A Gardeners Notebook

This big guy was having his lunch in my back garden this morning and took his time, so I was able to get about 10 minutes of closeup footage.iPod Ready VideoPreviously on WelchWrite.com...Video: Coopers (not Red-tailed) hawk in the garden this morning

Today has been a productive day in many regards, so after accomplishing stuff at my desk and computer, there was some time (and motivation) to do a bit in the garden, too.I know I make everyone north of me jealous, instead of planting bulbs this time of year, ours are starting to grow. We had an early rain this year, 2-3 weeks ahead of the usual (according to my gardening journal) and this morning I saw the first bulbs poking their heads above all the leaf litter.This was one reason I wanted to get out and work today -- to provide an easier time for the emerging bulbs.(Click any picture for larger photos and additional photos in this set. -- Douglas)As you probably read, we did our semi-annual roof cleaning last week. This always results in a large clump of leaves being pushed into the flower bed near the back patio. Today, I set out to clear as much of that bed as possible. I quickly filled our green gardening bin provided by the city, and started a new leaf mold-only compost pile by the back wall, in the space opened by demolishing our old garden shed.There are several large clumps of Agapanthus in this bed and I have been meaning to divide them for years, but never got around to it. In cleaning up the leaves, though, the rhizomes of the Agapanthus came right up with them. They had pushed themselves completely out of the soil.So, with that, my project grew a bit. After I cleared the leaves from about 1/2 of the bed, I took out the Troy-Bilt mini-cultivator (Review | Audio | Video) I received a few months ago and cultivated the general area. I had to avoid the large tree root and some existing plantings, but in the end I worked up a fairly large area. I then selected the healthiest looking Agapanthus rhizomes and distributed them in a trench basically where they had originally been, but much more spread out. A few minutes of backfilling (and replanting any other bulbs we had turned up in our work), some heavy watering and we were done. There is one more large clump that will probably get the same treatment when we clean out the other end of this bed.All told, today's project took about any hour, but I was also able to make it into my daily workout instead of taking my usual 2 mile walk.

Over the last week or so the temperatures have been cooling down and the mornings are grey and sometimes foggy. It is heard to believe after so many dry months, but the rains are coming. According to my records, the earliest rain I have recorded here in my garden was October 23, 2004. Typically we get one rain in October, but then we might have a dry spell until late November.That said, it is important each year we clear all the leaves from the roof before the first rain arrives. The many trees on the property can create quite a pile and these leaves can cause the rainwater to back up under the shingles and damage the roof. We don't always make the first rain, but last night I decided that today would be the day to get things done. Then we will be prepared for whatever comes. There has been some talk of this year being an El Niño. This is a cyclical weather pattern that brings extreme amounts of rain to the Southern California area. We have experienced one of these in the past and it indeed was very, very wet compared to a typical year. The Garden looked great, but many people suffered damage from mudslides through the surrounding mountains.Here is what the roof looked like before and after our morning's work. Most of the leaves went into the compost bins, but we also had to start a separate leaf mold pile to hold the extra. Related articles by ZemantaFREE CLASS! TPF Kids: Art & Science of Native Plants, with Pamela Burgess and Lisa Novick (welchwrite.com)Another Drought Year? El Nino Not the 'Great Wet Hope' (laist.com)

I saw this in today's newsletter from the Theodore Payne Foundation and thought LA locals might find it interesting and useful. My tree rounds seem to act as homes to many valley carpenter bees as well as providing some extra seating for the garden.Tree Rounds for the Taking!Just recently, the Foundation had a number of non-native and poorly placed trees cut down on the property, and now we have hundreds of tree rounds available for whatever garden use you can imagine: seating, potted plant pedestals, bench supports - you name it! Like to split wood? This is your chance! The tree trunk rounds range in diameter from approximately a foot to five feet, and are of eucalyptus, pine and poplar. Got grandchildren? A large round and several smaller rounds would make a wonderful table and set of chairs. Still full of sap, the rounds can be heavy, especially the larger ones, so bring some strong friends to help out, and a lift gate if you have one! The rounds are free for the taking, but donations would be much appreciated. Please email Louise or Madena at louise@theodorepayne.org or madena@theodorepayne.org to set up a day and time for pick up. Even though the Foundation is currently closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, pick ups may be scheduled for Tuesday through Saturday, with Saturday pick ups before 10 a.m.. Thank you!

