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Asian Pears 2015

We have an Asian pear tree in our Sunnyvale garden. Because we are growing it in a large pot, we selected a tree grafted onto ultra-dwarf stock . Ultra-dwarf has a smaller set of roots, both in depth and drip-line diameter. This makes it ideal for large containers. I planted it in winter 2012 and have been pruning it to …

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Carrots July 2015

I grew the carrots in a 15 inch diameter wide by 15 inch deep pot. They were in the ground for 5 months. They are small carrots 🙁

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Vinca 2015

You’ve gotta love annual vinca. It will tolerate a wide variety of conditions and still keep it up with almost unreal-looking, glossy green flowers and pretty pink, lavender, or red flowers that look like tiny parasols. LIGHT: Sun TYPE: Annual HEIGHT: 1 to 3 feet WIDTH: 6-16 inches wide FLOWER COLOR: Blue, Pink, Red, White SEASONAL FEATURES: Fall Bloom, Summer …

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Pickled Elephant Garlic 2015

I love growing elephant garlic. You stick a garlic clove in the ground in the fall (Sunnyvale USDA zone 9). In the spring, a tall stalk/scape shoots up. If you leave it alone, a large (5 inch wide) flower head appears. You can cut it off partway up the stalk and use the flower in a vase and the garlic …

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Spider Lily 2015

Hymenocallis is a wonderful genus of bulbous amaryllis…native mostly to the US, Mexico, and Central America. Hymenocallis (spider lilies) are an easy-to-grow moisture-lover that are a reliable perennial wildflower in the garden. Spider lilies are a tough, low maintenance plant which makes it perfect for rain gardens. In the wild many Hymenocallis (spider lilies) often grow in or near water …

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It’s Apricot Time!

We have a large harvest in 2015. The lack of rain resulted in no fungus this year. Our first tree had ripe fruit on June 1 (four weeks early). Our second tree is just now getting ripe (it is on the shady side yard. We are running out of consumption options: fresh, apricot yogurt; apricot tarts; apricot crumbles; apricot juice; …

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Spring Fig 2015

We have a Black Mission Fig growing in a large pot in our Sunnyvale garden. Like other fig trees, it produces a small spring crop and a larger fall crop. This is our spring 2015 crop…I got to get a larger pot

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Gilia tricolor aka Birds Eye

Much visited by bees, they are so easy and exude the sweetness of Spring with their flowers, form & lovely chocolate scent! Extremely floriferous, you’ll get hundreds of these entrancing, 1/2” light blue or violet flowers, set off by powder-blue stamen & a yellow throat with a dark purple ring at the top. Blooms on bushy, ferny upright stems. Highly …

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