Dirtmechanic
Garden Addicted
I have been planting potatoes from the pantry that are bolting. I have them here and there in the yard. I do not intend to tell DW. Lets just see what happens come spring.
What Did You Do In The Garden?
- Thread starter digitS'
- Start date
Zeedman
Garden Master
I can see it all now... "Honey, look at these weeds - they look just like potatoes!"
flowerbug
Garden Master
I can see it all now... "Honey, look at these weeds - they look just like potatoes!"
the birds must have planted them!
Artichoke Lover
Deeply Rooted
Today I went and took some blueberry cuttings that I have been meaning to get for awhile while I was there the they offered to let me dig up some suckers and take cuttings from their muscadine vine!
I planted 2 big blueberry suckers. 6 muscadine cuttings and watered and mulched them. I also put 2 muscadine and 13 blueberry cuttings in the house to root!
I planted 2 big blueberry suckers. 6 muscadine cuttings and watered and mulched them. I also put 2 muscadine and 13 blueberry cuttings in the house to root!
Trish Stretton
Deeply Rooted
Last week it was so stinky hot, I spent most of my time in the front yard where its cooler due to all the trees I planted over the years.
One of the first things I did finally get around to was making a little path with two steps down to the side of the house. My old steps had been 2 flat rocks, but after watching my elderly father struggle down these, I decided to make proper steps.
I started that last Monday. Tuesday morning I was still messing around with it when my old neighbor asked me what I was doing....after I told her and moaned about the bent boards, she laughed, "Stop being a perfectionist and just get the job done!" and went off for her daily walk with her little dog.
a couple of hours later, it was all done.
Concrete is supposed to be kept moist while it cures for at least the first 7 days, so I was constantly hosing it down, especially when the sun came over the house.
The bed in front of the house, has my old apple tree and was in serious need of weeding. What used to grow well there has been struggling with the extra shade from the other trees and other things had started to take over. So, this whole bed got cleared out so I could start again. A mattock works really well in getting out old rose bushes in one piece.
I hope I got all the convovulus out but time will tell.
Most of the week was spent in various parts of the front yard, clearing out weeds- including my Agapanthus that had taken over the garden along the boundary line.
This main path was getting taken over by the violets, so I have used some old posts from out of my little recycling center to edge the bed to try to keep them under control. A peg at each end and a couple of nails in each, holds them in place. I've had to cut out some of the branches of the Xmas plum tree that is just behind the letterbox and am in the process of cutting all the twiggy bits with leaves up to mulch the bed. Still heaps to do..
I had to trim back the Pittosporums cos they were getting in the way when I mowed along here and the NZ Flax/Phormium Tenax/Harakeke (HAH rah KEH keh) that are trying to grow behind them were struggling. So these shrubs have been cut down to half their height and all the privet seedlings have been removed to give the Flax a chance to grow properly. I used the trimmings to mulch the ground around the flax, hopefully that will slow down any up and coming weeds....and now the battery on my camera decides to go flat.
I did manage to get the last third of the bed above the rock wall weeded out. That took some doing due to a spikey plant growing up there. I had tried to kill it by chopping it off at the ankles....but now there are four. I found cutting off the tips of the leaves meant I didnt wind up with wounds and cos I had heavily mulched this area back in spring, the convovulus was growing through that instead of the soil, making it so much easier to pull out.
My neighbour thought Hydrangeas would look nice along here and took me off to her back yard to show me what types she had. I now have half a dozen cuttings of two sorts- dark blue flower and a white. So far they seem to be doing quite well.
In the vege garden. I did harvest the shallots- heaps!!! Such a pity they are so puny. Numbers-wise, I was quietly impressed, now I just have to make sure they get to grow to their proper size.
Almost every other day is tying up the tomatoes and taking out laterals then watering everything late in the evening.
I found a good use for lettuces that have started to bolt- I have Ramen noodles with all my different vegies, including them. Cos I tend to forget to drink during the day, I have this with a broth- usually chicken. Chopped up lettuce popped in the bottom of the bowl and then all the other goodies poured on top works really well...just not any bitter stems.
One of the first things I did finally get around to was making a little path with two steps down to the side of the house. My old steps had been 2 flat rocks, but after watching my elderly father struggle down these, I decided to make proper steps.
I started that last Monday. Tuesday morning I was still messing around with it when my old neighbor asked me what I was doing....after I told her and moaned about the bent boards, she laughed, "Stop being a perfectionist and just get the job done!" and went off for her daily walk with her little dog.
a couple of hours later, it was all done.
