How much do I love weeding? Let me count the ways!
For starters, weeding is good exercise. When I’m out in the yard, bending, stooping and pulling at unbidden greenery, I end up getting a pretty good workout. And then there’s all that walking to and fro, covering each area of the yard as I move. The thick layer of mulch that’s applied in the spring keeps most weeds under control but there are always stragglers popping up, especially at the garden’s edge where there’s plenty of light for germination.
There’s a certain satisfaction in weeding, that job-well-done kind of feeling. While working I take heart in knowing that I’m rescuing my beloved perennials from a pack of bullies. As all gardeners come to know, weeds tend to be thugs. They have no respect for their neighbors, usurping valuable moisture and crowding everybody around them. If left to go to seed, they will return again and again, so it’s always best to pick them young if you can.
Another side benefit of weeding is that we get a close-up look at how our gardens are doing. Since you’re already near to the ground you can easily spot any insect or critter damage. You can see which plants are thriving and which may need to be replaced. It’s an opportunity to assess which plants needs dividing or where additional plants could be added to fill in gaps.
Weeding is also meditative work but I find this to be true of gardening in general. When I’m outside working in my garden, I lose myself completely in the act. I forget my troubles and focus only on the here and now, immersed in my precious chunk of real estate and constantly tweaking the garden design in my mind.
When we look upon weeding as a chance to be closer to the natural comings and goings around us, it becomes a gift rather than a chore, and who doesn’t love to feel rewarded with a well cared-for garden after a satisfying day’s work outdoors!
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It’s now mid-August, a time in the vegetable garden when everything is really BIG and I have to step carefully between towering tomato plants, giant zucchini and a teepee covered with dangling pole beans. Grandpa Ott morning glories climb every available structure with blooms of deep purple velvet. Yellow marigolds add a touch of sunshine while sprawling “Milk Maid” nasturtiums soften the garden edges. Every day there are more vegetables to pick, the bounty coming in faster and faster.
In a couple of weeks I’ll be overwhelmed by the sheer volume of fresh produce pouring into my kitchen, but right now I’m savoring every delicious bite! It’s a bittersweet time when all our gardening labors come to fruition just as autumn lies in wait to end it all too soon. However, in spite of our short growing season, we can carry some of our harvest into the coming months and enjoy our homegrown veggies and fruits all winter.
Garden produce can be pickled, frozen, dried or canned. There’s nothing like opening a jar of homegrown tomatoes in January and experiencing the flavor of summer all over again. Small cherry tomatoes dry well and the “chips” can be added to winter stews and soups. The drying process actually concentrates the sweet flavor! Fruits and berries can also be preserved this way, or how about homemade jam? Peas, corn and green beans can be easily blanched and frozen. Many vegetables such as carrots, beets, potatoes and winter squash can be simply stored in a consistently cold room. Not too long ago most homes had a “root cellar” just for this purpose.
Putting food by, or preserving it for the future, is something that we should teach every school age child. Once a part of everyday life, our ancestors had to insure there was food put away for the lean times or perish. Today we’ve become so dependent on our huge grocery stores that we’ve lost touch with how food should be grown, prepared and stored. If you already garden, food preservation is simply the next step. By taking the time to do so we extend our gardening season well into the winter months AND get to enjoy our own produce that was picked at the peak of perfection and taste!
Before you run down to the local hardware store and purchase a box of Ball canning jars, get a good handbook on the subject to make sure you’re preserving food safely and correctly. I’ve included a few links below to help get you started and encourage you to try the art of putting food by!
DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below. I use these only for companies I trust. When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.
There’s no denying that this has been one hot summer not only in the United States but in Europe as well. Record high temperatures, when the weather men put a “heat advisory” in effect, can be dangerous to our health. We are advised to seek shade, air-conditioned rooms and increase fluids. Even those of us in good shape are told to avoid vigorous outdoor exertion. Our pets also need extra attention during hot spells. We’ve all heard the horror stories of pets (and children!) being left in closed cars and dying from exposure. Since high temperatures can adversely affect us and our environment, they need to be taken seriously.
Severe heat, like intense cold, can drive us inside for the duration. But unlike cold snaps in the winter months, intense heat has a more devastating effect on our outdoor environment. Weeks of high temperatures combined with lack of rainfall, a typical summertime scenario for many of us, take their toll on our reservoirs. Small ponds quickly dry up, leaving fish stranded. As we drive through neighboring towns we see the familiar signs banning outdoor watering and sprinkler use. In particularly dry years, the leaves on the trees and shrubs actually droop, looking exhausted after their ordeal!
