52°f/11°C, partly cloudy after an afternoon and night of storms and heavy rain.
I begin to wonder if our soil will ever dry up! From last year's drought to this monsoon Spring is just crazy. Look what we had yesterday:
Hopefully this is the end of the storms, although showers are in the forecast again this afternoon.
I was able to work outside earlier in the day, getting the herb garden fertilized with blood meal, bone meal, and lime. Then put down cardboard and covered that with mulch. I ran out of mulch before I got the bank covered, though. I have planted that bank with oregano, which I transplanted from another garden, hoping it will become a ground cover.
Looking downhill. This garden is about 15×20, with concrete blocks terracing it into 2 spaces. The blocks line each side of a walkway, and I have filled them with parsley, chives, thyme, and Marjorie. In the upper garden, covered in mulch, are 2 kinds of fennel, 2 kinds of sage, 2 kinds of basil, chamomile, tarragon, dill, pineapple sage, lavender, rosemary, calendula, and wild daisies and red clover that self- seeded. Probably a few other things I have forgotten.
There are asparagus and daylights on the bank too, as well as daffodils, Dame's Rocket and some invasive honeysuckle I have been trying to kill. Oh, and some raspberries we also transplanted there last year, which amazingly survived the drought.
Once I get finished with this bed, there is the problematic lower bed which is a tangle of random self-seeded asparagus, raspberries and bindweed. The bindweed is literally all over this garden. I think I am going to do the cardboard and mulch here too, then very carefully use a weedkiller on whatever bindweed comes up. I hate weedkiller but have tried every other solution under the sun and none have worked. Even this will be hard to do to avoid killing the asparagus or the raspberries.
Today we are off to buy replacement picket fence panels to replace the ones broken by the fallen tree, and then later I have a pedicure scheduled. Ah, to be coddled! I have gradually come to realizing that I deserve this treat, so it will become part of my life from now on. For years I have been a low-maintenance woman, rarely getting my haircut professionally, wearing little makeup, not into fashion, etc, so I think it's time to spend a little on myself! Manicures would be useless as my hands are always in dirt, water, or paint. But pretty toes? That I can do.
The cardboard technique is one I never tried (since nobody told me about it back in the days when I had a yard). But I do know others who've used it, or layers of newspaper (but oh the ink!). Happy toes are a great idea. My newest regimen is to use moisturizer on my face after washing it twice a day. I'm amazed how much better my face feels, where it used to break out, or have itchy places. I have terribly dry skin everywhere, so have lotion to be rubbed on whenever I can. Anyway, now I finally am doing what so many women have done all their lives! Better late than...
ReplyDelete...it does pay to get a manicure when you have dirt under your nails.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a hot minute since I had a manicure or a pedicure! They are an enjoyable treat.
ReplyDeleteI have fought the bindweed beast and it is difficult to tame. Roots can go down several feet and seeds can survive for decades. I used all of the methods you describe and got it under control, but not gone. It still required frequent pulling. At least the blooms are pretty.
ReplyDeleteGirls and their toes. 😊
ReplyDeleteI had a small but tidy herb garden at our first home in Kentucky [2010] and haven't found the right space to dedicate in this latest [ and hopefully last] home. I have a huge sage lopping over the front walk, lemon balm which has self-deeded everywhere possible, thyme, mints and chives sitting about in pots. I wish I knew how many bags of mulch the winter-hardy ground cover weeds have submerged.
ReplyDeleteThe extent of your gardens and of the labour you put into them is just amazing. We had two trees blow down. My 85 year old husband was out with his chain saws and his daughters cutting them up. The daughters are a blessing; it scares me when he goes solo.
ReplyDeleteWe have the same mess. I'm just glad it's not in the basement, too. Today is a weed and mulch day for me.
ReplyDeleteBindweed is so dreadfully difficult to get rid of. My main invaders are Lily of the Valley and wild Bleeding Heart. I'm about ready to give up the battle.
ReplyDeleteHope the garden works out fine and the weather cooperates.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how it developed that women pamper their feet and not guys? Once though, I had a whole bunch of dry, cracked skin on my feet and I had a pedicure. When I came out it felt like I was walking on pillows.
ReplyDelete