This is partly a result of the heat and drought keeping me holed up indoors for weeks at a time all summer long, and partly due to the already dicey situation created by last year's long term ankle injury.
By the time I got around to the weeding/soil turning in our two most active garden beds, working to overcome the months of neglect was its own punishment.
Bermuda grass and nut sedge were predictably well established with a network of root systems that were at once tenaciously dominating the top 6-8 inches of soil and at the same time doing their usual "I am SO fragile I will break off before you can dig me out or pull me up!" routine.
Hopefully next weeding session will find me grateful for what I could get out rather than cursing how much was left behind. I am fully aware whatever I don't get today will be back to spurt up and stick out green tongues to taunt.
I was at least well supervised at all times.
And I did get a last bit of produce out from between the weeds.
Trimming up the Poke Salat "trees" brought them back to the form I appreciate while reminding me to be quietly grateful for how resilient they are.
And I have a fairly clear idea of where next year's bluebonnet patch will establish itself.
I cleared a small patch for a packet of mixed wildflower seeds we got as a promotional "gift".
And decided not to put the water rooted basil out into the wilds. I'll pot it up in the greenhouse instead and keep fingers crossed for enough production to spruce up an occasional salad.
There are other projects nearing completion. Three last bags of mulch will go out tomorrow, weather permitting, and the mosaic mulch bed will be spruced back up for its own photo session soon.
Wherever you are I wish you plenty of time this weekend to get your work done with enough sunshine left over to enjoy your accomplishments.
Good job on the clean up-Don't you feel good! I happened to be in Rollingwood on Friday and asked if they had a freeze. You must be really sheltered there to have your produce survive. My peppers look OK but all the leaves are gone. I picked the last big tomato and will wait for it to ripen. You keep the pokeweed? I let mine grow all summer and then got at it with a saw. Pulling the last bit out I did the usual trick of falling backwards. Always catches me out. It will be back, I'm sure. All the berries were gone, the mockingbird has moved on to pomegranates.
ReplyDeleteJrose! Good to have you in the neighborhood. Thanks for your kind words. Getting that bed back into shape feels double delightful after a year of having to let everything slide while I watched through the windows.
ReplyDeleteOur house is up on a bit of a ridge and that makes just enough of a difference in these early short lived cold snaps that most of my plants are still producing. My poke plants are berry free already as well but I like the pop of color the trunks and berry bracts provide so I'm keeping them until the leaves go.
We've had two freezes here. The last one was 24 degrees.
ReplyDeleteI'm thinking we must be in the coldest spot around. A friend who lives a short distance away hasn't had the cold we have.
The cold comes in, zaps things, and moves on. I now have tons of mushy things clear out. It always feels good to get things cleaned up, though.
Linda, thanks for dropping in. I am constantly reminded that weather forecasts aside, it is important to know how our microclimate will behave within the general parameters called for. We still have tomatoes ripening on the vine.
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed they can finish up before the night time lows stay down consistently enough to stop them in their tracks.