Mariposa Lawn

August 4th, 2009 No comments

Mariposa lawn chemical soil test results:

Test Value Meaning Element for 320 sq ft Fertilizer for 320 sq ft
pH 6.2 good – –
N 0.3 depleted 4.6ozs 21ozs 22-3-4
P 3.8 surplus – –
K 3.5 surplus – –

We’ll use 29-3-4 but rate it only 22-3-4 as 7-0-0 is slow release.

For the small middle patch of lawn we’ll use 7ozs for 100 sq ft.  For the lower triangle of lawn we’ll use 14ozs for 220 sq ft.

The lawn was fertilized according to the foregoing instructions on August 22.  Subsequently the lawn was reported to be “looking good.”   About five weeks after the fertilizing, on September 29, we asked for a report and learned that the fertilizer seemed  to have a beneficial effect.  The lawn was still “looking good” and some former brown spots had filled in and were doing well.

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Weekly Summary

July 31st, 2009 No comments
Baby carrot thinnings

Baby carrot thinnings

Six weeks since rototilling

Six weeks since rototilling
Date Lo Hi Notes
07/25 63 86 Thinned two more turnips. Planted oregon grape. Several radishes found dug up but mostly undamaged – replanted. Bushes heat stressed. Watered daily.
07/26 64 88 Two more dug up radishes and a dug up nicotiana were found and replanted. Approximately five sunflowers had been pushed over and snapped off. There was no underground damage. A raccoon looking for sunflower seeds is suspected. Another two sunflowers were bent over but are recovering. So we bought and installed a Scare Crow motion-sensor water spray.
07/27 67 92 We believe a raccoon triggered the water spray, probably more than once. When we went out we heard it cursing us from a tree for several minutes but we never saw it.
07/28 70 95 Serious leafminer problems on both swiss chard plantings, and aphids on the cauliflower again. Sprayed the chard, the large brassicas, and the rhubarb with spinosad. Thinned out about two dozen baby carrots for stir fry. All plants heat stressed. Watered daily.
07/29 72 105 The large brassicas, bushes and peas are struggling in the heat. In the house it was 101° upstairs, 96° downstairs, and even the normally cool basement was 84°.

103° at Sea-Tac broke all-time 100° record. 105° at Sand Point broke all-time 96° record. Both places also had all-time record warmest overnight minimum of 71°.
07/30 65 96 Pinched off tomato growing tips. Instead of thinning celery I transplanted the excess to a second row.
07/31 61 84
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Nasturtium #2

July 31st, 2009 No comments

Ed Hume Glorious Gleam trailing mixed colors

Expected germination: 10 days

18 seeds

07/29-30: Planted 1 per cell in 18 cells.  2A: Untreated.  2B: Soaked.  2C: Scarred.

–MJH

Categories: 2009 - Annuals Tags:

Dwarf Snapdragon

July 30th, 2009 No comments

Ed Hume, Magic Carpet

Expected germination: 10 to 20 days

Approximately 12 seeds

07/29: Planted 2 per cell in 12 cells.

–MJH

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Sunflower #2

July 29th, 2009 No comments

Ed Hume, Autumn Beauty mix

Expected germination: 10 to 15 days

12 seeds

07/29: Planted 1 per cell in 12 cells.
08/01: Noted first seedling. –MJH
08/07: 7 of 12 (58%) have shoots 3/4″ to 2-1/2″ tall.
08/15: Planted out.
08/15: 4″ to 9″ tall.
08/23: 8″ to 13″ tall, with foliage diameter approx 6″.
08/30: 12″ to 20″ tall. Heavily shaded by original sunflowers.

Categories: 2009 - Annuals Tags:

Simple, Colorful Stir-Fry

July 28th, 2009 No comments

Stir Fry

Stir Fry

 Use a deep skillet or a wok.  Serves two, generously.

  • 1/2 15-oz. can or jar of baby corn, optional
  • 1/2 pound whole baby garden carrots (or mature carrots pared and cut in thin sticks)
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • about 15 snap peas
  • 2 T. minced fresh ginger, optional
  • 1/2 t. red curry powder
  • 1 1/2 t. cornstarch
  • 1 T. sugar
  • 1 t. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth

Drain the baby corn and blanch it for about 30 seconds in boiling water.  Drain and set aside to cool.  Boil the carrots for about five minutes, until barely tender. Drain and set aside to cool.  In a small bowl, mix together the last four ingredients until smooth, and set aside.  Slice the bell pepper in thin strips and fast fry in a small amount of oil until barely tender, turning all the while.  Sprinkle with the red curry and ginger and stir till well-coated.  Add the remaining vegetables and sauce and heat to boiling.  Serve with rice.
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Tomato Pruning

July 27th, 2009 No comments

Indeterminate Tomato "Bush"

Indeterminate Tomato "Bush"

Other than three suckers which we took early and rooted, we have not previously pruned the tomatoes. The two plants now have about a dozen vines in all forming a nice bush shape around the two bamboo poles. Today we removed all the small suckers and we will continue removing new suckers as they appear. A few days from now we will also start pinching off the growing tips.

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Critter Damage

July 26th, 2009 No comments
Sunflowers pushed over by raccoon

Sunflowers pushed over by raccoon

 July 25th we found several radishes dug up but mostly undamaged. We replanted them.

July 26th we found about seven sunflowers pushed over, of which only two survived. We believe a raccoon pushed them over looking for sunflower seeds. Our sunflowers were planted late and have not flowered yet.

Also July 26th we found two more radishes and a nicotiana dug up, and again replanted them

We therefore bought and installed a Scare Crow motion-sensor water spray.
Sunflower stems snapped just below surface

Sunflower stems snapped just below surface
Radishes dug up but otherwise unharmed

Radishes dug up but otherwise unharmed
Categories: 2009 - Journal Tags:

Weekly Summary

July 24th, 2009 No comments
Five weeks since rototilling

Five weeks since rototilling
Date Lo Hi Notes
07/18 63 80 Started new batches of carrots, lettuce, romaine, pumpkin, and radish. Planted out the tomato cuttings that had been in water for nearly three weeks. Bushes heat stressed. Watered daily.
07/19 58 76 Thinned one turnip at 2″ diameter – sliced thin, sprinkled with salt, and fried: turnip chips. Hosed several groups of aphids off the large brassicas.
07/20 60 79
07/21 60 89
07/22 58 75 Sprayed broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, rutabaga, swiss chard, and turnips with 0.001% spinosad, an organic pesticide.
07/23 58 69
07/24 57 78 Something, perhaps a squirrel, had dug some seeds and seedlings out of the trays, so we moved the seed trays to the deck. Started ongoing snow pea harvest. Bushes heat stressed. Watered daily.
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Oregon Grape

July 21st, 2009 No comments

One plant.

07/21: Bought.
07/24: 4″ tall with foliage diameter 7-1/2″.
07/25: Planted in moderate shade in SE corner of garden.
08/01: 3-1/2″ tall with foliage diameter 8″.
08/07: 3″ tall with foliage diameter 8″.
08/15: 3″ tall with foliage diameter 8″.
08/23: 3-1/2″ tall with foliage diameter 8″.
08/30: 4-1/2″ tall with foliage diameter 8″. Two new shoots.

Categories: Perennials Tags: