Tree of Life Nursery

Tree of Life nursery

A wonderful nursery out on Ortega Highway near to my home...

California natives, gorgeous low water plants, resources for design,

book shop, gardening gifts and an old Spanish building.

Check for hours as they change with the seasons. This is a wholesale

location that does have a small store.

From the 5 Freeway Drive East and South on Ortega highway about

seven miles. Pass Gibby Road.

On the right hand side - green gate

33201 Ortega Hwy, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Phone:(949) 728-0685 

Orange County California

Salvia Pozo Blue  -grey musk sage

rosa californica

See rose hips -native people used for medicine high in vitamin C

Box Thorn - low water and adds security

Great Basin Sagebrush Artemisia Tridenta

Pinus Torreyona

Toyon Holly

Native Holly is a fabulous small tree
Toyon- native California Holly is low water, can grow to ten feet,
dark green leathery leaves, Native peoples used for medicine and tea

Organic Soil Orange County, California

I moved from Laguna Niguel Homeowner Association home to a ranch outside of San Juan Capistrano.  After nearly twelve years my garden was all organic. I'm starting over.

In order to develop soil that sustains low water organic gardening in rocky clay

that has never been cultivated I searched for local companies that provide compost,

or organic soil, or methods to speed up my garden plans.

I contacted a couple companies:

Sierra Soil once was just across Ortega Highway. I emailed and called with no response.

Website stated they require payment before delivery.  Daughter and I drove out to

the location listed on their website as next to CR'R's staging plant. We followed

the wooden signs and could not find the location. I later heard back from them that

they no longer operate at that location.

I heard from other suppliers that Sierra Soil uses horse manure as the component of their compost. Horses do eat green matter but I was thinking that even a cow with multiple stomachs might process the impurities better than horses. From my reading smaller animals- goats and chickens might supply manure that breaks down faster, is healthier for human vegetable use.

Other suppliers I contacted: Serrano Creek Soils. They have a gorgeous website but prices were double the others. I figure I can add my worms and personally added vegetable and leaf clippings to the compost area. In a year I will have plenty of organic material to mulch, amend the soil and grow beautiful flowers and vegetables. 

www.Sierrasoil.com

www.aguinagagreen.com/

www.serranocreeksoils.com/

I picked McAllister because Dave answers the telephone.

He is knowledgeable and kind. 

He has been in this business nearly thirty years.

Interesting Facts:

Photograph of Dave with his gorgeous truck. He says the State of California is forcing

him to retire this historic truck because of emissions - much like the neighbors of

the new High School in San Juan drove him out of his location. It saddens me that a

small business has to struggle this way.

I highly recommend Dave. He delivered without advance payment, exactly to my remote 

location

Dave McAllister Topsoil, 

Compost, 

Potting Soil, gardening, orange county, California, 

deliveries

31748 La Pata Ave, San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675

Phone:(949) 728-1500

$549,000. Single Family Home Deal

 1950's single level single family home. I believe this is a deal as a two year hold because of the development occuring on both sides. This is an area of San Juan Capistrano that was once rural small family farms but today is a mixture of one and two million dollar ranch houses and commercial property. 32221 Del Obispo is directly across the street from Armstrong nursery and the old Cook's Barn (now gone) This has a large useable lot. Has some nice older growth trees in the front yard. Older hardwood flooring 3 bedrooms and one full bath, one sort of bath. 16200 square foot pie shaped lot.

