Woowee! Dispatch from this Sonoma garden reports that this morning the Sonoma Aroma is alive and well. It actually made me cough, the smell was so strong when I loaded the kids into the car to go to school. A drive down the road did prove that today was manure spreading day on the fields.
(kent beauty oregano)
While we aren’t spreading liquid manure in this portion of land, we have been doing plenty of compost spreading (had another 5 yards delivered), gypsum sprinkling (helps break up clay soil), and planting. I had collected an entire picnic table full of new seedlings, nursery sale goodies, and transplants from the old garden. Now as I find a spare few minutes I’ve been slowing planting them out.
Many years ago I read a great book called The Well-Tended Perennial Garden
(nicotiana)
I am completely replanting the front flower bed and once the plants are in, we’ll put in our new irrigation system, which I will share with you. But for now, here are a few pictures around the yard:
(amaranth between the asparagus and tomatoes)
(new life among the old artichokes)
(the chickens now can go in an out as the please)
(the melon bed nearing it’s end)
Oh, I love the smell of cow poo. LOVE the pics. Thanks so much. Artichokes, oh how I miss the Salinas valley.
Ah yes, the “dairy air” is quite ripe this time of year! But for better or worse, you will get used to it. The pics are lovely, especially that Amaranth -does it have a use beyond an ornamental?
I love the deep red colour of the nicotiana! I always thought darker flowers were so much more interesting and special than the bright, pompous “hey look at me I’m PINK” ones.
Wow, the melons look great!
Love the pictures & the update!!
Thank you for your lovely website!
We are interested in buying a house in Petaluma, but have been almost overwhelmed by what you affectionately call “Sonoma aroma” on a couple of occasions. I see from your post that this happens in Sonoma, too. How frequent is this occurrence?
Thanks,
Pamela
Pamela, it doesn’t happen frequently enough to deter you from moving here. Only a few times a year when they are fertilizing the fields. Petaluma is a great place to live, don’t let the occasional ‘aroma’ keep you from buying a house there!
Thank you so much for your quick and informative response! It’s a relief to know it doesn’t smell that way ALL the time! : ) And thank you again for your amazing blog. I learn so much from you. Looking forward to a lovely coffee table book from you one day soon!
Pamela