Before and After

Thought you'd like to see the driveway photos showing before I began the "anti-encroachment policy", and what it looks like when it is cleaned and cut back. I do have an additional benefit though because the sod I cut out is replacing worn or burn spots in the lawn. With a little watering, those patches will look great.

It takes me about 45 minutes to do a 3-4 foot section, then another 10 minutes or so to rake and fill the gravel over it. Very time consuming, but worth it in the end.

Perfect day for it. No humidity and around 76 degrees and clear. Hope everyone is enjoying their weeked, cya!

Lots of Help

Just a quick post as I take a break from the driveway project. This will be the last time I let the lawn encroach into the gravel driveway for THREE YEARS!! Anyway, as you can see in the photos, I am having a lot of help in the yard from the "kids". As cute and as funny as that is, it is amazing to us discovering each of their special "talent" for helpng out and there is a noticeble accomplishment when they are done. Ava is the soil and grass clipping removal expert, Beans is the root and tree limb ripping guy, and Madeline keeps the moles, field mice and chipmunks in line.......don't need to go into that one.............OMG OMG MADDY NO!!!. So you see, they all have their purpose in horticulture. See ya soon.

Everybody Drinks!!

Well, as I have been posting, the heat and humid weather has been brutal. Both on the plants and the dogs. But.......Friday night and most of the day yesterday it was on and off downpour. Lots of thunder and lighting also. Humidity is gone and we have a good outlook for the rest of the week. This morning all the plants looked well drenched and happy,

I took some photos of the first eggplants and squash peeking out. All the herbs a going great, more photos of those in a bit. Tomatoes are abound, with the Romas winning the race for most of the vines. being filled. I have already worked out a garden trade with one of my neighbors for tomatoes for potatoes, so it always pays to have extra crops to trade or give away.

Tomorrow will be lawn cutting day. My watering and NOT cutting the lawn during the dry spell has resulted in our place being literally the only house on the block with a rich green lawn. Overgrown yes, but not dead and dried out.

Time to go pick some Coriander and basil for tonight's meal and more Romaine for the salads.

Enjoy the weather........FINALLY!

Cultivation

Well the heat is back at 87 degrees today, but the good news is there is a lot of breeze of the lake. First chance I have had since the week was busy with work related activities all week.

Today is the day for cultivating the corn blocks and pepper plants. Got out the "Bud Frank" special and am now retilling the north side. Should have the entire north section done by this afternoon.

The plants in some places are doing well, but other crops are not as plentiful so far. The Banana Peppers usually produce 5-6 peppers per plant ongoing, but this year they are showing one per plant? Squash is producing small less then hardy flowers also. I am thinking that perhaps with the absence of bees this year and lack of usual pollination may be adding to it. Still early so we'll see in a few weeks. However the tomatoes, coriander, basil, egggplant, and corn is doing great. Also the Lambs Ear is up about 1/2 inche from seed and will be great when grown. Mexican Petunias are also coming along nicely in their starters and should be ready for the patio garden in 2-3 weeks. The only thing that keeps getting trashed are the Tiger Lilies in the patio garden because a certain DOG likes to hang out in them. You can see the culprit in the photo , BEANS aka Jasper. So back to work for now.....cya!

Relief at Last

Finally got rain yesterday and everything is green and almost tropical. The sun is back today, but not as hot or humid.

Today is lawn cutting and trimming the front beds. Also time to make space for the already encroaching Snow on the Mountain to allow it to move around the cedar tree as planned.

Most "happy" are the "tigers" along the back of the house and they are spreading nicely. I will be removing the small bunch of them in the patio garden and replacing them with the Lambs Ear that has seeded great and now has little sprouts.

Hope this great weather holds out until the rain comes again on Tuesday. Enjoy the weekend!

Summer heat is on!

The heat wave continues to "slam" us and today is no different. Yesterday it peaked at 91' and today is going to be a little less then that. Good news though. The rain has been updated for Friday and it is long overdue. The morning waterings are helping a lot and I am sure the town water department will be throwing a party when they send me the bill for this quarter.

Got a couple good buys today at the Springville Walmart garden shop. Stuff is going on sale now and it's a good time to buy perrenials for next years blooms. I bought two 8 inche pots of yellow coreopsis, which I put in the front patio garden. I also bought two 8 inche pots of huge white impatiens just to fill spaces, which are going in the front driveway bench pots. All for less then $12. Check out the photos in this post.

Well, back up to the garden to continue with the weeding....until the next time.....enjoy the heat!

"WE NEED A DRINK"

Here's the front patio and as you can see, these guys need a drink of water badly. With temps in the mid 80's and no rain in sight for 3-4 days, I've spent most of the holiday watering and weeding. These guys are the last to be tended, which I will do today.

Some darn rabbit got a bunch of my annuals in the driveway pots last night. A small price to pay for having them in the yard each year and seeing them raise their young every spring. A few years ago I planted some romaine on the outer perimeter on the garden. That seemed to keep them happy that year anyway. The blood meal is a great deterent though in the areas that I do not want them.

I'll look forward to the rain next week and in the meantime........endure.

Happy 4th!

This is a perfect weekend to catch up on my weeding and planting of the Lambs Ear in the starter tray. Not worried because it is a perinnial and although planted late, will be back every year.

The Snow on the Mountain have taken well and new growth is abound. Finally a solution for the

dirt under the cedar tree. They were a great buy on Ebay from "nan's garden" and took very well with new growth 4-5 days within planting. See the photo above. The "tigers" are also out and add a beautiful splash of orange to the back of the house.

Gave my first basil, coriander, and oregano clippings to my friend Liz to dry and make the multi spice/italian blend after drying. I like the "cold dry" method personally because it retains the flavor and the color when dried. I place them in baggies in the back of the fridge and leave them open to the cold air. Takes a couple weeks, then they are ready to be de-stemmed and put in the spice shaker.

Had to turn on the sprinklers having had no rain for awhile and facing 4-5 days more without it. The corn is in need of it badly and with raised beds, all of the plants are ready for a drink.

Looking forward to the next few sunny days up in the garden!