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What a drastic change in the weather (again)!. Yesterday's high was only 35 degrees and today's high only 40. Too cold for me outside - I just worked with my seedlings indoors. I did go out and fill my bird feeders today in between rain showers. They were pretty empty; the birds were happy that I did that. It's supposed to stop raining and start warming up again after today - I have a few things to plant, so I hope so. The rain and wind have really done a number on my daffy's and hyacinths. They were standing up so tall and pretty, now they are just too heavy to stand up straight. Hopefully when they dry out, they'll perk back up.
For the past month most days it's been heavy downpour. Usually I don't mind the rain except for the fact that it let me know that my garden is on a slight slope and the bottom half of the garden was under water with my garlic being flooded in the process. It's still alive amazingly enough and we've dug a trench to keep most of the water out but we are seriously going to have to rebuild the garden when it gets warmer out. Maybe do it in a box garden fashion.
I wish I knew I was going to run into this sooner.
without any gardening seems like a very long time. Between the extreme heat the first week, the rain and rain the next week and the past week holding nothing but doctors appointments of one kind or another. I am having withdrawal symptoms. So far this month we have had over 11 inches of liquid fall out.
I did get outside and put my new Brug cuttings in pots yesterday. While doing that I realized there was enough of a stem for the Lemon Twist to make a second cutting.
It is going to make a beautiful plant. The Angel Trumpets have more buds now. I am hoping they will be able to bloom before mr. frost comes along.
Then it was back in the house for the 2 hour ironing marathon. washing and changing sheets, folding and putting away clothes. It seems those things are multiplied when you are on the road most every day in a week. So with that behind me means some yard time this coming week.
The weeds, as each one of you know, wait on no man. They just keep inching their way through each and every garden bed we have. Mine are no exception - My problem will be whether to get busy on the front yard or start on all that dreadful nutsedge in my flower bed. I have decided to just dig it as carefully and the best I can to see if that will halt their march through the bed. I will take a plastic bag to put them in and throw it in the regular trash can. Don't want to get it back later in my mulch, which is most likely where it came from in the first place. It really is the only thing that is a problem. Over the years this bed has been cared for and mulched so there is not a lot of weeding to be done each year.
Two of my re-blooming Iris look wonderful right now. The purple one especially has put on wonderful bloom stalks. The yellow one got moved this spring and it has so far only put out one stem.
Next is the Purple of Mexican Bush Sage - this is one plant the Hummers fight over. MINE they chirp!!
There is always a little Gold to go with the Purple in the gardens. This is Golden Rod and it has been so pretty this year.
Yes, that is Mr Rabbit you see at the left of the photo, he paid me a visit one day recently. This is also the place the newly painted metal footboard will find a home. The Golden Rod always droops over like you see here. So the red foot board will get placed in front of it after the plant has finished and the Azaleas have been cut back this fall. It should look nice with the gold of the plant peeking through next year.
The black Rabbit my grandson found has gotten a good bill of health and as the vet said is anywhere from 1 year to 6 years old. So far he is doing nicely. I do not know much about the care of animals and did not know that rabbits do not get fleas. So as far as I am concerned that is a good thing.
Was able to upgrade my cell phone and now have camera capabilities. So I can snap away where ever I find myself. Look out you may be my first picture!!!
More To Come Later
came and left 2.4 inches of wonderful life giving water. The morning started with some cloudy conditions and now the sun is shining through the clear air. No fog or smog to look through.
Did some deadheding and filled the feeders. The birds are just all over everywhere. Parents feeding their young just flying back and forth. Some of those young look quite large enough now to feed themselves, but you know those tweeners, they take as long as a parent will give. Soon enough they will be on their own.
Saw A bunny this morning, still don't know for sure if there is one or now two of those little critters. Since my neighbor feels the one she sees is not as big as the one in my yard.
The hummingbirds are just going crazy these days. I think they sense it will soon be time for that long flight to new places for the winter. By the first of October they will be gone. They are all over every plant in our gardens. And you almost have to duck in order not to be speared? I am hoping they do have good radar and wouldn't really run into you, but I tell the truth, when you hear that whirring of wings right by your ear, you do want to duck.
And the butterflies were out. Saw one Black and 2 Yellow Swallowtails. Wonderful critters. Took a few pix but none came out really well. For Christmas on my list is a tripod and a zoom lens. Will start looking around now to see what is out there for my camera.
