Decisions

3 decisions made today:

1. Back flowerbed: I need to more or less start over. It's such a weed patch that I just can't seem to stay on top of it. They oakleaf hydrangea is dead, the irises need dividing anyway. It doesn't have the variety or height or interest that I would like.  I'm a bit overwhelmed by it, honestly. But I plan to start with what I know I want to change: pull out hydrangea, and...see #2, below.

2. As part of decision #1, I'm going to move the scented geraniums. I finally found and positively identified them in my Annuals and Perennials book, and they are supposed to do well in dry, shady sites. Aha! I have one of those! So I plan to transplant all or most of those to the back slope, behind the shed. If anything, I may leave a small patch in the back flowerbed. Small as in a patch no larger than 18 inches in diameter.

3. Some of the plants on the slope that we just put in will need to be moved, since the shed is going to have a patio that we didn't plan on before, thus changing the location of the path.  So... 'Peppermint Stick' hydrangea will be moved to the front of the house flowerbed, replacing whatever sickly looking bush is currently in the middle spot there. Hopefully I can get it pulled out far enough to a) get some rain and b) not completely crowd up under the overhang as it grows.  The smaller stuff that needs moving will either be relocated on the slope, or possibly moved to the back flowerbed for now.

 That's all my brainstorming for now.

Berries

Blueberries

Once again, it is hard to see these bushes against the slope.

When we got back from vacation, it became very apparent that something was wrong with the blueberry bushes. Small, dried-up berries, brown leaves all over the place. Things were not looking good.

'Duke'--far right

 I trimmed almost all the dead leaves and twigs off this one, and took off most the blueberries as well.

There were maybe 2 edible, but for the most part, they all came off to throw away.

Upon closer inspection this one may have just been lack of water. So I have been watering it twice a week or so since we've come home. It actually has some new blueberries on it now, which seem healthy.

I haven't seen any more brown leaves. I'm crossing my fingers that it was that simple.

 'Patriot'--middle

Not sure this one is going to make it.

 I haven't done any trimming on this one yet--mostly because nearly every leaf has these crazy brown and red wavy margins on it. It looks like a disease to me, but what do I know?

 I probably should at least trim off the blueberries, so the plant can put some extra energy into getting healthy again.

 'Blue Ray'--far left

This one seems unaffected by whatever is going on with the other two.

Very few berries on it, but I tasted one today that was sweet and ripe.

Berries are almost a powder-blue color.

I bought some blueberry fertilizer which I will apply this week to see if it helps anything.

Rasberries

Going strong!

Several of the stems for next year are about chin-high when standing upright.

I need to do some more staking.

Following my Dad's advice, I've been watering them about every other day.

The berries have been big and sweet (last fall they were very small and seedy).

I guess regular watering makes a difference!

There are a couple of stems on the other side of the fence actually producing, so I've tried to shoot some water through the holes down to them every so often, too.

 We've been getting about this many every other day.

Jacob and Becca have really loved going over and picking them all through the day.

(So maybe we are really getting twice as much?)

Blackberries

Yes, you read that right.

This vine at the very tippy-top of our slope near the chain link fence is officially a blackberry.

I found it in my wildflower book the other day to verify it.

Himalayan blackberry: nonnative, can be invasive, very tasty.

I'm excited! I wouldn't mind having a blackberry patch at the top of the slope.

With just one vine spreading out, I'm pretty sure I can stay on top of the pruning and such so it doesn't get out of control. But at the moment, that is all just dog-run space up there anyway.

Well, plus the lupines and daisies. So I'm letting it grow and we'll see what a wild Washington blackberry tastes like--maybe soon! 

Garden Update

 Filling in the empty spaces.

 Bottom terrace, right-side: Beans, sunflowers, carrots

 Bottom terrace, left-side: cucumbers, peppers, oregano, sunflowers

 One small green pepper growing

Middle Terrace

 'Cougar Red' tomatoes starting to come on

 Close-up of 'Cougar Red's.

