Experiments in the Garden

This year my father advised me to place wet newspaper around my vegetable garden and then layer it with grass clippings. This holds the moisture for the roots and keep weeds down.

I decided that the wet newspaper thing might be helpful applied elsewhere. When planting my big clay pots, i added newspaper around the inside of the pot. It has really helped the plants in the pot... no drying out.

I also did a similar thing for some of my hanging planters. The ones most prone to drying out... i added newspaper.

I felt that the newspaper in the garden, in the pots and planters all were really helpful to keep the soil moist. So my latest experiment with newspaper is... shredded newspaper, turned in to the soil that i was prepping for planting. I had a pack of marigolds waiting to be planted. I know that the marigolds struggle with the clay soil and the need the consistent moisture. So we'll see how this experiment works out.

July Gardening Update

It's been a while... and the garden continues to grow and thrive. It has been a very dry and cool summer so far. I like the cool part, but the dry part has its challenges. Today I had Joseph get out the garden hose... which i try to avoid using. The water barrel is empty, the ground cracked... so a good soaking was in order. The weather forecasts for some showers tomorrow. I feel like i primed the pump by watering today.

We carved out more garden space along the pine tree line (see photo). It felt good to get more of the weeds out of that area. In its place i transplanted an old-fashioned red daylily, lily-of-the-valley and oatgrass. In another section i split apart a very large variegated hosta. It was a challenge digging it out. We ended up dividing it into five pieces. We planted three in the new bed. The other two we planted near the base of the blue spruce. In the side bed where we lifted the hosta... we transplanted a bleeding heaart that wasn't happy under a tree. I believe that it will be a good spot for it. And because the bleeding heart is going in to its dormant stage, i planted zinnias there too. A second bleeding heart I transplanted to the front of the house. I still have another one to move.

I've also added the image of the shallow pot. I decided to plant chicks n hens along with rocks. I am pleased with the reults.

Mantis in miniature...

Mantis in miniature...
Originally uploaded by pjslomer

I'm delighted to see these creatures in my garden. I watched one have lunch... a red spider mite. It was amazing how fast the mantis moved.

End of June already...

This morning I had to laugh at the noisy scene i encountered. I walked out of the house to hear a nighbor with a chipper/shredder machine going... and then there was the pair of red squirrels... constant chatter between these two critters. And then i had a family of Tufted Titmice... calling back and forth to each other in that exasperated tone, and then there was the blue jays ready for peanuts. It was a very silly scene.

Today I did a lot of thinning out in the main flower bed. Too much woodruff, viola, lily-of-the-valley and california poppy under the contorted cedar. It felt good to reclaim some of the paths that had become impassable. I planted a dozen zinnias in two spots.

I moved some clumps of viola down to the woodland corner. I also transplanted on of the Bleeding Hearts to the front of the house... i'm hoping that the moist soil will be beneficial.

Currently in bloom: Stella d'oro Daylily, Pale yellow daylily, spiderwort, coral bells, lavendar, coreopsis, veronica, astilbe, snap dragons, california poppy.

Currently available for consumption: lettuce, basil, parsley, dill.

And I watched a very funny young bunny... running to and fro'... hopping... flopping... rolling... stretching and napping... having a wonderful time in the garden.

Woodland area...

Woodland area...
Originally uploaded by pjslomer

Here's the corner area recently created. Today I did more clearing out of weeds and turf in this corner.

New beds and cleaning up old ones...

Saturday, we cleaned out the grass that was around the rhododendrons in the south corner... extended the bed further toward the house and planted the new astilbe that i picked up at a plant exchange. I also planted a dozen zinnias in the front flower bed. Planted my new rabbit foot fern.

Sunday, Joseph and I created a new bed near the tall pines down on the southern edge of the property. (Eventually I plan on having a garden along the south edge) I transplanted a day lily that was growing very thick... split it into three, planted it along with some lily-of-the-valley and oatgrass. I also planted a dozen zinnias in the main flower bed.

Today, i weeded and mulched around the hemlock near the back patio. I also cleaned out the ground cover under the maple tree. I moved a few pieces of statuary (a house and barn) into the area... planted some creeping thyme and chicks n' hens. I'm pleased with the look of it. p.s. i didn't plant any zinnias today!

Fences...

I have a small vegetable garden this year. Its about 4 ft x 8 ft. I have the area that is growing lettuce and beets surrounded by a cage. I thought it was adequate protection from the critters. Yesterday I had to fence most of my garden... that was after chasing out an adolescent bunny who had a taste for cabbage. I called it a "hunky bunny". I was more fortunate than my Dad. Deer came in and decimated his garden... especially the tomato plants. Ironically, Dad was close to having his electric fence in place.