Blue Planet Garden Blog

Wordless Wednesday: A Visit to Playful Digs in Napa

 

Last week I had the privilege of speaking at Playful Digs garden shop in Napa. How cute is this store?

 

 

Birdhouses made out of books

 

Cool succulent art

 

In the window

 

 

Good advice

 

The actual presentation was held upstairs. ss ss A good turnout, considering the pouring rain!

 

Mimi Glavin, owner of Playful Digs and new friend, had everything set up so nicely for the book signing.

 

As always, hanging out and signing books after the presentation is the best part! Thanks for the opportunity and a truly fun day, Mimi! I'll be back to shop soon!

 

Growing Tomatoes in Containers

Slow Roasted Cherry Tomato Pesto. For more delicious tomato recipes, check out From Seed to Table

According to my mother, when I was very young I once ate so many tomatoes that I developed a temporary allergic reaction. This story may be true, or it may just be her way of discouraging me from filching the last few heirlooms from her garden when production winds down in September. Either way, my love of tomatoes continues to this day, and I look forward to tomato season the way a bargain hunter wakes up at 3 a.m., anxious to score the best Black Friday deals.

 

Unfortunately, I no longer have enough sunny space for a dedicated tomato bed, so like small space gardeners everywhere, I’ve turned to containers as my solution. Last year I had great success with Sun Gold cherry tomatoes, but while I admired their well-behaved good looks in a pot, the truth is, they’re a little too sweet for me. I prefer a tomato with a bit more acidity and bite. Bring it on, full-flavored tomatoes; I can take it!

 

That’s why I’m excited about the Contra Costa Master Gardener’s first annual tomato sale, going on from 10:00 to 3:00 April 4, 5 and 6. Located in “Our Garden” in the parking lot of the Contra Costa Times at 2640 Shadelands Drive in Walnut Creek, the sale features over 30 varieties of tomatoes, available for only $2.00 for each 4” pot. Rumor has it worm compost will be available as well. All varieties have  been field tested by master gardeners, taking the guess work out of the selection process. Better still, the following three heirloom tomato varieties are well-suited to containers:*

 

Black Krim Tomato

Indeterminate - 78 days

Image courtesy of Patsy Bell Hobson

Originally from the Isle of Krim in the Black Sea, this rare Russian beefsteak turns almost black with sufficient sunlight and heat. Fantastic intense, slightly salty flavor. Suitable for container/patio gardens.

 

Black Sea Man

Determinate - 75 days

Image courtesy of the San Diego Master Gardeners

Russian heirloom which produces in 75 days and does well in containers. The master gardener who field tested it wrote: "It has a delicious sweet-tart, complex tomato flavor. With mahogany brown, medium-sized fruit that is the most unusual and beautiful tomato when sliced. It hasa combination of red, ink, green and mahogay flesh. A smallish plant, but a very good producer."

 

Silvery Fir Tree

Determinate - 58 Days

Image courtesy of Golden Harvest Organics

A traditional Russian variety which all feel the threat of Siberian winters at their roots, it yields heavy crops of round, slightly flatted 3" fruits...a real eye catcher. Does well in hanging baskets where tomatoes hang like oraments on a fir tree an on patios in containers.

Last year the cherry tomatoes stayed upright easily with the help of a small cage, but since I'm going bigger and bolder this time, I'm trying these pruning tips for keeping tomatoes vertical, courtesy of Peaceful Valley, to keep my tomatoes in check. They also have a terrific video on how to plant in containers or in the ground.

I'll be at the Tomato Sale helping out Wednesday and Thursday afternoon, so if you're in the neighborhood, drop by and test my knowledge! Speaking of which, if you're new to growing your own tomatoes, determinate means your crop will ripen at the same time - a great option if you plan on freezing, canning or making large batches of sauce. Indeterminate plants produce fewer tomatoes at any given time, but continue producing throughout the growing season. In general, heirloom tomatoes produce fewer overall tomatoes than newer varieties.

I'm leaning towards the Black Krim. What do y'all think?

 

*All tomato descriptions courtesy of the Contra Costa County Master Gardeners.

Grab Bag - Vertical Gardening, Blogging...and Spa Products?

