Wednesday. Worked.
During lunch, I sowed Moss Verbena and Purple Prairie Clover in a corner of the Rose Edge Border. I marked the area with sticks so I would remember the spot. I'm thinking about seeding the whole bed. I haven't done that in some years because it's been taken over by Tall Winecup in the spring which is so pretty, why try to improve on something so successful and effortless.
I also seeded another bed in the Rose Garden with Moss Verbena and Purple Prairie Clover.
Watered them both. I'm planning to be here Wednesday through Sunday, so I can keep the seed beds moist while the seeds germinate. This is the most critical time for success.
After work, I sowed seeds in several more places. Marked the spots with sticks. I cleared out the Country Girl mum bed while I watered them in. I seeded the Country Girl bed after I cleared it out. I gathered some handfuls of mum runners that broke off while I cleared the bed. I decided to pot up the ones with a little bit of root and see if they will take off. I made 3 small pots and 2 gallon pots.
I cleared one of the big beds in the Vegetable Garden and sowed lettuce seeds I used up the last of 3 different kinds of Bibb lettuces. Lettuce seeds are small and don't have a long shelf life. Better to use them up
Outside to the Vegetable Garden. I cleared out a 4 x 4 bed and sowed 4 rows of kale. Watered it in and watered my lettuce seeds. Keeping the soil moist until germination is important for lettuce.
Next to the Rose Garden to water all my new seed beds. I made 3 more seed beds of Moss Verbena at corners so that the flowers will spill out into paths. I seeded some of the rose buckets with moss verbena as well.
Pruned the Noisette. It's big, but the canes are scabby. I really need to cut away some old canes to encourage new canes. Maybe next winter. But I pruned it quite a bit and cut away a lot of dead canes. It would be great to get some late October and November blooms.
I pruned the Mlle Franziska Kruger and a couple of the Perl d'Or in the front bed.
Friday. Watered here and there while I worked.
During lunch I cleared a 4 x 4 bed in the Vegetable Garden and a bucket. I sowed Cilantro in both.
After work I hand watered seed beds in the Rose Garden. Just a little more babying and they can make it on their own. Upfront work produces future results. I'd love to get a good show.
I sat on the sofa for a long time watching the butterflies on the Bandana orange lantana. It was quite a show. So far I've grown many colors, and I find the whole series to be stingy bloomers. But it was very lovely today.
I ran into some poison ivy in the armadillo fence around the Paw Paw tree. I immediately washed up as carefully as I could, changed clothes, threw away the gloves. That took the wind out of my sails and I didn't do any more gardening that evening.
The butterflies are entertaining. I saw a Variegated Fritillary yesterday. First one this year. And the Giant Swallowtails, the black and blue swallowtails, Zebra Longwings, Gulf Fritillaries, sulphurs, Hairstreaks, Long Tailed Skippers, the tiny skippers - they are all here this weekend.
Saturday. Cool morning. So pleasant. I started in the Rose Garden. I cleared out the wild corner and sowed Purple Prairie Clover and Rattlesnake Master. Watered the area.
Finished clearing out most of the Rose Edge Border. I sowed Prickly Poppy that Molly Glentzer gave me, Moss Verbena, Rattlesnake Master, Clasping Coneflower and Mexican Hat. Watered the area.
I went down to the Orchard and did a bit of weeding, not much needed because of the heavy layer of pinebark mulch I put down. I got the Orchard under control, now I am trying to maintain it with mulch. It looks really pretty in there right now with ageratum and coneflowers and salvia blooming. I am loving it, and only a few months ago, I was despairing that I would never get it back under control. I scraped away some mulch in 4 or so spots and sowed Moss Verbena and Purple Prairie Clover. There are a lot of Tall Winecup and Brown Eyes seed in that garden, and they are going to want to take over in the spring. So no sense in seeding too much.
I cleared out a 4 x 4 bed in the Vegetable Garden and sowed parsley seed. I cleared out another space to sow dill, but I have none! I'm so surprised that I didn't re-order when I ran out last fall.
Worked the majority of the afternoon in shady locations in the garden. Clearing, clearing, clearing. Looks pretty to me!
Sunday. Another cool morning.
I sowed 2 packages of Calendula in the Vegetable Garden. I cleared an 8 x 4 bed on Saturday. I was going to plant dill there, but I ran across the calendula seeds in my seed box and decided to plant them
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