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OMG

I’m in Mendo… chillin’… literally. It’s unspeakably beautiful and cool, yet sunny. Will report back on nurseries later. Whee!

Black from Tula tomato


Robust plant here in my yard? No (might do better with more protection from afternoon sun).

Early fruiting in my yard? No

Tons of fruit right compared to other varieties in my yard? No

Taste? Out of this world (Thank you, Amy Stewart, for recommending it!)

Note: Of my two main tomato beds, the one receiving earlier afternoon shade contains the largest, most prolific tomato plants– Early Girl and Costoluto Genovese. At first, I assumed they were simply more heat tolerant and robust, but it may be that they’re benefiting from earlier afternoon shading. The two plants in the sunniest bed, Copia and Black from Tula, are looking more stressed. If I have time before leaving for Mendo, I will rig up some shade cloth for them. This is quite a heat spell we’re having.

Why we vacation

Don’t get me wrong… I love Sacramento. And I can take the summer heat. That doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the fact that I am leaving this weekly forecast…

Sacramento

104°F 40°C
68°F 20°C THU

108°F 42°C
70°F 21°C FRI

112°F 44°C
71°F 21°C SAT

111°F 43°C
70°F 21°C SUN

109°F 42°C
68°F 20°C MON

107°F 41°C
68°F 20°C TUE

105°F 40°C
66°F 18°C

… for this one.

Mendocino

73°F 22°C
56°F 13°C THU

77°F 25°C
61°F 16°C FRI

80°F 26°C
61°F 16°C SAT

79°F 26°C
59°F 15°C SUN

78°F 25°C
59°F 15°C MON

74°F 23°C
57°F 13°C TUE

74°F 23°C
55°F 12°C

That’s what vacations are for, right? Getting outta town for a taste of something different. Escaping the heat. Or basking in the sun. We know what awaits us when we return, but for one glorious week we get to walk around in a cool fog… or lie on a sunny beach… in appreciation.

Mendocino area nurseries

I’m compiling a list of nurseries to visit while in Mendocino. I’ve only been to the Mendocino Garden Shop, the nursery at the Mendocino Coast Botanical Gardens and North Star Nursery.

Here’s what I’ve programmed into my amaaaaaaaazing Garmin StreetPilot i5 Automotive GPS Navigator (Happy birthday to me!):

DIGGING DOG NURSERY
707-937-1130
31101 MIDDLE RIDGE RD, ALBION, CA 95410 7.1MI from Mendocino

FUCHSIARAMA
707-964-0429
23201 N HIGHWAY 1, FORT BRAGG, CA 95437 10.2MI from Mendocino

SIMPLY SUCCULENT
707-964-0536
32850 MILL CREEK DR # 45, FORT BRAGG, CA 95437 10.2MI from Mendocino

HORTUS BOTANICUS
707-964-4786
20103 HANSON RDFORT BRAGG, CA 95437 10.2MI from Mendocino

If you’re interested in the Mendo gardening scene, here’s a link to the Summer, 2006 Home & Garden section of the Mendocino Beacon newspaper.