kerryh's Blog
kerryh's Blog
Last Post 8 days, 11 hours Ago
Aug 29, 2008 | 7:50 AM PST
Tag: alfala
going to be but my sister called and she and Dad are coming for the weekend. My plans were to stain the garage and fence. Got the sod laid last weekend. I hate grass but I have to admit it does look good and does set off the flower beds and trees!!!. Maybe if I wasn't the offical grass cutter I would not dislike it so much .
The alalfa pellets are doing the trick on the old lawn. It is greening up nice,and filling in. I spread compost on the bare spots and planted bluegrass and white clover seed, it's coming up.
Cut down the dogwood behind the pond. It is getting moved. Was to hot for it there. By late afternoon it would wilt. Will replace it with a burning bush. Love that shrub.
The new project is growing leaps and bounds. I am going to plant lots of spring bulbs this fall ,got more left over rock from my neighbor so I need to get it placed. I love it when he does projects, I always get his left overs. The 2ft tall quaking ash I planted in June is over 5 foot now... awesome. And the sliver lace vine has covered the trelis, That probaby will winter kill. It is zoned for 6/5 and we are 4.I got so many pears this year. if the darn sqruirels would leave them alone, my son could have canned some. I only got 4 apples. That April storm we got killed every ones blossems. The bears are going to be having a hard time finding berries this fall.
My tomatoes were not riping so I cut them off leaving thier stems, put them on a tray and it has been 1 week, I looked in the garden shed yesterday and most of them have turn red. Wow. One project out of the way.
I am going to get the chain link fence up this weekend. I don't like not having my yard fenced, with the tin shed gone it left the yard wide open.
I still miss my old dog Denver, I want to get a kittten, but we are going to Dubuque for Christmas and I don't want to leave it home alone for a week. Jim is not crazy about getting another pet . I told him this morning someday a kitten will just show up and then we will have to keep it. Because it was ment to be. LOL.I don't think he bought it.
My thoughts and prayers are with the familys in our gulf states.
Happy Planting And everyone drive safe and have a wonderful weekend. Kerryh
Aug 19, 2008 | 7:51 PM PST
I pray the angels are all on over time for everyone in Fays way. I would love to live in the south so I could grow year around,but for the hurricanes.
I will take a good old Montana blizzard blowing snow 40 miles an hour any day over water being blown side ways by a 200 mile an hour wind. Good grief.
Went fishing and camping over the weekend. I love the mountains, it's getting dry,and the plants are showing it. There a few scatered lighting caused fires but nothing like last year ...so far... . It is wonderful to see the lakes and streams filled with water this late in the season.
Haven't got the sod layed yet, Waiting till it cools off a bit . It was only 97 today LOL. Thank God for air conditioning. Would have lots of pares,if the darn squirrels would not pick them, take a bite and throw them to the ground. Bunches of grapes. My neighbor picks em and makes jellie. Good stuff.
Since I cleaned out the flowers around my roses, they are beginning to bloom again. My roses don't like to share their space. They do okay with short flowers around their bases but not tall plants shading thier tops. I don't want to fertilze, this late in the season,we could get snow next month, and they would have to much new growth.
The mountain meadow between the house is growing awesome. The quaking ash have grown 3 feet since I planted it. and the silver lace vine and bittersweet are trailing up the fence. I have to mow the wild flowers down, they are going to seed. And usally all that reseeds is those blasted bachelor buttons, those are weeds!!!.
Have the fence to stain yet, and the trim on three windows. I can't seem to get in the mood.The hammock sure is comfortable. Happy Planting Kerryh
Aug 11, 2008 | 7:05 PM PST
I was cleaning out plants around my roses yesterday, the roses were being smothered by perenials, so I was ripping out the excess, and one of the chosen was a hugh bee balm. It had babies coming up all over. I thought I would find a home for a new plant next year where it could grow and spread without shading others. Well I didn't know that I had a visitor coming to the bee balm... this evening a hummer came dive bombing to where the bee balm use to be, hovered a second or too made a few cicles and left my yard. If I could have seen his face I bet he was not a happy camper. That is the first hummer I have seen this year, and I tore out his food supply in my yard. I feel really bad. I am going to get a feeder tomorrow. Happy Planting kerryh
Aug 11, 2008 | 4:52 PM PST
about rabbit food pellets as a fertilizer. I could not remember the word that makes alfalfa such a wonderful gardening tool. I pasted this article, and highlighted the word.
I buy a 50lb bag every couple of seasons and sprinkle it all over my yard in the spring .It was the only fertilizer I used this spring.. .Organic and very inexpensive.
