I make an effort to go to the Farmer's market at Del Mar and Solana Beach. I always buy a plant, or a seedling. San Diego is a gardener’s Eden, there are a lot of tropical fruits to discover. One vendor will be selling the Sapote or Cherimoya fruit, the next vendor has a 5 gallon plants for sale. I can sample the fruit and buy the plant in one trip. I get a kick when I confront the things I read about in books several years ago. It is very enjoyable to talk to people with so much knowledge and love for gardening.


In my garden, everything works and follows a natural order. When a plant dies or a tree gets blown over, a new opportunity presents itself. I get all excited putting my fruit trees in the ground. They have been in pots for a year, it is a destiny fulfilled. We need to learn to see the gift and the opportunity in every problem. The trees keep me busy and give me satisfaction year after year. I try to see everything connected and serve its purpose in life. I was telling my friend that I think everything happens for a reason, even if that reason is difficult to understand. My friend Jerry said: "I am sorry, I don't see why the garden snail is needed in the garden. I think the world is a better place without them." How do you answer to this kind of challenge ? Thank god for French cuisine.


I know someone who tried a "Mushroom Kit" from mail order. Because that was a total disaster, he felt so depressed that he never wanted to try these things again. Gardening is a wonderful teacher of life. Babe Ruth is a "home run king" only because he is a "strike out king". In sports, as in gardening, sometimes a batting average of 3 to 1 is a wonderful record. If you succeed once in 4 trials, count yourself as really lucky. I got 24 US patents only because I took the 100+ rejection with great humor. It is all a game and a rejection is never a reflection on my ability. I met a person (Bob) who has only one patent himself, so when he is on the review board to judge my work, he said something like "you must be gouging the system if you have that many successes". Yes, I love to fool mother nature. I have things growing in Tucson that nobody think will grow in the desert. I also learn a lot from all the things that croaked. Every new season, I have great hope and expectation that I will try a lot of new things. That is all I can ask from myself and from the garden.


It is always a good weekend it I can start 10 seedlings plus put 5 trees or shrubs in the ground. I like the ideas of permaculture and ecology. Even when the plants are too crowded and sunlight is deficient, I get more varieties. The trees always get the best spots. I try to fit the vegetables around the niche. Sometimes it works well and I can pump up production. Other times I learn what happens when I push the boundary too much. I don't mind the failures, they tell me that I have max-ed out and that all available resources are used to the fullest. It is amazing how many different plants can co-exist and be all productive.


When I come back from vacation, I need to catch up with gardening. Cutting back the weeds, I find some happy surprises: a big sweet watermelon or two juicy bitter melons. Time goes fast when we are busy with other tasks, but the garden keep producing quietly.

My favorite vegetable for this season (1998)
1. chayote 2. zucchini 3. honeydew melon 4. watermelon 5. garlic chive 6. tomato 7. calabash squash