I've been digging in the gardens for weeks. Because of the drought, the soil is like cement, but I persevere. The worst of the lack of rain is that I have to water the new plantings, and the ones in the terrace strip on the front of the property have been too far to reach with a hose. That means carrying water buckets to keep everything growing. That includes pots of geraniums, impatiens and dianthus as well. It is a very tiring process. I drop into bed at the end of the day and sleep through the worst of the back pain.
Today, with rain forecast, I transplanted vinca. This meant digging up the weeds on the terrace strip, pounding into the dry soil with shovel, garden claw, and rake to break up the ground, then dig holes. I went to the vinca patch, and dug up the plants, pounding in the soil with the shovel, tearing away bits of creeping Charlie and Jerusalem artichoke that clung to the roots, and carrying the vinca to the terrace strip to put in the holes I had drug.
The next step was to water everything. I was just carrying a bucket out of the house when it began to sprinkle. I set the water bucket down. Let rain do the job, I thought. I threw on a rain jacket and headed out for some exercise. I was a few blocks away when the rain stopped. When I got home, I found out the rain had stopped over my house right after I left.
Gary and I went shopping at a garden center for blocks for the path he's building. I found some soapwort and rock cress, two more ground covers. I came home and put the soapwort in one spot I hadn't filled and the rock cress in another where seeds had failed to sprout.
There was still watering to do, but Gary thought he knew where there was another hose. While I took a nap, he worked on the problem. When I woke up there it was, a lovely sprinkling attachment with three long hoses that took me to every part of the yard.
As I began to spray the terrace strip, it began to rain. I turned off the hose. The rain stopped. I began to water the plants again. The rain began.
Finally, I just watered every inch of the garden while standing in the rain. Crazy, but after weeks, the plants are watered properly.
All I need to do now is put in some Bishop's weed and the terrace strip is done. It will be filled with over a dozen ground covers that in time will duke it out between them for supremacy. Some will work out, some will be transplanted elsewhere.
Then to start the next gardening project, extending the vegetable bed.
Today, with rain forecast, I transplanted vinca. This meant digging up the weeds on the terrace strip, pounding into the dry soil with shovel, garden claw, and rake to break up the ground, then dig holes. I went to the vinca patch, and dug up the plants, pounding in the soil with the shovel, tearing away bits of creeping Charlie and Jerusalem artichoke that clung to the roots, and carrying the vinca to the terrace strip to put in the holes I had drug.
The next step was to water everything. I was just carrying a bucket out of the house when it began to sprinkle. I set the water bucket down. Let rain do the job, I thought. I threw on a rain jacket and headed out for some exercise. I was a few blocks away when the rain stopped. When I got home, I found out the rain had stopped over my house right after I left.
Gary and I went shopping at a garden center for blocks for the path he's building. I found some soapwort and rock cress, two more ground covers. I came home and put the soapwort in one spot I hadn't filled and the rock cress in another where seeds had failed to sprout.
There was still watering to do, but Gary thought he knew where there was another hose. While I took a nap, he worked on the problem. When I woke up there it was, a lovely sprinkling attachment with three long hoses that took me to every part of the yard.
As I began to spray the terrace strip, it began to rain. I turned off the hose. The rain stopped. I began to water the plants again. The rain began.
Finally, I just watered every inch of the garden while standing in the rain. Crazy, but after weeks, the plants are watered properly.
All I need to do now is put in some Bishop's weed and the terrace strip is done. It will be filled with over a dozen ground covers that in time will duke it out between them for supremacy. Some will work out, some will be transplanted elsewhere.
Then to start the next gardening project, extending the vegetable bed.
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