There is tripping season, and getting ready for tripping season.
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Happy National Garlic Day! 🧄🚫🧛🏼♂️
Only Two Seasons
- Thread starter Black_Fly
- Start date
Nope, up here in Northern Ontario there is moose hunting tripping in the fall, winter camping with hot tents till April, then 4 to 6 weeks of heck when the ice is no longer safe but still covering everything.
Here it's deer and grouse hunting then winter camping then heck.
In Minnesota there was mosquito season and winter, with about a one week respite between the two.
Ice climbing and skiing winter, spring skiing/cycling, summer cycling/canoeing/rock climbing/backpacking, fall elk hunting and canoeing, then ice climbing again. I guess finishing the bathrooms will have to wait.
Wasted my last summer working on the house. This summer will be different.
I'll remember that
there are three seasons
getting ready for tripping
tripping
cleaning up and repair after tripping. This last cam go on for a long time
I used to be sitting in Blackfly's camp. Spending all winter planning-dreaming a canoe trip, springtime organizing an already organized and ready gear pile, and then the trip in summer or autumn would go by in a flash. Whoosh it went, and then back to the planning-dreaming. And let's not even talk about the years when a trip didn't happen. Lotsa glum then a flash of glee, aaaand back to glum again. Ha.
But all that's in the past more or less, because other things have crept up and bit me in the ... no, let me put it in a different way. Other important parts of my life have emerged to fill out my days and shorten my nights. Rather unexpectedly in some cases. Some of it is work, the kind you drag yourself off to after a hurried breakfast leaving a trail of toast crumbs out the door across the porch and onto the car seats. Ditto the dribbled coffee. (I've been meaning to get a travel mug.) I don't want to shock all you happy campers in retirement, but I'm actually enjoying work most days, and I am NOT one of those lost souls who are needy for some kind of "practical purpose" in life. I'm perfectly happy NOT doing things too. Miranda calls it my "natural talent, doing nothing and making it look easy". But I'm just pretty satisfied doing what I do. Weird, I know. I will say this though, I used to really look forward to Mondays and all that exciting stuff at work all week long. Now I look forward to Fridays and all that other not so exciting stuff at home all weekend long. So there's that.
And then there are other mindful activities (maybe mindless to you), such as gardening. After all these years I'm finally getting it together. I can gush for hours about my weedy troubled garden, but it is becoming an oasis of cottagey charm to me. Strawberries, raspberries herbs and veg. And any flowers I can con and coax to contribute to this garden party. I scribble away in my garden planner through the long dark nights of winter, more Aquilegia here, lots more Rudbeckia there, transplant more ferns ....sorry, I did warn you about gushing.
I'm finally finding-making time for DIY projects. Mrs Odyssey is especially relieved about this. She finally might get a new bathroom. ("F-bomb the garden, I want a new tub. With candles".) I have a new garden planned for the front yard for rambling melons and squash complete with cutesy white picket fence, and then there's the new enlarged deck I'm planning...
Bicycling used to be a big part of my life, (cover your ears) far more than canoeing. Cycling has made a sudden reappearance. I chose this little bungalow years ago not just for an easy commute but also because of its proximity to a rather long network of cycling rail trails; in fact they start a city block from our door. We're finally using it and it's as much fun messing around on bikes as it is messing around in boats. I've been planning-dreaming some short to middling distance cycle camping. Fun in the sun, and just in case we have fenders. On short weekends when we don't have time for canoe tripping we go cycle picnicking instead. Pack the panniers, smear the sun block, soup in the fat thermos, tea in the slimmer one, sandwiches in a Tupperware and chilled wine in a soft bottle...and away we go!!
My boss has generously allowed me to explore the kitchen. She gave me a 400 Soups cookbook, and I've been making some killer soups. The freezer is getting crowded with repurposed yogurt containers labelled in black marker Roasted butternut squash curry, Cream of chard and lentil, Beef-barley-bean, Split pea and ham...Friday evening I whipped up a sumptuous meal complete with freshly baked dinner rolls. She kicked off her shoes and as she stretched back sighing said "Get me my pipe and slippers Brad." I laughed a little, to which she replied "No seriously, get me a glass of wine. This feels nice coming home to dinner." I'm beginning to feel Tom Sawyered into this cooking thing but I'm having too much fun in the kitchen. Don't make it stop.
