Slogger Yard and Garden Boots

  

Whenever I go outdoors to walk the dog or to work in the yard or garden I will put on my slogger boots. I think this boot is the best quality-made boot for fit, durability, and long wear.

 

My sloggers are 8 years old

Slogger garden boots are made from rubber which is waterproof, windproof, and stain resistant.  They do provide some insulation from the wind and the cold.  I wear a sock with them on cool days and my feet are comfortable.

 I prefer a garden boot because it covers my ankles and calves.  Which protects me from insects, dirt and from the string trimmer from hurting my feet.

Know that not all rubber boots are the same, some are intended for rainwear others are meant to be worn in the yard.

 When shopping for a garden boot it’s important to choose one that fits your foot well.   Many stores sell slogger shoes and boots, including Amazon Walmart, and eBay to name a few.  I bought mine at a local garden store.  The sizes were whole only, and the size 8 fit my 71/2 foot perfectly.

I love the floral prints and the colorful designs and the lug sole is great when I work in the mud.   The garden boot helps me to keep my footing.  Slogger yard and garden boots were designed to brighten your rainy, snowy, or muddy day.

Growing Tips for Oleander Flowering Shrub

Recently my brother bought me two Oleander flowering shrubs because he thought I would love the beautiful flower.  He did not realize that all parts of the plant contained chemicals called cardiac glycosides which can affect one's heart and cause death if consumed. 

Here are a few of my photographs of my Oleanders

 

 Plant and grow Oleander in your yard but do take steps when planting that will keep you safe.  The entire plant is so toxic that you must handle it with care.  You don’t want the sap to get on your skin so dress in a long sleeve shirt, and pants and wear gloves that cover your wrists.  A plastic shield to cover your face would also keep you safe from Oleander sap.

 Grow the Oleander in full sun.  Choose an area that has well-drained rich soil.   Space accordingly leaving 3 feet apart as this plant needs plenty of room for spreading.

 It’s a good idea to plant the oleander flowering shrub in the early spring or fall season when the days are cooler.  

 Planting Tips

Did a hole that is two times the size in depth and width as the root ball.  Amend the backfill soil with compost The top of the root ball should be level with the soil.   You can also grow Oleander in a container

Water the newly planted Oleander well so that the soil is evenly moist but not waterlogged.  Water throughout the growing season in the morning so that the soil does not dry out.

 For repeat blooms, you should fertilize the Oleander every two weeks during spring and summer.  I like the miracle grow bloom booster that is attached to the hose.

Other Tips

Oleander will survive in the winter as long as the temperature does not go below 20 degrees Fahrenheit.

Known pests are caterpillars, mealybugs, spider mites, and aphids.

How to Stop Bamboo From Spreading

 Our home came with bamboo growing close to the foundation and we knew immediately that it would need to be transplanted to another area. What we did not know is that bamboo was invasive and that once it was established in your yard nearly impossible to stop it from spreading. 

My husband dug up the roots and replanted the bamboo by our patio At first we thought it was a good privacy barrier but soon learned that it was invasive and that we needed to prevent it from spreading. We cut the large bamboo canes with a saw at the soil line and followed that by cutting the new shoots as they emerged.

The following photos show the bamboo canes. You can see that they were planted too close to the foundation and growing out of control.

 

The best way to stop the bamboo from spreading is to control all new growth by cutting it back as soon as the shoots emerge in the spring and throughout the summer months.  

 Another way to control the spread is to mow over the new bamboo shoots.  Set your mower at the lowest level then mow over the bamboo, you will need to repeat mowing of the bamboo weekly to prevent it from growing back.  

 Many people will stop the bamboo from spreading by cutting back the shoots and then treating the area with chemicals or herbicides.  This method is a way to permanently kill the bamboo. Be aware that you may have to repeat the herbicide treatment a few times to stop the roots from spreading.

 We find the best way to manage the bamboo growth is to cut back the new shoots and cut the roots that appear just below the soil surface. Then mow the area weekly.  

 

Stop Ivy from Growing on Trees

 

Ivy is a vigorous growing vine that will grow on anything, fences, walls, and tree trunks.  At first, you may think it looks nice and you will enjoy viewing the wildlife that takes shelter amongst the ivy. But soon you will learn that ivy is killing your trees.

 

A few years ago I planted six Baltic Ivy and when it grew on my rock wall I thought it looked pretty.  I also like how the ivy seemed to hold the rocks in place.  The ivy on the wall was manageable but when it started to grow up our oak tree we were concerned. 

 

My husband removed the vines by hand, then he used a hand pruner to cut the Ivy stems at the soil line.  He then dug up the roots and pulled them out. Tree service told us that this was the best way to remove the ivy and prevent it from taking over the tree. We were told that by removing the roots that the leaves on the tree would then die.  My husband did as the tree service had recommended but the ivy roots must have been deeper than he had thought because a section did die back but it was not enough to get rid of the ivy t had grown up our tree.

