New Feature Added (reprint)

 (Reprint from Nov 16, 2025)

 The inclement weather this weekend has prohibited any outdoor gardening, but it has given me an opportunity to work on the blog and add a couple of features that I want to tell you about.

Translator: On the upper right-hand side of the homepage you will see a new feature labeled "Translate", with a drop-down menu that allows you to view my blog in any of 110 different languages. Try it  yourself..just "click-on" Select Language , pick a language & enjoy.

The other feature is embedded in the Blogger code (Blogger is Google's blogging software). If you "click" on any photo on the blog, it will open in a full-size version & display all of the other photos on that page as thumbnails along the bottom of the screen. You can scroll through all those photos without having to read the narrative. So, if you're searching for a particular photo, you can review them en masse' as opposed to one at a time.

Nov 17, 2025 - UPDATE:

This morning I added another new feature to the blog that seems highly appropriate after the last few days..a Weather Widget . Placed in the upper-right corner, it will most likely be the first thing you see when you log in..enjoy.

New Tree on the Patio - Red Bird Azalea

The 'Red Bird' Azalea is an evergreen, prized for it's flowers that bloom in spring-mid summer, can be grown as either decorative shrub or flowering tree.

 While technically a Rhododendron, with roots in China & Japan, some sources say that the Azalea was developed specifically for cold regions, such as North America & some Azalea cultivars are deciduous.

April 2026

The Red Bird is hardy(USDA zones: 5-9), "greedy" when it comes to fertilization & picky about it's environment..they need rich, well-drained soil, preferably on the acid side (pH 4.5-6) and will not do well in direct sun..think "understory" tree, like a Japanese MapleAzaleas and rhododendrons are often confused because an azalea is always a rhododendron, but a rhododendron is not necessarily an azalea. All plants commonly known as "azaleas" or "rhododendrons" belong to the genus Rhododendron, which has eight subgenera comprising nearly 1,000 species and 20,000 hybrids. Azaleas are found in two of these subgenera.

Acquisition: April 2026; Home & Garden Center: Price: $6.00 (1/2 off sale)

Read more about this tree @Red Bird Azalea or use the Tree Inventory Menu

Update: Mexican Weeping Pine

 This is an exerpt from the Photo/History page for Mexican Weeping Pine

The Weeping Pine has been in a nursery pot since I received the bare-root seedling, last August & I wanted to take a look at his root development & re-pot, if possible.

I was initially surprised at the sparse root growth, until I remembered that these trees are shallow rooted in the wild. I removed enough soil so that I could see that this tree has healthy, white roots, extending around the perimeter of the original root ball & it was no problem slipping him into a training pot & gave him new, fresh potting mix & topped him off with aggregate. 

He is maintaining a height of 30 inches, which is the same length as when first received. This has been a priority & concern since taking-on growing a pine tree, which normally would top-out at 30 ft. (or more) Overall, just keeping this tree alive has been a challenge, while effectively "dwarf-ing" him.

Stay tuned!

Update: Leyland Cypress (Cupressus × leylandii)

Known as a "fast grower" these trees are often used to create windbreaks & "tree lines" & our mini-Leyland is showing signs of growth with very green foliage, as opposed to the blue-green foliage of mature trees. 

My previous experience with conifers..pine, juniper, Cypress..led me to expect slow-growth..barely perceptible..think years, not months, so I was pleasantly surprised when this leylandii showed significant regrowth in a little less than 3 months.

This tree would no longer be mistaken for a Xmas tree & I'm looking forward to what we might be able to do with this specimen. Additionally, I'm surprised at the ease of propagation via cuttings, of which I will document at some point, but for right now, I well-pleased with his progress & development.

 

Access the full Photo/History of this tree @ Leyland Cypress or use the Tree Inventory menu on the r-side of every page  

Update: Madagascar Dragon Tree (Dracaena Marginata)

The Dragon has recovered nicely from 'childbirth' & I'm happy to report that both parent & child are doing well & both are showing signs of growth.

He has also regrown a substantial portion of the foliage that was trimmed, back in Dec. with new spires towering over the older, shorter plumes left from the 'flat-top' haircut I gave him.

The cutting, likewise is growing, getting taller & producing spires of his own making him look just like the mother plant. (grown from cuttings, he will exactly duplicate, or clone his parent)

Access the Photo/History for: Madagascar Dragon Tree 

 

Update: Coprosma 'Karo Red' (aka Mirror Plant)

The Karo Red may never look like he did 16 months ago, but he has survived & is continuing to fill-out his foliage in the burned areas. The canopy is not quite restored, but it appears he has adjusted well to re-potting..looks like he's "put on some weight". 

As one of the oldest specimens in the collection & his recovery from adversity, he has reclaimed his right to be a front-line tree & to be on display, permanently, I hope.

To see the full life history for this tree, click-on Coprosma 'Karo Red here or on the menu on the r-hand side of every page

 

Before & After: Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila)

It used to be, that just about every nursery or plant seller had a "1/2-OFF" or markdown table where the plants that were unattractive, damaged, non-sellable (at least at full price) went, as an alternative to the trash.

And that's where I found this tree..

Acquired: Dec 10, 2025 - Home & Garden Center - $7.50 + tax.

There was an accumulation of debris, dead leaves,"suckers" run amok..air roots that had become pseudo-branches, curling around & entwining the trunk. 

Some major pruning to clean-him-up & remove dead foliage & branches, including root reduction, re-potting into a training pot, I let him rest for the last 6 months.

And this is how he looks today..reduced in height from about 36 " to a compact 15". With a gnarly, twisted trunk & new foliage beginning to re-populate the canopy.

