Dressing for a Yard Work – Protective Garden Wear

No matter what season a gardener must dress defensively to protect themselves from the weather and from garden pests.   

For yard and garden makeovers that require you to clean up brush, debris, or leaf removal you need to wear protective clothing and accessories.  This is your first defense for preventing a tick, mosquito, brown recluse spider. or poisonous snake bite.

Rubber boots good for high grass or brush

If the job involves manicuring an overgrown yard and garden, then it is wise to dress to protect yourself.  A yard that has leaf matter or overgrown brush will have borers, spiders, ticks, fleas, chiggers, mites, snakes, and rodents.  

For heavy-duty yard clean up jobs I wear a long sleeve Columbia Omni shade shirt that provides me with ultraviolet protection by reflecting the sun rays, this shirt also whisks the moisture from my skin making my skin not as desirable to the tick as they are attracted to moisture and dark areas of the body; stomach, behind the knees, inner thigh, underarm.  I also wear light color shirts only; white and pale pastels because the light colors reflect the sunlight and it is easy to see ticks, spiders, or other insects crawling on you.

I will tuck the shirt into long pants and then I wrap the leg of the pants tightly around my waist and then put on rubber mid-calf or knee-high boots.      

Tips:

Before putting on my garden wear I spray clothing including socks and undergarments with Deep Woods off. I will also spray the rubber boots with insect repellent.  This is how I protect myself from bug bites.

Wear a sun reflective hat when doing yard work.  It is helpful in keeping ticks from getting in your hair.  When trimming shrubs the ticks could be on the leaves.  If you brush the leaf the tick may get onto your hat.  Treat the hat by spraying Deep woods off or other deet insect repellent onto the hat.

The best way to prevent insects from biting you is to be defensive.  Treat the lawn and gardens with diatomaceous earth before you work to kill the pests. Wait a minimum of 4 days for the brown recluse, ticks, and fleas to die off.

Notes from sgolis:
The pests in my yard are very bad this year and I believe it is due to a mild winter and a warm and damp early spring.  We have an infestation of brown recluse spiders, fleas, ticks, and snakes.  I have been out working in the yard and garden since late March and wear rubber garden boots daily.  

Where to Buy Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade

Diatomaceous earth food grade is a natural home and garden pest control.  It will get rid of; fleas, ticks spiders, mites, lice, webworms, bed bugs, cockroaches, aphids and powdery mildew without harming your pets or children.

For natural pest control, I apply diatomaceous earth food grade with a duster application.   It is best to cover your entire yard and gardens with the dust or you can mix the DE into the soil.  

Food grade that is 100 percent pure with no additives is the only formula that I will use because it is safe for wildlife, humans and pets.  

Where to Buy  Diatomaceous Earth Food Grade

When shopping online I look for the words pet and people safe.   You can buy DE online at Walmart.com they carry the product Lumino Home Diatomaceous Earth – food grade. for pets and people.  I like that this brand sells the DE in a jar because it does have to be kept airtight.  You can buy in a package but you will have to put in a jar that has a tightly fitted lid.

I also found diatomaceous earth food grade at ebay.com  They sell the brand Perma Guard Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth 10 ounces.  

"I bought a 3-pound container of Natures Wisdom food grade Diatomaceous Earth at Amazon and used it for the treatment of home and garden pests. Note a little bit goes a long way"   

Tips:

1. Diatomaceous earth food grade is fossilized skeletons of tiny aquatic organisms.  The earth is processed into a fine white powder that is best applied with a duster.  
2. The earth is effective in killing the insects with the razor sharp edges of the skeletons. The insects including bed bugs are killed when they come in contact with the earth, they are killed physically not chemically.
3. You can mix diatomaceous earth with pet food to kill hookworms   You can also add the earth to a shaker container and shake onto your pet's fur.  The diatomaceous earth food grade will kill fleas, ticks, mites, and lice.  Learn more here 
4. For yard and garden treatment I recommend that you use a ventilator mask when you are dusting your yard or garden.   If wildlife; raccoon, possum, fox, and deer enter your yard it is wise to reapply the earth every 4 to 6 weeks.
5. When shopping for DE look for the words organic, or pet safe on the package.

Growing Orange Tiger Lily Flowers

The oriental orange tiger lily will add color and interest to your mid-summer flower garden.  This showy flower with its dark brown speckled petals that curl downward when fully bloomed can be grown in the ground or in a container.

Tiger Lily (Lilium tigrinum) grows in my yard.  I did not initially plant the bulbs as they were planted by previous owners.  I suspect that the tiger lilies were planted by the original owner a master gardener.  

The tiger lily flower bulbs are planted in groupings of 12.  They all grow together and when the lily stems emerge in late spring they will grow 30-48 inches in height.   The tiger lilies when fully grown look like shrubs as they are tall and the foliage is full.  They are a focal point in my landscape.  When the tiger lily flowers bloom; in June and July, the orange flowers with the dark brown specks face the ground rather than up toward the sun. There are approximately 12 blooms for each stem and they continue to bloom for several weeks.

Growing Tips for Tiger Lily Flowers

Choose a planting site where the soil moisture is average and well-drained.  The tiger lily will tolerate loamy soils also. 

The sun requirement is full sun however if you reside in an area that has hot summers then it is best to provide the tiger lily with part sun to shade in the hottest part of the day. My summers are extremely hot and the tiger lily grows best with afternoon part shade to shade in the peak heat of the day as it prevents the plant from wilting.

Grow in zone Zones 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9

Get Your Garden Ready for Planting

Ready the garden site for the tiger lilies by removing the sod and then loosening the soil to 8 inches. Use your hands to break up the soil clumps. If you are planting more than one tiger lily you would dig a hole that is six inches deep with a space of 9 inches apart.  Mix the soil with compost or manure and add some bone meal to the hole and then plant the bulb.  Cover with soil and water well.

Caring for Tiger Lilies

Like the clematis the tiger lily likes its roots shaded so it is best to apply organic mulch around the stems Three inches of mulch will keep the roots cool.  

Another way to provide shade to the tiger lily roots is to plant other perennials.  These plants will provide the shade that is needed. In contrast, you may want to grow purple verbena.  The purple flower of the verbena would be a nice contrast to the orange tiger lily.  The verbena has a spreading growth habit and it would provide shade for the tiger lily roots.

Cut off spent blooms to encourage repeat blooms. Leave the leaves on the stems and do not cut back the foliage until after a hard frost.  The leaves gather nutrition and nourish the bulb for the following season's blooms.

Other Tips

Tiger lilies do not make good flowers for cutting.  The stems break easily and the flower is hard to arrange in a vase.

Hummingbirds and butterflies are attracted to the tiger lily flowers.

When shopping for tiger lily bulbs look for them in spring, if you watch the garden store circulars you may be able to get a coupon for a sale price.   Tiger Lilies look best when you grow them in a group; 10 or 12 tiger lilies will accent your landscape.

Love Oriental Orange Tiger Lily Flowers see more by viewing this YouTube video.  

Negotiating Contract for Yard Clean-up

Image credit

Today I met with a client and surveyed the property.  In a word, it was a real mess.  They had not addressed the removal of the fall leaves, nor did they clean up the gardens or prune any of the dead branches from the trees.  The lawn was all weeds except for an assortment of naturalized spring bulbs.  


To say the least I was rather overwhelmed looking at the property of 72 x 167, a large yard that needed to be cleaned up and then manicured. 

I needed the work, but this contract would require me to hire a lawn service and gardener. So I quoted a high estimate and the client wanted to negotiate at 50% less than my asking estimate. I was their 15^Th gardener that had submitted a bid for the job.  I gave the client my business card and told him if he changed his mind or if he had any questions to call me.  I declined the job.  

Had I been hired I would have manicured the gardens as shown in the images below. I always have photographs of my work in my portfolio.  Many times the before and after images will get me hired for the garden job

The only reason the job was available was that the property was overgrown and every inch of it needed to be addressed and the client wanted cheap help. I figured it would take 40 hours to get it manicured before I could concentrate on early spring containers and feature gardens and felt my estimate was fair.  

This evening at 7:00 I got a callback and we agreed upon 15% less than my original estimate. 

When it comes to an entire yard clean-up a gardener must look at the entire property and determine if it can be completed by one person or if it is better to hire workers. For this property and the time frame that the client wants all work completed, I hired a college student that does lawn service and a gardener to help with weeding.  By hiring students I will save on labor costs, however, I will need to oversee the work on a daily basis. 

Even though I accepted the job for less than my asking estimate I am glad that I was able to negotiate a fair gardening contract as it is better to have jobs lined up rather than having nothing on the books. 

Design a Garden for Your Senses

Set the mood of your yard by designing a section that stimulates your senses and achieves inner peace from your sensory garden.  

Stimulate your sense of touch, sight, scent, hearing, and taste by designing a sensory garden that features flowers, ornamental grasses, bamboo, and tasteful as well as aromatic herbs.  

Add a soothing water feature and a cozy outdoor living space where you can sit and relax.  When you design a garden that stimulates your senses you will find harmony.  

Water feature garden

Before you begin your garden you will need to decide on the type of plants that you would like to grow.  You will want to choose a color scheme that is compatible and soothing, as well as flowers, shrubs, and herbs that are fragrant and will attract butterflies and hummingbirds. 

Choose ornamental grasses; fountain, reed, or zebra grasses will give the garden movement as well as lovely plumes and winter interest.  Fragrant flowering shrubs and vines:  ruby spice summersweet, sweet autumn clematis, and Four O’clocks will perfume the air in late summer and early fall.

  

Add a water feature to your sensory garden. The water feature need not be large however one that has water cascading down rocks into a shallow pool will provide you with a sense of sight and hearing.  The trickling water is a natural way to relax your mind and body.  

 

Designing Garden for Senses

Decide on the location of your sensory garden.  Allot space for flower, herb, and grass gardens, as well as a feature water garden, and sitting area.  Your garden should appeal to the eye by inviting you to different focal areas.  

A focal area could be your water feature, a pergola over a comfortable seating area, a colorful coneflower garden or a butterfly garden.  When you have decided upon the location of your garden you would then measure it.  

Measure the space of your garden and then draw out the locations of each garden.  Use colored pencils to indicate the color scheme of the plants.  Section off your sensory gardens; assign specific areas for plants.  You may want to plant bamboo or grasses with height in the back section of your garden as these plants will provide you with a living privacy hedge.  You may want to have a section for wildflowers, a water garden, herbs, or a butterfly garden.  

Garden Path

Pave stone path to the herb garden

Decide if you would want a natural stone garden path to connect all of the gardens to the outdoor living space.  Do a rough drawing to give you an idea of how you want your garden to look.

Excavate the garden area by clearing the area.  The best way to achieve this task is with a tiller, and a wheelbarrow to remove the sod.  Loosen the earth to the depth needed to install the pond and your container plants, shrubs, or trees.  For planting amend the soil with compost or manure, the plants that you grow will stimulate your sense of sight taste, and smell.

Install a water feature.  Set the fountain or pond close to the area where you will put your patio furniture. Add your seating or resting area to your garden.  Set outdoor furniture in the center of the garden also a bench close to the garden path.  This resting area will allow you to stimulate all of your senses.  Lie in a lounger or sit on the bench and read a book. Take a moment to close your eyes, listen to the sounds of the garden, and breathe in the aroma of the herbs and fragrant flowers.  Your daily stress will melt away and your body will be at peace.

Gardening Tips:

Accessorize your garden with wind chimes.  Hang the chimes in various locations in your garden.  When the wind blows the chimes will produce music. The wind music will stimulate your sense of hearing.

Add light to your garden by outlining the path with solar lights or accent feature areas with hanging solar lights.  The lights generate power from the sun and all soft lighting to your garden at night.

Here is a video that will give you an idea of how to design a garden for your senses.

Grow Mint for Home Garden-Information

Peppermint flower

Benefit from your garden mint by growing the herbs for culinary, medicinal, aromatherapy, and as a repellent for mosquitoes and other flying insects.   

