Fall/Winter Projects

Whew, everyone's been busy this year! We started sharing our "projects" with "Spring Projects - Show Us Yours!"
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/965635/#new

Moved on to "Spring Projects now Summer Projects!"
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1001085/

Continued with "Spring/Summer/now Fall Projects.....cont'd......"
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1032854/

So....even though I hate to think that winter is approaching, the temperatures are finally dipping and I'm gearing up for another year of "projects". Heck, I haven't even finished some of this year's projects but as usual I've already started planning my next project! LOL I had hoped to get some last minute planting done this past week but the miserable weather forced me inside and I started "playing" with the photos of what will be my new "sunny garden" :) We have this ugly water tank along the edge of the woods which used to supply water to the hoop houses in the field. It hasn't been used in over 10 years but unfortunately it's too big to move so I've got to disguise it! For the past two years I've been collecting notes of plants/trees/shrubs I'd like to use and took some photos of the area recently to work on a "plan".

It's always helpful for me to visualize what it "could" look like before planting :) I collect photos for the plants on my list and "play" with them to give me an idea of what should go where! Some of the trees and shrubs will take a few years to fill in but these "sketches" help me plan on the placement of everything so I make sure everything has enough room. Of course, the unfinished projects from this year will still need work but this will probably be my main project for 2010. If the weather cooperates I might even be able to get started this fall - a few of the plants I plan to use have been sitting in pots waiting for almost a year to get in the ground!

As we look ahead to another year of gardening, show us what you'll be working on!

rcn--

First--thanks for starting the new Thread....We sure do meander....

Re your ugly water tank.....the first thought i had was that you could paint it and make it look like a giant caterpillar....maybe the Monarch one? Silly idea--but that's what popped into my head...

As to what to plant around it--have you considered Boston Ivy?
It grows fast--adheres to rough surfaces, the leaves are pretty and only one deep, and it turns a beautiful red in the Fall. I think it also makes berries.....

As to my projects---there is NO end....

--have to go out and rake leaves--maybe today...usually I have to do 3 separate rakings.
My 2 Maples drop leaves at different times and, one of them, in stages.....
--Have all my beds to clean up--and stuff to dig up and yank out and-- some plants need to be moved...
--Have to yet plant the Knockout Rose I bought over a month ago. Can't decide where....
--Have to go through my closets and do the clothes switch---why have tank tops and capris taking up space by now?
--Have to sit down and get all my collected seeds a bit organized, sorted and put in small baggies for the Swap
--When all the "necessary" (ahem..) stuff is done--clean my house....Ugh--It needs it badly!

Whew! I am tired already---just writing all this!

Gita

rcn--I think it's way cool that you have a huge water tank. I agree tho that its way ugly! At least rusty-black will melt into the background with some stuff in front.

RCN, I think that Gita might be onto something. Why not spray paint that tank dark green before you start the plantings. That way it might blend into the background better while the new plantings are getting established. That program you are using is amazing. What is it?

Heey!!!!!
I did pretty good today--as i am stuck at home with my car in the garage for new brake pads.....

--Raked my first-fallen leaves (2 big bags-full) and then started cleaning out the beds----anything NOT perennial of
seasonal got yanked...with a few exceptions that are still in pretty bloom.....
--Cut back some perennials--still have more to go.
--took some seed-heads from a few marigolds--not sure WHY? I can buy a MP of 6 for $2.
--yanked up a big pot of MG's by mt shed....filled 2 more bags with all this--besides the 2 full of leaves.
--cut back ONE tomato plant--this one was growing in a pot....still have the bed to go....
--re-potted my 2 Avocado plants I had started....NOT planning to keep them. Will take them to work and see if
anyone wants these--as a "lark".....Had them in 6" pots--they were totally root-bound!

As cold as today started--I was out there in a sweat in just a sweat shirt on. Catching some late Vit. D.....:o)

AHHH! The moment ALL this will be finished will be just WONDERFUL!!!!!

Gita

Gita, We already have two or three other threads going on fall cleanup chores. Can we PLEASE keep this thread open for larger ongoing garden projects.

I thought these threads were for whatever we were currently working on out there, not just big landscape or hardscape projects, although those are always great to hear about!

Critter projects are different than routine garden chores. RCN has been trying to keep threads going for the express purpose of showing the dreaming, planning, execution and refinement of specific projects. It makes it very hard to follow, if the thread is cluttered up with repeated descriptions of daily routine chores that are already being discussed in detail on several other ongoing threads.

I didn't think there was a official definition for our discussions, either. When you get together with a bunch of friends how often do you stay on topic?
Stormy you'd really hate our threads on the NE forum we NEVER stay on topic. ^_^

rcn-----

May I disagree with you.....ALL my Fall chores are "projects"--as there is always a time-frame to get these done--and I have to plan on when and how I will have the time to do all this as I still work too.. The weather also interferes....

Not many of us build new beds and arbors and compost bins and and patios and decks-----YES! Those are BIG projects----but finding time to clean and dig and cut back and all that are also "projects"--at least in MY life.

