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chris_mi

chores still undone-before the freeze?

Chris_MI
18 years ago

Well, I think the waterlilies and the fish are dead since the small pond froze solid last week-I did drag them into the garage, I'll just have to wait until spring. Also there are still tools out there under the snow. Procrastination has cost me so much money and effort. I need to change my ways. I did disconnect the hoses & drain them-but they still sit in the yard! How about you?

Comments (8)

  • pitimpinai
    18 years ago

    I still need to tie my Arborvitae and dig out a lot of those $#$% bronze fennel seedlings. I also need to lay soaker hoses. They were left along the side of the lawn all summer. Also need to reinforce chicken wire along the bottom of the fence to keep out rabbits and need to clean up the veg beds so I can add more sheet compost all winter.

    So much more to do, but it's too dark and cold now.

  • goodhors
    18 years ago

    I feel like a one-armed paper hanger, just can't move any faster. List has gotten mostly done. However the new peonies just arrived, since I only ordered last Monday. Lucky for us the warm weather is visiting again!! I got them planted and marked during a shower today. The warm, 59F, is great for working, mostly just sweatshirt weather outside. I have a couple of lily bulbs still coming, couldn't resist the colors!, then I am done.
    I had my hoses drained, just not put away. Also had to re-anchor my pond cover net, wet leaves had pulled it loose from the pond. My pond is not big, just 300 gallons. It is about 3ft deep so doesn't freeze quickly. I keep the water bell squirter going all winter for cleaning water and air for the goldfish, also prevents ice from getting set hard. Cheaper to run than heater. Squirter water runs thru a filter first, cleaning water. Fish manage fine even if the squirter is left off, but water gets really cloudy. MUCH harder to clean the pond in Spring. Fish get no food after water drops to 50F. I will run the floating heater to keep ice open if temps drop down to single digits.
    I am hoping for a few more dry days, will let me shred up some more leaves. My new leaf shredder is working well turning leaves into mulch. I have most of the beds done, just one needs a few more leaves. More fun, less work, to shred leaves than running mower over them. Shredding certainly reduces the bulk a lot!!

    I got my rabbit proof shrub cages done while watching the rain last week. Unless the snow gets super deep, should be OK. I had added several new (on sale!) shrubs this fall. I am hoping for a screening effect in a couple years with the bonus of flowers.

    Can't mulch the roses until the ground freezes. The rotten little varmints make nests in the sawdust and eat the stems of roses if you do it early. I expect roots are doing more growing with soft dirt we still have. Always SOO MUCH fun fitting rose collars and filling them with sawdust in the freezing weather!!

    I think my last big job is getting the garden shed organized before winter cold. I have just been tossing stuff in as I hurry around, it is pretty much a disaster. However it will be dry to work in while the rains or snow come down this week.

    Do any of you folks use the sand in a bucket, method of cleaning tools for winter? I think I will just wire brush off the rust and dirt, oil the metal for winter storage.

    I am going to try painting a obvious color, Pink, Neon green, on my hand tools for better finding when I lay them in the garden. I found some acrylic paint in the craft section of the store, says those colors glow in the dark!! If true, could be just what I need! Skinny tool handles like hand cutters could even stick into the paint bottles for faster applications. Trowel handles, rakes, will have to be painted on though.

    Hope this good weather was as helpful to you as it was to me, letting me get closer to...

  • garden_witch
    18 years ago

    I still have a box of tulip bulbs from Brecks in the veggie bin in the frige, hope I can plant them in the spring!

    goodhors- DH got me a set of hand tools that have bright orange rings on the handles. Got them about five years ago, haven't lost one yet! They are cast aluminum (I think) with padded/foam handles, think they came from K-mart, great little tools!

