today was my first day back in la mesa. I walked to my my dad's house 2 blocks away where my garden and bee hives are. It was probably 75 degrees out and I was able to walk barefoot and without a shirt. So different thanoregon! On the way I found ripe pomegranates. I cracked one open and enjoyed the delicious seeds. They are a much deeper red than any I had while in oregon. What a gift!
When I got to my Dad's, he and Gini were in the garden working. The garden looks great! I was really impressed. So much is still thriving, even in mid november, a testament to San Diego's mild climate. There are runner beans up twelve foot tall sunflower stalks, 8 foot tall tomato plants still flowering and putting on fruit, potatoes, chard, asparagus, mustard greens, young brassicas. The perrenial herb garden looks great, and there is now a row of young berry plants along the east side of the garden.
I'm also really happy with how the fruit trees are doing. I planted them I think the winter before last. All the citrus, such as the pummelo, lime, lemon, orange and tangerine are bearing fruit and have shown good growth. The pomegranate is small but full of fruit. The pineapple guava looks great although it didn't bear this year (probably because of heavy pruning the year before). The avocado trees are really taking off, with tons of new growth this season. Same with the stone fruits, especially the plum. Dad and Gini got white peaches this year and they said they were delicious.
So overall I'm happy with the garden! There's plenty to do between the garden and the neighborhood at large: fruit trees to be pruned, honey to be harvested asap (we have three hives now),pomegranates to be picked (and made into a pomegranate mead with the honey!). It looks like there may an opportunity to thin out some large bamboo at a friend's place and hopefully take some home with me. I may also commit some time to redoing my mom's dead lawn.
