Compost?

Last fall when my husband planted the five daylilies in the front of the little house up north, he put the dirt and grass he removed into a plant pot in the garage. Today I was doing the final weeding of the year, and needed a plant pot to throw the weeds in. I dumped the dirt and dry grass into an even larger pot, and went about weeding. When I was done weeding I realized there was a fair amount of mulch I had pulled with the weeds.

Before I had even started weeding I had moved two earthworms from the driveway to the grass. They would have died. They were drying out. I like earthworms. They are great for the soil.

So I had saved a couple earthworms and they were now on their way back to do what they do, I had half a plant pot of weeds and mulch, and some dirt and dry grass in another plant pot. Where did my mind go? Compost.

I put everything together, minus the two worms of course :), put it in an area where I am going to finish a lasagna style garden next year, and walked away knowing I didn’t end up putting all that into the garbage. It’s not official compost, but the weeds and the mulch and the dry grass will mix together with the dirt and the rain that is coming and it will decompose. Go forth and make a good foundation for next year’s completion!

(That tree you see by the base of the shed is coming out. It was there when we bought the house, I didn’t get on that, and my husband knew I was wavering. But that’s no place for a tree, so … )

All done

The gardens, minus the sedum, are all done.  The cold and the wind are starting to feel winter-like.  We did have a couple gorgeous (high 60s/low 70s) days but this morning the wind is very brisk, the “feels like” temperature is 26° F, and we have snow flurries.

Our guest in the garden doesn’t care at all to be out in the garden this morning so we’ve got the fireplace going and I’m enjoying the hibiscus.

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Hopefully the wind will calm a bit this afternoon and I can get out and cut back at least the Aureomarginatas and the Blue Mouse Ears.

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Fall clean-up – week #1

Fall clean-up for week #1 is almost complete (sans pulling in the hummingbird feeders).  Time invested so far: about 2 hrs.

It helped that our guest in the garden was there to lend moral support.

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2 of the 3 clematis in back are now trimmed back, the daylilies in one garden are trimmed back, all of the asian lilies are trimmed back, the hostas that were fading and wilting are trimmed back, the irises that never bloom (I keep hoping-lol) are trimmed back, all of the remaining hosta scapes are trimmed back (goodness knows what I will do with all those Aureomarginata seeds!), and all of the linden branches that came down in the recent storm are picked up.  2 large bags packed to the gills.

It’s starting to look lighter in the garden.  Kinda sad.  But hey, some scarecrow garden picks might look good in those open spaces 😉

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Today all that’s left on the agenda is pulling in the hummingbird feeders, washing them, and putting them in storage.

Next week – trim back the ‘Marque Moon’ daylilies and the all the red daylilies.

Fall clean up begins

I need to begin fall cleanup today.  It usually takes six Saturdays, and I am right on the edge of running late.  Saturday is the day, because compost is open until 2 pm on Saturdays in the fall.

It’s always a little sad to start this process, but I cut everything back by hand (no weed whipping – yet) and if I don’t get going, it will be bitterly cold when the last bit needs to be done.  (Experience talking here)  Plus, there are those few things to be transplanted, or given to neighbors.  And then there’s that bag of 30 tulips.

The past few falls it stayed nice enough that some of the hosta leaves were able to turn colors before they wilted from frost.

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So I will leave those for another week.  I’ll start with the asian lilies, the fading hostas, and the daylilies whose leaves are browning up.

Yup.  I need to get started.  No more hanging on.  It’s time.  We have our “guest in the garden” this weekend.  He can lend moral support.  In 30 minutes.

If it were April/May, I’d be all over a day to get out in the garden early, but Brrr!  Who wants to leave the comfy house with cozy throws to go out and cut down the garden?

It does help that part of the garden came in the house last night – the hibiscus, shamrocks and amaryllis.  They are still in the entryway acclimating before I put them in their locations for the next 6 months.  Maybe I’ll enjoy them inside for just a few more minutes.

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No?  Okay, here we go.  Once I get going it will be fun?  Or at least familiar …