 It’s been a year since Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening for Small and Large Spaces came out, but instead of slowing down, vertical gardening keeps gaining momentum. In the past year I’ve spoken to garden clubs and symposiums across the country on the topic, with an emphasis on how home gardeners can easily and affordably add vertical elements to their own gardens. Most of the talks are closed to the general public, but the following Northern California venues are open to all:

 

Playful Digs' sister-store, Playful Gardens

Playful Digs in Napa, Saturday, March 31 from 10:30 to 12:00. How lucky am I? Not only do I get to speak on my favorite topic, but I get to do it in the beautiful Napa Valley, one of my favorite places to visit. I’ll be at Playful Digs, the newly opened companion to the popular Playful Gardens. The store features creative approaches to both indoor and outdoor gardening, with an emphasis on unique and repurposed items. Why do I get the feeling I’m going to end up spending my entire speaking fee on a shopping trip there? The article about the store and the talk is on pages 20-21 of the current issue of Napa Valley Marketplace – just click on the image of the magazine to the right of the page. Note: the correct address is 1201 First Street in Napa.

 

The Ruth Bancroft Garden in Walnut Creek, Tuesday, May 22 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. I’ll actually begin with a powerpoint presentation and book signing across the street at the always lovely Gardens at Heather Farms then we’ll all head over to the Ruth Bancroft Garden for a hands-on demonstration on making succulent bundles for living art projects - and everyone will make one to take home with them, using cuttings from the garden.

If you’d prefer to learn about vertical gardening from the comfort of your own couch, link up with me this Wednesday, March 7 from 11:00 to 12:00 as I cohost the popular Landscape Chat on Twitter. To participate, simply search for the hashtag #landscapechat, and join the party!

 

Jessy - Habitat Design, Ayla - Berkeley Gardens , Michelle - From Seed to Table, Claire - An Alameda Garden

Of course, I’ve got plenty of interests besides vertical gardening – including in no particular order, garden design, blogging and spa products. Last month I was lucky enough to have all three come together for me, when I attended a garden bloggers happy hour hosted by Jessy Berg and the rest of the gang at Habitat Design blog. Jessy is new to blogging, but has jumped in with both feet. To connect with other Bay Area garden bloggers, she put together this little shindig for all of us to get acquainted and share ideas. Not only did I get the chance to meet fun new bloggers, but I also met Michelle from Seed to Table in person! I’ve been a fan of her blog for years, and if you’re interested in growing your own food and enjoy the occasional mouth-watering recipe made with garden-fresh produce, get over to her blog NOW!

 

Cabbage Braised with Italian Sausage. Yum!

I’ve known Jessy since my design school days at UC Berkeley, and was intrigued to learn she’s taken her design business in a new direction, and is offering landscape plans online. If you’d like to learn more, you can check her out here.

My haul from the Dirty Girl Garden Apothecary store

Also at the event was Jenn from the very popular Dirty Girl Gardening blog. Jenn recently published her first ebook, Botanically Belize, (download it for free from Lulu) and was kind enough to offer us all a sampling from her line of natural botanicals, Garden Apothecary. When my sample arrived, it turned out to be much more than I expected!

So if I'm a bit slow getting my next blog post up, you'll know it's because I'm busy practicing for my upcoming presentations.

Unless I'm busy soaking away my stress...

Susan

 

Plants for Small Gardens: Weeping Trees go Vertical

Snow Fountains 'Weeping Cherry'

all images courtesy of Maria Zampini

Just as there’s more than one way to skin a cat (I’m taking this on faith, of course, as I prefer my kitties fully-furred), there’s more than one way to fit a beloved plant into a small space. In Garden Up! Smart Vertical Gardening For Small and Large Spaces, Rebecca and I describe many strategies for working in small, tight spaces: choosing vertical plants; layering up, not out; and using your walls, fences or arbors as another place to garden. A classic way to achieve the last example is through the practice of espalier.
 

Ring in 2012 with these New Plant Introductions

Eat less, volunteer more, draw or write daily in my journal – all examples of past New Year’s resolutions that were quietly discarded as the everyday pressures of work and life took precedence. This year, I’m making only one resolution and I know I’ll enjoy keeping it: to experiment with as many new plants as possible.

One thing making my resolution easier is the APLD-sponsored new plant presentation I attended late last year, courtesy of Ryan Hall of Pacific Plug and Liner.  I’ll be sharing more of the plants I learned about as I try them out in my garden designs, but here are three that I’m particularly excited about – and you won’t be surprised to learn they are all perfect for small gardens.


Astelia ‘Silver Shadow’ lights up the dark