As usual, getting around to making much progress is taking longer than hoped (the story of my life!). I have, however, mulched the front bean w/ pine straw and as a means of counting bales for future reference - I kept all the orange strings that go around each bale and counted them up at the end so I know for future reference how many bales are needed to cover each area. (I'm pretty smart - aren't I?)
So, here goes:
verdant kidney bean = 30 bales
Not sure how that works using the common mulch math of 1 bale should cover X sq ft at 3 inches or whatever, but I think it's pretty dead on since I counted 60 orange strins and there are two strings per bail.
New city ordinances now require that commercial buildings (apts - not sure about offices) NOT have any pinestraw w/in 10 feet of them because of a residential fire somewhere. So, maybe next year I'll order the bags for everything - even though they're more expensive than having the truck come out, the loose mulch is a lot harder to work with. So, we'll see about next year. Here's hoping I have no fire until then.
I plan to count strings/bags for all the rest of the mulching that I have to do, so I'll update w/ a summary when I finish.
Also was thinking today that I should build up some kind of edge along my driveway shade bed to prevent erosion - maybe using loosely stacked rocks like my mom has but with a gravel pit underneath as foundation for drainage. That idea, of course, is decades down on my to-do list, but it seems like a good idea to me.
Also, planning on purging my shade bed of things that aren't doing that well and perhaps relocating elsewhere and just sticking w/ things that working. I've lost a LOT of stuff to voles - there are dern vole holes all over the place sadly. I might spring for some permatill to get rid of them - wish I had used that stuff to begin with when I created the bed - not sure how much it costs, but given all the plants I've lost, it kind of sucks. I guess one could think of permatill as insurance - although frankly, I now know that I have voles so my likelihood of needing the permatill is 100% unlike w/ insurance. So, it might be a good investment. I could amend as I add new stuff I guess. I'd like to get rid of things like hostas that for the most part don't seem to be doing that well there - maybe mostly because of voles - and use more stuff that seems to be surviving or thriving for some reason - like the taxus, the rhodeas - which desperately need to be divided - and ferns - which are doing okay so far and absorb leaves well. I'd also like more aspidistra - those would have lived if not for the voles I think. My objective will be to keep those things that don't absorb leaves well to a minimum - maybe just a few of the heucheras which still seem to be living! Okay, more later!
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Mulch Mania 2010
Last year I ordered mulch - both straw bales and triple shredded from Family Home & Garden and mulched the whole yard to keep the weeds down. However, I apparently didn't record how many bales/bags I bought anywhere! I remember that I did some measuring and it came out about right - I think I might have had a few extra bales at the end.
This year I'm ready to mulch again and I did another measuring effort using a long 100' tape measure I bought - however, I did very rough measurements and when I added them all up and did my mulch math, the numbers didn't make any sense. So, either my mulch math is wrong or my measuring was wrong or both.
So, I decided to back into how to much to order based on how much I spent last year - which Quicken was able to tell me thankfully. I plan to keep track of how many bales I spread where and then record that here for future reference.
My mulch assumptions were that one 2 cu ft bag of mulch covers 11.85 sq ft (this was based on what I read in perennials for dummies - that 1 cu yard covers 160 sq ft). The lady from FHG told me that one bale of pine straw covers 40-45 sq ft. Hopefully, that's about right.
Anyway, I'll report back how many I end up using of what so I can make this process less time consuming in the future and stop being such a time waster!!
This year I'm ready to mulch again and I did another measuring effort using a long 100' tape measure I bought - however, I did very rough measurements and when I added them all up and did my mulch math, the numbers didn't make any sense. So, either my mulch math is wrong or my measuring was wrong or both.
So, I decided to back into how to much to order based on how much I spent last year - which Quicken was able to tell me thankfully. I plan to keep track of how many bales I spread where and then record that here for future reference.
My mulch assumptions were that one 2 cu ft bag of mulch covers 11.85 sq ft (this was based on what I read in perennials for dummies - that 1 cu yard covers 160 sq ft). The lady from FHG told me that one bale of pine straw covers 40-45 sq ft. Hopefully, that's about right.
Anyway, I'll report back how many I end up using of what so I can make this process less time consuming in the future and stop being such a time waster!!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
9/13/2009
I'm posting this after the fact, BUT I believe I fertilized the yard this day w/ WOW Plus using the exact same instructions I recorded in here earlier in the year! Exact date isn't so important, but that it was actually complete!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
6/28/2009 - Mite Control, Planting update
For the record, I sprayed all the foundation shrubs today w/ All-Seasons dormant oil to control for mealybugs and mites. I seem to have a bad case of both and I've already lost one - no make that two - japanese hollies to mites/mealys. The remaining 3 0r so are under attack. I can tell from the leaf drop and twig die-off. My camellia, piers japonica prelude, and aucuba also have damage so I sprayed those as well. The piers japonica especially has been badly affected - it's leaves from last year are all stipled w/ yellow dots. I sure hope this helps. I'm going to apply a little bit more cause I ran out.
