gnomesandsuch's Blog

Newness
May 25, 2008 | 1:34 PM PST
Tags: new home , hawthorn , peach , roses , fungus , organic

So. I'm new to this community, and new to having a big ol' yard to myself. My daughter and I recently moved into our hundred year old dream home... and as you may have guessed... parts of it have been far less than dreamy, while others are everything we were hoping for.

Our home has been uninhabited for nearly three years, and our garden/ yard have been overgrown and unkempt for just as long.  My boyfriend and I, along with my good friend Sarah have been attempting to play catch up and make progress all at once.

Our yard has three raised gardening beds, which we've planted with heirloom potatoes, pumpkin, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, head lettuce, eggplant, tomatoes and strawberries.

We have ten 12-15' lilac bushes... that are going to be in need of some serious thinning once the flowers fall.  Most were completely overgrown with honey vines and pods or with yellow birch both of which are becoming banes to my existence.

I have a large peach tree, that I believe I have diagnosed with peach tree curl. Next to it, is a good sized hawthorn tree.. which is developing orange spots on the leaves. I also have a crabapple with purple spots developing on the leaves. I am guessing all of these are not helped by the three years the yard was not cared for.

My yard also contains at least three varieties of maple, two of oak, some spruce and barberry, a forsythia and a male and female holly.

We have large beds of peonies, iris, tulips, allums, roses, hyacinths, lilies..

Oh, and a dang-gone dandelion farm.

I'm worried about my trees and roses. I don't even know where to begin with those.. expect some pictures soon.  Oh, and did I mention, we're doing this the organic and pesticide free way?

My work is definitely cut out for me.