The 2019 Garden, Landscape, and Other Stuff Thread...

[taldesta]

Definitely try to get a person with a tractor to do the initial plowing or tilling in the field.

My little electric start for the Troy-bilt mini tiller should be here tomorrow for a store pickup. I am curious how good they work. I read that as the little tillers age, they get harder to pull start and that has been my experience with the two I have owned. Frustration builds and you eventually buy a replacement. Trying not to do that this time.

I planted six geraniums in large containers for my front porch. Have four Boston Ferns (hanging baskets) in the porch as well. Have a few more plants to get into the ground, mostly flowers. This is just the initial pass on planting. Lots more to do later $$. The azalea's have really started to bloom in my yard. It is time for the hummingbirds, but I have not seen one yet.

Long ago there was a neighbour just up the road who could be prevailed upon to mow the lower field with his tractor - I'm going to try him first. But, yes, have decided to go this route. No plans to cultivate the whole field ... just a nice band through the middle or a squared plot centred for bee balm mostly. Let the bee balm go berserk and take over the whole field in time.

With the tomatoes this year, I was going to break out the second patch of the veg garden up on the hill that I couldn't get to last spring ... so that tomatoes could enjoy a crop rotation of sorts. I will also double dig for root depth. Wondering if rotating would be necessary after only one season though.

First robin today. Grackles on the 5th. Spring has sprung. If the grackles don't glom the one successful (so far) small bird feeder on the wire, it will be a huge coup in the birdfood war. Jays won't touch it. Squirrels can't jump it.

I had to toss all my seedlings to freeze outside - nasturtiums along with pots from last summer containing a couple of geraniums and the lantana. The soil in the pots showed signs of aphids and, although the geraniums and lantana wouldn't be touched, the soil was. The nasturtiums are loved dearly by aphids.

I get what you are saying re: the corn. I half expected the seed house would be renaming the Echinaceas - "Cheyenne Spirit" and "Pow Wow Wild Berry" to better reflect sensitivities ... but not so far.


Smell the blossoms and happy mowing all ... I chipped most of the ice off the porch today

 

[22-rimfire]

I sincerely hope that you find someone to do the cultivation. If I were you and you find someone with a tractor to do the initial cultivation of the field area, I would be thinking about other areas that might need a first hit to break up the sod (like a second garden spot or one for stuff like corn). The weeds might need to be mowed down prior to the cultivation.

I'd plant a row of sunflowers too along with the Indian Corn (ornamental corn). Looked it up and it appears that the term "Indian Corn" is still used. They also called it Flint Corn because the kernels are so hard.

Yeah, yard mowing time is here and has been for a month now for me. I have a fescue yard and it really grows during these spring and fall periods where it's a bit cooler, but still generally mild. Growth slows down in the summer if it gets consistently hot. As with most things, rain fall is the key. Last year was a "just a tad" wet.... I measured 81 inches of rainfall at the house and normal is like 52 inches. And we had no hurricanes.....not that they get this far inland.

Turned on the AC yesterday (vs heat). In years past, I used to insist that the AC not be turned on until June 1st.... well, things have changed as I grow older.

 

[Shann]

Finally put out the patio chairs and pulled out the old fire pit (just a cheap metal one from HD). Had a nice fire last night. Had a couple beers. The Mastiffs running around in their newly fenced yard so I don't have to keep an eye on them every second.

Then I got up this morning, put on my winter coat and went to work. Gotta love spring weather.

 

[LEGION 12]

Tilled in some mushroom compost start planting next weekend hopefully .

 

[22-rimfire]

I used the bagged mushroom compost this year also. Even though I know it isn't as good as the bulk kind, I got it to reduce my hauling effort. 40 lb bags.... lots of sand to increase the weight. That is pretty much what bugs me about buying the bagged mushroom compost.

Picked up a couple more pepper plants today. This may do me in terms of peppers unless I find something unusual.

Legion12, your raised bed garden is so neat. Wish mine was as neat.

 

[22-rimfire]

.... I had to toss all my seedlings to freeze outside - nasturtiums along with pots from last summer containing a couple of geraniums and the lantana. The soil in the pots showed signs of aphids and, although the geraniums and lantana wouldn't be touched, the soil was. The nasturtiums are loved dearly by aphids.

This is a darn shame after so much effort has been put into them. We do what we think we have to do.

Thinking of planting another row of red beets (added > done). I have a little space and I know that I really like the young beets for dinner. They get a bit tougher as they get larger. Almost never buy them in stores. Noticed yesterday that the single row of beets I planted a week or so ago are popping out of the ground now. Springtime....new life!!

Next door neighbor is getting a new roof installed. She's only about five years late on this.... better late than never. The roofers did some patching a couple weeks ago and I suspect that effort was unsuccessful. So, I guess she dug deep and came up with the coin for the roof. Cost is about the same as installing new HVAC more or less (4-5K installed).