I applied it at 5 T./gallon of water or 2.5 fl oz/gallon using the handy-dandy ortho sprayer. I got down low and tried to spray toward the undersize of the leaves. It wasn't nearly as bad spraying or as difficult to apply as I'd envisioned. I feel badly that I've procrastinated this long and won't put it off as long once I get some more. The label seems to imply that I should apply monthly. So, I think I'll put a reminder on the old calendar and come end of July I will treat them again and maybe again in August. Mites tend to get worse in the summer - not sure about mealys - and it's hard to know if they've been treated. I promise to myself to keep a closer eye on them! I need to inspect the hollies near the end of the driveway and maybe spray those, too.
In other news, I finally planted my two aspidstra big bubbas - or whatever they'll called as well as the fatsia. They were all getting kind of pot bound but I took care to free the roots and disentangle them before moving them. I also moved a bear's breeches that I bought last year that wasn't doing so hot. I think it was eaten up by voles, but then resprouted and it did have small leaves. So, I dug it all up and separated all the root parts out and planted them down in the former magnolia bed. Will be interesting to see how they do there. That area has morning sun and some sun into the afternoon, but not much hot afternoon sun. I hope they take off. They are supposed to get 4-6' feet wide as a clump. They didn't seem to get getting that big in the shade, so I think moving them was a good idea. I still have one more in the shade that maybe I should move as well. It doesn't seem to be thriving either. It's leaves are big, but it's not growing that fast. The label says part sun-light shade I think, so this new location might be better. We'll see... The fatsia, which is supposed to like deep shade, is in a spot where it will get an hour or so of full to partial afternoon sun. Maybe a bad idea? I'm keeping an eye on it and if it starts burning I'm going to try moving it under the dogwood where the the rhodie used to be. I think it will like that spot, though I will need to keep in mind that if I plant more shrubs behind carissas that it's view could be blocked, so I'd have to locate w/ an eye toward that.
Also, last weekend I planted a bunch of impatiens and they are doing okay. In a second, I'm going to try doing surgery on my rain barrel to see if I can fix it so a real spigot can be attached and then I can use the soaker hose w/ the rain barrel. I hope I don't ruin it!
Also, I dug up that spice shrub that I got at a master gardener something or other a while back and planted out. It's been there a few years. Since it can take full sun to partial shade I decided to try putting it at the edge of the house on the side where the hose bib is. It's supposed to be a rounded mound shape when it gets full sun up to 6' wide. So, we'll see how it grows there. I'm experimenting! I think this is how gardeners and many others in life get things done. Get some info and then make a guess. If it doesn't work, then try something else. I think many things come down to a process of trial and error which you can sometimes limit w/ research on the front end, so that's what I did. We'll see how it goes!
I applied it at 5 T./gallon of water or 2.5 fl oz/gallon using the handy-dandy ortho sprayer. I got down low and tried to spray toward the undersize of the leaves. It wasn't nearly as bad spraying or as difficult to apply as I'd envisioned. I feel badly that I've procrastinated this long and won't put it off as long once I get some more. The label seems to imply that I should apply monthly. So, I think I'll put a reminder on the old calendar and come end of July I will treat them again and maybe again in August. Mites tend to get worse in the summer - not sure about mealys - and it's hard to know if they've been treated. I promise to myself to keep a closer eye on them! I need to inspect the hollies near the end of the driveway and maybe spray those, too.
In other news, I finally planted my two aspidstra big bubbas - or whatever they'll called as well as the fatsia. They were all getting kind of pot bound but I took care to free the roots and disentangle them before moving them. I also moved a bear's breeches that I bought last year that wasn't doing so hot. I think it was eaten up by voles, but then resprouted and it did have small leaves. So, I dug it all up and separated all the root parts out and planted them down in the former magnolia bed. Will be interesting to see how they do there. That area has morning sun and some sun into the afternoon, but not much hot afternoon sun. I hope they take off. They are supposed to get 4-6' feet wide as a clump. They didn't seem to get getting that big in the shade, so I think moving them was a good idea. I still have one more in the shade that maybe I should move as well. It doesn't seem to be thriving either. It's leaves are big, but it's not growing that fast. The label says part sun-light shade I think, so this new location might be better. We'll see... The fatsia, which is supposed to like deep shade, is in a spot where it will get an hour or so of full to partial afternoon sun. Maybe a bad idea? I'm keeping an eye on it and if it starts burning I'm going to try moving it under the dogwood where the the rhodie used to be. I think it will like that spot, though I will need to keep in mind that if I plant more shrubs behind carissas that it's view could be blocked, so I'd have to locate w/ an eye toward that.
Also, last weekend I planted a bunch of impatiens and they are doing okay. In a second, I'm going to try doing surgery on my rain barrel to see if I can fix it so a real spigot can be attached and then I can use the soaker hose w/ the rain barrel. I hope I don't ruin it!