Alfalfa as an organic gardening product provides many nutritional benefits not only for plant use, but for soil organisms as well. One very important ingredient is tricontanol, a powerful plant growth regulator. Orchid and rose growers make an alfalfa tea and spray it directly on as a foliar fertilizer. Alfalfa is very high in vitamins, plus N-P-K-Ca, Mg, and other valuable minerals. It also includes sugars, starches, proteins, fiber and 16 amino acids.
Sprinkle lightly over garden and water, or use about a handful (depending on the size) around each rose, tree, or shrub. Approximate analysis is 3-1-2. Alfalfa meal and hay used for mulch contain vitamin A, folic acid, trace minerals and the growth hormone “tricontanol.” Use at 25 pounds per 1,000 square feet or 400-800 pounds per acre.
Alfalfa helps plants create larger flowers and increases the tolerance to cold. Make alfalfa tea by soaking 1 cup of alfalfa meal per 5 gallon of water. Good for all flowering plants. Research has shown that using more is not better. At recommended rates alfalfa worked wonders on roses but it could be overused causing adverse effects.
For more of the Dirt Doctor visit www.dirtdoctor.comAug 6, 2008 | 1:34 PM PST
My zukes are growing beautiful lots of flowers, . the zukes get 1/2 in long and then disappear. What is my problem.. I am not a veggie grower. Kerryh
Jul 27, 2008 | 10:30 AM PST
MAY 2008
JULY2008 TIN SHED IS GONE
WALL I STARTED THIS SPRING IS DONE. HAVE TO PLANT SOMETHING IN THE 50 YEAROLD CEMENT CRACKES!!!
MAY 2007
BERRY PATCH IS GONE
JULY 2008
Jul 26, 2008 | 9:36 PM PST
It was my birthday today and Jim asked me what I wanted . I said I want a sawsall. A man sized one not that rediculous thing you got me awhile ago. So off we went to Home Depot. I got a Dewalt, top of the line. I should be able to trim my trees now. Jim said he should take a out life insurance on me, I am going to kill myself climbing ladders and trimming trees.
He's the one always saying you have to have the right tool to do a job properly!!! I think he realized that comment had just come back to haunt him!!!
My grand daughter is spending the week with me. It's our State Fair. We are going tomorrow and check out all the barns and garden displays.
I think the yard will be on hold for this week. I did finish getting the side project done. Have all the plants in except for a Mount Royal Plum. I am waiting till spring, But I did get a nice Russian Olive. I know they are kind of a messy tree but I wanted the color and the smell. It will look good with the pine and Quaking Ash. My thinking the plants will sucker and naturalize into a shaded woodsy area.. Untill that happens I will toss wildflower seeds in the spring to give color.
This was a $2 pack of wild flowers I tossed into the mess this spring to just give the neigbor somthing to look at.
I will take some pic's when I get the gound cover spread and finish the wall, now that Jim has the tin shed down.
Jul 24, 2008 | 9:15 PM PST
A storm came thur about 10 pm, the weather alert said hail the size of golf balls, nothing ... went to bed. Holy cow at 3 in the morning it started to lighting and thunder, OMG the glass in the windows shook. I waited for the sirens to start but the lighting must not have done any damage. It lasted for about 15 minutes. No wind which is very rare for us. It was awesome. Sure did scared me though LOL. I love storms like that. I would have like it better if it had not been at 3 AM LOL.
Jul 21, 2008 | 4:34 PM PST
A time to live and a time to die. 
I had to put my old dog Denver down last Friday, that was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. His lungs were full of tumors and he was having to stuggle to breath.
I read somewhere once that if we go to are grave knowing one good friend and one good dog ,we have had a good life.
It was Superbowl Sunday 1997 . We were at a party and I mentioned I sure would like to get a lab. My friend said "come with me". We went to this farm and into the barn . There was 11 puppies. The mother was a golden lab and the father was a very lucky dog. I sat down on this bale of hay and this 5 week old puppy came and crawled into my lap. I took him back to the party,he never left my lap. My friend asked what are you going to call him, I was hoping Denver would win, so that's what I named him... but they lost to the Packers!
Denver never left this yard, if I would leave the back gate open he would go around and set on the front step and wait for me to open the door. He loved to eat my garden produce!!! Grapes Srawberrys Tomatoes etc !!!
My sister and family came to stay for the weekend and the only spare bed I had left was the couch, We all went to bed , Mary hollered at me, "what does this dog want, he keeps looking at me?" I said well you are on his bed!!!
