Japanese Maple : 1st Leaves of the Season

(excerpt from Photo/History: https://www.jerryspatio.com/p/photoshistory-japanese-maple-acer.html

Mar 2026

These are the first "true" leaves on the Acer; what you cannot see well from the photo are the buds populating both of the 2 main branches & sub-branches.

 I am trying to keep him out of direct sun, at least during the hottest hours, keeping in-mind, the JM is an understory tree in the best of circumstances, but I'm also aware that many people have them in their yards in this semi-arid environment.

 

Gardening with AI?

 Although I am in my 80's, I have never shied away from technology..quite the opposite, I tend to embrace it, nose around it, try it out, break it and, if at all possible, see if it makes my life  easier, better or more interesting. And, this mindset has served me well, allowing me to change careers mid-life (55) & supported me until I finally did retire at 79.

And when I retired, I wanted a clean break with the past..having lived on or near the coast for 40-some years, I moved inland..I gave up a predilection for "dive bars"..(still love them, but there comes a time)..took up patio gardening, fully confident that "playing in the dirt" was about as low-tech as you can get...and then along came AI.

At first, I approached it as a novelty..how close have we come to the Star Trek computer? Does AI really have the ability to encompass all of the derived knowledge of mankind? Does it really make most technical/computer training & knowledge irrelevant?  The answer??? maybe.

The second question was, could it be helpful in real-world tasks, such as gardening? One day, out of frustration more than anything else, I asked Gemini (Google AI) about the "white stuff" on both of my recently acquired Pine trees; in 8-9 seconds, it correctly diagnosed the "white stuff" as pine scale, explained what pine scale was, it's origin, cause, characteristics & outlined a number of options for treating it. Further, it broke down the types of remedies available (both chemical & organic), by name, composition & price & a detailed treatment plan for remediation..I was sold.

Since then, I have used AI to answer questions, diagnose problems & research topics such as soil composition, cultivar characteristics, plant nutrition, & recommended practices for a variety of plants; additionally, I have sought information on multiple diverse subjects besides gardening, such as diagnosing ailments, evaluating healthcare choices, repairing my car, even to the extent of evaluating cat food & defining percieved &/or observed phenomena in nature, explaining scientific terms & developments...to the extent that I now use AI on a daily basis.

Do you use AI as part of your repertoire? I'd be curious to hear from others who have utilized this new technology while practicing one of the oldest, if not the oldest technology, cultivation. Post your comments below & share your experience with the rest of us.

Star Jasmine Wakes-Up

(excerpt from Photo/History: Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

Mar 10, 2026

I was greeted this morning & pleasantly surprised at seeing many (if not most) of the Star Jasmine branches with new green shoots. (see pic) I have not seen any shoots or  budding since last fall, even though he is an evergreen, he has been semi-dormant.

I suspect he is getting ready to bloom in the not-too-distant-future; I have seen this specimen "in bloom" once before..shortly after I potted him last spring. Despite being something of a "pedestrian" plant, in that the Star Jasmine is not exotic or particularly interesting, this plant can be a prolific bloomer. I am looking forward to seeing him in full bloom, again.

Experiment: Propagate Dracaena Marginata via Cuttings

(excerpt from Photo/History: Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata)

Mar 9, 2026

I've been thinking about propagating this plant for some time, but hadn't a clue about how to go about it..recently, I've had some success with succulent cuttings, taken from a friends yard (see current logo background pic) & the Dracaena is, after all, a succulent & so I chose a "stalk" & pruned it & potted the cutting..now it's "wait & see" if it takes or whether I've ruined one of my better specimens

About an hour or so later, I began to experience itching on the back of both hands..the itching grew more severe & was accompanied with severe inflammation. As I was washing & treating both hands (soap/warm water & 1% Hydrocortisone cream) I remember reading something about Dracaena being toxic to cats & dogs..sure enough, this is what I found:

The sap of the Dracaena marginata contains saponins and calcium oxalate crystals, making it toxic to both humans and pets. 

In Pets: Ingestion can cause vomiting (sometimes with blood), diarrhea, drooling, and dilated pupils in cats.

In Humans: Contact with the sap can cause skin irritation or swelling of the mouth and throat if ingested. It is recommended to wear gloves when pruning and to keep the plant out of reach of children and animals

If you have plant allergies (such as I have had my entire life), take note when working with these plants.