Slow But Sure ...

 Progress is very slow in a large yard like I have.  Looking at it, and the things I need to do just to maintain it can be overwhelming.  But I know how these things go and that it is truly daily progress which gets you to your goal.  My goal is to have a neat and tidy yard, one that is beautiful to look at and with good energy to sit in.  I want it to feel good as well as look good and I have my work cut out for me.   Today is Saturday and yesterday I accomplished more tasks in the garden although if you looked at the patio it looks like a huge mess and in actuality, it is a huge mess.  In the morning, in addition to watering, etc., I continued to work on the wheeler dwarf shrubs.  I ended up taking one shrub all the way to the base.  I hadn't intended to do that but the way it grew out it was the only thing I could do once I started pruning it.  Today I plan to clean it up so new growth will look good (hopefully).  I didn't take a before picture but I'm sure I have some pics of that area that I can find to show before and after.  Today I will take some pics of the yard in general so I will have before and after shots.  I always like to look at those.  So the morning's work took just an hour and in the evening I decided to work on the patio to clean up my succulent table.  My gosh was that a big big mess.  As I started removing stuff I realized that I had used that table as a throw all and there was a lot of trash like items on the table.  Everything is on the patio table now and today I will go through each item to decide what to do.  Some of the succulents just need to be restarted as they have grown in wieldly ways.  My Friday work though did bring up to 4.5 hours which means I need to work 5.5 hours this weekend to get my 10 hour total for the week.  That is definitely doable, especially since I want to clean up the patio and that is a big job.  

Thursday, August 12, 2021

 It has been a long time since I posted here in my garden workbook.  Given this past year, and the fact that I am looking for things to do, I think I will resurrect this little blog to track my garden activities.  I have been working in the garden throughout this period although I have not logged or tracked any of the things I have done.  With Mor's passing in June, I am at a crossroads and in a way I am finding out who I am without him.  I have always been a gardener with Mor and now without Mor.  He enjoyed my gardening results and we often joked about his gardener which was me!  Anyway, as I look ahead I would like to spend a minimum of 10 hours a week in my yard.  I may go above that period but I really want to spend at least the 10 hours.  That would include watering and general clean up activities in addition to any projects I might work on.  I took that approach this morning as I belabored what I would do today.  I really just wanted to sit but I knew getting up and working on something would make me feel better and in fact, it did just that.  I started at 9:50 and worked until 11:00 so I got a little over 2 hours today.  I did the basics and mowed the front and back yards, edged, swept, and used the blower to do general cleanup.  I did a bit of weeding in the front - I had those pesky little weeds.  I also hosed down the front to try to maintain it as I had it done professionally last month.  Keeping the dust, cobwebs, and spiders off it a full time job almost but it does look good.  I really am considering painting it.  I also did major trimming to one of the dwarf wheeler plants and will continue to do that this month.  I overfilled a trash can which actually filled the green waste container by 3/4 which is a pretty good result.  No pictures today but I feel satisfied with the work that was done and may do more today - just not sure yet.  If I do, I'll update today's post.

Update:  I did an hour more in the garden with some more cleanup of the dwarf wheeler shrubs.  There is something very satisfying in working with those shrubs.  So I actually spent 3 hours in the garden today.

Summer 2018 is here!

Summer is most definitely here.  The temperature today is supposed to rise to a hot, hot, hot 107 degrees!  That is hot.  This morning I made sure everything has plenty of water to withstand this super hot day.

Feeding:  Last night I fed the gardenias, azaleas, and hydrangea with a speciality fertilizer.  Today I fed the flowering plants with an organic flowering boost fertilizer.  I will feed again in two weeks.

Repotting:  Yesterday I separated the outside orchid and split it into three separate plants.  I repotted with fresh orchid bark and one of the plants I set out amongst the shrubs in a container to see how it will do.

Gifting:  I am also looking for pots to use as a gift pot for the jade plant I'm planning on giving to Gena.  I also have one small pot I've added three succulents  to as a gift for Barbara Bagley.  I will need to deliver that one soon.

Overall the yard remains satisfying and looks pretty good.  I'm still working on tidying up the dwarf wheeler shrubs which get big and keeping the birch trees looking good.

Seasons are changing ...

The mornings have been cooler (cold in my opinion) although the days have still been somewhat warm.  My little lemon tree is looking good and I spotted some potential blossoms (potential fruit too)!  The color on my porch is mostly pinks and purples and I'm getting ready to transition to fall colors with yellows, purples, and perhaps some oranges.  I need to make a trip to the nursery.

A gift from the garden!

So for Kara's birthday this year I decided to make her a succulent bowl.  I picked up a nice ceramic bowl from In-Season Store and used succulents I had grown.  I made a good succulent potting mix and purchased some small rocks from Lowes and started the project.  I finished it 2 weeks before her birthday (October 6) to be sure it had settled and everything was growing!

Still healthy two weeks after planting!

This was the birthday card made for Kara from pictures of my succulents!

Fall 2017

I have done so much in my garden this past year and I regret that I didn't document any of it in my garden blog.  It has been a year of falling in love with succulents, tending my front porch plants so that they really look good, and starting new plants from existing ones.

The two pictures below are an example of starting a new plant from an exiting plant.  I'm so impressed that the new baby plant has really taken off.  This month I will start several more plants from Big Mama and bring at least one inside for the winter.

Big Mama has done so well this season and reminds us of
Dan Martin as he gave Mor this as a starter.

This is a new plant I started off of Big Mama

My front porch has been filled with flowers this year and after a rocky start, I bought some bloom fertilizer and was really surpised, and impressed, at how well it worked.  The plants have done exceptionally well since the spring.  At some point I will put in new perenials for the winter months, maybe pansies for some winter color.

Close up of flower pots

Close up of flower pots

Front Porch

Basket with ivy, inpatients, and coleus.  

Back yard patio plants

My beautiful coleus - so easy to grow

Memorial Azalea tree for my mom - it has been 4 years
 and it is a beautiful plant just coming into bloom

My Avocado Tree!

I'm in love with succulents

My work table with plants and starters

The tall spindly succulent was a gift for my birthday
 and it has grown threefold since July!

Watering ...

Today on my MoMo app (a checklist of household chores) a task for checking my potted plants moisture level and watering if necessary came up.  I got out my trusty water meter and checked the outside plants as well as the indoor plants.  In most cases, I could tell my looking at the plant whether it needed more water but the moisture reader is a welcome addition to my gardening tools as it is a confirmation.  Most of my plants tested "wet" which means they are well hydrated and don't need more water.  I think I probably have a tendency to overwater which hasn't gotten me into too much trouble but it certainly can.  The porch plants all tested wet and with the weather cooling off, I don't think they will need daily watering and the moisture meter will be a needed tool to be sure they are getting enough but not too much.

I also tested out all of the house plants which are all hydrated except for one and I'll give that one a little drink.  When all else fails, I give all my indoor plants a little drink at least once a week, but I'm thinking that in most cases once every two weeks is probably good enough.  Once we begin using the heater I will need to check weekly though to be sure they do not dry out because of the indoor heat.

It is a beautiful day here on this first day of October.  In the mid-70's, with sunshine and a fall freshness that is inspiring.