Lettuce coming up everywhere!

I always let one or two lettuce plants go to seed each year so that in the spring I get lettuce coming up all over the garden. It doesn't require any additional work. This year it is coming up all over my side yard because we don't have grass in yet. AND I found this cutie in my driveway!

I like pulling weeds

I think I really like yanking weeds. It's a satisfying sensation when you get a good grip on the base of a plant and the soil has just the right amount of moisture and the roots rip right out. Maybe I like the constructive way to work out my aggression.

But here's what I don't like:

These are shamrocks, also known as oxalis.

And this is what they look like when they are embedded among the plants you want to keep.
So I just spent the sunny afternoon digging up this entire plant and several others. I performed surgery by carefully separately the shamrock roots from the ice plant roots. Then I replanted the ice plant.

This is why the shamrocks are so vicious:

They reproduce by underground roots. They spread like crazy. This one was pretty small compared to some of the intricate shamrock mafia systems that I unthreaded from the plant. But I didn't want to touch my camera with my dirty hands again.

My grandmother was very proud of our Irish roots. I do NOT like these roots.

My neighbor is making sure I will be fighting this and many other weeds for decades. I've found that a cocktail of Roundup and Weed-B-Gone are very effective against morning glory. I'm starting to get control of that one. But the shamrocks are tough because the seedlings are so teeny and hard to catch. Before you know it, you have a full blown infestation.

At least I like pulling weeds on a sunny day.

Spray the Fruit Trees

When the blossoms on your fruit trees fade, it is time to start spraying them on a regular schedule. I use Imidan that needs to be applied every 17 days.

Here I go...

Make your own hotcaps!

I was at the garden center yesterday and right next to the official HotKaps (for 89 cents EACH) was this sample homemade hotcap. You cut an X in the bottom of a milk carton and then 2" up the sides. Flare out the triangular pieces. Cover your plant and throw dirt on the flared out portion to secure them down so they don't blow away. This is great! They stand a little taller than just cutting off the bottom of the milk carton and are more secure.

NOTE: I tried milk carton hotcaps last year and my plants got too hot. So keep the lid of the milk carton off unless it gets really cold. Then you can just go out and put the lids on for a day or two.

Thanks to Vineyard Garden Center for this great tip.

Don't be watering that lawn yet

It's too early to be watering the lawn. Temperatures are low, there is plenty of water in the ground and the longer you wait to provide extra water, the further down the roots of your grass will reach to access whatever water remains. Deep roots makes your grass more resilient to drought. Usually there is no need to water until at least the first week of May.

Get a jump start for melons and squash

Melons and squash are very tender starts and don't like to have their root systems disturbed. For that reason, most people plant them directly in the garden when the weather is warm. They start easily and grow quickly so the starts you buy at the garden center are usually only about a week old. But the fruits from these plants will continue growing as long as there is no frost to kill them off, so it makes sense to extend the life of the plant by starting them earlier in doors. If you have a large container you can give them (like a big and WIDE), you can start them now and then transplant them outdoors in late-May.

Peas are up!

Yay! I thought the seeds were duds because they took so long. Aren't they cute?

To Do this Saturday

In addition to fertilizing the lawn, I've got to trim up my sedge grasses. They are "evergreen" but they really look horrible right now. If I trim them too early (in March) the new growing tips will also turn brown and I have to trim them again. Also give them some fertilizer.

And those dang ice plants. They are gorgeous and I absolutely love how reliable they are, but I have to give them a "haircut" every spring to get the dead bloom heads off. They will bloom like crazy in May and then bloom more gracefully for the rest of the season and be a nice ground cover for this dry climate.

Fertilize the lawn April 16

Time for a general "weed and feed" fertilizer for your lawn. If you didn't already have your lawn aerated, get that done beforehand so the water and nutrients have a better chance of getting down to the grass roots.

Some varieties from Sun River

I just got a newsletter from Sun River Gardens. I think I'll try number 1 and number 8. I have to say that I prefer 'Sunsugar' over 'Sungold' on number 10 for cherry tomatoes. The 'Sunsugar' is super sweet. They rarely make it inside my house because we eat them right off the vine.

Sun River Newsletter

Now is a good time to buy your tomato plants

Pick out your tomato plants now before the varieties you want are sold out. Keep them in a sunny window, under grow lights, or protected place while you wait to plant them. Tomato plants can be planted around April 15. I love that day! Plant them under hot caps (white paper domes from the garden center). Plant them as deeply as you can. More roots will develop along the stem. Water them well and place the hot cap over the top. Secure the hot cap with dirt in the paper "moat" to keep it from blowing away. You should be able to leave it alone with no additional watering until mid- to late-May.