Preparing for our Memorial Day party: Finished planting the impatiens around the cherry tree, planted coreopsis and veronica, and PULLED WEEDS!
The project to plant impatiens around the cherry tree seems to have worked out pretty well, at least so far. I planted 12 New Guinea impatiens plus about 12 "regular" (smaller) impatiens around in bags of potting soil and garden soil. The first 6 impatiens went into bags of potting soil. I decided to try enriched (Miracle-Gro) garden soil for the other impatiens. Then about 2 inches of mulch over the bags and around to hide the bags themselves. The initial impatiens have caught pretty well and seem to be happy. They get some sun, but for the most part it is cool under the cherry.
I put in two yellow coreopsis plants and two purple veronicas in the perennial garden on the other side of the patio. I added a border of dianthus around the edge to give some color. There is still substantial room for additional plants. The lilies are starting to come up nicely in the garden.
Pulled weeds in the front garden and on the patio. Need to figure out a better way to weed-proof the patio. They seem to love the cracks between the bricks.
In the front, there is this grass-like week that loves to grow up between the petunias. I haven't figure out what it is, but when I pull it up, it pulls a lot of soil with it. I am going to have to replace the soil next spring and mulch much earlier. Maybe another 2 inches of mulch will help to cut down on the weeds.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Daisies and Dahlias
Sunday, I planted Shasta Daisies, Mixed Dahlias and Tall Phlox. These went into the front yard garden. I have not planted Phlox or Daisies before. Both have odd kinds of roots. They aren't bulbs, but dried roots.
The trip to the church cut into the time I had to spend on other tasks. I pulled weeds. It seems like weeds are the most durable of all perennials. Sigh.
Last year I grew Dahlias with great success. They yielded great, beautiful flowers that I cut through the summer. I need to buy some zinnias to plant now that the weather has gotten nice. Also, time for tomatoes. I have set up the Topsy-Turvy, to try a new way to grow tomatoes. The plan is to put cherry or grape tomatoes into the planters and I'll put a larger tomatoe into the topsy-turvy.
The trip to the church cut into the time I had to spend on other tasks. I pulled weeds. It seems like weeds are the most durable of all perennials. Sigh.
Last year I grew Dahlias with great success. They yielded great, beautiful flowers that I cut through the summer. I need to buy some zinnias to plant now that the weather has gotten nice. Also, time for tomatoes. I have set up the Topsy-Turvy, to try a new way to grow tomatoes. The plan is to put cherry or grape tomatoes into the planters and I'll put a larger tomatoe into the topsy-turvy.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Spring is here!
I was able to get outside today and continue to work on the front and back.
Front: I bought three flats of pansies and 10 pots of petunias. I put the petunias along the front row by the stone wall. The pansies went behind. I had to dig under the mulch. I am not sure whether they will get settled well in this soil, but the mulch has definitely cut down on some of the weeds. Unfortunately, I think that short of a total scourge, the weeds are going to be hardier than anything I might plant.
I fertilized the rose bushes and the newly planted flowers. We'll give them a week or so to see if they take. Next up is to plant the dahlias in the front. I'll mix up the ones that I pulled up from last year with the new ones that I have on order.
Back: I bought 12 1-cubic foot bags of potting soil and arranged them around the cherry tree. Then I cut a strip down the plast and pulled it apart. I put 10 impatiens into 5 of the bags. I need 2-4 more bags of potting soil and I will need about 16 more impatiens to complete encircle the tree. I covered the impatiens and the bags with mulch to cover the bags and to protect the impatiens. They were watered and fertilized. This is a big experiment. I have been wanting to put something under the cherry for a while and this was an idea that I read in one of my magazines.
I also fertiziled the hydrangeas, which are not doing well. I will pay more attention to them this year. My question is whether I should be breaking off the apparently dead branches or not. I have read somewhere that they should not be broken off, but I can't figure out good it does to keep dead branches on the bush.
My big problem spot is the rest of the back yard. It is just covered with weeds. It needs to be re-graded, new topsoil and a heavy grass or other cover to keep the weeks under control.
Next Week: My plan for next week is to plant the dahlias in front, if they arrive from Michigan Bulb. I ordered several other plants for the front, but I can't actually remember what at this point. Get the tomatoes planted and put into 4 new strawberry plants. I'd like to do something with the strawberry planters that I have, but I am not sure that I have the patience. Maybe herbs or something easy to plant.
Front: I bought three flats of pansies and 10 pots of petunias. I put the petunias along the front row by the stone wall. The pansies went behind. I had to dig under the mulch. I am not sure whether they will get settled well in this soil, but the mulch has definitely cut down on some of the weeds. Unfortunately, I think that short of a total scourge, the weeds are going to be hardier than anything I might plant.
I fertilized the rose bushes and the newly planted flowers. We'll give them a week or so to see if they take. Next up is to plant the dahlias in the front. I'll mix up the ones that I pulled up from last year with the new ones that I have on order.
Back: I bought 12 1-cubic foot bags of potting soil and arranged them around the cherry tree. Then I cut a strip down the plast and pulled it apart. I put 10 impatiens into 5 of the bags. I need 2-4 more bags of potting soil and I will need about 16 more impatiens to complete encircle the tree. I covered the impatiens and the bags with mulch to cover the bags and to protect the impatiens. They were watered and fertilized. This is a big experiment. I have been wanting to put something under the cherry for a while and this was an idea that I read in one of my magazines.
I also fertiziled the hydrangeas, which are not doing well. I will pay more attention to them this year. My question is whether I should be breaking off the apparently dead branches or not. I have read somewhere that they should not be broken off, but I can't figure out good it does to keep dead branches on the bush.
My big problem spot is the rest of the back yard. It is just covered with weeds. It needs to be re-graded, new topsoil and a heavy grass or other cover to keep the weeks under control.
Next Week: My plan for next week is to plant the dahlias in front, if they arrive from Michigan Bulb. I ordered several other plants for the front, but I can't actually remember what at this point. Get the tomatoes planted and put into 4 new strawberry plants. I'd like to do something with the strawberry planters that I have, but I am not sure that I have the patience. Maybe herbs or something easy to plant.
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