The vet came and put Denver to sleep on the couch with me holding him in my lap. It was hard but it was the right thing to do. He started out on my lap and that where where we ended. Sure do miss him, I find my self going to call him for something, go outside, share a snack, whatever. This to will pass.
Happy Planting, Kerryh
Jul 13, 2008 | 8:57 PM PST
Haven't had time to set down at the Garden Guides... to busy gardening.
I love July In Montana, and since all the rain it is still green. We have been going to the mountains the last couple of weekends. Just playing. The hill sides are covered with flowers.Always take my book with me and see how many wildflowers I can name. We still have snow on the tops ,which we haven't had for a few years. The water is still running high and the dams and lakes are filling again.
Everthing in the yard is blooming, I seen I have a few rasberrys on my new plants. And the roma tomatoes are prduceing, they are so cute. I have had to prune alot of my trees, I didn't notice till now but I had a lot of damage with that last snow storm. The splits in the branches did'nt show till the leaves got so heavy to finish pulling them down.
The pond plants have finally reach there height and filled in.I need to move a few plants that are not doing so well now because of the shade from the apple tree.
Finished painting the house.Got the dry creek bed in my new project, The quaking ash have grown 3 inches already. And the wild flowers are in full bloom ...awesome. I have this mountain meadow garden in my minds eye and it is hard for any one else to see any thing but a mess. I am stuck till Jim tears down the old tin shed, he is not too fond of this, and I am having a hard time motivating him. LOL. .
My zukes are growing like crazy but no fruit yet, I have a potatoe growing in the compost pile. It will be fun to see if it grows spuds. The alfalfa is growing good. I will be able to cut and dry it soon for tea . I have never done this before. Interesting!!!
Happy Planting Kerryh
Jul 1, 2008 | 4:07 PM PST
A friend of mine has a dear friend that has lost everything in the flood in Ceder Rapids.
She and so many more across the States and in other country's have had such terrible saddness, with the tornado's and flooding and now the hurricane season is begining. We never know how each day will end. . If everyone that reads this could say a small prayer... it would create a prayer chain that would surround the world.
Hope tomorrow finds you safe and well, Kerryh
Jun 22, 2008 | 8:21 PM PST
Tag: compost
I don't spend a lot of time inside in the summer except to do my "wifely " duties. I tell anyone that comes for a visit if you want to see my house in order come in the winter time LOL.
I think every thing has started to grow ...finally. Had to move a few plants. That last freaky snow storm we had a few weeks ago, broke of some major branches, plants that were in the shade are now in full sun. My begonia's were drying out so I moved them to the back yard, the next morning after a night in the cool wet soil there leaves were plump and the flower heads were looking up again. I am going to miss that one branch on the pear tree, it shaded my living room. Oh well, to every thing there is a season.
With the gas prices the way they are, we are not planing any trips this summer so I went a little nuts at the nursery this spring. Any old excuse will do !!!
June 29/08 I have the west side of the house to paint and then I am going to the plant the area between the house and the neighbors. We have used that area to park Bubba the camping bus and the hunting rigs. It is horrible dirt so I have been adding compost and working the soil since April. It is going to be my little mountain meadow, It will be years before it completely fills in because my favorite thing about gardening is watching the plants grow , so I buy little plants. The two Quaking Aspen I bought were only 3ft tall. They were so cute. LOL.
I'm going to put a dry creek bed in, with a lot of evergreens and wildflowers. I put in 3 Bitter Sweet, and one honey suckle vine to climb on the chain link fence . I don't know anything about Bittersweet. I'm not too sure if they even will grow in MT. But will see. If they don't make it thur the winter I will replace them with Englemens Ivy ,that is a awesome vine.
I got two little Ponderosa Pine and snow on the mountain over the weekend. I think I am done planting till fall it is so hot between the houses, I thought I would stoke out placing rocks today. 
I am getting up at 5 and paint . I can't place any more rocks till I do that.
The front of the house is filling in nice, Jim put up the arbor for me yesterday. He said, "Are you done yet"? LOL Never is a gardener done LOL
When we built the garage I lost my little veggie spot as well as the berry garden, so I dumped a wheel barrel full of almost cooked compost on the lawn!!! I planted squash, I swear compost will grow anything. LOL
I think because the compost was not completly cooked it was warm enough that when we got that last snow storm the plants never got set back. How cool was that ?
Happy Planting Kerryh
May 31, 2008 | 6:23 AM PST
so it's set back and watch things grow time. This is my favorite time, It still amases me after all these years a little seed can become a hugh tree. The white ash tree I planted from seed is over ten feet tall now.
