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Climbing Ladders

Category: Pianolady's Gardens | Posted: Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:14 am

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I enjoy climbing some ladders, very much. Actually I enjoy climbing trees, but since the cherry tree won't support such an endeavor, climbing into the middle of the tree to get the cherries will have to suffice. Even with the ladder, I can't reach the top 4-5' of the tree, the birds can appreciate those cherries.



Prior to today's harvest, I had 30 pounds of pitted cherries. I'm expecting another 10 pounds of pitted cherries before the end of the harvest. They are frozen for pies all winter long. :)

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Boardwalk Garden July 1, 2008

Category: Pianolady's Gardens | Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2008 2:35 pm

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A generous relative gave me some money for my birthday, so I couldn't resist the ad on the sign in front of the nursery..."Roses, buy 2, get one free". So, I spent my birthday money on a Candy Land climber, Cherry Parfait, and Perfect Moment. Two aren't in bloom at the moment, but I know they'll be lovely.

The boardwalk garden continues to fill in nicely. I still have a few blank areas, where seed just sat and rotted in the ground I guess. Will try dividing plants instead.











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Visit to Seed Savers Heritage Farm

Category: Pianolady's Gardens | Posted: Sun Jun 29, 2008 5:32 am

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We took our yearly jaunt to Decorah, Iowa, and had to stop at the Seed Savers Heritage Farm while we were there.





We only had time to run into the visitor's center, but it is just as well, as rain wasn't far behind us! I did pick up some seed though: Kiss-Me-Over-The-Garden-Gate (Polygonum orientale), Russell Lupine mix (Lupinus polyphyllus), Spider Flower mixture (Cleome Hasslerana), Love-Lies-Bleeding (Amaranthus caudatus), Prairie Lupine (Lupinus perennis), and Scarlet Magic Tassel Flower (Emilia coccinea).

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A day of two extremes, good and bad.

Category: Pianolady's Gardens | Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 3:30 am

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Today started out as a good day. We finally had a dry day that wasn't 90% humidity, and I didn't have any piano lessons today. So, it was a good day to tackle the honeysuckle I had growing on the front porch. It was not a good location for the vine. I also pruned the Weigela, and it's looking much nicer.

Three hours later, and a truck full of vine, I was finished! I was soon racing the storm clouds to get the ripe cherries off the trees, but didn't get very far. I was unable to paint the rail on the porch, due to the threat of rain. I very much like how it looks without the vine on the post (left side of photo).



Our storms came through with a vengeance, no tornadoes, but 80mph straight line winds. Fortunately, we fared ok, but two 18 year boys died when a tree fell on their car. Much of the town was without power, so we drove around trying to find a place to eat, and there is a lot of uprooted tree damage.

After the rain subsided, I went to check our drainage ditch, and my garden didn't flood, although it had come close. Unfortunately, the water did run across my driveway and flood my neighbor's vegetable garden some, but I think it will be ok. The waters really have quite a current in our drainage ditch.



Hubby was at church working at the time the storm hit, which is surrounded in glass on all 4 sides. He said it was downright terrifying, as he could see debris swirling around all sides of the church. No serious damage occurred there, just a small problem with a door opening, allowing water to come inside. It was a quick fix though, as all the floors are concrete (no carpet).

All in all, we feel fortunate not to have sustained any damage that we know of. For some reason, my pond pump fried, but I had an extra utility pump I was able to rig up to use short-term.

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June 23rd This & That

Category: Pianolady's Gardens | Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 2:27 am

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I've spent days picking and pitting cherries, and it feels like I've got many days to go. I pick about 10 pounds per day, and once pitted, end up with about 6 pounds of cherries. Luckily I have a pretty nifty cherry pitter, that works pretty well for the price.







Jackmanii continues to thrive.


Hot Cocoa is now blooming. This rose has survived several winters now. It's a winner.


Front foundation planting.


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Look it up BEFORE you go outside!

Category: Pianolady's Gardens | Posted: Sat Jun 21, 2008 12:48 am

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I've been saving seeds from various plants lately, and decided to gather seeds from my Celandine Poppies. They grow in the shade, and I have a shady area that needs covered in something other than weeds!

So, I gather up some seeds, it's hot. I rub my face, swat and kill some mosquitoes and spread my seeds across the ground. Then I decide to go in and look up my plant on the internet.

I read at Garden in the Woods, "When crushed it releases yellow sap. Native Americans used the plant as a source of dye, while Europeans used it as a laxative."

Oh oh......I turn my hands over, and sure enough, I have yellow fingers. Then I look in the mirror, and I have yellow streaks on my face, and on my arms where I hit the mosquitoes that were haunting me. Serves me right for never wearing gloves. It doesn't come off right away, 24 hours and several soapy scrubbings later, it's still there (although less obvious)!

Last edited: Sat Jun 21, 2008 2:49 am

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June 18 ...cherry picking time & walkaround

Category: Pianolady's Gardens | Posted: Thu Jun 19, 2008 1:25 am

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It's time to beat the birds and get the cherries picked off the trees. We have two cherry trees that normally ripen about two weeks apart from each other. But, this year they're going to ripen simultaneously with a bumper crop! It's going to be a busy week, but well worth it when I'm baking cherry pies in the middle of winter. We had a late freeze last year that hit the cherry trees hard, so this year's large harvest is quite a treat.

First day's pickings....



Other projects for the day included transplanting everything from the back row of the property next to the ditch. I've decided to go back to mowing that area due to the drainage ditch's flooding and weeds issues. Transplanted all the iris and stonecrop, then weed whacked all the tall grass that had sneaked up from the ditch. Now I have a 3' path between the back garden and the drainage ditch. Dh doesn't like to mow that, but too bad, he gets it back! LOL Daffodils remain, and will come up and bloom long before the grass gets going again in the spring.

A few pics from the day....

Back garden


Large Photo

Yarrow



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Revamped Website & Jackmanii

Category: Pianolady's Gardens | Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:46 pm

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I had several hours to occupy today while sitting in a waiting room for a family member (everything's fine/outpatient surgery), so I took my laptop and revamped the 2008 page of the gardening site. After all that work, here's my shameless plug for it.

My Garden Site

OK, enough of that....

I'm having so much fun training all my clematis straight then across the tops of the picket fences. Pretty soon I'll have the entire fence covered, as I ordered a couple more online this week.

Jackmanii



I think it's strange how some flowers have 6 petals, and some 4.



This blog entry has been viewed 35 times

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Maple Trees

Category: Pianolady's Gardens | Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 1:17 am

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After spending the past two weeks hoeing, digging, and pulling maple trees from the property front to back, I thought I'd never want to see another maple tree again. The last straw was picking every little maple tree out of the slats of the boardwalk one by one.

Then I went out on the deck to enjoy the shade of the backyard and quickly forgot what a pain it was (literally) to pick those maples. Some things are just worth the work.



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It's a good year for Clematis

Category: Pianolady's Gardens | Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 4:39 pm

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Hagley Hybrid & Multiblue


Hagley Hybrid from the other side of the fence


My vegetable garden is doing well also, with the exception of the beans I tried to grow in a shadier area. One bean in three rows came up! With all the rain, the seeds just sat in the ground and rotted. Luckily, the pole beans next to the trellis did grow. I'll be trying carrots, broccoli, and lettuce in that area next.

Here's my potatoes and strawberries. I realized I planted the potatoes too close together, so I'll have a bunch of baby potatoes, but that's ok. This is my first year growing potatoes.



The corn also came up just fine. If only I had more space in full sun.


I've also planted tomatoes and peppers, all of which are doing well this year.

This blog entry has been viewed 58 times

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