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My weekend at "The Hoagies"

MattyB

By MattyB
in TRAVEL LOGS

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elHoagie Mentor

elHoagie

Posted
Posted

Thanks again to everyone for your comments! And thanks to Jeff and Wal for some thoughts on my palm.

Jeff - yeah, it's still cold here, nothing new. Can't wait to get down to CR...

Jack Sayers

East Los Angeles

growing cold tolerant palms halfway between the equator and the arctic circle...

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BS Man about Palms Grand Master

BS Man about Palms

Posted
Posted

(elHoagie @ Apr. 07 2008,09:49)

QUOTE
Thanks again to everyone for your comments! And thanks to Jeff and Wal for some thoughts on my palm.

Jeff - yeah, it's still cold here, nothing new. Can't wait to get down to CR...

Jack, your idea of cold and mine are different. You haven't been below 40F at your new place have you?   :angry:

Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

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DoomsDave Grand Master

DoomsDave

Posted
Posted

(BS, Man about Palms @ Apr. 07 2008,22:56)

QUOTE

(elHoagie @ Apr. 07 2008,09:49)

QUOTE
Thanks again to everyone for your comments! And thanks to Jeff and Wal for some thoughts on my palm.

Jeff - yeah, it's still cold here, nothing new. Can't wait to get down to CR...

Jack, your idea of cold and mine are different. You haven't been below 40F at your new place have you?   :angry:

Yeah, it's funny when you live in a place like that.

Your cold-tolerating muscles just kind of atrophy, like you're in Hawaii, and you develop this blissfully clueless mindset about the freezes.

At least I did . . . . .

Boy, was I set up for  rude awakening!

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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bgl Grand Master

bgl

Posted
Posted

What freeze???? :P

Leilani Estates, 25 mls/40 km south of Hilo, Big Island of Hawai'i. Elevation 880 ft/270 m. Average rainfall 140 inches/3550 mm

 

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Gileno Machado Grand Master

Gileno Machado

Posted
Posted

Your new place is looking fabulous, Jack and Lindsey, congrats for the plantings (and the retaining wall)...haven't you tried to move that big Bismarckia from Altadena? Already missing that lovely Phoenix canariensis from the ex-neighbour?

Hmmmm, Brazilian dinner with sausage sandwich, are you sure?? gee... :P  No wonder you guys needed a big dose of that poison before going to that eatery  :D

Sirinhaém beach, 80 Km south of Recife - Brazil

Tropical oceanic climate, latitude 8° S

Temperature extremes: 25 to 31°C

2000 mm average rainfall, dry summers

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BS Man about Palms Grand Master

BS Man about Palms

Posted
Posted

(bgl @ Apr. 07 2008,21:45)

QUOTE
What freeze???? :P

Bo- The Snarkiness thread is the other one.

Zone 10a at best after 2007 AND 2013, on SW facing hill, 1 1/2 miles from coast in Oceanside, CA. 30-98 degrees, and 45-80deg. about 95% of the time.

"The great workman of nature is time."   ,  "Genius is nothing but a great aptitude for patience."

-George-Louis Leclerc de Buffon-

I do some experiments and learning in my garden with palms so you don't have to experience the pain! Look at my old threads to find various observations and tips!

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elHoagie Mentor

elHoagie

Posted
Posted

(Gileno Machado @ Apr. 08 2008,04:41)

QUOTE
Your new place is looking fabulous, Jack and Lindsey, congrats for the plantings (and the retaining wall)...haven't you tried to move that big Bismarckia from Altadena? Already missing that lovely Phoenix canariensis from the ex-neighbour?

Hmmmm, Brazilian dinner with sausage sandwich, are you sure?? gee... :P  No wonder you guys needed a big dose of that poison before going to that eatery  :D

Thanks Gileno! The large Bizzie from Altadena died after it was dug up, and I do miss the huge Phoenix. I planted a smaller Bizzie a couple weeks ago at the new place, but I think I'll just admire Phoenix in other peoples gardens...

Ask Matt about the sausage, I always get chicken or beef, and it's really good. They give you black beans with some kind of dried crushed bread to mix in, and some nice firm rice. Also a couple of plantains.

Jack Sayers

East Los Angeles

growing cold tolerant palms halfway between the equator and the arctic circle...

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elHoagie Mentor

elHoagie

Posted
Posted

(BS, Man about Palms @ Apr. 07 2008,19:56)

QUOTE

(elHoagie @ Apr. 07 2008,09:49)

QUOTE
Thanks again to everyone for your comments! And thanks to Jeff and Wal for some thoughts on my palm.

Jeff - yeah, it's still cold here, nothing new. Can't wait to get down to CR...

