Dichondra is a warm-season perennial ground cover, best adapted for cool coastal conditions. It will grow in partial shade, but does best in full sun. I grow a small patch (1×4 feet) in the courtyard on the north-facing side. Because dichondra does not tolerate heavy traffic, it is best adapted for small areas rather than large lawns or where mowing …

Think Tabasco. Think Sriracha. Fermenting your own chile sauce is an alternative to a vinegar boil. So, what exactly does fermented mean? Fermented means that bacteria, such as Lactobacillus, have gotten into the food and eaten the sugars. The sugars, through the magical process of anaerobic respiration, have been converted into CO2, alcohol, and lactic acid. Lacto fermentation is when …

When you have a bird seed feeder, the birds drop a large volume on the ground: some of it are whole seeds, others are empty shells. The birds also leave a lot of bird droppings. A whole-seed Feeder with six openings

tbd

This hot sauce is not for the faint of heat. This is a variation of a recipe I first saw on the Rick Bayless show “Mexico – One Plate at a Time”. It has habaneros, carrots, onion, garlic, salt, and then either lime juice or apple cider vinegar.  

Marionberry pie is one of the best uses of the berry. This is a recipe I found in Sunset: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/anjou-bakerys-marionberry-pie

I have tried several types of hummingbird feeders. The key issues are ease of cleaning and preventing other critters from interfering. Avoid feeders that have to be cleaned with special bottle-brushes. The disadvantages of the feeder below are: The small opening to the bottle requires bottle-brushes Larger birds like orioles pry off the yellow screens or just knock the whole …

Italian Oregano. Savor classic Italian cuisine with the flavorful leaves of this oregano. An easy-growing plant for the garden or container, Italian oregano hails from the Mediterranean region. That means it thrives with lower humidity and well-drained soil. In the garden, use this oregano as an edging plant. Plants spread when happy, rooting along the stems. The main difference between …

Lapins are frequently referred to as “self-fertile Bing”. I have not had much luck with this tree. It would get flowers but few fruit. I thought that maybe it was not a Lapins so I bought a Bing cherry tree to cross-pollinate. But, as advertised, the Lapins flowers about 2 weeks prior to the Bing. This means the Lapins flowers …

Delphinium is a genus of about 300 species of perennial flowering plants in the family Ranunculaceae, native throughout the Northern Hemisphere and also on the high mountains of tropical Africa. All members of the Delphinium genus are toxic to humans and livestock. The common name “larkspur” is shared between perennial Delphinium species and annual species of the genus Consolida. Molecular …