They're multiplying

There's been lots of stuff going on here. On the veggie front, the tomatoes are starting to really get their roots under them and take off, and the peppers are already much larger and more robust than what I usually plant out. It'll be another couple of weeks before they go out to harden off, as Mount Diablo is collecting more snow almost daily, and it's hovering in the mid-50's during the day. Brr. The kids are looking good, though, no problems so far.

I still have two more beds to dig out before I'm done with the tomato patch, and then I have to do the peppers. Then I can take a little bit of a breather, particularly if I decide to trench the corn instead of digging out the whole area. The warm-season veggies aren't even close to being sown yet, so the melon, squash, sweet potato, and okra beds can wait to be amended. The beans, thankfully, don't need any special TLC.

What's mostly been happening is landscaping. I bought a Fuji apple to go with the Double Delight nectarine; I don't like Fujis much, but my dad does, and I figure I can always graft on something better. It's an ultra-dwarf, supposed to reach 5-7', which suits me... I'm training it in vase-style, to match the nectarine (and my pruning skills). I've never looked after a central leader tree, and I'm not sure I like how they look as much as the vase style.

Now I'm waiting on the redbud and the dogwood. Navlet's says that white dogwoods will come in in a few weeks, as they have the pink ones now. I'm hoping to grab a Western redbud from the Markham Arboretum Society down the street -- I think they're having a sale soon. So that'll complete the trees I'm putting in out front -- two pink-flowered trees, two white-flowered ones.

As for the rest, I went to Navlet's and the DVC plant sale and splurged. Two blueberries, to accompany the fruiting currants I already have. Three kinds of bulbs (I want to fill in almost all the spaces out there with spring bulbs, to give the place a jump start for the year). Flowering stock, perennial primroses (let's hope they survive the snails), blue-eyed grass, a foxglove, a tall rosemary, an exotic-looking dianthus, and two white California poppies. I also got two oak trees to replace the bonsai I lost last summer, two hydrangeas to fill out the east side next to the side door, and a kumquat. For me. I don't know how I managed without knowing about kumquats before, but damned if I'm going to go without ever again. :)

I have a list of what annual flowers I want to see out front, and I have an herb patch that will include oregano, terragon, rosemary (a tall deep blue one) and lemongrass, among other things. The rhubarb is going to go out there, and one kind of lavender, and two or three roses -- it remains to be seen whether I want to plant the Whiskey Mac out there with the two red roses. Lots of plans. I keep thinking of more flowers -- lupine (blue and yellow), bachelor's buttons, Sweet William, orange California poppies, violas, maybe hollyhocks in the back, all sorts of things that will either stick around or resow themselves. I need daffodils, I need to divide our narcissi and put some out there, I want some deep red anemones to go with the blue Brodaeia (yum), the red something-or-others and the striking white, um, somethings with dark purple centers. I'm no good with bulbs, really, I just grab the pretty ones. I do want some freesias, though, so that we can bring them in and have the house smell like Froot Loops.

My dad needs to cut down the last almonds and rent a stump grinder; he's talking about next weekend, when he'll have a friend over to help. Then it's just a matter of taking down the two big trees (leaving two) and taking out those stumps, and we're ready to put in a root barrier for the lawn and start planting.

The plants are building up, though; the pot army is starting to advance, in anticipation of the wild lands to the north being opened for settlements. This is going to be fun.