That nasty looking stuff on a few of my plants turns out to be Southern Stem Blight. My extention agent sent me some information on this fungus. It grows on Organic matter in the area and produces an acid that eats away at the stem of plants just at the soil line and then it attacks the full plant. A pinch of Calcium Nitrate at the base of each plant NOT affected will keep this fungus from growing and getting worse. You can turn the soil to get fresh soil to the surface or move the plants to another location. I had already thought I would have to move the plants, not all of them I hope but those in that particular place. So now that is my garden duty for this weekend. Need to wait unti the soil dries out a bit. He also said this is a fungus that tomatoes can get and one method is to wrap the stems in tin foil to protect the tomato plant from this fungus.
And there does not seem to be anything I can buy to kill the nutgrass until it blooms, then RoundUp will work. Since this mess is in with my flowers I don't think round up is a good idea. I have tried a little experiment in the pathway where they are so bad. I put drops of Bleach on a few of those plants to see if that would kill them. If I see this has worked in the morning then I will treat the rest of those in the path and cover them with the flatened boxes.
More To Come Later
After all the heat we've been having, the rain yesterday was a welcome change. It took us by surprise as it wasn't in the forceast. So I was able to simply enjoy the garden and not work in it.
But today, I'm itching to get our there.
We had a great summer rain this afternoon! The garden was in desperate need...it even hailed a bit. But, luckily not enough to do damage to the plants. For the most part, things are just truckin right along in the garden. Most things are even holding up to the dry weather. I am having a hard time keeping enough water on my hydrangeas though. I am thinking I may install a soaker hose around that bed this fall, to help with watering next season...
Here are a couple of shots of the afternoon rain as seen from my front porch:
We have also been enjoying a very bountiful harvest from the veggie garden. Today was no exception!
Here
is a pict of the harvest bowl...
This was our first harvest of corn! I have never grown corn before and its fun that its turning out! Also, this is my third season to attempt carrots and my first season to get anything! Could it be that the companion planting is working????!!!!
Here is the bounty all clean and ready for munchin and cookin:
So rewarding!
I am already starting to think about how I can improve my plantings for next year and I am getting excited about doing a big fall veggie garden...I can't wait!
Well the first couple days of summer so far are really wet. Last night all my peas, beans and cucumbers were pounded by the rain. It let up long enough today for me to go out and check the plants (2 were broken off) and then I pulled a piece of poly over the tomato cages that I have the plants trelesing on, to protect them from any further damage.
I long to see a summer day where it is warm and dry(ish)...
It is a word. It is the study of the times of recurring natural phenomena. I learned that some of my writings are phenology. See you are never too old to learn something new.
I love our spring showers and storms. You can always feel them coming in the air, by the sounds from our part of the forest and the reactions of the local fauna. The birds are usually the first to alert and all come to the feeders to stock up before the rain hits. Just as the temperature and humidity start to rise they wing in to get their fill of seed.
As the sky begins to darken they wing off to find a roost to wait out the storm. The chickadees are always the last to brave the sudden winds and large drops and sometimes take this opportunity to stake out the feeders throughout the storm, protected under the cover of the deck.
Yesterday’s storm went about this normal routine with one exception; the chickadees had a wren as a guest. As I watched from the kitchen window, all were swinging from perches at the feeders as the wind picked up and the thunder rolled through our hills. We had the typical heavy downpour for about 20 minutes, and the gang of little birds chirped and fed on seed through the deluge.
As the sun began to break through the clouds and the rain lessened to a sprinkle, I watched as the wren sprang from his perch to the rain heavy branches of the cedar tree. This little character proceeded to fly up to the limb above him, knocking the water from the limb to land below, flapping his wings and thoroughly enjoying his self made shower.
Yesterday was a great day for putting in the new shade garden. Most people don't care for the cloudy, misty day that we had, but the weather was perfect for planting up the new area. Even though it was cloudy and rainy it was still 65-70º outside. So here is a quick photo as I finished.
Last night it rained and we might get a little more today. Let's hope that they all take well to their new homes.
This morning is cloudy and the weatherman is calling for rain-but how often is he right anyway? This evening I have a few hours at home alone and am torn between playing in the dirt and sewing, the weather will decide or maybe I will play a bit if it is only drizzling and them sew-indecisios!
Since I had divided the outside tasks in my mind yesterday, there was a great sense of accomplishment not only for what I had done, but for managing to keep it managable. In the past I have been known to spend hours outside after hibernating all winter and then find it difficult to walk~or at least stand up straight at first try...........but it is all worth it. Pacing is the plan this year, pace myself.......do a little here, do a little there.......and vary the tasks so that all the muscles ache not just one or two :)!