And then there's family. Heavens to Mergatroyd I should forget them. And them includes the dogs. Let me see, I count 4 dogs. Just like little g-kids it is nice to spoil them and then shoo them out the door for home for some peace and quiet..and then pester phone calls from us "When are you gonna come by, we haven't seen you in ages!?" And I can never forget friends. Whether planned or from right outta the blue, get togethers are always special.
Whew! I sound a busy bunny, but truthfully amid all this planned chaos there is a lot of downtime, which gets filled with puttering in the kitchen, rooting around in books, pouring over maps, and surfing the net. I don't know where the time goes. I must be having fun.
I hope you all are too. Waiting for the water to warm up, and planning for that other season.
But all that's in the past more or less, because other things have crept up and bit me in the ... no, let me put it in a different way. Other important parts of my life have emerged to fill out my days and shorten my nights. Rather unexpectedly in some cases. Some of it is work, the kind you drag yourself off to after a hurried breakfast leaving a trail of toast crumbs out the door across the porch and onto the car seats. Ditto the dribbled coffee. (I've been meaning to get a travel mug.) I don't want to shock all you happy campers in retirement, but I'm actually enjoying work most days, and I am NOT one of those lost souls who are needy for some kind of "practical purpose" in life. I'm perfectly happy NOT doing things too. Miranda calls it my "natural talent, doing nothing and making it look easy". But I'm just pretty satisfied doing what I do. Weird, I know. I will say this though, I used to really look forward to Mondays and all that exciting stuff at work all week long. Now I look forward to Fridays and all that other not so exciting stuff at home all weekend long. So there's that.
And then there are other mindful activities (maybe mindless to you), such as gardening. After all these years I'm finally getting it together. I can gush for hours about my weedy troubled garden, but it is becoming an oasis of cottagey charm to me. Strawberries, raspberries herbs and veg. And any flowers I can con and coax to contribute to this garden party. I scribble away in my garden planner through the long dark nights of winter, more Aquilegia here, lots more Rudbeckia there, transplant more ferns ....sorry, I did warn you about gushing.
I'm finally finding-making time for DIY projects. Mrs Odyssey is especially relieved about this. She finally might get a new bathroom. ("F-bomb the garden, I want a new tub. With candles".) I have a new garden planned for the front yard for rambling melons and squash complete with cutesy white picket fence, and then there's the new enlarged deck I'm planning...
Bicycling used to be a big part of my life, (cover your ears) far more than canoeing. Cycling has made a sudden reappearance. I chose this little bungalow years ago not just for an easy commute but also because of its proximity to a rather long network of cycling rail trails; in fact they start a city block from our door. We're finally using it and it's as much fun messing around on bikes as it is messing around in boats. I've been planning-dreaming some short to middling distance cycle camping. Fun in the sun, and just in case we have fenders. On short weekends when we don't have time for canoe tripping we go cycle picnicking instead. Pack the panniers, smear the sun block, soup in the fat thermos, tea in the slimmer one, sandwiches in a Tupperware and chilled wine in a soft bottle...and away we go!!
My boss has generously allowed me to explore the kitchen. She gave me a 400 Soups cookbook, and I've been making some killer soups. The freezer is getting crowded with repurposed yogurt containers labelled in black marker Roasted butternut squash curry, Cream of chard and lentil, Beef-barley-bean, Split pea and ham...Friday evening I whipped up a sumptuous meal complete with freshly baked dinner rolls. She kicked off her shoes and as she stretched back sighing said "Get me my pipe and slippers Brad." I laughed a little, to which she replied "No seriously, get me a glass of wine. This feels nice coming home to dinner." I'm beginning to feel Tom Sawyered into this cooking thing but I'm having too much fun in the kitchen. Don't make it stop.
And then there's family. Heavens to Mergatroyd I should forget them. And them includes the dogs. Let me see, I count 4 dogs. Just like little g-kids it is nice to spoil them and then shoo them out the door for home for some peace and quiet..and then pester phone calls from us "When are you gonna come by, we haven't seen you in ages!?" And I can never forget friends. Whether planned or from right outta the blue, get togethers are always special.