I don't think anyone should "police" what is, and is not put on Posts--as long as the topics are relevant to the Thread.
Meandering off topic usually happens--sooner than later. Most people do not mind.......

Hope you don't mind me saying so----I just have to agree with Jill on this.

Gita

This message was edited Oct 19, 2009 10:43 PM

Gita and Jen, Because someone does not say so on the thread, does not mean that they don't mind.

So this thread is only for BIG projects? I must have misunderstood also b/c I figured it was for any kind of gardening project that may be going on. :(
Please let me know so I can look for the other threads.
Gita - I had wanted to tell you that we have the same fall/winter project list ^_^

I will repeat again, we presently have 2 or 3 different threads going where daily chores are being discussed. If someone wants to start a thread showcasing or asking for ideas or help with proposed special projects, we owe them the respect to allow them to do that without muddying the thread with our commentary on routine daily chores. This is not much to ask everyone to honor.

I was just confirming... but thanks for that.

YIKES!!! Maybe I shouldn't have used the word "projects" :( All of my plans, missions, jobs, tasks, chores or whatever you want to call them always seems to turn into projects! I just tend to get carried away - a small task sometimes gets me brainstorming and the ideas that pop into my head usually lead me into what I fondly refer to as a "project" :) So...let's not lose anyone here! I'm open to hearing about everything you're working on, ideas you might want to incorporate in the garden for next year (plants, objects, structures, etc.), "wish lists", etc., etc. "Projects" don't even necessarily have to be garden related - heck, I posted about my new floors on the "Summer Projects" thread. I love to hear about what everyone's doing, garden related or not! The only problem I have is sometimes your ideas end up inspiring me to add to my list of "projects". Please, meander away!

Gita and Stormy, I never really thought about painting that ugly water tank but you're right, at least it might blend into the background better! A project like that though would probably rank right up there with the "eyesore projects" I've mentioned to Rick and I always get the roll of the eyes :) Hmmm, I wonder how many cans of spray paint it would take? LOL

Stormy, I've been using Photoshop for my "designs". I'm not a whiz with it but I love the ability to have the photos of each plant on its own 'layer'. It allows me to move them around wherever I want them :) I'm not sure but I think most any photo editing program would work. Most of my designs end up changing when I start planting - it's tough to visualize the scale of things until you actually start digging! It's fun to play with though during the winter when you can't get outside to plant. I've even used the program to help a few DGers with their landscape problems :)

See how much fun it is? I painted it!! LOL

Well Deb, At least it would blend in 6 months of the year, which is probably when you would be having garden visitors.

ROFLOL... that water tank is looking good now!

I'm all for trying to keep some threads focused, especially when people are discussing certain plants or looking for answers... and popping in to one thread with a question about a totally different garden issue isn't just an off-topic problem, because posting a new thread for the new question would probably get more and better responses... so I do often encourage people to start new threads rather than go off-topic.

On the other hand, more "chatty" threads will tend to get off topic a bit just by their nature. If I started worrying about finding the exact right chatty thread to post on, I'd post very seldom. It's easy enough to skip over posts on a thread like this in order to focus on the project reports that you find interesting.

I'm trying to get things organized for Joyanna's crocus lawn project! Big boxes of bulbs in the hallway... LOL

Deb,
I would think planting a row of evergreen in front of the tank and then coming out with bird friendly shrubs that would produce berries for the birds. That would probably entice all the birds out of the woods and the evergreens would give them protection from predators and a place to nest and roost.
If this is visable from the house it would be a perfect spot for bird watching.

Jill, sorry to miss Joyanna's party,
I will be there in spirit.

Jill, we'll all be there in spirit and anxiously awaiting photos. Keeping my fingers crossed that the weather cooperates :)

I think I'm certifiably hopeless :( All this wonderful weather and I should be taking advantage of it and getting last minute planting done - but am I? NO! I've tackled an "eyesore" project - cleaning out the basement! Not an eyesore that anyone else can see other than me but I've got a "plan" :) A third of the basement is unfinished and has always been used for storage, i.e. junk! And talk about junk, when Rick's parents moved 9 years ago we inherited a lot of their junk, things Rick just couldn't stand to throw out. Well, in 9 years not once has he even looked at any of that junk, let alone use it! So out it goes - already made two trips to the dumpster and at least one more today :) My "plan"? I'm going to set up a workshop for myself that I can use over the winter for my inside "projects" - painting lawn chairs which are in dire need of a new paint job is probably first on the list but I'm hoping the new space will allow me to experiment with some hypertufa and maybe even a sculpture, or two? LOL Maybe the weather will hold out and I'll still be able to get some planting done this fall but in the meantime I'm having fun cleaning out, organizing and dreaming about my new space :)

Oops almost forgot, saw this yesterday in a magazine and thought my new workshop will have plenty of room for me to work, so maybe another "project" to add to the list? And look, I even found directions to make them! LOL http://www.the-artistic-garden.com/terra-cotta-pot-crafts-potpeople.html#

....and the ideas keep flowing :) After reading about "personalizing" your clay pot people, I thought why not add a hat? Everyone knows me for my "topless hat", so thought why not cut the top out of a straw hat and add some hair!! Go ahead, say it..."you have way too much time on your hands" :) LOL