Jack, your idea of cold and mine are different. You haven't been below 40F at your new place have you?   :angry:

No, it hasn't dropped below 40F at my place, but it's still cold as sh$% almost every day from November until May...

Jack Sayers

East Los Angeles

growing cold tolerant palms halfway between the equator and the arctic circle...

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Alicehunter2000 Grand Master

Alicehunter2000

Posted
Posted

Jack ....nice place. I got a couple of questions regarding your retaining wall. What size blocks are they (and name of company), did you install yourself? what prep work was required before laying the first course, are they free stacked, How much per block $$$? Sorry about so many questions.....but I got a severe slope in my back yard as well and have been cosidering several different ways to tame it. Thanks for any info.

David Simms zone 9a on Highway 30a

200 steps from the Gulf in NW Florida

30 ft. elevation and sandy soil

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elHoagie Mentor

elHoagie

Posted
Posted

(Alicehunter2000 @ Apr. 08 2008,10:14)

QUOTE
Jack ....nice place. I got a couple of questions regarding your retaining wall. What size blocks are they (and name of company), did you install yourself? what prep work was required before laying the first course, are they free stacked, How much per block $$$? Sorry about so many questions.....but I got a severe slope in my back yard as well and have been cosidering several different ways to tame it. Thanks for any info.

The blocks have a face size of 2/3 ft^2 (6 in high and 16 in wide), and they weigh 60 pounds each. I bought them from Home Depot, and I'm not sure of the brand. I think they cost about $4 per block, but fortunately the previous owners left a couple hundred of them so I didn't have to purchase too many...

As far as I could tell from looking around, you need to bury a "footer" about 1" below grade for each row above ground. Also, the height of the wall shouldn't be more than about 6 courses (the wall at the top, installed by the previous owner, is about 8-10 courses tall, but I kept all of mine to 6 or less). So, I dug about 10-12 inches below grade, backfilled with about 4 inches of crushed gravel, then layed a footer course of blocks. This takes a while, mainly because leveling the blocks is a pain in the ass. Then I just built upward. I dug out about 4-6 inches behind the wall prior to building, and I backfilled this area with crushed gravel separated from the slope with landscaping fabric. Also, I installed some french drains behind the base course of the wall. My wife and I, along with Palmazon and Gerardo, did all the work. It's actually not too bad, the worst part is that each block had to be carried down from the street since there's no access to my back yard.

Oh, one other thing. I never built a wall and then backfilled behind it. I dug a wedge out of the slope until I had a 3 foot tall exposed face, then built the wall up to cover this face. This way I didn't have to worry about compacting any fill, and the footer course is on fairly solid ground.

Jack Sayers

East Los Angeles

growing cold tolerant palms halfway between the equator and the arctic circle...

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Al in Kona Grand Master

Al in Kona

Posted
Posted

Hey Jack your place is really coming along nicely.  Enjoyed seeing these photos of it and you guys too.  A lot of work has gone into those retaining walls!  So tell us, what do Los Hoagies do during all their spare time?

A sloping property can be a challenge but at the same time it can add character to a garden and affords some interesting or even spectacular views.  You will be able to look down on part of your garden without having to go out on the rooftop!  LOL.  I have done and continue to do a lot of retaining walls in our garden - mostly shorter ones using our native volcanic rock.  It helps  to have an eye for fitting or piecing together the rocks so that they fit as snuggly together as possible and then after fill in any gaps with smaller pieces.  When the retaining area is on a slope (not a verticle wall) I sometimes purposly leave small openings to fit in small plants such as bromeliads, succulents or other small flowering plants.  Yeah it's a lot of work but it is rewarding when it's all finished.  

Below are 2-pics to give an idea of what I did on one rather steep slope.  First pic is how it looked shortly after having been done.  Second pic is how it now looks.

post-90-1207868677_thumb.jpg

Hawaii Island (Big Island), leeward coast, 19 degrees N. latitude, south Kona mauka at approx. 380m (1,250 ft.) and about 1.6 km (1-mile) upslope from ocean.

 

No record of a hurricane passing over this island (yet!).  

Summer maximum rainfall - variable averaging 900-1150mm (35-45") - Perfect drainage on black volcanic rocky soil.  

Nice sunsets!

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Al in Kona Grand Master

Al in Kona

Posted
Posted

and here is how it looks now . . .

post-90-1207868756_thumb.jpg

Hawaii Island (Big Island), leeward coast, 19 degrees N. latitude, south Kona mauka at approx. 380m (1,250 ft.) and about 1.6 km (1-mile) upslope from ocean.

 

No record of a hurricane passing over this island (yet!).  

Summer maximum rainfall - variable averaging 900-1150mm (35-45") - Perfect drainage on black volcanic rocky soil.  