Whew! I sound a busy bunny, but truthfully amid all this planned chaos there is a lot of downtime, which gets filled with puttering in the kitchen, rooting around in books, pouring over maps, and surfing the net. I don't know where the time goes. I must be having fun.
I hope you all are too. Waiting for the water to warm up, and planning for that other season.
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Odyssey... I'm also spending down time planning out the garden so any details you might provide could help make decisions. Mostly about what provides most return for the least effort, daylilies have proven themselves in the past.
Now, what to do with dahlias is a question, since they have to be dug up every winter and the tubers kept in basement storage to prevent from freezing. I was given a dahlia years ago and it has multiplied to eight roots now and maybe too much work, but OTOH people are saying oooo what a great show and you should plant more. Is this gonna work in the long run or is there a better option... great, gonna have to think.
I'll try and find pix of something that's worked esp well, in the pic of the day thread... enjoy the planning, predicting the reality that results from a decision isn't always possible but OTOH, maybe sometimes it is.
Now, what to do with dahlias is a question, since they have to be dug up every winter and the tubers kept in basement storage to prevent from freezing. I was given a dahlia years ago and it has multiplied to eight roots now and maybe too much work, but OTOH people are saying oooo what a great show and you should plant more. Is this gonna work in the long run or is there a better option... great, gonna have to think.
I'll try and find pix of something that's worked esp well, in the pic of the day thread... enjoy the planning, predicting the reality that results from a decision isn't always possible but OTOH, maybe sometimes it is.
No garden.. No dahlias.. They ate it all..
Frozen;
As happens with some old properties I've inherited some equally aged garden occupants. The trees are well established of course, the shrubs scrubby scruffy and overgrown. I tried transplanting a couple bridal veil shrubs but only one survived. Lesson learned. If you're going to transplant established shrubs, do it once and do it well. They won't respond well to picture hanging methods : position it there, hmmm, no, how about over there, no, left, a little right....Just like any plant, locate it where it'll do best for it's needs, not your whims. I've relocated euonymus and lilacs mostly. The lilacs provide any number of suckers for this purpose. The old resident ostrich ferns, daylilies, hostas, and blanket flowers make for easy and abundant parent plants for seasonal splitting and continued colonizing for expanding flower beds. I've collected easy to grow seeds from the wild such as black cap raspberries (careful!! they're invasive!), black eyed susans and eastern columbine. Once they've grown a summer they're here to stay. Harvest their seeds in late summer and scatter them wherever you want more of them. The susans I just collect heads and all in my yard and toss them where the seeds will drop and establish. They're all naturally fecund. The columbine seed pods are like miniature pepper shakers, when they're dry and brown (and ugly) just tip them over and watch the tiny black pearls run out into your palm. Do NOT plant ANY garden variety columbine in your yard, as the wild and hybrid will cross breed, and the wild will lose out. Hummingbirds LOVE the wild columbines. Wild raspberries will explode into a rampant colony in 2 seasons from just a couple tossed fruits. The underground rhizomes will yield a huge patch of summer fruit, but the thousand canes will likely make you regret this decision. That's why I've cut them all down for 2 seasons straight in my attempt to control/eliminate them now. I love my much tamer garden variety of raspberry. Thornless, sweet and long seasoned. I caused a lot of sidewalk strollers to pause and scratch their heads when I replaced the last of my 50'x100' backyard lawn with garden. Mostly. There still is some bare dirt to deal with. But the expansive weird wild looking strawberry patch (in the sunniest part of the yard) complete with lavender corridor path doesn't fit in with the rest of the citified grass carpeted neighbourhood. A little hillbilly a little cottagey. But a lot of harvesting bee buzzing butterfly busy fun. I've added easy to grow plants as well, like lily of the valley, chives (2 types), borage, dill, roses (big payoff but fussy), peonies, japanese anemones, (wild)coneflowers, (wild)asters, (wild)milkweed and (wild)coreopsis. And much more. Gardening can be addictive. I haven't listed anything that is challenging. If I can do it, and that hasn't necessarily been proven yet, then anyone can. Find the right micro-macro site (soil, moisture and sun/shade requirements) and they'll soon be looking after themselves. I'd rather stand and look at it coffee in hand than actually do any gardening maintenance.
