A home, a yard, a never-ending adventure

A home, a yard, a never-ending adventure

Wild Cucumber (aka: Manroot) on the Fence FRESH PICKED Sonja sunflower

FRESH AT SAGE’S ACRE

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FRESH AT SAGE’S ACRE

HOME & GARDEN

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HOME & GARDEN

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PHOTO GALLERY

There’s always some strange, interesting, beautiful or fun going on here at the Acre, so I carry a camera. Just in case.

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PLANTS

I grow sub-tropicals, California natives, and lots of vegetables then share my experience and thoughts

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FOOD & RECIPES

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FOOD & RECIPES

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AROUND THE ACRE

Live Video Stream

What do chickens and ducks do when no one is watching? Find out with ChickenCam! Camera feed is live on weekends from 9AM to 4PM Pacific.
Visit the ChickenCam »

Make a live backyard or wildlife camera just like Chickencam It’s easy!

Weathercam

live weathercam

Live camera shot facing west toward the Pacific Ocean, about 7 miles away.

→ Live Camera →Wunderground

Running Projects @sagesacre

Sage’s Acre on Instagram

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For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Just a wild cucumber (Marah macrocarpa) growing on the fence in the vegetable garden. Unlike real cucumbers, this one is toxic and a member of the gourd family. It's perennial native to San Diego, growing from a big, woody tuber that can get as big as person (thus the nickname "manroot"). The spiky fruit will dry out, just like a gourd, then crack open and drop seeds everywhere. One of the interesting things about the seedlings is the first growth goes down rather than up. That turns into the tuber from which the plant then grows upward. What I really remember about this plant is when we were kids my friends and I would find them and throw them at each other like grenades. If you were lucky, it'd get stuck in their hair and be really hard to remove without yanking some hair out with it. #boyswillbeboys #californianative #nativeplants #mybackyard
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
THE PRODUCE AISLE PIVOT 🛒➡️🌱 Can you really grow a professional-grade garden from supermarket scraps? Short answer: Yes. Long answer: You need to know which varieties are "Slam Dunks" and which ones are "Genetic Traps." These Roma tomatoes are the 4th generation of a grocery store Roma... but better! 🧪 **The Science:** By the 4th generation, these plants have adapted to my soil, thinned their "shipping armor" skins, and boosted their sugar content. 💡 **Pro-Tip:** If your grocery store carrots turn white by Year 3, don’t panic—it’s a genetic rollback! I’ll show you how to fix it in the kitchen. Check the link in my bio for the "Supermarket Seed Hacker" Scorecard! 🔗 #GroceryStoreGardening #SeedSaving #UrbanHomestead #GardenHacks #Sustainability #SanDiegoGardening #zone9gardening
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Garden Goal: A literal tunnel of gourds. 🥒✨ Living in San Diego means finding creative ways to deal with the July heat. This DIY hanging gourd garden is my favorite "hack." It creates a cool microclimate for my summer crops and looks incredible under the moonlight. 🌙 In my latest blog post, I’m breaking down: ✅ The $40 budget trellis build ✅ Why gourds beat cucumbers for vertical growth ✅ How to attract Hawk Moths for nighttime pollination Tap the link in my bio to see the growth transformation! 🚀 #SagesAcre #Zone9Gardening #SanDiegoGarden #VerticalGardening #GourdGarden #GardenDIY #UrbanFarming #SouthwestGardening
