The Most Hectic Month

While Easterners and Brits are reading seed catalogs and warming their toes by the fire, we California rose growers are frantically trying to get everything done that needs to be done in the January garden. Hundreds of roses to prune, all the fallen leaves to rake up. Spent veggies to remove and new veggies and strawberries planted. Weeds to pull. The neighbor's weed trees to cut back to the fence so they don't swallow my shrubs. Perennials to move or split and move. Everything done so that in early February I can remulch everything before the heat of March makes moving ten yards of mulch one five gallon bucket at a time even more painful than it is in the relativly cool weather of February.



Then it will be time to sit in the shade by the koi pond and read seed catalogs. For the next few weeks, no rest for the wicked.



'Bishops Castle' likes January weather just fine. It liked all the rain enough to sprout a whole bunch of new flowers in a deeper shade of pink than it displays in July.



Peace and long life.