Well, it is catch-up time again.
I am having a hard time trying to keep up with everything and am failing........
GARDENING
We finally got 1/2 inch of rain last night and might get a shower or two more. It was appreciated. I had just planted some very late spinach and turnip seeds. The newly set strawberries and potatoes will be happy.
I can pick lettuce for lunch today.....it is small but needs thinning. I have the bunching onions from my Oklahoma friend Ilene so wilted lettuce will be on the menu.
I have yet to plant the warm weather crops: corn, pole beans, sweet potatoes and squash.
My pepper seeds failed miserably after almost a month two little red cheese peppers came up. We were out doing MIL errands yesterday so I bought some very high-priced plants, 3 different varieties of peppers and Greek oregano. I didn't see any sage plants so will have to chase that one down. It really kills me to pay those prices for plants I can grow at home!
I have been cleaning flowers beds and the cheat grass is so thick everywhere that you have to just look directly at what is in front of you and do it.....if you look around and see the 18 inch tall grass everywhere you would be tempted to throw in the towel.
Humming Bird Bed.
We hung the feeder out the 23rd and saw our first tiny male hummer the very next day. We can't hang it on the porch (now screened in) now so it is outside the kitchen window hanging in the peach tree. I didn't get a picture of him but did catch the first female visitor yesterday.
Look closely; she is well camouflaged. Max had to point her out to me. I thought I just had a picture of the feeder.
Side note: I dropped my little Canon Powershot on the floor several days ago and the lens wouldn't come out. I tried it several days and then we picked out a slightly better Canon PowerShot. Just after ordering I thought that I should just toss the old camera and just for kicks turned it on before dropping it in the trash can. I worked perfectly! It will become Max's dedicated farm picture taking camera now. That is not a bad thing.
Back to the HB bed, I finally got it cleaned and it took several hours. It made me very happy to be done with it.
I have finally decided to buy mulch for the bed.....I have held out hating to spend money for mulch but if that is what it takes for me to keep some of my flower beds, I will do it. My Sis has been mulching for years (she has a very citified country property)We garden totally differently. I have naturalized cottage-style beds and she has mulched beds with spaces between all plants. Not my style but hers are quite beautiful and easier for her to manage with her eye sight as bad as it is.
This is taken from the south side of the bed looking north (the debris is still laying on the grass).
This is taken from the north side looking southeasterly:
This is the east end of the bed. I will be filling in the bare center with zinnias and cosmos and whatever else I can find,
New Blooms
Tradescantia in west end near bird bath in HB bed
I have lots of self-seeded Dame's Rocket (hesperis matronalis) scattered over the yard. This clump is on the garden fence border, another candidate for lots of mulch.
I have mostly white now, but I spied (amongst the cheat grass)a very dark purple one out in the front ditch. I may try to save seeds.
This clematis Nelly Moser. This is one I cut back way too far two years ago and she still hasn't reached her proper height.
This is a China rose which shouldn't be doing well in my zone. I have had it for twenty years or so. It has its own micro-climate on the south side of the well house and the west side of the outbuildings, well protected from cold winds.
A few iris are blooming,
The weigela opened up overnight,
This next picture will show you exactly the kind of gardener I am. This is where I tossed the dead poppy plants after shaking out all the seeds (I thought).
I have very few within beds so I now have a dedicated bed right in the middle of the grass. Be fun to see it in full bloom.
Random pictures
I looked out the kitchen window and was surprised. Max had seen her a few days ago on the west side of the yard.
I am having a hard time trying to keep up with everything and am failing........
GARDENING
We finally got 1/2 inch of rain last night and might get a shower or two more. It was appreciated. I had just planted some very late spinach and turnip seeds. The newly set strawberries and potatoes will be happy.
I can pick lettuce for lunch today.....it is small but needs thinning. I have the bunching onions from my Oklahoma friend Ilene so wilted lettuce will be on the menu.
I have yet to plant the warm weather crops: corn, pole beans, sweet potatoes and squash.
My pepper seeds failed miserably after almost a month two little red cheese peppers came up. We were out doing MIL errands yesterday so I bought some very high-priced plants, 3 different varieties of peppers and Greek oregano. I didn't see any sage plants so will have to chase that one down. It really kills me to pay those prices for plants I can grow at home!
I have been cleaning flowers beds and the cheat grass is so thick everywhere that you have to just look directly at what is in front of you and do it.....if you look around and see the 18 inch tall grass everywhere you would be tempted to throw in the towel.
Humming Bird Bed.