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
🕵️‍♂️ GARDEN CHALLENGE: How many ingredients for a salad can you spot in this photo? 🥗 The backside of our keyhole garden bed decided to plant itself this year, and the result is a literal accidental salad bar! It’s a beautiful, leafy mess of "volunteer" plants that we just... let happen. How many of the following can you find? 🥬 Lettuce 🥕 Carrots 🌿 Dill 🌱 Celery 🎈 Radishes 🫛 Beans ✨ Snow Peas 🍃 Spinach 🫑 Kale Drop your count in the comments! 👇 Then head to the link in our bio to see how "sowing chaos" became our most productive gardening strategy yet. #GardenISpy #SaladBarGarden #VolunteerPlants #SanDiegoGardening #LazyGardening #SuburbanHomestead #SagesAcre
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Stop 🛑 pulling your seedlings apart! If you’ve ever lost a tiny tomato or basil sprout to transplant shock, it’s likely because of damaged root hairs. Young plants need every bit of root strength they can get before the heat sets in. 🌵 My article shares a "Lazy Gardener" hack: The Seedling Bath. 🛁 This simple water-soak method: ✅ Untangles roots without tearing ✅ Eliminates transplant shock ✅ Works for tricky plants like carrots and lettuce Tap the link in our bio to see the step-by-step photo guide and a quick video tutorial! 🌿✨ #SouthwestGardening #OrganicGardening #SeedlingTips #Zone8b #CaliforniaGardening #GardeningHacks #SagesAcre #UrbanGarden
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SO... while many people are still digging out of the snow, it's 95° F in the sun and 89° in the shade. In February. Seems excessive, but I'll take it (as long as it doesn't last too long -- the greenhouse is roasting). #sandiego #latewinter #niceweather
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Small space, big flavor. 🍱🌱 I'm bringing the "Bento Box" trend to the garden! Instead of my usual chaotic plot, I'm using partitioned, high-density planting to grow a full Salsa Garden in just a 3-foot space. From heat-tolerant 'Longstanding' Cilantro to 'Litt’l Bites' Tomatoes, see how we’re mapping out this organic experiment in San Diego. ☀️ Tap the link in bio to see the full planting map and variety list! #BentoGarden #SalsaGarden #SanDiegoGardening #SmallSpaceGardening #OrganicGardening #Zone10b #GardenTrends2026 #BotanicalBento
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Zucchini trial results are IN! 📝🥒 I put three heirloom favorites to the test in my Zone 9 garden this past season. We battled the "May Gray", "June Gloom" and late summer heatwaves to find out which variety is actually worth the garden real estate. Here is the cheat sheet: 1️⃣ **Striata D’Italia:** The heavy lifter. Ready in 50 days and produced bushels. Great if you want to feed the whole neighborhood. 2️⃣ **Black Beauty:** The compact king. No spines (yay for bare hands! 🙌), fits in small beds, and great for fresh snacking. 3️⃣ **Cocozelle:** The overall winner for me. 🏅 It handled our 90°F+ heat spikes like a champ and has the best texture when cooked. If you are planning your garden layout, don't just grab the first seed packet you see. Matching the variety to your space makes all the difference. Check the link in my bio for the full breakdown of days-to-harvest and flavor ratings! 🔗 #Zone9Gardening #HeirloomSeeds #OrganicGardening #ZucchiniHarvest #GardenToTable #CaliforniaGardening #VegetableGarden #GrowYourOwnFood
