We are in the SF Bay Area also. We just plant the seeds directly into the ground. They take off quite fast. I think we usually plant in March but this year we have alot of rain so I think it will happen later. After all these years with this melon it seems that it doesn't really matter if we do a headstart in pots or not. The plant actually seems hardier when it is sown outdoors. HwLee... our very first year we grew these were from 4 seeds that were given to my mom. We harvested well over 200 melons that summer and autumn! I did tend to the vines often with Miracle Grow etal...Since I didn't remember where the root of it was I sprayed the entire plant every 2-3 weeks. As the years past I didn't even bother to fertilize or even water. It grows like a weed! We barely watered them after the vines were about 3 feet long. And my mom has even cut up and dried some of the melons. They actually make a much tastier stock. Though they are darker in color. Wellspring... These melons if they are fully matured can keep for years. The way my mom has taught me to check for fully matured melons is to check the hardness of the skin. It is full ripe if you can't put your thumb nail through the exterior. We just leave them until I can see the stem of the melon starts to turn brownish. And still you can use the seeds from that same melon to dry. I have done this frequently. You can also use these melon like a hairy gourd melon when they are young. I think in a similiar thread somebody told me his Filipino wife harvest shoots and stirfried them. I'm a bit leary since they seem so hairy! Good luck your SFM this year! I was trying to post some pics but the files are too big for GW.

Any tree would have burned in the Oakland Hills fire, and Eucalyptus globulus, was just one of the trees that spread the fire. You could easily make the case that Pines were just as responsible for flying embers. There are lots of Eucalyptus species on Joe's list that are perfectly hardy and were not heavily impacted by past 100 year freezes, E. polyanthemos being one of them. I would find it hard to believe that E. polyanthemos is staying only 4 feet tall, this one gets huge rather quickly. More likely this is a similar foliaged species, but even E. pulverulenta eventually gets pretty big. It probably doesn't make any sense to plant large growing Eucs in fire prone areas, as they are meant to burn. I'd suggest that the safer trees to plant in fire zones are the trees that tend to survive fires and regrow after a major burn, and in the Oakland Hills fire zone, Quercus agrifolia and Sequoia sempervirens were two of the best survivers, but even so, in the hottest fire spots, they were still killed and they still contributed to flying embers with the fierce winds that the fire generated. Cold hardier species on Joe's list would include E. sideroxylon, E. pulverulenta, E. polyanthemos and E. nicholi to name just a few. There are lots more hardy species, but it would also be useful to cross reference which species aren't under attack by imported Australian pests that have finally also arrived in California, especially southern California, and are particularly bad in areas where the trees are under drought stress. E. citriodora, while not extremely hardy in coastal northern California, is not currently being attacked by pests locally, but this may have as much to do with wetter conditions and less of them planted out.

I started some key hardscaping/bed building projects early last spring, and finished up during the hottest days of summer. in the past, i reserved the hardest physical work for spring & fall - but i was so inspired this summer i kept going ... and going. (i have this forum to thank for the motivation, and for bringing out the fearless gardener in me.) so, what i've left to do this fall, and over the winter, are easily executable "master-plan" sort of things: * when the time comes, plant the 500+ daffodil bulbs i've been storing. * till & amend bed to receive the cl "cecile brunner" on order for next spring - it will cover my chicken coop ala martha :) * burn 3 tree stumps to below ground level. * i've removed all the grass, and have tilled-up my (small) front yard. need to finalize bed layout & amend; dig up dozens of liriope; cut down the "failure to thrive" dogwood; build low stone wall along curb; remove the last 2 original (1968) foundation shrubs at front porch & raise/amend the bed. i'll spend the winter figuring out what to plant next spring. * bury all remaining (15?) plants in pots to winter over. it's down to things i'm completely undecided as to where they should go. I've been calling this "planter's block" for years - it was a relief to learn it's not an affliction unique to me :) * leaves. for several months, i'll rake & chop for winter mulch. * i have about a half-mile (exaggerating)of backyard fenceline that borders the woods. i've had it with the weeds sneaking into my beds from the woods side, so i'm laying bales and bales of straw, along with yard leaves, for weed prevention. i hope this will be a visual improvement, as well - i think it will create more contrast between my beds and the flora behind them. * continue using "spare change" to buy kitchen garden cobblestones. i should have enough to adequately raise the beds by spring planting. start studying mosaic work for the center circle. * transfer all the notes on bits of paper into my journal & card file. make new cards for any 2005 plants i've missed. * i've resolved to spend more time this fall/winter on reading, researching, and planning my spring 06 seed & plant purchases. i'll pay particular attention to the kitchen garden & shrub borders. this has been a valuable exercise. happy fall, marsha

I just noted that I wrote I wasnt putting a essential oil recipe in there for cleaning wooden floors, but there is one in there. Note though, that I havent ever used that recipe as I dont have wood floors, so I cant 100% say it wont take the shine off. If you want to try it, just do a test spot in a hidden area. Also, I dont know if I can give people my e-mail address if they want a printable version of this? Or my environmental group on myspace? Can I? Will someone please tell me so that I can put this info down if someone wants me to send them out a printable copy? Oh, and sorry it took me so long to get this up online sylviatexas! Thanks, sammie