I don't think you'll have to dig it in. The worms and weather will work it in for you....mulched leaves will be gone by spring.
Bagged compost sounds like a good idea...just a light layer on top of the leaves so you don't have to dig it in and disrupt your plants.
PLANT ADDICTS CHAT #4
Drop in the bucket or no, if you have a use for the stuff use it. Then worry later about whether you need more. Why save LAST year's bags when you are making more bags now? Get that last year stuff on there and let it work over winter like Muddy said.
I pulled up the Dr Seuss pot. It had grown two new stems this spring directly from buds at soil level, after all last year's top growth rotted over the winter in storage. Last years stubs broke right off. I bet you could just cut them off near soil and save just that, instead of keeping three feet of trunk like I've been doing.
I potted some Pink brug chunks. ssg wanted one?
Sally, I think it was Jill who was interested in cuttings!
haha, OK ssg, sorry, I won't force them n you!
Gita, maybe an answer is to have a few of us DGers come over to your place and make a group effort day doing some of those heavy chores for you. It is always fun to get together and having something specific to tackle that in the long run helps you out would be right up our alley. I'd volunteer Mike too who makes short work of heavy yardening chores LOL.
On the plant marking topic, my main memory problems are specifically with the plants that I have quite a collection of different cultivars of - iris, hellebores, astilbes, anemones, tricyrtis, lilies, daylilies, ferns, epimediums, geraniums, and azaleas. Everything else is pretty much onesies and twosies. It is when it gets up to tens and twenties that it becomes an issue - especially when some of the cultivars look so similar to me. I'm absolutely horrible with plant id from comparing with pictures. As far as feeling distress about it, I know, I know "let it go" LOL...
Thank you all for your suggestions....some of them I have already decided to implement....
Using the 3 composting leaf-bags from last year is one. They are close to "done'.
Sally--I save them until I know they have composted to the point where i can easily
mix them into some soil as an amendment. This usually takes 2 years.
I will do that!
As far as buying the Manure Humus--HD has them in yellow, "fragrant" bags
for under $3. Will get about 3.
Need mulch too. Several bags...I like Pine Bark. HD's hardwood mulch sucks.
How good are the "colored" mulches? I think their only claim to fame is that they
keep their color for over a year....guaranteed... They come in: Red, Black. and Brown.
$2.97 per bag Who knows what's in it?
Terri-- Thanks for the offer of help. I may take you up on it....someday....
I don't think a bunch of people is needed here for just digging up this bed.
It is about 16" high. You have to step into it to dig in there...I will manage.....
I can haul once I get started.
NOW---What I might need future help for is digging up those old Junipers--NOT that I have
given that much thought--but it would look nicer. Then I could plant new shrubbery there..
As I said...somewhere here....no one can tell that there are 2 windows behind these Junipers!
They are to the 3rd level down of my house--the club room level.The old "Party Level".....;o)
This would require a small back hoe, as the roots are nasty...all exposed in the back.
The soil has not been touched there for 46 years! That is also how old these Junipers are.
The two Hemlocks need to go too. I would love to have 2 Hinoki Cypress in their place.
LOVE that evergreen!
It would be nice to "spiff up" the looks of my house's landscaping. Never know when it may
need to be sold....Hope my daughter would want to move into it when I am 'gone'...
Getting morbid here.....better stop! Gita
Went out and took these pictures on this topic.
1--Just trimmed the Junipers a week ago. They look good-for now.
You can see a smidge of the windows behind them
2--Here are both windows that are not visible behind the Junipers
3--Here is a view of the back side of one of the Junipers
4--Here is the back of the one closer to the door.
The snake-like roots are to the Hemlock by the door. You can see it in the 1st picture.
5--A prettier sight. My IKEA shelf by the unused kitchen door--full of blooming
Holiday cactus. The one on the right is the "JB's "Peaches and Cream"
They are all starting to bloom now. Will be taking a close-up picture of each
as they bloom. Just for the record--and to show you all.
G, just say when for some of those bigger projects. Mike has access to a small back hoe.
The holiday cactus are really pretty.
Terri--
Awww--Thanks...Now I have to really think about it..
It scares me to even think about it. IF I do it--it will have to be in spring..
It would be such a drastic decision! I am a chicken when it comes to
something like this, But--at the same time--it sounds exciting....
We could have a work party. All the GUYS from nearby.
Mile--Ric--Paul--Mark--etc....plus the girls..
I would take you all out to dinner at Mission BBQ. afterwards
Need to think positive here. Change is good! Change is good!
Change is, sometimes, necessary...
OH MY!!! OH my! Goodness gracious! Mind reeling---hands shaking.;o/
.
Gita
Sally, thanks! I'd love a "chunk" of your pink brug. :-)
Gita, while city compost is free, Bussard Bros. (nearby landscape supply place) delivers a yard of lovely compost for somewhere between $20-24. That's way cheaper than bags (a cubic yard is 27 cubic feet, and BB is pretty generous with their measure.. I figure I get at least 15 bag's worth in a yard. You still have to shovel into the wheelbarrow & into the garden, but at least you're not shoveling it into buckets & into your car also.