Also, I dug up that spice shrub that I got at a master gardener something or other a while back and planted out. It's been there a few years. Since it can take full sun to partial shade I decided to try putting it at the edge of the house on the side where the hose bib is. It's supposed to be a rounded mound shape when it gets full sun up to 6' wide. So, we'll see how it grows there. I'm experimenting! I think this is how gardeners and many others in life get things done. Get some info and then make a guess. If it doesn't work, then try something else. I think many things come down to a process of trial and error which you can sometimes limit w/ research on the front end, so that's what I did. We'll see how it goes!
Thursday, May 28, 2009
5/28/2009 Update
Okay, the castor oil thing doesn't seem to be working as far as I can tell. There are still little vole holes everywhere and new ones everyday. I think I will reapply when I get around to it since I already bought it.
Also, yesterday I found two small Oakleaf Hydrangeas growing near the area where I walk Woody in the woods. I probably never noticed them before because they just started blooming - very beautiful w/ large, cone shaped flower clusters and gorgeous oversized oak shaped leaves.
I'm thinking of digging one of them up and planting it in the yard. =:0 I know this is a no-no. But I can give it a good home where it will be loved and appreciated!! Who is going to appreciate it planted there in a dumping grounds where it very will may get plowed over. I'm actually saving it - like stray dog!
They are native plants I believe, but I've never seen them growing in the wild before. It's in an area where people dump stuff - so maybe someone dumped it or maybe it's just a volunteer. They supposedly can take more sun than the other hygrangeas (macrophylla) and can also tolerate a lot less moisture w/o wilting - which my other one does all summer long during the heat. Will be interesting to see if it lives if I take it. They like well drained soil, so that could be a problem. Maybe I can add some sand into the soil along w/ some rocks to keep the voles out.
I still have more plants to get into the ground from PDN and more mulching to do. I've been sick - so that hasn't exactly helped. Haven't started on the wall either!
There was something else I was going to post about, but I seem to keep having senior moments. It really is all downhill after 35 isn't it? Sux.
Also, yesterday I found two small Oakleaf Hydrangeas growing near the area where I walk Woody in the woods. I probably never noticed them before because they just started blooming - very beautiful w/ large, cone shaped flower clusters and gorgeous oversized oak shaped leaves.
I'm thinking of digging one of them up and planting it in the yard. =:0 I know this is a no-no. But I can give it a good home where it will be loved and appreciated!! Who is going to appreciate it planted there in a dumping grounds where it very will may get plowed over. I'm actually saving it - like stray dog!
They are native plants I believe, but I've never seen them growing in the wild before. It's in an area where people dump stuff - so maybe someone dumped it or maybe it's just a volunteer. They supposedly can take more sun than the other hygrangeas (macrophylla) and can also tolerate a lot less moisture w/o wilting - which my other one does all summer long during the heat. Will be interesting to see if it lives if I take it. They like well drained soil, so that could be a problem. Maybe I can add some sand into the soil along w/ some rocks to keep the voles out.
I still have more plants to get into the ground from PDN and more mulching to do. I've been sick - so that hasn't exactly helped. Haven't started on the wall either!
There was something else I was going to post about, but I seem to keep having senior moments. It really is all downhill after 35 isn't it? Sux.
Monday, May 18, 2009
5/18/2009 For the record...
I worked a bit more today on clearing debris off the rear hill in the backyard where the azaleas are. I also dragged out the backpack sprayer and sprayed RoundUp on the back hill, the location of the patio to be, the verdant kidney bean, along the side of the house that's a total mess, along the shade bed, as well as the driveway area. Trying hard to keep the weeds to a minimum this year. We'll see how that goes!
Need to find some cardboard and get to mulching under the areas where I will someday put more shrubs in the front yard (as if I didn't already have enough areas ready to go in the backyard I suppose). Maybe I should start back in there in the Fall w/ more shrubs? Probably best to finish the wall and patio first and then plant. Wonder how many years that will take??
Need to find some cardboard and get to mulching under the areas where I will someday put more shrubs in the front yard (as if I didn't already have enough areas ready to go in the backyard I suppose). Maybe I should start back in there in the Fall w/ more shrubs? Probably best to finish the wall and patio first and then plant. Wonder how many years that will take??
Sunday, May 17, 2009
5/17/2009 - Castor Oil Application / New Plants
Yesterday I spent the afternoon putting in a bunch of new shade plants I bought at the Plant Delights Open House - some more ferns, pulmonaria, a new Farfugium (sp?), brunnera macrophylla, a new aspidistra, and others. I planted everything using my hopefully vole-proof planting methods - rocks in the bottom of the hole, chicken wire cages around the inside of the hole, etc. It takes a couple years for most of these shade perennials to look nice, so I decided to step up my plant acquisitions this year so I can enjoy all the plants sooner. I also estimate that I lose maybe 1 out of 3 plants I buy to voles and in the past dog urine. I'm resolved to be more dedicated to my vole-proof cages - even though I do believe I've had some of my cages infiltrated by voles in the past. Some of my ferns that are NOT in cages are absolutely gorgeous now and I'll be so sad if they are killed by voles.
