Gardening at Dawn

Now that the rainy season has finally come to an end the days have gotten hot and muggy which makes gardening uncomfortable so I have been getting up at dawn to work in my yard and gardens.

Cleaning up garden paths and doing hand pulling of weeds in flower gardens

I find I can get a lot of things accomplished as long as I do not violate the noise ordnance I am in good shape.  So today I started working on my checklist. The first thing was to remove the maple tree seedlings.  This is my biggest project; pulling out the maple tree seedlings when there must be thousands growing in my lawn and gardens.

Maple tree seed.  these fall from the trees in the spring and the seed grows FAST

This year I set 30 seedlings aside because I thought I would transplant them into pots and grow them in a sunny location. Then when they get to be approximately 16 to 18 inches I would like to donate them to families in my community that are in need.  

Many residents lost their homes due to a tornado that touched down in our city.  Families have moved into their new homes but all of the trees are gone.  I bet they would be thrilled to get a maple tree for their yard.

So I am up at dawn gardening but also transplanting the maple seedlings into pots.

Know that I am hydrating the seedlings in a shallow pan of tepid water before transplanting them into 1/2 gallon milk containers that have been recycled to be planters. 

The maple trees will be grown in organic soil and will be fertilized with my homemade compost.  Then water until it drains out of the bottom.  I intend to grow the maple trees in a sunny location and will continue to watch them for hydration.

So gardening at dawn was good, I worked on removing the seedlings and also set up the soaker hose and timer that I bought at Walmart.com.  Now I do not have to worry about watering my gardens in the morning.

Learn more about planting maple trees by reading my post here

Another Day of Rain: Yard Cleanup will Take a Week

The weather forecast called for sun today and I cleared my schedule so I could go outdoors and start pulling the weeds from my garden beds.  The entire yard is saturated with rain water and there are standing puddles and mud everywhere.  When I look at my yard I do get overwhelmed because clean up will take at least a week.

Rain Rain go away, come again some other day

Rain has made the gross grow FAST.  Need to mow the lawn

Need at least a week to manicure the lawn and gardens.  Too much rain made weeds grow FAST

The only thing I accomplished today was pulling out my rotted vegetables from the organic raised garden bed.  Too much rain, flash flooding and when the soil is saturated with water the veggies will not grow.   To do this garden task really  made me sick because we grow our own food.

I started to clean up the garden mess when the dark clouds rolled in, then heard the lightening in the distance and knew it would be another day of rain.  Hoping that tomorrow will bring sunshine and that I can work in the yard and gardens for several hours.

Before I go, I wanted to share with you all a new organic weed killer that I picked up to kill the weeds between my stepping stones.  The product name is Avenger weed killer and it is available in concentrate or ready to use.

I prefer the ready to use 1 gallon size.  This formula in non toxic and is safe to use around your flowers.   Know that if you plan on killing weeds do not use this product on a cloudy day or when the ground is wet.  For best results use this weed killer on a hot and sunny day.  The heat from the sun will activate the formula and the weeds will turn brown in a couple of hours.

Avenger weed killer does work and it is great for controlling weed growth between sidewalk, garden path and where hand-pull is not easy.  You can find and buy this non toxic product at most home and garden centers including Lowes.com  Homedepot.com  and Walmart.com

Spring Rain Makes Flowers and Weeds Grow FAST

April showers are welcoming to any gardener but when it rains too much then it creates a horrible mess. During the month of May we had horrific rain storms every single day which left standing water and a whole lot of mud in my yard.

The back lily garden has grown in too thick, It must be thinned out. 

My home is on a hill so my neighbors new top soil traveled down his yard and is now backs up against my river rock wall and some top soil backed up onto my patio.

Yes I need to clean up a muddy mess plus cut the grass, trim all the new brush that has grown in and weed the gardens again. I like to have all this yard work completed before June but all the rain sure did make a mess out of my yard.

Today was first day of part sun but not enough to dry out the grass or to evaporate the standing water in my yard so hopefully by the weekend I can address my yard and garden issues and get it cleaned up and looking presentable and not like a jungle.  

When the weeds are all hand pulled in the gardens I will treat them with weed preventer Preen

Transplanting Liriope Lilyturf Groundcover

The April shower continued through May and now my low growing groundcover has become invasive and needs to be divided and transplanted.

I grow three groundcovers in my yard; Baltic ivy, Vinca flowering vine and Liriope  lilyturf which is a low growing grass like plant that flowers in the fall.  

Know that in late winter I did trim back the liriope but the spring rain made it grow in twice the size that it was before and now husband says we need to thin it out and shape it before it takes over the entire front yard.  I agreed and added this garden project to my list of things to do.

The best time to tackle this garden project would be on a cloudy day. Today was cloudy so I started to thin out the liriope with my spade. I selected large clumps and dug them up. Then dividing the clumps and transplanting to grow around my mature oak tree. (the photo you see above was taken in the fall when the flowers were blooming) 

I was able to remove six feet of the plants before calling it a day. The mosquitos were very bad, and my repellent did not seem to keep them away. Even the citronella fire torch did not keep the biting bugs away so I called it a day and went inside.

Know that my groundcover garden does not look thinned out but I think that when I remove several more plant clumps that it will look better.  I plan to get up early tomorrow morning and work on this project before it rains in the afternoon.

View this youtube.com video to learn more about dividing and transplanting liriope.

If you are interested in growing liriope in your garden then I would recommend that you ask your friends if they are transplanting and if they can spare to give you some plants.  Otherwise you can buy groundcover plants at any of the following online stores.

eBay.com

greenwoodnusrsery.com

gardenerdirect.com

ckassygroundcovers.com

Earthwise Chainsaw with Pole Product Review

A few months ago I was shopping at HSN.com and came across a lightweight chainsaw that came with a pole.  I watched the product video that featured a women using the  chainsaw and thought I can cut back dead tree limbs and overgrown shrubs if she can.  So I ordered this chainsaw and let me tell you I love it.

I no longer have to ask my husband trim this branch or cut down the overgrown shrub that is blocking the sunlight.  I get out my 8  inch Earthwise 6.5 amp 2 in 1 chainsaw and get the job done.

Today there was a serviceberry tree growing next to my lily garden and it was blocking the light so I cut down this 11 foot tree in a matter of minutes.  Know that I was a gardener that was  pleased with herself, for doing the project herself and not asking my husband to cut the tree back.

I think this earthwise chainsaw is a must have for gardener, landscaper or homeowner.  It is so easy to use, you plug it into a outdoor two prong extension cord and then press a button.  No more smelly gas fumes, is good for your health and environment.

Here is a video that will show you how easy this chainsaw is to put together and use.   Know that my husband will grab my Earthwise chainsaw first before he grabs his.  He says it is so easy to use, plus light as a feather.

Here is the video from HSN.com that sold me on this small chainsaw.  It is perfect for the women who likes to  take care of yard and garden.

Garden Ideas for Small Yard

A friend of mine contacted me for assistance in creating a garden in her small yard. She lives in a townhouse and her backyard is very small and not private. If she put up a privacy fence then all she would need would be two panels on the sides and I thought she might feel closed in so I suggested that she invest in a lovely grass garden instead and create a private garden in her small yard.

The ornamental grass garden would add privacy and movement to her landscape plus the flower plumes are pretty. A grass garden is pretty summer through winter and is easy to care for too.

Along with the grass garden, I suggested planting some low growing daylilies and garden decorations; birdbath, outdoor bench, wind chimes and window box planted with colorful coleus plants.

Here is the digital set that I created for my friend. This set was used to show my friend how a few ornamental grasses can transform her yard and create a comfortable resting area where she could read a book or sip a cup of herbal tea.

When it comes to creating an ornamental grass garden I always choose tall grasses and then taper downward, ending with low growing border grass.

I recommend buying ornamental grasses at greenwoodnursery.com. This online nursery has a good selection of grass. My favorites are;

1. Karley Rose Grass; Features dark green foliage pretty rose color flower plume
2. white or pink pampas grass for showy flower plumes
3. Add contrast to the ornamental grass garden with Red Rooster Carex grass.
4. Accent the grass garden with low growing Elijah blue fescue grass with blue foliage or Lirope/ lilyturf with its dark green leaves and purple flowers in the fall. Both are low growing in a mound and will make the grass garden look eye appealing.

Getting Vegetable Garden Ready for Planting

A few weeks back I planted my cold season vegetables in the greenhouse and all are now ready to be transplanted. Normally I plant my lettuce in March but this past winter has been extreme and has set me back in planting my cold season vegetables.

Now it is April and weather is warmer with no snow in forecast so I got busy with getting the vegetable garden ready for planting the seedlings.

Things to do:

1. Removed the cardboard that was on top of the garden.  
2. Rake away the natural mulch, leaves from under the cardboard
3. Take away the newspaper that set on top of the soil
4. These layers helped to nourish the soil and encouraged worms to aerate the soil.
5. Pull out any weeds or grasses that are growing
6. Till the top six inches of the vegetable garden bed.

Now that this chore is completed I can sow my transplant my spinach, peas, carrots lettuce and cabbage into the outdoor vegetable garden.

Attribution: pixabay.com

Removing Leaves from Spring Flower Gardens

Removing leaves from my yard and gardens is a two season project; in the fall and then again in April. Not all of my oak trees lose their leaves and this year the leaves did not fall until the new leaf buds started to appear in late March. Come the first week of April I have leave in my flower gardens.

In the fall the city will remove our leaves when we put them at the curb. They will then turn the leaves into mulch. However in the spring leaves are not needed for mulch and today I found out that there is a fee for spring leaf pickup so we are going to rake and put them in lawn bags for trash pickup.

Know that I reside in the woods so keeping all of the leaves for compost recycling is not wise. I will keep only small amount of leaves for my compost but the other leaves must be removed as they harbor borer insects that will eat the tubers of the irises, dried leaves are also are good nesting ground for ticks, fleas and snakes.

Along with the removal of leaves from the flower gardens I am also removing the mulch because it will enable the new spring flowers to emerge from their sleep without difficulty. I use a rubber rake or my hands to gently remove the leaves and the mulch from the flower gardens without disturbing the plants underneath.

Gardening tips by Susan:

1. Late spring or early summer is the best time to apply the mulch as it will help to retain moisture.
2. If you used leaf mulch then add all leaves except oak to your compost pile. Oak leaves attract mites and other bad for the garden insects that are harmful to your plants.
3. If you have oak leaves I would recommend that your burn them or bag them for trash disposal.  

Gardens Small to Large Photo Gallery

Today I had a conversation about my garden and the person I was speaking to mentioned their garden.  They said how they had planned it and created an eye-appealing layout so the color would flow nicely. Then they mentioned the vegetables, herbs, and flowers that they had planted last year and that this year they hoped to extend their garden so that it was better than last year.

I asked if they had any photographs and with a smile, she retrieved a few from her phone to my surprise the garden was not located in a large or small yard but instead on 6 feet wide by 9-foot space on her patio.   

The photos showed that it was a nice container garden and that she had utilized her space well. It confirmed that anyone could have a garden as long as they have an area that has sunlight.

I complimented her on her garden and then she asked me about my garden, “you always talk about your garden, do you really have one?” I replied yes but it was not a container garden, I told her my gardens are 157 x 57 feet and that it has taken me years to complete.  My garden is what you would call large, but know that I have worked as an estate gardener and the property that I oversaw was four times the size of my own garden. 

Large garden with gravel path

 People love to garden and it does not matter if it is a small container garden or a large oversize garden, the importance should be that gardening is good and all will benefit from planting a garden.

Notes: I grow plants in the ground and in a variety of containers. I think containers make the garden look more interesting. I shop for containers at yard sales and at homedepot.com as this store has an interesting mix of containers for indoor and outdoor use. I also shop online at hayneedle.com plowandhearth.com and gardeners.com.

Here are some garden photographs. I hope that they inspire you to plant a garden.

 Wildflower and ornamental grass garden

Garden pavestone path 

 Flower garden along the fence

 Container garden

Daisies grew in the meadow

Butterfly garden

Hosta Garden

Lily garden path

Sensory Garden

Dog Kennel Garden

Backyard garden

Flowering Shrubs by the garden path

Greenwood Nursery Client Review; Flowering Shrubs

I have been a long-time client at Greenwood Nursery because the trees, shrubs, and perennial flowers that I have bought from this online nursery have thrived in my garden. All plants are shipped with care and arrive healthy and ready to be planted. In the last 7 years that I have shopped at Greenwoodnursery.com, they have never let me down.

