For the first time in a while Bert and I drove up together in the same car. We got here early Friday morning and I worked from the farm on Friday. Took Monday as vacation.
- Friday I did nothing except work.
- I did stake one plant and move a sprinkler or two.
- Saturday. Up before daylight. Outside at first light.
- I worked in the Rose Garden working toward perfection. I spent time in about half the beds in that garden. I troweled-out dayflower one at a time trying to get the long, thick, tenacious roots. I raked the paths everywhere I worked. And I watered one bed at a time. I cut away plants, mostly basil, that was crowding my roses and Fruity Pebbles lantanas. I did some more fertilizing.
- I dug a hole in the Rose Edge Border and filled it with water many times throughout the morning. Planted a Witch Hazel tree. I have 2, but I'm not sure where I am going to plant the other one. Witch Hazel is a winter-blooming small tree / large shrub. The flowers are spidery and yellow. It can also be used medicinally, and it is one of the few natural remedies that are approved by the FDA. The leaves and bark can be used to make compresses and tinctures to ease swelling, itching, sunburn, hemorrhoids, and abrasions.
- Took a nap for 3 hours. I couldn't believe I slept that long!
- I went back outside to do more watering in the Rose Garden. I pulled up dayflower in more beds. I cut down dead oregano ground cover. It might not be dead, it may spring up somewhere. I deadheaded basil. I could make that a full time job because I have so much basil in the Rose Garden. Deadheaded roses. Deadheaded salvia.
- I finished clearing out the Hot Border. All the Giant Rudbeckia is coming back. I cut down the dry stalks and pulled out the dead vegetation. I spread the seed. Watered my Texas Kidneywood and my new Senna really well.
- Sunday. Up before daylight. Outside at first light.
- I worked in the Rose Garden for a couple of hours. I worked on cleaning out the other beds of the tenacious dayflower. I cut several salvias to the ground. Cut some plants away that were growing in paths. Did more raking. Watered here and there. Since I recently fertilized I'm trying to dissolve the fertilizer. I cut to the ground all the Heliopsis in the Carefree Beauty bed. Spread the seed around. I pulled up the last of the chicken wire in the Rose Garden that was protecting the wild area. I dug up the 2 dead Ballerina roses in the front boxes. Next weekend I plan to bring up some compost and plant 2 new Ballerina roses.
- Next to the Star Garden.
- I spent quite a bit of time in the Dining Room bed. I cut down phlox stems. Pulled weeds. I cut to the ground all the wild petunia that I saw. Cleared out dried up iris fronds.
- In other beds I cleaned up the dried debris around my Giant Rudbeckia plants. Cut to the ground wild petunia as I came across it. I staked the Pringle aster. Cut away plants crowding plants I like more.
- I cut down a huge Autumn Sage Hotlips. I've had it for many years. It looks completely dead, but before I dig it out I'd like to see if it will green up from the roots. It should be drought tolerant, and all the plants around it are fine.
- The Tall Wine Cup is already popping up in the Rose Garden. It made such a pretty display last year. I loved it.
- Inside for the hot part of the day. Then into town for some grocery shopping. I'm on a plum kick. I can't get enough of them! Baked banana bread.
- Outside to do some watering in the Water Garden and the Rose Garden. Everything looks really good, very neat. The temperature was pleasant.
- Sprayed herbicide in the Star Garden paths.
- Monday. Up before daylight. Outside at first light.
- I went out to the Vegetable Garden.
- I cleared as much of the weeds in the big asparagus bed that I could reach between and around the fence barriers we have surrounding the bed. It was that ground cover weed that will carpet an area when the conditions are moist. I weeded amongst the field peas. I sprinkled baking soda on the algae. It's working, but it doesn't work completely after the first application. I cleaned up the stakes and cages that were lying scattered on the ground. I knocked them all over when I was trying to kill the Muscadine grape vine on the fence. I pulled weeds in the paths if they were tall. I cleaned out all the buckets in preparation for seeding. I'll have to do that again, but if I didn't do it the weeds would have time to seed. I trimmed back the arugula that was spilling over the sides of the bed. Threw it in the compost pile. Sprayed herbicide in the paths. I'm using organic methods on the algae, but I can't get out of the habit of my Roundup.
- Rocky was attacked by something last night. He can't hold his bladder anymore, so he has to go out at night. Blind and deaf, he ran into some animal. He survived, so maybe he got the better of them?? I don't see any solution except to put him down. He doesn't feel well. Diabetes, etc. He's suffered long enough. He's been a great dog. A great, great dog.
- I worked in the Medicine Garden pulling up the groundcover weed, raking, picking up sticks and twigs. I cut back all the dead branches on the Strawberry Bush. It's still alive and will bounce back fine, but it suffered in the drought. I see the Bears Breeches is coming up. I wasn't sure if it died, but it's back. That's good, I love big-leaved plants. I cut away some Turks Cap leaning into the path.
- Dragged hoses around.
- I fed the bees again.
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