I can't help but look out the window each time I come to the kitchen, looking out at what is and what will be-it makes me smile. All winter I stood in these windows looking out dreaming and planning about the colors and the smells and the sounds of spring. Where I am going to move this and wouldn't that look nice if combined with that over there and oh-maybe I should do this............... Now it is here, I simply love being in the garden.
There was a stop to the garden center yesterday for green bean seeds, it seems I didn't order those through the mail and while I was there a little rosemary plant took a ride in my buggy-I love rosemary. This afternnoon she will take her place in her special square in the garden.
If it decideds to rain there are a few tasks that can be done to continue my gardening quest. Last year I grew birdhouse gourds and during the winter I dried them in the utility room. Perhaps I will drill the holes so they can be hung up. This year I am not going to varnish them. Everything I have read says they will last a year or two unvarnished. As I am unsure that a bird will come back and nest in the same gourd over and over I have decided not to varnish this year and see how it goes. Now that I understand more about the growth and ways to encourage more gourds, less vines, perhaps this years harvest will be more substantially sized fruits. We have been saving the dryer lint in a net bag so I think we are ready to assist our feathered freinds with their nesting.
Maybe this would be a good day for the rain, less chance of physically overdoing it in the yard and now that the debris is cleared from the gardens a good soaking may be in order.
On my way to the car this morning I am going to pop into the greenhouse and see if anything is happening. Most of the seeds have somewhat lengthy germinatiion........except maybe the chamomile [ I love chamomile], anyway that will be the first gardening task for today. At work I have some houseplants that I am going to repot -at lunch of course-and bring home a few clippings for a garden friend.
It has been raining forever! Ok, maybe not forever, but it sure seems that way. Half the town of Searcy is flooded out. Yesterday was BAD. We ended up at Rick's parents until nearly 1 am because they have a storm cellar and we don't.Two seperate bad storm systems passed over us so we were down in the cellar at two different times, basically coming out during a lull to use the bathroom and get a snack.
I'm a big baby. For as long as I can remember I've been afraid of lightning, and now it's tornadoes. So I sit in the storm cellar rocking and jumping each time it thunders or I see lightning.
After the second storm we waited a while to make sure nothing else was coming up and came home. But being home was just as bad, every crack of lightning, every whistle of the wind, every odd noise made me jump. Didn't sleep well at all.
On a good and gardening note, my free vinca is doing really well. I need to cut back some of the longer vines because they've dried out but it's greening up really well and even have some buds.
Hope the rest of my Arkansan friends have weathered this weather
We have had quite a few rainy days here lately (great for the drought) and today was no exception. I just love the way the garden looks after a good rain! I was planning on plant shopping this afternoon, but it was raining so hard...my girl and I sang songs and watched the rain from the front porch. So lovely! In between rain showers, I was able to get some nice picts of the garden as of late:
View from the front porch:
Various views of the front of the house as seen from the street:
Looks like the redbud will be in its full glory in no time :)
The lorapedulums are doing great and I love the contrast of the Junipers. The one shrub has a piece of it that grows with the white blooms. I have long debated as to cut it out each season, or leave it be. Sometimes I think it is fun and unexpected, other times I think it looks like a mistake...I can't decide.
Saucer Magnolia survived one of the late freezes and is in its glory! I just love it...when the petals start to fall, it looks a bit like a summer snow.
All the front perennials are starting to come up and I look forward to adding even more this season!
These seedlings were easy to spot in the wet mulch...I think they might be poppies. I threw out a bunch of poppy seeds in this bed (not expecting much)...if they aren't poppies, then they might be a weed, I am not sure:
The Japanese Maples are budding out nicely. They were severely affected by the late freeze last year. Looks like this year will be better:
The creek is doing its thing...and all the moisture should be wonderful for the newly planted Great Gunnera Bulb
Nice view of the back yard today (hubby has promised to have all the veggie bed fences done and installed by april 1st for planting time :)
The persicaria is coming back :)
And finally...a view of the back, from the back ( I enjoyed comparing this picture with the same shot from last summer....its nice to see the progress)
I am so enjoying watching spring unfold! Maybe I will get to my plant shopping in the next couple of days. I have so many things on my list to add to the garden...and our home depot landscape supply just stocked up, so I can't wait to check it out!!!!!!!
(I hope this post goes through ok...with all the weird stuff going on with the site today...)