Anyhow, I finally applied some castor oil to the perimeter of my planting area and I drenched the vole holes per the instructions on the bottle. I sure hope it works! When I have a chance to get back out there (it rained today) I will try covering all the many, many vole holes w/ compost and then see if any of them reappear as a means of monitoring vole activity. Strange thing about voles is that you never really see them - so I'm blindly assuming that's what I have. I could try the apple shingle trick and see if the apple gets eaten - that's supposed to be the definitive vole test. We shall see!
Still haven't finished my mulch application! Hurry up! The weeds are a comin!
Anyhow, I finally applied some castor oil to the perimeter of my planting area and I drenched the vole holes per the instructions on the bottle. I sure hope it works! When I have a chance to get back out there (it rained today) I will try covering all the many, many vole holes w/ compost and then see if any of them reappear as a means of monitoring vole activity. Strange thing about voles is that you never really see them - so I'm blindly assuming that's what I have. I could try the apple shingle trick and see if the apple gets eaten - that's supposed to be the definitive vole test. We shall see!
Still haven't finished my mulch application! Hurry up! The weeds are a comin!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
4/26/2009 - Yard Update
Okay, yesterday I started doing a couple things I've been meaning to get to for a long time. I dug up the Fatsia Japonica 'Variegata' from the front bed and moved it to the verdant kidney bean. This may have been a fatal mistake, but I just didn't think the spot where it was living was doing it justice even though it seemed to be very happy there. :( I'm not sure it's going to make it or maybe I'll loose only all the new growth? I'll post a photo here of what it was looking like immediately after the move, but I must say this morning it's looking very pathetic - totally droopy and pathetic. When I dug it up I honestly did not seem to get much of a root ball. The soil it was planted in was nice and loamy and crumbled apart when I dug it up and there were not a lot of roots there - a few big ones but no fibrous looking roots or much of a root ball. Not sure whether I somehow missed them in spite of being very careful or what. It sure did look happy before I moved it so there must have been roots there somewhere? I will be sad to see it go if it dies. I'm planning on getting a couple more just in case.
In it's place, I planted a Leatherleaf Mahonia from Norwood Rd. Garden Center. It's looking okay in it's new home. I fertilized both of the Mahonia and the Fatsia this morning with Hollytome that I had on hand and have been keeping them watered. Let's hope w/ the time that the poor Fatsia bounces back. It really just needed a spot where it could be it's own focal point and shine! It's in a pretty good spot now, but the shining thing just isn't happening.
I also moved some hostas forward in my shade bed, planted a couple Holly Ferns I picked up at Lowe's, and put in some Irish Moss between the stepping stones. I wonder what will live and what will die?? The hostas were really looking nice before I dug them up. They were new last year so it pains me to move them, but I think I need to keep taller stuff in the back and these were too far back and would've been blocked eventually. I figure it's better to move them sooner rather than later. However, now they are in danger of someone stepping on them - mainly Mark.
As usual I lined my holes w/ gravel and put cages around everything. I have vole holes everywhere. Annoying. The moment you create nice soil, it's like sending an engraved invitation to voles.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
4/21/2009 - Bamboo Update
Also wanted to note for the record that sometime last week I dug up all the variegated bamboo I planted years ago that was taking over. I know better than to think that it's completely gone, but I think I got a lot of it out and now I'm free to put something else there. Could be I'll be spending years digging up little shoots that pop up every so often - we'll see. In any case, no more bamboos for me unless they stay in a container I suppose and maybe none even then - too dangerous!
Spring 2009 Lawn Care Update
For future reference I want to write down how much WOW! Plus I applied to the backyard. Hopefully, this will save from remeasuring every time I go back there to fertilize:
Largest grassy area is 250 sq feet requiring 3.11# of WOW! Plus to deliver 1# of N/1000 sq ft.
Smaller grassy area is 140 sq feet requiring 1.75# of WOW! Plus to deliver 1# of N/1000 sq ft.
REMEMBER: WOW! Plus is 8-2-4 meaning 8% of a 20# bag is N or 1.6# of N per 20# bag.
See notes from last fertilization in file folder "GARDEN - Backyard" for review!
Largest grassy area is 250 sq feet requiring 3.11# of WOW! Plus to deliver 1# of N/1000 sq ft.
Smaller grassy area is 140 sq feet requiring 1.75# of WOW! Plus to deliver 1# of N/1000 sq ft.
REMEMBER: WOW! Plus is 8-2-4 meaning 8% of a 20# bag is N or 1.6# of N per 20# bag.
See notes from last fertilization in file folder "GARDEN - Backyard" for review!
Friday, February 27, 2009
2/27/2009 Spring WOW! Supreme Application
Okay, a year to the date after my last Spring application I've applied more Wow! Supreme to the front yard. I applied 1 20# bag plus the remainder of another bag, about 12#. The exact correct amount to apply to get 1# of N per 1000 square feet is 27.5#, so I applied a bit more, but that's okay since I should get better weed control. Also, in the Fall I skipped applying fertilizer to one area I thought I was going to reseed. I never got around to it and that area is looking especially pathetic so I tried to get it a bit extra. Can't wait for things to green up! We should have rain all weekend, so that ought to settle it in.