 

The bare bottom of the tree is due to the pruning..we thought it was dying back.

The ivy will kill your tree.  Here are a few photos of the branches that feel recently.  You can see the thick ivy branches and leaves. The ivy is sucking the life out of the tree and if we don’t find a way to kill it we will have to cut the tree down in the spring. 

thick ivy vine growing on side of the tree

Oak Tree branch with vigorous ivy vine 

Back to Basics Deer Repellent That Works

 

My home was built directly next to the woods and the deer think my yard is their yard.  

 

We love the wildlife but draw the line when it comes to our raised garden beds on our patio.  We think that is off limits and that the deer need to stay away from the patio next to our home.

 

We have tried pepper solutions, bells, wind chimes, and chicken wire but none of them have repelled the deer from our patio gardens.

 

Then in the fall I shopped at big lots and found decorative scarecrows.  I put them in my planters and to my surprise the deer stayed away from them.  A simple and basic scarecrow is what kept the deer away from my patio and surrounding yard.

 

Know that the deer are very afraid of the scarecrows especially on a windy day when their hair and arms have movement.

 

The deer will stomp their hooves onto the ground, snort and turn away from my patio gardens.  The scarecrows are a simple and basic way to deter wildlife. Even the raccoon stay away from the scarecrows. 

Summer Patio Container Gardens

 This year we planted a variety of flower and herb container gardens for our patio and enjoyed them all summer long.  Now that summer is ending the container gardens are in full bloom and have added color and interest.

Here are some photographs of my container gardens.

 

Know that this summer’s heat was on record for being the hottest summer in history.  Not only was it extreme heat there were also water shortages.   We were able to keep the container gardens hydrated by reusing household water, such as water used to cook vegetables or to rinse the vegetables and fruit in the sink.

While it took some creativity to find water for the containers, know that our efforts were worth it.  It's now the end of summer, the weather is cooler and the container gardens are in full bloom

 

Outdoor Accessories for Yard and Garden

Adding outdoor accessories is a great way to add ambiance to your yard and garden.  While your flowers add color and fragrance the garden accessories will add appealing interest as they are a focal area to your outdoor space.

 

Right now my summer flowers have bloomed and we are waiting for the end of summer flower buds to bloom.  So the garden accessories, solar peacock, flamingo, patio fountain, wind spinner, and garden flags that I bought at Amazon. Zazzle and Big Lots look really nice.

When you add decorations like the ones that I mentioned you will find that they are not only pleasing to the eye but also that they are also relaxing. A great way to unwind at the end of the day is to sit outdoors at night enjoying the soft solar lights and listening to the water in your patio fountain.

 

I decorated my yard with a garden fountain and crackle glass pathway lights that are solar-powered and look beautiful at night as well as during the day.  Both lights generate power from the sun so you will have to set them up in an area that gets direct sun.  I also added a few metal art solar-powered lights and spinners that look beautiful set up in the gardens.

 

All photos viewed in this post are of the accessories in my gardens.

Tree Service / Trimming Pruning and Costs

 Last week I had 5 mature Oak Trees trimmed. All of the trees were over 30 feet in height and the tree service had to use a bucket to get to the branches that needed to be cut back.

When you get your trees trimmed it will improve the health of trees as they will get more sunlight and the trimming will make your property appear more pleasing to the eye.

My side yard, trees growing too close, need to be thinned out

The tree service that we hired, did not remove the new growth, instead, they concentrated on the dead branches and the overhang branches that covered our driveway and also inhibited the sunlight.  Many of the smaller fruit-bearing trees, and flowers were not getting enough sun and they were all dying.

Maple tree growing too close to service lines

Know that costs do vary but for 5 mature trees over 30 feet in height we paid $1K.  Online research indicated that the average costs range from $1K to $2K and I guess that depends on your location and how easy it is to get to your trees.

Normally tree trimming is done in the spring and summer and pruning is done in late fall and winter (November – March)  

Pruning is when they remove unnecessary branches, that have died and need to be cut off.  The cooler season makes the trees less susceptible to insects and disease.

The tree service will access your trees to determine if tree branches are growing too close to power lines, your house or other buildings.  Pruning keeps your trees looking neat and discourages branches from growing in the wrong direction.

Growing Tips for Lemongrass

  

While shopping at the garden center I passed an ornamental grass-looking plant that had a refreshing lemon scent. The plant was in a container and the ticket said no need to transplant, this plant is easy to grow, and was hand-selected by Bonnie plants to grow in a container. 

Lemongrass is grown in a container

We enjoy the lemon scent and that it repels mosquitos 

This ornamental grass is eye appealing, has movement, and has a fresh scent.  I loved it and I bought the lemongrass and set it in the center of my patio table.

You can grow it in a container or you can plant lemongrass in the ground in the spring after frost has passed The lemongrass likes it hot so a sunny location is best.  

