Central Coast Gardening

May 12, 2017

May in a Cambria Garden

There is still lots to do in coastal gardens. Fertilizing, mulching, planting, etc.. You’ll begin harvesting greens while planting tomatoes, and pinching back basil and herbs.

May 9, 2017

Putting together a new flock is not easy and requires patience. We bought two young hens (less than a year old) on a Thursday, and two more hens (10 months old) on a Monday. By then, the first set of two had decided that the coop was THEIRS!!!!!! They did not want any more flock mates. We added two more hens and so far, the flock is not united.

April 27, 2017

Wildflower show in Cambria, Saturday and Sunday

You’ll soon get to see close-up, the wonderful wildflowers that are blooming on the hills and in the valleys, at the Annual Wildflower Show in the coastal town of Cambria. I’ve been amazed in the past years how volunteers can gather fresh sprigs of these delicate flowers, put them in water, and present them to the public for inspection.

March 24, 2017

Wake up to roosters crowing

February 12, 2017

Gophers Live Underground

Ever wonder where pocket gophers go when they burrow underground? They have a complicated system of tunnels, runways, a nest for babies, a pantry for storing food, and even a toilet area for waste. Pretty civilized.

January 16, 2017

Cambria’s Art and Wine Festival 2017

Get set for a fun weekend of wine tasting and art appreciation in the beautiful town seaside town of Cambria, California on Friday, January 27, Saturday the 28, and Sunday January 29, 2017. Stroll the East and West Villages for wine tasting, events,and shopping during the weekend of January 27 – January 29.

January 8, 2017

Aphids pesky suckers on plants

I found aphids on yellow dahlia blossoms that are already leafed out and blooming. Beneficial insects will help control them but there things that you can to to help out the good bugs in your garden.

January 7, 2017

Resolutions to make gardening easier

With a little thought and planning and a few resolutions, you can make gardening easier and more enjoyable. Resolutions are sometimes needed to achieve this goal.
Things like buying and planting plants that need less deadheading is one resolutions. Planting more native plants is another.
Seeds of edible plants will be planted on a “staggered schedule” so that less will be wasted is also on my list.
I’ll look for ways like reducing the use of insectcides and fertilizer to make more pleasurable time in the garden.

November 20, 2016

Plant winter greens now, the ugly way!

I prepared the bed for winter greens by just “raking in” some home-made compost. Nothing fancy. I also sprinkled the soil (before planting) with water to be sure it was moist. I used seeds I’d saved from last spring. They are tiny seeds so they need to be planted near the surface of the soil. The “rule of thumb” is the amount of dirt to cover the seeds should be equal to the size of the seed. When planting tiny seeds must either put dirt though a sieve or do it the lazy way, like I do, and sprinkle a bit of potting soil over them. Covering the soil with torn up Amazon shipping boxes keeps seeds moist until sprouting.

October 30, 2016

Fall clean-up the easy way

There are ways to cut back on time-consuming gardening task this time of year. Letting annuals go to seed and plant themselves, cut back on watering, leave fallen leaves under shrubs and trees to compost, and practice “lasagna” gardening in vegetable beds. Make gardening easier and more fun.

August 31, 2016