What have you done today in the Garden?

Nothing today, I've been doing "housework." I was going to do something this afternoon, but it's starting to rain. If it's dry, tomorrow I'll prune off the dying white wisteria blooms. Saves a lot of work rather than if I left them to fall themselves.

 

Jewel Good choice, I’m with ya on the garden tools that make many garden jobs so much easier. I have a trimmer similar and battery op clippers , and small battery op chain saw. So dog gone handy and lighter too.

Logan sorry about the darn slugs they are a huge pest here too I use Sluggo it works. I have tried everything else along the many years of fighting them. It’s a battle for sure.


It’s a chilly early morning out mowing again as the gophers / moles are starting to attack a couple areas in the pasture. I mow morning and evening. About 2 hours each time. I still have lots of trimmings to haul to the burn er a unburn pile. Many other areas of the pastures are free of any critters including the deer. Not one scat drop in almost 3 months since the ever constant mowing of pastures . A hour and a half each mowing session. The sun is out this afternoon and a bit windy. It’s slowly warming up but still need a light coat. It’s so quiet and peaceful since everyone is taking the week end holiday off .

 

My neighbor sits outside waiting for them. 22 in hand. When one emerges, kablooie. Seems kind of extreme and possibly illegal - discharging a firearm in an area with children - but his yard looks a lot more golf-course-like than mine.

 

Attempted to continue the dig for removing a cemented in flag pole. The rain started up again and I am now wondering if sawing the metal pipe off at the base might be easier. I am wondering how much cement was used to anchor the very tall pole.

@Daniel W and @Pacnorwest critters can certainly be a challenge as can be any solution. My terrible terrier is doing her job but she comes with her own challenges also, but I love her crazy enthusiasm.

@Pacnorwest most of my tools are battery operated including my riding lawnmower. My sweetie loved keeping all the mechanical stuff in tip top condition but I don’t have a clue and at this stage of my life not interested in learning. Minor electrical wiring and unclogging drains is OK but taking apart motors….no thank you. I prefer dirt to oily stuff.

 

Jewel omg dig a cemented post. I tried that once and finally gave up . Shoulders took a beating. I ended up using a metal saw blade and wacked it off at ground level. Hated those big in ground satellite dishes.

Daniel my neighbor used his rifle sits out at 4pm and boom. I am going to have to get out the traps again. Hard on my shoulders diggin out the tunnels to set traps.
Look on the bright side no deer scat anywhere for 3 months.

Oreti do you have groundhog's or woodchucks?

 

Had to Google what a Woodchuck was......but no Pac we don't have either, are they destructive ??

 

Oreti they are very destructive . Woodchucks commonly referred to as groundhogs, are a type of lowland rodent. They can become quite destructive to properties as they feed on vegetable gardens, lawns, plants and other landscaping. They can also cause extensive damage to lawns and foundation as they burrow underneath them.
I have pocket gophers they do the same thing. And moles eat underground worms . They both dig tunnels underground .leaving my garden and pasture looking like swiss cheese. A hole every 2 feet in every direction.
You are very fortunate as I can attest to the many years I have been fighting them. They leave a trail of destruction .
I was out at 7am dealing with 15 new piles of soil by each new hole .

 

Today I repotted some geraniums and sone peppers that I want to grow in containers.

I've been moving the geraniums to the fig & forsythia border.



There are some enlarging figs here and there.



Most of the apple grafts are looking pretty good.

 

Thanks for the info Pac, I have to say that I have heard of Groundhogs, but didn't know anything about them.

We do suffer with Moles every now and then but not for the last coup!e of years in our garden. Mole hills can be seen in the surrounding fields and in our local recreation park.

The destruction you are facing daily must become overwhelming and hard work to keep having to sort out.

 

Thanks @Pacnorwest about the slugs but i don't use sluggo but i think that we can get it. Yesterday hubby got some grit from the garden centre and I've put that around the cosmos, it works and we do slug patrol and put them in the drain.
We're lucky we don't get moles in our garden but some do and we don't get any bindweed like some of the neighbours.
Yesterday started to weeding a border but it's raining today.

 

Nice work Daniel. Great work with those grafts, mate.
Good to see those figs forming. We are waaaaay behind you here.
Chapeau.

 

Daniel Nice figs yumm.. be carful not to get the sticky sap on your skin. Everything's lookin great.


Oreti,-Moles are just as bad as gophers. I have both. I set up a few traps today and I’m pooped. Finding their active tunnels , digging out the tunnel for setting traps is exhausting. I hope I get them before we have a whole out invasion this year.

The good news still not a single deer scat found in 2 months. No grass to eat.. Mow, Mow, Mow.

Logan oh yes grit is a good idea, use a reacher and just dumping them in soapy water . I’ve had quite a few with certain plants that seem to draw slugs. Not growing any more slug bait in my garden , the deer took care of that issue. And Lucky you have no moles.

 

Thanks Pacnorwest, i might not grow any cosmos next year.

 

Today I pruned and repotted the rest of the Schlumbergeras. I took off about two years of growth, and cut off the outer inch and bottom inch of soil, then potted up with fresh potting soil in a container with about 50% more volume. And a heavier container to reduce tipping over issues that I had with plastic.



Well, there is also a big, much older one that I have not decided its fate, and the seedlings that need separating now. Putter putter putter LOL.

Also here is the little tropical hibiscus.



Notice how the flower is yellow throat with fiery red fringe, like the photo on the tag... uh huh . Well it was an impulse buy, and inexpensive, so it's OK.

The plantmobile is almost empty now. There are still some seedlings on the outside table.



Mostly annual flowers (nasturtium, zinnia, marigold, cosmos), squashes, and the alpine strawberry seedlings.



The hybrid Echinacea, that I grew from seed last year and overwintered in the garage, is about to bloom.



I planted most of the remaining rose moss (Portulaca) seedlings in a patio pot, but there are others here and there among potted daylilies and others. I think some warm sunny weather would jump start them.



Tomorrow is another day.

 

Daniel— great work on that Christmas Cactus.

Too bad about that Hibiscus. I hate to be taken in…but like you said, it is a lovely flower. I’ll bet you can save that one for several years. I am very fond of Hibiscus bushes.

The table-full of goodies is delightful to see.

Well done with the Echinacea. It is one of my Bride’s favs.