<p>This weekend was the first opportunity that I’ve had to get out and do some yardwork. I thought it might be fun (and helpful) to have a thread where we could share gardening advice, challenges, ask questions, etc. Flowers, perennials, vegetables, anything’s fair game. What do you think? ;)</p>
<p>I’ll start - today’s task was cutting back perennial grasses out by the pool. How short do you cut them? I think I left about 8-10 inches…I used shears and cut them back as much as I could before the stalks got too thick to go any shorter. </p>
<p>My next task will be to split some of these grass “clumps” so I can start some more. I remember when I got these from a neighbor, the splitting was HORRENDOUSLY difficult. Any tips? What do you use? A spade? Pitchfork? Axe? lol</p>
<p>I was able to get out and do some clean up yesterday. Was excited to see a few green bits of daffies popping through and lilies, too. </p>
<p>I cut my perennial grass down to about an inch but my grass (hakonechloa macra aureola) isn’t very tall to begin with. Yesterday I just raked through them to get rid of most of the leaves and I’ll cut the rest down in a week or two. </p>
<p>When I split my grass I dig up the whole plant then take my edger and stomp away. I don’t split anything until new growth is at least a few inches tall. </p>
<p>I’m planning on putting in a new bed along one side of the back yard this year and will take a whole small bed of perennials from the front yard and transplant them to the back. That bed gets too much sun now since we cut down a tree near it. I’m going to put in one viburnum korean spice (my favorite flowering shrub) there. I’ve got some astilbe in another front garden which gets to much sun, too, so I’ll move that, too. I’m going to try to fill the whole new garden without spending money. Famous last words. </p>
<p>Can’t help you with the red sorrel. I have a lawn care person and they put down weed killer. Any that gets in the garden I just pull out - along with the other weeds.</p>
<p>Oh, no, red sorrels! They like acidic soil. Whereever they pop up, I put down extra lime to discourage. I think I succeeded in containing them. I could be imagining it tho. My enemy #1 at the moment is less celadine. They are impossible.</p>
<p>I got out yesterday too. Cut my ornamental grass down to about 10 inches. Good luck dividing it. I seem to have heard of people using a chain saw </p>
<p>I need to rejuvenate a flower bed. It just lacks sparkle. I have all sorts of perennials in it but I need to add something to jazz it up.</p>
<p>Good timing on the thread. I just ordered 6 pairs of garden gloves as I only had left handed ones in the garage.</p>
<p>I was SO HAPPY to get out in my yard yesterday. I also cut down my grasses and have a veritable haystack down at the curb. I cut it as short as possible and also try to pull out some of the dead stuff from years past. Nevertheless, it is starting to die off in the middle so I should divide it. I have heard of people using chain saws to take down their large grasses when they get really big. And then there is the Pennsylvania Carex that grows at the edge of my pond; I trimmed that with a pair of Joyce Chen shears. There is so much cleanup to do. I couldn’t help noticing that last year I had mulch delivered in mid-March.; we still have some snow on the ground.</p>
<p>I have someone coming on Wednesday to give me an estimate on taking up most of the asphalt that’s behind our house, bringing in topsoil and doing some of the “heavy lifting” on new landscaping. (The “parking lot” was great when we were running a B&B but now it s just an eye sore.) I’m looking forward to a much improved view out my kitchen window.</p>
<p>I was able to get out yesterday and prune the roses (a couple of New Dawn climbers and some floribundas that I don’t know the names of.) We bought this house 2 years ago and it already had extensive landscaping, so I’ve been learning my way around and am starting to add things here and there. Daffodils are in full bud, although some of our neighbors have earlier-blooming varieties that are already flowering.</p>
<p>Our main weed is ground ivy. I remember seeing porcelainberry at a garden walk and thinking how pretty it was. I was very glad I researched it before buying any. I have enough problem plants as it is.</p>
<p>We’ve been harvesting cherry/grape tomatoes from volunteer plants. Why are they always more successful than any I plant? We compost year round, so this is one of the visible benefits :)</p>