Nice sunsets!

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Gbarce Grand Master

Gbarce

Posted
Posted

(Al in Kona @ Apr. 10 2008,19:05)

QUOTE
and here is how it looks now . . .

WOW!!  I have not tried that with bromeliads.

To the Hoagies - Very nice place you have there and I concur with the others- your retaining wall set up is impressive.  That's certainly going to provide you with a pretty unique garden set up.  

Are you intentionally going to design it to be viewed from above??

Oh yeah-- nice work station too -- but that is waaaaayyyyy to neat.  Please tell me you fixed it up because you were having company.

Gene

Manila, Philippines

53 feet above sea level - inland

Hot and dry in summer, humid and sticky monsoon season, perfect weather Christmas time

http://freakofnaturezzz.blogspot.com/

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MattyB Grand Master

MattyB

Posted
  • Author
Posted

One tip about using those "keystone" retainer blocks:

The crushed gravel makes a great base that's nice and solid without having to pour a concrete footing.  But, as Jack pointed out, it makes for difficult leveling.  Pour builders sand on the top of the gravel and use a piece of wood to screed it and make it flat.  Then minor adjustments can be easily made with your hand and a tap of a rubber mallet on the brick.  Also, when using them to hold a hill, it's advised that the bricks not be installed exactly level in the front to back relation.  They should actually be tilted back just a hair.  I've just make the bubble on my level on center with one of the lines instead of in between the two lines.  It's not noticeable by the naked eye but after 6 courses the force it applies back towards the hill is better than a level course.  Oh yeah, one more thing, if you use some dabs of construction adhesive to hold the last course down then you won't have a problem with them lifting or rocking when people sit or walk on them.  This is not a big issue with the 60 pounders that Jack used, but on smaller garden walls it happens all the time.  The first course is the most important and the most work.  After that, these bricks make wall building easy.

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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elHoagie Mentor

elHoagie

Posted
Posted

Awesome Al! I wish I had all those rocks to work with. The block walls look a little industrial, but they're cheap and easy. Hopefully they'll look ok once I have some things planted.

I'm not intentionally designing things to be viewed from above, but I have planted a lot of fan palms behind the walls. Hopefully these will have a nice look from above...

Jack Sayers

East Los Angeles

growing cold tolerant palms halfway between the equator and the arctic circle...

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DoomsDave Grand Master

DoomsDave

Posted
Posted

If you want one, plant a Jacaranda for canopy.  They look FABULOUS from above, a purple cloud.

Of course, come may, I suspect you'll see other "Jacks" in the 'hood . . .

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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MattyB Grand Master

MattyB

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I think he has one Dave.  It's right in the middle of the yard as you head down.

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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DoomsDave Grand Master

DoomsDave

Posted
Posted

(MattyB @ Apr. 15 2008,12:55)

QUOTE
I think he has one Dave.  It's right in the middle of the yard as you head down.

Come May, we'll see . . .

Let's keep our forum fun and friendly.

Any data in this post is provided 'as is' and in no event shall I be liable for any damages, including, without limitation, damages resulting from accuracy or lack thereof, insult, or lost profits or revenue, claims by third parties or for other similar costs, or any special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of my opinion or the use of this data. The accuracy or reliability of the data is not guaranteed or warranted in any way and I disclaim liability of any kind whatsoever, including, without limitation, liability for quality, performance, merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose arising out of the use, or inability to use my data. Other terms may apply.

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Scott Mentor

Scott

Posted
Posted

Wow - Jack I'm really impressed by you're wall. That's a big job. The whole place looks great.

Matt - looks like a great time was had by all. Thanks for sharing the photos!

Scott

San Fernando Valley, California

Sunset Climate Zone 18

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  • 1 year later...
Walter John Grand Master

Walter John

Posted
Posted

Hi Jack, how about an update on how the palms are looking, new plantings ?. No pressure, I can wait. :lol:

Happy Gardening

Cheers,

Wal

Queensland, Australia.

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MattyB Grand Master

MattyB

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hoagie, Hoagie, Hoagie......

Matt Bradford

"Manambe Lavaka"

Spring Valley, CA (8.5 miles inland from San Diego Bay)

10B on the hill (635 ft. elevation)

9B in the canyon (520 ft. elevation)

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bubba Grand Master

bubba

Posted
Posted

Wow! That was a great re-up. Matt did some great Photos and the Palms and People outstanding. Time for a re-do!

What you look for is what is looking

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Tassie_Troy1971 Grand Master

Tassie_Troy1971

Posted
Posted

Come on Jack time for another tour ! :D

Old Beach ,Hobart
Tasmania ,Australia. 42 " south
Cool Maritime climate

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