This year I find myself looking at the greenwood nursery website for flowering shrubs that will grow on the sunny side of my dog kennel. I am thinking a shrub that has flowers will look better than a chain link fence. I have some evergreen shrubs in this area of my yard and they look nice but would like some summer color since the kennel is directly under my side sun porch.

My neighbor has Crape Myrtle in her yard. It grows along the backside of your privacy fence and it does look beautiful when it is in bloom. This flowering shrub did grow fast however the flowers are not fragrant.

Some of the flowering shrubs that I like are the Red Knockout Rose Shrub, which always looks good however my favorite flowing shrub is the Clethra Sugartina Crystalina or commonly known as the summersweet. 

 This flowering shrub produces bottle brush-shaped flowers in late summer that are very fragrant. I think this flowering shrub would be perfect if grown in masses along the outside of my dog kennel because it grows fast and the blooms will take away the doggy smell.

This summersweet when fully grown is three feet in height with a similar spread. It is deer resistant too and that is a plus since the deer cut across my yard nightly to get to the woods on the other side of my house.

I am certain that I will shop at Greenwood Nursery for the knockout double red roses to plant in my yard close to my patio. Then I will buy several summersweet shrubs to grow in masses along my dog kennel and in the front of the dog kennel where the gate is I plan to buy and grow honeysuckle Arnolds Red because the bright red flowers will look nice and this fast-growing shrub will provide a good windbreak and will also attract butterflies.

I am glad I took some time this morning to check out the new gardening supplies and plants that are being offered at greenwood nursery because it is the season to plan my garden for planting after spring frost has passed.

I am a satisfied client and know if you check them out that you will be too. Know that when you log in and become a member you will get a special discount list of prices. Affordable prices for your yard and garden needs.

Here are some photographs of my gardens, all plants that you view were bought online at Greenwood Nursery. 

 Hosta Garden

 Summersweet

 Coneflowers

 Ajuga

 Coneflowers

 Japanese flowering Quince

 Peppermint

 Ivy

Liriope

 Old Fashioned Lilacs

 Honeysuckle

Thuja Green Giant Arborvitae

Cosmos Flowers Photo Gallery

When it comes to planning a colorful garden that has nonstop summer blooms until the weather turns cool in the fall I plant cosmos flowers. These flowers are so easy to grow from seed and they are maintenance-free, although I do water them when the weather is extremely hot or there is summer drought.

Here is a photo gallery of cosmos flowers grown in the garden and in masses.  

These pretty cosmos flowers attract honey bees, monarch butterflies, and other butterflies. I recommend that you plant the flower seeds in an area where you can view the flowers and the pretty butterflies fluttering around the blooms.

 I grow cosmos flowers in my butterfly garden, containers, and along my side slope.  I also grow these flowers in masses in my side meadow that I can view from my sun porch.   

It is nice to sit on the porch and view the pretty flowers in the afternoon while sipping some lavender and chamomile tea.  This is a natural way to relax and unwind after a hectic day.

My favorite cosmos flower garden is the meadow because there is a path

where you can walk among the flowers.  This path serves as a nature walk for the kids and adults in my neighborhood.   They all enjoy standing in the middle of an enormous flower garden where they can view the butterflies, and take photographs of butterflies, birds, and rabbits.  Occasionally you can even see a deer or fox.

If you enjoy gardening and monarch butterflies then I recommend that you grow

cosmos flowers. 

Harvesting Lemon Balm for Herbal Tea

I grow a tea garden in my backyard because there is nothing better than a cup of soothing herbal tea in the afternoon after a rigorous day of working in the garden. Many of the teas that I grow fall under medicinal as they will cure many ailments. Lemon Balm is my go-to herbal tea for natural anxiety relief and it also helps me to sleep. If you like the taste of lemon then grow and harvest lemon balm for herbal tea.

Brew herbal tea from harvested leaves from the garden

When it comes to harvesting lemon balm for herbal tea I think it is best to harvest the leaves early in the morning, after the dew has elaborated. Choose young leaves as they are more potent and have the best flavor.

Today I am made an herbal tea by putting a half teaspoon of dried lemon balm leaves into an infuser. (I had harvested these leaves last fall and air dried them on a screen)  The dried lemon balm leaves in the infuser then set the infuser into the teapot.  Add the hot water and let the herbs steep for ten minutes.