I'm out of Wow for the moment and haven't applied any to the backyard yet. I do have some regular old fertilizer I should probably use up, so maybe I'll go that route. I think Gardens Alive! is having a sale right now on WOW though, so I do plan to stock up. Also, I will take some photos of the backyard once things green up so I can see how my grass seeding worked out. I did manage to grow some grass, so that's better than nothing I guess.
Also, I raked the yard clean prior to fertilizing and mowed over a ton of leaves to shred them for bean mulch. I also picked up a ton of sticks. Pretty much a full days worth of yard work. I think I started at 12:30 or so and it's now almost 7 - so a long day out in the yard, but it was a balmy 60 degrees, so that made it okay. I look forward to getting around to fertilizing the back yard and then eventually doing a serious mulch job, as well as finishing leaf pick-up and shredding and clearing leaves out of my bed. A gardener's work is never done!
I'm out of Wow for the moment and haven't applied any to the backyard yet. I do have some regular old fertilizer I should probably use up, so maybe I'll go that route. I think Gardens Alive! is having a sale right now on WOW though, so I do plan to stock up. Also, I will take some photos of the backyard once things green up so I can see how my grass seeding worked out. I did manage to grow some grass, so that's better than nothing I guess.
Also, I raked the yard clean prior to fertilizing and mowed over a ton of leaves to shred them for bean mulch. I also picked up a ton of sticks. Pretty much a full days worth of yard work. I think I started at 12:30 or so and it's now almost 7 - so a long day out in the yard, but it was a balmy 60 degrees, so that made it okay. I look forward to getting around to fertilizing the back yard and then eventually doing a serious mulch job, as well as finishing leaf pick-up and shredding and clearing leaves out of my bed. A gardener's work is never done!
Sunday, September 21, 2008
9/21/2008 Grass Seeding Update / Fall WOW Supreme Application
I spent most of the weekend reseeding the places in the sod that didn't make it. As usual, it took a lot longer than I thought it would. Places where the grass didn't make it include: area under the magnolias, area on the slope near the maple, area where Mark staked down the blue tarp to protect the patio area from rain and killed the grass in the process, area where Mark decided to clean his bike, do some epoxy work and killed the grass. GRRRRRR...
I've had bad luck w/ grass over the years. Most of the places I've tried to reseed were in the front yard under the River Birches where there is lots of competition from the tree and not a lot of shade. Despite several attempts, the areas I tried to renovate in the front never took, so I'm not optimistic about my luck in the back. I did all the things you're supposed to do - removed the dead grass, raked up the top 1/4 inch or more of soil, chose the appropriate seed (chose a dense shade mix from Pennington - these areas aren't in dense shade, but the area in front I'm going to attempt to reseed is in dense shade, so I'm hoping it will work in both places - I don't see why not - my understanding is that grass only tolerates shade and prefers sun - so I think it ought to take all other things being equal. I covered the seeded areas w/ topsoil and then w/ straw. In retrospect, I'm realizing now that I didn't apply any fertilizer. I'm hoping I can go over that area w/ the spreader and I'll use some of the Gro-Green stuff that I've had sitting around forever. Once it gets watered in that should get it off to a good start. I'm going to try hard to document how it goes for future reference.
In my gut I have a terrible feeling I've just wasted the entire weekend seeding grass that will never live and I think,"If only I could grow liriope from seed or get someone to let me have some of theirs - I could replace all the grass there w/ liriope or other ground covers and never worry about it again!!" Though now that I visualize it, maybe liriope is too tall. Maybe the smaller mondo grass is what I really need. I wonder how to propogate that? I know it spreads slowly. That's what I'd really prefer to have there. I really prefer to have no grass whatsoever - just groundcovers and stepping stones!
Here's photos of what I've got so far.
I think germination should take 7-10 days. In the meantime I'll sprinkle it twice a day to keep it wet and there after water it every week. Not sure what happens once its cold - do people water new lawns once it's winter weather outside?? My plan will be to keep it well watered as long as possible.
Also, fertilized the front yard w/ WOW Supreme! This time I did just one 20# bag and part of the another 20# bag. This should have gotten me 1# of N per 1000 sq ft. While I was spreading I noticed that the chickweed has already sprouted. Seems
like every year I'm probably too late. To get the weed inhibiting effects timing is crucial since the
corn gluten only works pre-germination. Really should've applied WOW on labor day weekend. Remember this for next Fall!! Apply the WOW earlier, Kendra!! Labor Day and Valentine's Day really are probably the ideal times to apply!
Did a bunch of weeding on the slope in the back yard. Here's a photo of the spot where the patio is supposed to be - covered in weeds and flooded w/ water.
Have to say that mulching the front bean in the Spring time w/ other people's yard debris (I mowed over it!) really kept the weeds down well in the front yard. I need to keep the mulch fresh on the back slope and side yards until I have time to get stuff planted there. Need to get stuff established in all my weedy spots so I have less weeding. My parents did a really good job of that in their yard. They do mulch every year, but I don't think they weed like I do because they have groundcovers everywhere and plantings.
