2023 Garden Thread

[Dr. Magill]

I have been asked to 'do something' about the back lawn where the perennial garden is. The perennial garden itself is fine, the lawn is a disgrace, somewhere between vacant lot and crackhouse that has had cars parked on it for decades. Soils are poor, compacted and rocky.

'Do something' is pretty wide open...but I am hesitant to ask for more detailed 'guidance', as that might mean being asked for my thoughts.

The sad reality is, I will likely be doing a complete renovation of that area, about 1300 sq ft. Removal of existing weed patch, adding 6" of 60/40 sand/ compost mix topsoil, grading, rolling and all that, then seed...which will result in as fine a turf lawn as anyones, but one for which I will then need to water, fertilize and mow....and hate.
This is not good, so I change the subject, but I fear that tactic is wearing thin...

I feel for you
We all need more chores right?

 

[kmudgn]

-18F predicted for tomorrow night where I live in NH. Too early to set out tomatoes.

 

[Stonedfish]

I have been asked to 'do something' about the back lawn where the perennial garden is. The perennial garden itself is fine, the lawn is a disgrace, somewhere between vacant lot and crackhouse that has had cars parked on it for decades. Soils are poor, compacted and rocky.

'Do something' is pretty wide open...but I am hesitant to ask for more detailed 'guidance', as that might mean being asked for my thoughts.

The sad reality is, I will likely be doing a complete renovation of that area, about 1300 sq ft. Removal of existing weed patch, adding 6" of 60/40 sand/ compost mix topsoil, grading, rolling and all that, then seed...which will result in as fine a turf lawn as anyones, but one for which I will then need to water, fertilize and mow....and hate.
This is not good, so I change the subject, but I fear that tactic is wearing thin...

If let me park on it and do some burnouts, that would be a good start to your future rototiller project….
SF

 

[Mossback]

Yeah...
My first idea was to do a paver circle with firepit in the middle, and then a turf surround, so we could hang out and have drinks in the back yard with a fire and look at the garden. Put some chairs out there, get some outdoor speakers ( I already wired from the house outside to the back deck with no ox copper wires)
Damn good thing that never came out of my piehole, otherwise...that's what I'd be doing...

 

[mcswny]

Lettuces, kales, mizunas, onions, peas ready to be transplanted into 4” containers.

 

[Wetswinger]

The last few years, at least at my place there hasn’t been as many bees as in years past. It was good to see a decent amount of activity already yesterday with the nice weather. I’m no bee expert, but hopefully that is a good sign.
Maybe others with more knowledge will chime in on this.
SF

Honeybee populations are struggling to survive without an aggressive beekeeper to watch over them. Varroa mites, which attach themselves and suck the bees body fluids, spreading disease as they do, are hurting the apiaries. To some extent they harm native pollinators, such as bumblebees, also. I rarely see honeybees at my Oly home, though the other wild, native bees seem plentiful...

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

Wellto combat the loss of direct sun… and built this my 4th greenhouse. I have started my seeds for the first time on Feb 8th. A month earlier than i have in 40 years of gardening And starting from my heirloom seed. New heat mat 22” x 60” new lighting early last year. Chiltepin pepper plant in pot will outlive me if I keep it warm enough

 

[Tom Butler]

Out doing late winter cleanup. Lots of ladybugs in the litter so had to be prudent. As it warmed up they came out.

 

[TicTokCroc]

February 10th, our days are officially 10 hours long.

 

[TicTokCroc]

seedmail.... love Refining fire chiles, they always throw freebies in.

 

[brownheron]

Was out working on my rhododendron spring census today and meeting with the arborist. Going to have approx 35 trees removed including a bunch of very large hemlocks and spruce. It'll create some additional light and space to expand the collection. A bunch of them will be left as short snags and made to look natural for wildlife and preserve the general aesthetic. And... I'll sleep better when the wind blows...

This time of year is very suspenseful for the rhododendron collection. For the big ones an especially the showy hybrids, it's easy to tell if they will flower but for many of the weird and rare species, it's hard to tell if the buds are foliage or flowering. Last year, due to a hard summer and the bitter cold snap, my guess is that only 30% or so of the collection flowered. Many of the buds just turned black and never opened. It was pretty sad. This year, things are looking good so far and most all the mature ones look like they'll have at least a few flowers.

Here's one that's cool even with no flowers.

R. habrotrichum - It comes from the Yunnan-Burma border. The flowers are a pretty light purple but the foliage is very cool - hairy with bright red ones on the petioles. Water from the rain adheres to the hairs making them shine when the sun pops through the clouds.

There is also a small epiphytic rhododendron in the background growing out of the nurse log, R. dendrocharis.




Some of the early group should start opening in the next month or so.

 

[Canuck from Kansas]

This is so cool that you have this and are working to catalogue and preserve!! I am extremely envious.

Cheers

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

Greenhouse set up is the best ihave ever had. It is my 4th greenhouse i have built since 1979 at 5 different locations.

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

Time to get more soil amendments. Concentrates inc in PDX… 40-50 lb bags each of cottonseed meal, kelp meal and bone meal, a dozen bags of Wilcos Worm gro - worm castings. Some biochar . I feed the generally fully amended soil at planting by nuking up the planting holes in May

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

Windowsill heat mats are “cool”
They are 3.5” x 21”

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

Temps in the teens coming in the next couple days . Snow is a good insulator. Sooo if you have winter cold hardy plants(meaning favas will survive to about 15 deg asian greens kale etc to maybe the same, lettuce might be toast carrots if established will bunker down)

Leave the snow on the garden beds and plants Ironically itwill protect them. We have less snow than most…only 4”. Where i last gardened 13” north of Camas. It rather cold and i lost digit control on my camera…

 

[mcswny]

Glad I didn't plant those lettuces on Monday

 

[TicTokCroc]

All my garlic is about 6" hopefully the snow doesn't hurt them.

 

[Capt Insano Emeritis]

Glad I didn't plant those lettuces on Monday

Antsyness haunts the anxious gardeners conscience.

 

[mcswny]

All my garlic is about 6" hopefully the snow doesn't hurt them.

Should be fine!