The Productive Backyard, Winter to Spring, 2010

[Nancy]

I enjoyed my work and had lunch outside yesterday it was nice
to take a breather and enjoy the trees and bulbs in bloom
and having the mowing done was an extra bonus!

[Harmony]

It is really nice being outside, I agree. My nose was a bit red this morning.

Today I got 2 more tomato plants in and some yellow squash (straight neck) plants. I should be further along with my vegetables, but everything got set back with my arm injury. Stuff doesn't do well in the heat of the summer here.

I got the rest of my plants up the side of the house. 1 plumbago, 1 giant ixhora, 3 japanese boxwood, 3 roses, 1 desert sage. Whole stretch up the side of house is weeded and soil amended. Ready for weed cloth and mulch now.

Only thing left is across the back of the house. I have flower seeds and miniature roses going in there and some periwinkle plants.

[Harmony]

Flower seeds are not up yet. But all the plants are doing wonderfully. Cucumber seeds are sprouted and beans are just poking their little heads up through the soil. I water everything every morning. Pretty soon I will have to water all the new sod once we get it in (today).

[Nancy]

I have been meaning to put away the garden tools
and finally got around to doing that today
it made the carport look less cluttered yea for progress!

Neighbors are being productive too
mowing and hauling off cans they've
saved / collected for a year it's looking better.
It's one thing to be green yet another to have trash ie cans stacked up and
blowing around in a wind storm littering the neighborhood I am glad to see these go!

[Harmony]

I agree about the neighbors, Nancy.

Tonight on our bike ride we went past our favorite vegetable garden and stopped to talk with the owner. He has a beautiful garden, it's almost one whole lot and very healthy looking. We had a nice long chat about just how he does all that. He went in and got me the chart he uses, which is a schedule of just when to plant stuff in FL. I'm surely going to try some of his ideas.

[Nancy]

At the store I got a plant that grows yellow tomatoes I've been thinking about
trying them and got some other sets sweet million did not put them out yet.
Before we left I weeded by the front east fence line near the neighbors roses and picked up the weeds I got out from the last session. Later dson came by and sprayed for weeds in the back and other part of the front so it's feeling like a productive yard here after all!

[Nancy]

Watered the tomatoes in the garden spot so far so good.
Flowers are in their peek and so lively here this week!
I've been sketching them in my sketch book too how fun is that.
We have baby apples and plums on the tree, red currents are still green now,
onions are getting ready soon, no cots or nectarines
I'm thinking it was too cold and they got frosted.

[Nancy]

Iris and roses are lovely this time of year.
I'm not sure how "productive" the back yard but it
certainly is a place of refuge and great for reflection
and that was one of my intentions for this space!
Yea for success!!!

[Lynlee]

Winter weeding
finally I've started though theres a lot of seeding things I'm not attending to.
Going along the northen could be sunny edge of grass beside house weeding. 3rd day today. Lots of sticky seeded chick weed there in todays section. next along there is crammed close w dandelion/& something I call cabbage weed. I don't know what it is. Slow going atm.

[Lynlee]

I've`done`2`X`30min`mowing.Theres`more`to`do.
Lots`of`weeds`with`sticky`seeds` `I`want`to`mow`the`seed`tops`off`them.
Will`have`another`good`rest`before`Ihead`out`again.
PS-`It`is`still`a`project`to`weed`the`should`be`grass`areas.`
Another`time.