Gardening: berries, root veggies, flowers, trees - 2019!

[Lady tehMa]

Blackberries are doing okay. I am having troubles with earwigs and ants, though.

Best method for getting rid of them?

[Queen K]

I don't know Lady t. Did you find something to help?

Also: I have contracted for a deck in the front of the house. Which means the work load has snowballed. You know, if you going to do this, then you need to do these 100 things first

Removing tulip bulbs. Sure I could let them die in there, but why? So I'm digging.

Removing all kinds of roots which belong to??? Bulbs tangled up in roots.
Removing dead dry soil. A trick which I did in two separate places already with good results. I am actually shocked at how dead it truly is. I figure all the compost I poured on all these years isn't really what it all needed afterall.

Removing tonnes of rock work from the path. It's not meant to be walked on, it's decorative. Nevertheless, it will be in the way when taking out the cement staircase and landing. Also roll-y, as in ankle twisting. Nope, gotta get sorted and moved.

Taking out the weeds growing in it. Which leads me to believe that whole area will be made nice with pavers done by a professional company and the edges finished properly. No more charming homemade look.

At least eight perennial plants have to come out and find new homes or new areas in the back yard. I might just let them go because I don't want them back to the front. I do plan to get climbing plants to come up the sides of the deck. Maybe a simple white climbing hydranga.

What else? I have to move five rose bushes. Five. Maybe six.

In other words, my whole front of the house is getting a make-over.

[Lady tehMa]

Congrats on getting a contractor! May all go well.

You do have a lot on your plate now :/

I have decided my food garden will lie fallow next year. I need a year off. Except for my perennials, those I'll keep working on.

[Queen K]

A good decision. I predict one Sweet Millions making its way into a pot for your deck though.

I am also removing a lot of creeping plants which are taking over everything. Including violets, which do become pests in the wrong places. But Lady t, come over and see the neighbours yard (and me) in the coming week. You've got to see what he did.

[Lady tehMa]

I will! Or, I plan to.

Today I need to clear weeds. And cut down some seed heads.

[Bsuds]

Today I need to clear weeds. And cut down some seed heads.

If you run out and want more I'll pm my address to you.

[Lady tehMa]

If I were younger I'd take you up on that. As it is, my yard is looking pretty neglected this year.

[Bsuds]

I don't have a problem getting down to weed level to pick them it's the getting back up that I have trouble with!

ps: you're most likely younger than me!

[Lady tehMa]

That is entirely possible that I am - I can sure tell you I don't feel like it, though!

[Catsumi]

Zuc plants quit, all 6 of them...Some production of small zuc that turn yellow at the ends. I wonder if it is from sporadic watering (they go dry for 4 days at a time while I am away) or, temperature fluctuations. We've had cold days followed by super hot ones. Plants look healthy enough. Watered the devil out of them in hopes of more production to compare with July's overabundance.

Tomatoes, lots of them! Beautiful, huge, dark red gems that are so juicy! Tomato sauce being made.

I tore out those bean plants which saddened me after doing all that pruning work for the experiment. Erratic watering didn't do the plants any favor so decided to give up on them. They produced plenty of green beans and I should be happy with what I received.

[Lady tehMa]

NO NO NO NO NO!

How in the H-E-double hockey sticks did these abominations get HERE????

https://www.castanet.net/news/Vernon/264085/Japanese-hornet-in-Valley

[Bsuds]

I wonder if it is from sporadic watering (they go dry for 4 days at a time while I am away) or, temperature fluctuations.

You might need to set up an auto watering system for your garden. It's not that hard to do.

[seewood]

Catsumi wrote:I wonder if it is from sporadic watering (they go dry for 4 days at a time while I am away) or, temperature fluctuations. You might need to set up an auto watering system for your garden. It's not that hard to do.

Real easy actually.
I went to Summerland Rentals and they had everything and more for a do-it-yourself system. Two zone timers ( battery powered) 3/4" poly, connectors and 1/4" feeder line with various flow emitters.( .5-2 gph) Landscape material metal pins to hold the lines in place. Took perhaps a day and a half for about 500 lin. feet of 3/4" and cut and place the 1/4" lines.
Stuff just lays on the ground and twice a day flow in each of the 4 zones. I put gated Y at two of the house bungs and ran a dedicated water line to the timers. Always on. Set timers for later evening and earl morning. The new plants have thrived.
Covered the works with 3 inches or so of bark mulch and I doubt if I loose any moisture to evaporation like those mini sprinkler heads.
Veggies probably work better with the mini heads though.

[Catsumi]

Thank you Seewood for taking the time to write out the installation instructions; I am sure this will come in handy for someone.

Alas, I cannot make use of this knowledge as "my" garden is located on someone else's property. (See page 9 of this thread). The owner is 80 and not in the best of health, days numbering down 5..4...3...2.. So, I drag hoses and handwater, works great until I spend a few days away.

Not complaining at all. The produce produced from this small garden was astounding. Plenty in freezer for winter use.

[W105]

my pepper plants did horrible this yr..last yr they were beautiful and bountiful...this yr they are deformed, smaller and very little yield.. they look like I grew them in dirt from Chernobyl..

but my Roma Cherry tomatoes went crazy this yr !!! some of my plants are over 5 ft tall and packed to the brim :)