Showing posts with label winter damage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label winter damage. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 26, 2025

Midwest Gardening 2025---Projects and Late March Spring

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You know I crabbed about critters and bunnies last year, and last Fall I dug out our well plot of the 30+ year old Day Lilies...sifting the dirt and getting MOST of the roots out. We splurged and planted purchased Tulips, some transplanted Daffodils and lots Iris I got from a friend. Then the plot was covered with leaves, and we laid heavy plastic fencing over the whole thing and rocks everywhere to keep the edges down. 

Lo and Behold, there was a softball size hole in the fence last week, so that is why we built walls to try again.

oldnewgreenredo

Besides the hole, I very quickly saw the mesh of the fencing wasn't big enough for the sprouts coming up. So, I pulled it all up, replaced more leaves on my bulbs' growth and fenced the whole area in. We don't through anything away, so some fenceposts were new or used, and some really old. The blocks are holding the edge of the fencing down, and so far no critters have bridged my little plot of Spring bulbs.

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The big black pot is currently covering our well, the saucer is balanced against a trellis for the Clematis. Here and there you can see the Tulips and Daffys unfurling. I heaped more leaves in here afte the photo as our night temps are still below freezing.

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Honestly I can't wait....winter has been dreary here. 

TIP: I leave all the flower beds covered in leaves and old blooming stalks until it is warm enough to support the bees and helpful insects that are so necessary for polinations. I do clean up stairs, concrete, walkways and anywhere else that just leaves congregate in winter.

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This is the extra stuff stored in the greenhouse I just had to pitch out for the moment.

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I was so ill last Fall, the last of the garden pickup didn't get done, and Hubby was also dealing his friends illness, death, and then estate. 

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 Literally the weed cloth is still down, and you can see the veggie garden really needs a clean up!

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Moving around the yard...we had a DRY winter, very little snow--but we did have a lot of rain late last Fall. 

Everything is dry right now, we need rain.

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How about the precision drilling on this branch...these holes are all @ 1" apart. Made me smile! The birds hard at work. This is the reason we have cement panel siding on the house...lots of Woodpeckers...LOL.

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This is a LIME Heuchera or Coral Bells trying to come up in a patch of sun in our shady back yard. I covered it deeply with extra leaves after grabbing this shot.

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I call this my squirrel feeder, supposedly a bird feeder four feet off the ground, LOL! Let's call it a dog, raccoon, possum feeder. Grins.
I'm going to put a vine plant in here, a good excuse to buy a different new plant.

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The birdhouses along the fence are favorites of our little sparrows...and occasionally nuthatches.

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I have so many Iris and new perennials planted here last year, I do hope everything made it. 

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This was our crazy bush sunflowers that grew 10 feet high...I left the branches in the lax cleanup---and they have been filled with birds picking at the seeds all winter.

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I'll pay for not getting this wreathe area cleaned up---that wreath had sweet peas on it. Planted some 40 years ago from a package of seeds. They are all pale pink now---but I bought another mixed colors package to start some near the veggie garden for pollinators.

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The pond is always so sad this time of year. The fisher kids are all dark and cruddy, when the sun hits them they will brighten up. Everything needs new stain and paint this year. A whole year's worth of projects for sure.

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My only actual SPRING blooms, a couple of crocus-peeking up-so dry-and skinny.

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I couldn't stand the lack of color so I jammed a 90% off tulip bush from Michaels in a pot.. along with some fake grass plants I've had for ages. 

oldnewgreenredo

Our Barberry Bush on the left seems to be the only severe winter damage. This is the south side of the house and under an eave. We water heavily during the green months, but clearly it isn't happy. I will trim is out and see if it survives. It's sister looks great they were planted at the same time. Iris and Daffodils are coming up here.



oldnewgreenredo

In the same bed, My Giant Sedum. I call them bushes as they get huge. Amazing how they start like teesny rosebuds.

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This is where I have tried to clean up in years past and bees flew out of the debris...so now I leave it messy and alone. (Besides I'm deathly allergic to bee stings)

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Another OLDNEWGREENREDO project??? This won't fit in the rock bed because the legs bow out front and back...DARN. It will land on the front porch. Everyone needs a six foot long planting bench? Maybe.

oldnewgreenredo

Out on our Mound (now a flat mound) by the street, lots of Daffys and Tulips should come up.  Our Evergreen bushes don't look very happy, they need water. We can't water yet as our exterior faucets may still freeze and hoses burst if water freezes in them.

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Up by the porch I plopped another fauxTulip bush and some faux Grass, it really does help a bit.

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PS our gray carpet on the porch pavement is fading to pink from gray. Oh Dear, in one year, pinkish really doesn't go with a yellow, brown red house? 


oldnewgreenredo

We need rain......and the kids need new poles again...they blow away 
to WHERE?
Happy March Chicagoland Spring! 

What's BLOOMING in 
YOUR NECK
of the WOODS??




All the opinions and photographs in this blog are my own, I have not been paid or reimbursed in anyway for my opinions, posts or any products shown.  








 

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Midwest Gardening Mid-July 2019

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Well, we finally have summer---boy, do we have summer. Once the rain stopped we had a few gorgeous days, almost got caught up in the yard. NOW it's HOT! Yardwork consists of scurrying out and watering very early in the day, closing the drapes and huddling down.