Mint can be grown in containers, in the ground or in various sections of your yard.  

I have a dog kennel and find that when I planted the garden mint on the exterior of the kennels that the mint controlled the dog odors and also repelled fleas and ticks. If you have a large yard I would recommend growing the mint in the ground, however, if you have a small yard or live in an apartment then grow mint in a container and set it in a sunny location or grow under a light.

Benefits of Garden Mint

Chocolate Mint in my backyard

1. Peppermint is a natural remedy for indigestion, heartburn, headache, and will help to reduce inflammation caused by acne.  If you plant a mixture of peppermint, spearmint, and apple mint in sections in your yard these fragrant herbs will repel mosquitoes and other flying insects. 
2. Other uses for mint would be to add it ice tea, brew medicinal herbal tea, garnish foods with mint, make mint jelly, or antibacterial soap. Growing garden mint is easy and it will provide you with years of fragrant flowers and leaves.
3. Garden mints have a delicious scent and flavor.   When planning your mint garden choose mint that appeals to your senses.

Here are a few of my favorite garden mints.  Buy seed packets of mint at Walmart.com Ebay.com Parkseed.com or Gurneys.com or Tractor Supply.  Start seeds indoors and then transplant after the danger of frost has passed.  

Corn mint

Peppermint

Spearmint

Apple mint

Pineapple mint

Orange mint
Berries and Cream mint
Lemon mint
Chocolate mint    
Candy mint

Chocolate mint

When to Grow Mint

Start to grow mint seeds indoors 7 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost or you could sow the seeds directly into the garden bed when the spring temperatures warm and the threat of frost has passed.

Where to Grow

Grow indoors by planting seeds in soil that is mixed with compost or manure.  Set the seeds on top of the soil and then press the seeds into the soil with the eraser end of a pencil.  Plant the seed one inch below the soil line.  Water so that the soil is evenly moist but not wet.  Set the mint containers next to a sunny window or under a grow light.  For outdoor cultivation choose a garden site that receives full sun and has well-drained soil. 

I grow spearmint and peppermint on the side of my house. These plants need room to grow as they have a spreading nature.  I spaced my plant two feet apart. The mint grows down a slope and I found that the spreading nature of the mint is a good way to control erosion.

Ready the Garden for Planting Mint Outdoors

Use your tiller or spade to ready the soil for planting.  Remove all of the grass, rocks, and weeds from the planting area.  Work the soil until it is a fine texture.  Amend the soil with compost or manure.  Set the seeds on top of the soil. Space the seeds 18 to 24 inches apart and then press the seeds into the soil with the eraser of a pencil.  Plant the seed one inch below the soil line.  Water so that the soil is evenly moist but not wet.

Care for Mint

• Watch the soil so that it does not dry out.  Garden mint prefers evenly moist soil that is well-drained.  It will die if the soil is overly wet.
• Keep roots cool by adding a pine bark mulch or leaf mulch around the garden mint.
• Mint will bloom in mid to late summer
• Divide and transplant in the spring to prevent overcrowding.
• Watch for rust; patches of orange-red on the back of the leaves.  Remove all rust-infected plants and get rid of them.  Watering mint in the evening will cause rust so don’t do it.

Tips:

Peppermint is a natural way to repel stray cats from your yard.  The scent of peppermint is repulsive to a cat.

Drought Tolerant Verbena Growing Tips

Verbena is a great plant that features long-lived vibrant flowers that are drought tolerant. Grow verbena on a sunny slope, in a rock garden, and in hanging containers; the verbena spills down the sides of the container and it looks very eye appealing.

Verbena is easy to grow provided you give it what it wants; full sun and rich soil that is well drained. 

The first time that I planted verbena was in 2007.  I took a chance at planting seeds.  At the time I did not know about cold storage so my seedlings grew but they were not healthy.  I transplanted the seedlings to my side slope garden. 

The sun was full on the slope for about 6 hours and then there is the partial sun. The first year I thought I had killed the verbena as the flowers were small and did not repeat.  My grown-from-seeds verbena died back in late summer. I added a layer of compost to the garden on the slope in the fall and then a layer of mulch.

