June 1

roses.jpgThe roses are so beautiful, they are a truer red than this photo.

Put up the netting on the blueberry bushes.

Fed (Miracle Gro) the houseplants this morning.
Finished edging and mulching the oval yesterday.
The new vegetable garden is almost set up.

Emme helped mow yesterday and James and Tyler did a great job on washing the truck. I don’t believe it’s been this clean since I bought it.

We may get t-storms later today. Hope so, it’s been a battle to keep the soil from completely drying out.

Went to Mahoney’s yesterday to get stakes for the tomato cages that refuse to be anchored into the dirt, which is like cement. I was so tired that I avoided the flowers, couldn’t bear the thought of planting.

The blue sweet peas have started, as well as only one (out of ten) big iris. All of the Siberians, even the brand new ones, are doing great, though, as are the smaller hibiscus.

Gardener’s Diary – Last Saturday in May

Motivated by a dead-on accurate psychic “vibe”, I picked up five lupine at the N. Falmouth CC plant sale yesterday. Replanted the Lord Baltimore and for some much-needed color, put in the Gerberas and begonias from the Methodist church sale on Friday.

This garden should, indeed, be near God’s heart, if God is a Protestant.

Fed in the morning. Watered, which was good, we had a brief but ineffective rain shower late in the day.

Peter Randall was kind enough to schedule his regular service visit first thing, so I could touch base with him on a couple of items.
Did two transfer station runs with old furniture from Edgewater.

Dropped Robert off for sailing; they had a great day with plenty of wind.

Dug out a small plot for the tomatoes and any other vegetables that may outgrow the Earth boxes. Was thinking how pleased Carolyn would be to see how well they’ve worked out.

Decided to put off painting the front of the house until the Fall, after the plants are done for the year. Who knows, maybe I’ll be able to afford to replace the windows by then.

Peter is making progress with the contractors, we are waiting for a date for the project. Can’t wait to see the house looking good.

Supposed to be a steamer off-Cape today, headed to Newton for Cara and Ed’s wedding.

Gardener’s Diary

8’d the roses again and the blueberries.
Set up another soaker hose for the back right gardens this morning and put netting on the cold frame. Everything is getting tall.
Picked the first strawberry.
What’s left for projects? Put a second coat on the bedroom and bath. Paint the front of the house. Want to be done.

Montauks

I cut back 3 of the 6 Montauks, about 1/3 of each stem: the left-hand plants in the front and the back, and the plant in front of the fence.
One of the blueberry bushes has berries!
The vegetables in the cold frame are going crazy: guess the compost didn’t hurt. The tomatoes finally look healthy. I am going to have to transplant soon.

8

8’d the roses this past weekend.

Fed everything this morning.

Dug up the hibiscus that seems to be dead, and planted a potentilla, more iris, some annuals between the flower boxes and another old-fashioned Evening Primrose. The latter were from local gardeners. The potentilla and the annuals were from the discount nursery.

Dug up about a half truckload of an invasive, thorny vine in the wooded area between here and the Bakers.

Lowered the fence post so that the pickets are level, and finished painting the guest room walls. Two horrible projects, and glad they are done.

Gardener’s Diary – Weekend

Rose pride on Saturday the 15th, including the beach rose.

Finished the edging along the raised bed, used the plugs to fill in. Bare areas were like cement. Grass is flowering in spots.

Put down Coast of Maine lobster compost for the blueberries.

Fluffles escaped, found him wander-prowling near the wisteria.
People came to look at Candy’s house.

Used the soaker hoses for the first time. May get extensions for the round ones, which are working great; the flat one has a bad leak.

Picked up two nice little astilbes and some pretty ground cover at a plant sale in Aptuxcet. Planted a foxglove and possibly a daisy from the Master Gardeners sale at the Fairgrounds. That pretty much finishes the front and the shade gardens.

Dug up weeds and crabgrass from the left side of the house, put down mulch.

Fed (Miracle Gro) on Saturday. Bayer’d the roses except for the one near James’ strawberry this morning (it’s been 2 weeks).
The strawberry is doing very well, will have ripe fruit soon, need to fence it in.

Top-dressed the tomatoes and some other vegetables in the cold frame with lobster compost this morning.

Mulch

April dropped off about a yard of mulch this morning, thus saving me a trip to Blacksmith.
I may put down some compost around the blueberry bushes, though.
Gave Fluffles his first dose of Frontline. He did not complain.
Working on edging and patching the lawn, going well. Talbot sprayed the trees at Edgewater this past Tuesday; very happy that is done.
Many plant sales this Saturday.

Watering

Watered the grass today and installed more grass plugs.
Planted the impatiens a couple of days ago. Like the new little garden.

Gardener’s Diary

Got the fence in today.
Miracle Gro’d yesterday; it rained before and after. Planted the new Miss Kim, a Sweet Woodruff and a Bleeding Heart in the shade garden.
Did the lawn today. Freeze predicted for tonight.