That said, I bought bagged mulch this year... I wasn't up to a big mulching "project." Jim helps me drop the bags around the back of the garden, and I mulch as I go along with weeding or planting. I might try "flagging" some good areas for mini mulch piles and hiring help (or bribing Jim) to get the mulch dumped in those spots, 2-3 wheelbarrow's worth at a time.
I can hire help with mulching around trees & shrubs, not so much with mulching in the actual garden beds unless I carefully flag every plant (and even them some get smothered). In the perennial beds, it's worked to have somebody help me with getting wheelbarrows of mulch to the back and scooping it into big nursery pots... buckets get handed back to me, and I do the actual spreading of mulch around the plants.
This message was edited Nov 7, 2014 10:04 AM
Jill, I think you meant cubic yard(s) as opposed to square.
thx! getting coffee now... LOL
First coffee at 10 AM? No wonder. ;-)
I "fixed" my deer-destroyed Ilex 'Sparkleberry' by planting another one as close as possible to it without disrupting its roots.
The plant stakes are part of my almost-invisible deer fence: 3 rows of fishing line strung between stakes all the way around that bed. Fishing line has worked for me in the past, although it was frustrating because I kept forgetting it was there and walked into it.
While I was working, as if on cue, a doe bounded by about 10 feet behind me!
I forgot the photo.
Looking good Muddy! Did you just happen to have an extra Sparkleberry? Hope you don't catch anything with your fishing line. Are those bamboo stakes?
Thanks, coleup! No, I bought another Sparkleberry so that I could have some instant gratification.
I hope the line scares deer when they walk into it. It should freak them out because they can't see it and don't know what it is.
Those are plastic stakes, but bamboo would look nice too...and I know just the place to get it. A neighbor's lazy landscapers hauled bamboo cuttings down the ravine to the creek rather than haul it away. I complained, but it's still there. It would make good poles and mason bee nests, though.
All perennials are 25-50% off at Meadows. Behnke's perennial section is pretty much empty at this point, but there's still quite a good collection at Meadows.
I went to Meadows to get saucers for my houseplants and ended up buying 4 heucheras and tulips at half price. I couldn't resist 25 bulbs at less than $6.
They have gorgeous, HUGE Penstemon Dark Towers at $5.50. They're so big they could probably be divided into 5-6 plants.
Good incentive to get up there for some bags of pine fines... really, that's all I need, just pine fines... LOL
Lee Valley is doing free shipping again this week (through Thursday 11/13). See http://www.leevalley.com/US/home/Announcement.aspx Among other things, they have that little stainless steel border shovel that I love... stainless steel pruning shears & pruning saw, too, in case anybody else tends to forget theirs outside. ;-) They have some nifty gifties, too.
I got two garbage cans full of pine needles from a neighbor a few weeks ago for free. It was pretty sweet.
Seq, a fellow pine needle addict! I've been hauling them from one neighbor for a few years, now the next door gal saw me and offered hers too..I started with them under blueberries but if they're free and convenient I continue it in adjacent beds.
Yeah I got them to protect some borderline items that I either didn't have last year or died and needed replacement last year. I'll scatter the rest about the garden along with chopped leaves next weekend. I really like the needles from our Dawn Redwood too. They usually all fall in the front perennial bed. They should be coming down soon.
The 2 Meadows Farms near me always seem to have something new when I go; hence the new temptations. They must consolidate plants from other stores. I haven't ever seen Penstemon Dark Towers, though (or any other Penstemon for that matter).
I buy a lot of their pine fines too, because they don't slide down the slopes like pine bark nuggets do. I have very few perfectly flat areas in my yard, and torrents of water wash away nuggets in most of the flat areas that do exist.
I hadn't thought about asking my neighbor if I could take his pine needles to supplement the ones from my lone white pine. That's a good idea!
I just inherited a huge bag-full of pine needles from a customer at HD.
Short story-- (never is...)...OK! Long story!
Last Sunday (11/2), I asked a very distinctive, well dressed (suit and tie) tall,
black gentleman--"Can I help you?" In my case--this usually leads to a lot of
conversation (I'm chatty!). AND--I never know where these chats can lead....
He needed some help and advice as to which Scott's fertilizer to use on his lawn
at his time. He said his neighbor had this lawn Service--"Tru Green" and how great
his lawn looked.
I showed him the Scott's Winter or Fall ones--BUT--I also said that they all cost an arm and a leg
and have a lot of "N" in them. Why does a lawn need so much "N" in it this time of year?????
(I bet you can guess where this is going....).........
Then I said to him--"Let me show you a wonderful product that is just right for your lawn
at this time and any time. It is called "Milorganite"...(See? I'm still at it!)
Told him all about it's virtues, how it is organic, Eco friendly, slow release--etc.
Also-- how low the price is compared to Scotts. ($12.78 for a 35lb. bag)
He was interested, but could not buy it that day, as he was on his way to church.
AHA! The suit and tie....but he said he would come back next Sunday ( this week)
He complimented me on my knowledge about gardening and lawn care.
This past Sunday---there he was again--in his dark suit and tie and he even
remembered my name.
