First Egg, Again

Today I found the first egg from the new crop of hens. It is quite
small as expected, and I found it in the far corner of the run. Time
will tell if the young hens will use the same nest box as their bully
elders.

New Vegetable Garden

Removed two citrus trees and cleared the space above the strawberries for a vegetable garden. Fenced it all in for critter control, and amended the sandy soil with lots of organic matter, sphagnum peat, compost and vermiculite. Used an electric tiller to work it all in and the resulting bed of fluffy soil is wonderful!

On 17-May planted the following:
• tomatillo (2)
• tomato (3) celebrity, HK, one other
• pepper (3) Anaheim (2), Jalapeno
• cucumber (2)
• French green beans (3 rows, 2 varieties)
• yellow onions
• carrot (4 varieties)

Photo to follow.

Bug on Grapes

Taken this year in the evening on Thursday, May 23.

This is the second individual of this type of insect I have seen on
grapes. Unable to identify with UC IPM.

Wisteria in Lambeth, London

Museum of Garden History, London

Two Dozen Seascape Strawberries

Today I found six packs of seascape strawberries at City Farmers. Planted them in the lower bed to fill in most of the space.

Flame Grape Failure

Hi,

I contacted you in March regarding the flame grape vines that did not
bud out this spring. At that time, there was some green cambium
evident. Checking today it is dead. Please advise your refund. I must
say that with both this failure and the seascape strawberries that
were doa, I am very disappointed in my purchases this year. Given the
effort, expense and time lost this season, your policy of item refund
not including shipping leaves me mail-order shy and turning to my
local sources.

Rob Oswalt

A Dozen More Sequoia Strawberry Plants

The bare root Seascape strawberries I planted back in early March are
dead, all 78 of them! They were dead before they shipped. I have since
added 8 Seascape plants and today a dozen Sequoia to fill part of the
bed. I'm also propogating the runners for more plants.

Avocado Trees

Back a month ago, I removed the yearling Hass avocado due to suspected
root fungus disease. Today I planted its replacement in a new spot and
another variety called Fuerte.

Fuerte Avocado

Bird Net Over Berries

Added a 3 inch wide strip of bird net over each row of strawberries
today. Have found 2-3 berries each day half eaten by some critter.
Also refreshed Sluggo lightly.

Henry saw a King Snake today nearby. Perhaps snakes or lizards are
having berries for breakfast.

The battle continues... Lets just hope I don't kill myself in the process.

ps. Pat, it was great to meet you in Coronado a couple nights ago.
Thanks for following this blog!