Re: [gardeners] An unexpected fall, and the glories of spring.
Alan Zelhart (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Mon, 12 Feb 2001 09:53:53 -0700
Hurry up and send that rain our way Ron. We need it :)
Alan Chandler, Arizona Sunset Zone: 13
http://members.home.net/gizmoaz/~gizmoaz.htm
Over 145 Rose Bushes Planted! 75 Different varieties! Never a dull moment!!
"We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size
of our automobiles rather than by the
quality of service and relationships to mankind."
-The Reverend, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Ron Hay wrote:
> Good morning, George, and other friends:)
>
> George, I hope that your dear wife's ankle is much better by now. I
> know how very painful such a fall can be, as my right ankle is,
> congenitally, so weak that my orthopod said "better you should break it
> than sprain it again." Ow!
>
> Matter of fact, I was out looking at new home listings on Friday, and,
> bam! down I went, ruining a brand new pair of Dockers...went clear
> through the sturdy twill knee:(
>
> It's a rainy, chilly morning, here in L.A., with rain and cool weather
> expected through most of Tuesday. We expect about an inch of rain or
> two, here in the flats, something we desparately need. And the rain here
> in the flats will result in from 1-2 feet of snow above 2500' tonight,
> perhaps even lower down, a commodity which is also essential both to
> provide this desert state with water and with a badly needed source of
> hydroelectric power.
>
> The rain is causing buds to swell all over the place. The pomegranate
> has begun to leaf out, and the buds are swelling on the apricot, fuyu
> persimmon, nectarine and blueberries.
>
> The stella d'oros are popping up, having multiplied amazingly during the
> winter. And, among the other bulb-type plants, the callas are almost in
> full cry, creating this gorgeous green and white panoply against the
> street side (north side) of our garage.
>
> The roses are sprouting all over, as well. The ones at our church, which
> were pruned about 3 weeks earlier, are already in bloom!
>
> This past week, we just received a city permit to put in a golden
> trumpet tree in the grass strip between the sidewalk and the street. We
> have wanted a tababueia for ages and finally got around to obtaining the
> permit. It will be a joy to see the tree covered with golden blossoms
> every spring.
>
> Out in back, the Mandarin, navel and blood orange are beginning to show
> signs of setting buds, while the lime tree is resting, after a truly
> amazing harvest; and the first artichoke is visible as the artichoke
> forest continues to burgeon. At last count, the 2 original plants, put
> in 2 years ago, have become about 11 or 12...it's kind of hard to tell
> under all that dense foliage what comes from where, if you know what I
> mean.
>
> The madonna lillies are popping up, as are the Turkish crocuses, and the
> "supermarket" ginger is about an inch tall as of this weekend. That one
> bit of root produced 7 stalks the second year, and I expect at least
> that many more this year.
>
> And the geraniums! They have grown so huge with the lengthening days
> that I have had to whack them back, taking cuttings to give to friends.
> Those cuttings seem to root so well at this time of year, and it is
> such a pleasure to spread the beauty among friends, especially to those
> in townhomes with limited gardening space on balconies, since, in pots,
> they do not grow anywhere nearly so huge, and bloom continuously until
> late fall.
>
> And the rosemary! It's breathtaking, simply breathtaking. It's hard to
> see the foliage through the forest of light blue blossoms, from top to
> bottom; and, since it is just about the only thing blooming in the back
> yard right now, it is a virtual carpet of honeybees in the morning and
> in the evening.
>
> We had wanted to plant our cinnamon tree this weekend (cinnamomum
> cassia), but it was far too soggy to work in our soil, which is
> basically well-amended adobe clay.
>
> If the weather clears next weekend, we will plant it, along with our
> second curry leaf tree (murraya koenigii) and transplant some roses to
> the front yard, along the driveway, so that our newly-expanded artichoke
> forest will not have torn leaves from the roses.
>
> Well, spring is just about here and we are looking forward to being out
> in the garden once again:)
>
> Be well and think of spring, which for a good many of you, I know, is
> still a couple of months away, and enjoy thumbing through all those
> myriad gardening catalogues, which tempt us like kids in a candy store:)
>
> Ron
> Van Nuys, CA