What have you done today in the Garden?

I liked that AI image as well. That last pic looked like a poster for a full-length movie anout a serious gardener with more than one tool in his tool box.
BTW— my Bride liked it too.

 

@Sjoerd you have been working hard and accomplishing a lot! Pulling put reeds, oh my! Please don't fall in.

Why do you have to clear the side that belongs to the railroad? Can't they do it?

@Pacnorwest it's storming now. No tornados or hail yet that I can see.

 

Daniel thunder shook the house yesterday and a lot of rain. No hail and no trees down . There were power outages here not for very long. We lucked out compared to other cities that got hit much worse.

 

@Sjoerd that water ditch can be a nightmare cleaning out the reeds, cat tails and grasses. We try to save the young reeds that grow along the sides for a friend ? Believe it or not she uses them to make reeds for her wind instrument the bassoon that is placed in the mouth piece. Who knew. She plays in the Portland Orchestra. Makes them by hand for various wind instruments.

I bet your blue herring friend was upset you all diggin around his fishin hole. We also have irrigation ditches similar… and they are awful to clean out. My neighbor has a great system. He chains a big heavy tractor tire 400-500 lbs to the back of his big tractor . Big tractor straddles the ditch then pulls a huge tire down the middle of the ditch and cleans out all the roots and cattails grasses in one shot. It has to be done before winter or the roads flood.
I bet you are a bit sore today struggling with those roots. I know I would be.

 

We had some rain yesterday, about 1/3 inch. Not bad, no major storm here. No need to water today.

I planted two more lavender plants. I've been taking care of them all summer.

The area I'm cleaning up includes a large former garden bed. I spent many years improving the soil, so last year I had removed about ten buckets full to top off the raised beds. Well, that means about ten buckets of soil are needed to level the ground. More, actually, because the grade sunk due to my gardening.

Last year I had a sidewalk put in, and kept the soil they dug out for that. I've been gradually hauling buckets of that to bring the former garden bed up to grade. It's not great garden soil, but fine for grass. Looking today, it's almost done.

All of that area will be grass again. I ordered some drought tolerant grass seed, and some microclover seed to sow there next week.

I also ordered a groundcover manzanita plant and a groundcover rockrose plant, to fill in over the long term for a minimal maintenance border. Supposedly, drought resistant and deer resistant. I think they will need a few years to fill in, but by that time I will be grateful to have some low maintenance plants settled in.

 

Daniel—we clean the RR’s side because they are not cleaning it so far. Some years they clean it, and some years they don’t. We can’t take a chance because if reed gets into the garden it is almost impossible to get it out.

 

I guess you could say you have been railroaded into their side (sort of).

 

Good one Daniel. We all seem to occasionally get railroaded by county hired workers around here too. ‘don’t get me started…. they scalped my tree collection…

I have been out waging war with the darn ground squirrels . They are still at it and so am I. They are slowly killing a couple trees. They keep me busy refilling their mounds and holes with soil.

Speaking of trees I have been running out between rain and sawing on that hazelnut tree. I am determined to get rid of it. It’s has the hardest wood dulled my chain saw . Tomorrow need to replace the chain. Half way thru the two biggest trunks. Lovely saw dust in my face at the level I’m cutting . Or a bad case of dandruff. Hoping I don’t wipe out the fence when the limbs fall. I put an old barbecue in front of the fence hoping to break the fall. I probably should get out the big tractor and brace the trunks with the bucket before I finish the cuts. Rather be safe than sorry.
Chip and Dale are in for a rude awakening this fall no nuts to hide this year.

Trimmed some shrubs and oh my goodness everything grows like they are on steroids around here. The rain water is a great way to replenish the soil and plants . We get a lot of rain Dec thru June. Rainwater enriches the soil by unlocking micronutrients essential for plant growth. It sure does make it tough for me to keep up with the growth spurts.

 

Resumed clearing out the nursery area and greenhouse, a job I'd started over a week ago but hadn't had a chance since to continue with. Washing pots and other containers is the next job on the ' to do' list.

 

I am trying to resume garden clean up here too. Unfortunately some ivy escaped and need to get that all pulled out.
And time to cut, bring in and dry hydrangeas . Replace the chain on my chain saw and telescope saw to finish cutting down that devil of a hazelnut tree which calls every Chip and Dale from the woods. We are at odds with these squatter’s and posting eviction notices . Come rain or shine they better be out within 24 hours. I have threaten them with the power washer to blast them out of the trees.

 

More cleaning today. We also did the sidewalk outside our allotment.
Further, we cleaned the paths of the lady down the way. She still isn’t 100%.

 

I removed the final fencepost for the cleanup project. It was deep! I had to dig about 2 1/2 feet deep, and pour three buckets of water into the hole. it's been there ten years. Now it's gone.

Also laid some recycled edging blocks, salvaged from a previous garden bed.

I think I'll start a few cuttings, despite the month. If they take, they might need care indoors over winter. Lavender, geraniums, rosemary. I set up containers with seed starting medium, but didn't take cuttings yet. This time I'll use some rooting hormone.

 

We started to tackle the large and overgrown shrubs that run down the western side of our property yesterday morning . We soon gathered a huge mound of branches but as we were out for the afternoon the job of shredding them was left for this morning. Talking of huge mounds.......I still have the flower pot mound to wash at some point today too .

 

Haha Daniel— you said not to fall in, but I have already done that. I wrote about it on here. It may be a hilarious account to read for those whom have never had such an experience, but I did not find it all that amusing.

I hope you can get that ground cover planted in time. Good luck with the cuttings as well.

Pac— excuse me for not answering sooner.
It really was a nightmare job cleaning out the canal. Everything on the banks and in the canal must be removed twice a year every year by law. So like it or not it is a chore that must be done. Keeping the canals open is necessary for the waters’ flow from the lower areas up and out to sea.

You were right, the muscles were a bit stiff the following day. No pain, no gain…as they say.

But mate— what an interesting story about your friend and the reeds you provide her. Yeah, that is a great story. It would also be nice to attend a concert.

 

Just a bit of wisteria pruning.


Our main border of our small garden is quite densely planted with rhodos and azaleas.












We've also some quinces planted against the party fence.
I don't like them growing above the fence as their shadow can facilitate the growth of moss along the border of the lawn, or grow out towards the rest of the plants, so they need constant pruning at this time of the year.

But I created "back stage corridor" where I can access these quite easily.
I also prune any of the azaleas or rhodos that start to grow backwards into this space.