Image by dewelch via FlickrOur temperatures are supposed to rise into the triple digit again this week, so I took some time this morning to do a little cleanup in the front garden. There is a lot of work to do there, including pruning the large azalea beds, but today was more cleanup than anything else. The line trimmer brought all the grass in the paths down to a manageable level. I have given up trying to exclude the grass from these paths and now just "mow" it down to a level where it looks planned instead of just wild.Then, I went through the entire front garden and removed every volunteer I found in the beds. We get saplings from the large elm popping up everywhere, along with the occasional camphor, ash and Mexican Fan Palm (Washingtonia robusta). These palms are the only native palm to California and pop up everywhere due to the birds. If let be, they can grow to enormous size quite quickly. You often see large "plantations" on empty lots and along unkempt property lines. The area below the utility pole in my back garden is a constant battle as new palms sprout with each new rain shower.Rosanne did some cleanup work on the leaves in the garden, her typical and welcome job in the garden. She always makes sure the garden bin is filled to the brim before each trash pickup day, so we can keep a regular flow of materials out of the garden. As it is, even with this and the 2 composters, we have much more leave mold thatn we know what to do with. That will happen when you have so many trees.Speaking of trees, the drought is hitting us pretty hard in that regard. We have at east 4 small trees that have died, probably because they had not set their root deep enough when first getting established in the garden. Most of these are conifers of some sort. We need to bring in a arborist to take them out before the winds and rain bring them down of their own accord. They are not too large, but just big enough that I can't take them out by myself. A misplaced cut could bring them down on the house or other garden structure, so I figure it is best to call in the pros.There is always so much to do in the garden, especially when life gets in the way, so I am trying to get back into my 10-minutes a day habit, attacking one small area or task everyday. I already have quite a list, including...Repair drip irrigation line that has broken down under UVAgapanthus divisions and replantingDead tree removalDead vine removal on North wall (probably another casualty of the drought)Get quotes for fence replacement on south property lineClean leaves from house roof before first rainThat should keep me buy for a while. (SMILE)Related articles by ZemantaReview: TB57 Lithium Ion Battery Cordless String Trimmer / Weed Trimmer (welchwrite.com)Elsewhere Online: Tilling is one chore you might be able to skip (welchwrite.com)What I'm eReading...My Tiny Plot (welchwrite.com)What I'm eReading...Down on the Allotment (welchwrite.com)Brick and river rock path (welchwrite.com)

Image via WikipediaI thought I was just being lazy by not doing a lot of tilling in my garden. (SMILE) This article from Fine Gardening magazine gives several other reasons, though.Tilling is one chore you might be able to skipTurning the soil over each year is a millennium-old tradition that has been challenged only in the last half century. The major benefits attributed to the annual rite of tilling are that it aerates the soil; chops and kills weeds; and mixes in organic materials, fertilizers, and lime. Not to be downplayed are the psychological benefits of tillage. It induces a righteous-feeling sweat that makes a clean slate of last year’s mistakes. So is it any wonder that plants survive and thrive in the wild in the untilled soil of fields and forests? Not really.Read this entire article "Tilling is one chore you might be able to skip"Related articles by ZemantaWhat I'm eReading...My Tiny Plot (welchwrite.com)What I'm eReading...Down on the Allotment (welchwrite.com)Green beans from the garden picked today (welchwrite.com)Los Angeles Watering Restrictions (welchwrite.com)

Who Knew? 75 Things You Can Compost"We have been composting kitchen scraps and garden clippings for awhile now, but Planet Green's recent list of '75 Things You Can Compost, But Thought You Couldn't,' opened our eyes to a whole new world of compost possibilities ..."Read Full PostRelated articles by ZemantaGood Product: Stainless Steel Compost Pails (thekitchn.com)Worm Bins: Three Effective Wiggly Composting Machines (groovygreen.com)What I'm eReading...Down on the Allotment (welchwrite.com)

Down on the AllotmentAnother UK-based garden blog that is regularly updated with great information and wonderful pictures."I was born 20 yards from our allotment. My parents used to 'dig for victory' and never got out of the habit. I grew up on an allotment, so growing veggies is a way of life. I am currently studying to become a dog behaviourist and eventually set up my own business."Recent posts include:Tomato GlutGiant CourgettesSweet Sweet CornRelated articles by ZemantaWhat I'm eReading...My Tiny Plot (welchwrite.com)Concrete Bag Retaining Walls from Dirt du Jour (welchwrite.com)Review: TB57 Lithium Ion Battery Cordless String Trimmer / Weed Trimmer (welchwrite.com)Los Angeles Watering Restrictions (welchwrite.com)

