After 6 days of rain, it finally stopped in the late afternoon of Friday. We actually saw sun at sunset. It was a little strange. My husband was in a rush to cut the grass when he got home from work, although my daughter wanted to impress him with the dinner she'd made. (It was still good, but he ate it cold.)
On Saturday, I checked on things, but they all seemed okay. I transplanted my Mother's Day begonia, but didn't water it because more rain was predicted. It didn't rain. At all. After the six days of rain, I didn't water anything because I figured that every thing is pretty much saturated. It didn't rain on Sunday either, although the ground was wet when I woke up.
My husband thinks the grass seed we planted is actually coming up after the two days of no rain, but I think he's deluding himself. That grass seed is so wet, it's probably moldy and attracting--whatever it is that mold attracts.
My father dropped off a few tomato plants. I didn't transplant them to my beautiful raised beds yet because ... because I don't know why but I just figure I shouldn't due to my bad luck with plants.
My neighbors still haven't mowed. With their 18" grass and dandelion-infested lawn, why do I bother to pull mine up? Hope and eternal optimism, despite the black thumb (and the fact that digging holes is something I can actually do).
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Flowers
On Saturday, after moving the rest of the dirt to the bare patches in the lawn and seeding them with grass seed, we went to my daughter's school's lawn party. After watching her run through the jumpy house obstacle course 500 times (at least we bought the unlimited all-day pass), I bought some impatiens from the PTO to plant in my stone-walled bed.
They seemed really small (well, yeah, they're seedlings), so I bought 36 plants. (I'm trying to figure out just how many. .... do the math, 6 for $2. I spent $16---okay, I bought 48 plants). But, of course, you have to plant them 9" apart, therefore, I ended up with a bunch of extras. So I planted over the basil and the aster seeds that I had just planted on Friday. It's just more satisfying to see plants then wait for things to pop up.
I figured I can plant more basil & aster seeds elsewhere. But I can't because I spilled all the seeds on the way to the vegetable raised beds. Sigh.
Anyway, for the extra impatiens, I dug out some of the mulch in the front of the house (I don't think there is actually any dirt under there--I dug pretty deep and found no dirt, just mulch. It hasn't been mulched since we moved in three years ago, so, apparently mulch does not compost into dirt very quickly. Good to know).
Then--to the consternation of my husband--I started another project by digging out the grass around the the mailbox (disturbing a well-established ant hill, unfortunately) and planting the remainder of the impatiens.
However, I could have saved the trouble because my father came by 30 minutes later and would have been happy to take them off my hands. I should have saved some for him b/c he did bring me leftover lasagne from a wedding shower held at my parents' house that I probably should have attended but didn't really want to.
Since that planting spree, we've had four days of rain. I'm afraid to look because I suspect all the grass seed has washed away. Sun--just a day--would make such a difference to my mood and that of my plants!
They seemed really small (well, yeah, they're seedlings), so I bought 36 plants. (I'm trying to figure out just how many. .... do the math, 6 for $2. I spent $16---okay, I bought 48 plants). But, of course, you have to plant them 9" apart, therefore, I ended up with a bunch of extras. So I planted over the basil and the aster seeds that I had just planted on Friday. It's just more satisfying to see plants then wait for things to pop up.
I figured I can plant more basil & aster seeds elsewhere. But I can't because I spilled all the seeds on the way to the vegetable raised beds. Sigh.
Anyway, for the extra impatiens, I dug out some of the mulch in the front of the house (I don't think there is actually any dirt under there--I dug pretty deep and found no dirt, just mulch. It hasn't been mulched since we moved in three years ago, so, apparently mulch does not compost into dirt very quickly. Good to know).
Then--to the consternation of my husband--I started another project by digging out the grass around the the mailbox (disturbing a well-established ant hill, unfortunately) and planting the remainder of the impatiens.
However, I could have saved the trouble because my father came by 30 minutes later and would have been happy to take them off my hands. I should have saved some for him b/c he did bring me leftover lasagne from a wedding shower held at my parents' house that I probably should have attended but didn't really want to.
Since that planting spree, we've had four days of rain. I'm afraid to look because I suspect all the grass seed has washed away. Sun--just a day--would make such a difference to my mood and that of my plants!
Friday, May 13, 2011
A little bit about dirt
Dirt is heavy.
After I built the first raised bed and the stone garden, I went to a nursery to ask about dirt. I gave the dimensions and was told that I could spend $150 on bags or I could get a yard delivered for $70. (The bags totaled about half a yard). I didn't need that much, so I said no. I had to figure out what to do with the extra dirt. I built the second raised bed.
Today we had a yard of dirt delivered. It looked really small at first, but then I started moving it and the pile didn't really get any smaller. But the wheel barrow just kept getting heavier and heavier.
I kept knocking over parts of my beautiful stone wall, dumping the dirt. But it's better now.
I planted a few seeds. I transplanted a couple of seedlings. I like seedlings. They make me feel as if something is actually growing, although I really had nothing to do with it.
The best part of the yard right now is the lilacs are just about in bloom. I definitely had nothing to do with them. They bloom despite me and my black thumb--I call it benign neglect. Once everything is in that I want to be in, that's how I keep it going--or kill it.