Leaning on the fence this past summer a dog-walking neighbour mentioned to me she loved the smoke bush sapling that was sprouting in my yard. It was a straggler that had just shown up on it's own, that kind of thing happens a lot when you're a rusty rake lazy gardener like me. Her enthusiastic admiration of something in plain sight of the neighbourhood sidewalk compelled me to keep it. I already knew it to be a purple smoke bush, and hadn't wanted it till she flashed that smile. Okay, I guess it can stay. I transplanted it to a better spot in it's own patch of sun right next to the fence. What was once a honey-do-get-rid-of-it project has become a honey-do-nurture-it-to-grow project. And the beat goes on.
The easiest plants are the wildest ones, and I have many of those. I don't condone harvesting from the wild, for ecological/ethical reasons. But seed collection can be done with ungreedy care. And there are all kinds of native plant nurseries around. Use them. Support them. I love combining the wilder crazy country cousins with the sedate and glamourous garden variety crowd. They get along, for the most part. It's a fun garden party. Those that don't play well with others are shown the way out.
When I get around to it.
As happens with some old properties I've inherited some equally aged garden occupants. The trees are well established of course, the shrubs scrubby scruffy and overgrown. I tried transplanting a couple bridal veil shrubs but only one survived. Lesson learned. If you're going to transplant established shrubs, do it once and do it well. They won't respond well to picture hanging methods : position it there, hmmm, no, how about over there, no, left, a little right....Just like any plant, locate it where it'll do best for it's needs, not your whims. I've relocated euonymus and lilacs mostly. The lilacs provide any number of suckers for this purpose. The old resident ostrich ferns, daylilies, hostas, and blanket flowers make for easy and abundant parent plants for seasonal splitting and continued colonizing for expanding flower beds. I've collected easy to grow seeds from the wild such as black cap raspberries (careful!! they're invasive!), black eyed susans and eastern columbine. Once they've grown a summer they're here to stay. Harvest their seeds in late summer and scatter them wherever you want more of them. The susans I just collect heads and all in my yard and toss them where the seeds will drop and establish. They're all naturally fecund. The columbine seed pods are like miniature pepper shakers, when they're dry and brown (and ugly) just tip them over and watch the tiny black pearls run out into your palm. Do NOT plant ANY garden variety columbine in your yard, as the wild and hybrid will cross breed, and the wild will lose out. Hummingbirds LOVE the wild columbines. Wild raspberries will explode into a rampant colony in 2 seasons from just a couple tossed fruits. The underground rhizomes will yield a huge patch of summer fruit, but the thousand canes will likely make you regret this decision. That's why I've cut them all down for 2 seasons straight in my attempt to control/eliminate them now. I love my much tamer garden variety of raspberry. Thornless, sweet and long seasoned. I caused a lot of sidewalk strollers to pause and scratch their heads when I replaced the last of my 50'x100' backyard lawn with garden. Mostly. There still is some bare dirt to deal with. But the expansive weird wild looking strawberry patch (in the sunniest part of the yard) complete with lavender corridor path doesn't fit in with the rest of the citified grass carpeted neighbourhood. A little hillbilly a little cottagey. But a lot of harvesting bee buzzing butterfly busy fun. I've added easy to grow plants as well, like lily of the valley, chives (2 types), borage, dill, roses (big payoff but fussy), peonies, japanese anemones, (wild)coneflowers, (wild)asters, (wild)milkweed and (wild)coreopsis. And much more. Gardening can be addictive. I haven't listed anything that is challenging. If I can do it, and that hasn't necessarily been proven yet, then anyone can. Find the right micro-macro site (soil, moisture and sun/shade requirements) and they'll soon be looking after themselves. I'd rather stand and look at it coffee in hand than actually do any gardening maintenance.