The last few days we have had a good steady rain. Great for our drought situation! Of course, I have gotten used to doing something in the yard most every afternoon. So, instead...I had some nice cups of coffee on the front porch and watched the rain :)
One morning, when I woke up...I noticed an owl perched on the fence by the creek. We hear owls a lot around here...and my husbad has named the one we hear, Norbert. Maybe this was Norbert showing himself :) . A little later, I also saw some sort of giant bird walking across the creek (might have been a white herron?) I couldn't catch a picture of him though. Here is a little shot of the owl:
It dried up enough today for my hubby to go get some loads of compost for the newly built veggie beds! Hooray!!!
And, in case there was any question as to the necessity of the chicken wire surrounds:
HAH! needless to say...the doggies had a fun day in the garden too!
While my husband was picking up the loads I also took advantage of the wet ground and did my first (of many, I am sure) spring weeding sessions! It felt good to get that done. We got most of the beds full and just need to finish up one bed. Yeah! Gotta love progress!
Over the last couple of days I have gotten some fun things done by the creek! I picked up some creeping jenny plants for the opposite bank side...of course, after planting them, I also drove stakes through the root ball to hold them in. The water usually doesn't come up this high though....
Today, I also decided to try digging in some stairs. I am not sure if they will stay put with a heavy rain and the rushing creek water, but this whole thing is an experiment... I used some pavers that were on our property when we moved in and have just been sitting in a pile. I figure this way, if it doesn't work out...I haven't spent $ on nice pavers and I am only out about an hour of time. If it does hold up....I may change out the pavers over time for nicer ones. I also transplanted some variagated ivy pieces in between the blocks, so hopefully they will grow in nicely. I pinned them down with landscape pins.
Not too shabby for an hour's worth of work and free materials! I finished just in time for the forcasted rain, so these pictures might be the only thing left of this by morning :0
I also spent some time getting more brush to the curb...I will do more of that tomorrow
This is the third week end in a row that it has rained, but today so far it hasn't an is suppose to hit near 60* so I'm hoping to get outside an get some things done. My truck is loaded with hay that isn't usable except for compost that I need to unload b4 tomorrow. I have a pile of Jon Quill bulbs that need to go in the ground. And I haven't finished pinestrawing my beds yet. I can't decide if I want to do away with one of my large beds or not an turn it into another veggie bed. Either way I go it'll have to be watered this summer an chances are this summer will be like the others, hot an humid an probably dry.
I still have some lantana to cut back an here I thought I had it all done b4 it got cold. Yesterday we unloaded DH's truck full of crush an run to fill in the holes in the driveway where the water beat a gullly in. Still have a few roses to prune the dead out of. Dang I'm tired just thinking about this, anyone wanna come over a help? I can at least feed you good!
The temperature got into the low 50's yesterday, so I spent a good part of the day outside cleaning up the leaves. Most of the trees are bare now, so I don't feel as if I'm fighting a losing battle. Every time I filled the trash can with leaves, I brought them to the chipper/shredder and ground them up. My patio finally looks clean. I worked outside until it started raining in the late afternoon. Today it has been one of those drizzly rainy days, and it is forcasted to rain for the rest of the week here, so it looks like I wont have a chance to get outside again for a while. It figures that when it is "warm" it is also wet. Much easier to clean up dry leaves than wet, I think.
I need to clean the gutters out. This year I'm installing gutter guards as I clean them. I sure hope I get another dry day before the rain changes to snow. That would be miserable working conditions. Hubby and I have discussed installing gutter guards before, and he always had some reason for not wanting to get them. Either he thought them an expensive unnecessary expense, didn't think they would work very well, etc. I tried to recall the last time I saw him on the ladder cleaning out the gutters and couldn't remember. So I asked him when the last time he took a turn at it and he told me he couldn't remember ever cleaning them. Aha! So it's settled. We ARE getting rain gutter guards.
I still haven't put a border around the rain garden. Hmm, what to do? I am thinking (changing my mind again, dangerous thing!) that a rock border would be more to my liking. Maybe look more "natural". That would also make it easier to redo the border if I decide to expand it a bit more next year. I didn't make it as large as I could have. It is hard to tell how well it is working. The area hasn't been flooded, all the water that is diverted there seems to be soaking in to the area like a sponge. Which is what I want, of course.
Rain and small storms came through during the night. The weather channel had 1.69 inches listed this morning so that means we got about an inch. It was wonderful just laying in bed listening to the rain come down and the thunder and lightening.
It is rumbling again just now in the distance, so we may get more during the afternoon. Most likely will wait until time for the children to get out of school. My house is just across the street from a middle school (5th and 6th grades). They did erect a cover over the main walkway from the school a few years ago and that helps.