Concrete is supposed to be kept moist while it cures for at least the first 7 days, so I was constantly hosing it down, especially when the sun came over the house.
The bed in front of the house, has my old apple tree and was in serious need of weeding. What used to grow well there has been struggling with the extra shade from the other trees and other things had started to take over. So, this whole bed got cleared out so I could start again. A mattock works really well in getting out old rose bushes in one piece.
I hope I got all the convovulus out but time will tell.
Most of the week was spent in various parts of the front yard, clearing out weeds- including my Agapanthus that had taken over the garden along the boundary line.
This main path was getting taken over by the violets, so I have used some old posts from out of my little recycling center to edge the bed to try to keep them under control. A peg at each end and a couple of nails in each, holds them in place. I've had to cut out some of the branches of the Xmas plum tree that is just behind the letterbox and am in the process of cutting all the twiggy bits with leaves up to mulch the bed. Still heaps to do..
I had to trim back the Pittosporums cos they were getting in the way when I mowed along here and the NZ Flax/Phormium Tenax/Harakeke (HAH rah KEH keh) that are trying to grow behind them were struggling. So these shrubs have been cut down to half their height and all the privet seedlings have been removed to give the Flax a chance to grow properly. I used the trimmings to mulch the ground around the flax, hopefully that will slow down any up and coming weeds....and now the battery on my camera decides to go flat.
I did manage to get the last third of the bed above the rock wall weeded out. That took some doing due to a spikey plant growing up there. I had tried to kill it by chopping it off at the ankles....but now there are four. I found cutting off the tips of the leaves meant I didnt wind up with wounds and cos I had heavily mulched this area back in spring, the convovulus was growing through that instead of the soil, making it so much easier to pull out.
My neighbour thought Hydrangeas would look nice along here and took me off to her back yard to show me what types she had. I now have half a dozen cuttings of two sorts- dark blue flower and a white. So far they seem to be doing quite well.
In the vege garden. I did harvest the shallots- heaps!!! Such a pity they are so puny. Numbers-wise, I was quietly impressed, now I just have to make sure they get to grow to their proper size.
Almost every other day is tying up the tomatoes and taking out laterals then watering everything late in the evening.
I found a good use for lettuces that have started to bolt- I have Ramen noodles with all my different vegies, including them. Cos I tend to forget to drink during the day, I have this with a broth- usually chicken. Chopped up lettuce popped in the bottom of the bowl and then all the other goodies poured on top works really well...just not any bitter stems.
Artichoke Lover
Deeply Rooted
Started some Dark Green Italian Parsley and Petite Yellow Marigolds indoors today.
flowerbug
Garden Master
@Trish Stretton i think reading all that you did put me into shock enough i had to take a nap.
Artichoke Lover
Deeply Rooted
They made me crave ramen this was the first thing I read this morning while still halfway asleep and was struck by a sudden craving for ramen while letting out the chickens@Trish Stretton i think reading all that you did put me into shock enough i had to take a nap.
Trish Stretton
Deeply Rooted
@flowerbug, that was a whole weeks worth of chores, not just one day!
Tomorrow is my first day back at work so i took it easy today.
Julia- nice neighbor, was given some H4 boards of differing sizes as part of her wood stock and asked if I could make use of them- "Yep! and no, you can not burn these in your firebox!"
One she gave me was just the right size to fill the gap between the poles I used as edges along the front path. I'm now hoping that work hasnt emptied out their rubbish 'bin' so I can fish out some more fat poles to act as stepping stones for this bed.
The bed right by the front door got sort of finished. Just needs filling up and planting out. The rock was put there to hide the gaping hole under the top step.
....and for something light and fluffy...
A couple of my 'tenants', mum/dad below, chick above.
Tomorrow is my first day back at work so i took it easy today.
Julia- nice neighbor, was given some H4 boards of differing sizes as part of her wood stock and asked if I could make use of them- "Yep! and no, you can not burn these in your firebox!"
One she gave me was just the right size to fill the gap between the poles I used as edges along the front path. I'm now hoping that work hasnt emptied out their rubbish 'bin' so I can fish out some more fat poles to act as stepping stones for this bed.
The bed right by the front door got sort of finished. Just needs filling up and planting out. The rock was put there to hide the gaping hole under the top step.
....and for something light and fluffy...
A couple of my 'tenants', mum/dad below, chick above.
- Thread starter
- #4,250
digitS'
Garden Master
@Trish Stretton ,
are those quail or some other type of partridge?
I couldn't find the chick but the parents look comfortable as tenants.
Steve
are those quail or some other type of partridge?
I couldn't find the chick but the parents look comfortable as tenants
.Steve