Our town has private well water and so we are immune to the signage warning us away from summer water use, but even though we can water, I prefer not to. For one thing watering during a heat wave is kind of like running through a sprinkler – the moisture only lasts for that very short period of time and the heat evaporates it almost immediately. It’s counterproductive since the much-needed moisture never really gets to where it’s needed most, the plant’s roots, and shallow watering leads to shallow roots which can compromise a plant’s health. Also, when all we do is wet the leaves and soil surface, we leave our plants open to disease-spreading fungi.
Many experts say that to maintain a healthy garden we should water deeply, about an inch of water, at least once a week. When you have a large garden and summer water restrictions in force, this can be impractical. Soaker hoses are a great alternative to sprinklers because the water goes directly to the plant roots but, again, watering restrictions and drought conditions may limit the time you can use them. Just as our climate is changing, so our watering practices must change. We have to learn to water wisely.
So, how do we care for our gardens in the hot and often dry conditions of high summer? Take a good look at your garden on a very hot day. You’ll notice some plants drooping under the intensity of the heat while others seem to just shrug it off. As time goes by, you’ll want to plant more of the “shruggers” or those plants which can take the heat and still thrive. Additionally, don’t bother planting a garden without mulching it since mulch is the best water saver of all. For more on the benefits of mulching, see my previous blog, An Ode to Mulch.
Because hot summers are spreading far and wide and water is now such a precious commodity, xeriscaping has become popular in recent years. According to Wikipedia, “Xeriscaping is landscaping and gardening that reduces or eliminates the need for supplemental water from irrigation.” In other words, plant your garden with heat and drought shruggers! I talk about some of these plants in my blog, Summer Power Perennials. Look for plants that will grow in your hardiness zone but I’ll also list a few that you may already be familiar with and may already have in your garden.
Herbs such as lavender, oregano, thyme, rosemary and sage tolerate tough conditions with ease. Prairie wildflowers such as coreopsis, rudbeckia and yarrow make excellent choices as do perennial grasses. Daylilies, once established, are remarkably drought tolerant. In the shade garden, hostas, ajuga, lamium and many ferns continue to look cool and serene even on the hottest and driest of summer days.
By gardening with heat and drought tolerant plants, we can create easy care gardens that will not only look fabulous all summer long but will help us conserve precious water as well.
DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below. I use these only for companies I trust. When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.
We have to face the fact that we cannot stop the deer, mice, chipmunks, squirrels, and raccoons from bringing disease-carrying ticks into our suburban yards. We can only work to kill the ticks that are already here and try to do so with safety in mind for all living things.
According to the National Pesticide Information Center (NPIC) website, “diatomaceous earth is made from the fossilized remains of tiny, aquatic organisms called diatoms. Their skeletons are made of a natural substance called silica. Over a long period of time, diatoms accumulated in the sediment of rivers, streams, lakes, and oceans. Today, silica deposits are mined from these areas.”
“Diatomaceous earth is not poisonous; it does not have to be eaten in order to be effective. Diatomaceous earth causes insects to dry out and die by absorbing the oils and fats from the cuticle of the insect’s exoskeleton. Its sharp edges are abrasive, speeding up the process.”
How we started using Diatomaceous Earth:
About four years ago my husband sent out an email to friends asking if anyone had suggestions for getting rid of ticks in the yard. One person suggested trying diatomaceous earth (DE) since it had been used successfully in kennels and the “food grade” type was considered safe and non-toxic. This was good news for us since we drank water from a well and were against using chemicals. We immediately did an online search and purchased a 10 lb. bag of what looked like white talcum powder.
At that time we could not go out into our yard without finding deer ticks crawling on us. Both my husband and myself had been bitten many times and I had already been diagnosed with Lyme disease. Although we took every precaution such as wearing light-colored clothing, tucking our pants into socks, using Deet repellents and religiously checking our clothing and bodies after being outdoors, it still wasn’t enough – the ticks were winning every battle!
It was late spring, prime deer tick season in our area of northeastern Massachusetts. Before using the DE outside, my husband decided to try an experiment. Using the “white sheet test,” he dragged a sheet over the grass in our yard to see how many ticks would cling to it, thus getting a tick count. There were 22 ticks in a three hundred square foot area! In addition, he took some of those ticks and placed them into a small container with the diatomaceous earth overnight. In the morning they were lying on their backs with legs up, completely dried out and looking very dead. This was all the encouragement we needed to put the diatomaceous earth to the back yard test!