Did some potting up of cuttings from GG friends yesterday, planted some bulbs from GG friends and started a small container of cactus plants from a friend here in town. I call that a good day. And I call all these members that love to share the best ever. Thanks to all of you.
Then decided to make a list of what type seeds I have. Good Golly, didn't know I had that many different kind. Maybe not a lot of each flower but enough I think to start the Seed Box come January. Might just coerce my daughter into participating. She did sign up on GG and sends me a note once in a while. She works from home and is on the computer a lot so I know she doesn't like to spend her 'free time' just looking around. She has some different plants than I do so she would be an asset to our little venture.
Did some housecleaning today. I truly think is it more strenous than working in the garden. At least when you get a garden bed ready, it stays pretty for a lot longer than a house does after you have scrubbed and dusted.
Time to break and get us some vittles. Glad Granny Clampet isn't here to cook for us!! DH watches a lot of Beverly Hillbillies and I do at least have to listen to them.
More To Come Later
It was Senior Day at our Eastern Carolina Fair! Hot, Dry and Dusty as all get out. Even the animals looked like they could care less. I enjoy seeing all the different animals, but at the same time I know that is no life for any animal, to be hauled around and then stared at by humans. The chickens, pigeons, rabbits and pigs are local so I don't worry that they don't have a life outside the fair.
Senior Day is a day that many nursing homes bring out their elderly patients so they can get out for a bit and see the sights. It is good to see the interaction of the caregivers to their charges. Lots of daycares bring their little ones to see the animals, eat cotton candy and get a free lunch as well. Some are excited, some just cry because they are tired or when the petting zoo animals come too close, but they still have a good time.
My husband and I enjoy walking through the exhibition hall. It is small compared to the state fair hall, but nice none the less. This year I helped our Master Gardeners judge the flower contest and the 4-H tomato contest. The 4-H tomatoes did not grow well due to the rotten weather. But there were still some children that were successful. They all recieve ribbons and we are to pick the best in each category.
The Flower/Plant contest was interesting. Gave me an idea of what would do well in a contest. Too many ferns that all look alike (except for a friends whose fern was gorgeous) (I did not put my two cents worth in that one) Some plants/flowers were just jerked up out of the ground and stuck in a pot. Since you don't know who entered them, it could have been a child, so you try not to be too judgemental. Just stick on a ribbon and go to the next one.
There were some spectacular plants: Mules Ear, A Pencil Cactus, the one that won Best of Show was a cactus named (Stapelia Noblis (sta-PEL-ee-a) or - Hairy Giant Starfish FlowerCarrion Flower", It was a bud when we did the judging and today it was open. Thankfully I did not get the benefit of its scent. Then there were the houseplants. I fell in love with two African Violets I had never seen before. They had varigated leaves. I left a note at the booth of the Garden Club members that had entered them that I would like a cutting. Don't know if I will hear from anyone or not. All in all it was a fun thing.
The booth for our Extension Agency is always nice. Our agent, Tony, has such good vision. He uses cinderblocks, sheets of plywood, flat slate rocks and a black plastic liner to build a waterfall. It is about 10/12 feet long and 3/4 feet high. Around the sides he and his MG helpers put potting soil and then lay sod on it. They keep it watered all week. They decorate with ferns mostly. At the end of the waterfall is a 'garden spot' which turned out real nice this year. If you look at the pictures you will see Swamp Sunflowers there. They grow 6 to 10 feet tall and spread everywhere. I have a friend that really likes them, but I would not want to have to keep them under control.
After a couple of hours in the heat and dust, my husband and I sat and waited until it was time to receive our free lunch. It consisted of a 'light' bar-b-que sandwich, a little hostess cake, an apple and a bag of peanuts and a drink. Not to shabby.
Now we are waiting for the expected rain coming toward us from lower Georgia. People here are losing plants and trees because of the lack of rain. Talked with a friend today that said she has lost two Dogwoods. Now folks, if the dogwoods begin to die out, it is drought time for sure. There are tall evergreen trees ( I cannot remember the names) that have been along the roads in several places here in town for many years and lots of those have died. This is the worst year I have seen yet. And to think it is like this all over the, shall I say Continent? not just the US. If it is not dry, then there is too much water. No in between is there?
Tomorrow is another day and if it is raining, I will be forced to clean house at least a little bit. If not I will be bringing the plants in and taking some cuttings. Then on Monday it will be time to get that LAST load of mulch. After that I will finish cleaning out the big flower bed and putting it down for the winter. In a way it is good to have a little better weather because normally these outside chores would have needed to be completed by now.
More to Come Later
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