End-Of-2024 Well Duh!s/December Miscellany

Agave 'Vanzie'

From the "Well, duh!" department: what I was given as "Tuberose" bulbs sprouted at the wrong time of year for Tuberoses. Hmm. After some weeks of growth, judging by the foliage, they appear to be not Tuberose, but rather two Freesias and multiple Daffodils or Narcissus.

Well, duh!

Also in Well Duhs, I was irked for years that Sedum morganianum always looked pathetic in the patio's hanging baskets. Re-reading an old California Gardening book recently, I chanced upon the comment that this Sedum "should be kept slightly moist". Oops. I was watering them maybe once a month--or once every two months. Or...maybe not that often. Regular watering has produced a dramatic improvement.

Well, duh!

Carrot seedling update since the last blog post: something ate them all--a slug, maybe--without disturbing the hardware cloth tent at all. I'll try again, in a container. Every critter loves carrots. Well, duh!

Also in the last post I mentioned some problematic neighbors. These are not them. These nest in the dead Eucalyptus at the bend in the road:

They often gather and chat with each other on the power pole:

Acorn Woodpeckers, Melanerpes formicivorus. They are a joy to watch. It is a privilege to have them as neighbors, and to grow an Oak tree that feeds them.

Winter foliage...besides that 'Vanzie'...

Euphorbia 'Miners Merlot' has not died yet, and is re-developing the rich color it had when I bought it last winter:

Leucadendron 'Ebony' has cones and the tips are reddening--a most dramatic look:

Foliage emerging on Drimia maritima. We got a sprinkle of rain, maybe 0.06". I think we're up to 0.10" for the season.

I chopped down 'Comtesse de Provence' rose in preparation for moving it, since it is shaded out by the Oak tree now. The soil was very hard around the rose so I'm holding off. In the meantime the roses leafed out again.