Warm Season Vegetables Start Now
UNITED STATES—The calendar does not always agree with the weather. It really is about time to start replacing aging cool season vegetable plants with fresh new warm season vegetables. Earlier warm and dry weather had suggested that it was getting late. More recent frosty weather followed by rain suggested otherwise. Regardless, there is no point in arguing with what...
Start Preparing For Spring!
UNITED STATES—Man, I cannot believe I’m saying this, but I’m so happy I can sense that spring will soon dawn upon us. Depending on what part of the United States you live in, the past few weeks have been brutal. This is especially evident for those who reside in the Midwest or the Northeast. I mean the frigid temperatures...
Really Nutty
UNITED STATES—The next time Reed passed by Bakersfield on oil rights business, he had trouble finding a spot in the parking place. That was the first time something was up. Once he got inside he had to wait in line and put his name on a list to be called. This was unfathomable. At last he got his old seat...
Potted Plants Going To Pot
UNITED STATES—It seems like such a waste that so many of the prettiest blooming plants are generally regarded as temporary. They are grown in the most synthetic of environments, forced into bloom, sold at their prime, and kept as potted plants just long enough to finish their bloom cycle. When their bloom deteriorates, they typically get discarded, or planted...
Nutty
UNITED STATES—"What are you doing?" Bridget asked Reed high in the mid-century moderne that offered stunning views of the city. The views and the minimalistic furniture showed you all you could get as a lawyer who investigates drilling rights, usually for the big boys and girls. They usually got what they wanted and there were a lot of tricky ways to...
Plant Physiology Can Be Deceiving
UNITED STATES—Many of us already understand that daisies, sunflowers, asters and all related flowers are composite flowers, which bloom as many tiny flowers clustered tightly together to form what appears to be significantly larger single flowers. Distended 'ray' florets around the edges imitate petals that other types of flowers are equipped with. It is like one stop shopping for...
Red Peppers Are The Best
UNITED STATES—I love all things spicy, but even I have my limits. I love the habanero pepper, but that is probably the hottest that I will ever go. On top of that, the ghost pepper which I have always been tempted to cook with scares me to the death. With that being said, most Americans are more familiar with...
Set In Our Nutty Ways
UNITED STATES—Reed Parker got hold of a mystery a few years ago on one of his trips. As a lawyer who ascertained the ownership of properties of interest to those who drilled for oil, or had already drilled for it eons ago and let the machinery rust, he retraced the same steps of many a childhood trip to Almond...
Exceptions To The Pruning Rules
UNITED STATES—Winter is the best time for major pruning of most plants. They do not mind it so much while they are dormant. However, there are exceptions. Winter pruning might be a bit too early for a few plants that are grown for their late winter or early spring bloom. It is best to wait until immediately after bloom...
Chicken, Pork, Beef, Fish Or Some Other Protein?
UNITED STATES—We’ve talked about the various elements when it comes to the Food Pyramid in previous weeks, except perhaps the one that salivates the taste buds for most Americas: meat or what many consider protein. I will admit the thought of being a vegetarian is something that I find quite tantalizing, however, the sacrifice to be a true vegan...