We finished moving the last of the 200 bags of mulch today. We had to put our dog of 17 years to sleep on Thursday, so we had to take a break that day. I've put 15 bags down so far (only 5 were from the 200).

This one Hosta that I was hoping would return (hoping I had missed it while removing the others over the winter) did return, so I put in this large pot that had been in my since dismantled memorial shade garden. It was here when we purchased the house, so it had some sentimental value.

I repotted my dusty miller too. The interesting plant that popped up (the one that was about to bloom soon) broke off at its base when we had some high wind last week.

Hamwild said: We finished moving the last of the 200 bags of mulch today. We had to put our dog of 17 years to sleep on Thursday, so we had to take a break that day. I've put 15 bags down so far (only 5 were from the 200).

This one Hosta that I was hoping would return (hoping I had missed it while removing the others over the winter) did return, so I put in this large pot that had been in my since dismantled memorial shade garden. It was here when we purchased the house, so it had some sentimental value.

I repotted my dusty miller too. The interesting plant that popped up (the one that was about to bloom soon) broke off at its base when we had some high wind last week.

So sorry for you!

She was with us for almost half my life so it is quite the adjustment.

I'm hoping this lantana that I planted last year returns. It's called 'Little Lucky Pot o' Gold' I told my Mom she was little (she was 15 lbs), lucky because I got her from an animal shelter (they said she was going to be euthanized had I not adopted her ) and she was my pot o' gold.

I also bought this wine cork holder in the shape of a dog (I'll have to grab a picture). DH thought it looked like her. I want to put it next to the lantana. If it doesn't return, I'm going to try again (I didn't mulch it over the winter, so the cold may have gotten to it).

Sorry to go off topic, but I think I am sharing among friends and we can share tidbits of our lives sometimes.

Mine is out in the garage so I found a photo online:

Ham, so sorry to hear you had to say goodbye to your pup; today was the 1-year anniversary of having our sweet kitty "Kinja" euthanized (at 19 yrs old) so I particularly feel your loss. ♥️

I'm sorry to hear that. 19 years is a lifetime.

Thank you, Ham - she had a good, adventurous life and spent 18 of her 19 years with us (she just showed up as a stray) .

Well, the crocuses snuck up on me. That was a pleasant surprise.

I need to weed this area…

Norman Rockwell
Saturday Evening Post cover. 1947.




First crocuses.

I've been doing staggered plantings of peas, carrots, beets, and turnips for the last three weeks, but nothing has come up yet as we're still bouncing around freezing at night. It's probably all going to germinate at once when the soil temperatures hit the magic number.

I am afraid so, ThunderChicken!
Ive only seen one radish sprout, I think its been two weeks since I sowed those, and more time
since I sowed spinach and komatsuna. Salad Mix seed in a pot took weeks. It is still cold some nights and spring flowers seem delayed. But asparagus is early. What??

DoghouseRiley said: Norman Rockwell
Saturday Evening Post cover. 1947.




First crocuses.

Riley, I don't think I've ever seen that particular Norman Rockwell illustration - thanks for sharing it!

Man, these things bloom fast.

I bought a white ruellia from a lady on the facebook marketplace today. I want to plant it in my memorial shade garden since there is more sun now.

I forgot who said the grass would poke through the mulch, but they were right. I poured some boiling water on the grass. Hopefully that'll kill it. I don't want to risk any chemicals, as I have a burning bush nearby (and I'm going to try cardboard near that shrub instead of the water).

If it wasn't me, I would have said that. If only it was that easy to keep grass out! Maybe some kinds of grass, but none of the grasses in our mowed area would be in the least bit deterred by mulch. Maybe if it was 2 feet thick, but it would just crawl under & come out the other side.

The cardboard should be the thick, corrugated kind. Several layers are better than 1, make sure there are no holes. Then cover it with at least 6" of mulch. But that won't work well if any of the grasses are vines/runners. If you're dealing with those hideous grasses, take a straight shovel & go all around the outside of your smother area to make sure that nothing under it is connected to anything outside of it. Otherwise, the grass under the smother will wait for years until the cardboard has degraded, the mulch has thinned, and then it will be back. Hopefully you don't have torpedograss. That one has foiled all of my attempts to separate it with a border. It can be smothered, if severed from all outside ties as described, but will absolutely go under bricks & walkways.

Like Tiffany said with the cardboard. I've generally had good results with one layer of cardboard and at least 4" of mulch.

I think it's centipede? Or carpet grass.

I found a baby ruellia in the pot with my big one. It has a tiny, tiny root, so I bagged it and put it under my grow light for now. I changed my mind about putting it in the memorial shade garden. Just in case it gets less sun than I think it's going to (and if the trees fill in from the woods or even our elm), it will hardly bloom. I'm going to put it next to my 'Society Garlic' and the seedling spiderwort I found out front.

If it is a small spot, I lay a black plastic trash bag down, then a bit of cardboard, then mulch - it takes weight to kill grass.