We walked back to the Milorganite and he said he will, definitely, buy 2 bags of it.
So--turns out he lives quite near me--he knows my street and asked if I lived
where the Subaru is--as it is exactly the same car that he owns...
Our conversation drifted to lawns and mulching--and he said he had this huge
bag-full of pine needles he was going to put out for recycling this week.
I said "OH NO!" Can i have it??? He said--SURE!
This past Sunday, when I got home from work, there was this BIG bag-full of
pine needles on my driveway.
His name is Bob. I said to him--"You don't look like a Bob! You need a more
distinguished name than that". We played around with some names--and had a laugh.
He is way over 6' tall and SO well dressed. as it is always Sunday he comes by--
and he is always on his way to church. A very religious man.
He said he often gets up at 3AM and goes outside to pray.
I said--"That must be nice--with the Moon and the Stars out". he said--Yes it is!
Moral of this long story?
I know this man will always come and shop at out garden center....on Sunday--
--because i am there ....
Gita
Gita, what a story! "I bet you know where this is going" Haha!! I did!
The Meadows Farms near me doesn't seem to do any kind of fall clearance. When I asked, they said that they mostly overwinter their stock.
Yesterday I headed to an independent nursery in Ashburn specifically to get odd shaped water trays for the tender plants I brought inside. They have square and oval ones whereas the big box stores tend to just have round. First thing that I spotted as I went in the gate was a camellia in full bloom. I have tried camellias three other times, and every single one has died during the first winter after being planted. I have almost sworn off camellias, but this one was an eye catcher and next thing I know it was on my cart. I talked to the nursery man about what I could do to maybe keep this one alive. It seems like I had been doing everything right before, except for applying wilt proof to the leaves. Not that it will ensure success this time, but I'll keep my fingers crossed. Camellia 'William Lanier Hunt'...
http://www.camforest.com/Camellia_sasanqua_Wm_Lanier_Hunt_p/c-wmhunt1g.htm
For inexpensive humidity/watering trays, check out places like HD for boot trays. Rectangular, about 12x24 with raised edge.
Edited to say that it may be a bit too early in the season to be in stock yet.
This message was edited Nov 12, 2014 8:49 AM
Greenthumb, that's what I use! I got them a few years ago when Costco had them in stock for a short while.
Some smaller containers nestle nicely in a regular nursery flat, also, Love thosee boot trays.. have a couple behind the couch, with side by side 14" pots of scented geraniums.
I've never even seen "boot trays". I'll have to keep an eye out.
Jill, I have the stainless steel shovel from Lee Valley that I picked up during one of our Philly Flower Show road trips. I love it and have been wanting to get some of the other tools that they have in the same line. I didn't want to pay shipping and the thought of buying them at the next Philly Flower Show and carting them from the convention center to the car didn't sound like fun either. Free Shipping - can't beat that! Thanks for the heads up. They are now on order.
Terri--
Here is what HD has to offer---be caareful--as some of these may be available
ONLY on line. It will say so next to the product.
http://www.homedepot.com/s/Boot%2520Trays?NCNI-5
Gita
You're welcome, Terri! Lee Valley shipping offer ends today, for anybody else who might be considering placing an order. In the past, they didn't participate in "Cyber Monday"... so they might not do free ship again until after the holidays.
Great story Gita, Ric, gathered up our pine needles from the road today. We like to use it as mulch around the Evergreen grouping. I could use a few extra bags of it.
I'm giving Lee Valley a look, for Christmas ideas for my sister and BIL. Big variety!
Hope you had fun shopping! Somehow I end up finishing up my order just before midnight on those sales, even when I start looking days earlier LOL.
I have yet to buy a "gizmo" from them that wasn't as advertised or better. There's a cleverly engineered jar opener that pops the seal with minimum effort... great for anybody with reduced hand/arm strength.
I needed to replace a lost Cobrahead weeder (Lee Valley price was the same as the Cobrahead site and less than Amazon), so that drew me to this sale.
They have these "precision scissors" that I really love... small, sharp blades with normal size handles. I've given them to my "crafty" friends and relatives the last couple of years. Everybody wants to use mine when we're cutting out shrinky dinks or snowflakes, so this time I picked up a set of similar (but cheaper per each) "Chinese scissors" that have similarly large handles. I'm pretty sure I've seen them in use in florist shops.
I also totally failed to resist a "flower aquarium," which I remember being a hot gift item maybe 20 years ago... We'll have fun with it for flowers, and I bet Joyanna will also be put into service as a snowglobe this winter. I think it should work for single amaryllis blooms, too... when there's only 1 or 2 pretty blooms left on a stalk, I often cut the stalk and put the remaining bloom in a short vase.
Hey, Jill-------You still owe me.....$5.75.
Please! G.
This message was edited Nov 14, 2014 9:49 PM
I forgot to finish my Lee order that night- oh well, good ideas are worth paying shipping I guess LOL
Sorry, G. Will get postage in the mail for those cuttings asap!
Sally, maybe they'll do another free ship offer in time for the holidays... get on their email list. :-)
probable ID for the small epi I got from Dutch Plant Farm two years ago
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/141226/