Here’s a collection of favorite images captured this year in my garden, or gardens I visited. Enjoy!
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December 2011
A couple of months ago I created a simple arrangement with small mums, cat tails, and palm seed stems. I loved the simplicity, the colors, and textures of the arrangement.
After the mums faded out, I replaced them with succulent cuttings to give the design some longevity. Unfortunately, I didn’t know that the cat tails had other plans. I’m not sure what I thought their longevity was supposed to be, but I sure didn’t expect them to go to seed. I looked over one day to see the fluffy bulging cat tails and watched them get bigger and bigger over the next few days.
Finally, I took the design outside to the compost bin so I could extract the cat tails from the rest of the arrangement. Big mistake. I was a bit unprepared for how light and fluffly the seeds were so I created a huge mess that I trailed through the house. And Mi Esposo had just vacuumed. Oopsie, or should I say, lo siento! 
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I’m not in the habit of re-running past blog posts, but sometimes I find that when I want to readdress a topic, I can’t really do a better job than I did the first time around. So, with that disclaimer, here is a discussion about a subject that I have noticed has been popping up a lot in the search queries of 3000Tomatoes.
Sterilizing Your Gardening Tools – February 8, 2010
I will be the first to admit that I don’t do a good job of taking care of my tools. Rust is probably one of the most prolific things I have going at times in the garden, unfortunately. A little more TLC would be a good thing and I’m trying to do better.
I had not considered the fact that I could be spreading more problems around my garden with my dirty tools. So, when should I disinfect my tools and how should I do it? Interesting questions and I have some answers for you….
First, when is it important to disinfect? Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott writes an article called “Sterilized Pruning Tools: Nuisance or Necessity?” that is a good overview of this question. Read this first before you get yourself all worked up about having to disinfect. Maybe you’ll dodge a bullet….
But if not: In another article, written by Dr. Chalker-Scott, titled “The Myth of Cloroxed Clippers – A bleach solution is the best choice for disinfecting pruning wounds and tools” that talks about this second issue, with the author discussing a lot of options and why she likes Listerin, Lysol and Pine-Sol best for disinfecting. Sounds easy enough, which is good; otherwise, I’ll never get around to it!!! (Hey, at least I’m honest about it!!!)
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Christmas is over and it’s time to start cleaning up and putting away. And what to do about those beautiful poinsettia you bought for decoration. Seems a shame to toss them, but there’s hope. With a little care, it’s possible to resurrect those beauties for next year.
Organic Gardener shares good information about how to care for your poinsettia plants for the long run: Poinsettia Pointers
As for me, I will be putting my poinsettia out in the alley for someone to pick up who is more ambitious than me!
I wish mine looked like this!
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A Festive Southern California Christmas!
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T’was the weekend before Christmas, and all through the yard,
Not a gift was being given, not even a card.
The tools were all hung, in the garage with care,
With hopes that St. Nicholas soon would repair.
The shovel with blade all rusty and cracked,
The pitchfork still shiny, but handle it lacked.
When out on my lawn, (it’s brown and abused)
I could see poor old Santa, looking confused.
No list had been left for Santa to see,
No gardening gifts were under the tree.
But wait there’s still time, it’s not Christmas yet,
And gardening gifts are the quickest to get.
You can forget the silk tie, the fluffy new sweater,
Give something to make the garden grow better.
If she wants a gift shiny, then don’t be a fool,
It’s not a dumb diamond, but a sparkling new tool.
If fragrance is listed you can forget French perfume,
It’s a pile of manure that’ll make gardeners swoon.
Give night crawlers, not nightgowns, a hose that sprays water.
(Anything for the kitchen is not worth the bother.)
Give a great gift that can dig in the dirt,
It’s better than any designer-brand shirt.
Now look quick at Santa, this guy’s not so dumb,
Under his glove, he hides a green thumb.
His knees are so dirty, his back how it aches,
His boots stomp on slugs, (he gives them no breaks).
The guy works only winter, you can surely see why,
For the rest of the year it’s as easy as pie.
He has elves plant through spring, pull weeds in the summer,
In fall they all harvest, but winter’s a bummer
And so Christmas gives Santa a part-time employment,
‘Till spring when the blooms are his real enjoyment.
So ask the big guy for garden gifts this year,
Seeds, plants and tools, Santa holds them all dear.
You see, malls may be crowded, vendors hawking their wares,
But visit a nursery, stress-free shopping is there.
Now Santa’s flown off, to the nursery he goes,
And his voice fills the night with loud Hoe! Hoe! Hoe!
(I don’t know to whom I should credit this fun poem, but it was too cute not to pass on, and so true, too!)
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