After checking online for a recipe of sorts, my husband mixed a ratio of about 1 1/2 cups of the DE to one gallon of water in a large watering can. This was then “sprinkled” over the areas in our yard where ticks congregated. It left a fine white powder on the grass, plants and rock walls that surrounded our lawn. After a rain, the powder disappeared but we hoped it would not lose its effectiveness. It turned out we were not to be disappointed. Two weeks later a second “white sheet test” in the same area came back with no ticks attached. Although we were still waging war, we had won our first battle!
The Continuing Saga:
Over the course of the last four years, we’ve applied diatomaceous earth to our yard twice a year, in the spring and fall. We’ve since upgraded to using a sprayer which makes the application faster and easier, but a watering can is fine for small areas. Each spring has brought fewer tick sightings until this spring when, amazingly, we found no ticks at all! Is it the DE or just environmental changes that are affecting the tick population? We can’t say for sure. All we know is that this is the first year in many that we haven’t had to deal with deer ticks and we are very pleased with the results!
What you need to know about using Diatomaceous Earth:
The DiatomaceousEarth.com website suggests purchasing food-grade DE. They state, “Generally, this is the best grade to use. For almost all the uses described in our articles, we recommend using food grade. It’s a multipurpose product that can be used in your home, yard or garden.” They also recommend wearing a dust mask when using the product to avoid inhaling the fine powder and wearing gloves to protect the skin from the drying effects of DE. Visit their website for more information.
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You can purchase 2 lb. and 10 lb. bags of food grade Diatomaceous Earth here:
You can also purchase appropriate dust masks here:
I’ve been gardening most of my adult life and have some favorite plant “vignettes.” One of my most beloved plantings for high summer includes perovskia (Russian sage), purple coneflower (Magnus) and white daisy (Becky). I call them “power” perennials for good reason. All three are easy to grow and take up a lot of space quickly, making them perfect for the beginner or someone starting a new perennial bed with a big area to fill. They are hardy, drought tolerant and pest resistant. In addition, each flower shape is different from the others – perovskia has long slender flower spikes, coneflowers have a shuttlecock shape and the daisies sport a round flat disc.
All of these plants enjoy full sun and average soil. On the tall side, they’re perfect for the back of the flower border, creating a living fence of sorts. They quickly become large clumps and bloom prodigiously for weeks. If you choose, you can extend the blooming season by dead-heading spent flowers, thus continuing the show well into fall. I give a brief description of each plant below:
PEROVSKIA ATRIPLICIFOLIA, commonly known as RUSSIAN SAGE:
Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. Low maintenance and drought tolerant member of the mint family. Deer, rabbits and insect pests tend to avoid this plant. Shrub-like in proportion, perovskia can easily reach 3 to 5 feet. The flowers are a lavender blue held on long panicles that look like exclamations points in the garden. Blooms July to October.
ECHINACEA PURPUREA, commonly known as PURPLE CONEFLOWER:
There are many purple coneflowers to choose from but I like the tall variety, “Magnus.” Hardiness Zones 3 to 8. Low maintenance and drought tolerant member of the aster family. Deer and pest tolerant. Can easily reach 3 to 4 feet tall. The flowers are a rosy purple-pink with striking center cones of golden orange-brown. Attracts butterflies and birds love the leftover seed heads. Blooms late June to October.
LEUCANTHEMUM SUPERBUM, commonly known as SHASTA DAISY:
Again, I like the tall variety, ‘Becky.’ Hardiness Zones 5 to 9. Low maintenance and drought tolerant. Formerly included in the genus chrysanthemum, now considered part of the aster family. Deer and rabbit tolerant. Can easily reach 3 to 4 feet fall. The typical daisy blooms have bright white petals with a yellow center. Attracts butterflies. Makes a long-lasting cut flower. Blooms July to September.
Once you have these plants in place as a foundation for your garden, you can easily add other low-maintenance and complementary summer perennials including black-eyed Susan and daylilies; then, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy your beautiful, easy-care garden. And, that’s what summer gardening should be all about!
DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below. I use these only for companies I trust. When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.
Mary, Mary, quite contrary, How does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockle shells And pretty maids all in a row.
Lately I’ve been engrossed in the Elizabeth of England Chronicles by G. Lawrence. If you’re a history buff like myself, these novels are a riveting account of the life of Elizabeth the 1st as well as her sister, Mary, both daughters of Henry VIII. Mary would later become known as “Bloody Mary” after she tortured and killed hundreds of Protestants during her short reign. The seemingly innocent nursery rhyme above actually refers to her dark side – the “garden” suggests the graves of those she murdered; the “silver bells” and “cockle shells” are code names for instruments of torture and the “maids” allude to the guillotines used in beheading. Not a pretty story, by any means.
Ironically, as a child this was one of my favorite nursery rhymes. When I recited the words I envisioned a beautiful garden of old with exotic flowers and colorful maidens in attendance. It was the fairy tale catalyst that began my love affair with gardening.