Just a quick note to say thank you, stormy and gita - advice taken and the water tank is now painted, for real!! Rick is sometimes skeptical of my crazy ideas so whenever he is away, which isn't often, I make plans to tackle any projects he doesn't think are "worthy"! Found out Sunday night he would be gone for about 3 hours yesterday afternoon, so...first thing yesterday morning checked it out, sure enough I had 2-3 gallons of leftover green paint from when we had the house painted 4 years ago, yay!!! Got everything ready and as soon as he was out the door I headed for the water tank with my supplies. That darned thing was steaming from the heat of the sun when I was rolling the paint on but I had it all done and walked away with a half hour to spare before he returned! Figured it might be several days before he actually saw it because we're not in that area very often and you can't see it through the trees from the house. BUT, he had to drive down there to pick up some lumber last night and when he came back to the house, he asked me WHEN did you paint the water tank?? LOL He liked it :) Although he did say it would look real pretty - NOT! when it started peeling :( Told him not to worry, I'll have the area planted soon and by the time it does start to peel the shrubs will hide it! I figure it couldn't look any worse that it did before it was painted, right? I'll try to get a photo soon to show you - one more project I can cross off my list :)

Good for you RCN! I was just thinking about your tank today and was going to suggest that you might want to paint it as camoflage. Got any brown paint around?? LOL

Cute :) I actually thought as I was struggling to roll it on that it might end up looking "camouflage"! LOL

RCN, Hold off on the brown paint! If it does start to peel, it will get that Cammy look naturally! LOL

I'm not sure it "blends" into the background but at least it looks better to me!

One project done, how many more to go? I've been thinking all weekend about the clay pot lady I want to make and what I could use for a chair for her to sit in. I was so excited yesterday when I was on my way to the post office and saw that someone had left a bent willow chair beside the dumpsters!!!! Turned around and went back and loaded it into the back of the van - it's perfect! It's a little rickety but I think I can make it work, it's not like anyone is actually going to be sitting in it, well...except my clay pot lady :) Adding one more project to the list. LOL

The tank looks nice, the paint job seems to give it a purpose to be there. before it looked like it was just a discard.
Good find on the chair!

Okay, how do you like this look? I had searched for more photos of these clay pot people to give me some ideas. I wasn't sure what I might use for a face - didn't really like the "tree faces" on the first photos I posted. Saw others with faces painted on the pot but then I found this one, no need for face, she's worn out after a day in the gardens and has collapsed in her bent willow chair! LOL

"Discard", LOL, exactly! I realized how big that sucker was when I was painting it. Remember when all the gas stations had to replace their gasoline tanks? Well, it's actually three old tanks welded together! It served its purpose when it was used to pump water to the hoop houses but it's not going anywhere. I tried to pull the hose out of the top when I was painting and couldn't even lift the trap door on the top - it's HEAVY!

I like that pot lady--I would also rather have no face than many of the cutesy things. But that lady would cost big bucks in pots!!

The only thing I would add is a glass of ice tea in her right hand, or a bottle of beer, wine glass or martini glass for more class.

I like the pot people better without the faces.

Look at the dogs and cats...
http://gonetopotpeople.com/PotPeopleandFamily.htm

Great job on the tank.

RCN, I think your tank looks great. Your energy is amazing. I too vote ffor the faceless lady. Gives her a bit of mystery! She looks like how I feel after a long day in the garden. A Beer or wine would be good, but I'm now very anti anything breakable in the garden after losing so many things this year.

Jen, those made me chuckle! You could actually make small scale ones from small craft store pots, that would be pretty cheap right? I am pretty sure you can easily drill thru the pots to use wire to hold things together if you need to. (I think it was on Rebeccas Garden)

Well, I'll be scavenging for pots in the next six months! Actually we have quite a stash already from over the years but I'll still probably need more. I like the idea of an empty glass of 'whatever' :) I was looking for an old galvanized watering can this weekend. You know those "spilled" pots that you see with the dirt flowing out of them? Thought I could bury half of it, to look like I was so tired that I dropped the watering can and have flowers growing out of it :) Might have to paint a plastic one to look old though, every can I found was $35-$40 - they're considered antiques :(

Jen, thank you for that link, that's one I didn't see in my search! Those pets are really cute :) This is one I found with the head planted and figured if I can round up enough pots this dog might be my companion - I've already got plenty of those small pots for the tail :)

rcn--

Both "Michaels", "Joannes" and "AC Moore" craft stores sell clay pots--including the small ones--up to 8" or 10" ones...I think.. Now and then--they all go on sale.

Of course--every week, somewhere in your junk mail, are their circulars with the coupons for 40% off any one, regular-priced item--and they all take each other's coupons.

Gita.

I like those dogs too. Maybe you should have one sitting next to the lady!

That's my plan :)

Gita thanks, I've been watching the sales flyers for Michael's and AC Moore, I need more yarn for another "project", an afghan I'm making for a Christmas present :) Now I'll have to watch for clay pots too! I just recently organized the area under the deck where all our clay pots are stashed so I'll have to count what I have on hand so I'll know how many I need.