May 9, 2012 - Just Two Warm, Sunny Days

Just two warm and sunny days and the garden explodes with growth! I warn you now, lots of pictures follow.

My "panoramic" shot of the garden, the view from the patio.




















But......

Unfortunately, my neighbor still isn't doing anything about her weeds.  They are fence high and already going to seed.

52 comments:

  1. Could you put a barrier there? I suppose if you tied a sheet to keep the weed seeds from blowing in it would shade the garden. And your other half might not like the view. Hmm how about a mural though. It would still block the sun, but pretty. I bet the grandkids would have fun with that project.

    Your garden is looking beautiful as always. I noticed your chives are in bloom. Mine will be soon, but not quite yet.

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    1. Daphne, it's HER fence, so I can't really do anything to it. It's also only 3' high, so the weed seeds will soon just blow right over the top rail anyway. Yes, it is my only source of morning sun.

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  2. Can I just say, HOLY CRAP! It's like you're in some alternate dimension where it's mid-June while I'm still stuck in April. Everything looks beautiful!

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    1. Well, HOLY CRAP, Anywhere! Thank you, but I didn't think it was ever going to take off! :-D

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  3. Very very nice Granny, I like the larger pictures too. Sorry to hear about that, I have the same issue with some of my neighbors. I would spray a little weed killer through the fence, that is why I do to keep them at bay.

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    1. Kris, I usually sneak my weedeater over the fence and mow down a narrow section, but I might just have to resort to weed killer, or the entire east garden would be filled with weeds and Bermuda grass. I don't know why she doesn't just mow the weeds when she mows her lawn. What doesn't show is a giant patch of a very pretty, but very invasive weed. I'm sure she thinks it's a flower, but now it's showing up in my flower beds everywhere...even on the opposite side of the house!

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    2. Yeah, that doesn't make any sense that she doesn't mow it. My problem is the opposite, my guy mows his grass twice a year. Once in the spring and once in the fall, and what's crazy is he has a nice riding mower. The only plus is that he never waters either so by the heat of summer his grass and weeds stay pretty short. My next house (if I ever move), will have enough acreage that I don't have to worry about neighbors, at least not right next to me.

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  4. That is an absolute work of art. VERY inspirational!

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    1. Thank you Kris W. I hope it inspires you to get back to gardening and blogging!

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    2. Stop on by! I am well into my third year of gardening and still comlpaining the entire time ! Just like the old days! My tomatoes are setting like crazy, although the gophers got half of my peas! Harvested some early potatoes the other day, going to use them for Mother's Day. (http://krissimplyliving.blogspot.com)

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    3. Kris W., thanks for your link! Blogger somehow lost it for me last year, and your profile is set to private, so I just assumed you weren't blogging any more.

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  5. Ack---my DIAL UP INTERNET takes like 20 minutes to load these pics---------------AND it's worth every minute. Gosh, your place looks nice. If I bring you some of those peach geraniums, can I move into your garden shed?
    :D

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    1. I'm sorry Sue....it's bad enough that I put in a gazillion pictures, but then I made them LARGE to boot! I just get so excited when things actually begin growing and blooming.

      Yes, bring your peach geraniums and move right in. Heck, you can share that king sized bed with me and the dogs! I even have high speed internet, and I'll plug in the router, just for you!

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    2. Woohoo!!! I can steal your spinach!!!
      Oooops. Did I just type that?
      Hahahahahahahaha!

      But seriously, I love to weed and your dam (beaver)garden is already
      perfect. Rats. But, it was a nice thought..............
      (Though I'd STILL bring you peach geraniums....if I lived nearby!)
      :)

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    3. Oh, Sue, I'd plant an entire bed of spinach, just for you! Of course, it would just disappear as soon as it sprouted :-( I did replant, it is up, I expect it to all be gone by tomorrow.

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  6. Wow, your garden really did explode and unfortunately so did your neighbor's weeds! Maybe you should leave or send her a nice note about her weeds. If not, I would spray them on a nice calm day. That is just awful!

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    1. Robin, if her strip of weeds suddenly turned brown and dead, do you think she'd notice? LOL! She knows they are there, she mows right along that strip of crap every single week. I wondered if maybe she thought it was my property, but then she cut down her hedge which is along the same property line, so she must know it's hers. Besides that, her front fence attaches to that chain link. Gosh, I miss Pat. Remember when I used to plant that strip with tomatoes, beans and cucumbers for her? It looked so nice then.