We hung the feeder out the 23rd and saw our first tiny male hummer the very next day. We can't hang it on the porch (now screened in) now so it is outside the kitchen window hanging in the peach tree. I didn't get a picture of him but did catch the first female visitor yesterday.
Look closely; she is well camouflaged. Max had to point her out to me. I thought I just had a picture of the feeder.
Side note: I dropped my little Canon Powershot on the floor several days ago and the lens wouldn't come out. I tried it several days and then we picked out a slightly better Canon PowerShot. Just after ordering I thought that I should just toss the old camera and just for kicks turned it on before dropping it in the trash can. I worked perfectly! It will become Max's dedicated farm picture taking camera now. That is not a bad thing.
Back to the HB bed, I finally got it cleaned and it took several hours. It made me very happy to be done with it.
I have finally decided to buy mulch for the bed.....I have held out hating to spend money for mulch but if that is what it takes for me to keep some of my flower beds, I will do it. My Sis has been mulching for years (she has a very citified country property)We garden totally differently. I have naturalized cottage-style beds and she has mulched beds with spaces between all plants. Not my style but hers are quite beautiful and easier for her to manage with her eye sight as bad as it is.
This is taken from the south side of the bed looking north (the debris is still laying on the grass).
This is taken from the north side looking southeasterly:
This is the east end of the bed. I will be filling in the bare center with zinnias and cosmos and whatever else I can find,
New Blooms
Tradescantia in west end near bird bath in HB bed
I have lots of self-seeded Dame's Rocket (hesperis matronalis) scattered over the yard. This clump is on the garden fence border, another candidate for lots of mulch.
I have mostly white now, but I spied (amongst the cheat grass)a very dark purple one out in the front ditch. I may try to save seeds.
This clematis Nelly Moser. This is one I cut back way too far two years ago and she still hasn't reached her proper height.
This is a China rose which shouldn't be doing well in my zone. I have had it for twenty years or so. It has its own micro-climate on the south side of the well house and the west side of the outbuildings, well protected from cold winds.
A few iris are blooming,
The weigela opened up overnight,
This next picture will show you exactly the kind of gardener I am. This is where I tossed the dead poppy plants after shaking out all the seeds (I thought).
I have very few within beds so I now have a dedicated bed right in the middle of the grass. Be fun to see it in full bloom.
Random pictures
I looked out the kitchen window and was surprised. Max had seen her a few days ago on the west side of the yard.
I don't care how many weeds you say you have, your blooms are gorgeous. And I prefer your naturalized cottage-style beds. They are beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThank you.
DeleteNice to see you posting again, Glenda. I know time can just sneak by us all these days and especially this time of year. What type of weigela is that? Is it a Chicago luster? That looks plenty tall. I want that!! LOL Haven't seen the 4 turkeys in a while. Hope they are okay. Someone bought the house by the street and has cut down all the shrubs along the fence and limbed up all the trees. There is no cover for the gobblers there anymore. *sigh* I don't much care for roses, but those Chinas are just lovely. Hope you get some more rain when you need it.
ReplyDeleteI have had the weigela so long that I don't recall the variety. I am sure I just bought one at one of the big box stores. It is very hardy; I have cut it almost to the ground and back it comes bigger than ever.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been replacing roses because of all the work involved but I have a few left that RRD didn't get. The only negative with the China is no scent.
Love all the flowers. Wish mine looked as good.
ReplyDeleteGlenda,
ReplyDeleteYou've reminded me to put out my hummingbird feeders. I thought it was a tad too cool and hadn't put them out yet. OMG, I just love all of your flowers!!!!
My potatoes and onions are doing pretty good out in the garden. I was surprised by a copperhead (baby) in my potato tires when covering some of the plants with straw.
Love all of your blooms dear Glenda and what a sweet little hummer and female turkey.
ReplyDeleteIt's all looking good to me weeds or not weedy.
Love & hugs ~ FlowerLady
Great pictures as usual! We have two hummingbirds coming regularly to the feeders, and they are enjoying the Walker's Low Catmint, too. The geese that frequent the ponds and Jay's Lake have little ones now. It's so sweet to see them walking the babies around, showing them things they need to know. I'm worried a little about how the habitat is going to be affected when that new house goes up. The realtors that bought the land between us and Jay's Lake have sold it to a young policeman. He has a wife and a boy that looks to be about ten. They've been out measuring and walking around. Hubs talked to him and they're going to put the house right on the curve, so it has a full view of the lake.
ReplyDelete