Listed by Manuel and Judy here is more information: Manuel Adame MLS # s720598

http://www.ochomesonline.com/32221-Del-Obispo-San-Juan-Capistrano.html

 

Downfalls of the property:

Traffic noise as is fronted on a busy street with no curbs and gutters. Eventually one would expect the city will make the neighbor properties that have subdivision maps recorded put in the curbs gutters and sidewalks. City Planning may require the owners on both sides to complete it through... a major lawsuit was won by the neighbor against the city regarding installing drainage which is underway today. Subject house needs: new roof ( cost estimate: $9000- 10000) paint inside and out (cost $5000) french drain and grading to the rear of the house (estimate: $ 8000) one can assume as in everywhere in Orange County there are termites and dryrot (unknown total cost guess: $4500) I might also assume or guess that property will be off septic and able to tie in when the neighbors move their construction along. PS must love the sound of roosters in the morning :) $ 549,000. fixer house for sale Orange County California

 

chain link fence installed in front of failed wooden fence

Big driveway is gravel compacted. Two car garage

 

 

 

Rear yard. A small backhoe could widen this area, move the retaining wall back three feet, add french drain underneath to flow out around the house.  Gas lines appear to be in the front, but contact gas company and county for other lines

hillside slope of neighbor property

view of subject from up gravel driveway

 Roof view appears replaced in last couple years but there is damage indicating it leaks

another slope view

gas meter by mailbox

 

I love San Juan Capistrano. The house has a view of the San Juan Capistrano Valley, mountains and an ocean peek view. Old town San Juan has become charming and many historic houses have fabulous gardens and Spanish architecture. You can walk to trails, walk to Old Town or Main San Juan for dinner. This could be a charming single family home, with $27,500 it needs to make it comfortable, and $ 20000 in fountains and landscaping. OR hold it until the neighbors build the tracts with one to two million dollar houses next door. OR get a zoning variance to make it something commercial. I think it is a deal for someone with creativity. The bargain is in having $150000. cash for the 20% down plus the repairs needed.

 

Orange County California real estate deals as of 2/10/2013 this property is still for sale. Was in escrow and fell out.

Color and Low Water in Orange County Gardens

Easy gardening tips in Orange County, California coastal climate
Plants that are colorful but require low water, no chemical spraying, and low care. I have a number of blue pots that I purchased at Plant Depo in San Juan Capistrano and Green Thumb nursery when they have blow out sales. The deep blue glaze is best made in Vietnam, so the shipping costs make them pricey, but I love that color.

I have seen my Moulton Niguel Water bill increase by double in the past two years, and it is not because of some leak, it is that we had less rain to refill my swimming pool over the summer.

Photograph of a  Gorgeous canna that smells like jasmine

Photograph of Mexican sage in my yard, has bloomed for nine months. It will die back if we get a cold snap, but requires little water, no fertilizer, and is pest resistant. The bonus is Mexican sage attracts butterflies and song birds follow...

San Juan Creek Flood Control ?

 

These are photographs of San Juan Creek in between J Serra High School and Laguna Niguel hills. In the middle of Orange County Soccer Fields and neatly organized parks are some abandoned houses, wild orange groves and trails with rattle snakes. The widening of the bridges at Crown Valle Parkway and Del Obispo may have unforeseen results on the drainage into the creek. Larger storm drains are installed only underneath the two long going projects. Will this cause flooding in the coming years to houses in Old San Juan and below?

Swallows Come Back to Capistrano March 19th

March 19th the Mission in San Juan Capistrano is celebrating St. Joseph’s Day and the date the Swallows are to return. It is an old fashioned family party. Come join the live music and bring your camera. You ask what does St. Joseph have to do with the swallows?


They are celebrating the feast day of St. Joseph, the husband of Mary. Joseph was a humble carpenter. St Joseph is the kind of man you might choose for a Dad. We know when he took Jesus to be circumcised at the temple to be purified he offered of two turtledoves or a pair of pigeons, allowed only for those who could not afford a lamb (Luke 2:24).

 An angel came to Joe in a dream and told him Mary was pregnant with God’s child, without question he married Mary. This was during a time when adultery was punishable by death. A real man.

Enough of my side line catechism, what is the connection? The old padres at the mission knew on the feast day of St. Joseph the birds return. Some say it is to honor the Saint. Others might tell you it is the bells that bring the the martins home. I just hope the increasing flocks of crows here don’t scare them away.


Enjoy looking for their mud nests under the 5 Freeway, and come out for the fun.