Maintenance

I've rarely tried to do much weed control in the grass, but this year I'm taking action. With the new herbie I got from a friend, I've sprayed the front/side yards...getting the dandelions and creeping charlie...they are everywhere...the yard looked hill-billy-ish! Let's hope it works...

Lots of pix

Today I walked around the yard/garden and took lots of pix...see this link.

This link will remain on the side bar links as well.

Finally

As the chilly north tundra winds mellowed over the w/e (70's and 80's here), I was able to get our and plant a slew of onions in the garden! I bought them a while back, walla-walla and ?...1st attempt at this veggie...hope it's a good crop.

Then, as if on cue, the warmth turns to April showers today and it's good by me!

With the 2-3 days of 70's, the backyard crab is starting to pop leaves and then very quickly overnight last night, the pink flowers are almost here.

tempered blooms

Tempered blooms have been popping since Monday or so from the rhododendrons...purple--will snap a pic of that...
Also, over the w/e the north side hosta are popping up...not the patriot ones though.

putzing around on 4.15

Well, it was sunny, but a bit cold in the shade, but still an opportunity to get something done.
So, I:
1. raked out the violet/Lily of the Valley bed---never been done? lots of junk!
2. transplanted/moved some peonies flowers to that same bed from the fence area-new plants coming soon
3. trimmed some of the back bushes
4. prunned the roses
5. stuck the yellow daffodils in a pot in front
6. turned over some soil in an area near the fireplace...place for herbs? onions?

4.14.07--still itching

It's still not spring-like here! But I need to get going...so here's me list and things to do.

-remove the castor bean roots--done today
-relocate some of the hosta on the north side of the house to make room for the new garbage cans...1/2 done today...will wait for dryer soil conditions
-prep the new fence garden area...manure run failed to solidify...will try plan b
-prep areas under burning bushes for ivy
-review back corner for weeds and new items...needs help
-start seeds of peppers and tomatoes w/ Lauren
-let L plant the tulips, onions from last weeks purchase--maybe in better soil/weather tomorrow

--C spoke to Charlie this week about the cicada issue and new trees...should not be an issue--but will keep close tabs on the two new ones in my yard

Itching I tell ya -- ITCHING!!!

I can believe how flippin' cold it is on Holy Saturday...4/7/07---no sun, windy and about 30 degrees!!! Ahhhhhh.....I'm so itching to get my hands into some dirt.

So, to get my fix, I'm trying some new 'early-spring' plants--this will force me to expand my gardening skills well beyond my usual tomatoes, basil and assorted annuals.

So, not being much of shopper...I make the best of a cold Saturday in April...heading to Binny's for an Easter (& personal) beer run and then to the nursery--spending about $50 at each...well spent $$$.

At Binny's, I of course am sticking to my no-American-main-stream beers for the year and maybe for life! I bought the best of the best:

Spaten (De)
Fischer Amber (Fr)
Czechvar (Cz)
Pilsner Urquell (Cz)
Stella Artois (Be)

I ask the staff about the small 11.2 oz bottle of Westmalle (Be) --wanting to know if they have the larger (24 oz?) bottle that I received from Marius this week...they do sell it, but it sells out fast. The small bottle is $5.50! This stuff is like liquid gold...better be good! It's chilling as we speak...I'm thinking it will be good. Better get myself on the preferred list when that large bottle comes in...my beer tastes just got more expensive--& I've not even tried this one...but you can not go wrong w/ anything from Europe.

All right, back to gardening. Arriving at Pesche's Nursery, I quickly notice that I'm about the only shopper...personal service from the staff...all good! I know that I'm limited to some basic early-spring items, so I pick up some short sprouts of pink & lavender tulips and some yellow daffodils.

After seeing the beautiful blue hydrangeas at Church this morning, I ask the guy about them and he says he has some but that the endless summer should be coming in the next week or so...he gives me some advice on obtaining the blue color--acidic soil, but says that's not so good for the soil...well, I want BLUE, so on my next visit to Pesche's, I will pick up a plant to two and get the fixin's for acidic soil.

Got to get something into the veggie garden as well...so I ask the staff about some of the onions sprouts for sale and get some good info on the candy and walla-walla items--he notes that he's just updated the Garden Rx site about how to grow big onions!

Well, that's it for today...a bit of beer and garden shopping. If the sun is out tomorrow, it may be time to get some of the plants in the ground. Cold-spring--won't get me down!!!

PS: I bought some potting mix, thinking I'll seed-start some hot-peppers, and try tomatoes as well...we'll see how that goes.

Inspiring words...Psalm 65

6 You answer us with awesome deeds of justice, O God our savior, The hope of all the ends of the earth and of far distant islands.
7 You are robed in power, you set up the mountains by your might.
8 You still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, the tumult of the peoples.
9 Distant peoples stand in awe of your marvels; east and west you make resound with joy.
10 You visit the earth and water it, make it abundantly fertile. God's stream is filled with water; with it you supply the world with grain. Thus do you prepare the earth:
11 you drench plowed furrows, and level their ridges. With showers you keep the ground soft, blessing its young sprouts.
12 You adorn the year with your bounty; your paths drip with fruitful rain.
13 The untilled meadows also drip; the hills are robed with joy.
14 The pastures are clothed with flocks, the valleys blanketed with grain; they cheer and sing for joy.

----
As part of my OYB reading, this was a reading a few weeks ago...nice timing near the start of spring.