New Grass

The grass on the south side of the house has been slowing dying over the past couple of years. It doesn’t get a lot of sun once the trees on the west side get their leaves. Maybe the sun it’s getting now will help it grow. And it’s under two evergreen trees. I knew grass seed would never stay put on the slope. One rain and it would all be a pile at the bottom. A friend had good luck with a grass mat like this and suggested I try it.

So I spent about an hour after work today digging out the big clumps that were still there so I could loosen the dirt and level it out. Once that was done I just wet it, put the mat down, and watered again.

If this works, I’m going to buy another one for more of the sad-looking area around it.

Spring Flower Cleanup

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been busy cleaning out the flower gardens.

A few yellow crocus were blooming.

I sure hope the roses perk up. They're not showing any signs of growth yet.

I got all the weeds pulled and some Preen put down. 

And then I got the fence back up to keep the rabbits out.

This garden needs a lot of weeding and thinning out, but I'm waiting for things to get bigger before I start digging.

And then the snow came two days later!

And today the daffodils are finally blooming. The tulips won't be far behind.

Time for Spring Flowers?

We have a few inches of snow on the ground, so I hadn't even thought about checking the gardens for the inital sprouts of flowers until I got a gardening newsletter yesterday.

Things are coming up a bit later than in the past two years.

Mar. 12, 2011

Feb. 17, 2012

Mar. 11, 2012

 

Mar. 8, 2013

 After looking at photos, they're about a month behind 2012. I heard on the news yesterday that a year ago, it was 74 degrees. No wonder things were sprouting in February that year.

Mar. 11, 2012

 

Mar. 8, 2013

I think it will be a while before the main garden out in the middle of the yard sees much growth. But with the rain we're supposed to get the next couple of days, most of it will melt and things will just take off.

Garden and Flower Update

I finally got my garden planted, and it was a lot of work this year. The ground has always been hard as a rock in my veggie garden, and I usually just dig a hole for each tomato plant and call it good. This year I used the garden fork to dig it and ended up with clumps the size of boulders! I used the hose to soften them and then a small garden claw to break them up....and ended up breaking the claw! Not a good start. After a couple of nights of soaking the soil, I had fairly small clumps. I then added three bags of compost and a bag of peat moss. 

I decided on four tomato plants and a few kohlrabis for my sister and me. I would like to get a cherry tomato yet. 

In the background of the garden photo, you can see my rhubarb. It died out like it would in the Fall. I only got one picking off of it and have no idea what happened.

 My clematis is absolutely beautiful this year. The coralbells and coreopsis are looking good too. This year I transplanted some of both of these to the other side of the clematis so now they'll run the length of the garage. No more $$ spent on annuals for that spot.

I got a red hydrangea from a friend and can't wait for it to bloom. I'm still looking for the perfect spot for it in my flower beds, so for now it's in a large pot.

Outdoor Lights

Over the past couple of years, the lights in the front of my house have broken one by one.  First, the top of the plastic housings broke off. Then last fall when I had my roof replaced, a couple of them got bumped and the bulbs broken off.

When I first thought about replacing them, I had no idea how low-watt lights were installed. I did some checking around and decided that it wasn't something I thought I wanted to tackle...even though I could use the existing cable.

So I tried solar lights and just wasn't happy with them. I don't think they were getting enough sunlight because of the tree cover. And it was early Spring so the trees weren't even at their fullest yet. 

Last weekend when Mom was visiting, we picked out some new ones (not plastic!) and got them installed. 

It wasn't near as hard as I thought it would be. I just dug up the old light and snapped the new lights to the cable that was already in the ground.

 They look great and give off a LOT of light.

 I moved the solar lights  to along the garage at the back of the house. They fit much better there.

One more project checked off the list!

Spring Arrived Early This Year

After the winter that wasn't, spring is here. But I'm not counting out that it might snow a couple more times. I was able to get out and clean off my flowers beds in the past couple of days. It seemed so early, but The Iowa Gardner said it was time because the new shoots were being deprived of light and air.  

