What have you done today in the Garden?

@Doghouse Riley , I do not know how mimosas do where you are, but here they are very invasive and many have only bad things to say about them. The flowers are lovely and hummingbirds love them, but they make millions of seeds. Yours already has 3 times the root/s of what is above ground. The roots curve above ground also, as well as go very deep. They get gigantic. I have many--they were here when I moved here, and they are difficult to kill.

January 12, 2019, we had a severe ice storm, and it took out the giant mimosa by the back of my house. It hit part of the house. When it fell, it had 6 or 7 large trunks, at least 3 fell against my house, 1 damaged the trellis for my roses, and 1 landed on my roof over where my bed was inside. I can share a photo. (my house is over 100 years old, so pardon the looks) We had heavy damages in that storm, but thankfully good neighbors and friends helped to clean up all the mess. When I was checking my horse and her fence, many large limbs crashed where I had been a few seconds before. Also, I witnessed several limbs on an elm by the lines that come into my house bend backward and crash down. I believe angels did that, they should have taken the power line down. That black thing in the middle of the tree is/was a dog house that was over on the left of the tree. I am trying to get to my photos on FB, but the internet is not cooperating. The one in my computer is too large. I will try to get that photo here tomorrow.

A friend gave me a large cherry tomato plant this evening. He has a lot of extras, his went to seed last fall I guess? A piece broke off, so I will try to make clones of it. Robbie (of Robbie and Gary on you tube) clones some of her tomatoes. I have it in water for tonight, but I cannot put it in the kitchen window, the cats would kill it. I am looking up the video, so I know how to do it better. There are LOTS of videos about cloning tomatoes on you tube. Look it up.

I wrote the above last evening, but my internet was not behaving and I could not post it, nor could I get the photo/s until this morning (Thursday)


This tree was here when I moved here back in the 1980s. I had tried multiple times to have it cut down since it was a danger to my home. I had massive damages from this ice storm (and many other storms). It was very beautiful. The roots are constantly sending up new growth. Thankfully, my home was spared, and the dogs were sleeping indoors. That is my new bedroom in the background. Here is a second view of the same tree.



Mimosas normally have multiple trunks in all different directions. It took awhile to clean up all the mess as usual.

 

That tree crash happened just after 5:30 am, and I was asleep and did not hear it, though I dreamed something about a crash. My son came banging on my bedroom door to see if I was okay, because he thought it had come through the roof. I got up to check on my horse and other damages...

 

I have to get off of here, and finish the aprons I started for my Mother. She wants some aprons, so I am making her some. I looked at a lot of pictures on Pinterest for vintage aprons, and am just winging it.

I did water this morning, and pull some more of that American bittersweet which is also highly invasive. Also, trumpet vines are highly invasive here.

My new tomato plant is potted, and setting outdoors with my other tomatoes.

The new little kittens are running amok. They are 4 1/2 weeks old now, and I put them in the laundry room for potty training, and they seem to have the right idea. They are beginning to eat regular food, so I hope they will be weaned in time for their mom to get spayed next month. My neighbor will adopt at least 1 of them.

If I get those aprons finished, I want to mow the yard, and I HOPE that string for my trimmer will arrive today! There is a lot of trim work to do and redo. The house needs some cleaning too...

I did get a brush pile burned yesterday. Maybe I can do the trash pile, I hope.

 

AAnightowl that is a huge mimosa that passed out during a storm. . It was very close to your home. A scary experience and a lot to clear out. Glad to hear no one was injured or serious damage to your home.

Mimosa trees are invasive in some areas around the country . In other areas here in PNW mimosa trees Albizia julibrissin are not. Yet they reseed everywhere in the southeastern regions referred to as an ‘Exotic Pest Plant.’
And the same with trumpet vines not invasive here either. They are fast growing if I can keep the deer from eating them. I built a huge pergola for them and it was a nice touch with yellow and orange trumpet blooms in summers. But the older I get the harder it is to manage and the same for the wisterias.

I have a couple mimosas I planted a few years ago they don’t do much or even grow out leaves till late June or early July. I had trimmed off several trunks when they were young trees down to one main truck. When they are in flower in July they are quite a beautiful sight with dainty fern like leaves. Then by November they loose their leaves. So in a way they are a bit of a flash in a pan . They leaf out , then bloom out , then… boom…just like that… gone in 4 months back to a bare tree. The seed heads don’t reseed due to the colder climate in this region.

