We got our first frost advisory this evening, so I took the two one-gallon pots of Pineapples I have in the backyard and placed them in the patio for a little bit of protection. It was 42°F When I went outside.
Author Archives: joelignacio
Canon EOS 60D…
A few weeks I discovered a new Canon EOS DSLR—the Canon EOS 60D—with an articulating screen, which I’ve been waiting for!!! It was rumored back in January 2010, and was released in late August, but I just hear about it a few weeks ago (where have I been?).
Screenshot taken from Canon’s site.
I went to Best Buy to check it out and it is much bigger than my existing Canon Rebel XSi… I was hoping Canon would have a Rebel with an articulating screen, but I guess they never did release one.
After seeing the 60D I wanted to get it, but I didn’t want to make an impulse buy. So I’ve been doing research and reading reviews and I decided that I’m going for it… I ordered some Amazon Gift Cards from Wells Fargo Gift Card Mall (so I’ll get 3x the points) to cover the cost and I’m just waiting for those in the mail to place my Amazon order.
I was initally just going to get the 60D with the kit lens (18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS UD Standard Zoom Lens) which is currently $1,267. But I’ve also wanted a f/2.8 lens for a while now and had the Tamron AF 28-75mm f/2.8 SP XR ZL Di LD Aspherical (IF) on my Wish List. So I may just get the 60D body only for $1,100 + the Tamron for $499… Hmm, a $332 difference. I’ll have to think about this…
On a side note. As I was looking for Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 reviews on YouTube, I discovered a photographer’s channel that has a lot of good tips. Check out Dom Bower’s Channel and Dom Bower Photo’s Channel on YouTube. He also has a blog.
More Winter Veggie Seeds Sown…
I planted more seeds into Jiffy Peat Pellets (4 each):
– Swiss Chard ‘Green Lucullus’ 
– Kale ‘Red Russian’ (G2/2010) – Seeds collected from this year’s plants
– Cilantro/Coriander (G2/2010) – Seeds collected from this year’s plants
– Kailaan ‘Blue Star’ (Chinese Kale/Chinese Broccoli)
– Spinach ‘Bloomsdale Savoy’
– Spinach ‘Correnta Hybrid’
I read that Spinach and Cilantro can be grown in the fall/winter/spring in free-free zones, so I’m going to try to grow them this fall/winter and see how well they do. I always though these two were summer plants.
Also posted on Folia
Wish List: Hippeastrum ‘Evergreen’
I was browsing Burpee’s website and saw a chartreuse-green Hippeastrum called Evergreen.
I’m putting this on my wish-list.
Here’s more info on Dave’s Garden.
Kales Sprouting + New Snap and Sweet Peas Seeds…
Just a few days after sowing, the Dinosaur and White Russian Kales are sprouting.
I also found some Super Sugar Snap Peas seeds as wells as Sweet Pea ‘Early Gigantea Mixed Colors’ seeds as OSH in El Cerrito.
I soaked 16 Snap Peas and 12 Sweet Peas seeds in water and will plant them out either Monday or Tuesday.
Also posted on Folia
In Search of Snap Peas Seeds…
I’ve grown several generations of Snap Peas in our garden every fall/winter/spring… but I can’t seem to find the seeds that I saved from this spring’s harvest… so I was thinking of getting a new variety.
Our plants seem to grow taller and taller every year, with this past year growing well over 6 feet. It was way too tall and over-towered the other plants around it. So I’m looking for a variety that only grows to about 4-5 feet tall.
This evening after work, my friend needed to go to Home Depot, so I went along to see if I can find any kinds of Snap Pea seeds. No luck. All they had were Snow Peas, which I don’t like that much.
I did a search online and found two different varieties that I would like:
Super Sugar Snap
58 days. Grow about 5 feet tall. Improved variety of Sugar Snap (which I have been growing). I found some at Territorial Seed Co.
Super Snappy Pea
65 days. I’ve never seen this variety and its pods are huge; 8-10 peas per pod. Grows 28-32″. A Burpee Exclusive. I placed this on my Folia Wish List . [Update Oct. 26, 2010: I ended up ordering this.]
Screenshot taken from Burpee’s site.
After writing this, I got an email from Annie’s Annuals with this variety:
Carouby de Mousanne
60 Days. It’s a Snow Pea (which I usually don’t like to grow), but it doesn’t get fibrous (which is why I don’t like to grow it) when the seed starts to swell. Grows 6 feet tall. Here’s the description page on Annie’s Annuals website.
Also posted on Folia
Some Winter Veggies Sown…
I sowed six types of winter veggies into Jiffy Peat Pots (4 each):
– Bok Choy ‘Joi Choi’
– Mustard ‘Miike Purple Giant’
– Kale ‘White Russian’
– Dinosaur Kale
– Kale ‘Dwarf Blue Curled’
– Swiss Chard ‘Fordhook Giant’
Also posted on Folia
The 2010-2011 Overwintering Coleus Project Begins…
We got the first rain a few days ago… and it’s starting to get a little bit cooler… so that means I have to start thinking about getting cuttings from my Coleus to overwinter. To tell you the truth, I don’t like overwintering my Coleus because it’s a lot of work and it take up room in my bedroom (and I don’t have that much room to spare). I use to have a lots of window space at work (see photo below), but since I quit, I am force to keep all my cuttings at home.