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Seed catalog season is officially here! 📖🌱 Stop guessing which peppers will actually produce and swipe left for my Top 5 High-Yield Sweet Peppers. ⬅️🌶️ I spent last season testing varieties to find the perfect balance of easy growing and amazing taste. Here's the lineup: 1️⃣ California Wonder: The classic blocky bell. Great for stuffing and seed saving. 2️⃣ Buran: A productive Polish heirloom. Needs support because it gets so heavy with fruit! 3️⃣ Green Lamuyo: Long, narrow, and stronger flavor than a standard bell. 4️⃣ Italian Frying Peppers: THE flavor winner. Sweet, caramelized perfection when roasted. 5️⃣ Grocery Store Snack Mix: The surprise MVP. High yield, container-friendly, and great for kids. I also broke down exactly how I deal with ants farming aphids on my plants and which varieties are best for overwintering. 🔗 Link in bio for the full grow guide and ratings! (Or visit: sagesacre.com) #gardening #seedstarting #peppergrowing #zone9gardening #organicgardening #gardenplanning #vegetablegarden #growyourownfood #sweetpeppers #heirloomseeds
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
I’ve grown over 40 varieties of tomatoes in my Zone 9 garden. Most didn't make the cut. 🍅📉 Some died in the August heat. Some tasted like Styrofoam. But these 5? They return to my garden every year. If you're planning your spring garden and want high yields all season without the heartbreak, swipe through to see my virtually 'unkillables.' 🔗 **Full breakdown of all 5 varieties + my planting dates is on the blog. Link in bio! #zone9gardening #tomatoseason #suburbangarden #heattolerantplants #gardenplanning #growyourownfood"
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Want a lush, tropical-looking garden in Southern California—without the tropical water bill? 🌿☀️ Meet Painted Abutilon, one of my favorite faux-tropical plants for Zone 9. ✔️ Bold, paint-splattered foliage ✔️ Serious hummingbird magnet ✔️ Loves filtered light ✔️ Tough once established I’ve grown this plant for over 10 years at Sages Acre, and it’s a cornerstone of my Mediterranean-jungle approach to gardening. If you love the look of the tropics but garden in real-world So Cal conditions, this plant deserves a spot. 🔗 Full growing guide + plant pairings at the link in bio. #Zone9Gardening #SoCalGarden #FauxTropical #WaterWiseGarden #PollinatorPlants #CaliforniaGarden #GardenInspiration
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
They call it “Gopher Spurge.” The internet says it’s a miracle repellent. The reality? It’s a total scam. 🙅‍♂️🌵 I spent years trying to use Euphorbia lathyrus to save my San Diego garden from the underground resistance. What did I get? Zero dead gophers, a lot of severed roots, and a new invasive weed problem that’s taking over my succulents. I’m sharing the full, messy truth about what actually works (and what definitely doesn't) for natural gopher control on the blog today. 📍 Link in bio to read: "The Great Gopher Spurge Scam" at SagesAcre.com #SagesAcre #SanDiegoGardening #GopherControl #OrganicGardening #GardenFails #SocalGarden #Zone9b #SouthwestGardening
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Wild Cucumber (aka: Manroot) on the Fence FRESH PICKED Sonja sunflower