I am trying some thing new this spring. I planted alfalfa in my new rasberry bed.
I planted the type of rasberry you mow down in the fall, so I figured I could mow both and put them in the compost pile.Alfala is a wonderful fertilizer and cover crop.
I have a awesome cousin who is completly organic,recyles everything. Paul is truly a Granola. He lives on a lava rock near Pahoo Hawaii. Raises organic goats. Anyway I was talking to him one day about getting a few bunnys , my compost pile was not heating up. He said "Why go to all the trouble of bunnys when I could just go buy the feed, and put it in the compost pile or better yet, just toss the pellete in my beds. I have been doing this for 3 years now. I did not have to use a any jump starter such as Miracle Grow this spring. My plants are a couple of inches taller than my neighbors this spring. And the soil in my beds is wonderful.
I was checking out another garden site and came across a site where the members were talking about useing rabbit feed as a fertilzer, It really does work. And whats really cool about it. A fifty pound sack cost me ten dollars and lasted me 2 seasons so far. I am going to buy a bunch this fall and toss it on my lawn. It sure won't hurt and maybe it will jumpstart the grass be fore the weeds.
I apply it pretty thick in the fall and lightly in the spring. It breaks down fast and the worms love it. It smells good too. Anytime I can use somthing other than a chemical ...Awesome. Now if I could find an ant killer, that I could put on the lawn and in the beds that would 'nt kill everything else. Any ideas?
I would think maybe useing rabbit feed like I do would not be a good idea if you lived in the country and had wild critters around. You might wake up and find a herd of deer lounging under your bedroom window.LOL
Happy Planting Kerryh
May 27, 2008 | 12:39 PM PST
today, so I will catch up on my garden site. It has been raining for days and the only thing that is growing is the weeds. I planted grass seed this spring and I swear there must have been millions of dandylion seeds it the package. OMG I have dandie's blooming everywhere. If I spray for them I will kill my clover. What a mess. I did not have very good grass to begin with now it's really ugly.
Every ten years I rip out the front yard and redo it. This time I brought the beds out away from the 100 year old foundation. Replaced the flowers in the beds with gravel and big rocks and used sand stone to bring out the front of the beds and to double for a sandstone sidewalk.I started last fall and finished planting last week. There are so many ground covers to choose from.
I think I am going to have to redo the lawn with sod, the soil is so old and the weeds sprout before the grass does. "I hate grass"
My neighbor was kind enough to build a beautiful "stone wall!' on our property line that made my new flower bed look awesome,and I still have one side of the house to paint and stain.
One of these days I am going to sit and enjoy my yard... LOL
Over the holiday my daughter and I took the train from Shelby Mt to Spokane WA. What a awesome trip. What a wonderful way to travel. We sat in lounge chairs in the observation car through Glacier Park, what a hoot.
Spokane is truly a beautiful city.
Holly and I have never rode a public transit system before. Once we figured out the scheduals, we went all over the city on a $2.50 pass for the day. The Spokane River was at it's highest that has ever been recorded and we took a gondola ride over the falls. 
Wow...that was awesome. We visited the Manito Park and Riverfont Park. The pink Horse Chesnut trees were in bloom. 
And all the spring flowers were beautiful.
the Japanese Gardens were beautiful.
What a wonderful trip ,I would love to see the gardens in July too, will have to do another trip in a few years. Happy Planting Kerryh
May 1, 2008 | 2:36 PM PST
been to nice to be indoors. Been catching up on a few must do projects. The roofers came yesterday and started on the house, They are almost done with the house and will start on the gargage. That hall storm, we got last summer really did a number on everyones roof. I got two sides on the old garden shed wire brushed and ready for paint . The can said 50 degrees... I have 3 days off next week I must have a talk with the mother nature and see if she can help out, just this one time.LOL I have ordered vines to go up the two sides.
The flower beds are all ready for plants, I think the bleeding hearts I planted a month ago when it was so nice died.They have not come up as of yet. I do that every year. I go into stores like Walmart and see these boxed plants, bring them home and kill em, because the ground is still to cold to plant anything.Oh well if they were in the store they would have dried up by now. Why do those store get plants so early?Because planting nuts like me buy them!!!!
When I ordered plants from the catalog, I told them not to send it before the 10th of may or I would not except it.Good grief it was in the teens just a few days ago.
It amazes me anything is alive this spring. The buds on my plum tree is black and crispy as are the lilics, How sad another spring without that wonderful smell in our gardens. What is really cool is how sturdy daffodil's and tulips are. They were under 16 inches of snow and they never even layed down.