Leaning on the fence this past summer a dog-walking neighbour mentioned to me she loved the smoke bush sapling that was sprouting in my yard. It was a straggler that had just shown up on it's own, that kind of thing happens a lot when you're a rusty rake lazy gardener like me. Her enthusiastic admiration of something in plain sight of the neighbourhood sidewalk compelled me to keep it. I already knew it to be a purple smoke bush, and hadn't wanted it till she flashed that smile. Okay, I guess it can stay. I transplanted it to a better spot in it's own patch of sun right next to the fence. What was once a honey-do-get-rid-of-it project has become a honey-do-nurture-it-to-grow project. And the beat goes on.
The easiest plants are the wildest ones, and I have many of those. I don't condone harvesting from the wild, for ecological/ethical reasons. But seed collection can be done with ungreedy care. And there are all kinds of native plant nurseries around. Use them. Support them. I love combining the wilder crazy country cousins with the sedate and glamourous garden variety crowd. They get along, for the most part. It's a fun garden party. Those that don't play well with others are shown the way out.
When I get around to it.
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Wellll, we got seven seasons here in River City. Right now, it's ski season. Pretty soon it's gonna be pre-flood whitewater season. Then sailing season. Next comes everything under the sun season (which includes a lot of poling, paddling, and camping). That is interrupted for a couple weeks of honey harvest and veggie canning season. After a brief return to EUTS, we go into hunting season. That is followed by laugh-at-the-cold/wet season (that's when we ditch the fair weather crowds before winter sports kick in), until it freezes up and snows again.
Odyssey... interesting reading for sure... I'm glad to hear you've been able to keep ostrich ferns going... they are large plants and maybe a possibility in a problem spot. Dryopteris marginalis, marginal wood fern or marginal shield fern is smaller, evergreen and is growing well in another problem place with dry shade being the thing that prevents others from growing well.
Good self-seeders include poppies and coneflowers... the large African marigolds produce plenty of seed and that can be collected during the fall and sown the next year.
Dahlias may be partially replaced with easier-to-maintain peonies and like you described, they will survive year after year, and may be as reliable as daylilies have been for maybe 25 years now... I'll try and dig up some photos later on.
Good self-seeders include poppies and coneflowers... the large African marigolds produce plenty of seed and that can be collected during the fall and sown the next year.
Dahlias may be partially replaced with easier-to-maintain peonies and like you described, they will survive year after year, and may be as reliable as daylilies have been for maybe 25 years now... I'll try and dig up some photos later on.
Frozen, I have a handy little plasticated bookmark (and lots of books) to aid me in my fern identification. Like some sparrows and warblers, they can be danged difficult to identify. But I'm 99% sure I know these ferns. On my sandy well drained property the ferns start out luxuriant in spring, show off through summer (with a little watering help from me) and die back to skanky brown by August drought. I just accept that they're ephemeral. They spread really well on their own. The parents were in a partly shady spot next to a shed here. After I cleared all the weeds they took off colonizing across the (sunny!) yard. In the spring I take a spade or two of their crowns and relocate them. Most survive. They're tougher than I first thought.
My wife adores poppies. I have some original pale pink annual types that pop up all on their own. I struggle with seeding my own. I'll try again this spring.
I have pockets of "naturalization" around the yard (as pretentious as that may sound). Asters, coneflowers, goldenrod and susans are a central part of that. But I also have an English bias bent to this, hence the lily-of-the-valley, roses, ivy, daffodils, snowdrops, peonies...and tulips. I'm mad about tulips. I'm planning to go nuts for zinnias. Hope the feeling will be mutual. But I'm arsed if I'm gonna dig up bulbs and bring them indoors. I do have geraniums in baskets sitting on my downstairs bar waiting for June. I'm not convinced I'll want to do that again. Did I mention that I'm lazy?
Yes I love self-seeders and boisterous growers. Less fuss, no muss maintenance. But the rewards of gardening isn't really Maintenance-Free. That kind of thing is urban scapes of pea gravel and conifers. But I shouldn't judge. To each their own. Live and let thrive.
I won't post photos of my own moonscape. It never looks as good as I imagine it does. To borrow from Harry, my yard is a legend in my own mind. I've tried snapping photos, look at them and think "Does it really look that bad?!" Kinda like looking at myself naked in front of a mirror. I think you get the idea now. But just like canoes and trips, I love looking at photos of other gardens. (Please forget the whole naked mirror thing. I'm the one who has to live with it.)
