On Thursday morning it was 6:30AM before I got out to the garden. I got it planted and all mulched by 10AM. My neighbor and her sweet dog Jazzy stopped by for a visit mid morning. When I’d finished, it was getting hot and I decided to do weeding in the shade.
I hope to get my son to mulch the next walkway in the next day or so.
I’d started the violet bed under the magnolia tree a few weeks back but only got half of it done. I went over that part and then finished the weeding. It was only 11AM so I decided to weed under the MacIntosh.
I planted dwarf comfrey under it many years ago to supplement the violets. It has slowly spread to encompass the entire bed. There are still a few violets, but it’s almost all comfrey.
But I was more than a little dismayed to find a healthy poison ivy vine climbing up the east side of the tree trunk. I was very careful weeding under it. I’ll get my son to pull it out as I am severely allergic to it.
The crabapple tree is between these 2 trees and has perennial sweet peas under it. I used to have a string trellis for them to climb but it rotted and I’ve not yet been able to replace it. So weeding this mess will take some doing.
At the end of this area is the rose bed. It has, l – r: rugosa roses, the climbing rose, and the Damascus rose in it. This is another long project as it’s not been done in a couple years.
As I walked back to the house, I noticed in the Big garden that a couple of the parsley that had been chewed up had started to re-grow.
In the New South garden, right beside that “black” hollyhock, this one opened up. What a contrast!
These delicate pastel single hollyhocks are my favorites, followed by the deeper colors. I hope I can get to this garden soon as the weeds are bad and the plants need attention.
On Chaos Friday (last week I completely forgot the milk order and Tom had done it!) I have to straighten up the house in the early morning so no garden on Friday. My helper friend and backup helper will be here at 8:00 and he will be teaching her how to do the raw milk spray for the powdery mildew. Then I need to have my helper friend help me make up some more New Herb garden amendment as I am nearly out and have 2 rows to do.
In the afternoon my husband’s aunt, uncle and cousin are coming to visit. I’ve not seen them in a year, for one reason or another so it will be nice to catch up.
Hello @goldenoakfarm, you really are a hard worker and I've observed that you really like it in your gardens. It's also sweet to know that your son helps you out in the garden. I love homesteading with my mum too but I'm hardly around for it. We have had several gardens and I really loved going to the garden very early in the morning. It's always cool and inspiring.
Thanks for sharing this. I enjoyed reading it
I'm glad you enjoy reading it and that you have gardens to share with your mum!
Hello lovely lady! 😊
I'm usually crawling out of bed or finishing starting the coffee and teapots going about that time of the morning. I do head out to feed the birds/squirrels/chipmunks, let the chickens out, gather the eggs and double check/refill their food and water dishes if necessary and then I'm off to the gardens to exterminate potato beetles by 7, so I'm only a bit behind you. Of course I don't do nearly as much as you do, like I said, I'm strictly potato beetle removal and my handsome husband does all the weeding/mulching of the rest as his eyes are better than mine. I have been harvesting some salad fixings and snow peas for freezing to enjoy throughout the winter, each day though. I have to admit that this is the first year, in our adult life that we've eaten salad almost every night, usually we're strictly meat and potatoes kind of folks, but we've really enjoyed the bounty of our garden beds this year. 😊
Your gardens look fantastic. Does your son burn the poison ivy or just pull it and toss it somewhere to decompose on its own? I love all the roses, so pretty. 😊
It's Friday, so that means its my blogging day and my day to give the house a thorough clean for the Sabbath and that means I've got to get going. 😊
God bless you and your wonderful family. Have an awesome day my fabulous friend! 😊
He just pulls it. Burning poison ivy is dangerous. If you inhale the smoke I've read, you can get PI internally!
Well that is good to know, I'll have to mention that to my handsome husband to make sure he knows not to burn any he finds. I don't know that I've ever come across poison ivy here on the homestead, though I know he has when he's headed down by the beaver pond at the bottom of our property. Thanks for the heads up on the possibility of getting it internally if inhaled accidentally while burning. I can't imagine how awful that would feel, but I'm grateful I've not gone through it myself.
Hey dear fellow I agree with you that it is very hot nowadays. And you took a nice decision of doing settings of the plants under the shade.
And sorry to hear that you are allergic from that poisoning shrub but it is good that your son can do it with you.
And the flowers are looking awesome and lovely. And rightly said that the contrast is looking good.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Yeah 😊
Your garden is so organized and well kept! I imagine you get a wonderful bounty from it too!
We were growing enough to feed a family of 3 for a year.... Now I'm learning how to downsize for one...
Love to visit your garden one day! I must find my magic carpet first!!