The following spring I readied the side slope with compost and  I was delighted when the verbena returned in early summer. 

The lacy greenish-gray foliage of the verbena looks nice spilling down along the rocks and the colorful purple blooms are so vibrant that the side slope garden is a feature in my yard.  Verbena reseeds itself and every year after that my slope garden grew fuller.  Verbena is a lovely flower to grow in your garden as it blooms from spring to frost.  Here are some questions and answers that will help you with growing verbena in your home garden.

 Questions and Answers for Growing Verbena

When should I plant verbena seeds?

Plant verbena seeds indoors eight weeks before the last spring frost.  Unlike other flower seeds, verbena seeds are cold storage to grow.  Plant verbena seeds in a seed starter kit then set the seeds in a cool and dark area; your basement, or the lower rack of your refrigerator. Leave the verbena seed kit in your refrigerator for 10 days.  

Check the seed daily to make sure the soil is evenly moist.  During seed germination, the soil must not dry out.  Remove the verbena from your refrigerator and set the seedlings next to a southern exposure window or under a grow light.  Germination takes 2 to 4 weeks.  Transplant the verbena seedlings outdoors when they are 6 to 8 inches high.  

Outsidepride Verbena Mix flowers

Where should I grow verbena?

Verbena grows best in full sun with well-drained soil and is hardy in growing zone 6 to 9.  Verbena looks good growing on a slope, a window box, or a hanging container.  The natural spreading of 12 to 18 inches is eye appealing with the long blooming flowers.

Here is a photo of red verbena that I planted in a container 

What flowers look good grown with verbena?

I grow verbena flowers in masses and find that lady’s mantle, zinnias, black-eyed Susan, blazing star Liatris, echinacea, red bee balm, coreopsis, cosmos, and salvia are flowers that add colorful blooms to the garden from spring to frost. 
 

How do I get ready for planting verbena outdoors?

Clear your garden site of grass and debris.  Loosen the soil to a depth of ten inches.  Add four inches of compost or manure to the soil and mix thoroughly.  Next, add a time-released fertilizer to the soil, and mix the appropriate amount of fertilizer according to the directions on the package.  Plant the verbena flowers ten inches apart.  Water plants well after planting.

 How do I care for Verbena?

Care for your verbena seedlings by watering the plants in the morning with a drip hose.  Keep the soil evenly moist but not wet until the verbena plants grow into busy plants. These plants are what you would call established and will be able to tolerate dryer soil conditions however, they prefer regular watering.   I provide my verbena plants with deep watering every 2-3 days with a soaker hose and the plants grow very well.  Verbena will die if you water the plant too much, or if the roots are in standing water.

Prior to the peak summer heat, apply four inches of fine mulch such as grass clippings, mulched leaves, or organic wood chips.  If the verbena is growing in a flowerbed, cover the entire bed with mulch.   The mulch will help the young plants to retain moisture and will aid in preventing weeds. 

Tips:

1. Encourage repeat flowers by removing the spent blooms.   
2. Verbena will self-sow; be careful when weeding as you do not want to pull out a new verbena seedling.
3. Choose from a variety of verbena colors: purple, white, red, and pink flowers for your yard and garden.
4. Grow close to a walkway or patio so you can watch the butterflies. Butterflies love the nectar-rich verbena that blooms repetitively from spring to frost.

Specialty Garden Ideas for Cat

Design a garden for your house cats or for neighborhood cats and this garden will provide the cats with a place to go for relaxation and entertainment.  The garden will become a safe space for your cats or neighborhood cats. 

 Once the specialty cat garden has grown the cats will be attracted to the grasses and catnip  The garden is a safe haven that provides cats with all that they need.

Photo of Lucy with cat house in the garden.  She loves her area with natural cypress mulch to keep her area bug free.

A stray cat that comes daily to the catnip garden

Here are photos of the cats that visit my garden.  It is a safe space for them.

If you love cats then you should create a special garden for them and they will come to visit you daily.