FRESH AT SAGE’S ACRE

See More

FRESH AT SAGE’S ACRE

HOME & GARDEN

More Garden

HOME & GARDEN

More Garden

PHOTO GALLERY

There’s always some strange, interesting, beautiful or fun going on here at the Acre, so I carry a camera. Just in case.

More Photos

PLANTS

I grow sub-tropicals, California natives, and lots of vegetables then share my experience and thoughts

More Plants

FOOD & RECIPES

More Recipes

FOOD & RECIPES

More Recipes

AROUND THE ACRE

Live Video Stream

What do chickens and ducks do when no one is watching? Find out with ChickenCam! Camera feed is live on weekends from 9AM to 4PM Pacific.
Visit the ChickenCam »

Make a live backyard or wildlife camera just like Chickencam It’s easy!

Weathercam

live weathercam

Live camera shot facing west toward the Pacific Ocean, about 7 miles away.

→ Live Camera →Wunderground

Running Projects @sagesacre

Sage’s Acre on Instagram

For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Just a wild cucumber (Marah macrocarpa) growing on the fence in the vegetable garden. Unlike real cucumbers, this one is toxic and a member of the gourd family. It's perennial native to San Diego, growing from a big, woody tuber that can get as big as person (thus the nickname "manroot"). The spiky fruit will dry out, just like a gourd, then crack open and drop seeds everywhere. One of the interesting things about the seedlings is the first growth goes down rather than up. That turns into the tuber from which the plant then grows upward. What I really remember about this plant is when we were kids my friends and I would find them and throw them at each other like grenades. If you were lucky, it'd get stuck in their hair and be really hard to remove without yanking some hair out with it. #boyswillbeboys #californianative #nativeplants #mybackyard
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
THE PRODUCE AISLE PIVOT 🛒➡️🌱 Can you really grow a professional-grade garden from supermarket scraps? Short answer: Yes. Long answer: You need to know which varieties are "Slam Dunks" and which ones are "Genetic Traps." These Roma tomatoes are the 4th generation of a grocery store Roma... but better! 🧪 **The Science:** By the 4th generation, these plants have adapted to my soil, thinned their "shipping armor" skins, and boosted their sugar content. 💡 **Pro-Tip:** If your grocery store carrots turn white by Year 3, don’t panic—it’s a genetic rollback! I’ll show you how to fix it in the kitchen. Check the link in my bio for the "Supermarket Seed Hacker" Scorecard! 🔗 #GroceryStoreGardening #SeedSaving #UrbanHomestead #GardenHacks #Sustainability #SanDiegoGardening #zone9gardening
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Garden Goal: A literal tunnel of gourds. 🥒✨ Living in San Diego means finding creative ways to deal with the July heat. This DIY hanging gourd garden is my favorite "hack." It creates a cool microclimate for my summer crops and looks incredible under the moonlight. 🌙 In my latest blog post, I’m breaking down: ✅ The $40 budget trellis build ✅ Why gourds beat cucumbers for vertical growth ✅ How to attract Hawk Moths for nighttime pollination Tap the link in my bio to see the growth transformation! 🚀 #SagesAcre #Zone9Gardening #SanDiegoGarden #VerticalGardening #GourdGarden #GardenDIY #UrbanFarming #SouthwestGardening
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
🕵️‍♂️ GARDEN CHALLENGE: How many ingredients for a salad can you spot in this photo? 🥗 The backside of our keyhole garden bed decided to plant itself this year, and the result is a literal accidental salad bar! It’s a beautiful, leafy mess of "volunteer" plants that we just... let happen. How many of the following can you find? 🥬 Lettuce 🥕 Carrots 🌿 Dill 🌱 Celery 🎈 Radishes 🫛 Beans ✨ Snow Peas 🍃 Spinach 🫑 Kale Drop your count in the comments! 👇 Then head to the link in our bio to see how "sowing chaos" became our most productive gardening strategy yet. #GardenISpy #SaladBarGarden #VolunteerPlants #SanDiegoGardening #LazyGardening #SuburbanHomestead #SagesAcre
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Stop 🛑 pulling your seedlings apart! If you’ve ever lost a tiny tomato or basil sprout to transplant shock, it’s likely because of damaged root hairs. Young plants need every bit of root strength they can get before the heat sets in. 🌵 My article shares a "Lazy Gardener" hack: The Seedling Bath. 🛁 This simple water-soak method: ✅ Untangles roots without tearing ✅ Eliminates transplant shock ✅ Works for tricky plants like carrots and lettuce Tap the link in our bio to see the step-by-step photo guide and a quick video tutorial! 🌿✨ #SouthwestGardening #OrganicGardening #SeedlingTips #Zone8b #CaliforniaGardening #GardeningHacks #SagesAcre #UrbanGarden
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
SO... while many people are still digging out of the snow, it's 95° F in the sun and 89° in the shade. In February. Seems excessive, but I'll take it (as long as it doesn't last too long -- the greenhouse is roasting). #sandiego #latewinter #niceweather