Recently I found myself thinking about this rhyme and wondering what gardens were like in the time of Elizabeth and Mary in the mid to late 1500’s. Life in those days was dependent upon the success of the harvest of wheat, oats and barley. Crops were needed for livestock as well. If it was an unusually wet year, crops would rot in the fields. If unusually hot and dry, crops would be stunted. In either event, the coming winter would be one of food shortages, sickness and even starvation.
Herb gardens were crucial in treating any and all maladies. Poor diet and lack of hygiene could soon turn a minor wound deadly. Dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, scurvy, smallpox, measles and even plague were common. Small churches and large monasteries alike had “infirmary” gardens of healing herbs at their disposal. Comfrey, known as “boneset,” could calm inflammation and help mend broken bones. Yarrow had strong antiseptic qualities and was used as a salve. Lady’s mantle helped with menstrual pain. Other widely grown medicinal herbs included sage, betony, hyssop, rue and chamomile. All were used in a variety of treatments and were the only source of “medicine” available.
Flowers were grown not only for their beauty and fragrance, but many were also part of daily meals. Sweet violets, nasturtium and borage were used in many dishes. Commonly grown garden flowers included lavender, bluebells, forget-me-not, iris, lilies, foxglove, Canterbury bells, lady’s mantle and hollyhock. Roses were used medicinally as well as made into jellies and oils. Rose hips were used for teas and vinegar, and the once familiar Apothecary’s Rose is still widely grown today.
In our modern world where much is provided for us, the once daily struggle for survival is long forgotten. We need only take a trip to the supermarket to procure all we need to make dinner; we need only visit the nearest CVS for our prescription medicines to make us well. Our herb, flower and vegetable gardens are largely ornamental rather than necessary for subsistence.
Although we are far removed from life in the 16th century, the old-fashioned plants we continue to grow in our gardens and use in our kitchens connect us to the past. They are truly living history. They remind us how close we are to those harsh earlier times and how fragile life yet remains.
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I have always found working in the garden to have a calming effect. Plants are for the most part green, a soothing color which represents renewal, rebirth and hope. Seeing green growth reappear in early spring does indeed fill us with hope of what’s to come and being surrounded by green hues is undeniably soothing. Shade gardens, where there is little other color, can especially evoke a peaceful feeling.
The use of therapeutic gardens supposedly goes back to the ancient Egyptians and examples of gardens being used for healing can be found throughout history. In the middle ages gardens provided medicinal herbs used to treat all manner of physical ailments as well as those of the mind.
Today, “horticultural therapy,” helps those people suffering from loss and grief, those limited by physical disabilities and those living in institutions. A “horticultural therapist” is trained to help people engage in various garden activities as part of their treatment. Working with plants helps people turn their focus away from negative feelings and towards positive ones that create a sense of well-being.
Gardening with children is a wonderful to way to get them outdoors and teach them about the miracle of life. Having them plant fat, easily handled seeds such as sunflowers or beans provides almost immediate satisfaction as the seeds quickly sprout and grow. Even young children can take part in the work of planting and watering, boosting their self-confidence and creating a closeness with the natural world around them. I have fond memories of working in the garden with my own parents, helping pick tomatoes and green beans.
Evidence suggests that working with plants truly helps us stay healthy, both physically and mentally. In the garden, we are connected to all that is good in life. And so it is that I eagerly go outside and embrace my daily dose of gardening therapy.
DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below. I use these only for companies I trust. When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.
Caring for a garden takes a lot of time, patience and work. Although we’re all brimming with enthusiasm in spring, the summer gardening chores of weeding and watering get old fast. When you have to squeeze in gardening between a job, housework and children, it can quickly become a burden. So what is the number one thing I recommend to make gardening less labor intensive and more enjoyable? It’s mulch!
Why mulch, you ask? Well, one application put down in the spring lasts all season. My personal preference is shredded bark mulch, although there are many different types to choose from. You can either buy bagged mulch or have a landscaper bring in a truckload, depending upon your budget and the size of your garden. If you’re young and energetic, you can easily spread it around yourself. If you’re older than dirt (like my husband and myself), you might opt to have someone spread it for you. Avoid the dyed stuff and go with the natural product which has a fresh pine scent. Not only will your whole yard smell terrific, a mulched garden looks elegant and gives your home more curb appeal.
Mulch keeps your garden soil moist, thus limiting the time you have to spend watering. You should still water any new plantings and during extended dry spells, but mulch holds the moisture much longer than bare soil so you’ll have to water less often. Even outdoor potted plants benefit from a moisture-retentive layer of mulch. So rather than holding a hose in the hot sun, you can hold a Margarita while you sit in the shade admiring your beautiful flowers and veggies!
