The Unintended Garden

Sometimes the best garden are the most neglected.... in this case completely unintended. Last fall, prepping a newly planted bamboo plot for winter I used some of the "rough" compost from my bin. The same one that we put grass clippings, leaves and kitchen waste (seeds and all).

With hot weather hitting northern California over the past few weeks, new vegetables began cropping up, a squash (neither of us know what variety it is) and a tomato plant (either a big version of a cherry or maybe a Roma). These plants are thriving among the bamboo, the squash plant is even using the bamboo to climb. Since I have been using natural fertilizers, blood meal for nitrogen and bat guano for potassium and phosphorus, the bamboo and its new vegetable neighbors seem very happy, completely neglected and doing great.

Sean

My weekend: Bamboo in the country

A few sore muscles and a couple of blisters later, my dad and I finished two raised planter boxes and planted four types of bamboo on their three acres in Grass Valley, CA. Although I do live on a larger-than-normal suburban lot, I do not grow running bamboo in the ground (I like to have neighbors that like me). So, the offer was made by my parents to use the land they have and I took them up on it. There is enough water and enough room for them to grow.

The four types are:

p. nigra "Black Bamboo": A big seller, full sun, up to 30 feet tall and can take -5 f.

p. edulis "Moso": One of the biggest in the world, the culms are furry to the touch, 75 feet tall, and 7 inch diameter culm, this is a big boy. Can take temps down to 0 f.

p. bambusoides "Castillon": Another favorite, yellow culms with green stripes, leaves are striped. Young shoots also take on a red color. 35 feet tall, can take temps down to 0 f.

p. bambusoides "Giant Japanese Timber Bamboo": Name says it all. 72 feet, 6 inch culm diameter. Full sun, can take temps down to 5 f.

We may be expanding bamboo grown at my parent house and also possibly more planters for fruit trees and more vegetables (they have a small plot now).

I'll share photo updates next year to show growth.

Sean

Green lawn experiment, naturally....

I'd love to get rid of my lawn. Less water use, more gardening opportunity and no more fertilizer to keep it green. We recently reduced the front lawn by about 60% and our back lawn by about 50%. Since I live in a family and I was the minority voice in the matter, this was a compromise.

Over the past couple of years, I have transitioned from the traditonal Scott's Weed and Feed to using nothing. Now I am exploring a couple of natural additives and practices to help keep my lawn green and lush without poisoning my local creeks and waterways downstream in the process.

Here are the practices I have incorporated recently and am seeing some early success (lawn looks surprisingly green):

1. Grasscycling - Using the "mulching" function on my lawnmower, I let the grass clippings, finally chopped, sit on my lawn. This adds nitrogen back into the lawn as the grass clippings degrade back into the soil. Surprisingly, the lawn doesn't look messy and we haven't tracked little blades of grass into the house;

2. Weeding by hand - yes, it is tedious, but it beats killing my soil with Round-Up and Scott's Weed and Feed; and surprisingly we have been fairly successful containing crabgrass, almost better since we stopped using Scott's Weed and Feed;

3. Applying a mix of blood meal (high in nitrogen) and bat guano (high in potassium and phosphorous) to the lawn - You have to be careful since these are considered "hot" and can burn your lawn if it is done carelessly. First, water your lawn for a minute. You can either use a fertilizer spreader and apply it low to the ground since it tends to be somewhat light and blows in the wind or you can use a sprayer with the mix inside. The problem with the sprayer is that the gritty bat guano tens to clog the sprayer. After I evenly apply the mixture, I then rewater the lawn for a minute or two right after application. Both bat guano and blood meal are sold at many independent nurseries under the brand name E.B. Stone.

The result of these steps is a surprisingly "green" lawn, healthy, maybe a little less weeds in the grass (especially crabgrass) and this is all done with natural products. Happy I tried it.

Question for readers of this post - Have a lawn? How do you keep it green and lush using only natural additives and practices?