It’s amazing how calm horses are when storms pop up. And very nice that your horse was ok. It’s dangerous to be out during a storm and I certainly understand why you went to check on your horse. Most people who don’t have horses don’t understand the bond between horse and owner. Until one has experienced that horse bond it’s hard to explain. I trusted my life with riding my horses up and down the mountains in Oregon and endourance racing thruout a long career in racing. They were very dependable steady steeds-well trained and with a strong sense of purpose.

Your apron sewing sounds wonderful. Sewing has been something for me to admire from afar when others can take fabric, cut and sew into a form always amazes me. I never could quite get the task down. It would be lovely to see your apron creations.

I haven’t burned my debrie pile in years it breaks down on its own and plants grow thru the logs and the smaller yard debris turns into black soil nice for potting up plants. It’s sort of a ‘Bloomin’ island of its own. I don’t like to smoke up the area and I hate it when the neighbors burn it all blow in my direction and stinks terribly and hard to breathe. I have to stay inside and block the roof vents inside my home . It’s a bothersome solution even on a slightly windy day.

Jiminy Crickets you certainly have your hands full with kittens.

 

The mimosa trees are beautiful, but this was too close to my house. I had to have some others cut down, they were in the power lines/too close to the house. But there are many more mimosa and other trees, and I am glad for all of the trees. Good neighbors and friends are a blessing. The mimosa that came down in this picture is trying to regrow many trunks. I would not think they would survive so far north as you are @Pacnorwest

I did do a lot of mowing today, and worked on the aprons. I will take pictures when they are done, and post them. I think one more day maybe? One is done; the other two are close, but I had other things I needed to do before bedtime...

 

Planted out some snapdragons, Californian poppies, corn chamomile and corn marigolds, that'll be all of the planting out for the summer.
Looked on the jparker website and i can put a pre order for the spring bulbs to come for the end of August.

 

Job done!

I got it mounted before the rain this morning. At 84, I didn't fancy clambering around up there if the roof was wet. What I was looking for, was a bit of "enhancement, " not to make a statement. This after all is really just a glorified old shed.













Some golfers might say, this construction included what would be the best use of Pro V1 golf balls.

 

Nothing else today it's raining and very heavy.

 

Better not tell the missus you’ve been up the ladder again, mate.

Nice touch though.

 

Cleaned up some of the tulip bulbs that i dug up. Late autumn I'll plant the biggest ones with the ones that I've ordered and pot up the middle sized ones in pots so that i can see what will flower.not sure about the very small ones.

 

Logan your tulips now after cleaning look brand new. Nice job.

I was out on pasture patrol harassing the gophers and moles early this morning. Set two more traps .

While spraying the pastures the weed sprayer all of a sudden exploded , after saying a few choice words, I decided to call it a day. Never had that happen before.

Yesterday I cleaned out an area 35’x10’ where the wild blackberry (rubis ursinus) had its tentacles weaving thruout a couple shrubs and meandering along thru several nearby trees. It always amazes me how fast those wild blackberry’s grow. They can literally march across a field in a single season and cover small buildings if not contained.
I feel like I’ve turned into a colander , all the thorns and pricks were fighting back . Nothing serious but maddening like becoming trapped in a briar patch while trying to save a few trees. I thought I came prepared with boots up to my knees, arm shields, leather gloves, leather vest, hat ,my cowgirl leather chaps, and telescope clippers to10’. Although I must admit that more choice words came rushing out in exclamation of pain occasionally. I finally used the tractor bucket to mash the thorny blackberry brambles that were not near plants or trees then declaring myself the winner of that prickly battle. Until next time……

 

Thank you Pacnorwest, you have worked hard with those brambles and it's amazing how fast they grow, you know the dear don't like them.

 

Very true but they like the berries. Hoping to head them off at the pass and eliminate most of the berries.But then there are the apples grapes, veggies…

 

Lifted and replanted a few perennials that were in a path, Finally got the two pavers and some basalt rocks placed and will get two more to finish the front gate entrance. A lazy day catching up with my son and breakfast in Oly.

 

Haven't done much for the last few days as we've been out and about and also attempting to give my poorly back a bit of a break. Now that everything is planted out the pressure is off and the garden can do it's own thing now.