Garden History Chapter Fourteen

Spring 2008 Continued

After we got the soil leveled and I made the rows and beds we managed to get everything transplanted and out of the cold frame. Plus added squash, cucumber, carrots and green beans. Tomatoes and peppers were purchased at the local garden center. I try to rotate the vegetables into different locations yearly. I try to use as little chemicals as possible and usually just try to stick with seven dust.

We did have a wood cradle for our firewood at the end of this brick path. The 4×4s held the slide-able lid that covered the wood. The cradle was old and we decided to put any firewood on concrete instead. As you can see, we left the 4×4’s and added lattice to it so morning glories could grow up and over. Then, we found an old concrete bench seat from the recycle, cleaned it and gave it a good coat of paint and, wallah, the path has a little place to go. OK, a little dorky but it isn’t a path to nowhere now!

We did have a bit of a spring scare when a storm rolled through and a neighbor’s tree fell on our fence and almost on top of the garden. As you can see, the tree just missed the first bed. It was still a mess but we did get lucky because the neighbor got a man on the job and had it cleaned up lickety split!

For kicks and giggles I took a picture of a patch of my grass with the morning dew because it looked like artwork.

Garden History Chapter Thirteen

SPRING Chronicled 2008!

The birds are arriving and my plum tree is in full bloom. With all of its problems, it didn’t die.

The Hibiscus plants that I keep indoors all winter will be much happier when I am able to move them outside again. I don’t put them out if the night time temps are below 50 degrees. They cannot take the cold.

Now, the most recent picture of the garden. Hubby got the tiller out and got the soil turned. Isn’t that the prettiest dark soil you ever did see? I’ll be taking the kolrabi out of the cold frame and transplanting them when they are just a little bigger.


A clean slate again. Through the summer photos and blog coming soon.

Garden History Chapter Twelve

UPDATE:
Only a month later, these snaps were taken on Feb.12,08.
The jonquils are getting ready to open. These border the entire fence, hope I didn’t repeat myself! Narcissus are already open, too.

Must be their location!I can’t believe they are open before the snowbells. Must be their location!
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This is the updated picture of the Mahonia (Oregon Grape) which is in full bloom.

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And the Winter Daphin (just know I have been spelling this name wrong). Wow, those tiny blossoms have such a beautiful fragrance, shame I can’t share it with you. If it weren’t so cold I could sit on the patio and enjoy the smell just a little longer.

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Now, Here is a picture of the crazy cold frame that my hubby puts together every year. It is made of cut plexiglas that he gets from work. They are old golf cart windshields. But they really work well as a cold frame too! I did have to put a couple of bricks on the top because it got so windy the other day.
Just goes to show ya, you can use a lot of recycled stuff to accomplish what you would like to do.

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Of course I had to get a close up of the lettuce radishes and kohlrabies. Not too sure about the state of the broccoli. The seeds might have been too old. I think I see only about 5 broccoli plants.

That’s it for the latest part of the saga.

Garden History Chapter 9

Critters in the Garden

Little side note here, I didn’t realize that when we moved back into the city we would have such an assortment of wild life visiting our yard! This is a photo of a hawk that just nailed a bird in my garden. The snap isn’t very clear because I had to take it through my kitchen window. Had I gone out, the hawk would have flown away. Which it did when I went out to get a closer picture and he took his lunch with him! (One day I will tell the racoon tales in the house, *giggles*.)

We, also, had a squatter this late summer. This little, tiny, bird found a space no bigger than an inch square, up under the front porch. He stayed there, every night, for about a month and a half then just left. Don’t know why. It isn’t like we were charging him rent!

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The Back Yard

After we tore down the raised brick patio, which was a termite haven. We built a screened in patio! Screen made this space much more usable because there are no mosquitos or bugs, my grill is even inside this screened area. We have two, indoor, cats that love it because this provides them an outside area when weather permits.

Then we laid a brick path around to the shed, wood pile and driveway. I didn’t want to have to bring grass clippings and mud into the patio and house everytime there was some bad weather. Thank goodness my hubby toted all the bricks for me and I laid everyone. The steps in front of the shed had to be mortared. All these bricks were buried or scattered around the yard and on the top of the former patio. We recycled.

On the side you see here I planted Winter Daphne. Since this picture was taken, they have doubled in size and the fragrance of the blossoms is lovely in very late winter and early spring. I plant a lot of ornamental plants like Gerber Daises here (a protected area) and on the corner another lily, which has a fiery red/orange bloom, surrounds the Angel Trumpet (Brugmansia variety). Ginger Lilies planted on the back of the patio, also, another fragrant bloomer.

The picture below is of the Angel’s Trumpet which blooms at night. This picture was taken in the dark while it was in full bloom. Again, a sweet, fragrant flower and the lunar moths love them. Can you tell yet? I just love plants that have a smell good.