Learn more about growing an herbal tea garden by viewing this YouTube.com video.

Growing Medicinal Herbs in Sun Garden

Normally I grow lavender, aloe Vera and German chamomile, rosemary lemon balm, and peppermint in my medicinal herb gardens but this year I intend on growing lemon balm, witch hazel, and St. Johns wort, thus creating a medicinal herb garden that will ease my aches, pain, heal cuts and help me to get to sleep.

Pretty yellow flower of the St Johns Wort herb plant

A photo of lemon balm growing in my garden. The leaves look like mint, and the entire plant has a strong lemon scent.  The bloom attracts butterflies.

The lavender, chamomile, and lemon balm are good for relieving stress and are a natural sleep remedy. Aloe Vera is good for stomach upset and constipation when taken internally however this herb is also good for your skin, a natural remedy for burns, and when used as a moisturizer will reduce the signs of aging. Witch hazel makes an excellent compress for bruises and St. Johns wort is an anti-inflammatory and is good when used as a compress for small cuts or wounds. It can also be used to treat stomach upset and mild depression.

Rosemary in garden

I grow these medicinal herbs in gardens outdoors, the Aloe Vera is grown in my kitchen in a container. My gardens are raised beds with organic soil. The area is sunny with partial shade in the afternoon because my summers are too darn hot.

When it comes to growing a medicinal herb garden I care for my plants by watering them in the early morning. And when it is really hot I will mist the herb garden in the late afternoon to prevent the flowers and leaves from wilting.

In the past, I have been successful in growing a variety of herbs in the garden and I am looking forward to growing new herbs; witch hazel, and St, Johns Wort this year.

View this youtube video to learn about other medicinal herbs that you can grow in your garden.

Tractor Supply Co Organic Seed - Greenhouse Review

A friend told me that I should check out the garden products and organic vegetable seed at tractor supply co.  I was told that they had a variety of organic vegetable, herb, and flower seeds for the garden and that I needed to also check out a portable greenhouse for the patio or deck.

 I shopped online at tractorsupply.com and found that they had a good assortment of lawn and garden products including five-foot greenhouses with shelves that would be perfect for starting my organic vegetables.   I was interested in viewing a small 5-foot greenhouse with shelves for my deck and saw that it was on sale but only available in the stores. 

Organic vegetable seed bought from Tractor Supply Co

I drove across town to the Tractor Supply Co I found the greenhouse and a variety of organic vegetable seeds at Tractor Supply Company.  I was able to buy Seeds of Change 100% certified organic vegetables. I am really happy that I found these USDA organic seeds because they are the only seeds that I will grow in my gardens.

If you are looking for organic vegetable seeds then I would recommend that you go to the Tractor Supply Co store and check out their products. I found that they priced were fair and liked that the seed packages are sealed and dated. You get first-quality organic seeds in safety packages.

*Tractor Supply sells a variety of seeds, be sure to look for non-GMO and organic on the seed packet.

Gardening During Winter Months

Normally this time of the year there is snow on the ground but instead bitter cold temperatures we are blessed with warm spring like weather.

 Due to the warm weather  I had two clients that needed help with their gardening needs and I was busy last week doing  yard and garden projects. This week I find that the  weather will be warm on Wednesday so I am making plans to work in my yard and garden.  I really love being able to work in the garden during the winter months.

Normal weather in January is Snow

There is not much to do in the backyard but I would like to fertilize the irises especially the ones that met my husband weedeater last fall. These irises took a beating because he cut them almost to the tuber. 

The extra soil  around the tubers will be good because the last snow did cause erosion and many of the roots are exposed.  I am mixing compost, potting soil and bone meal and will fertilize my tulip bulb garden, lily garden and the irises.

When that garden project is completed I plan on adding new mulch around the garden path and fill in where pea gravel is needed. I think the mulch and gravel will make the yard and gardens look good for the rest of the winter.

Gardening During Winter Months, cleanup gardens

Then all that is left to do is trim back the ornamental grasses and remove any leaves from this garden.  I really love that we are having warm weather during the winter months as it allows me to get my gardens ready for planting and my yard cleaned up.