Mary, you don't have landscape/lawn care companies in Anchorage? Shoot, just in tiny Starkville, there are at least a half dozen of these companies that do everything from mowing/clean-up of lawns to major landscape projects. But yes, here at least, pre-emergents are sprayed in the spring and then in the fall, if you want total control of weed germination.

"Lol. What landscape service people?" That pretty much took the words out of my mouth, Mary...

Of course, there ARE landscape people available to be hired here -- we just don't do so (or at least haven't done so to date)

I hate to admit it, but I employ landscape service people. I can no longer shovel, wheelbarrow and spread 17 cubic yards of mulch each spring, edge beds, trim shrubs and still get my garden planted (all while growing 800 plants for Master Gardeners). I just decided to hire out the heavy stuff to get me off to a good start.

I also must admit we don't mow/fertilize our own lawn My husband is simply incapable of doing so without serious pain; I seriously don't have time/inclination.

We consider it a good effort to support our local economy

I hate admitting defeat, but am happy it allows me to spend my time/energy in other endeavors.

Not defeat but as you said. allows you to put your energy elsewhere.

Thanks, Rita. I hate admitting I can't do everything I used to. Surely that can't mean I'm getting older

I think they must have turned gravity up and made the days shorter.

I KNOW that years are much shorter than when I was a kid. Now they just fly by. If someone says "1995", I think: "Oh, recently!"

Linda - we gave in to our mowing/edging guys when Jack turned 78 and his third riding mower failed. This year they'll take over all lawn applications. I've always done the twenty 3 cu. ft. bags of pine bark mulch but think I'll give that job away as well. It's too much for my back. We also get 20 or 30 bags of crushed pine neede mulch but spreading that is joy because it's so lightweight.

As I crawl around outside (so I don't have to get up 30 times) I do wonder how I'll handle it when I'm 80 or if I'll be found decomposed someday.

Rick - once a few years go by I have a hard time remembering exact moments from most years. It all becomes a blur.

Newyorkrita said:Not defeat but as you said. allows you to put your energy elsewhere.

Absolutely! Nothing wrong with hiring people to do it (and I hope it didn't sound like I thought there WAS something wrong with doing so ). We have what I keep reminding DH is a "country yard." It's big, it's not very level, and it has weeds. And ants. Every 2 or 3 years I'll go out and spray and try to beat the weeds back a bit... need to keep the grass fairly healthy to provide mulch for my garden! Most of the mowing involves sitting on the John Deere, plus a little weed whacking here and there (which I'm trying to minimize more and more as time goes by).

What in the world do people who live in condos do with all their time??

Today we prepared three rows for early spring planting. I have never done this before so I am really hoping it works and I can get some things in the ground and covered early. Rows were tilled, a layer of compost put on and then a layer of newspaper and then leaves/straw. We changed our configuration so the rows are still 50'x 3.5' but the aisles are wide enough to take the lawnmower tractor through. What a difference putting on the compost with the trailer right there! We used to do the Eliott Coleman configuration with 3.5' rows and 18" aisles. It is very tight and hard to kneel and weed/pick in 18".

The dark shadow is from the row of new solar panels that are now where my strawberries used to be. Not to worry, I have two new rows in different places. Matt didn't waste any time using garden space when we decided to not do Farmer's Market next year.




I think I will try and take a better picture tomorrow morning.

At my 50th high school reunion one person at the table said she didn't want any outdoor work - just wanted to turn a key and be home. I enjoy the work (mostly) and would feel like it's winter all twelve months if I didn't have my gardens!

pirl said:
As I crawl around outside (so I don't have to get up 30 times) I do wonder how I'll handle it when I'm 80 or if I'll be found decomposed someday.

Old gardeners never die -- we just go to seed!

Beautiful, serene view in that first photo!

@pirl I didn't even notice that part until you mentioned it. It is. Neighbor's field with nothing going on except mowing a couple times a year. Oh, of course, the deer run through there but luckily they have been staying out of the garden.

Borrowed landscaping is just as lovely, maybe moreso since you don't have any work connected with it!

Arlene (Abhege), I totally agree that 18" is too narrow! I've tried it too, and have decided that 24" is the bare minimum. (Unless, of course, I just HAVE to squeeze something else in... . At times I feel like I'm playing the game "Twister" in my garden.)

Arlene (Pirl) -- I also agree about the gardening being the highlight of the year! I hope that once I'm too infirm to actually do the outside work, someone will still push me outside in my wheelchair so I can watch someone else do so

I read about an older former gardener who had a caretaker living with him. He bemoaned the fact that he couldn't garden anymore. She took him out, in his wheelchair, and with help from another person they put him on the good earth with a few of his tools. A few hours later he told them he had such a wonderful time. I don't doubt it for a minute.

What a lovely thing to do for an old gardener!

---At times I feel like I'm playing the game "Twister" in my garden.-

Such a great description of how it feels with such narrow aisles!! I did actually use some 18" aisles, like between the garlic and onions. And before the start of the flower part. Part of my thinking was also in case I get so far behind they can just mow the aisles when the grass is up to my thighs and I still cannot get to it!

Science has to invent a grass that never needs mowing and stays green!

I try to get to it at least before it seeds. Not always successful.

That will be me @pirl. Just wheel me out and dump my sorry a** on the ground. Come back later after I am covered in dirt.