Are as stir crazy as me?

I think if I plan, look at or dream of any more new plants or projects my head will explode! This winter has been long and I have not been outside much at all, guess I have gotten spoiled here in TX. I actually had a dream last night that I was building my pond LOL. You know you have it bad when your nightly dreams are about working in the dirt. Projects in my head include:
small pond (lots or work and prep)
some large bog pots for CP's
A large bed in the front for potted cacti and very drought tolerent perennials
New veggie beds (the old smaller ones went to flowers)

Most of my beds need reworking and lots of TLC, I will be busy this spring and oh how I look forward to getting started. My husband thinks I am nuts, he doesn't understand wanting to dig in the dirt and sweat in the sun for plants...
C

Yes and no. I am still spending lots of time outdoors but have lots of projects I want to get done. It is either too cold or too wet or I have other obligations and can't work on them.

I want to make walking paths through our 14 acres so I can enjoy the wildflowers and weeds while I walk.

I want to plant some fruits... probably a Methley plum. (Not sure if I want a regular or dwarf.) Also fixing a bed for blueberries and would love to plant some elderberries.

I am working on improving drainage around our foundation. Planning a 'dry creek' bed look with weed barrier cloth and placing stones and ornamental grasses on the edges. Also redoing the brick patio in back. Today, it is too wet.

I am going to wintersow my vegies and herbs again. Last year I did that around the first of Feb and it worked o.k.

What I don't like is it gets too hot too quickly to want to work too hard outdoors. Although I like the warm, I don't want to labor in it. I want to sit and enjoy my efforts.

I agree its just too wet to start most of my projects. At present I am planning and trying to figure out what materials and plants I might buy. One project at a time I keep telling myself.
C

Never!!! Start lots of things and get frustrated. Misery loves company! LOL

podster, with 14 acres, why are you even considering a dwarf?

We only have an acre in the middle of the fourteen cleared and under fence and with outbuildings, animals and plants, it doesn't leave lots of room for bigger trees.

Hey C,
I have cabin fever real bad. I hate the cold weather. I can't get anything done outside so I sit inside wrapped in a warm blanket here on DG making a lot of plans for spring. I've got several of my veggies started in peat pots just waiting to get going outside. I've got several new perennials started from seed just waiting as well. I am now, as a result of my recent forum lurking addiction, planning to build a new bed along my fence line for bamboo as a privacy screen. I have new plans for the small length of lawn between my sidewalk and street this spring also. Something with this weather needs to give before I dig myself into to big a hole with all my planned spring projects.LOL They seem to keep accumulating. I know what you mean about dreaming of them. I did the same thing last night too.LOL

Steph

Oh woe is we!! I NEED to get outside and work as we have redone out front driveways and changed the elevations which requires several new beds. I am also planning to do a dry type creek bed at the back of one bed for drainage. Just trying to determine the best way to do it. It has a plastic gutter type pipe that I thought I would cover with landscaping cloth then pea gravel and river rock and then some larger rocks and maybe some monkey grass or liriope along the side. Any suggestions?

Friday I had to drag all my brugs from behind the house around and into the garage. I have a nice garden wagon and it took three trips in boggy and cold weather. Tomorrow I get to move them all back. Does that count as gardening?

LOL sure its gardening, the good with the bad thing. If I weren't kept in check by my husband, the whole yard would be torn up! So in order to save myself personal embaressment, I just attempt one major project at a time.

I have only seen pics of they dry river beds but some look very good. I think more plants would make it look less drastic in the landscape.

C

I am SO stir crazy! Bad winters make people bonkers in Texas, I think. I can't even get myself to start seeds yet!

Me too! and it seems we get the worst cold weather on the weekends!!!
I finally got my big load of mulch delivered, so I can't wait to get to it.

I go outside and work when ever I feel up to it unless my knees wont let me or its raining .. I guess after living in Mi for so long the cold weather here isnt really winter to me.. I worked out side all day yesterday.. I just layer up with my silk long johns.. I got so warm I had to de-layer at one point .I can always find something to do outside.
I spent yesterday adding to my rustic trellis Ive been building, I extended the orginal by another 5 ft and added another 8 ft section on the other side of it.. I hung 5 bird houses Id been collecting, planted some liatis and other plants, filled peat pots in prep for starting my seeds and a few other small things..
Im also working on a fountian by my front door.. I made EE castings last summer. My new neighbor is a welder. I did a trade with him where he welded a holder to hold 4 of the castings to create a cascade effect as the water flows. it still needs some tweeking and planting around it but by the time its warmer Ill have it ready to go..
Im saving some of my indoor to do stuff till its to hot to work outside...lol..