I hope to someday have an established landscape that looks nice. I do enjoy gardening, but so far it feels like most of the time I spend is mowing and weeding and not actually caring for plants and admiring my beautiful landscape. I hope to someday get to that point! I hope to keep with it and do something every year to improve things a little bit while keeping things up. I do know from associating w/ other Master Gardeners that many of them spend A LOT of money on plants and that's not something I've done up until now. Eventually, I'll have to spend some money if I want to fill in all my empty spaces. My goal is to establish some new beds/plants every year!!
Remember, this is supposed to be fun, Eleanor! Seems like I spent a lot of my gardening time fantasizing about living in a condo or in a house in the middle of the woods w/ no yard work!! Sometimes gardening just feels so futile! Spend all this time planting grass or weeding only to have all that time not amount to anything because the grass didn't take or to spend a lot of time weeding only to have the weeds grow back. There must be lessons to learn from these things! Maybe I need an attitude adjustment.
I've had bad luck w/ grass over the years. Most of the places I've tried to reseed were in the front yard under the River Birches where there is lots of competition from the tree and not a lot of shade. Despite several attempts, the areas I tried to renovate in the front never took, so I'm not optimistic about my luck in the back. I did all the things you're supposed to do - removed the dead grass, raked up the top 1/4 inch or more of soil, chose the appropriate seed (chose a dense shade mix from Pennington - these areas aren't in dense shade, but the area in front I'm going to attempt to reseed is in dense shade, so I'm hoping it will work in both places - I don't see why not - my understanding is that grass only tolerates shade and prefers sun - so I think it ought to take all other things being equal. I covered the seeded areas w/ topsoil and then w/ straw. In retrospect, I'm realizing now that I didn't apply any fertilizer. I'm hoping I can go over that area w/ the spreader and I'll use some of the Gro-Green stuff that I've had sitting around forever. Once it gets watered in that should get it off to a good start. I'm going to try hard to document how it goes for future reference.
In my gut I have a terrible feeling I've just wasted the entire weekend seeding grass that will never live and I think,"If only I could grow liriope from seed or get someone to let me have some of theirs - I could replace all the grass there w/ liriope or other ground covers and never worry about it again!!" Though now that I visualize it, maybe liriope is too tall. Maybe the smaller mondo grass is what I really need. I wonder how to propogate that? I know it spreads slowly. That's what I'd really prefer to have there. I really prefer to have no grass whatsoever - just groundcovers and stepping stones!
Here's photos of what I've got so far.
I think germination should take 7-10 days. In the meantime I'll sprinkle it twice a day to keep it wet and there after water it every week. Not sure what happens once its cold - do people water new lawns once it's winter weather outside?? My plan will be to keep it well watered as long as possible.Also, fertilized the front yard w/ WOW Supreme! This time I did just one 20# bag and part of the another 20# bag. This should have gotten me 1# of N per 1000 sq ft. While I was spreading I noticed that the chickweed has already sprouted. Seems
like every year I'm probably too late. To get the weed inhibiting effects timing is crucial since the
corn gluten only works pre-germination. Really should've applied WOW on labor day weekend. Remember this for next Fall!! Apply the WOW earlier, Kendra!! Labor Day and Valentine's Day really are probably the ideal times to apply!Did a bunch of weeding on the slope in the back yard. Here's a photo of the spot where the patio is supposed to be - covered in weeds and flooded w/ water.
Have to say that mulching the front bean in the Spring time w/ other people's yard debris (I mowed over it!) really kept the weeds down well in the front yard. I need to keep the mulch fresh on the back slope and side yards until I have time to get stuff planted there. Need to get stuff established in all my weedy spots so I have less weeding. My parents did a really good job of that in their yard. They do mulch every year, but I don't think they weed like I do because they have groundcovers everywhere and plantings.
I hope to someday have an established landscape that looks nice. I do enjoy gardening, but so far it feels like most of the time I spend is mowing and weeding and not actually caring for plants and admiring my beautiful landscape. I hope to someday get to that point! I hope to keep with it and do something every year to improve things a little bit while keeping things up. I do know from associating w/ other Master Gardeners that many of them spend A LOT of money on plants and that's not something I've done up until now. Eventually, I'll have to spend some money if I want to fill in all my empty spaces. My goal is to establish some new beds/plants every year!!
Remember, this is supposed to be fun, Eleanor! Seems like I spent a lot of my gardening time fantasizing about living in a condo or in a house in the middle of the woods w/ no yard work!! Sometimes gardening just feels so futile! Spend all this time planting grass or weeding only to have all that time not amount to anything because the grass didn't take or to spend a lot of time weeding only to have the weeds grow back. There must be lessons to learn from these things! Maybe I need an attitude adjustment.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Carissa Holly Pruning
I finally pruned the Carissa hollies out by the mailbox. I wish I'd taken a before and after photo. By the time I was done I'd sort of forgotten what they'd looked like to start with! I did a lot of thinning cuts just like it describes them in my Master Gardener's manual and some heading cuts as well - being sure to look carefully for the buds. The buds seemed to be pretty far apart on these as far as I could tell. I think I could have waited until they greened up and pruned then, but I might have missed my window of opportunity by then.
