Recent content by OaklandCityFarmer

Hey folks, thanks for your help! And HI Mary, it's been forever since I've been on. Work and such. It was actually my other half using the account to figure this out, but glad that you all were able to help! Carlos

I believe @aftermidnight is correct, it's a Montanoa. I'll have to do some more reading to see if they're considered to be invasive. Hello! We're completely overhauling our garden this spring/summer, trying out some new things, gonna see what works best. Maybe this fall we can do a harvest...

No tubers, though it does resemble sun choke, I've got that growing too (as well as yacon). I can take some more photos when I get home from class. Please do! I'd love more input. If you need more photos, do let me know. It's bloom time has been erratic, but that might have to do with being...

I googled both, my plant doesn't look like either. :( Me too! Years ago I propagated it from a piece that I "borrowed" while on a field trip during a propagation class to some old greenhouses here in the Bay Area. They used to grow flowers commercially in Richmond in the greenhouses, but that...

This is growing in my backyard, in partial shade. It's doing pretty well, but it has a tendency to dry out in the summertime, making it not too tolerant of the drought we're experiencing here... It's big, about 6 feet tall. The flowers look like daisies, and smell like almond/honey. I...

Good luck @TReeves!!

Yeah, definitely for most systems I could see why @catjac1975 most would just use tub and shower. That's the whole reason of installing the bypass valve so that if any chemicals or stuff I just don't want in the garden needs to go to the sewer I have that option.

Thanks for the warning @catjac1975 I'm sure that had something to do with chemicals being involved. @ninnymary Hey Mary I'm good. It's been busy with work mostly and have had very little time to "come online". We're in a slow period (with elections being another year away) so I decided to come...

I would love fresh anything over the winter...besides kale and greens.

@TReeves, I've typically used the extract in baking and not the leaves. Honestly, I haven't invested enough time to pulverize them into a powder enough for baking. Of course, all of this does mean that you have to adjust some measurements to compensate for the moisture that regular sugar would...

Overall I'd stay away from any Spanish Lavenders, they are not cold hardy enough. How cold are your winters? If you're above zone 5, the standard English variety Lavendula augustifolia (sold under names like "Sachet" or "Royal Velvet" will do well and serve the purpose of oils for soaps and...

Yeah, in my experience they are definitely red. I think the semi-determinate, indeterminate, determinate thing comes from different regional strains. They were originally developed in Arkansas in 1961. They are open-pollinated which probably explains the genetic "drift" that has happened over...

Si, en Oakland. St Vartan's? I'm a little more east of that. Good to meet you too Richard!

Just to chime in on the original post. We make stevia extract using a half gallon mason jar, about 5-6 cups of dried leaves, and vodka. Pour it all into the jar, leave it in there for 2 days, strain and use as a sweetener. You can also remove the alcohol by cooking LOW and SLOW for about 20...

What everyone else said! And you're doing it right by keeping them in pots. The peppers that we keep in pots here stay warmer since they tend not to freeze during a frost. Which if you're around Fayetteville (GO Razorbacks!) you have about similar weather as we do, maybe a little more humidity...