Under the Solano Sun

Hot July, hottest Yet Climate change, you bet Throw your hands in the air Politicians don't seem to care. Carbon Sequestration by way of trees It's my choice to be carbon free.

I had been looking for a way to both encourage a love for gardening, and to strengthen the bond with my long-distance bonus grandchildren in Oregon. I had given them gardening tools a year ago, and had recently found some cute animal shaped watering cans.

If you're looking for a unique cactus for a small space, special interest area or a low water garden Cleistocactus strausii is the right plant for the job! It is commonly known as a silver torch cactus.

Here's a riddle; How do you grow a four-foot plant in an eighteen inch spot? Give up? Grow vertically! This heirloom lemon cucumber', (Cucumis sativus 'Lemon'), needs plenty of room; at least 4 feet with its vines of up to eight feet long! Trained on this trellis, its footprint is only 1212 inches.

As I busily go about on my daily round of errands during these late summer daysthe heat radiating with every step-- I become ever more grateful for the life-affirming trees among us and all that they provide.