Overall, I think I did a good job and am really getting a hang of this pruning thing. I removed a lot of plant material without significantly altering the actual outward appearance of the shrub. I also managed to reduce it in size a bit. Hopefully, this will keep it in a check another year. I've read that Carissa hollies are slow growing, so people plant them close together, but their ultimate size is actually fairly large. So that means that if you plant them close together to get a more full effect from the get go they are eventually going to require pruning to keep them in check. And that's what I was doing today.
I'd have to check my gardening diary, but I don't believe I've ever pruned these significantly before in the past - so this was the first time in 8+ years they've had a good haircut. I'm especially pleased that I didn't end up having to "hat-rack" them - as I've heard people say - and take them all the way down to just bare sticks and branches with no leaves. I think that would've taken them a long time to recover from.
One of the bushes behind the mailbox seems to have significant mite damage. I pruned some of that out, but there was quite a lot of it. The others seemed to be okay. Hopefully, it won't spread.
Maybe now that I've thinned out a lot of the branches and there will be more air circulation and sunlight they will be less prone to mites? I'm sure having a record setting drought last year didn't help!
I will try to remember to examine the plant's response to my pruning in a few weeks or whenever new growth sets in.
Next on the list is to order bamboo barrier, trim the bamboo back, root trim it, and install the barrier. And, cut back the striped liriope - which I always contemplate getting rid of or moving elsewhere.
Also, on the list, demolishing the wooden retaining walls and all the landscaping in the backyard for the new retaining walls. I'll definitely try and take some before and afters of that transformation!
Overall, I think I did a good job and am really getting a hang of this pruning thing. I removed a lot of plant material without significantly altering the actual outward appearance of the shrub. I also managed to reduce it in size a bit. Hopefully, this will keep it in a check another year. I've read that Carissa hollies are slow growing, so people plant them close together, but their ultimate size is actually fairly large. So that means that if you plant them close together to get a more full effect from the get go they are eventually going to require pruning to keep them in check. And that's what I was doing today.
I'd have to check my gardening diary, but I don't believe I've ever pruned these significantly before in the past - so this was the first time in 8+ years they've had a good haircut. I'm especially pleased that I didn't end up having to "hat-rack" them - as I've heard people say - and take them all the way down to just bare sticks and branches with no leaves. I think that would've taken them a long time to recover from.
One of the bushes behind the mailbox seems to have significant mite damage. I pruned some of that out, but there was quite a lot of it. The others seemed to be okay. Hopefully, it won't spread.
Maybe now that I've thinned out a lot of the branches and there will be more air circulation and sunlight they will be less prone to mites? I'm sure having a record setting drought last year didn't help!
I will try to remember to examine the plant's response to my pruning in a few weeks or whenever new growth sets in.
Next on the list is to order bamboo barrier, trim the bamboo back, root trim it, and install the barrier. And, cut back the striped liriope - which I always contemplate getting rid of or moving elsewhere.
Also, on the list, demolishing the wooden retaining walls and all the landscaping in the backyard for the new retaining walls. I'll definitely try and take some before and afters of that transformation!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Liriope Trimming
Today I finally got around to trimming the liriope. It took a while, but I mowed over it and was able to get most of the cuttings up with the mulching lawnmower. Tomorrow I'll add them to the compost pile.
Next on the list! Prune back the Carissa Hollies!
Next on the list! Prune back the Carissa Hollies!
Monday, March 10, 2008
WOW! Plus Update
I'm stocking up again on WOW! Plus because they have what seems to amount to a 50% off coupon and I wanted to cut and paste this text from their webpage here for future reference:
"Apply 10-20 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. when forsythia starts to bloom, through July. This timing corresponds with the time when crabgrass begins and ends germinating. Yearly spring and fall applications at 10lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. provide as much as 85% weed control after two years and 91% after three years. Plus it provides balanced fertilization. Applications at 20lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. provide even better control, because the percentage of weed control increases with higher application rates."
I applied roughly 20# per 1,000 sq. ft. based on my calculations, so I was on the high end, but perhaps I'll get better weed control as a result.
"Apply 10-20 lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. when forsythia starts to bloom, through July. This timing corresponds with the time when crabgrass begins and ends germinating. Yearly spring and fall applications at 10lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. provide as much as 85% weed control after two years and 91% after three years. Plus it provides balanced fertilization. Applications at 20lbs. per 1,000 sq. ft. provide even better control, because the percentage of weed control increases with higher application rates."
I applied roughly 20# per 1,000 sq. ft. based on my calculations, so I was on the high end, but perhaps I'll get better weed control as a result.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Spring Application of WOW! Plus
Today I finished my spring application of WOW! Plus. I applied two 20# bags to the front yard and part of the side yard near my shade garden. My past estimates of square footage for the front yard was 2200 sq ft - not sure how accurate that really is! I think I should revisit that. If that was correct, then I should have applied 27.5# of WOW! Plus to get 1# of nitrogen per square foot. (WOW! Plus is 8-2-4) I applied 40#, so that was way overkill, but don't I get better weed control if I put down more? I vaguely remember that from the text on the old bags. Also, since this isn't a chemical fertilizer and is a slow-release form of nitrogen, presumably I'm okay to put down more and am not adversely affecting water quality in the event some of it runs off? That last part might be wishful thinking, I'm not sure.
