thanks, SSG! I'll talk to my handyman about it and see what we can come up with! :-)
Yardening June 2014 #3 into July
Thought I'd give an update on the Japanese Beetle trap, which I've had up for several days now (way in the back near the neighbor's eyesore shed/dump...)
How well it works seems to depend on how far away a given plant is from the trap. There seems to be an optimal distance where it genuinely seems to work (sorry, I'm not good at judging distances, but it was a point about midway in my yard from my back door to the trap on the back fence). E.g., my Harry Lauder tree is basically empty of JBs now which, given how much the JBs love contorted filbert leaves, is saying something! However, there were *more* JBs closer in to the trap--e.g., on my viburnum and wisteria. And for plants near my back porch such as my rose bush--furthest away from the trap--it seemed to make no difference whatsoever.
So mixed results all in all. However, glad to have the JBs off my Harry Lauder tree for a few days at least--they practically skeletonized it last summer.
I have taken the trap down now and am curious to see what happens to JB traffic in my yard over the next few days...
On the beetle trap box--it states that one should hang it 30' DOWNWIND from your
affected shrubs or roses.
NEVER hang it near the affected shrubs or roses--that will just attract all the beetles to them.
G.
Hiya all! It's been a while since I posted, so I thought I'd drop by & say HI! It's been so hot that gardening has been the bare minimum/watering. Tonite I planted some plants I got from Santa Rosa & some weeding & fertilizing...! Heading to Destin, FL for a weekend away & Monday we meet our new puppy we just adopted! Getting another little Japanese Chin, he's being fostered in FL so perfect timing to pick him up! Everyone, meet Baxter!!
Otherwise all is good, have my follow-up scan & exam next week, so I'll be a basket case come Friday, but I'm trying to stay busy, occupied & above all, positive!
Hi Becky and Baxter!
Hope Sascha knows he's not a squeaky toy!
Destin is a nice place I hear.
Welcome to the family Baxter! Aaaw, he's so cute - he really does look like a little squeaky toy, huh?
Have a fun, and safe, time in Fl!! =)
Baxter's a cutie! :-)
Aw, Baxter's adorable!
Hiya Bec! Glad to hear you have a new addition to the family.
SSG and Catmint - on the fence issue, I really, really liked the white backdrop when I saw the vinyl fence at SSG's house. From a design perspective, I think it made the plants pop in a way a wood/reed look doesn't. Being in the woods, my garden accents are very subtle and natural, but seeing SSG's white fence was one of those "oh how lovely look at that" eye opening moments for me.
Thanks, Aspenhill! The grass is always greener on the other side! :D I really love the look of cedar fencing, but I think white fits my yard better.
thanks, Aspen. SSG, sometime when you get a chance, could you post a couple photos of your vinyl fence with plants? Might be helpful for me to look at it from that perspective.
Sure! Here's the progression.
Chain link fence. This is what zoysia grass looks like in the winter.
Right after the vinyl fence was put in, Fall 2012
Fall 2013, I think, just before the redbud was planted
Early this spring. The conifer on the left is Sekkan Sugi Cryptomeria. They have funny looking bare feet when they're young. It looks so different now! I'll update with fall pics later this year.
I'm with Aspenhill, Not a particular fan of white vinyl, I tend to go for tan, brown and natural wood. But it looks great in SSG's garden really makes the plants POP. Def goes very well with her house. I just loved SSG's Garden so glad I was able to see it this spring.
Catmint, from your pics it looks like any 6 foot high 'fence' solution would only begin to hide the ugly shed as it looks to be so tall. Maybe you could move your shed or offer your new neighbor a gallon of paint in a brown color of your choice!
Thanks SSG. I see what people mean about flowers 'popping' against the white although the rest of my fencing is natural wood.
Coleup I think you're right that a 20' fence would probably do the job better LOL.
Catmint, you could always buy just one panel of reed fencing from HD, see if you like the look against the back fence, and return it if you don't! Are you a garden club member? It's usually $5 off $50 and $10 off $100 purchase.
The birds have finally found the blueberries! I couldn't get out there for a couple of days and then this morning I noticed that there weren't any ripe ones to harvest. I thought perhaps it was already the end of prime blueberry season and turned to fertilize the tomatoes. When I turned back around I saw a blue bird (maybe a bluejay?) stealing a blueberry!
Oh well. I have leftover fruit salad I have to finish, so I'll let the birds have some more. :)
I think you're right SSG--no harm in giving just one panel a try! One 16' panel would pretty much cover the back edge of the fence where my property line joins that of the eyesore neighbor...
That's funny about those blueberries SSG! Always nice to catch the blueberry thief in action! ;-)
cat--if I am not mistaken--the reed fencing comes rolled up.
Look for it in Outside garden where all the other contractor kinds of
things are. Mud fencing....orange net fencing...Lollly columns...etc.
It will be under the roof cover outside.
g.
I say reed fencing AND a few very prickly, fast-growing shrubs!
thanks, Gita.
LOL Muddy--do you think I could drop the prickly shrub seeds on his side of the fence where his dump is? ;-)
I'd bet that his shed violates several zoning or residential laws - it might be worthwhile finding out what your local regs are. In Fairfax County, he'd probably have needed a building permit for that monstrosity, and I doubt his "design" would have been approved.
