As insurance, in the fall I planted sweet peas at my mom’s house as well as my community garden plot.
I neglected to water the sweet peas at my plot the entire month of March. I pulled those withered vines up a couple weeks ago.
But the family Sweet Pea Project is a rousing success. I plant them in her little raised bed Marty built, she waters them, cuts them. We both swoon over their scent.
The sweet pea vines will be just about done producing when temperatures are warm enough to plant her raised bed with tomatoes for the summer family Tomato Project.
Sounds diabolical of me, doesn’t it? I prefer to think of it as a healthy family symbiosis.
(Way to go, Mom!)
Scheming for more planting space is nothing new. As an apartment dweller, I once rented a neighbor’s empty backyard to a) keep my dog and b) plant cut flowers to sell to restaurants.
The cut flower project barely paid for the seeds, but my dog had a place to stay two doors down, and old Al said the flowers reminded him of his wife’s garden, which had died with her.
Now that I lack both the time and energy (and water!), the neighbor’s yards are safe from my covetous gaze.
So what’s going on this weekend? My weekend plans always start out full of amibition: work in the community garden, make it to Fullerton Arboretum’s Green Scene.
And I’d love to hit the Clarement Eclectic/Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden tour on Sunday too. And the Sunday flea market…two days is never enough.
Keep an eye on Dates to Remember for more upcoming sales and tours.
I know I never mention the weather unless it’s to complain, so for a change let me just say that it’s been stupendously beautiful.
Soft breezes, mild sunshine, the scent of jasmine everywhere, almost overpowering when stopped at traffic lights near medians planted with star jasmine.
Have a great weekend.
what a delicious, plummy color!
Hoov, if I knew the name I’d have included it. I think the tag is tucked in my mom’s raised bed somewhere. From Roger’s. They bring in the best varieties for planting in fall, bless their hearts!
Yes, an unusual but pleasing color. And thanks for doing the Dates to Remember. I refer to it often especially this time of year. Interesting that the wind up here is pretty strong each afternoon and brings nasal congestion. Maybe yours is cleaner being straight off the sea and without allergy mechanisms.
I regret years when I fail to plant SweetPeas; I was in such a frenzy of digging-out this fall not a bulb or a seed got planted. They tart-up the booze table pretty nice too !
Such pretty flowers, and what a beautiful color. Have a good weekend. I’m going plant shopping down in Portland tomorrow, and then gardening on Sunday.
@Jane, that is one affliction I’ve never suffered from, allergies and such, knock wood. My sympathies! I see lots of family members struggle with it every spring.
@Kathy, yes, I could’ve cleared out the empty gin bottles — they’re Mitch’s. Like you I prefer an ale.
@Alison, I’ll have to catch up on your blog to find out what you bought and planted. Enjoy!
Every time I see photos of sweet peas I vow to start some in the fall. And yet I always forget. Such a heady fragrance! Maybe if I buy sweet pea seeds right now and leave the packet on my desk until fall…
It’s been beautiful in Davis, too, although we’re getting into the high 80s already. I’m not ready yet for summer!
On my agenda for the weekend: make more hypertufa pots. My first attempt went surprisingly well.
Beautiful sweet peas! I sacrificed those in favor of sugar snap peas this year, only to have something eat every seedling. We don’t have soft breezes here – the PM winds have been high and, right now, I’m looking out the window at what appears to be a significant fire in San Pedro, near Vincent Thomas Drive.
Thanks for the reminder about your “Dates to Remember” list – I’ve plugged a few possibilities into my own calendar. There’s also a Spring Plant Sale at South Coast Botanic Garden tomorrow.
@Gerhard, temps here are actually supposed to cool down, and there’s talk of rain next week. I’m not holding my breath tho. Hypertufa sounds like a fine weekend project.
@Kris, I know, I want to go to that sale too! Looks like the Pedro fire was sort of near Peck Park. You really have a bird’s eye view up there.
There was a time when gardenless I started one at my grandma’s house. It was a wonderful way for us to spend time together, my stopping by to harvest and weed. Wish you were here in Portland this weekend and you could go to the big HPSO Plant Sale!
Loree, I wish my second home was in Portland! I planted my mom’s version of a hell strip when she moved in, awful construction fill soil that killed off the leucadendrons, but not the agaves and restios, senecio mandraliscae, and she loves it. And she’s someone who only grew houseplants before. She just tolerates the agave, an amer. medio-picta, and always reminds me when it pups so I can remove them, so it doesn’t “take over.” She just added some pinwheel aeoniums herself and is so proud of how well they’re doing. Have a great time at the sales!
Because peas fix nitrogen in the soil (in case your nitrogen was broken) you’re actually organically adding nitrogen to the soil with your cover crop and making it all the better for tomato growth come summer. You’re a saint! Does anyone not adore the fragrance of sweet peas? Brings a smile to my lips just thinking about it!
Yes, Peter, dammit, I am a saint! I love the legumes and their sneaky nitrogen-fixing ways. Big reason why I grow the favas for winter.