Garden History - Chapter Four

This chapter is dedicated to this, lovely, Old Home I found in the city! This is the last of the Historical updates because this home and garden is the last move I plan on making. At least, in this lifetime. I call it my retirement home. With that in mind, everything that has been done, in the yard and house, was done with NO intention of resell. This home and yard has been an adventure, to say the least! Maybe some other day I can tell you the entire story of the its renovation but for today our focus be the yard.

After we bought the house we were told, by the city, that I would need to tear down the dilapidated old privacy fence. It had been condemned. In order to be in compliance with city code and be able to get an occupancy permit the fence had to go (along with another long list of house issues). The yard was an overgrown mess! You do what needs doing first so you can rest your head on a pillow.

We were a little suprised when we found a chain link fence behind the wooden privacy fence. There were all sorts of wild cherry trees, honeysuckle, ivy and virginia creeper vines tangled throughout the two fences. To make matters worse all the vegetation was very well established. Someone, who had lost their mind, had planted a wisteria plant! That thing must have been original to the house because its root system was everywhere!

Thank goodness, my Mom’s husband, came to the rescue. Just so happens that he owns an old antique John Deere Tractor. Well, he cranked that baby up and drove it down the city streets and came over to our new yard. You could hear the tractor coming a mile away! It made sort of a kachug kachug sound. I thought he would get arrested for driving it on an inner city street.

First, we had to cut all the full grown wild trees with the chainsaw and get them out of the way. Then came the tractor’s job. We had a large chain and wrapped it around the fence sections, pulling them down. Then we had to get the stumps out. This was a process because some of the stumps had to be dug up partially before the chain could go around. Chopping, hacking, digging, sawing and pulling that chain attached to the tractor. This project took about three days. It was exhausting. When all was said and done and the tractor went rolling home and the entire back yard was pretty much destroyed. My oh my, then all the debris that had to be delivered to the dump. Maybe one day I will dig out the hard copy pictures but not today. After all that hard work we, finally, got the occupancy permit!

Well, the good side… I had a clean yard to work with eventhough there were hugh ruts left by the tractor tires. So, out comes my Troybilt, thank goodness I never sold her. What a work horse. I tilled everything except the very front patch of grass on the front lawn. I strung plumb lines across the back and side yards because by now it had rained and I knew where all the water was collecting and draining. This project was vital because all the water must run away from the house! I roto-tilled this yard until the dirt was like a powder. Then, I personally, raked every ounce of dirt to those plumb lines so everything would slope properly and have water running away from the house. I have a full basement in a low lying area, surrounded by water. The slope of the yard was extremely important to me. Water must stay away from the basement. This project took about two weeks, I guess, and I was 12 years younger.

This saga will continue. Thanks for stopping by to read.

Interested in Viewing a few of my Auctions at Online Auction? Click here:

Garden History Chapter Two

My Garden Journal-Chapter Two

Well, the family grew. So we had to move out of our little house with the little garden. We moved to a wonderful two story, eight sided house, it appeared round, outside of the city. It came with a 4.5 acre chunk of land. A functioning, heated, Green House. Grapes vines and about 15 rows, each, of Boxwood and Pyracantha bushes plus a riding mower/tractor with attachments. What fun learning to use the plow and cultivators. The bad news came after I checked with our agricultural department and found out I couldn’t sell the bushes without having proper testing done on the soil. But I could sell anything I grew in the Green House because I would be mixing clean potting soils. Joy, joy. In my part-time, I could grow plants then, eventually, I could earn money to pay for the propane gas I needed to keep the green house warm.

We soon found out that we had no talent with the attachments on the mower/mini tractor! Although, we did manage to get all the bushes dug up. The ground was clay and hard as a rock. Very hard to work by hand. This hugh plot of holes (about an eighth of an acre) became my year round vegetable garden. I could freeze ‘em, can ‘em and feed the family year round! But it was like hard labor until my mother and her hubby showed up one day and gifted me with the tool I had been talking and reading about for so long. My Troybilt Horse. What a dream! Vegetable gardening became an instant success after we put a dump truck of sand in the holes.
I grew so many plants in my green house, started many sets for the garden and even grew tomatoes and peppers in the winter.

The pets, a horse, a pony, goat, duck, rabbit, two or three dogs, cats and a couple dozen chickens all provided fertilizer for the garden, lol. Of course, sometimes it was hard keeping all those critters out of the garden, I even caught my dogs eating the melons in the summer!! But all good things come to an end and we had to move. Next installment of the saga in Chapter Three. The Blackwater years and the Troybilt never leaves my side.