    Remember, there's always a chance for a few more warm-ups before winter sets in, this is Michigan after all!
    GW

  • goodhors
    18 years ago

    I never saw those tools at our K-Mart. Orange rings sound useful and visible. Painting handles will be a good winter project for me on a cold day! I do check to see what Martha has in the garden section. I have a couple things from her, nice designs, solid tools.
    Also got the K-Mart quick snap ends for hoses, just snap all the sections together, change my water sprinklers so quickly. K-Mart plastic replacement ends for hoses are wonderful, really wear well. My brass ends always seem to get leaky on hoses, so I change them for the plastic ones.

    I would stick my fridge Tulip bulbs in the ground NOW! Planting tulips in spring won't let the bulbs grow any roots to support the plant, come back for next year. My tulips and Daffs are rooting really fast now, when I popped one up by accident. Just dig a hole and drop them in. Bulbs will grow until the ground freezes down solid, probably after Christmas. You can dig out after blooming in spring and move to another place if you want.
    That Hound Dog bulb planter, step on with tall handle to open the cone-hole maker for dirt release, works great for me. I popped about 45 bulbs in the lawn, bed edges, in a very short time, using it. Bulbs were on sale mark downs, couldn't resist! I found bulb planter at Home Depot, $17-19, but SUCH a work saver. A nice tool to own. I have to figure what to do with my obsolete bulb planters now! I sure won't be using them again.

    I have a board over the dirt keeping snow off, waiting for my lily bulbs to arrive. They are one of those new Orienpet ones, red with white margins. Supposed to get 4-5ft tall, then mature to 5-6ft with MANY flowers. Lilies are such rewarding flowers, no care and multiply. Looking forward to bloom time.

  • chitown033
    18 years ago

    I still have some leaves to mow... And we still need to put up our xmas lights. Seems impossible now with such a cold forecast ahead!
    Compared to all of the bananas and tropicls in my yard from summer, it just seems so barren now.

    Kyle

  • compost_hugger_nancy
    18 years ago

    All my chores remained undone this year. Still working on house but that is on hold until Dr clears me after the Jan 11 surgery.

    My hose is still outside: was supposed to get wound up into a clear tote and covered. The hose never got emptied and the water from precipitation filled it and then froze around the hose!!!

    Garden plot never got turned.

    Tools never cleaned in unfolded foldable wheelbarrel which is covered in snow & ice.

    Bulbs still unplanted. Seeds for wildflowers never put out for spring in plot that never got sectioned off.

    Apple trees never pruned.

    Deterents for the skunk under the wood shed. Wire behind deck/porch lattice never got installed. (hope skunk doesn't move under there)

    Deer fencing never installed.

    Pots of pinks never got brought in.

    As soon as the Dr says I can go home and lifts the limitations I will be sooooo busy trying to both catch up on garden/yard lanscaping and getting the inside construction finished off. Still have to do walls and put in flooring and kitchen cabinets/counters so I can spend more time outside!

  • goodhors
    18 years ago

    If the weather holds, you may be able to get your outside stuff done! This break is amazing. All our frost is gone from the ground. Water is standing around, running in the ditches, only plowed snow is left and it is icy.

    I still have roses to cover but don't like to do it with ground so soft. Some drying out of plants in breezy areas. I may try to put up a wind screen for my Oakleaf Hydrangea to keep the buds alive. It has never bloomed, could be dried out from winter winds per an article I just read. Shredded leaves seem to be staying in place fairly well, even with hard rains. I have some evergreen boughs spread around to protect the dirt of beds. I plan to cut up the Christmas tree when we put it out too. More boughs for plant protection.

  • compost_hugger_nancy
    18 years ago

    Wow it looks like I'm behind more than all of you! Though once I heal from the surgery I think I'll challenge all of you next fall!

    Maybe make a list of what didn't get done this year and see if we can check it all off before this time next year!

    I'll start my undone & catch up plan as soon as the Dr releases me to go home. I'll build raised beds above the clay soil, add gypsum & peat moss.

    My mind is dreaming already....I may end up with more undone stuff next year!