang Thong x V. Pimchai Beauty
B. nodosa x C. loddigesii ‘Herbrita’
Blc. Dora Louise Capen Lea
Blc. Lawless Zauberflote ‘Rainbow’
Blc. Panda Spark
Blc. Taiwan Queen King’s Monkey
Bc. Hawaiian Passion
Bc. Maikai ‘Mayumi HCC/AOS
Bc. Morning Glory
Bc. Roman Holiday `Sun-Son’ (C. Chocolate Drop x Brassavola nodosa)
Cattleya or Lc.
Cattleya or Lc. (possibly Lc. Mem. Robert Strait ‘Blues’ or cross)
Coelogyne lawreceana
Ctna. ‘Why Not’
Cym. Baltic Christmas
Cym. Cherry Blossom ‘Profusion’
Cym. dayanum
Cym. Devon Ranee ‘SanBar Black Cherry’
Cym. hybrid (red)
Cym. Maui Mist “Waterfield’s Snow Cap” (HCC/AOS)
Cym. Mighty Mouse ‘Minnie’ x Lamplighter ‘Aladdin’
Cym. Minneken ‘Pink Peal’
Cym. ‘Miss Muffet’
Cym. Nicole’s Valentine ‘Modoc’
Cym. Peace Fire
Cym. Sarah ‘Pearl Falls’
Cym. Showgirl ‘Malibu’ HCC/AOS SM/CSA
Cym. Sleeping Dawn ‘OG x Walter’
Cym. Starbright ‘Sirius’ (AM/AOS)
Cym. Swan Lake ‘Pirouette’
Cym. Sweatheart ‘Elegance’
Cym. Tislonkobb (?) ‘Peaches’ (Pearly Queen x Balkis)
Cym. Wiganianum (eburneum X tracyanum)
Den. Moniliforme (Cho sei ran) Kin ryu
Den. Kanjana
Den. kingianum (3)
Den. kingianum (4 keiki)
Diaca. Chantilly Lace ‘Hildos’
Dtps. Mount Lip x Phal. Sogo Tris
Epc. Siam Jade ‘AVO’ (AM/CST) (2)
Iwan. Appleblossom ‘Spring Time’
Isabelia pulchella (Neolauchea pulchella)
Masd. ‘Fancy Pants’
Masd. hybrid
Masd. pinocchio
Masd. Dean Haas (Copper Angel x Angel Glow)
Masd. Golden Sun (Canary x Angel Sang)
Max. tenuifolia
Milt. ‘Echo Bay Twilight Tears’
Milt. Augres ‘Trinity’
Mtdm. Pupukea Sunset ‘Palao Puff’
Neo. falcata
Neos. Lou Sneary ‘Lea’ (AM/AOS)
Onc hybrid (3)
Odo. hybrid (possibly Odo. Lavender Lace or cross)
Paph. charlesworthii
Paph. hybrid (possibly with Paph. niveum cross)
Paph. Magic Lantern
Paph. Maude Raven x Paph. Black Buddha
Paph. moquettianum
Paph pinocchio (moquettianum x primulinum)
Phal. hybrids (6)
Phal. hybrids (2 keiki)
Phal. Kuntrarti Rarashati ‘Joy’ (equestris x venosa)
Phal. pulcherrina
Pot. Ah Chung Yoyo ‘Little Gold Fish’
Slc. Hsin Buu Lady
Vanda (V. Charles Good Fellow x V. Tessellata)
Vanda (V. Sanderiana x V. Sanderiana tameblata)
V. Fuchs Golden Leopard ‘Lipstick’ x V. Wirat ‘Pink’
V. Udom Gold x Ascda. Suksamran Gold
Currently in bloom - Orchids
From left to right:
A pink mini Phalenopsis (Dtps. Mount Lip x Phal. Sogo Tris) and an ultra-minature (Phal. pulcherina) species.
Masdavallia pinocchio and another mini Phal (yellow, name unknown).
Garlic Festival
So… this weekend was Gilroy’s Garlic Festival. It doesn’t take too long to get there so I went with a neighbor. I have to say that I’m kind of disappointed. The food was okay and garlicky but for the area called Gourmet Alley, it’s just fair food, nothing impressive. I would have expected “Gourmet” to be really gourmet but *shrugs* whatever.
It also seemed that there were more food vendors than crafty stuff; yes the focus was garlic but you can only eat so much. At 95 degrees, you wouldn’t want to be without shade the entire visit so we skipped the cooking demo/competition since the bleachers was out under the sun. I think the trip would have been much better if it didn’t take an hour to get from the Gilroy exit to the parking lot. And the craft vendors? I actually see most of them around the local street fairs.
I would give this festival an average rating.
SB Weekend
I had a fun time in Santa Barbara last weekend. I went with a co-worker to the Orchid Fair and we also visited two orchid nurseries.
I got to her place Friday night and went to her orchid society meeting; it was fun watching the show and tell because everyone from beginner’s on up had a lovely flowering orchid they got to brag about. I think this is the first time I’ve seen a Laelia tenebrosa; it is very striking in that the petals are orange and the lip is purple (or magenta?). The flowers are huge, hand-size and bigger. The lecture that night was on Cymbidiums, which I enjoyed since I’ve been trying to learn more. It turns out that the guest speaker also organizes tours to China and Thailand, combining both regular tourist-y stuff and visits to orchid areas (and greenhouses?). That’ll be fun to follow up on one of these days; unfortunately, I would need to 20 days off… which I have in my bank… but I doubt my manager will let me off for that long. 
Once at Santa Barbara, we went to visit the Santa Barbara Orchid Estate (http://www.sborchid.com) and Cal-Orchids (http://www.calorchid.com) before hitting the fairgrounds for the Orchid Fair (http://www.orchidfair.com). I bought some of the miniature and ultra-miniature Cymbidiums I’ve been looking for as well as a Paph and Neofinetia. I usually am willing to try out new orchids as long as they’re temperature tolerant and doesn’t need any special care to keep them alive and are small or a miniature. (Blooming is usually another story for me… hehehe.)