The plant is very easy to grow in a container or in the ground. 

If you reside in USDA zone 8, 8b, and 9 then this plant will not die. You may want to plant in well-drained soil in a sunny location (needs a minimum of 6 hours of sun daily).  Space grass 24 inches apart.  For all other locations where it gets cold, you will need to bring your lemongrass indoors as cold weather will cause the plant to die.

In North America, the growing zone 8, 8b, and  9 are the warmest growing zones in the United States, including much of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, Arizona, California, and coastal Oregon and Washington

Keep your lemongrass hydrated by watering when the soil feels dry.   A container causes the soil to dry out quickly especially when the weather is hot.  Where I reside the weather is extremely hot so I water the lemongrass that is grown in a container in the morning, then mist the leaves in the afternoon. If you grow lemongrass in the ground then water every other day or when the soil is dry.

 The fresh lemony scent from the oil in the leaves will repel mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas.

 

Harvest your lemongrass for tea, see the recipe for a fresh leaf tea here https://www.tarladalal.com/lemon-grass-tea-4989r

Benefits from Planting Clover

  

If you prefer the natural method for fertilizing your soil and lawn grass then grow clover. Clover will fix the nitrogen that feeds your grass and it will help in maintaining moisture and stop weeds from taking over your lawn.   We grow clover and find that our lawn is easier to care for because it doesn’t require water or fertilizer.

Here is a photo of the clover growing in our side yard.  Note the grasses and clover look lush and green.  My husband mows it and we walk on the clover and it bounces right back.

 

What we like about clover is that it stays green. Also, the nectar-rich flowers are very fragrant and they are beneficial to honey bees. The clover attracts wildlife; whitetail deer, wild turkey, and wild rabbit. (all eat the clover but they eat the tops and don't remove the roots or the plant) 

We planted Dutch white clover seeds in the early spring in our side yard which gets sun in the morning and part- sun to shade in the afternoon.  My husband raking the entire area to remove the dead grasses and loosen the soil.  He then mixed clover seed (which is very small) with sand and spread it by hand in the planting area.  The seed and sand were covered with a light layer of topsoil and then watered well after the seeds were planted.

We watered daily until clover had grown in. Know that once the clover is established it does not require regular watering. Clover is drought tolerant and will stay green during extreme heat and cooler seasons.  

In August when our grass turns brown due to the extreme heat, the Dutch white clover seems to thrive.

Clover grows well in sun, part sun, and shade.

Japanese Honeysuckle a Summertime Favorite

 Long-lived and somewhat invasive Japanese honeysuckle is a summertime favorite flowering vine.

This vigorous climbing vine is easy to grow in sun or part shade and is not fussy about the soil.  Grow next to a fence, a rock wall, or a trellis.  The fragrant tubular-shaped yellow or white flowers will bloom in late spring and will continue to bloom throughout the summer months then in fall, the fruit will appear. This fruit is eaten by birds.

The honeysuckle will become invasive if you do not prune it when needed.  In the full sun, this vine will grow very fast and put out many runners that will smother and kill any flowers or shrubs that are growing in the path of the vine.  So it's best to control the honeysuckle by pruning by hand to keep it from taking over.

Know that my neighbor grows honeysuckle on the backside of her fence. The vines are very thick and in the winter this semi-evergreen vine does provide shelter for warblers, finches, and other birds. So if you enjoy watching birds and butterflies you should grow a Japanese Honeysuckle vine on a trellis or fence.

Here are my photographs of the Japanese Honeysuckle

Stunning Sorbet Peony (Paeonia lactiflora)

 If you like peony flowering shrubs then you will love the stunning sorbet peony  (Paeonia lactiflora).  This fragrant beauty was discovered by Luc Klinkhamer in 1987 growing in a South Korean garden and in 2006 I bought it at Brecks Nursery to grow in my garden.

Breck's Nursery sent me a Sorbet peony bare root that I planted in the fall. The soil was well-drained and amended with compost to make it fertile. I grew this peony 2 feet away from my rock wall in a sunny location with the part sun in the afternoon.

This sorbet peony did not bloom the first three years but thereafter it bloomed every mid-spring.  From my experience, I have found that peonies need time to grow, and be established in your garden.  

All of the peonies that grow in my garden have needed a few dormant years (no blooms).  If you have the time to wait then you will be awarded. The sorbet will produce many buds and sensational flowers every spring.  This plant is well worth the investment and the wait.

The sorbet is my favorite peony.  I love this showy fragrant flower with pink and white petal layers. Know that the sorbet peony will provide garden interest in the spring, summer, and fall when the leaves will turn a yellow color at the end of summer and is an eye-appealing plant throughout the autumn season.

I have never seen the Sorbet at my local garden centers.  So if you are interested I would suggest that you contact Brecks.com to see if they are selling this peony for fall season planting.

Here are photographs of the sorbet peony that grows in my yard and garden.