Update: Japanese Maple (Acer Palmatum)

Dec. 13, 2025 

JM is "back-budding"..growing new foliage to replace damaged leaves & growing new foliage on areas of the tree that were formerly bare of shoots or leaves (such as the lower trunk). I've begun "helping" the process along by pruning dead &/or dying leaves & will continue to do so. 

Dec 31, 2025

Removed the last leaf remaining on this tree, this morning; and hopefully, the last of the diseased foliage. New buds are popping up on both trunks & remaining lower branches, back-budding is well underway & a good sign that this tree is on the road to recovery, again.

If he survives, it will do much to change my mind about how delicate and temperamental the Acer's can be. I've been told that growing them in our hot, dry climate is problematic & I've had the experience of losing my first specimen to heat-stroke, so when this tree almost succumbed to a fungal infection, I really did not expect it to survive, but here he is, beat-up, naked, chopped & all, putting out new foliage..well, this is why we do this..the pure wonder of the will to live.

(complete history of this plant at https://www.jerryspatio.com/p/photoshistory-japanese-maple-acer.html )

Here We Go Again..

 It's was just 1 month ago, we had our first "winter" storm & just 2 days before Xmas, here we go again. Spent the morning (Tue) moving all of my "little trees" undercover & out of the wind..well, the worst of it, hopefully.

I moved the seedlings, cuttings, miniatures & the youngest succulents, inside temporarily.

It did not take that long & went surprisingly well, so even if the storm turns out not to be so bad, I am enjoying seeing my small collection from a new perspective.

Dec. 29 - It's Not Over Yet..

It rained pretty good on Christmas & for the next couple of days..the weather people say it was the wettest Xmas recorded, in so. California..it finally cleared over the weekend & I was able to put plants in the sun to dry out before the next round of precipitation starts tomorrow night.

"Is it still raining?"

Forecasts call for wind with the New Years storm, which concerns me more than the rain..while the climate here is mostly benign, the wind can be deadly to young plants, particularly those that are stressed. Typically, they don't react appreciably to either hot or cold, within limits and they don't mind being wet, if not for too long, but add 15-20 kts. of wind to the equation & that can be a real threat to saplings. (sapling is the next stage past seedling, but far from an adult tree)

At least there are no frost/freeze warnings (as yet) but I will keep one-ear tuned to the weather forecast for sure. Meanwhile, all is well here on the patio..Allow me to wish you a Happy New Year..the days are getting longer now & although we will have our share of winter storms, the growing season is coming faster than we think.

UPDATES

 Creeping Fig (Ficus pumila) (click to see update)

Today is the Winter Solstice

grown from cuttings-Summer '25

I spend much of my gardening day chasing the sun..my patio is well-shaded by 2 Birch trees, 2 Magnolia's & a row of Palm trees, across the street. The landscape trees keep my apartment cool in the summer, shield the patio from rain, to some degree & serve as windbreaks from the north-westerlies that can suck the life right out of a plant.

However, it also means that I have to shift plants around to try & make sure that they get their fair share of sun, or at least enough to stay alive during the shortened fall-winter days. And so, as we approach the Winter Solstice, I am starting to anticipate more hours of sun, less sun-chasing & happier plants.

Meadow Rue (Cal Native) - '25

Historically, the winter solstice was far more than an astronomical event; it was a matter of survival. In a world without electricity or global supply chains, the solstice marked the "death and rebirth" of the Sun. It represented the pivotal moment when the days stopped getting shorter and began to lengthen again—a literal turning point toward spring and the promise of future harvests.

The solstice served three primary roles in ancient civilizations:

• The Agricultural Marker: It was the time to slaughter livestock (since they couldn't be fed all winter) and ferment wine and beer. This provided a rare abundance of fresh meat and alcohol, fueling massive feasts.
• The Architectural Alignment: Civilizations went to incredible lengths to align monuments with the solstice sun.
• The Victory of Light: Most celebrations focused on "helping" the sun return or celebrating the victory of a sun deity over the forces of darkness.

Euphorbia - '25

Many of these ancient traditions were eventually absorbed into modern holidays. The Roman festival of Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun) and Saturnalia directly influenced the timing and customs of Christmas, such as the use of evergreens, candles, and communal feasting.

The word "solstice" comes from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because for a few days around the solstice, the sun's path across the sky appears to stop before reversing direction.

So, I will celebrate the Solstice today by perhaps "tipping a cup or two" to welcome the sun back to the patio.