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Small space, big flavor. 🍱🌱 I'm bringing the "Bento Box" trend to the garden! Instead of my usual chaotic plot, I'm using partitioned, high-density planting to grow a full Salsa Garden in just a 3-foot space. From heat-tolerant 'Longstanding' Cilantro to 'Litt’l Bites' Tomatoes, see how we’re mapping out this organic experiment in San Diego. ☀️ Tap the link in bio to see the full planting map and variety list! #BentoGarden #SalsaGarden #SanDiegoGardening #SmallSpaceGardening #OrganicGardening #Zone10b #GardenTrends2026 #BotanicalBento
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Zucchini trial results are IN! 📝🥒 I put three heirloom favorites to the test in my Zone 9 garden this past season. We battled the "May Gray", "June Gloom" and late summer heatwaves to find out which variety is actually worth the garden real estate. Here is the cheat sheet: 1️⃣ **Striata D’Italia:** The heavy lifter. Ready in 50 days and produced bushels. Great if you want to feed the whole neighborhood. 2️⃣ **Black Beauty:** The compact king. No spines (yay for bare hands! 🙌), fits in small beds, and great for fresh snacking. 3️⃣ **Cocozelle:** The overall winner for me. 🏅 It handled our 90°F+ heat spikes like a champ and has the best texture when cooked. If you are planning your garden layout, don't just grab the first seed packet you see. Matching the variety to your space makes all the difference. Check the link in my bio for the full breakdown of days-to-harvest and flavor ratings! 🔗 #Zone9Gardening #HeirloomSeeds #OrganicGardening #ZucchiniHarvest #GardenToTable #CaliforniaGardening #VegetableGarden #GrowYourOwnFood
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Seed catalog season is officially here! 📖🌱 Stop guessing which peppers will actually produce and swipe left for my Top 5 High-Yield Sweet Peppers. ⬅️🌶️ I spent last season testing varieties to find the perfect balance of easy growing and amazing taste. Here's the lineup: 1️⃣ California Wonder: The classic blocky bell. Great for stuffing and seed saving. 2️⃣ Buran: A productive Polish heirloom. Needs support because it gets so heavy with fruit! 3️⃣ Green Lamuyo: Long, narrow, and stronger flavor than a standard bell. 4️⃣ Italian Frying Peppers: THE flavor winner. Sweet, caramelized perfection when roasted. 5️⃣ Grocery Store Snack Mix: The surprise MVP. High yield, container-friendly, and great for kids. I also broke down exactly how I deal with ants farming aphids on my plants and which varieties are best for overwintering. 🔗 Link in bio for the full grow guide and ratings! (Or visit: sagesacre.com) #gardening #seedstarting #peppergrowing #zone9gardening #organicgardening #gardenplanning #vegetablegarden #growyourownfood #sweetpeppers #heirloomseeds
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
I’ve grown over 40 varieties of tomatoes in my Zone 9 garden. Most didn't make the cut. 🍅📉 Some died in the August heat. Some tasted like Styrofoam. But these 5? They return to my garden every year. If you're planning your spring garden and want high yields all season without the heartbreak, swipe through to see my virtually 'unkillables.' 🔗 **Full breakdown of all 5 varieties + my planting dates is on the blog. Link in bio! #zone9gardening #tomatoseason #suburbangarden #heattolerantplants #gardenplanning #growyourownfood"
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
Want a lush, tropical-looking garden in Southern California—without the tropical water bill? 🌿☀️ Meet Painted Abutilon, one of my favorite faux-tropical plants for Zone 9. ✔️ Bold, paint-splattered foliage ✔️ Serious hummingbird magnet ✔️ Loves filtered light ✔️ Tough once established I’ve grown this plant for over 10 years at Sages Acre, and it’s a cornerstone of my Mediterranean-jungle approach to gardening. If you love the look of the tropics but garden in real-world So Cal conditions, this plant deserves a spot. 🔗 Full growing guide + plant pairings at the link in bio. #Zone9Gardening #SoCalGarden #FauxTropical #WaterWiseGarden #PollinatorPlants #CaliforniaGarden #GardenInspiration
For privacy reasons Instagram needs your permission to be loaded.
They call it “Gopher Spurge.” The internet says it’s a miracle repellent. The reality? It’s a total scam. 🙅‍♂️🌵 I spent years trying to use Euphorbia lathyrus to save my San Diego garden from the underground resistance. What did I get? Zero dead gophers, a lot of severed roots, and a new invasive weed problem that’s taking over my succulents. I’m sharing the full, messy truth about what actually works (and what definitely doesn't) for natural gopher control on the blog today. 📍 Link in bio to read: "The Great Gopher Spurge Scam" at SagesAcre.com #SagesAcre #SanDiegoGardening #GopherControl #OrganicGardening #GardenFails #SocalGarden #Zone9b #SouthwestGardening
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