Sean

Holes and cutting out bamboo... I'm tired!

No, this is not a problem with gophers. Me, one jackhammer, and soil full of river rock. Pictured is rock that is in the ground all over my yard, after all I live in a town named Rocklin. Determined to get the momentum going on finishing my backyard, I rented a jackhammer to get the soil ready for plants of all kinds including several Japanese Maples that we have had in pots for a few years, bamboo, some lavender plants and a bunch of unique plants we have picked up at the plant sale recently.

Four hours, lots of noise later, some blisters on my hands and some sore muscles, mission accomplished, but I'm exhausted.

I also knocked out removing half of a mature Golden Goddess Bamboo, a clumping bamboo we planted several years ago. The problem is that it tends to have more of a drooping growth. What's great though is that this variety by far is my best selling bamboo variety and this year I actually ran out because its selling so good, so I took the clumps and potted them, they'll be ready for sale by fall. Once I finish the job, we are planting Thamnocalamus tessellatus "Bergamboes," a South Arican bamboo that grows straight up, is dense, is a clumper and provides privacy.

OK, I'm tired, time for bed, sweet dreams everyone.......

Sean

Great day at the SPPC Plant Sale!

It was a beautiful day at the Sacramento Perennial Plant Club Annual Plant Sale (SPPC) at the Shepard Arts and Garden Center at McKinley Park, in east Sacramento. Did well selling bamboo and the last of my Japanese Maples, saw some friends from last year and made some new ones this year. This sale is more than just making money, its a social experience. McKinley Park is in a beautiful part of Sacramento in an upscale neighborhood (homes built in the 1930's to 1940's) that is a bit bohemian, great venue overall with customers that get gardening as evidenced by simply walking outside along the sidewalks in the neighborhood (awesome 30-50 year old Japanese Maples all over the place).

I also met fellow blogger, Trey Pitsenberger, from Golden Gecko Nursery up the hill in Garden Valley, CA. What a nice guy, very down to earth. I have followed and commented on Trey's blog (a good one in my book) for several months now and it was nice to meet him in person.

Today was like Christmas morning for me, it turned out to be a great day! I worked my !!@# off today but it was well worth it, no doubt a good sleep is in store for tonight.

Sean

See you at the plant sale....

Don't miss it if you live in the Sacramento area. I'll be at the Sacramento Perrenial Plant Club (SPPC) tomorrow (Saturday) at the Shephard's Art and Garden Center, McKinley Park, Sacramento (3330 McKinley Blvd, Sacramento). The sale starts at 9 am through 3 pm.

15 vendors, including myself and fellow garden blogger Trey Pitsensberger will be at the annual sale that benefits the SPPC.

Drop by and say "howdy."

Sean

Natural or Not? Results of fertilizer experiment in my garden.

On December 27, I began my very un-scientific experiment to see what yielded better results on my bamboo. A slow release Osmocote or the natural alternative, rough compost (that is a slow release natural alternative). Now, I know that Osmocote's release is governed by moisture and temperature; however, after using Osmocote for years, I am familiar with the results even in the ideal release conditions for Osmocote.

The results are in and so far, by mere observation, the all-natural compost is yielding the best results. The most evident is on my potted Moso (Phylostachys edulis) bamboo. I counted 13 new culms that burst from the ground, that's compared to my other 3 potted bamboos that just had Osmocote applied. Now granted there may be variations in species that may influence the results (like time of year they shoot), but looking at my three clumping bamboos that I also applied compost to in December, I am seeing similar favorable results. That said, this experiment has brought me to the conclusion that going all natural in terms of fertilization seems to yield healthier more vigorous plants.

One a related note..... yesterday, in an effort to "heat up" my compost bin, I purchased a box of blood meal (13-0-0) from the E.B. Stone Company and applied it to my bin. I also applied some to the soil of my bamboo plants. I'm hoping the shot of nitrogen, which bamboo can't get enough of, will really encourage new growth and green the plants.

Time will tell.....

Sean