Improvement Projects
Cleaning up after the deck
We got the deck done in July, but we took a break before dealing with all the cleanup, like storing all the old deck boards we took off. Yes, we’re trying to think of projects where we can use those like …
Building a ladder planter
We got this idea from Maine Cabin Masters. They installed a vertical herb garden on the side of a cabin. We built a stepladder-like planter to hold standard plant trays. I might grow some herbs in them, but I’m already trying out growing salad greens. We like greens, it’s just difficult to grow them in a garden bed because of competition from the weeds. Plus it’s a lot easier to pick them on the deck than going all the way down to the basement. Either way, it’s a nice-looking planter.
Running electricity to the shed
We started the process late last month by trenching and installing the electrical wire. We finished up by installing outlets inside and outside the shed, a central light fixture, and an external light fixture. We don’t know if we’ll need the external fixture but thought we might as well put one in. Light fixtures are expensive! (Says the woman who hasn’t bought one since we built the house in 2005.) Fortunately we found an old turquoise lantern in the garage up north, AND a wiring kit that fit, so voila! A free and decorative light fixture. We love it.
Boring but necessary
We didn’t do the work, but we had fiber internet installed, which meant another (small) trench in the yard. Broadband in rural areas is … complicated. When we moved in we wrongly assumed we could get cable. We used dialup for maybe two weeks, then had satellite internet installed. (We also have satellite TV.) The speed on the internet was fine, but it was affected by weather and we had a data cap that didn’t allow for streaming. A couple of years ago fixed wireless became available, so we moved to that. Still fast, more stable, and best of all, no data cap. So we could actually stream things. Then last year fiber infrastructure went in, so this year we moved to fiber. Still fast, still no data cap, yet more stable and consistent — because we don’t have to worry about competing traffic — and a little cheaper.
During our last big rainstorm we discovered that a downspout was not draining into its drain tile like it’s supposed to, so we replaced the drain tile. When we built the house we cheaped out by installing some free perforated tile. Well, that got clogged, so we laid solid tile over the top of it. We may need to do some camouflaging on it, but the immediate problem is resolved.
Preparation for Upcoming Landscape Projects
Clearing the gazebo bed and prepping for lilies
With the perennial garden re-established, my next focus is the gazebo. I still want it to have a tropical look and feel, but some of the plants have expanded beyond their allotted area and while I like them, I would like more variety. Specifically:
- I’m removing all of the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthlopteris ‘The King’) from the bed because it just doesn’t play well with others. Someday I will learn not to plant things that are known to spread.
- I’m cutting back the Darmera peltata, which we lovingly refer to as dinosaur plant, to make room for lilies and other plants with color. The roots on the Darmera are massive and no fun to grub out.
- I’m also cutting back the Persicaria ‘Firetail’ that I moved from another bed, again to make room for other plants.
I’ve ordered some lilies to plant this fall so this is prep work. I have compost to incorporate, then I’ll plant the lilies and anything else I can transplant in fall. I’ll finish up in the spring anything I can’t get done this year.
Clearing the interior of the big island
We haven’t done anything with the big island since we planted it other than weeding and some minimal pruning. We recently had some holly die on us so those have been pruned out — some are regrowing so I need to decide if they’re staying — plus I’m working on some oversized junipers that are my current nemesis. Once those are cut back we can reassess what’s left and see if anything needs to be changed.
Regular Annual Maintenance
Other than that — it feels like it was a slow month, but when I write it out it sounds like a lot! — it’s been regular annual maintenance.
- Steve has been harvesting seed heads from our northern sea oats and Indian grass as we try to curb their spread. If only the meadow plants would stay in the meadow …
- We wrapped the trees in the backyard so the local bucks don’t destroy them by rubbing the velvet off their antlers. We’ve had them uproot trees!
- We pruned some of the longer branches on the river birch.
- We cleaned up around the apple trees. We have to fence those so the deer don’t eat the blossoms and fruit, and since we can’t mow inside the fencing things get untidy. Those got weedwacked. Now that we added three new apple trees we plan to redo the fending and make maintenance easier.
- And we organized the shed, something that happens periodically when we can’t stuff everything we want into it. It gets better every time we do it.
What’s been Happening in the Garden
The light is changing as we head into fall. And this galvanized tub that we planted with shade annuals really outdid itself this year.
The Arizona Sun gaillardia exceeded expectations too. I love this plant for the flowers but the seed heads are also attractive. And I started these from seed! (Indoors, last winter.) If they don’t survive the winter I can just start more!
Late summer is also time for some of my favorite flowers, the tall coneflowers. This is Rudbeckia subtomentosa Henry Eilers, with petals that remind me of eyelashes. I’ve had it for years but only in the last 2-3 years has it really taken off and started spreading.
Our tomato crop was doing well for a change. Until the tomato worms and the chipmunk found them. They got more of our crop than we did.
The harvest basket is something Steve built out of leftover wood and wire mesh. It works great because it keeps the produce out of the dirt and you can rinse things off while they’re in the basket. Plus it looks pretty good; I don’t mind it being visible.
Speaking of critters, here are some of the locals, including one of those tomato worms.
Hummingbird moths are one of our favorite bugs. They’re a rare sighting and always photographed when they show up.
Praying mantis are not a rare sighting around here, which is good, because we like these too. They’re fun to watch and like tree frogs, they show up in the unlikeliest of places.
We’re not sure if the one on the left is winking or if it has a problem with its eye.
The buckets, by the way, are full of indian grass and sea oats seeds waiting to be burned. Because we don’t need any more!
That’s it for August! Fall is on the way and I’ll be back with more once we get into fall maintenance.