Good for you! You sound really ambitious. I look forward to a photo of the water feature.
When you said you delayered I got this visual image of you working outdoors in your silks... hmmmm?

I'd love to see your water feature when you get it finished.

Wish I were more like you. For me its too cold now to work in the yard, but I'll be the first one griping when the summer and humidity gets going. Doesn't leave a very long gardening period for me, does it?!? hahaha

OMG Pod, I had the same idea of Raven out in her long johns!

Raven, just don't do like I did when out in my nightgown one night and have a grasshopper fly up the tail end of one of those layers. Let me tell you, for an old fat woman, I was doing some amazing moves out there that evening!

Crow

I can only imagine the nightie dance. Did you know who came for a visit? My vivid imagination would have run away!

Y'all remember the jumpsuit era? One piece with a front zipper... well, I am showing my age but had a wasp venture up the bell bottom pant leg. I didn't particularily care who was watching. I came out of those buddys' and didn't wear them much after that!

Oh, Pod, I needed that laugh.

Don, my grasshopper adventure was late one evening. Something had been eating the roses and I could never spot anything on them in the daytime. I got the bright idea to go out after dark with a flashlight. I was walking down the row of roses, moving limbs and leaves to see what I could spot. Something flew out of them and of course, right up the tail of my nightgown. We'd just put in a new steel edging to the beds and I forgot it was there. I was jumping around, beating at my legs and chest, dropped the flashlight, tripped over the steel edging and fell through a rose bush. The flashlight landed with me right in the spotlight and the tail of my nightgown over my head. I know all the neighbors thought "Oh, no, the new lady on the corner must have a drinking problem". The things gardening can get us into :) I neve did find the culprit and am just assuming it was a grasshopper. I hope he was as freaked out by the event as I was, but I seriously doubt it.

Crow

hey now everyone.lol..... I had on 3 layers when I started out and the last layer were the silk tee and long johns...lol.. I had to remove one of my outer tees to cool down... although I have been seen running the neighborhood in my sleeping tee shirt jammies at 3 am when Gracie got out because I hadnt latched the gate.... I just figure Im entertainement for the neighborhood...lol.
.
I did get alot done yesterday but paid for it pain wise today. Ive been doing the baby step shuffle as I call it... I work as much as I can when Im feeling good. I have bad days even if I dont do anything so I just figure what the heck, Ill work till I cant any more..
.
when I get my fountian done Ill post a pic. I still have to decide if I want to paint the castings or leave them the concrete color.. I leaning towards painting but will see.

seriously, silk long johns are the way to go.. I wear them in cooler weather while on my motorcycle and they make sure a big difference..they are so light weight and you forget you have them on.. not like regular thermal underware..I was comfy being outside cause of them here yesterday...
glad I made you all smile!!!

This message was edited Feb 1, 2010 9:20 PM

Faux copper might look cool for your castings.

H-m-m-m, thilk long jonth.... I'll have to thee if I can find thome.
(thorry, trying to talk with a lithp.)

Don

Blkraven ~ I am glad you weren't offended but it just struck me. Besides, most folks think us plant people are whackos anyway. You really could be entertainment for the neighborhood!

Crowelli ~ seems I remember you posting the grasshopper escapade when it happened to you. If any nosey neighbors were watching, they will think you are daft and keep their distance. 8 )

Now Don, you already said you weren't limp wristed, are you "lisp" wristed? Certainly these adventures don't happen just to women gardeners, do they? And what is on your stir crazy list?

Wow, Pod, It never occurred to me that I had made two "limp wrist" jokes. I guess I had better back off before someone starts wondering. lol

I'm with Catz. Got cabin fever something bad. We had a few days of nice weather last week, temps on the 60's and I thought Spring might be here, but then the rain came back, so I am depressed.

I did get some dayliliys potted a few days ago and they are greening up nicely in my shop. Also some cuke seeds. I need to go get some tomato and onion sets soon, too.

My tractor and JD riding mower both need servicing too.

Other than that, still trying to get the new pond in shape. Gonna be a busy spring and summer for me.

Is that enough?

Don

Daylilies always fascinate me. Mine are in ground and they have had green foliage thru these freezing temps, starting to put on growth when it warms.

Wow ~ I just glanced at the weather and we are looking at clouds and rain for the week ahead. Anyone here wintersow? I am planning to start mine next weekend. Doing mainly vegetables and herbs.

