IF YOU LIVE IN MINNESOTA OR WISCONSIN (IT IS SNOWING DURING THE GAME) OR SOME SIMILAR PLACE, STOP NOW AND DO NOT READ FURTHER.

OK, all you kindred souls of So. Cal, what are you doing in your garden with this 70-80 degree weather? Do you think we are going to have an early spring? I didn't think so as the cats fur was so thick and held during other warm periods we've had, but now he is shedding like crazy. That has always been a good predictor of weather to come.

Yesterday I planted tomato seeds. Don't ask how many. I'll probably lose most of them if we get a cold spell. Today I laid out wet newspaper and mulch in a small area, cleaned a bed, cleaned a greenhouse, and transplanted some seedlings to larger containers. Oh, do I ache! The weather was just too incredible! Lots of snow on the mountains (the REAL thing) and sunbathers and surfers at the beach.

What are you doing? What are you planting, seeding or planning to do? Michelle

Hi Michelle,
Unfortunately, I'm not doing much!! I planted my first winter garden a few months ago, got it going, and then had surgery 12/06. So now where I can see through the oxalis (hope I spelled that right), it is not looking so good!
I had put in 12 new bell pepper plants, looks like only 4 are left and not thriving, there is one tomato plant with various sized tomatos on it (surprise) and the only thing that looks healthy is the broccoli, all six plants of which I saw, just today, are actually making heads! But I am restricted from any bending, stooping, lifting, reaching, blah blah blah for another 4 weeks, so I guess I am going to spend my time designing (on paper) the new raised beds I am going to put my next garden in. I think I am done with ground-level gardening, boo hoo. Well, my son wants a pond, so I guess I know where I will get the nice organic soil for my raised beds! Also guess I know where the pond is going to go.
And that is my not very interesting so. Cal gardening story.
Scrubjay

It certainly is a challenge to design a garden that is more "user friendly." Think I'd ache less if I got out everyday. I try to grow more vertically using the walls around the property, palm trees, etc. Where are you that you have been able to put in peppers and tomatoes? I still have a few tomatoes--small ones. Had a planting mishap in that all my labels got separated from my tomatoes which were planted quickly due to going out of town. I know I seeded NO cherry tomatoes but have lots of little ones. Don't think they are volunteers as they are where I planted them. Anyway, they are great snacking in the yard. I need to cover those beds soon so they will have to go. Hope you recover soon. Surgery is no fun. Michelle

Hi Michelle, I'll bet you're the woman who started PEGs? It always seems to get hot here about now, but then the normal weather returns. Right now I'm pruning roses, finishing fall planting and cleanup, clearing the paths of unwanted volunteers, giving away seedlings, watering the vegies because it's so hot and dry, harvesting lettuce, Swiss chard, and oranges, and getting lots of exercise!

I fail to see the humor in this thread - 28: in SC! The back of the truck is full of leaves waiting to be shredded; it's either too cold, too windy or raining (but at least it's not snow). Come on spring. Scrubjay, wishing you a speedy recovery.

Dirt Pit

What is PEGs?

I agree with Dirt Pit. This is making me jelous. We just got over a foot of snow and theres more in the forcast for tomorrow. In between times I'm trying to clear a new garden spot and get it prepared for tilling in the spring. Late starter this year.

Thanks for all the recovery wishes, everybody! Michelle, I am in the San Gabriel valley. You know folks, 80 degrees (again today) is not the norm for January in southern California, and that sunny blue sky you see behind the rose parade on tv is really a hollywood stunt to make more people want to move out here!! Just kidding! We can't figure out why so many New Year's days look like that, because it is not like that the whole winter.

Myself, I still miss the winters back in Ohio. Guess we are never satisfied! There is something very strange about fake santas and snowmen in the yards out here...especially next to palm trees and cactus gardens.
I do luminarias sometimes, because they are in keeping with the Spanish/Mexican heritage here.

SJ

No mean humor intended. I tried to shield some of you from reading the post but you just wouldn't turn away! You had to peak! Have you read Mulchwoman's New Year's Eve post under OG Club? Between that post and the Rose Parade the Next Day, every gardener is going to try to move to Calif. I'm long advocated that any Rose Parade telecasts leaving California should have a screen used that shows Calif. dark and overcast!

Anyway, I gave up after about 5 hours this morning. A little more wet paper and mulch laid and some transplanting done. Didn't seem to productive, but very therapeutic.

