Task Rollover

1. Divide and move Daffodils after bloom
2. Divide the 'Jack Frost' Brunnera for increase
3. Get some alpine strawberries growing again
4. Try out the seed bomb idea
5. Add two additional raised beds, clean up the present ones
6. Add soil to the old raised beds of small bulbs
7. Transplant the self seeded
   Caryopteris × clandonensis

Assessment Time in Fall

There are times in the year's procession when you look back, and then look forward. New Years, January 1 is one of those times, but for the gardener, the end of the growing season is surely one as well.

My vegetable garden was a bust this year. I did not harvest even the poor crops I had growing. Even the Swiss chard which grew back strongly on its own accord went unused, although I think I could harvest some yet, for delicious addition to quiche, if I wish.

I pulled out and trimmed down the 'Cameo' chaenomeles, quince bush. I was too tired to try and replant, same goes for the Annabelle hydrangea I unceremoniously grubbed out from its space. It's crime? It was shading the lower part of my prized hinoki gracilis. I allow nothing to mess with the health and wellbeing of my hinoki cypress.

I planted some new starts of the bonfire Euphorbia where I had pulled out the quince and a huge amount of quackgrass. Because of its nature I will be fighting the quackgrass roots next year, too. But I hope the Euphorbia takes hold and protects the lily bulbs from rodent damage.

I had a poison ivy reaction for the first time in my life- due to pulling out a cartload during the heat of summer. I still have lots to pull out. Increased bird visits seem to have resulted in a number of bird disseminated plants. Everyone else here is so highly allergic so that it is my sole responsibility to get rid of the poison ivy. And it seems to love it here.

I would love to try and get some bulbs in at the last minute...and make some seed bombs during the time when work in the garden is unpleasant.

The windstorms did terrible things to my still new green house. My husband put things back together to try anew this coming year. Thanks, honey!

June Chores

If you don't weed now, the weeds will get too much of a hold. Don't let them go to seed.

After rains, the grass weeds are easiest to pull, the thistles the worst. Sunny days better for dandelion and thistle pulling and shuffle hoeing.

Notes About Last Season

I noticed my list from last year, things I hoped to get done by August 2010. Now that I am going into growing season 2011, where does my garden stand?


I had accomplished #1,2,4,5,7,10 last year. This spring I have finished #3 (although that pyracantha could use still more pruning-it was wayyyy out of hand), and #6.

1. move all the shasta daisies out of the east flower bed.✔
2. move the echinacea✔
3. severely trim back the pyracantha✔
4. divide Caramel heuchera for increase✔
5. move the Russian sage to sunnier location✔
6. take out the brick edge from the pyracantha bed✔
7. plant the Japanese maple✔
8. divide the Jack Frost brunnera for increase
9. extend the plant area beside the hot tub fence
10. cut back bugnet rose✔

Not too bad, considering how decrepit I seem to have become compared to twenty years ago when I would have barreled through all that and done more besides. Ah, how little I appreciated my youth at the time!

I created a prairie bed of sorts from the plants I relocated, although Shasta daisies and daffodils do not grow in prairies, not real ones! I guess this is like Japanese gardens most of us think of planting, we want the impressionistic atmosphere rather than adhering to the genuine components. Mine is a simple country garden, after all.

It will soon be time to make my new set of goals for this years garden.

Future Present

Finally started raining and now Ohio is inundated. Cliche about pouring rain.... anyway I really put off the garden with so much family and inside work. Oh well, there is still open ground. Going to keep the Japanese maple in the garage like I did with the lace one last year. I found the Jackpot tulips. Why do I wait until the nastiest weather to work in my garden...must be some sort of self flagellation.

This year was one of the greatest fruit production years that I've seen in all my gardening time here in my flatland rural place. And little to no Japanese beetles!

I will be making plans for the next year's garden at the beginning of 2011. I'll also be making some video for the garden journal; made some trial videos just to see how it is done.

Garden Buying

The other day I went to Lowes and came home with a bag of diatomaceous earth, Japanese maple and Black Lace elderberry shrubs, and some other assorted sale plants. Then it heated up again and I have not been working in the garden to plant them. I had just finished putting a Japanese maple held over from last year in to its Place. ( Long story summarized... couldn't figure out good place to plant and kept it in the garage over winter, outside in container over summer... now finally in the earth)

I have so much to do, but was very encouraged with help from my husband and kids in clearing out weeds .... and as a bonus cleaning out the garage. God is good to me... and my family was too!

It is so hot and dry here. I am looking forward to the more fall like temperatures that I hope are coming ( and bringing rain with them!).