Trees, bushes, vines and more!

Category: Yard work! | Posted: Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:51 am

Last year we moved down the hill to a smaller place. It was carved out of land that had trees, bushes, brush and lots of weeds. I spent most of last summer and fall chopping down brush, digging up roots and generally trying to make a front and backyard. I had a few health problems that slowed things down but I worked on it whenever I could get out and do it. I didn't plant much at all.
I did get 10 Blaze Climbing Roses planted along the fence line with the house next door. They didn't do very well because we didn't have an outside water line and they didn't get watered as much as they should have. Last fall, I planted five small crepe myrtle trees that I bought at a yard sale. The man said take them home and plant them. They looked like dry sticks. But, I planted them. Today I was digging out grass and weeds that grew around them. Grass and weeds will grow when nothing else does. I noticed that three out of the five are getting green buds and leaves. I'm hoping the other two will have some tomorrow. I mulched around them today. A friend gave me a rose bush. He didn't know what kind it is but I planted it along the fence with the others. I don't think it is a climber though. The climbing rose bushes are doing very well this spring. I fed them Miracle Gro and have been keeping them watered. In December I planted daffidols, iris and freesia. The daffidols are getting flower buds. The iris that Toni sent are getting flower buds. The other iris are growing steadily. The freesia must be a later flower because the largest are only about three inches and I see they are still coming out of the ground. Today, I mixed alyssum, dwarf marigolds and dwarf zinnias and sprinkled the seed in the flower bed with the freesia and daffidols. I'm hoping they will fill in the spaces when the bulbs die back.
I dug along one fence today to plant morning glories. I will dig along more fence tomorrow. I need to put the seeds to soak before I go to bed. They germinate better if you soak the seeds before you plant them. I nicked nastursium seeds today and put them to soak. I'm not sure where I'm going to put them but I'm thinking along the fence between the rose bushes. I planted four lilac bushes in the front yard last week and two bleeding heart bushes in large pots. Then, I planted two purple leaf honeysuckles along the fence line fence in the front yard and a confederate jasmine on the fenceline between the house and the rose bushes. I'm thinking I may have to put some morning glories along the fence between the honeysuckle and the jasmine to fill in that space at the end of the house.
We bought four small trees at the plant sale, The two dogwood trees are growing and have lots of little leaves. We put them in buckets because they were so small but we may have to put them into the ground before long. The two little plum trees are just straight sticks but I notice little buds on them. They will probably stay in the buckets until fall or maybe spring next year.
Today, I bought basil, oregano and thyme seeds when I went to WalMart for mulch and potting soil. I planted them in the cassette tape cases that I got when the library lady was throwing them out. I'll let them grow in the cases until they get too big for them. I need to put my other herbs into bigger pots. I have a tub of mixed lettuce/greens, a tub of spinach, a tub of kale and a tub of swiss chard. I have lots of little foam cups filled with potting soil that I haven't planted yet. We bought black plastic to put in the small area designated as the "garden." It's not down yet. It's been too windy to do that since we bought the plastic. I planted a row of pole beans along side of the back deck. I will need to put some string down from the fence on the deck for them to grab onto. So, I have things started this spring. The front yard is still full of roots and some brush and some scrubby trees that I need to cut. I bought some wildflower for shade seeds. I want to put them under the trees that we are leaving. There are still some brush piles that need burning but it's too dry to burn and there is a burn ban. It doesn't stop everyone from getting out and burning but it does help. The other day the air was full of smoke and it was hanging at tree top level. The news said it was from a fire about forty miles from us. The wind was blowing the smoke. It was a wildfire that got out of control.
I'll be back outside every nice day that I can until I have what I think of as a yard.
dooley

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Sjoerd wrote on Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:11 am:

This was a good posting Dooley. You have done so much and are doing even MORE!
That place of yours is getting to be pretty nice, thanks to so much pure elbow grease on your and DR's part. You are getting there.

Reading about what all you have done and your plans for the future fill me with admiration for you and your man.

glendann wrote on Fri Mar 18, 2011 6:50 pm:

Laura be careful I don't want to be sending you get well cards. i would be missingyour beautieful morning glories like you had last year.I want to see your picturesI hope you take a picture of Bitsy my baby goat Tammy and Howard gave me from the triplets.

glendann wrote on Fri Mar 18, 2011 7:09 pm:

I am doing great andgetting around ok.

glendann wrote on Wed Jan 18, 2012 1:36 am:

It sounds like you have lots growing Laura.I guess I'll be home maybe to see it all growing.Just don't over do it Please.I'm looking forward to seeing you two and Chance soon.