 Questions and Answers

Where should I design a specialty cat garden?

Choose a location for the cat garden that is away from people, pets, and car traffic.  Many people choose the furthest corner of their yard with two sides of privacy fencing.  If you do not have a privacy fence then you can install a trellis, plant shrubs, or ornamental grass.

What products are needed for cat garden?

Determine what products you will use for the cat garden.  You may want to install a water feature, a small pond, a sandbox and cat playhouse, and a feeding station.  Leave a section for cat grasses; wheat, barley, and oat also grow catnip and cat herbs in a sunny section of the garden.

How to design a specialty cat garden?

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Use white marking paint to outline the cat garden on the ground.  Measure your area.  These measurements will help you when purchasing gravel, mulch, and assorted seeds for the cat garden.

Draw out your cat garden on paper.  Use colored pencils to highlight where each item will be located.  The cat garden design will help you when you are setting up the garden. For a medium-sized residential home, a cat garden with the dimensions of 10 x 12 is a good size.

After you have drawn out your garden design and purchased your products you would then get the cat garden ready for planting and set up by clearing the site with a tiller. Remove all rocks and grass.  Loosen the soil so that it is a fine texture.  Mix a two-inch layer of compost with the garden soil.  Make sure that the cat garden has proper water drainage.

Set up the sandbox behind the cat house. Plant rosemary or peppermint herbs a foot away from the litter box to mask the odor.   These herbs are fragrant and bushy and tall, thus they will provide the cats with privacy.  Install the litter box by digging a hole that is the same size as the litter box. Level the bottom of the hole. Set the box in a hole and fill it with fine sand. Line the litter box rim with a stone border and surround the litter box with 3-inches of pea gravel.

Cascade and Pond Kit

Add the water feature in the center of the cat garden.  The water feature will add interest to the garden and all cats enjoy listening to the cascading water.  They also enjoy getting their paws wet. 

What herbs should I buy for the cat garden? 

Buy cat herbs.  These herbs are beneficial to cats; rosemary, catnip, cat thyme, Valerian, peppermint, and dandelion.  You may want to plant herbs in containers to add interest to the cat garden or plant them in various sections of the garden.  

Where should I plant the cat grass?

Plant the grasses in front of the herbs. Start grass seeds inside, and then transplant them when the grass is about two inches high. On the other hand, you can sow by seed directly in the garden. These grasses provide the cats with vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, which help your cat digest their food, and control hairballs.

Tips:

The cat house will serve as the cat's bed and breakfast as well as storage for food, water, bed, and toys. The cat house is a great addition to the garden.

Mulch or add pea gravel around the water feature and litter box. 

Water grasses and herbs in the morning.  Deadhead spent blooms to stimulate new growth on the plants.  Remove dead plants and grasses.

Accent specialty cat garden with cat statue or decorative stepping stones.  Hang a wind chime for the lovely music. (Hang chimes high so cats cannot reach them) 





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Forcing Hyacinths to Bloom Indoors

Forcing hyacinth bulbs to bloom indoors is a good way to liven up your winter home with color and fragrance.  

I like to force the hyacinths bulbs to bloom in a vase. 

 In October I will set up several vases and for the next 10 weeks I will store the bulbs in my cellar as it is a cool and dry area.  The bulbs will root in the bulb vase.  The vase holds the bulb out of the water but allows the roots to obtain hydration from the water. 

Forcing hyacinths to bloom indoors is a good way to decorate your home as well as add a fresh clean fragrance to air during the winter months.  You can feature indoor hyacinths in the pretty vases by setting them on your fireplace mantle. 

Another way to decorate with indoor grown hyacinths is to gather several hyacinth vases in the center of your dining room table and accent the flower centerpiece with votive candles and balsam greenery. Set a hyacinth bulb vase on your bedside table and the lovely fragrance will fill the room.  

Tips: 
When you grow hyacinths bulbs indoor you are bringing the garden indoors.

Growing the hyacinths indoors is not hard but does require that you pay attention to the evaporation of the water in the growing vase by checking on it daily

Learn more about how to force hyacinths to bloom indoors.