prairiefeather's Blog at GardenStew.com

fixing stuff

prairiefeather — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 23:53:39 -0400

Author: prairiefeather
Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 3:53 am (GMT 0)

Not much garden related to tell. I do still have the two pumpkin plants. Now that it's finally decided to rain around here and be cooler, they might make it.
Oh, and sadly my digital camera has ceased to take pictures. Its an older Elph. Can't afford a new one at the moment, so when I can I'll use the old tried and true instant camera for a pic. I'm way to impatient for developing pictures, though. Even hour developing is just too long! I'm spoiled and I love digital photography! What can I say? Take the pic and see it! I love that.
Several projects I've worked on, and am about to do.
Started a new fish tank. The old one was acrylic and looked to be fracturing all over. So I went for the reliable glass and got a larger one. Its turned out great and I intend to start expermenting with aquarium plantings once I get myself caught up in other things.
Other things.. painting the house. I decided on a deep green olive color. Next week we're getting to that. The Mr. is home that week and it's our mission to get that and caulk all those offensive drafty spots. I cannot wait! If you saw in one of my first entries, my house is like a pale shrimp pink. Its really, really awful. Also, I figure that after we're done tromping around the place with ladders and paint, that I can feel free to plant some shrubs around the foundation. Haven't quite made up my mind what kind.
Boring stuff... Trying to find a night job. I watch my son all day, and night is really the only convenient time to work. Unfortunately, there's not much to choose from. I'll probably end up as a checker somewhere. I'd really like something more interesting, but everything's taken apparently.
I have windows I need to replace and that takes some cash.

praying mantis

prairiefeather — Thu, 10 Aug 2006 22:52:12 -0400

Author: prairiefeather
Posted: Fri Aug 11, 2006 2:52 am (GMT 0)

Maybe not the best photo, but this was creeping about whats left of the silverado sage out front. When I was watering I noticed it move, and it was enjoying this big water droplet and smoothed it across its buggy head like a cat cleaning its face with a paw. That's something I wish I had on viedo.

It's still wearing a bead of water.

pumpkin sprouts and new bed pics

prairiefeather — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 02:30:23 -0400

Author: prairiefeather
Posted: Tue Aug 08, 2006 6:30 am (GMT 0)

Ok, here are my little survivors. We actually got rain today. It was so foreign I just stared out the window for a really long time.

Here is the beginning of my new bed at the back of the house. The stones are actually markers for two deceased furry friends who I could go on and on about. I thought this spot was a nice place to start and to make it special. I went and bought a couple of caladiums because I had near killed the bulbs I had started, they are the teensy ones in the front row. Theres a really pretty salvia in there too, that had the tiniest green on it. Yet another that barely made the heat. I hope they all fare better in the back.

thrifty pumpkin sprout

prairiefeather — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 01:59:42 -0400

Author: prairiefeather
Posted: Mon Aug 07, 2006 5:59 am (GMT 0)

My computer is finally back up today, I had changed some rooms around and hadnt gotten it set back up. Went to IKEA *kicks self*. How dare they make things they know I need! actually need! I had to get a tv table and a shelf. They had 'em even cheaper and nicer than places I would think would have such items. Um, yes so my problem with that place is that when you have the barest of furnishings and I'm a confessed thrift store furniture junkie, you can find stuff that looks great and can go with your thrifty finds. Woot!

OK, this is supposed to be gardening. I planted pumpkins, and hot diggity if two seedings didnt pop up this morning. I thought the few fall things planted had baked or boiled in the soil and these managed to come up. I've been watering carefully, I guess something lived! I'm not sure which kind of pumpkin it is, I dried seeds from last years jack-o-lantern fun. It was a big one though.
I also planted some caladiums in the back yard last week. I've begun a bed along the back wall of my house. I used posts that were originally part of the pole barn I live in. I think it's a good recycle.

native plantings info

prairiefeather — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 15:17:58 -0400

Author: prairiefeather
Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 7:17 pm (GMT 0)

I ran across this site and thought I'd post for anyone who is interested in Native American grasses for lawns or fields. [url]http://www.seedsource.com/ [/url] I found a lot of interesting seeds and books there.
For those on thee look out for drought tolerant or at least more hardy grasses, the native grasses require less water and some are short enough to need little mowing. I'm going to give the buffalograss and blue grama grass mix a try in the spring. and follow their recommendation of Cereal Rye grass in the fall to nourish the soil. I'm so enthused about this idea I cant wait for fall now. Well, with it being so hot I cant wait anyway. hehe!

I've been busy with trying to put up a semi permanent fence and now its so hot , some of it has to wait.

I've used 4x4's and 1x4's sandwiching 4ft wire fencing. I intend to add rails and then maybe add pickets. Haven't quite decided. I'm doing this on the cheap for now and was inspired by the fencing wire that the previous owner took down and left. I'm frustrated because I still lack gates, so I cant just let my dog walk out the door. :{ I have a dog that just runs when he gets loose.
Next non-100F day is gate building day.
Hmm that could be a week or two!