A Robin Story - Gardening

Birds – A Robin Story

The other day I went out into the yard to prune some spring growth from my fruit trees. The theory here is that the fruit will get more nourishment and become larger.
I got out the ladder and the pruning shears and began. I knew there was a Robin’s nest in the tree but I didn’t think that I was very close and I, certainly, had no intention of disturbing the family. Well, I guess I did get too close because, as I was trimming, all of a sudden a “thud” and I got slammed and beaked on the head by one very angry momma or papa!
I had no clue that Robins could be so vicious. Here I am on a ladder and both birds were attacking me. I ran into the patio and I looked down on my on my arm and saw blood. At first I thought it was one of the birds but soon realized it was me. I went in a cleaned up. Then I worried that the Robin that had hit me in the head might have injured them-self.
I went back outside to check things out and got chased back into the patio by both birds. They were still making quite a fuss. Then, I saw why. Their teenage baby had jumped out of the nest!! Oh my, I was really worried that they would abandon their bouncing teen. Flapping wings and jumping around the entire yard all the rest of the day. Much to my suprise, those two parents did not give up the ship but keep a watchful eye on their baby’s location at all times. It started to shower all the rest of the day and into the night.
The next morning I kept looking for activity. I did see the parents but I didn’t see the baby. Then, the Hubs went out and got attacked. He got too close to the teenager too. The parents had managed to get the baby in the pomegranate bush for the overnight. Thank goodness. I watched all day, worrying that the little bird wouldn’t get any nourishment and could die. Well, somehow, this teenager was learning how to spread his wings. He kept getting a little higher air time all day long.
By the end of the day my fears of emminant starvation were put to rest. The parents had been feeding their offspring all day long. I caught this loving caring scene late in the afternoon. I got these pictures through my window.

Scenario: Do Not prune trees while birds nest.

May Garden Update

May Garden Update

Watching your veggies growing every year is so much fun! I guess because it is such hard labor when turning your ground over, your muscles are sore and you ache so bad after you've finished planting your seed. But then the good part is when you can sit back and enjoy the growth. When you see the progress of things growing, knowing that you will be able to freeze much of it (that's what I do) then eat it during the winter months. Of course sharing with friends is rewarding as well.

I didn't want to consume to much space on this front page but I do have many more photos here http://grouchow.wordpress.com/

Spring 09 City Gardening

March, 2009, Spring is just around the corner.
Thank goodness the weather was in the 70’s today. What a glorious day, around here you just never know what you are going to get from one minute to the other! Just 6 days ago we had snow on the ground.

The birds have been chirping all morning and I got up early, opened all the windows in the house to air it out, put on my duds and headed outside to dig around in the yard. I might be a little stiff tomorrow because the Hubs and I have been hibernating all winter. *giggles*

I pulled weeds in one of my azalea beds and turned over the pine straw before I did anything else. I took a lot of breaks in between because I was sweating so much. It is always better to take things a little slower when you have sat idle all winter. Then I started to think about where to put some seeds and just what seed I had that could be planted this early in the season.

I told you in the previous post that I had to remove some bushes, so I decided to plant some lettuce, parsley and radishes in this location until I figure out what type of long term plant I want to place there. Why waste good space? Seeds are in the ground and I covered them with some leaves. We still might have some cold nights.

The Hubs put the makeshift cold frame up (recycled golf cart windshields) and made it a little larger this year. I put the Kohlrabi in there. If we have another cold snap we will be able to protect them after they have germinated.

I promised a friend that I would post a picture of the leaf lettuce that I planted last November. I covered them with leaves in the late fall and now they are doing beautifully. They survived our cold winter months! I can’t wait till I get to pick some. Next to that row of lettuce I just planted three rows of radishes. I have to be very careful of where to plant things this time of year because certain spots in the garden don’t get full sun enough hours in the day.

The plum tree, as much as I have worried about her over the years, still stands and is getting ready to open in full bloom any day now.

Last, but not least, are the empty pots at the base of the lattice. I plopped some pretty Morning Glory seeds in those and when the weather warms up they will climb up and over the lattice and bloom every morning.

If you would like to view some pictures that I took today you can CLICK HERE and look for Chapter 18 in my garden journal.

Gardening Journal One

Spring 2009

Well, Spring is just around the corner, at least for us in the southeast. Not to much to report on during the fall and winter months. But now the narcissus, jonquils, camellias have started blooming once again.
Just a couple of things to report on though. We, my Hubby and I, did do our winter spray to protect the fruit trees and, then, a few weeks ago we sprayed again. I am glad we did because just this week we are seeing the buds popping out on the plum tree. Hopefully they won't open till this last threat of snow is over. Sadly, last fall the Winter Daphne bushes died. I had to dig them up and dispose of them. Some blight or decease, I can't identify, killed them. I will miss their great smell in the late winter/early spring. They were really pretty and I am thinking of replacing them but I think I might have the soil tested first because I wouldn't want new plants to come down with the same unknown problem. These bushes are pictured in the Garden Journal post number 11. http://grouchow.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/garden-journal-chapter-11/
In the very late fall I got an idea and planted some lettuce. It is a leaf variety. And guess what? They survived. I wasn't too sure about them but I covered them with some leaves and the couple of rows I planted have survived the winter. I can't wait till I get to have a fresh salad.
Oh, I almost forgot, I have cut back the Liriope and as things start to happen I will post again.