Podster. I'm trying wintersow this year. Got several gallon milk jugs planted with perennals. Some have already poped up! Will start some annual flowers soon. Got all my veggies going in the greenhouse.
Yea, this weather is a bummer. At least it is warming up some. Hope that old groundhog does'nt see his shadow!

Pod~I'm starting my WSing this week. Today as a matter of fact! I've got flowers, herbs, and veggies to start.

Last week at work, we were dead on Thurs & Fri. Saturday, everyone was out. I think everyone was going stir crazy from being holed up for 2 days. We'd never make it in the north where they get snow bound for days and days on end!

I'm from Idaho and this doesn't really seem much like winter to me either, so I spend a lot of time outside, except the dirt is too wet to do too much at this point.

I picked up some cosmos seeds over the weekend. The only other thing I'll be starting from seeds is some speckled butterbeans. I used vinyl covered wire fecning last year for my bean supports and when they were all done, I pulled it up and rolled it to put it away. It should last a long time and is easy for me to deal with and store. I'm all about lazy gardening :) I may try to figure out a better system for supporting my tomatoes this year too. My tomato cages weren't nearly tall enough. I had thought I might try to figure out how to cover them with screen wire panels to keep the hornworms off. Those things really ticked me off last year. They destroyed at least half my tomatoes. I figured they couldn't get through screen wire, but found that at one stage in their lifecycle they go underground, so I figure they might just hatch out under the screens and all my effort might not do one darn bit of good. For everything we grow, it seems like some pest will attack it.

Y'all stay warm. We're headed to M. D. Anderson for hubbies next chemo today, so don't have too much fun without me. (Or, if you do, take notes so you can tell me all about it.)

Crow

The hornworms you were talking about are one or both of these, which use tomato plants. Once the pupas hatch, they will be moths and fly away to mate. Only after the female is mated will she lay eggs on plant. Tilling the soil and picking off the and destroying larva will probably help. I oppose releasing Trichogramma wasps because they kill so many caterpillars of harmless butterfly species. It's funny...because I grow tomato plants sometimes and have only once seen a single tomato hornworm on a tomato plant. Maybe because I live in a country area of the Hill Country and there is not that many people growing their host plants?
Adding the link I forgot before:
http://www.entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/field/hornworm.htm


This message was edited Feb 2, 2010 10:30 AM

I bought an old tool (not sure of the name I think the man called it a horn doggle LOL), its heavy and iron. Any ideas on how to mount something that heavy to display outside. To me it looks like a mask with horns. I will post a pic when I get a chance.
C

Well? Is it 6 more weeks of winter? Or only 6 weeks till spring?

Peony1066 ~ don't know how recently you are from ID but your blood will thin out. I scoffed when I was told that 35 years ago after growing up in MN. Now, I understand... I will urge you to take advantage and get all your landscaping done before you become aclimated. Meanwhile, we are jealous!

LindaTX ~ thanks for the tomato hornworm link. I always say 'know thy enemy'. Last year I grew the 'maters on 8' tall bamboo racks. It certainly made it easier to see and pick the hornworms. I kept a container filled with soapy water and filled it up with the hornworms. It was a good crop of worms last year. I am glad to know the host plants are not what the hummingbird moth pollinates as I love those plants. I have been fascinated watching the moths at the Brugs and the Crinums both of which have a stronger fragrance at night and that is when the moths come out. I attempted to take photos as they are so similar to the hummers but never got a really good one. Heck, I've never gotten a really good photo of anything! 8 )

Crowelli ~ no fun here today. Spent the day slaving for plant money and I spent some of it on a plum tree. I hope you packed the tush pillow today. Mine aches just thinking about it. I hope too that your day went well. I have heard so many say how tough it is to go in for the next treatment just about when the patient begins to get their strength and appetite back. Hoping for success for your husband and patience & humor for his favorite caregiver.

Newtonsthirdlaw ~ I'd love to see a photo of your treasure. Maybe we could give you some ideas on how to display it. I like weird, old stuff and keep telling DH he should be glad that I do!

Let me show you how stir crazy I am... growing a sweet tater vine just to see something growing. pod ~ who is trying to figure out where to plant that plum tree.

podster.. it takes a LOT to offend me so never worry about how something is written...lol... if youre at the spring round up (Please dont let it be may 14 15 or 16) and I get to meet you remind me to tell you the lawn tractor story. Its to much to write but I guarentee youll laugh
besides.. if you cant laugh at yourself who can you laugh at???

You may have to type it in installments, I don't see RUs in my future as long as I have the pleasure of working. I always have a sense of humor, especially at myself. I definitely LOL more than most.