<p>Red Brussel Sprouts
Purple Brussel Sprouts
(I already have Green Brussel Sprouts)
Italian Chard
(I already have Bright Lights Chard)
Olympia Spinach
Purple Cauliflower
Rocket Arugula
Endive frisee
Blonde Escarole
Broccoli Romanesco
Purple Broccoli
Grenoble Lettuce
Simpson Lettuce
Red Romaine Lettuce
Raddichio
Gail Lan
Lacinato Kale
Scotch Kale
(I already have Red Russian Kale)
Dragon Carrots
Purple Carrots
Italian tri-color Carrots
Golden Beets
Cylinder Beets
(I already have red Concerto Artichokes, and Golden Globe Artichokes, and lots of Spanish Roja garlic, three kinds of rhubarb; already planted snap and sugar peas, but I;'m not hopeful about those)</p>
<p>Yet to plant:
Purple shallots
All the tomatoes (8 varieties)
All the peppers (3 varieties)
All the eggplants
All the beans (5 varieties)
Bush cucumbers</p>
<p>How do you keep squirrels away from your garden? I’ve been gardening here for twenty years, and the squirrels are new. Last year they ate all the tomatoes and strawberries, and pretty much ruined most of the pumpkins and peppers. My greyhounds have been no help, although they’ve always been good at keeping away most other vermin.</p>
<p>Mini, how do the bush cukes grow? I’ve only ever planted regular cukes (like marketmore or burpless hybrids) and let them climb up a trellis (which I make by stringing twine between 2 stakes). The first few years in this house, I got LOADS of cukes but for the past several, the plants die back just before harvest and I’m left with a whole lotta nuthin’. I’m pretty sure it’s disease spread by cucumber beetles. Very frustrating, and I’m ready to try something new. Fresh cukes from the garden are my FAVORITE, I could live on them…</p>
<p>I have coneflowers, black eyed susies, globe thistle, yarrow, tiger lilies (which are becoming a menace), and baby’s breath (which should get moved but who knows where?).</p>
<p>Mini- I am jealous. Your vegie garden sounds great. I am going to have to google some of those things.</p>
<p>We got out yesterday too – which is good, because today it is chilly and rainy. Raked out some beds, put in another raised bed (for rhubarb), uncovered asparagus. Gave bluebeards a haircut too.</p>
<p>We have a full sun bed that needs rehab – suggestions on whether to yank it all out, or dig selectively? This is an English garden-style, so the casual daisy/echinacea/yarrow has gotten out of hand, but I’d like to save the lavender. Also need to replace some beehive holly that never really grew with something else, but what foundation shrub grows in serious shade? And I think my ninebark died, too. Sigh.</p>
<p>Vole problem is epic. Runs all over the yard. Planting catmint to encourage predators!</p>
<p>I wish I could do veggies, but we have herds of deer in the neighborhood. I’m going to try strawberries in a pot on the patio, where the deer don’t venture.</p>
<p>“I have coneflowers, black eyed susies, globe thistle, yarrow, tiger lilies (which are becoming a menace), and baby’s breath (which should get moved but who knows where?).”</p>
<p>How about some peonies? They give lots of pop when in bloom - though do need to be caged. I put in some Dinner Plate dahlias last year - which were stunning, though they get top heavy, too. Not sure if they will come up again this year. </p>
<p>Stargazer lilies are also very pretty and good for pop. </p>
<p>I planted some rose mallow late last summer. Very tall hardy stalks so they don’t topple with very big flowers into fall, which is nice. </p>
<p>Greenbutton, In the shade I have several different types of rhodies, azaleas, viburnum (snowball and summer snowflake.) The snowflake is nice as it blooms several times. Also hydrangea does really well. I put in a Pinky Winky a few summers ago and it’s very pretty. </p>
<p>I also have red twig dogwood bushes in shade. They drop their leaves but the bark is stunning in winter. I also like to keep them from getting to big so constantly loping them throughout the summer so mine never really flower, but the foliage is so pretty I don’t mind.</p>
<p>I like foundation plantings that have a little depth. You could put a few evergreens toward the back of the bed and some red twigs in the front. Beautiful year round, especially with some of the variegated varieties of red twig. (I have some planted in front of hemlocks.)</p>
lol</p>
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