 Basil finally recovered from its water bath treatment this spring.

Leafing out and looking healthy.

Top terrace

 My one nasturtium is getting bigger.

 Despite the disease evident by the white pattern on the leaves, it looks like we will get some zucchini this year. (But of course!)

3 small yellow squash coming as well.

Flower Pots, 2nd Attempt

Front porch

 I went ahead and planted 2 this time. Double the odds of them living, perhaps?

 Petunias 4-pack, 'Clear Madness' mix, plus the small purple flower (I've already forgotten its name)

 Pink geraniums.

Bright colors in hopes of drawing the eye away from the unfinished projects in front.

Back Deck

The pot on the right just need daily watering. Now look at it grow!

It's gorgeous.

I replanted the second pot (on the left) with a different shade of pink petunia, and bacopa with a pink ring around the middle of each flower.

The Flower Tour

 Starting right off by the front steps: suprise! dianthus

 Lavender growing big and bushy

 A few roses, plus wild clover [plus weeds]

 A huge patch of clover, down in front by the driveway and brush pile.

 Back flowerbed.

I just can't get over how bright and sunny these little bloomers are.

I will definitely start some again next year.

Back slope update:  

 I've started watering the apple tree since we got home from vacation, and these little violas have perked up and started blooming again, although you can see from all the brown foliage they were about done for.

 I think this was another type of dianthus that I purchased at the WSU horticultural sale.

I planted these on the slope, in front of the salvias.

 One cosmo plant hanging on.

 These poor hydrangeas did not get watered while we were gone.

But they may revive yet--see the new growth at the tips?

I still need to remove dead leaves from this one, as you can see.

 The other hydrangea. Stems look healthy, if it can put out enough new leaves it may survive.

Speaking of survival....

This oakleaf hydrangea isn't going to make it after all.

None of the new leaves ever opened up fully.

I'm leaving it in right now as a weed deterrent until end of next month, when I will replace it with something else. Darn! I was hoping this would do well here.

Chores

Garden Chores This Week

1. Replace dead flowers in pots. DONE
2. Dig out all thistles from the lawn by the monkey bars.
3. Water, water, water
     M, W, F, for garden/raspberries/blueberries
     maybe 2x this week for lawn/flowers on slope/apple trees
     daily or every other day for flowerpots
4. Fertilize blueberries.
5. Pooper-scoop slope
6. Weed back flower bed
7. Re-design back flower bed on paper.
8. put up netting or other supports for tomatoes.

Extra bonus points:
** Rake side hill, gather up sticks and put in trash pile, weed
** Weed whack front "lawn"

Home from Vacation: Update

After a 2 week vacation, here's what we came home to:

 Borage doing very well, with these interesting-looking blossoms and buds all over the place.

Still haven't nibbled on a leaf to see if it really tastes like cucumber.

 Pretty, small daisy (weed) growing amongst the irises.

May have to transplant this one to the back slope.

 Cheerful marigolds blooming.

These pretty purple flowers mixed in with the daisies on the slope.

Haven't found them in my wildflower book yet, so don't know what they actually are.

 One made it, one didn't.

With almost daily watering, plus removal of dead leaves and stems, I just about have these petunias nursed back to health. It was far too late for the cosmos, so I collected the seeds.

I still need to replace those (and the dead ones out front) with some fresh LIVING specimens.

Garden Update

 A few carrots peeking through.

 Beans growing slowly.

 Sunflowers! Hooray!

 Peppers, cucumber, oregano: putting out new growth.

 More peppers (front), plus lemon cucumber and one more tiny sunflower.

 Zucchini and squash with powdery mildew.

Mini pumpkins: one dead, one thriving.

One nasturtium up out of the whole row! Guess the seed was just too old for any better germination.

 Tomatoes and basil big and bushy!

Healthy-looking tomato plants. Hooray!