In addition, in Fairfax County the distance from his fence would have to be equal to the shed's height; e.g. if it's 16' tall like it looks it is, it would have to be 16' from your property line.
Cat, why not just plant a small tree there? Perhaps a native eastern red cedar? Those can be prickly and it would completely block that eyesore out.
haha A Juniperus virginiana redcedar, near the fence, would eventually make it very unpleasant for them to use the area. But that would be years in the making.
Put up any kind of fence, and Nature will plant some unpleasant things on their side...
thanks, Muddy. I hadn't thought about the local ordinances thing.
I do have a holly 'Nellie Stevens' still small enough to move that I'm considering putting there to block the view, in addition to fencing. My major concern is to leave enough space for *myself* to get to the garden area behind my own shed, so I can't plant anything too wide.
I just got a concerning phone call from the USDA...
They would like to come out and inspect my plants for Sudden Oak Death. The lady said that I could have been exposed to that pathogen when I purchased plants from Greer Gardens this spring. I'm extra concerned because I've had a problem with one of their plants as it never leafed out but only one leaf bud, which has died. I've been trying to get them to give me a replacement for a couple months now and they've given me the run around. She said this pathogen is supposed to be quarantined on the west coast but in a recent inspection, the USDA found it at Greer Gardens and now they have to inspect everyone's plants who purchased from them within a certain time frame. She said that it is highly contagious to other rhodies and azaleas and if they see a plant that might be infected they rip the plant out, bag it, and take it back to the lab!!! My appointment with her is at 3pm tomorrow. She was going to come without me there but I definitely want to be there for that.
yikes, Seq, what disturbing news! :-(
Oh yikes, Jeff! I really hope your tree isn't infected!
Yes, definitely make sure you're there when she comes to your garden to possibly rip out a plant by the roots! :-O
Oh, That sounds pretty bad, hope that isn't the problem with your dead tree and it is some other issue.
I just spoke with the fellow at Greer. He said my dead azalea wouldn't have been one of the ones affected. Still though, I don't want this USDA lady walking around my yard taking cuttings of this and that by herself. It will be a guided tour...Lol
On a side note, I will be getting my replacement azalea today USPS after two months of hounding them for a replacement. I'm not very happy about that. They are sending a different azalea but of the same color. Reading the description on this one, I'm happy with their choice. We'll see how it looks when I open the box.
Sequoia, Good Luck
I'm weeding, mulching and tucking in a few plants around the rock garden. Finally admitted that this year I need to have some help. The very nice neighbor that lives in the woods behind me. (some of you might remember her husband and daughter that came to the last swap we hosted) Came out with her son (about 10yr) and started working on some of the beds that I haven't gotten too yet. They did a great job on the front bed and they are going to come back and mulch it and then I can plant the annuals I have for that bed. Really can you believe that I am still planting annuals?
Haha...still planting annuals. What a season it must be for you that you are still doing that LOL. That was nice of them to help you guys out!
Yes, It is nice of them but I am paying them. She took excellent care of the GH while we were away this Spring and didn't want to take any $$ for doing that said that neighbors help each out out. But I told her it is a paying job. If you weren't able to do this I would be paying someone else to do it. Normally all the annuals are planted by the end of May. Second week of June I was thinking it's not too bad but when it is almost the middle of July it's just too far behind to fool myself into thinking I can do this without help.
That's good news about your azalea Seq! Hopefully it will all just be a case of them erring on the side of caution. Glad you are finally getting your replacement!
Holly glad to hear you are getting the extra help on your beds! Things just catch up with us sometimes don't they??
Yeah, it's better to get help than hastily get it done and have to feel rushed. To garden is to relax.
I am really happy to be able to do some of the work. When the Epidural injections worked so well I thought maybe I could do it but I just can't seem to get caught up with it all. I worked for several hours this morning on the Rock Garden and got about 1/2 of it done, last year it would have been finished in the same amount of time. Just that I can do some of it is a blessing. I so enjoy gardening.
Holly I'm so sorry I feel like I missed something! Why are you getting epidural injections?? Sounds like you have some significant pain that's slowing you down. :-( I'm glad you're able to get out there and enjoy to some extent. Again my apologies for my obliviousness!
Apparently I have had a Spondylolisthesis in my back for quite some time and this Spring it made it's self known. Pinching the Sciatic Nerve so badly that I was flat on my back for two weeks. Luckily the injections are working. Add in the bone on bone arthritis in my knee and the nausea from some of the meds I am taking. Well lets just say that this summer I'm not quite up to the amount of gardening that I need to do. Ric on the other hand is going great guns but he can't do his work and mine, too.
oh no that sounds really painful, Holly--I'm so sorry to hear you've been dealing with that! I'm glad the injections are helping--but combined with the knee arthritis and nausea, it all sounds really hard. :-( I don't blame you for needing the extra help right now. Heck, I've needed extra help for far less!
Holly, I'm sorry to hear about your impediments to happy gardening!
Sequoia, good luck. I wonder whether they would let you have a plant back if they didn't find the disease when they tested it in their lab. It might be worth asking. If you dig a shrub up instead of letting them pull it up, it might live. Let's hope it doesn't come to that though.