After I built the first raised bed and the stone garden, I went to a nursery to ask about dirt. I gave the dimensions and was told that I could spend $150 on bags or I could get a yard delivered for $70. (The bags totaled about half a yard). I didn't need that much, so I said no. I had to figure out what to do with the extra dirt. I built the second raised bed.
Today we had a yard of dirt delivered. It looked really small at first, but then I started moving it and the pile didn't really get any smaller. But the wheel barrow just kept getting heavier and heavier.
I kept knocking over parts of my beautiful stone wall, dumping the dirt. But it's better now.
I planted a few seeds. I transplanted a couple of seedlings. I like seedlings. They make me feel as if something is actually growing, although I really had nothing to do with it.
The best part of the yard right now is the lilacs are just about in bloom. I definitely had nothing to do with them. They bloom despite me and my black thumb--I call it benign neglect. Once everything is in that I want to be in, that's how I keep it going--or kill it.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Berries
Trying my hand at berries this year. I spent a lot of money on blueberry and black berry bushes. And you can't buy just one--blueberries need at least 2, preferably 3 different varieties to thrive and produce good berries. Although my favorites are wild blueberries, apparently you cannot actually buy wild blueberry bushes.
I wonder if I could transplant some.....but once you put them in your yard, do they become tame?
I dug a lot of holes this weekend. Rocks, rocks, rocks!!!!
I wonder if I could transplant some.....but once you put them in your yard, do they become tame?
I dug a lot of holes this weekend. Rocks, rocks, rocks!!!!
Friday, May 6, 2011
A Floral Mystery
I was walking by my house yesterday and a flash of color caught my eye. I (we) have a tulip that I've never seen before. As black as my thumb is, I do know that tulips don't just appear from accidentally dropped pollen--someone has to plant a bulb. I don't recall planting a tulip bulb. We've lived here almost three years and I have never seen a tulip over there before.
Yes, it is on the side of the house I don't look at much (it's the north side), but it's between the rose bush and the lilac bush, so I think I would have noticed it. It's truly a mystery (and had I been at all religious, I might even say miraculous, but I won't).
Yesterday, I also completed my second raised bed (well, I guess it's my third, if we count the lovely rock construction). I built this one with wood I found in the garage. I suppose I should be concerned because I'm not sure if the wood is treated, but it didn't seem as if it were.
At my husband's suggestion, I made the corner pieces longer than the box so that I could sink them in the ground and give it a little support. I used to like digging holes, but trying to dig holes in just the right places--now that is a pain.
I've started pulling up some of the grass and stuff inside the boxes so that they'll be ready for dirt. But it's an emotional trauma now because we just planted the grass last summer, spending long hours watering and fertilizing (organic and child-safe only). It doesn't come up easily, despite its youth.
Yes, it is on the side of the house I don't look at much (it's the north side), but it's between the rose bush and the lilac bush, so I think I would have noticed it. It's truly a mystery (and had I been at all religious, I might even say miraculous, but I won't).
Yesterday, I also completed my second raised bed (well, I guess it's my third, if we count the lovely rock construction). I built this one with wood I found in the garage. I suppose I should be concerned because I'm not sure if the wood is treated, but it didn't seem as if it were.
At my husband's suggestion, I made the corner pieces longer than the box so that I could sink them in the ground and give it a little support. I used to like digging holes, but trying to dig holes in just the right places--now that is a pain.
I've started pulling up some of the grass and stuff inside the boxes so that they'll be ready for dirt. But it's an emotional trauma now because we just planted the grass last summer, spending long hours watering and fertilizing (organic and child-safe only). It doesn't come up easily, despite its youth.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Eternal Optimist
About a month ago, I planted some bulbs--freesia and something else, but does it really matter? I've been faithfully watering them ("water frequently in spring" the directions said), but I've got NOTHING, NIL, NADA, ZERO. Not even one sprout. Okay, we may have had one very light & quick to melt snow storm since then, but the ground didn't freeze!
When I was pulling up some weeds, I did find a half-chewed bulb, so it's possible that they have all been eaten by chipmunks (although I saw no evidence of things being dug up). However, it's also possible that the quality of bulbs you buy from the PTO is questionable.
I will continue watering with hope and optimism.
When I was pulling up some weeds, I did find a half-chewed bulb, so it's possible that they have all been eaten by chipmunks (although I saw no evidence of things being dug up). However, it's also possible that the quality of bulbs you buy from the PTO is questionable.
I will continue watering with hope and optimism.
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Lost Weekend
This past weekend was the most beautiful one so far this year--a great time to plant or putter or generally admire things dying in my garden.
Unfortunately, I had to spend Saturday driving to Connecticut for a niece's birthday and Sunday driving to Maine for a baby shower. Grrr to family obligations. Why couldn't it have rained?
Today I built a raised bed for something, but it looks very small. I think I will have to dig deep before I even put the dirt in. I also found a 1X12X12, so maybe I'll make a deeper raised bed tomorrow in the rain.
Unfortunately, I had to spend Saturday driving to Connecticut for a niece's birthday and Sunday driving to Maine for a baby shower. Grrr to family obligations. Why couldn't it have rained?
Today I built a raised bed for something, but it looks very small. I think I will have to dig deep before I even put the dirt in. I also found a 1X12X12, so maybe I'll make a deeper raised bed tomorrow in the rain.
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