Time for a new thread. We came from here:
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1327675/
Thanks to you all for the compliments on our flower beds. We have worked hard to get them in shape. Now I have visions of adding a shade bed near the tire planter. I'm sure Al will be thrilled when I tell him about my vision. LOL
Elaine, this is one of the cannas you gave me at the RU last September. I took this photo on 9/1/13. :)
I'm here!!!
I'm here too! I have reached the maintaining mode! No new beds for me. Just don't have the time to spend on my beds to just keep them maintained must less add more!
I got most of my front bed weeded this weekend. Pesky pesky weed I have in there. Don't know how I'm ever gong to get rid of it!
I am not doing new ones, just enlarging the ones I have !
That's a clever way to put it Sandra! LOL
I also didn't mention that I don't have ANY back yard left to put anything in and need to keep what little grass I have in the front yard just to say I have grass!
This message was edited Sep 4, 2013 7:11 PM
I'm here too! I'm with Charlotte. Nothing new for me...at least for a while, lol! It's tough just maintaining what I have!
That is so true for me too, Elaine!!! I actually don't seem to be able to maintain due to the fact that I can't make headway for going back and re-cleaning the beds that I have already finished.
That's the same thing I'm dealing with Jeri! I keep trying to clean out the front bed but that nasty weed pops us again almost as soon as I pull one! I've also learned what will grow best in my yard and I'm just sticking with those things. I've never used Preen before but I think I'm going to try using it this year. I can't get the weed pulled before it develops those little tiny seeds and they end up everywhere!
For some reason my impatiens didn't do well this year. As you all have heard me talking about them coming up all over the yard. I had a few come back but nothing like in past years. Also they ones I have something keeps stripping them leaves from them. I've had that happen before but it's been years ago. Don't know if the cooler weather had something to do with it. I'm sure it's some kind of bug - maybe slugs.
Well, I'm doing a new bed, but just one. lol Danny helped me a little more on it yesterday, but it's slow growing!! won't plant it probablyl till next spring. we still need another load of mulch on it.
Same here Charlotte. I have a couple of beds that have different weeds that seems unique to those beds and they just keep coming back. I don't let them go to seed but they are probably airborne and somewhere nearby from the woods I'm guessing. Frustrating. And with all the rain, it's been especially hard to keep up. Preen usually works for me, but even with Preen and extra mulch, this year had been a challenge for sure!
I'm putting down newspaper then the compost and mulch. I'm using XL2G. It's a weed retarded like preen. I'm praying this works.
I just want to make our shady area on the northeast side of our front yard area to look sort of like the beds in Jim's yard. I don't intend to have a formal garden, just something you can stroll through and enjoy from all angles like in Jim's yard.
We need to find a place that has free horse manure so we can spread it out on the ground and mix with soil, peat moss and mulch on top. There is a sale barn a few miles from us where we can probably get some free cow manure, too. We need to let that mixture "cook" during the winter and plant the beds in the spring. I want something as maintenance free as possible because neither Al nor I are getting any younger. LOL
This is a link to a site I found about creating a shade garden. There are some photos here of this man's garden. They are very pretty.
http://www.gardendesign.com/shade-garden
P.S. Charlotte, all of us who have had the pleasure of seeing your beautiful back yard already know that you don't have another square inch to put any more plants! ;) LOL
I meant to also say that I do think the cooler weather this summer has affected the growth rate and the blooming times of the plants. At least that is the way it seems to be up here in my area. We had unusually cool temperatures from mid-July through mid-August. It has just been a year for strange weather patterns, hasn't it?
Things are in my front bed so tight it's hard to put down newspaper but I may have to try putting pieces down. I use newspaper and cardboard a lot in other spots and it does really help.
That a pretty woodland garden Marilyn. Don't think there is a garden that is maintenance free. That was sort of my idea when I got rid of all the grass in my back yard. I don't have a lot of weeds in the back but I have to thin things out. Lots of trimming involved. I now have an invasion of EE's! I have one type that runs all over the place and I have a lot of them I need to pull up. This weekend I filled up two drum size plastic bags full of things I had trimmed or pulled up. That didn't even make a dent in what I need to do.
After the cool spell we had terrible heat for a few days and my cucumbers and my beautiful Japanese morning glories both kicked the bucket. I did get several seeds from the morning glory, but it was fine one day and dead the next. Just too hot in a pot I guess, my other things in pots are doing well, so I don't know.
It has been a few years since I added any new daylilies, other than just a few, so I am excited about getting new ones for next year, I just can't seem to part with any of the old ones though, I did give away 2 clumps of NOID this year, completely, didn't save one little fan for myself from those--LOL !
That was a very pretty garden, Marilyn. I have to say, my shade bed is probably the bed the requires the least maintenance. It's not very big. I don't think this guy has any deer, however. I have to really watch what I plant. Would love to put loads of hosta and more ferns but they would be mowed down in a NY minute.