(Added > It was surprising how little plywood roof decking they had to replace. I'm always interested in this stuff. Looks like they will likely finish up tomorrow.)

Noticed that you're still getting some winter-like weather, but it is gradually trending north.

 

[LEGION 12]

 

[Win Heger]

What kind of grass (lawn) do people use in the desert for a yard? The picture is really nice.

I believe the grass is a mix of Fescue and Kentucky. We would probably not have this much grass if we did it again, it takes a beating in the Summer with temps over 100 for more than a month.

 

[taldesta]

This is a darn shame after so much effort has been put into them. We do what we think we have to do.

Thinking of planting another row of red beets (added > done). I have a little space and I know that I really like the young beets for dinner. They get a bit tougher as they get larger. Almost never buy them in stores. Noticed yesterday that the single row of beets I planted a week or so ago are popping out of the ground now. Springtime....new life!!

Next door neighbor is getting a new roof installed. She's only about five years late on this.... better late than never. The roofers did some patching a couple weeks ago and I suspect that effort was unsuccessful. So, I guess she dug deep and came up with the coin for the roof. Cost is about the same as installing new HVAC more or less (4-5K installed).

(Added > It was surprising how little plywood roof decking they had to replace. I'm always interested in this stuff. Looks like they will likely finish up tomorrow.)

Noticed that you're still getting some winter-like weather, but it is gradually trending north.

Yeah ... aphids! In the summer I would have the hose and a dish soap solution (perhaps Murphy's even) to mechanically handle them. Not inside just now. Easiest solution with least to lose was to toss the poor, darling aphids (which some swear are born pregnant ) outside to a frozen demise.

Not to forget that bug or any pest spray is not an option with Busby. In past, when I was caring for a parrot, I had to vacuum the mosquitoes out of the tub enclosure where they gathered. No spray - and that's fine with me.

Beets - nice.

 

[taldesta]

Sweet plantings there LEGION 12 I know you have said "soon" when thinking about spring ... when I saw pansies displayed !OUTSIDE! today, I couldn't resist.

For this pic the pansy planter is set temporarily outdoors on top of my tarped bbq ... with some open weeds showing through the snow as it melts in the background.



As for the tomato cages - pic today ... I can no longer snowshoe overtop them - in fact I've hung the shoes back up on the wall where they belong ... for summer. OK, OK - I know it's soon

 

[taldesta]

I believe the grass is a mix of Fescue and Kentucky. We would probably not have this much grass if we did it again, it takes a beating in the Summer with temps over 100 for more than a month.

Great to see desert landscape here ... beautiful!

 

[22-rimfire]

Sweet plantings there LEGION 12 I know you have said "soon" when thinking about spring ... when I saw pansies displayed !OUTSIDE! today, I couldn't resist.

For this pic the pansy planter is set temporarily outdoors on top of my tarped bbq ... with some open weeds showing through the snow as it melts in the background.

View attachment 1108033

As for the tomato cages - pic today ... I can no longer snowshoe overtop them - in fact I've hung the shoes back up on the wall where they belong ... for summer. OK, OK - I know it's soon

View attachment 1108005

Pansies at the store. Yes. Things are headed toward spring in your neck of the woods. Don't know if this big storm that is hitting South Dakota-Minnesota is going to catch you. Hope not. Seems like you've had enough snow. Pansies here are a fall > winter > spring thing and peter out with the heat of summer come about June 1st. How well they actually do in the winter months depends entirely on how cold it gets and for how long. I will say that the ones I have really look great.

I used to plant a big spread (maybe 100 plants) of pansies. But come about May 1st I am itching to replace them with summer annuals and so forth but hate to rip them out when they are essentially in their prime bloom. So, I mostly use them in containers now with a few scattered around in my beds for interest. The ones I have in the front of the one bed are an exception to my trend. I saw them really reduced in price last fall and couldn't resist. I do like some color even in the winter if I can get it.

The picture of the tomato cages is certainly telling on the slow snow melt. It is certainly a great way to track things.

 

[Win Heger]

My wife is the plant specialist in our family, she just loves playing in the yard. I did a quick walk around this AM and there are around 30 pots in the yard, with flowers, herbs and cactus. The pansies are from the Winter, they survived and have been moved to where there is a bit more shade. Not even sure what the purple flowers are.

 

[LEGION 12]

Sweet plantings there LEGION 12 I know you have said "soon" when thinking about spring ... when I saw pansies displayed !OUTSIDE! today, I couldn't resist.

For this pic the pansy planter is set temporarily outdoors on top of my tarped bbq ... with some open weeds showing through the snow as it melts in the background.