We've had five days in a row of 80 degree weather so they have really taken off. In 2010 the daffodils were blooming on April 1, and in 2011 they bloomed around April 6.

The grass has really gotten green this past week. They're forecasting rain for several days this week, so I'm sure the lawn mower will be put to use soon.

Tomatoes

This year my tomatoes are finally off to a good start. I've planted them for 4 years now and this is the most that I've gotten in the space of a week (plus the 4 I've eaten). I've had enough to can a few pints in the past but never as many as I wanted.

I usually have a problem with the plants dying off before I get enough. I sure hope they continue at this pace. 

Peonies and Garden

My peonies opened up over the weekend.  They're beautiful as always, but they get so tall that it's hard to keep them upright. There's a white one that will be open in a couple more days.

 I finally got my garden planted...six tomatoes and some kohlrabis. Every year I have the goal of making it bigger....but there's always next year.

Flower Garden Border

Today I spent my time working on the flower garden. I've been wanting a border around it ever since I put it in three years ago. I didn't want to go to the work of doing it until I had the garden the size I wanted. Last fall I made it a bit bigger and decided this size was perfect. 

 I loosened all of the soil with a garden fork and then planted annuals in the new part. Eventually I want to get more perenials, but I need to make a visit to Mom's and get some cuttings of things I don't have. I'll plant some bulbs in the Fall too.

 And last but not least, I had to put the fence back up so the rabbits don't eat everything.



Flowers and Spring Work

I spent several hours outside today...almost seven to be exact. This morning I went out and bought my flowers. I hit three stores, which wasn't what I was planning, but I wasn't happy with the selection at the first two. I love flowers, but it is so easy to spend a lot of money...and I haven't even started buying for the vegetable garden. Totally worth it though.

I hadn't gotten around to cleaning up my pots last fall so I had to pull out the dead ones and even a couple straggly green ones that somehow survived winter.

 I got six pots done and the space along the side of the garage. I have a problem with critters digging in my flower pots. My mom told me to put rocks in after I get the flowers planted. Works perfect. I still need to plant a few in the garden. The front landscaping was looking a bit blah so I added a new layer of mulch.

 I also got the patio set out of the shed and cleaned it all up and put the cushions on. I sure hope the summer-like weather is finally here to stay. The deck got washed and the garage swept.

 I got a new grill cover since the last one didn't make it through the winter. Another thing that didn't get done in the fall...the grill to the garage...so the cover cracked. This new one is fabric-like so it should hold up to the weather better. I also had a couple of side tables to get cleaned up.

Everything is looking good. A few more flowers and vegetables, and I'll be set. Wish I had this much ambition every day!

I even got my first sunburn of the season.  On my way to a great tan...maybe....

Fence - White Again

Another project that needed to be done was cleaning the white fence that is on one side of my deck. I honestly never thought about cleaning it until I noticed all of the mildew on it late last Fall. It looks so much better now.

Before

After

Another thing crossed off the list...I love that feeling.

Weekend Work

This past weekend was a great one for work around the house.  The extra day off because of Memorial Day was great.  The weather couldn't have been more perfect.  I had to go back to work today just so I could rest and relax.  Hard to believe, right!!  I had been putting off cleaning out the helicopters from the gutters but since they had started to sprout up there, it was time.  I also trimmed the shrubs and put new mulch down in the front of the house.  Wow, those big bags don't go very far.  Good thing I'd made yet another trip to Menards to fill my trunk earlier in the week.

I had to re-plant my tomatoes since the rabbbits ate the first ones.  I hope they enjoyed them!  This time the entire garden has a fence around it and not just the peas, radishes, and kohlrabis.  And then after doing the regular summer things of mowing the lawn, weeding the garden, and watering the flowers, it was time to quit.