Another benefit is that mulch suppresses weeds. You will always have some weeds because they’re very good at what they do and Mother Nature programs them to use any available space in your garden to take up residence. However, you’ll have a lot less weeds germinating in a three-inch layer of mulch and much less to pluck out later.
Lastly, a good organic mulch feeds your soil. Year after year, layer after layer, mulch breaks down into compost and any compost is good news for your garden. By keeping your soil healthy, your plants will be nourished the way nature intended. Mulch also acts as an insulator, keeping the soil cooler in the heat of summer and protecting your perennials from severe cold in the winter.
So, if you want to spend less time working in your garden and more time admiring it, make a yearly investment in mulch and enjoy that Margarita!
DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below. I use these only for companies I trust. When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.
After a week in the 90’s, this morning dawned (almost) crisp and cool. Refreshing air from Canada pushed through yesterday with thunderstorms, clearing out the oppressive heat and humidity that had been plaguing us here in the Northeast. It will be a perfect day to get out in the garden!
I personally find summer gardening a challenge. Although I love to be outdoors, I have to choose my time carefully. The sun in early July is high in the sky and heats up the air quickly. Hungry insects abound, including deer flies, black flies, mosquitos and (ugh!) ticks. The flying types work me into a swatting frenzy soon after stepping into the yard; the ticks wait for me to step in their path where they can easily hitch a ride.
If I’m going to spend any time in the yard, I have to “suit up.” This includes donning light-colored clothing for comfort in the sun as well as protection from ticks; you can easily spot a black deer tick on white fabric. Depending on the time of day, I may also wear a wide-brim hat, but I’d rather get some sun exposure if possible. I love the look and feel of sun-kissed skin but don’t go for an all-over tan anymore and sunburn is definitely shunned.
Once properly dressed I’m ready to tackle the garden chores. This includes dead-heading my flowers to promote fresh blooms, cleaning out any dead or damaged plant debris, weeding and generally offering encouragement to my vegetables. I’ll work until (1) the bugs drive me crazy or (2) I begin to wilt from the heat. In spite of these obstacles, I still remain enthusiastic. Today will be a perfect day to get out in the garden!
DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below. I use these only for companies I trust. When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.
Looking out at my vegetable garden early this morning, I noticed that one tomato plant seemed to be missing its top. Hmmm, what’s up with that, I thought to myself. Standing a couple of feet tall, it was unlikely a woodchuck would be able to reach the top and woodchucks aren’t careful eaters – the whole tomato plant would be a stub! No, this was something else, something I needed to investigate further. I walked out into the humid July morning to find nearly all my daylily flower buds missing from the same garden. I knew the culprit immediately – Deer!
Yes, folks, it’s a sad truth that deer love daylilies as much as we do. They wait until the fat buds are just ready to burst into bloom and then delicately nip their way through each plant. Does the phrase “nipped in the bud” come to mind? I never had deer eat my tomato plants before but then my previous vegetable garden was enclosed by a six-foot fence. That vegetable garden was sacrificed to a new septic system installation and the old fence went with it, but that’s another story. This newer two-year old garden had escaped the deer until now but I knew it was only a matter of time because NOTHING will deter deer if you don’t have a fence.
Now this is not a new problem for me. Over the years I’ve used all kinds of sprays and planted “deer-proof” flowers around my precious hostas and daylilies – the favored snacks of deer in this area. But no plant is truly safe from these voracious creatures. When deer are hungry enough, they will binge on just about anything.
Oddly enough, I’ve seen deer leave whole rows of tawny daylilies unscathed on one side of the road while the neighbor’s lilies across the street were completely stripped of buds! Deer will also leave you a couple of buds on each plant just to show they’re not entirely without a conscience. They’re mercurial and we never know for certain when they will strike or what they will eat. The only thing we know for sure is that if there are deer in the area, we will not escape their munching for long.
For us baby boomers, deer can bring back memories of our beloved “Bambi,” the Disney film that was so popular in our childhoods. It’s hard not to love deer after seeing that, to sympathize with their struggle for survival. Indeed, it’s hard not to love all of God’s creatures; that is, until they decide to have our gardens for dinner. Then, it becomes all out war! But take it from one who has fought the long battle with deer – the victory is always there’s. Guess it’s time to get that fence up!
DISCLOSURE: From time to time I may use Affiliate Links such as the ones below. I use these only for companies I trust. When you click through on the link and make a purchase from the website, I may make a small commission (at no additional cost to you) which helps me to maintain my website.
