What have you done today in the Garden?

Just some watering.

 

Cleaning up plots…again.
Suckering and feeding the toms…again
Harvesting broad beans…again.
When home, we processed those beans for freezing.

 

Hiya Mel— I lurve that syringa, in fact I grow that one as well. It is called, Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’. Lovely flowers and lovely fragrance. Your foto up there is much better than mine.
Your Tanacetums are gorgeous.
You’ve got some great flowers there.

 

I watered the geraniums, four o'clocks, and squashes. Then I considered doing some weeding. I decided a nap was a better idea.

 

Hahaha Mel— good one.

 

Thank you Daniel. I'm not sure if it is fragrant - I'm putting an access in that garden tomorrow. I'll mind the bees, give it a sniff and let you know.

I asked for a white dwarf lilac when I ordered that bush for my Dad. It didn't bloom for a couple of years, and when it did it seemed so purple. But it really isn't - I love that it is white inside. It's done really well the last three years (....since I fertilized it.....go figure hahaha). I need to prune it this year...but I'm nervous about that. I heard that if you prune a lilac it won't flower for two years. I'll have to make time to read about it.

 

Mel, I usually prune just after blooming. I deadhead then cut back the too-tall branches by maybe 1/3. I leave in place the shorter branches, which "should" bloom next year.

Maybe others can pitch in with their experiences.

 

@Melody Mc. , what are those gorgeous blue flowers in your photos? I love those.




A corner of my herb bed. Some zinnias, black eyed Susans, thyme, comfrey, dill, Egyptian walking onions... There is a marigold not yet blooming in the back brick, and some red cannas to the right, also not yet blooming this season. The dill is beginning to bloom. The wild yarrow is to the top right, but not shown. It is budding. My tame pink yarrow has never sprouted.

 

@melody Mc , my Ortho pruning book says the best time to prune lilacs is in February before they begin spring growth. I have done that, but dont remember if it affected their blooming or not. If we get a late frost, the blooms get frozen off.

I have been removing dead canes recently. There are more to remove when I get to it.

 

I sprayed the entire pasture with a special mix of herbicide made and recommended by Oregon State University made especially for pastures for livestock to eliminate weeds and poisonous plants/flowers . It wasn’t windy for the first time in weeks, so took advantage of the quiet weather before the heat hits in a few day expecting 90’s . Keep your fingers crossed the pasture mixture worked and have eliminated the weeds and better grass safe for the horses.

Trimmed the tall ornamental grasses out of the flower bed , pulled up more invasive wild blackberry canes growing in the front garden.

NOW the ground squirrels are diggin in the areas around the entire side of the house and porch foundation. I have been busy trying to dissuade them along with them trying to kill my weeping elm tree. I found several huge holes around the elm trunk and watered the soil back in the ground to cover the roots. Then trimmed up the weeping elm.

Sprayed the soil area around the openings with horticulture peppermint oil and hort-vinegar made for this purpose it usually works and smothered rags with ammonia and mashed down the holes. I can’t use any poisons due to the dogs and cats. I did use poison in other areas around the perimeter of the garden safer away from all the animals.
UGH It’s always somethin… trying to keep the squirrels off the roof…

The rabbits and deer have not been seen in a few weeks now. Not growing any food for them this season…all the hydrangeas are flowering.

I miss growing veggies but it’s always a main attractant for the critters to set up tents and camp near their fav foods for the entire season. I have tripped in so many holes dislocated my elbow and torn knee. … I feel like I need a ground Camera, a geophysical method that uses radar pulses to image the subsurface to walk safely in my garden , pastures and backyard. Well at least I have a lot of holes around to dispose of all the doggie waste.

 

Daniel— I don’t have much to pitch in. I prune mine each year, right after the blooming. This holds for the Palibin as well as the “normal” ones.

 

Not much just picked some gooseberries, don't need to water we had a bit of rain to keep polyanthus going.

 

@Melody Mc. I would pic the Painted Daisy as my favorite.

 

Thanks Clay. Me too