Articles (Blog)
Posted on July 24, 2024 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
 
Woohoo!!!  We get to pick tomatoes every day.  And eat tomatoes every day.  
 
A couple more days and we will be canning, tomatoes and tomato juice.  Love it!!!
 
 
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
Posted on July 23, 2024 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
 
Remember that tidy little mound of parsley I showed you earlier?  Well, it has shot up to 5 feet, and has put out lots of flower heads.  Each flower has about 100 seeds, and I bet there are at least 100 flower heads.
 
That is a lot of parsley.  Not all the seeds will be viable, but I will still save them, and plant them in the spring.
 
Not ALL of them. ;)   But definitely some.
 
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
Posted on July 22, 2024 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
 
I know that you can buy zinnia seeds just about anywhere, but I thought you might like to see where we get them.
 
At the base of each zinnia flower petal is the seed.  When the flowers are mature, you can pluck out the seeds.  Just save them until spring and plant them.  I've had pretty good luck doing it this way.
 
And sometimes I just drop those seeds on the ground and they come up in the spring.  Not quite as sure a thing, but sometimes it works.  We call it lazy gardening...
 
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
Posted on July 21, 2024 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
 
The eggplants are starting to grow fruits.  They don't mind the hot, dry weather.  
 
So it looks like we will be picking eggplants soon.
 
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
Posted on July 20, 2024 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
 
The Lovage is blooming.  It is perennial, so I don't need to replant seeds every year.  But I am a seed saver;  I can't help myself.  So I will harvest the seeds, and save them, just in case something happens to this plant and I need to start over.  
 
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
Posted on July 18, 2024 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
This is before trimming.  Well, in the process of trimming.
 
And this is after trimming.  Such a beautiful view from the deck.  
 
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
Posted on July 17, 2024 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
 
We love this guy!!  I think he is a little bit loco to climb 40 feet up a tree, but that's what he does.
 
He trimmed the four tall trees in our western view, and now our view is better than ever.  
 
He also removed a sumac tree that was dying in our back yard, too close to the house for Jon and me to do it.  He did it by standing in the tree!!!  It was only 6 feet off the ground.  He and his helper removed it without damaging anything in the close proximity.  They didn't break one single limb on the adjacent Leland Cypress trees.  They were amazing to watch.
 
 
So, I am here to recommend Lopez Tree Service for any of your tree trimming, tree removal, landscaping jobs.  
 
Here's his number:  he told us that he is pretty busy right now, but November, December and January are fairly slow months.  We will definitely call him to come take out that big maple tree near the garden.  It died, and is threatening the garden.
 
 
He gave me permission to put these pictures on the website.  Such a good guy.  Love doing business with him.
 
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
 
 
Posted on July 16, 2024 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
 
Actually, I think 'lazy gardener' may be an oxymoron.  Lazy is a matter of perspective.  But...
 
I thought you would like this picture.  I do.  It makes me laugh.
 
It shows you how long it's been since I used these tools.  Hahaha!!!  Long enough for the morning glory to grow all the way to the top of the handles, AND BLOOM!
 
Don't care;  it's been so dry, there hasn't been much need for these tools in the garden.  
 
I'M STILL A HAPPY GARDENER!!!
Posted on July 15, 2024 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
 
I thought you'd like to see my microgreens.  I planted them on the 11th, and took this picture on the morning of the 14th.  Pretty amazing, huh?
 
Radish seeds on the left and arugula seeds on the right.  
 
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
Posted on July 14, 2024 8:00 AM by Gerry Trout
 
Jon prepared the grill to cook a turkey breast, so I went out to get a little lemongrass.  I cut a couple stems to go under the turkey, then I cut off the leaves.  We use the stems under the turkey, and the leaves I twirl into a little wreath, hang it to dry, and we use it in our tea.  Nice and lemony.
 
When I cut these two stems, there was a young praying mantis on them, so I put it back in the lemongrass pot.  I guess it's happy there.  
 
HAPPY GARDENING!!!
 
 
Archives