...and I begin with a sphinx moth

prairiefeather — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 03:25:13 -0400

Author: prairiefeather
Posted: Mon Jun 26, 2006 7:25 am (GMT 0)

Well, I thought I'd give bugs I see their own little space. This seems like a good place to keep track of my bugs. This one was on my porch this eve. I'm a pretty big fan of moths.
When I was little my mother used to bring in the caterpillars and we'd feed them, and then let the moths loose when they hatched. I sadly dont have enough time to keep an eye on them or I'll collect caterpillars again too.

yucca

prairiefeather — Sat, 24 Jun 2006 23:35:49 -0400

Author: prairiefeather
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2006 3:35 am (GMT 0)

Well, today the helpful hubby removed a yucca from the back yard. It had evil spines which I impaled my finger on one day. It made a horriblble icky bruise where it punctured a vein or something. It REALLY hurt. So, from that day I knew that plant didnt belong in a yard with my toddler or any other child frolicing about that might run into it. So, it was dug up leaving the back yard empty.
The previous owners werent much into plants, they did however leave the tag from the nursery on it so I now know its a spanish bayonet yucca.
Right, so maybe there was a little carnage, husband digging and the brandishing of the axe over this poorly thought out single planting right up next to the house.
I never like to remove plants, I feel guilty. There was a surprise though underneath, the yucca had over a dozen new shoots or suckers. I took those and am going to plant them either as a barrier or just ornamental here and there in the beds I'm considering.
I've been thinking of doing a cactus bed. Since we are in a drought, what a great idea to work on! Assorted yuccas mixed with prickly pear maybe?
I'm not sure what other varieties there are, suggestions are welcome!
Which reminds me, I have a recovering orchid or night blooming cactus I've dragged around in a pot through 3 residences. Its almost like an arm, I've taken that plant everywhere, I cant live without it. ;} It might do alright here in the ground with a little blanket on the handful of freezing weather days.

Ack I left my camera downstairs. I'll add the pics of my little yucca buds later. :}

*edited to add pics :] *
here"s the only pic I ever took of the back yard before the removal, theres the mean 'ol plant in the bottom left.

here is the collection of lil suckers.

and here, a better look at the green shoots.

the blank canvas

prairiefeather — Thu, 22 Jun 2006 00:31:34 -0400

Author: prairiefeather
Posted: Thu Jun 22, 2006 4:31 am (GMT 0)

Lets see, I'll begin with a description of my playground. I have 3 acres that were neglected for maybe 5 years before I got it. Theres a pasture in the back which hasnt been turned or planted in the same number of years. The neighbor's horses like to wander in it, and I dont mind since I'm not growing anything there... yet. Last summer and in the early spring it had a lot of pretty wildflowers, verbena, beebalm, pincushion, all sorts of blanket flowers and mexican hats. Theres plenty of thistle back there too.
Theres a brief wooded area between the pasture and my house and it has a lot of hackberry trees, hawthorne of some kind, a few of those thorny acacias, cedar, osage orange, and a few differnt oaks. Tucked and woven into a row of trees and shrub is some honeysuckle, which would be doing better if we had rain.
Theres a little road that runs from the pasture through the wooded part and snakes around to the back of the side yard. This is where it becomes immediately barren and boring. Theres the shadey back yard which is nice, but the whole rest of the yard around and in front of the house is dead grass mostly.
I do have a peach, a red plum, and a continuously fruiting pear tree. These are on the side and corner of the house The pear has been the only tree thats managed to start anything worthy of eating. (yay! its my favorite) The windy storminess we had after everything began to bud this spring knocked off most of the blooms, so not much fruit.

Here's the blank canvas.

(and yes, my house is like a shrimp pink which shall soon be remedied. I'm counting the days! ) Yeah, so its pretty naked as far as any kind of landscaping. This was taken in December so if you add green to the trees it looks mostly the same. Did I say boring? Yep, its boring... and what a challenge! :} It's actually been good that there's nothing, because I havent had to think twice about what I'm planning or work around pre-existing things much at all.
It the front of the house there is one small bed. Its what I did right after moving there. There had to be something pretty. Theres an overgrown silverado sage, which I surrounded with yarrow and dusty miller, a russian sage and a rosemary. Theres a yucca in there too but its too shadey, gotta move it.
I have a sea holly I'm trying again, I tried some from seeds and it never worked, this was a root, so I hope something will come of it. I think its too much in the shade also.
This is part of my flower bed by the front door.
It became an experiment of what could grow there and without much water. This was mostly because I have a toddler and I can barely remember my name most days, watering isnt at the top of my things to do list. hehe ;}. My yarrow has since bloomed a pretty yellow. I love that stuff.