Why I Oughta...

Yesterday, I posted what I labeled as "Part 1" of my compost turning process that I recently started in the far backyard of the garden.  I previously emptied the compost tumbler of finished compost (Black Gold) and then turned my attention to the three bins.  I emptied the 'finishing bin' and filled the tumbler.   Part two covers the next step: Upgrading the cedar panels in the third (finishing) bin to help retain the decomposing material inside the actual bin. I started upgrading the bins a few seasons ago.  In Fall 2024, I turned the bins and then installed some cedar fence boards to the interior of the third bin.  That was designed to try to retain more of the finished compost inside the fence panels.  Here's the post that shows those initial boards installed in the front face of the bin .   The boards worked, but I could use a few more to continue to hold back the organic material from pilling out the bin. I have some cedar boards laying...

A couple weeks ago, I posted photos and details of how I was emptying the compost tumbler of finished compost (black gold) and top-dressing the dahlias around the garden.  And, stashing piles of compost in beds that I'd like to improve after the growing season (like the pizza oven bed that is full of clay).   #14 on my 2026 to-do list is to be an active compost gardener.   To be that, I need to turn the bins.   For me, that's an annual process.  I do it in late Summer/Fall.   And, that process was something that I recently started.  This post will cover part one (not sure how many parts there will be) of that process.   First, let's start off with the state of play with the three bin setup.   Left = holding bin.  The freshest material.  Not properly mixed. Center = mixed bin.  Material that is (at least) one-year aged.  And (hopefully) properly mixed. Right = finishing bin.   Two-y...

They can't all be 'gardening wins', can they? Yesterday, I posted about how lovely the Talavera Moondust Coleus was doing in the corner patio bed in our backyard.  And, about a week ago, I posted an update on the Wizard Sun Red Velvet Coleus in our front yard Island Bed .  And remarked how its compact growing habit has been a nice surprise.   At the end of that post , I declared myself a Coleus fan.   Looking back at the [ coleus ] archives here on my [garden diary], I see a turning point where I began to plant coleus in mass plantings as a bedding plant.  And that's changed the way I use coleus.  Prior to 2024, I was tucking them into containers.  Shade containers, mostly.   But, once I began to 'get to know' coleus and learned about the difference between sun and shade-tolerant varieties , I started to experiment a little bit more.   That started with a Flame Thrower Coleus that I planted in a larger container and put o...

A week-or-so ago, I posted a photo of what I was calling my first (ever) Bell's Palermo dahlia.  Or...a bloom that was coming off of a dahlia from a tuber that I bought that I *thought* was Bell's Palermo.   But, I was suspicious.  Here's what I wrote at the time : It is, well, interesting. And large. And, not what I was thinking it was going to look like. I went on further : I mentioned that I bought this one (and some others) from Bonny Blooms.  They handle customer service thought a chat window on their site 1 . I submitted a similar note there - asking if this was, indeed, Bell's Palermo.   Here's what Craig from Bonny Blooms responded: Bonny Blooms Hi, I took a look at that picture and you're right - it's not Palermo. Some of my unreleased dahlias were sent in error in the the spring and I wonder if that's what it is - or it could be Candela, but I'd need to see it fully open and perhaps a second bloom as the tones aren't quite right. I...

First time growing Crichton Honey Dahlia and I know 'get it'.  I understand why it is so widely loved and grown.  It is a star.  I planted two of them, but I'm pretty sure one was mis-labeled.  But, the Crichton Honey that is next to the pizza oven?  ( #1 on my placement list ).  It is certainly true to listing.   And, it is coming on strong.  Below are a couple of photos of the blooms that I cut off this morning: I also went around and cut some other blooms:  Great Silence Decorative Dahlia , Milena Fleur Decorative Dahlia, Rip City Semi-Cactus dahlia, small little Burlesca Ball dahlias , and a uniquely-colored Zundert Mystery Fox Dahlia . Here, below, are a couple of photos of the cluster of cut stems: Here, in the center of the photo below, is that uniquely-colored Zundert Mystery Fox dahlia.  It is more purple than my other Mystery Fox blooms: Living up to its name, I guess. Here's what Longfield Gardens says about Mystery Fox...

I included a Fall garden project on my 2026 to-do list that I haven't done in a few seasons: plant Fall bulbs. It was #13 on my list . Earlier this Spring, I found a naturlized crocus growing in the lawn and talked about how 2026 should be the year of planting my bulb lawn. After all, one of my favorite garden follows on the Web (Erin the Impatient Gardener) called the bulb lawn that she put in " "the best garden project she's ever done ". Well...imagine my delight when I came across this rack at Menards. Full of Fall planting bulbs. I grabbed this photo and said to myself:  "You don't know enough about these to buy anything.  Yet." Yet.   How do I get past "Yet".   One of the things that I picked up from Erin's videos about her bulb lawn is the sheer volume of bulbs she's using (thousands.  Yes...thousands of bulbs.), but also that she's focusing on short-height varieties.  Things that aren't super tall and work w...