For those that might be interested in knowing more about how all this happened, you can access a complete photo-history at Creeping Fig

You can also access the Photo/History page for this tree & all of the trees in our collection by using the menu on the r-hand side of every page.

Update: Cape Honeysuckle (tecomaria capensis)

(excerpt from Photo/History page for: Cape Honeysuckle (tecomaria capensis)

Now this is more like what I've had in mind..the canopy is developing, looking the best I think it's ever    been..the rock still isn't right, but I think it will find it's place, eventually.

April 2026

Update: Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)

 exerpt from the Photo/History Page for Star Jasmine

April 10

The Jasmine is in full-bloom. Not bad for an $8.00 plant from Walmart! My first (successful) "Blooming Tree", but not to be the last. This may even encourage me enough to try (another) Azealea.

Update: Hibiscus (Rosa sinensis) 'Brilliant'

 (excerpt from Photo/History page for Tropical Hibiscus project: 

April 10

April 2026

Removed the "sacrificial" branch & the Hibiscus immediately rewarded me with new growth from the stump left behind. I took the branch because it was foliating, instead of back-budding on the trunk & branches...as you can see now, that problem is solved. There is new growth from both branches & the main trunk. 

    

If you've followed this project, you know that it's one-big crapshoot, starting with my predilection for      "projects" & cheap raw material. Quite frankly, I'm more than a little surprised that this strategy is working out better than I expected. 

He's only been in this pot for 2 months, but I would like to downsize again, however, I don't want to interfere or inhibit the foliage..I've been hearing about using growboxes & that may be the solution for this tree.. I need to do some research.

Update: Cape Honeysuckle II (tecomaria capensis)

 (excerpt from Photo/History page: Cape Honeysuckle 

April 10, 2026

April 10, 2026

Just 3 months in the training pot, but Honeysuckle II(a) slipped right into a tray without a problem. Minor pruning on both ends, top & bottom & it looks like he was born to it.

Honeysuckle II(a)

One could never guess that this specimen had major surgery less than 6 months ago..I probably could have skipped the plastic tray & gone directly to a ceramic container, but I want the trunk & base (nebari) to mature & to "put some age" on this tree before we go any further.

Introduction: Dwarf Pomegranate (Punica Granatum 'nana')

This showy, dense, dwarf tree displays attractive orange-red single flowers at an early age, followed by bright orange-red ornamental fruit. Excellent for containers or for use in the garden. A very effective bonsai specimen. Thrives in hot, dry summer areas. Deciduous.

Acquired: April 2026 ; Source: grower/breeder (commercial) ; 

This tree tolerates full sun & will thrive in a Mediterranean climate (such as so. Cal) & is frost hardy to some degree & drought tolerant, once established. 

Our tree arrived after 5 days "on the road", but a little frazzled around the edges.

A good drink of water & a few minutes to recover was all that was needed for this resilient plant to look like he hadn't just completed  a cross-country trip.

I'll let him rest now, for a couple of days & allow the plant to acclimate to his new home, before re-potting.

April 8, 2026

After a rest & some minor pruning to clean him up, I re-potted the 'nana' in a small tray. Root pruning is always "dicey" & I had to do some hard pruning on the roots & root ball. This plant had surprisingly well developed roots, in addition to the tap root..I removed the tap root & 2-3 woody roots, but kept all of the feeder roots intact. (feeder roots are small, white & usually surround the root ball like a skirt)

(a Photo/History page has been created for this tree & added to the Tree Inventory menu)

Update: Japanese Maple

 (except from Photo/History page : Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum)

The JM is "leafing-out", replacing the leaves that survived the die-off before dormancy & back-budding on the remaining lower branching & trunk. 

Now I can start thinking about how to take care of this little tree & shaping, pruning & styling him over the next few weeks, while doing my best to keep him healthy & alive in our semi-desert environment. Some plants just refuse to die, even though in similar circumstances, the Acer's are known as tender plants, our Acer continues to surprise me.

April 5, 2026

Update: Laurel Sumac

(excerpt taken from Photo/History page for Laurel Sumac (Malosma Laurina )                                 

Dec 3, 2025

March 5, 2026

  April 4, 2026

Along with the other trees, the Laurel Sumac is throwing new leaves & possibly growing, although it's hard to tell. You can identify the new leaves by their color, for the most part, being lighter green or yellow turning to green as they mature. 

This photo is after minor pruning to shorten-up mostly secondary-branches..he has a tendency to become "leggy" & I'm trying to maintain his proportions, although he has become heavier on one side, which I will try to correct, as time goes on, however I am very pleased with how he has adjusted to what I call "patio life", containerized, root reduction surgery & the hot dry winds that can absolutely decimate a young plant..I do protect him from the wind, when I can, but he is hardy for such a fragile looking plant & soldiers-on

April Showers bring Flowers

(excerpt from Photo/History page: Star Jasmine

After our "heat wave" in March, this guy is ready for summer..to heck with spring! Seriously, the warm weather capped-off with an overnight rain brought out the blooms..just opening now, but you get the idea. I have not pruned him, nor will I until he is done blooming, but he easily doubled the size of his canopy..this is the best he has ever looked. Sometimes benign neglect is the most effective course of action

Dormant No More - Desert Rose

(excerpt from Desert Rose Photo/History page

The Desert Rose has been dormant for several months now, but he's waking-up from hibernation. Over the winter, I continued to water him, but sparsely, when I thought it was appropriate & he looks like he had a good sleep & is ready for the new growing season.

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.