Watch the sun pass overhead as our work continues! We completed work on the front sunny flower bed to cover the hole made by removing the diseased honeysuckle. Click on the image to see a larger final photo.
Perennials include (from Aunt Lisa and Mom): Goldenrod Fireworks, Turtlehead, various Daylilies, Siberian irises, (regular?) Irises, Bachelor Buttons, Yarrow, Soapwort, Moonbeam Coreopsis, Golden Margarita, Companula, Volarian, Sedum, Obedient Plant. (please forgive spelling errors)
I noticed this evening that the frost did do some harm. The yellow pear tomato is not looking too healthy. All the top leaves appear to be dead! The bottom set of leaves still looks okay. I hope it will recover!
Two of the chili peppers took it for the team too. Being the last covered, we had used the plastic bags on them.
Lesson learned: Plastic does not keep frost out. In fact, I read that it actually keeps the cold in! Please learn from this!
With temps at or near freezing in the area last night, Ryan and I worked in the light of the car headlights to cover the garden after arriving home from the evening’s festivities (some martinis, some Indiana Jones…). We covered the tomatoes, peppers, and all new seedlings with our stock of painting & tiling bed sheets. When those ran out, we used old camping blankets and dog towels. When those ran out, we had to use 2 large plastic bags. Wow, wish I had held off on the seeds for a while.
I removed the damp coverings today before leaving for work. All looks good so far!
While I changed out the plugs, wires, & distributor cap on the old truck, Ryan mowed the entire yard AND got the push-mower running and did trim clean-up. Looks GREAT! We took the truck out for a test spin around the (huge) block, and it’s running like new. How awesome is that!?
We then proceeded to mulch and water the entire vegetable garden, and plant the 2 wedding trees. In there somewhere, I changed my oil and Ryan worked with the compost bins. Wow, it’s 7:30 and we never ate lunch? Time to make supper then.
We are hurtin’! Sore and tired, Ryan fell asleep on the couch during an episode of Seinfeld. That’s how I know he’s had a hard day.
Watch for more photos on Wednesday!
Didn’t get anything accomplished in the yard today, but I did make an EXCELLENT Asparagus Soup! (If I do say so myself.) A nice treat.
Ryan and I filled the truck bed up with another load of compost and mulch before our Memorial Day Weekend festivities later in the day. Had to buy gas (ugh) so we can mow the lawn this weekend… we’re those terrible neighbors that let their dandelions go to seed. We know how much people like that.
Still no signs of any germination for the 20-year-old green bean seeds. Who knew? LOL Our science experiment returned expected results. I re-sowed FRESH 2008 seeds over the top: Kentucky Blue Bean on the back row and Scarlet Runner beans on the front row for fun. I’m looking forward to seeing their red blooms!
Over the 20-year old peas (front row), I re-sowed 4 types of peas I received from Mom: Cowpeas, Oriental, Rally, and Sugar Sprint. If any come up, I’ll have a fun variety to try.
I transplanted the seedlings into the ground for: pumpkins, watermelon, eggplant, buttercup & butternut squash. I planted garlic cloves and onion sets.
I planted the 2nd half of the bush bean row with wax beans.
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I finished de-sodding the front birch-tree bed – can you believe it? I planted my Clematis, along with several perennials still patiently waiting in pots from Aunt Lisa. Feels good to be getting the plants in the ground. I also planted 2 flowers from Kay in the back bed today. We’re seeing some color!
Where did we ever get our work ethic? It amazes me.
Tonight we worked together on digging out the enormous Honeysuckle stump on the side of our driveway. The plant was diseased and very old, so many of the roots broke right off in our hands and at the jab of our shovels. Ryan took care of the tougher ones with an axe. The whole project went quickly – wow!
I started a flower bed (AKA the place to finally plant my beautiful Clematis after 2 years of being indoors in a temporary pot) under the front birch tree. I managed to get the circle’s edge cut into the grass, and started removing the sod.
Hooray! The plumbing repair worked!
If you haven’t heard, the water pipe leading to the outdoor spigot on the “barn” is leaking. Tonight Ryan and I attempted to fix it. We’ve installed a water softener – this should be a piece of cake. The bad news is that the CPVC pipe that was there originally did not really line up with the metal pipe coming out of the ground. We had to cheat to get it to work. The good news is that the project is done. If it stays dry, it’s good enough for us, because that will mean we can turn on the water to the exterior faucets and use a hose!
Since the plumbing project took longer than expected, we only had time to plant the 11 Arbor Day trees in pots before dark. We plan to assess each tree’s will-to-live later this season to determine which are ready for planting.
After dark, I started a jar of alfalfa sprouts and another of mung bean sprouts for fun. I enjoy watching them grow each day, on my own kitchen counter. We’ll have to plan a stir fry next week.
Tonight I tried to attend a Home Depot Do-It-Herself clinic on Outdoor Water Conservation (appropriate, I felt, during a month where we are 2 inches under average rainfall). Apparently I registered too late or was the only person interested, because there was no one there to give the presentation. Bummer.
Upon arriving home, my unproductive evening was made up for when I found my Mom had dropped by and left us goodies at our door: A Twizzler’s box full of garden seeds, 2 trees from our wedding (yay!), and 11 assorted baby trees from The Arbor Day Foundation.
Thanks Mom!
After the garden was seeded, I resumed work on the Shade Bed back near the lilac. My goal was to de-sod the entire area and get the shade perennials in that have now been sitting in pots for a week.
I think it was a total of 7 wheelbarrow loads of grass that I removed and hauled over to help fill a low area around the back yard pine trees. Ugh. I thought my back was going to give out. Ryan helped lay the sod pieces during times of rain when he wasn’t running the chainsaw. Unbelievably, the job was FINALLY done.
About 7:00 pm I finally got a chance to start preparing the bed for plants. We hauled over 2 wheelbarrows of compost and mixed it in with the top soil of the bed. I planted shade geraniums, lamium, day lilies, catmint, asters (summer and fall versions), sundrop, forget-me-nots, and some lilies of the valley. (If I remember the others, I’ll add ‘em here later.)
Ryan topped it off with a garbage can of mulch, and we were ready to call it a day. We watered everything and headed out to eat by 9:00. What a day!