For those of you with rain and snow, look at it this way, you get a little vacation from the garden duties. Out here there is pressure to be out daily and guilt if you aren't out on a daily basis, and the weeds grow year-round. Michelle

Really I shouldn't complain because we need all the moisture we can get. Our weather is strange too. It got below freezing last night but this afternoon its 66. And tomorrow more snow. With weather like that in January its hard not to get the gardening itch.

I too don't live in So. Cal. but I do live in GA, near Atlanta. My hubby and I got in our garden today (a small 12x12 bed) and turned the soil, worked in fertilizer, coffee grounds, etc. to start preparing for spring veggies! I was so thrilled. It was in the low 60's here. But it still gets below freezing at night.

Best wishes for good health and a good new year!

Well, I claim to live in the middle of the state, but the weather in most of CA is pretty pleasant. My rosemary is currently blooming. Yep. Pretty blue flowers all over the huge plant, with bees galore. The almonds are starting bud swell. That is a month early, it's really too warm for January. Various bulbs are sprouting, little green shoots are poking up through the soil now.

On the bad side, the white flies are STILL alive. They came, they bred, they bred again and they still have a few hangers on, even after the dozen frosty mornings (we should have had way more frost this year too). So California gardening is not ALL good.

As for fruits, many varieties grow well here, but the very hot, dry summers wreck havoc with a lot of fruits, causing splitting and various molds/rots. Apples are tolerable here, but you need much colder temps in the winter for proper chilling of many fruits.

So those of you who read these posts and think, hmmmmmmm, maybe we should move to the west coast, think again. Water is expensive here. Pollution is thick. Heck, you'll have to pay a fortune to redo the entire smog system in your vehicle so it will comply with California's standards. Gasoline is costly here too (they do more to the gas to meet air regs). Housing is upwards of a quarter mil for a medium sized tract home in most large urban areas...but meanwhile, we who do live in California, will brag and try to make you green with envy as we describe our "winter" gardens.

Lessee, what else can I share? Ah, got my 2 huge almond trees pruned (gotta beat the bud swell), finished today with pruning the 2 mulberries (someone topped them and they need pruned regularly now). dH gets to pull out the chipper in the near future to chop the branches up....

I still have one rose bush with yellow blooms on it. It doesn't seem to notice that we've had a couple dozen very frosty mornings. It has all it's leaves too.

Yep, got a lot of green out side...and some of those perennials are putting out NEW leaves too. But what's a plant to do....nights are frosty, but the days are anywhere from 50 - 70! I imagine things will bud out then some super cold weather will strike. My last frost date, here in the hills is early May!

Ok, we've had two days of terrible Santa Ana winds. Several major wildfires with devastating destruction. Everyday in California is not Rose Parade perfect.
Winds mean leaves down, if any are still on the trees, and today I gathered twenty five bags trying to beat the traxh collectors. Wish I had time and energy for two loads. I couldn't load the truck any more full for fear of the wind blowing the bags off. Now if I could just keep some machine for mulching in working order--I seem to destroy them on a regular basis.

What are you doing in your California garden? Michelle

Jealous?!? You don't even know jealous!!! Here in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes and thick swarms of mosqitoes or many feet of snow... WE HAVE NO SNOW HARDLY!!! Even in the Northern reagions, we are sadly lacking. There is nowhere near a foot anywhere in the state, and here in my area, there is NONE!!! I MEAN NONE!!! In my break from the garden work, I count on the extra activities that winter in Minnestoa offers. Snowmobiling, Ice Fishing, and X-Country Skiing. I have had to settle for Curves for Women and walks. My husband says to call it hiking, and I'll feel better, but it hasn't helped yet. I also had to re-mulch my garlic and flower beds, because there is no snow fall to hold the original mulch in place, so it's blown away and there was no insulation to protect the plants from the harsh temperatures in January. Not even snow!!! :_|

Ok, ok, I do admit that driving 70 miles a day to get to and from work has been much less stressful with this weather. And I am much more relaxed when I get to work or home than I ever have been in past winters. I just wish there didn't have to be a trade-off for everything.

BG

PS - never did listen too well to warnings!

Here in Rosemead, I have been busy watering potted plants that the recent Santa Ana winds dessicated. The garden is still pretty wet from the last rains, but I have been sowing wildflowers and watching my alfalfa cover crop grow. I'm also finally able to get in the garden and pull some weeds. I think I am through planting anything until the spring.