My Tiny Plot is one of the many gardening blogs I have in my Google Reader subscriptions. I have now idea how I first discovered it, but I love the garden diary and excellent pictures. This is also one of the many UK blogs I follow. I am a bit of an Anglophile and the Brits just seem to be so passionate about their gardening it is hard not to like them."My Tiny Plot is the diary of a small vegetable patch in Bath, England. I’m all about growing vegetables and eating fresh produce. And more recently turning that produce into yummy and exciting baby meals!"Related articles by ZemantaConcrete Bag Retaining Walls from Dirt du Jour (welchwrite.com)Review: TB57 Lithium Ion Battery Cordless String Trimmer / Weed Trimmer (welchwrite.com)Green beans from the garden picked today (welchwrite.com)Los Angeles Watering Restrictions (welchwrite.com)

IMG_0823Originally uploaded by dewelchI liked this nicely designed brick path bordered by river rock at a client's house the other day. I think river rock looks very refined and the grey is a nice color offset to the red brick and green grass.Hmmm....now where can I do something like this in my garden? (SMILE)

IMG_0821Originally uploaded by dewelchWalking around the neighborhood this evening I see the crape myrtles are blooming.These are very popular streetside trees in the San Fernando Valley and with their restrained habit and colorful blooms they make a nice addition to any yard or garden.

Image via WikipediaThis looks like a great free class at the Theodore Payne Native Plant Foundation. You can find complete information on the calendar at TPF Web Site. FREE CLASS! TPF Kids: Art & Science of Native Plants, with Pamela Burgess and Lisa Novick Saturday, August 22, 9 - 11 a.m.Join Pamela, TPF's first artist-in-residence, and Lisa, TPF Outreach Coordinator, for two hours of solar-powered fun! We'll make shadow drawings and experiment with leaf adaptations while learning about plant-animal connections and, of course, the Sun! Wear comfortable clothes and shoes, and bring a hat and water. TPF will supply the rest. FREE. Each sign-up admits one adult and one child (age 5 through 12). PLEASE CALL THE FOUNDATION TO PREREGISTER. THANK YOU!

Our job is complete, mostly. We are heading to the dump soon and then a little gardening cleanup remains. I never would have believed we could dismantle the entire thin on about 6 hours, but we did. Many hands make light work. Big thanks to our friend Duke, his daughter Phoebe and my wife and son. Everybody really worked hard.

Out friend, Duke, helps us to tear down our garden shed.

Update: (July 25, 2009): "Councilman Greig Smith introduced a motion Friday, July 24 seeking to change the Department of Water and Power's (DWP) two-day-per-week lawn watering restrictions to three days a week in an effort to help homeowners save their lawns and save additional water."The twice-a-week restrictions are turning people's lawns brown, which hurts home values in our neighborhoods," Councilman Smith said. "For more than a decade we have had a policy of greening, not browning L.A."The motion would change the restriction from Monday and Thursday, 15 minutes per day, as it is currently, to Monday, Wednesday and Saturday for 8 minutes per day. This would help lawns, trees and shrubs survive while still meeting conservation goals. It would even reduce watering by 6 minutes per home per week, saving many thousands of gallons of water.Read entire article: Councilman Smith Seeks to Change Lawn Watering Restrictions from Two Days to Three Days a Week to Help Homeowners Save Their Lawns and Save More WaterImage by Getty Images via DaylifeI don't use sprinklers very much in my garden, but even alternative methods like soaker and drip are effected by the watering restrictions passed by the City of Los Angeles on June 1, 2009. After getting conflicting answers on the subject, I went to LADWP.com and got the word from the "horse's mouth". (LA Water Restrictions PDF Flyer)It is illegal to...• Water using sprinklers on any day other than Monday and Thursday• Water landscaping – including lawns - between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.• Water using sprinklers for more than 15 minutes per watering station, 10 minutes for other irrigation systems• Use water on any hard surfaces such as sidewalks, walkways,driveways or parking areas• Allow runoff onto streets and gutters from excessive watering• Allow leaks from any pipe or fixture to go unrepaired• Wash vehicles without using a hose with a shut-off nozzle• Serve water to customers in restaurants unless requestedSource: Los Angeles Department of Water and PowerRelated articles by Zemanta What's happening in my garden? (welchwrite.com) Time to find some shade vegetables (welchwrite.com) Upcoming events from the Theodore Payne Native Plant Foundation (welchwrite.com) 2009 California Wildfire Information (welchwrite.com) A late Fall in Los Angeles (welchwrite.com)