For future reference, the best spreader setting for the WOW! Plus seems to be 14 . I did quite a bit on 10 and that really makes it take forever - so, note to self: next time set the spreader to 14. I also sprinkled handfuls of WOW! Plus on the shade bed and on the liriope along the edge of the driveway. It should serve to inhibit weed growth and as fertilizer, too. Looking forward to seeing things green up and start to grow! Daffodils foliage is up and camellia japonica is about ready to burst forth.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
For the record...
Today I finished up my initial (and hopefully last?) application of weed control. I used the updated version of what I used last year "Weed Stop." The label boasted it having a crabgrass killer in it. I always thought crabgrass had to be treated with a pre-emergent, so its news to me that there is some chemical out there that will kill only crabgrass on contact and not the rest of the grass, too. I'll have to do more research when I have the chance to clarify the matter.
For now, I'm glad to be done with chemicals for a long while. Wonder if I'll need a retreatment later in Spring?
Next on the list, fertilize with WOW! Plus.
For now, I'm glad to be done with chemicals for a long while. Wonder if I'll need a retreatment later in Spring?
Next on the list, fertilize with WOW! Plus.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Spring's a coming...
Today was the first day I've been out in the yard all winter and I made some good progress. I raked up lots of errant leaves, filled up a dozen plastic trash barrels full of sticks (the yard waste truck came by 2x to empty them!), and, as ashamed as I am to admit it, I sprayed the lawn for weeds using "Weed Stop."
I hate applying pesticides, but my forays into total organic lawn care left me unable to control chickweed. I'd say chickweed (and violets!) are the main weeds in my lawn. This year I'm employing a different strategy and trying to spray for the chickweed earlier. I believe it will take a lot longer for the pesticides to work given that the temps are low, but that's okay. My thought was that if I sprayed the chickweed now while they are just tiny little rosettes closely hugging the ground that I will overall have to use less pesticides. In the past, I have waited until the chickweed was full out growing and required more spray to kill them. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to reduce my impact by addressing the chickweed problem earlier.
I essentially had to crawl around the yard on my hands and knees with my little pressurized hand pump to spray. (Oh, my aching back!) My normal backpack sprayer seemed like overkill since I literally had to squint at the grass to find most of the chickweed at this point. I'll report back on the results of this experiment later on in the Spring.
It got dark before I was finished spraying, so I'll be out tomorrow finishing up and then if the weather is nice I'll do my Spring application of corn gluten meal (WOW! Plus). I need to revisit the amount I'm supposed to apply because the grass is not especially green at the moment. I'm thinking I might not have applied enough in the Fall or maybe it's just ready for more at this point - I know nitrogen doesn't last long.
In other notes, my Camellia is getting ready to bloom, but it's not quite there yet. The daffodils have emerged and, oh, my hellebore has been blooming now for a couple weeks. This is the first year it's bloomed - the flowers are green.
Truth be told, winter is really the best time to work in the yard around these parts. Summer is too damn hot. So, I'm trying to get out there and do what needs to be done asap. Lots of pruning and other things on the list of coming attractions!
If the weather is nice tomorrow, I think I'll take some photos.
I hate applying pesticides, but my forays into total organic lawn care left me unable to control chickweed. I'd say chickweed (and violets!) are the main weeds in my lawn. This year I'm employing a different strategy and trying to spray for the chickweed earlier. I believe it will take a lot longer for the pesticides to work given that the temps are low, but that's okay. My thought was that if I sprayed the chickweed now while they are just tiny little rosettes closely hugging the ground that I will overall have to use less pesticides. In the past, I have waited until the chickweed was full out growing and required more spray to kill them. I'm hopeful that I'll be able to reduce my impact by addressing the chickweed problem earlier.
I essentially had to crawl around the yard on my hands and knees with my little pressurized hand pump to spray. (Oh, my aching back!) My normal backpack sprayer seemed like overkill since I literally had to squint at the grass to find most of the chickweed at this point. I'll report back on the results of this experiment later on in the Spring.
It got dark before I was finished spraying, so I'll be out tomorrow finishing up and then if the weather is nice I'll do my Spring application of corn gluten meal (WOW! Plus). I need to revisit the amount I'm supposed to apply because the grass is not especially green at the moment. I'm thinking I might not have applied enough in the Fall or maybe it's just ready for more at this point - I know nitrogen doesn't last long.
In other notes, my Camellia is getting ready to bloom, but it's not quite there yet. The daffodils have emerged and, oh, my hellebore has been blooming now for a couple weeks. This is the first year it's bloomed - the flowers are green.
Truth be told, winter is really the best time to work in the yard around these parts. Summer is too damn hot. So, I'm trying to get out there and do what needs to be done asap. Lots of pruning and other things on the list of coming attractions!
If the weather is nice tomorrow, I think I'll take some photos.
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