Thanks all! Sally I put very little mulch down in a year. The only mulch I laid this year were the three scoops for this project. My general goal is to have so many plants that you never really see the ground. Also, in the fall I lay shredded leaves with up to 20% grass clippings over most of the beds. Free mulch from nature...the price is right

Lookin' good Jeff. But.... Need. More. ROCKS!

Sally, that's kind of what we have, a defined area in front and back that is a 'lawn' (not by Cam's standards, but it's green). It is all offset by beds and mulched areas.

Thanks for the comments re lawn/mulch. I'll be pondering it over the long winter nights (probably at 2 am, ugh)

I/we got as much outside as I could. I found another amaryllis to dig and pot, we reset some boards to improve the asparagus bed, I took down the two year old bamboo frame around the asparagus (cracking all along, and rotting bases), other miscellaneous puttering, and burning up a lot of piled up deadfall branches and trimmings and took some plants in and others up on the deck. Mulched some leaves for Mark's future corn plot. Pulling and storing tomato stakes and cages. Now it's full dark and only 6:45, what to do all night....

Looks great, Jeff!!!

Sounds like you guys are feeling better. YAY!!

Finished up another garden bed today: the site of my Camellia Oleifera 'Lu Shan Snow.' It will eventually mature into a large tree, about 15' tall and 12' wide. It produces fragrant single white blooms in autumn which will turn into large fruits. The nuts contained in these fruits are pressed to make a high quality culinary oil.

Mike, I love the steps and curves worked in to the wall. Great job!!

Dang Mike ! Slow down. You need to leave something to do in the spring. The next thing you know, your neighbors are going to want to hire you.

The new bed looks great!

Smart looking!

that Mike!! Is the fruit edible as well or just used for seed oil?

sallyg said:Mike, I love the steps and curves worked in to the wall. Great job!!

Same here!

WOW!!! Looks great, Mike

Gorgeous day yesterday. I always try to save my leaves for compost, but that wind had blown them all away! The lawn is just lightly messy with leaves scattered everywhere. I put my tomato cages away. Now I think I should get them back out and try wrapping XMas lights around them to make mini 'trees'.

As part of my 'hosta pen' project, I also rounded up all the pots and trays that have accumulated over the years. Eye balling it, it looks like I have 3 dozen carrying trays and about 100 nursery pots 1 gallon and up. I think it's time to thin out the herd! Especially considering I'll be ordering more flats and smaller pots after Christmas.

Has anyone every used the small grow bags? The quart size are 3" x 3" x 7 1/2" tall. They would take up a lot less room to store.

The white at $14/100 and the black are $19/100 (They also have 500 and 1000 price points.)

Thoughts? Anyone interested in going in on some?

I dunno, sèems like when you stack same-size pots, they are pretty space efficient.

True, but 100 'regular' pots take up a lot more room than 100 plastic bags.

How would you use the grow bags, Rick?

Yeah, you're right, thinking of sandwich bags, 100 takes 'no' room

Susan,

I'd use them the same way as pots. They come with drainage holes in them. I would fill with potting mix and plant the plant/bulb. I wouldn't need a special tray for them since they're the same size from top to bottom, just squeeze them into a regular flat.

Rick, how about a link to the ones you are considering?

In the mean time, as a newspaper carrier, I have an extensive supply of plastic bags in assorted sizes (51/2 inch to 12 inch by at least 18 inches long), in several thicknesses of plastic, and in clear, black and several other colors that you are welcome to try! Just add your own drainage holes! All are 'recyclable' and some are biodegradable.

Finished up another bed today! At this rate I might actually get all my plants the ground before it's frozen solid!


I'm planning to add a bird bath in the semi circle, but haven't yet decided what to plant around the base.





Alpine Strawberry 'Reugen' (Fragaria Vesca)
They just won't quit! Still flowering after a 6+ month long season and freezing temps. Love these guys