Yes Elaine I agree that my shade area takes less maintenance than my sun beds. I have a lot less weeds in my back yard which is basically all a shade garden. I don't mulch back there except for occasionally putting a very light coating of some store bought mulch on some areas close to the path to give it a little more finished look. Didn't even do that this year. I let all the leaves and pine needles from the trees serve as mulch. I don't rake any of it up. BUT while I may not have weeds I have TONS of little seedlings come up everywhere. I have to pull them up or it would just be a wild forest that you couldn't even walk through back there. I have redbud seedling every where, something that looks like a fruit tree of some kind, vines that come up (I've pulled the same three wild vines up every since I've lived here). A lot of what I pulled up last week was redbud and fruit tree seedings. They were all around my arbor which has a concrete table under it. They had gotten a foot and half or so tall and thick as they could be!!! I have some kind of weed that is very tiny and clumps together (looks like a ground cover of some kind but it's a weed). I also have lots of moss that grows on my brick walkway. I love moss but it's dangerous on the walkway. Very slick! So I have to take a high pressure water nozzle to it every so often. Birds love all the areas they can hide in and the worms they can find in the composting mulch. But they also plant lots of things for me I don't want!
But I do love looking out my window at my jungle! I'm sitting in my chair now and I can see my back yard and also my front yard. I can almost feel like I'm outside while I'm inside.
We do have deer here, especially in the fall and they nibbled the two Japanese Maples last year. Those j-maples are the ones I got at Jim's last September. The bigger one managed to survive and we have it surrounded with hogwire and plastic bags tied on the wire. It doesn't look very pretty but if it will save the maple, then I don't care how ugly it is.
One guy in our local garden club says he puts up poles all around his trees (probably 3 or 4 around each tree) and wraps fishing line around and around the poles. The deer can't see the fishing line and when their noses touch it, they get confused because they don't know what it is. They have left his trees alone since he started doing that. It sounds like a lot of trouble but it works and when the trees get bigger you can remove the poles and the fishing line.
I agree there is no such thing as maintenance-free garden but there are ways to cut down on the amount of maintenance needed, such as mulching heavily, etc. The thing about living in the country is that the wind blows in weed seeds that settle on top of the mulch and then put down roots. A gardener's work is never done! :D
A few weeks ago, I suggested to Al that he plant some seeds from a cantaloupe we had bought at the grocery store. He did and now we have this little fellow in our garden! I don't know if it will make it to maturity before the weather gets too cold, but we will see. Wish us luck.
I tried growing cantalope in my garden last year but didn't have a lot of luck at it. I had a couple that got big enough to eat but they didn't have a very good taste to me. Some rotted before they got ripe. Don't know what my problem was. But I didn't try it again this year.
I never have used a lot of mulch even in my front beds. Seems to me that things reseed and spread better without heavy mulch.
I bet you would be surprised at how much time Kenny and Jim spend on those beds in the back that look so natural looking.
I've never had to deal with deer but know of other people that do and it seems they can do major damage.
It was a scorcher here today! Some thermostats showed 104..... not sure how hot it got - but it was up there! We managed to get out early this morning and do some spraying on our fence row trying to make another dent in the trumpet vine! Then we had to be in Warren this afternoon for a funeral of one of Leigh's good hs buddies...... so that took the rest of our day. Got home in time to do some much needed watering and that's about it. It is SOOO very dry here! We really need some rain. The grass is crunchy!!
Well, to catch you all up to speed on what has been transpiring..... our bosses from LR came back down for another meeting on Wednesday and said our plant MAY stay up until 2016..... they will not really know for sure if it is staying up until at least June. Then they may have little to no warning if it isn't staying available for operation! The real kicker is that I can still take the job in magnet cove if I want to transfer - BUT, I have to be in position by Jan 2!! That is a huge time frame difference for us in trying to get the house ready to show, etc. and not a lot of time to get it sold and find a new place..........so please keep those prayers coming! I have until November to tell him one way or the other if I am taking the job or staying where I am. I would LOVE to stay where I am in a lot of ways but terrified that IF I pass on this job, that come 10 months, or 1 yr or who knows when..... I may be without a job. Then the flip side is that they will actually be hiring someone to fill my position which makes me wonder if the plant might STAY on availability...... :( I am trying hard to listen to what God wants me to do.... but my mind is SO cluttered, I am having a really hard time. I haven't been sleeping much since last weekend when I originally found out about the uncertainty of our plant - and I didn't know until Wednesday that I would have to move by Jan 1!
Marilyn, good luck on getting that cantalope ripe. I would say that normally, it probably wouldn't have time to mature, but this year, who knows! The weather has been usual all year...... so it might very well make it. Plus, if we have a cool snap, you could probably cover it and get it thru a night or too of cool weather - and then it would probably warm back up!
