Flowers for bees all year in Southern California
For several years, I have recorded which flowers I see bees feeding on in my yard and elsewhere in Southern California. Below is a list that I compiled based on these notes. Month by month, it shows which flowering plants that I’ve seen many bees consistently feeding...
Satsuma vs. Kishu: Comparing two early mandarins
Choosing a mandarin tree to plant can be overwhelming because of the abundance of varieties available to us in California. One way to narrow the possibilities is to consider seasonality. Among the types of mandarins that ripen earliest, I grow two that I like and that...
Avocado cukes
What's that little pickle hanging on my avocado tree? That's not a pickle; that's a cuke: an avocado fruit that developed without a seed inside. It's growing on a type of avocado tree called Ettinger, and here is what a normal Ettinger avocado looks like: The cuke and...
Posts from other yards, 2021
I revel in visiting other yards and farms, where I learn so much. This past year I got around a bit, and below are a few of the remarkable things I saw and lessons I took away, presented in chronological order. January 4, 2021. How far north can lemon trees grow...
Cauliflower in colors
Which color is cauliflower? White. And . . . Cauliflower can also be orange, like the variety called ‘Cheddar’. 'Cheddar' cauliflower. 'Cheddar' is said to get its color from having extra beta-carotene, the same thing that makes carrots orange. And you can grow...
Four areas of a yard that are warmer in winter
Two nights ago was chilly. There was frost on the ground in most parts of my yard, but not everywhere. Which spots had less frost – or no frost – and why? Have a look at this two-minute video I made on the frosty morning of December 16, showing four factors that...
How tall can dinosaur kale get?
Next week my daughter turns four, and so does one of the above kale plants. It was in December 2017 that I sowed a handful of kale seeds. We ate leaves from the plants that grew through that winter while my daughter was learning to open her eyes and recognize her...
Stewart avocado tree: a profile
See my other avocado variety profiles HERE All of my Yard Posts are HERE
Food Gardening Calendar 2022
Avocado Growing Calendar 2022
List of all Yard Posts
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