I just applied the final feeding/treatment of the five Disneyland Roses and the 42 dahlias that are scattered around the garden.  I sprinkled the first application of the 3-in-1 systemic (and synthetic) granules at the beginning of May this year.   From there, I did a monthly application:  Early April, Early May, Early June, Early July, Early August and now....right as the calendar turns to September.  That's 7 applications.   This is the final feeding of the season.  And, that's the schedule that I've kept the past few years:  final application of fertilizer right around Labor Day.    Here's the post from 2025.   Here's the final feeding from 2024 (also in September ).  With all the plants that I need to treat, it seems that I'm using almost one full container of this BioAdvanced all-in-one Rose & Flower Care product with each feeding.   At about $22 per container, that's $150 of fertilizer, insecticide and fungu...

A week or so ago, I debuted the initial build of my (DIY) Alpine trough wasserspiel (water feature) that I created out of a Styrofoam cooler and Vinyl Concrete Patch.  I built up a few layers of the concrete patch and tried to age it/paint it to make it appear more stone-like in appearance.  On top of that, I then applied a heavy-hand of spray waterproofing.  I chose Gorilla Brand Waterproof spray.  And...it turns out....spray waterproofing (with some sort of 'solvent' in the mix that allows it to be propelled as a spray, I think??) EATS AWAY at foam.  In this case, a Styrofoam cooler.   I sprayed the waterproofing on all sides - inside and out.  And, then, I tucked it away in the garage to await the '24 hour curing period'.  My plan was to then water-test it.   When I grabbed it out of the garage, I noticed something.  One of the inside corners looked different.  It was soft and 'eaten away'. Ugh.  I guess I didn't ...

Just a few days ago, I posted about the pair of Peaches-n-Cream dahlia plants that I've been growing in the IB2DWs bed(s) and how their bi-color blooms were starting to shine .  Both in terms of colors, but also shape/texture.  Like Peaches-n-Cream, today's post is about a dahlia tuber that I bought from Bonny Blooms.  This one is a first-bloom-of-the-season for a new (to me) dahlia:  Bell's Palermo. If you look at this post from November , you'll see that in my Bonny Blooms order, I ordered pairs of tubers for all varieties but one:  Bell's Palermo.   That's because it was double the price of the rest of the tubers.   But, now in Late August, the plant has put on some size and we're seeing the first bloom.  On a really short stem.  But...still a bloom.   It is, well, interesting.  And large.  And, not what I was thinking it was going to look like.  Here, below are a few photos of the very same bloom.  ...

The last time I shared photos of some cut flower arrangements here on the garden diary was back in early August .  Since then, I've cut and put together a number of countertop arrangements.  For our kitchen.  For friends.  For neighbors.  Here are a few below.   In this jade-colored hobnail vase that I've used a number of times this year is a mixed ALL dahlia cut flower arrangement featuring:  Rip City semi-cactus dahlia, Blue Wish dahlia, Milena Fleur decorative dahlia, Wizard of Oz dahlia, Jowey Winnie, and a bunch of Saint Martin dahlias. In this smaller milkglass vase is a similar selection of dahlias:  Blue Wish, Jowey Winnie, Milena Fleur.  But also some Brown Sugar and some Silver Dollar Eucalyptus that I snipped off one of the plants: Here, below is that same jade-colored hobnail vase with a different set of dahlias.  Some that I cut longer/taller like the Pooh collarette ones.  And those Saint Martins on long stems....

As Walt Disney has (famously) said:  Everbody needs deadlines.   That includes me; an amateur suburban gardener.   I also need a way to focus and prioritize.  That's why I began to make myself an annual to-do list.   Here is my 2026 to-do list.    Over the past few years, I've also 'graded' myself against the list.  Tracking how much I accomplished.  Last Year, I also did a mid-Summer check-in post and it helped me close out the season strong.  At this time, I had 11 done, and 7 items both in-process and incomplete .  I ended the year at 17 (done) and 8 (incomplete ), so I closed out 6 additional items.   What about 2026?  Here's where we stand at the end of August: 1. Priority Project 1: Stop fighting nature (Or…as they say: nature finds a way): Begin the replacement process for the backyard the Oakleaf Hydrangeas . Status: Well...I didn't replace the Oakleaf Hydrangeas. But, I did install a full per...

The overnights are cooler.  And, as I've posted about recently, that seems to mean that the dahlias are happy.  Warm, sunny days.  And cool(er) nights = blooms popping off.  And, it also means that the dahlias begin to change colors.   That's one of the things that I've been learning over the years is that dahlias don't stay the same color over the full season from start-to-finish.  They shift and change how the colors appear.  Some get darker.  Some get lighter.  And, they change as they mature on the stems over time, too. One of the new (to me) dahlias this year is Peaches 'N Cream.  I bought two tubers from Bonny Blooms of this variety after seeing them show up on so many cut flower creators/influencers 'must grow' lists at the end of last year.  Here's my post from November 2025 where I showed a small roundup of what I was seeing in those kind of lists .   When my tubers arrived from Bonny Blooms, a few things we...