I gave up on my cucumbers because I could never get enough at one time to put up pickles!! Then once this last round of heat hit....they were turning brown anyway. I need to pull up the vines tomorrow and get them out of the way.
Hope everyone has a great weekend...... they sure seem to be shorter and shorter with this long list of things I need to get done!
I made it through the day, but exhausted, poor Judy has a knee the is swelled and red with arthritis and she was in so much pain when we finally got the fellowship hall back together for church tomorrow. I called her a few minutes ago and she is thinking about going to the ER she is in so much pain, say a prayer for her please. she worked so hard getting everything fixed up and pretty.
Cayla and Bryan got a lot of nice things, and his Mom and Dad were very sweet and I think will be so good to Cayla !
I will load an albumn on FB tomorrow but I am so tired tonight
You all did a great job decorating!! Everything is so pretty! Cayla and Bryan look very happy! I know it gives you a lot of peace of mind knowing that she will have good loving inlaws. Just one more week!!! When do you all go to TN?
I've just been in a puttering mood today. I am at least getting some things put away in the closets.
I hope I haven't gotten myself in trouble but we still have animals roaming loose in the mall. We had a cat Sat that was in a crate on the hold table. But someone?? kept letting it out to just roam around. We put it back up twice while I was there for a couple of hours. It was using one ladies sofa as a scratching post! Several of us were fuming and talking about how ridiculous it is to even how to be having to deal with such an issue. One lady I was talking with said she knew it had been put back in the crate 4 times while she had been there. She was going to check into who we might take the problem to! I decided to call and see if there is an ordinance against animals running loose in a public place of business. Turns out there is! The city was going to try to get someone out Fri before 5. Don't know if they actually made it or not. I asked that they not use my name. Actually didn't give them my name. I was half way afraid to go in this afternoon!!LOL I didn't stay long and none of the other people that are also upset about it were there. Don't want them mad at me but this has got to stop!!
We are going Sat, just for the day. Judy is ringing with us if she is able to go, I am real worried about her right now, she is almost dragging that leg now
Pappaw and Eli
Edited to say, Judy is not really "ringing " but she is riding !
This message was edited Sep 7, 2013 10:39 PM
What does Eli think of all of this? I hate to hear that Judy is having so much trouble with that leg!!! She needs to take care of herself like she does other people!!!
Charlotte I can't imagine this manager is allowed to do this, with all the pets permitted to free roam the mall. She should be responsible for any and ALL damage. I'd contact her boss.
Still praying for the right answer Genna!!!
Jeri that's why we're trying to figure out who to go to. Her boss comes in the mall and sees all the pets and her bosses granddaughter works there so we figure she is not the one we need to talk to. We need to find out who her boss is. Yes it is beyond ridiculous. It's why I called animal control. I think I'm the first one that has had her pay for damages. The others have just thrown stuff away.
Sandra know PawPaw is going to miss Eli too!
Sandra, glad to hear they had a nice shower! The decorations looked really nice - I know that was a tiring day! Sorry to hear that Judy is having problems with her knee.... hope it is better today! Is she sure it is arthritis ?? Sounds very painful....
I know you are both going to miss Eli like crazy! It will be a big adjustment for sure after having him there all the time! I sure he will miss both of you and wonder what is going on as well.... but babies adjust quickly! Glad to hear that you like her future inlaws - that is ALWAYS a big help! :)
Charlotte, hope animal control was able to resolve the problem for you! I can't believe they let the animals roam and damage people's items they have for sale! If they forced her to pay for more damage I am sure she would stop!
Hope everyone has a blessed day........
Genna
That's a great photo of Eli and Pawpaw! :D So glad that the shower turned out well. Cayla and Bryan look so happy! So sorry about Judy's leg. Has the doctor ever x-rayed her knee? Maybe she needs a knee replacement?
Charlotte, that is terrible about the cat using the one lady's couch as a scratching post! She should make them pay for damages!
Genna, so many decisions to make, so little time! Prayers for wisdom for you and Leigh as you make these decisions.
I saw these ideas on Facebook--hope the link works:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=512083635536670&set=a.271935466218156.62735.271915499553486&type=1&theater
Yes Judy goes to an arthritis doc in Memphis. She has had to get shots in it before.
Eli is still his happy little self, he had a good time playing with balloons. One of Jerry's cousins asked me if he was that good all the time--LOL--he is a very good baby.
Those are some cute ideas Marilyn! My sister saw the log one with the plants in it and she has already asked my BIL to make her one...... we'll see if he does! LOL I appreciate the prayers! I really need them right now! We spent another several hours looking at places this evening....... some that we thought we really liked on line were not what we thought they would be when we got there! :( It seems to eat up SOOO much time!
