What’s Growing In My Garden

Hello! And HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

So, what’s everyone’s New Year Resolutions? Mine is to keep better care of my garden. I usually go with the “fend for yourself” route, but with climate change wrecking such havoc, I’ve decided to take a more hands-on approach to gardening this year. I want to keep things organic, so I plan on feeding my plants more compost, fish emulsion, and liquid seaweed. Also, I want to stay one step ahead of the bugs if I can. I also want to install a bird habitat of some sort and introduce some other natural environments.

Also new this year will be a garden diary. I’ve been noticing plants blooming earlier and longer, so I want to keep a record of when things bloom so I have something to refer to years later. So, without further ado, here is installment #1!

January 1, 2024

Here is an overview of the eastern section of my garden. The pot under wraps is supposed to be growing sunflower seeds, but I don’t think they’ve been getting enough sun because the seedlings are looking rather weak. They definitely pale in comparison to the sunflower seeds I planted in the front yard:

Surrounding the sunflowers are young African Daisies that have been growing since mid-December. I’m kind of irritated that they sprouted so early—they usually start growing in January. They are frost-sensitive, so I’ll have to periodically cover them throughout the winter. Same thing goes with the California poppy seedlings also pictured under the sunflowers. This section will bloom into one giant cluster-fuck of color if everything makes it through the winter.

I have a couple of mystery plants that are growing into something:

The only thing I know about them is that they’re growing from bulbs. I must have grown them last year because I remember digging them up and putting the bulbs into a bag to be replanted next season. I just have no memory of them blooming, so I have no idea what they’ll become. Time will tell if something will happen with these two.

My biggest concern right now is my Palo Verde tree.

It’s got some weird growth on it, and I called a tree specialist who claims that my tree looks “normal.” Really? This doesn’t look normal to me. I grew this tree from a seed and I don’t want to lose it. Just in case, I’ve been spraying it with Neem Oil periodically. If anyone knows what this is, please add it to the comments or direct message me.

Last spring, I picked up a free Firesticks plant at a community garden stand and it’s doing really well—so well that I think it needs to be replanted into a bigger container:

I can’t believe how big it’s getting! I’m thinking about sticking it in the ground, but it’s doing so well in a pot! Decisions, decisions. Same goes for that Prickly Pear right next to it.

For a final note, here is a picture of a type of Jade plant coined “Elephant’s Food”:

The plant is called that because Elephant’s like to eat them, but so do pigeons, apparently. I’m always catching them snacking on these guys and they sometimes pick the strands bare.

Cheers!

My books Memory Road Trip (e-book or paperback) and Time Traveled (e-book or paperback) are both available! You can also find them at most major international book sites.