Breaktime View

I expect by this time next year, the view won't be so unobstructed. :)

Another View of the Grapevine Redirect

Grapevine Renovation

We picked up a grape plant somewhere about 5 years ago, long before the pergola was built. It sat around for a week or two in a pot, then my husband stuck it in the ground *right* at the base of our biggest apple tree. Well, it stayed alive, which was his objective, but it also shot right up that apple tree like nobody's business and got hopelessly entangled. It was waving out above the tallest branches by a good foot or two.
So we've been arguing for a few months now about what should be done. He wanted to save the grape. I didn't mind saving the grape, but wanted to save my apple tree. He thought he could untangle the vine from the tree and save both. I thought that the attempt would probably cause enough trauma to kill both.
So this is our compromise - we cut the vine off about 8-12' off the ground, at whatever point it became entangled badly enough to preclude extraction without injury. We bundled the vines together and secured them every foot or two with an old ripped up tshirt. Then we routed the whole mess away from the tree and up the pergola, and secured it with more ripped up tshirts.

So now we'll see!

EBay Seeds

A first for me, ordered some flower seeds on eBay.

Mulberry Extrication

Mulberry Extraction

State of the Yard

It seems only fitting that I should make my State of the Yard post while I sit here listening to State of the Union replays.

So...
We've got 3 stubborn mulberries that keep coming back no matter how much we abuse them. We bought a chain this evening, and tomorrow we're going to hook it up to the truck and rip them out, hell or high water.

I still have half a patio (it's actually more like 1/3, but it's the 1/3 with the fire pit in it, so it was probably have the total labor. I'm trying to talk him into finishing it, but that is also going to be resolved this season, hell or high water. If he won't finish it, I'm going to rip it out and start from scratch with larger pavers instead of bricks.

My favorite local bookstore is going out of business, and so not only did I pick up some nifty new books for super cheap prices, but I also bought some of their scaffolding style shelving for the greenhouse. Tomorrow's duty will be to clear out the greenhouse (it's got some of last year's seedling trays, a few bales of straw, some hose, extra windows, etc... plus some weeds growing) and look into getting pea gravel for the floor, and possibly assembling them and putting them in. I'm guessing they'll fit in and out of the greenhouse easily, and I'd rather have them out of the weather.

I still need to scrape, caulk and paint the outside of the greenhouse. I don't mind the painting, but the scraping gets exhausting, and the caulking is frustrating. Then really the only thing left is to get doors on it, finish up the various vents, and find some grates to put on the scaffold shelving - they had particle board on them in the store, but that will certainly not do out in a greenhouse.

I've brought in one truckload of composted horse manure so far this year, and top dressed most of the beds out front. I will probably need 2-3 more loads, just need to time it for when I have time to shovel it, and it hasn't been so wet that the tractor gets stuck trying to get it for me.

I planted 2000 bulbs in the front lawn over the past few months. There are 1000 crocus and 1000 grape hyacinth. I can't wait to see them bloom in the spring. I also planted a variety of tulips, daffodils, more crocuses, and allium in some of the flower beds.

I placed a huge seed order with D Landreth Seed Company. I ordered a few more seeds from eBay, and I have a wishlist of trees, shrubs, and perennials to take to Willey Farms with me. Planning to put some lettuce in the ground as soon as the seeds arrive. :)

Dear Mulberry Trees

Your days (nay, hours!) are numbered. Chain + Chevy = Garden - Mulberry.

Greenhouse Just Got Real

My favorite bookstore is going out of business. Just bought scaffold shelving to use in the greenhouse.

Winter Maintenance

In an immobilizing boot. :(

I Have Forced My First Amaryllis

Purchased for 50% off after Christmas.