Late last week, I did get some photos, though to share, everything has grown since then with the heat.
Long-picture heavy post. Pictures say a thousand words. Normally I would split this into 3 posts, but we are so far behind this year....!


Pot assortment on the back stairs. The Impatiens have been doing super this year.


The pool for the Grand sits over the sandbox, it's huge. 
Flamingo stalks the Lemon Grass,
 our GREEN mosquito deterrent.


Along the garden fence we have small crops planted, onions, beans, lettuce.



The garden itself is going bonkers. We have tomatoes and peppers, zucchini, pickles, squash. Tomatoes and peppers are almost ready for picking---about 4 weeks late---but, looks like a good crop, very soon. (We've had one pickle, so far)


Vines are pickles/cucumbers---they really do well in our small garden going UP!

Hubby put down weed fabric, without the mulch. Hoping that more water will get to the plants this way. After 35 years in this house...we are still experimenting! His back can't handle all the weeds, and I'm really walking poorly on uneven surfaces.

NOTE: All our Peppers are in large pots---they just seem happier that way then in the ground? 


Tiger Lilies are ready to bloom next week! Birds are in almost every birdhouse we have. 


I have all these plant hooks, but a frog decided he would rather swing here!



Love this combination!


My shade mixture pots are coleus, sweet potato vine, and impatience, and more lemon grass for mostquitos. Hostas were grown from small starts, and finally ready to put in the ground.


I had 10 Caladium bulbs I planted the end of March---and they are finally getting big. These are obviously temperature triggered, even in the greenhouse, it wasn't warm enough for them to do their thing. Caladiums are notoriously slow!


Rex Begonia, will be gorgeous and I will winter this over in the house. I've kept them as long as 4 years, wintering in the house. Last years got nipped by the early frost, so this is a new one.

More shade plants, some funky maroon and lime coleus, impatiens and some more caladiums. Marigolds I grew 4 different from seeds. The bees love them, and they are hardy in any weather.


Hubby did the plant shopping as I wasn't able to go out at all----he picked some great plants, lots of reds, and a few surprises. Hanging pot has those tiny petunia like plants, which are gorgeous.


This area gets a few hours of sun, then shade the rest of the day.




On to the fence area on the east side. Strong sun until about 3 pm. Some morning glories from the neighbors side wrapping the chair. 
Some more of those mini looking petunias and impatiens

Next to the fence are my Hollyhocks, I have 12 new plants started,  but we won't get flowers on those,until next year, as they are biennials!


I'm ignoring all the holes in everything. We have a crop of leaf hoppers that are happily chewing, and a few other bugs. We might have to do a soap spray on everything, soon.


Our Giant Hostas are ISLAND HOSTAS, this year. Now that the hot weather has hit, I will have to cut the burnt leaves off. All the Hostas have blossoms this year, and they have a fabulous fragrance.

 

Next to the house is a Sweet Pea, that grew from a 59c pack of seeds from 1985. I have to pull about half of them out--or they would swallow the house. Normally these bloom with peonies and roses around Memorial Day---this is the first blooms, July 12th. 


First blooms on the Del Oro Lilies, small and compact I have a few around the pond.


We just got the pond running last week.


Iris are sad looking. I cut them as they yellow, I've surrounded the stems now with some rocks, and pieces of concrete for support. I'm not sure what happened here, too much water, too much snow, too many temperature changes? It's really hard to say. I think I will plant some giant sedum back there and give up on flowering plants. (lost:Black-eyed Susans, delphinium, Liatris, creeping sedums.

See how bare it is?...YIKES.


The plant on the left was my 4-5foot tall Phlox las year? Peony behind it has been trimmed and is very healthy. I had to trim back the lime Barberry...it was crazy thick. 


This side has the most life, a rose that hasn't bloomed, the lilies and a few fronds of Phlox. 

It's VERY sad around there, as the winter plant loss was the most of the perennials in this area.
Even my huge phlox are not 'well'. 


I have two large long planters on either side...impatiens and three kinds of marigolds. They should bloom later this week. It's hot right here, the impatiens may not make it.



Moving to the pot by the front stairs---WOW, I THINK THATS A SUNFLOWER in the back
___1 plant out of 6 packages???


The planter by the front stairs is coming. Lemon Grass again for mosquitos. Weird short pom-pom marigolds? 


My rusty dragonflies, and a planter. Again, my sunflowers aren't making it?


How about this for a welcoming front porch? All the plants huddled in the shade---
basil is going great now though. 




I've moved all the hanging planters under the trees---just too hot for potted plants without saucers.


This area is happy, we have creeping sedum, copper leaf Coral Bells, Hosta, Giant sedums and the planters under here.


Our front yard is 80% shaded by trees now---so, I'm using pots for colors. Waiting on lots of lilies to bloom soon.

Along the garage---it's slow, the sunflowers I planted to go up the trellis' didn't make it? I think it is too late to buy more plants. 


The planter at the street, greets everyone at the mailbox...colors are brilliant, 
and if we keep up with deadheading and watering, it will continue to be gorgeous. 
(Note, the Purple Salvia)didn't make it here, and last year it was amazing)

I'm really only mobile a few hours a week, so this will have to be it, watering and deadheading!

Such is Midwest Gardening in the Chicago NW burbs, 2019. 

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?







Happiness is Homemade