I haven't been able to do much of anything.if its not raining, then its too cold for me outside.Makes the arthuritis much worse, so at present am barely getting around, but, I did go out a little while today, between storms and pruned about 8 rose bushes. under severe storm warning now,and tornado watch.You are right, cant change the weather, all can do is talk about it and hope it improves.

jean

Jean, I have three more roses to prune and I will be done with them. It is a bit cool, but I just wear layers. I have got to pull all of the weeds out that the rain has been growing so fast.
kay

Oh, sounds great and hopefully it will be a good year for daylilies because of it!

oh kay; I have plenty weeds, too, just starting to grow. at present only about a inch or so high. but, will get them out as soon as this rain stops for a day or so..I will need to get some more preen to put out soon as I get the weeds out.Dont have enough of it to put out.

Jean

Hi, CTC. Good to see you on the forum.

Jean, I have weeds 6" high and a few that were a foot in diameter. That's why I have to stay on the stinking things. I'm out of Preen again too.
kay

My weeds are all coming along nicely too, sometimes I think it would just be easier growing weeds.
Linda

Hi Linda. Without a doubt, they would be easier. My DH, (not a gardener) thought the big luscious deep green mound in the front flower bed was a flower. Ha! Just a very well watered weed.

There are so many weeds in the iris beds, and it just solidified my decision to downsize in regard to irises. My daughter wants all I get rid of, so I don't have too feel to bad about it.

It will give me more room for plants that are pretty for more than two weeks. Then again, I'm always real ambitious at the beginning of the season.
kay

I was outside for a little while this morning.Was cold out and hasn't warmed up much, mid 40's, too cold for me, but I did prune 2 more roses,and jerked a few hands full of weeds out, before I gave up and came back in.Will go back out a few more times today,and do a couple more things. mainly get more roses pruned.

jean

With the way the weather is going here, it will be a few more months before I can attempt any cleanup.

Don't work too hard. Enjoy the task.

Julia

Hi Jean and Julia. Jean, it was cool, but not cold. I spent 4 hours weeding today

Julia, our weather is acting like a yo-yo. Almost 60 today, 20s tonight. Rain last night, and again Thursday. The ground is perfect for pulling up hard weeds. I pulled at least 30 little oak trees today, one of which had an 18 inch taproot. I am trying to come in when I get pretty tired, but I have about 3/4 of the daylily beds freshly weeded which is wonderful. One more good day, and they will be done.

By the time you are able to start working outside, it will be almost too hot to work here. I have to work before the extreme heat sets in for the summer. I am enjoying it too, even though it is work. Thank you for checking in here.
kay

Kay,I belive you are a workaholic :)).I went back out a few minutes again this afternoon, but, couldnt make my self work out there.Too much pain to deal with today.

Jean

KaY,What do you use to spray for them thrips and do you spray before the buds appear on the daylilies?

jean

Jean, I had big problems with thrips very early last year. It would be nice to avoid that. I will spray now, in a couple of weeks, and probably at least once more as the dormant plants grow more. This silly weather with the spring and winter temps alternating is rough on the plants.

I bought a spray at Walmart last year that was pretty reasonable and one of their so called "natural" ingredient lines. It worked well. I finished that bottle off, and will check for more of it in Walmart today.

I'm not a workaholic, I'm just way behind from my laziness last year.

kay

It is a good sign when you are doing your spring clean up. Oh, for 60 degrees!!! It is just wonderful to think that daylight savings will be upon us soon!! February, although the shortest month, seems the longest to me.
cindy

Kay, after all this rain we are getting and I see they talking floods in alabama, you might need a little ROundup for them weeds,as this rain sure makes them grow like they going to the races.I know the weeds here are growing fast, but,I cant help it. can not stay out in the cold and rain.

jean

Cindy, I really feel for all of you in the northern states who have the long cold dreary season to endure...but then I see the lupines and the other cool weather plants I can't grow, and see the other side of the coin as it were.

The warm weather is going to do its usual freeze and kill of tender vegetation that is in too much of a hurry...the tulip tree is all covered with tight purple buds that will freeze before they open. Blueberries are forming, and the bridal wreath spirea is trying to get in too much of a hurry too.

The daffs and the earliest tulips are brightening the place, but the daylily foliage has been bitten with more than one freeze.

No Round up in the flower beds, Jean. It would be too likely to kill something I very much wanted to live instead of the weeds. I am trying to pull the little ones as they re-sprout. It keeps me out of trouble. At least I have only half of the winding bed in back to finish weeding, and it did get weeded in the fall, so that helps a bit. I have pulled out at least three hundred little oak saplings. the longest ones had roots over 18 inches long. Without all of this rain, I could never have pulled them out of the dirt. We are flirting with a record for rain in February, after years of drought. I am happy for every drop of rain that falls.
kay

So Kay, when do we get a peek at your bulbs blooming?
;-).

Good Question Julia. How about it Kay. when do we get to see your bulbs blooming.??

Jean

well, I wa out this afternoon, doing a little more.It hasn't rained here now in a week and the ground is like cement now,and weeeds dont pull easy at all.So, I came in and got me little bottle of Roundup for weedsd and brush and went back out awhile and sprayed some of the weeds.was no wind blowing, and I use a little spray bottle so it wont get on anything else,besides these weeds. Then I sat out on my little garden cart and cleaned up a bunch of daylilies, Pulling the dead leaves off, mixed up a little fertilizer water and put on some that was very dry.( in pots)I am fdinding I cant do as much as I did last year.This last fall back in november has got me being much harder to get around and do what I want, aand of course,I had another birthday The last day of febuary. AM now 81.:(

jean

Jean,
I think you are doing extremely well with everything that has happened to you. I spent a lot of time in the garden, weeding and mulching, Friday. Was VERY sore the next day.

My garden is so big, and I neglected it so much last year I am paying the price, but making great progress. Keep telling yourself that. I, Jean, am making great progress :)

It actually does help.
kay

Kay. I dont tell myself I am making great progress.I keep telling myself I CAN do this.Just a little bit more and I will have it done, is what I keep telling myself.I love to be out side doing some thing, and my girls keep telling me to stay out of the yard,and I keep telling them, aint no way as long as I can stand on my two legs and keep walking.Altho, one night 2 weeks ago,I got up to go in the kitchen for some thing,and had a cane for balance.I never made it to the kitchen, got close but not in it.I got to the kitchen door, about to walk in it when my legs and feet would not move,and felt like they weighed a ton each.So,I turned around and thought I better try to get back to my bed if I can, I could only move my feet a couple inches at a time,and wasn't too steady on them either. anyway, next morning I was fine and haven't had that any more, have no idea what happened anyway.Just getting old I guess :(

jean.

I have found out that lily of the valley is just as bad as weeds lol. I moved some things around that must have had some root of those and I just keep pulling and pulling. maybe one day it will learn I dont want them there :)