My wife adores poppies. I have some original pale pink annual types that pop up all on their own. I struggle with seeding my own. I'll try again this spring.
I have pockets of "naturalization" around the yard (as pretentious as that may sound). Asters, coneflowers, goldenrod and susans are a central part of that. But I also have an English bias bent to this, hence the lily-of-the-valley, roses, ivy, daffodils, snowdrops, peonies...and tulips. I'm mad about tulips. I'm planning to go nuts for zinnias. Hope the feeling will be mutual. But I'm arsed if I'm gonna dig up bulbs and bring them indoors. I do have geraniums in baskets sitting on my downstairs bar waiting for June. I'm not convinced I'll want to do that again. Did I mention that I'm lazy?
Yes I love self-seeders and boisterous growers. Less fuss, no muss maintenance. But the rewards of gardening isn't really Maintenance-Free. That kind of thing is urban scapes of pea gravel and conifers. But I shouldn't judge. To each their own. Live and let thrive.
I won't post photos of my own moonscape. It never looks as good as I imagine it does. To borrow from Harry, my yard is a legend in my own mind. I've tried snapping photos, look at them and think "Does it really look that bad?!" Kinda like looking at myself naked in front of a mirror. I think you get the idea now. But just like canoes and trips, I love looking at photos of other gardens. (Please forget the whole naked mirror thing. I'm the one who has to live with it.)
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Odyssey... hey... zinnias are an idea, and might keep me from spending too much on dahlias, which some zinnias sort of resemble. Still, the dahlias could multiply over the years which zinnias will not, being annuals. Maybe try both.
Anyway... some garden pix, mostly daylilies (which I've spent way too much money on over the years to the point they've become an addiction), but they're easy and reliable, forever plants with some knockout colors. Other mainstays that don't photograph so well include dwarf spirea Goldflame, which is small enough and easy to divide with an axe and hammer, ground-hugging juniper Andorra, daffodils, species Geranium and assorted shrubs, lilacs, burning bush, viburnums.
Above, various daylilies with a coneflower that self-seeded in.
Daylily "Sammy Russell"... covers the ground with a heavy growth of leaves, smothers out weeds and makes life easy... reduces need for weeding.
More "Sammy Russell"... the flowers aren't the most spectacular wrt the newer varieties but not bad.
And lily of the valley planted in dry shade underneath a spruce... leaves grow too thin for a good ground cover in the dry soil and needs weeding every year. Maybe a fern would work here and other problem spots. Smells great walking past in warm June weather.
Anyway... some garden pix, mostly daylilies (which I've spent way too much money on over the years to the point they've become an addiction), but they're easy and reliable, forever plants with some knockout colors. Other mainstays that don't photograph so well include dwarf spirea Goldflame, which is small enough and easy to divide with an axe and hammer, ground-hugging juniper Andorra, daffodils, species Geranium and assorted shrubs, lilacs, burning bush, viburnums.
Above, various daylilies with a coneflower that self-seeded in.
Daylily "Sammy Russell"... covers the ground with a heavy growth of leaves, smothers out weeds and makes life easy... reduces need for weeding.
More "Sammy Russell"... the flowers aren't the most spectacular wrt the newer varieties but not bad.
And lily of the valley planted in dry shade underneath a spruce... leaves grow too thin for a good ground cover in the dry soil and needs weeding every year. Maybe a fern would work here and other problem spots. Smells great walking past in warm June weather.
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That's beautiful FT, thanks for those. I know and love the perfume of lily-of-the-valley. I started with a single straggler (one of several different plants struggling to survive from the last derelict garden), and have been moving, splitting as they grow. I added a pink variety too. Mine are competing with mint. DON'T PLANT MINT.
I love daylilies too. Yours are gorgeous. I remember driving through Neepawa Man. in full bloom, once the Daylily Capital of the World. That convinced me you could never have too many. I have too few, and they look palid and poor compared to yours. I must do something about that. Talking about poor soils, I am cursed with two Norway maples. Unfortunately quite healthy, which is more than I can say for anything (except weeds) growing under their solid dense shade and parched arid conditions. Pretty sure I'm on an old beach, not being far from the river. So plants which require moderate soils I plunk in spadefuls of topsoil to amend the original desert conditions. Working okay so far, but the shredded wheat of a lawn gets no preferential treatment whatsoever. Hence the steady replacement with veg and flowers. And weeds. I'm only 12 years into a 5 year plan, so I'd say things are going well and right on schedule.
