Adventures in an Urban Kitchen Garden
A journal of sorts
December 1, 2023
First fire in years. All it took was moving the wood to
where I didn't mind going and getting some. Just
in time for what will be either the hottest or the
coldest winter in L.A. history.
December 4, 2023
It's like ... the making of garden soil never ends ...
December 6, 2023
Let the fun begin !
December 7, 2023
December 8, 2023
I cheated on myself at Anawalt Lumber.
Some lettuces, snapdragons and cauliflower. I have
to look at something for the next few weeks...
December 9, 2023
For now the "Sonnet Yellow" snapdragons will hang
out with Bob.
The lettuces should be safe from the squirrels behind
the electric fence.
Some of these soil blocks are loaded with fresh seeds.
Others are loaded up with seeds that are more than
ten years old. I can tell you now they aren't really viable.
December 11, 2023
This is a woodpile I can live with. After I burn up all
the wood I will turn the rack into a greenhouselet.
December 14, 2023
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This all seemed very promising but I forgot one thing.
Seedlings need light. I didn't understand how much light.
I have never grown in the wintertime before; all of my
good growing was in the spring/summer when the sun
is strong and directly overhead and stuff. These seemed
wonderful but they all got leggy. I think of them as my
children, sort of, except that they are basically priceless
in the sense that the seeds don't cost anything, really.
The soil blocker cost as much as all the seeds I'll buy
this year together, and if the seeds fail, the soil can be
remolded into a new soil block. So I don't lose sleep over
the fate of seedlings - I can plant a thousand more if I have to.
December 17, 2023
Three of my six cheater cauliflowers
My cheater lettuces.
A good look at the inside of one of my worm bins.
December 18, 2023
Radish seedlings two days after starting them.
Pea seedlings looking good.
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Got my first haul of worm castings. Ended up with between
five and ten pounds of brown gold with so much more in the bins.
December 19, 2023
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Cheater lettuces coming along nicely.
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Leggy seedlings. How do you spell 'doomed' ?
December 23, 2023
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These were those pea seedlings just a few days ago.
Snapdragons and violas and some fennel.
December 24, 2023
Finally got the supports I wanted in for the chickenwire.
Eventually there'll be crosspieces so I can do removable
roofs, etc. to protect the crops from too much sun, or birds
or whatever as needed.
December 25, 2023
This is a coldbed, to protect seedlings while allowing
them light. Just waiting on some proper plexiglass to
finish it off.
December 26, 2023
Activated!
Cold bed number 2.
Can't really see many, they hide underneath, but these
are some really hungry worms and there are a few
thousand of them in the four-level bin.
December 28, 2023
Activated!
December 29, 2023
Buncha stuff. The rain didn't kill them, although it woke
me at 5:30 AM and I had to run out and move them to a
more sheltered area.
Six garlic plants on the way.
December 31, 2023
Led lights and heating mats and humidity domes. I can't wait
to watch this phase.
Let the good times roll.
Just your basic West Hollywood backyard farm.
Site of 2/3rds of the coming herb garden.
See you next year!
