What have you done today in the Garden?

I guess it has been a few days for me also.

We finally got rain yesterday and today, so did not get much done. But the brush burned despite the rain. I cut some branches off of bushes and trees in the front yard this afternoon, and started a new brush pile. If I have to duck to go under them, they need trimmed. I did get a bit of weeding done this past week also. I think 3 of my many flower beds are done.

I tried to do some sewing this afternoon. I have to finish that one quilt before the end of the month, it is for a sale at church. I have two other quilts to repair, and I want to make my bedspread the size of the one quilt. I decided I like the old fashioned style of quilts that do not drag the floor better than the new styles that drag the floor. I also plan to make a top for it over the winter, but don't know what fabric/s I will use on it yet. I have lots of fabrics. The top of my spread is getting a bit worn, and a new quilt top will do nicely. Remodeling it will make me a new bedspread.

The cord for my skil saw arrived over the weekend, so I hope I can have my friend install it for me.

The armadillos are digging up my yard looking for grubs I guess. And lots of grubs are coming to the surface for some reason. When I find grubs, I use my trowel and put them in a plastic container and feed them to my chickens. They might be cicada grubs, or some other kind of bugs. I wish the armadillos would put their divots back. At least they get rid of a lot of bugs. (Armadillos never used to live this far north, but in the 1980s, they migrated north into Missouri and I don't know where else.) They do hibernate in the winter.

My tomatoes are staying green on the vine. I have not gotten my fall seeds planted yet. My main cucumber vines are done. But there are some newer vines in a tub, and they look good. Maybe I will get a few more cucumbers this season. The lacy broccoli is looking some better. The leeks are still small, but okay. I did not get many beans off of my green beans and yard long beans, but maybe next year? The scarlet runner beans are doing great, and ought to give a good yield. I will dry the beans, and compost the pods.

@Willowisp , my 4 o'clocks are blooming now and beginning to make seeds. I will send some soon.

I need to harvest some hibiscus (rose of sharon) leaves and flowers for a friend who wants to make tea this week. I might save some for me also. It is supposed to be very nourishing. I want them to dry off a bit so they do not get moldy first.

And I trimmed my forsythia bushes by the road recently, and have two buckets full of cuttings. Most of them are getting roots, so I will need to scrounge some flower pots and pot them up soon. (I might have mentioned it before).

 

@Doghouse Riley, I never heard of mimosas blooming in the fall... Here in Missouri they bloom in June and July and have gone to seed long already. They also have lots of trunks.

@Oreti, prayers for you and hubs. I hope he gets well soon.

 

Thank you @Clay_22 and @AAnightowl for your kind good wishes .

 

How interesting and very exciting......I'll be cheering your tomatoes on and will be eagerly waiting on your updates. I love challenges, good luck with yours.

 

The mimosas here don’t even leaf out until June then bloom in fluff clusters July-August then seed pods till first frost. Very easy care tree. During leaf fall the leaves are not an issues . Hummers just love the blooms as they fight and fly thru the branches like acrobat jet fighters. Churping at high volume at each other, not sure what they are saying , but it sounds a bit intimidating.

 

Cut off a lot of the old flowering stems of the lavender, gave it all to a woman up the road and she'll put the flower part into bags to put in drawers.

 

The lavender will freshen up the draws. That was nice of you . My lavander is ready to cut too.

 

Mine are as well. Our summer was really off this year. I thought my raspberries were having their year of rest, but it turns out that they were just late. I've picked quite a few gallon bags that I've put in the freezer and given lots away.

Thank you Nightowl! I love 4 o'clocks, I really don't know why. I kind of have reasons for liking other flowers, pansies and African violets.....my grandma had pansies under her kitchen window outside and African violets in her kitchen window, inside. And there's other flowers I like for nostalgia. But I don't know anybody who had 4 o'clocks, except me when I lived in Washington State and was much younger.

My quilts don't go to the floor either. I have cats and the bottoms would get all cat hairy, from them going under the bed. Some of mine cover the mattress but not box springs and some are a little smaller.

Thanks! I'm excited about trying them. A little nervous, as well with him saying how temperamental his first plant was.

 

@Willowisp0801 , how come you can only buy 2 seed packs and they only have 5 seeds each? That seems weird to me.

My bird house gourds only had 3 seeds in the packet, and only 2 grew, So far, I have one or two gourds, though they have put out more flowers. The one gourd is apparently "ripe", but it is about the size of a small orange, and the vine is dying. Hopefully it is FULL of seeds.

I would suggest to learn seed saving and keeping your own seeds for later planting.

 

Because out of all the seeds in the package Migardener bought only two seeds produced plants, one of which didn't make it. So he is slowly bringing that variety back to life. When he got those seeds, they were an extinct variety. I do save seeds and hopefully will be able to save some, if they aren't too persnickety and live to produce for me. I'm taking some to work (that's why I bought 2 pkgs) and hopefully the upper el and/or adolescents will also be able to get some to grow.

If you have time watch the update Oreti posted. That was the one plant that made it. I posted the first video (getting the seeds) and the taste test. I think the whole thing is very interesting.

 

Thanks, these days i don't do anything with it, when I'm very close to the flowers they make me sneeze and they would be put in the bin. The year before she was passing our house and i was cutting the lavender and i asked if she would like some. I hope that you can do your lavender soon.

 

Trimming all the rhody’s around the perimeter of the house . Only the back sides not the side facing the garden. Don’t want to trim off all the foreword garden facing rhody blooms for next spring.

Still working on the water system unraveling the hoses and removing b-Hive smart hose timers , preserving from the up coming winter deluge .

Used the leaf blower to remove all the debris from the driveway . I swear that driveway gets longer every year.

Still in squirrel wars but I think I am starting to see some improvement in this battle.

Mowed the pastures yesterday. No new activity seen from any under ground critters and no deer scat .

Heard the hawks out hunting so something is out in the fields. And soon the birds , ducks & geese will be heading south . They seem to like the pastures as a stop over on their way across the state to warmer abodes.

Spotted the bobcat again yesterday, running from the mower into the woods.

 

That's fantastic!

 

Over-Summered Poinsettias



This is the parent plant for the rose I started from cutting and labeled "Rose mystérieuse parfumée" for lack of a known name.



Still working on the fig tree border. I moved a very small Hardy Chicago Fig tree, which was too close to the fence, three feet further out. This is a tissue culture tree, and has take a long time to start growing.



I also moved a big Dusty Miller from container to soil.



Here are my best looking bloomers right now. Mandevillas.





A little friend, unless you're a male mantis.

 

Sounds great Pac. Getting ready for fall!