I love daylilies too. Yours are gorgeous. I remember driving through Neepawa Man. in full bloom, once the Daylily Capital of the World. That convinced me you could never have too many. I have too few, and they look palid and poor compared to yours. I must do something about that. Talking about poor soils, I am cursed with two Norway maples. Unfortunately quite healthy, which is more than I can say for anything (except weeds) growing under their solid dense shade and parched arid conditions. Pretty sure I'm on an old beach, not being far from the river. So plants which require moderate soils I plunk in spadefuls of topsoil to amend the original desert conditions. Working okay so far, but the shredded wheat of a lawn gets no preferential treatment whatsoever. Hence the steady replacement with veg and flowers. And weeds. I'm only 12 years into a 5 year plan, so I'd say things are going well and right on schedule.
Here in central FL there are two seasons. Too hot to be outside and gets dark before I get home.
My soil is so bad nothing can be planted directly into it . Missed being on the river last weekend to do some spring planting in my modified rain gutter garden. Planting in containers with a bottom up watering system. Had to put on my mad sicentist hat and mix the soil for the containers. Need to go out to night and pick strawberries and letuice by flashlight. Peas are doing good and just planted beans, cucumber, eggplant, and more.
Now the chores are done .maybe get on the water next weekend
My soil is so bad nothing can be planted directly into it . Missed being on the river last weekend to do some spring planting in my modified rain gutter garden. Planting in containers with a bottom up watering system. Had to put on my mad sicentist hat and mix the soil for the containers. Need to go out to night and pick strawberries and letuice by flashlight. Peas are doing good and just planted beans, cucumber, eggplant, and more.
Now the chores are done .maybe get on the water next weekend
Sounds good cflcanoe. I looked into that bottom irrigation concept on youtube. It's interesting, depending upon moisture wicking for steady watering (like potted plants with saucers). Encourages deeper root growth. I thought about it for my two raised beds but cheaped out instead. Strawberries in January! AND paddling! Sweet!
Hostas , False Solomons Seal, Cinnamon Fern, Spirea, Sedum, Starflower, wintergreen , lupine except its moving out of my yard!, Asters queen Annes Lace, Buttercup, Fleabane, Columbine ( but the rodents moved those too). Moss. Moss. Pine trees x 100. Beech trees x600. Oak and maple,, Viola, some sort of wild thyme. Blueberries. Mountain
Marguerites do OK and lilies but those are in raised beds.. We otherwise have what looks like an Algonquin campsite. Very acid soil. Too ledgy for full basement. Most soil is just an inch deep before hitting rock. No lawn.. It wont grow. Our green is all moss. We do have PJM Rhododendron which is very hardy and prolific while liking abuse
Marguerites do OK and lilies but those are in raised beds.. We otherwise have what looks like an Algonquin campsite. Very acid soil. Too ledgy for full basement. Most soil is just an inch deep before hitting rock. No lawn.. It wont grow. Our green is all moss. We do have PJM Rhododendron which is very hardy and prolific while liking abuse
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- 439
Two seasons in south Florida. Winter canoeing here and Summer canoeing up north.
Gardening is year round. Mangoes are flowering, bananas are fruiting, harvesting several kinds of tropical greens, ginger, turmeric, onions, sweet potatoes. I also emphasize native plants for everywhere. There are asters, bachelor buttons, butterfly orchids, ageratum, milkweed, pigeon pea, Senna, coral bean, porterweed. and the list goes on.
Thank you so much for the photos of the northern flowers. I love lilies of the valley and they smell heavenly.
Gardening is year round. Mangoes are flowering, bananas are fruiting, harvesting several kinds of tropical greens, ginger, turmeric, onions, sweet potatoes. I also emphasize native plants for everywhere. There are asters, bachelor buttons, butterfly orchids, ageratum, milkweed, pigeon pea, Senna, coral bean, porterweed. and the list goes on.
Thank you so much for the photos of the northern flowers. I love lilies of the valley and they smell heavenly.