It is so wonderful to be around a happy baby! They are so much fun! :) We have several in the nursery that are so fun to keep .... then we occasionally have one that hates being there! :(
I have a co-worker whose wife had a knee replacement last year....... she is in her 30s..... and now she is going to have to undergo surgery again because her knee cap is in the wrong place!! She is in a lot of pain. Had a bone scan last week, but they wouldn't tell her any results until she gets in to the see the dr this coming week.
Hope everyone has a great evening!
Genna
Love that photo of Eli and Pappaw!! Eli is such a cutie pie!! I know you and Jerry will miss them both like crazy. But the happiness of Cayla and them all as a family are so important. Also glad the 'in-laws' are not 'outlaws' as we used to say, lol! Great that everyone is getting along so well.
Genna, praying for you to make the right decision! Hang in there, girl! You will come to understand the right path.
Charlotte, so sorry this sad story with the animals continues for you. It's sad it comes on your shoulders but someone has to take charge and control of this situation, and if it takes going to animal control, then so be it. Ridiculous!
Yes the animal problem is ridiculous!!! Also nasty, unhealthy, unsanitary and extremely unprofessional!!!! As you can see it's finally really gotten to me! I went in this afternoon but the manager doesn't work on the weekend. We'll see what happens tomorrow!!! If animal control did go by Fri and someone says something I think I'll just say "I wish I had thought of that". If it doesn't appear they have been by then I'll call again!!
Genna what area are you looking for houses?
We are looking in Magnet Cove, some towards HS but not too far that way because it makes Leigh's drive too long. We have looked some around Benton, even went as far as Paron because a couple of people recommended it - but the drive is just too far from there. Or maybe not distance as much as time, but the roads are curvy and it would be a nightmare for me in bad weather. I hate driving on ice and snow......my former boss only lived a few miles from me and he would come get me in bad weather because he had a front wheel drive car. Won't have that up there - so I need somewhere that I feel like I can get to work! We have even looked at houses off of Hwy 70 and some of the backroads in between 70 and 270 and I30. We went and looked at about 8 that I had "narrowed down" on Sunday afternoon and marked almost everyone of them completely off the list without even stepping inside of any. :( most because even though they were on 8 acres or 5 acres or whatever they had someone right beside them or right behind them and I am REALLY hoping to avoid that. I lived in East Camden for 20 years and hated every minute of it. Not that it was a bad place - I am just not made to live 'in town'...... so trying to find a small plot of land for a reasonable price - but not sure that is possible up there!
I am to the point where I am going to have to quit looking on weekends........ have too much to do here and I have to get it ready to put on the market. I REALLY need somewhere to move some of our excess furniture that we have in the house so the rooms don't look too full. Not sure what I am going to do about that yet. We have emptied Leigh's mom's house and my parents house since moving here..... so we have a lot of extra things that we have held onto in case the kids want or need them when they set up their first house or apartment. but, now with having to try to show the house, some of it needs to go! But, it is not stuff I am ready to permanently part with right now. Hate to pay for storage month after month - but I may have to consider that.......
Genna do you have Pods in Ark? My daughter just did this and she threw out a bunch of things and then she rented a pod and put the extra things in it. Had it moved off the property until the house sold and then brought back out and loaded it after the house sold. She then had it picked up and stored until she buys or rents something later. For the time being Terrie and Breanna have been here since March.
I have seen pods.... not sure where you get them - probably LR.... but I will do some checking on that. Even with it sitting to the side, our place is large enough that would still be better than inside! thanks for the idea..........
Yes we have pods in LR. People here use them all the time.
It has worked good for what Terrie needed for sure. I hope it will work for your needs too!!!
At an auction so has to be brief! Would El Dorado have them. Lot of people use them when they doing work on there house.
I will do some checking on line..... I am SURE they have a website. I have seen them in Arkadelphia at the college at the end of the school year. My internet is going in and out tonight - so I will search tomorrow. Would never have thought of it - but it sure beats moving to a storage facility and then having to load and move again!!
Thanks!
Have fun at the auction Charlotte!
I did a search and Hugg and Hall in Little Rock has a location in El Dorado. Here is their link.
http://www.affordablemoves.com/moving-pods/33794697/
The last time I moved 30 years ago. We had to be out of our house 6 weeks before we could move into this house. We had a moving company pick up everything we owned ( clothes and all) and keep it stored I'm assuming in the same van that they packed it in. Don't think portable pods were an option then. So many more solutions today. We had already decided we were not going to attempt moving all our stuff ourselves and certainly was not going to move it twice. Several of my neighbors have used pods while they were doing some remodeling. I even saw a house down the street that appeared to use one when they moved. I guess you just pack it up and have them deliver it to your new location.