View attachment 1108033

As for the tomato cages - pic today ... I can no longer snowshoe overtop them - in fact I've hung the shoes back up on the wall where they belong ... for summer. OK, OK - I know it's soon

View attachment 1108005

I only planted a few flowers in containers in case , which I'm glad I did had to bring them in last night .

 

[JustaNick]

Last weekend I started 2 each of tomatoes, basil, sweet peppers, sunflowers, and pumpkins. One Sunflower has already sprouted.

Birds are nesting on the back porch just like every summer and the weeds are growing just fine. Allergies are back too.

 

[22-rimfire]

I had sweet basil (Italian I believe) for years in containers. Noticed that I seldom used it. I do enjoy the smell of the various herbs when you grow them.

Added: Decided to buy one sweet basil plant to place in a container this year. I guess habits are hard to break.

I noticed that about a third of the onion sets I planted didn't grow. Picked up some more and added those to the onion rows. Hopefully they will grow. I'm just about done planting the little garden vegies for the spring. I planted a hill of zuchini and yellow crooked neck squash which I believe we will use when they are big enough.

The cats pretty much obliterated the one catnip plant I planted. Got another.

JustaNick, what part of the country are you in?

 

[taldesta]

Pansies at the store. Yes. Things are headed toward spring in your neck of the woods. Don't know if this big storm that is hitting South Dakota-Minnesota is going to catch you. Hope not. Seems like you've had enough snow.

---
The picture of the tomato cages is certainly telling on the slow snow melt. It is certainly a great way to track things.

We got wind and more wind with rain ... and so the snow is going fast The sky sure looked growly and like there was quite a storm wanting to hit us ... but it just blew things away.

On the tomato cage pics ... I do a lot of the before and afters - it is grounding and very much like a journal of sorts to compare year to year.

Basil and tomatoes! Yes. And catnip

Busby's moult has been so worrying. I've been loading her up with flowering plants, sieving grapes for her medicine droppers as well because she likes to sample them, cut in halves when I place them on top of the enclosure. She just began to resist the complete food, almost as though it became physically hard for her to even take the nectar from the medicine droppers like she has done since the rescue. She has been refusing the bug dust treats that I offer her at least three times a day too.

I've been offering the complete food in open teaspoon measuring spoons as well. Yesterday I interrupted my indoor painting (stairs ... not art) to make an emergency run to town for more grapes and daffodils and hyacinths - things I hoped would at least keep her alive and hydrated. In fact I've been having to let her lick her nectar from my fingers - which she will do when in this funk. But there is no volume eating this way - not like watching bubbles travel the medicine droppers when she tanks up - 4 bubbles, good; 6 bubbles, great.

The good news is that she seems eager and hungry and is eating this morning. Buzzing around, interested in the birds outside on the feeder. Keeping my fingers crossed - she may get to go outside today in her enclosure if it warms up. She has so little time to wait for her release. Fingers and toes crossed!

 

[JustaNick]

I am in PA.

I had sweet basil (Italian I believe) for years in containers. Noticed that I seldom used it. I do enjoy the smell of the various herbs when you grow them.

Added: Decided to buy one sweet basil plant to place in a container this year. I guess habits are hard to break.

I noticed that about a third of the onion sets I planted didn't grow. Picked up some more and added those to the onion rows. Hopefully they will grow. I'm just about done planting the little garden vegies for the spring. I planted a hill of zuchini and yellow crooked neck squash which I believe we will use when they are big enough.

The cats pretty much obliterated the one catnip plant I planted. Got another.

JustaNick, what part of the country are you in?

 

[22-rimfire]

I am in PA.

Thanks. Grew up in PA.

 

[22-rimfire]

The little vegie garden. It changes daily. The white and purple flowers are Columbine (not a native variety). They spread a good bit and I have to try to control the spread. Not really what I want in a limited space vegie garden. The ladder is for the cats to climb back off the garage roof. They can climb up there from a tree (with a bit of a leap) but can't get back. Hence the ladder. Will probably move the container tomatoes to my deck later. This container size seems to work well for tomatoes. The visible green plants in the garden are various sweet peppers.

As you can see, a mini-tiller is enough for me. It would work well up to about twice this size.

Tomato cages are standing in the yard (to the back and left). I may need one, but not going to generally use them this year. Too big for the containers. Probably will stash them under my deck rather than moving them every time I mow the grass.

The green plants in the background to the left side is Solomon's Seal that has pretty much spread and filled this space. There used to be Azalea's there but they died years ago.


Added: I decided to just stand the tomato cages over bell pepper plants for the time being. Sometimes when things get a bit grown, some support might be a good thing for them. I can always remove them later. Last year, I had a bell pepper plant that was a bit shaded and it grew 5 feet tall and I supported it with a tomato cage.

I did plant a regular sized tomato plant (Big Boy variety) on one side in the garden. Not sure how it will work out room wise. I often get things too close together and the tomato is near the one hill of squash. We'll see....