Mulching Around Fruit Trees

Jamie and I planted our fruit trees almost two years ago, but we really didn't do much to protect them or care for them.  I noticed that some animal has been gnawing at the base of the trees, so I'm going to have to wrap them in the fall.

Another thing that I should have done was mulched around the base of the trees to protect them from lawn mowers and weed-whackers.  I started this project yesterday, and my goal is to do one tree a day.

I laid down some weed cloth around the base of each tree, over the grass.  I only removed the grass that was right around the tree trunk, because I want to keep that part open and clear for the tree so it won't suffocate.  Then I covered the weed cloth with the mulch.

Another Day of Yard Work, Hard Work

Today I set out the rest of my seedlings and mulched the front gardens.  Michael painted the rose trellises and I put them out today.  I had to string the rose canes to the trellis so they wouldn't fall.

I also put in my dahlia bulbs, zinnias and bachelor's button plants.  I'm very excited to see what they bring! 

Before I called it quits for the day, I dug up my remaining three basil plants and stuck them in a pot.  We're definitely putting up that fence in the fall!

I was very excited to see tiny yellow flowers on my cucumber plants!  Now, if I could just keep the pests away from everything...  And Shadow is turning out to be a major pest. He keeps trampling through my garden beds, as well as lying down in the cool dirt. The fence will have to keep him out, too!

Garden Notes - May 27, 2013

I was outside by 10:30 this morning, determined to make the best use of this gorgeous day.  I didn't stop until 4:30.  I only stopped because I could feel my shoulders stinging from sunburn.  But, it was a productive day!

First, I brought out all my plants into the sunshine and checked everything that I had already planted.

Next, I went to work in the front.  Jamie is anxious to get the mulch down, but I wanted to prune all the azalea bushes, hollies, and Japanese barberry bushes first.  I pruned them as far back as I could. Every year we mulch first, but then after I prune the bushes, I feel like I'm scooping up all the mulch when I pick up the branches.

I also did a lot of weeding up front. I still need to fertilize all the bushes up front, but I can do this after the mulch is laid.  The front is now ready for mulch.

The front took most of the day, but after I fertilize and mulch, I won't have to think about it again until next year.  And it looks so pretty!  Michael finished painting the rose trellises, so I'll put those in place tomorrow or Wednesday. And I planted the Snowball marigolds that I grew by the Midnight salvia and roses.  It should look lovely when they bloom (although I think the salvia will be spent).

Then I worked a little bit on the perennial garden.  I planted the Baptisia plant I bought at the plant sale, as well as the two Rose Campion plants.  I weeded a little bit and cut some dead canes off the climbing rose, and had to prune back a butterfly bush the a deer pushed over. Grrrr.





I planted all of my French marigolds, too - some at the edge of the perennial garden, some along the edge of my bean garden, and the rest along the edge of my vegetable garden.

Actually, before I planted the marigolds, I started to rake and shovel the vegetable garden.  It was impossible!  It was all hard and lumpy, and now I feel really bad that I put my seedlings into such unprepared soil!

When I realized that it would take me all day to prepare the soil, and that I already had an aching back, I worked up the courage to pull the rototiller out.  I was worried that I wouldn't be able to start it up, since I'm not really good with machinery.  Well, it started up (after a prayer!).  In no time, the vegetable garden, James' pumpkin patch and my bean garden were in perfect condition for planting!



So, moving right along!  Tomorrow, I plan on putting in the rest of my seedlings, all of my seeds, and my dahlias.  I plan on setting up some fences and the rose trellises, doing some fertilizing and setting out some mulch.  Another busy day!

A couple of concerns.  The deer and rabbits.  And the fact that a few of the plants are struggling (see plant on left.  Yikes!).