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  7. Loved the pictures...I remember lawns that run from yard to yard from my childhood. In Southern California all properties are separated by fences or walls. A question...what is the fine netting type fabric you have covering some greens?

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    1. Patricia, that's plain old netting from the fabric store, 72" wide and less than $1 a yard. It works well for things like cabbage moths and leaf miner flies or any insect that is too large to go through the small holes. I like it because I can see through it, unlike the floating row cover, but it doesn't offer any protection from the elements.

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  8. Beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. :-)

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    1. Thank you, 1st. Man. I do think veggie gardens are beautiful!

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    2. Question, in that third picture down, what are those gorgeous pink flowers on the side of the house? I don't just see veggies, I see beauty all over the place!

      By the way, that picture is worthy of being in one of my 'Inspiration Thursday' postings!

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    3. Thank you again, 1st. Man. Those are rhododendrons. They aren't as pretty this year, due to my drastic pruning last year, but next year they should be gorgeous again. See the slaughter of them here...

      http://annieskitchengarden.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-31-2011-chive-blossom-vinegar-too.html

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  9. How do you do it? Not a weed in sight!

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    1. LOL, Marcia. I walk through the garden with hoe in hand every morning. It doesn't take much, as long as I don't let the weeds get ahead of me. I'm fighting a Bermuda grass infestation right now, and that takes the most work. That requires a shovel, not a hoe!

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  10. Everything looks great. You certainly did have a great growth spurt from this 2 sunny days. I don't have a problem with my neighbors weeds, just their maple trees. Last weekend I polled thoudands of seedlings out of the poll bed and after 3 days of rain, there are thousands more! The raised bed has to be completely dug out every other year and the maple roots removed. I keep praying for it to die...

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    1. Ed, I feel that about this same neighbor's walnut tree. It's old, it drops branches all over my garden (and sometimes on my head), and the walnuts cover my garden in the fall. The squirrels bury them and I have walnut trees growing everywhere. I might not mind if the walnuts were edible, but they are always wormy. I keep hoping the wind will do it in like it did to my maple tree.

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  11. I love the wide shot of your garden. So much green bursting out in your garden including your neighbor's weeds, Ugh!

    I do like the netting you use. You can see through it and I bet more light makes it through as well. Great idea!

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    1. Rachel, I only had to try 3 times to get that panoramic shot! It's still not perfect, it looks like the grass slopes and it doesn't, but it still gives you an idea of the size of the garden.

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  12. Beautiful garden! And really did take off in growing sprint!

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    1. Thank you, Jenny. Short lived though, it's supposed to drop from the 80s back down to the sixties now :-(

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  13. Break out the blankets tonight, Granny. The forecast is for a freeze over night. BRRR.

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    1. David, NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! My pretty garden, Tomato Alley, my peppers! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Actually, Pasco is supposed to be 36 tonight, but 31 tomorrow night. Looks like I'll have to figure out how to cover as much as I can. This is ridiculous, we're supposed to be completely safe from freezing by now.

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    2. David, on closer look I see it's supposed to hit 31F early tomorrow morning. I brought the potted tomatoes and peppers inside, will just keep my fingers crossed on the rest. We're usually about 5 degrees warmer here than the forecast.

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  14. Just beautiful Annie! I enjoyed looking and drooling over all your pictures. Most of your things are ahead of mine growth wise. I don't know how you do it all. My body really feels its age when gardening! Nancy at Cozy Thyme Cottage

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    1. Nancy, I love gardening. My muscles get sore at times, but it's a "good" sore. It reminds me I've accomplished something. It's sad to see so many women our age, and even younger, who can barely walk. I feel so lucky that I'm still strong and healthy and CAN still keep a garden growing!

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  15. Agh. That's frustrating. But I guess weed seeds mean you'll never run out of things to do.

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    1. Stefaneener, that fence line is the first area I hit with a hoe each morning! I'll be &%*#$@^ if I'm going to let it get ahead of me!!!

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  16. All that work has setup for a great season! Your garden looks so great with so much variety! Take the shop vac over the fence to the seed heads!

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    1. HAH, David! Mr. Granny and I just had a conversation about having left the shop vac in AZ, so we need to buy a new one!

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  17. Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful! Clip the weeds with long sheers through the fence! ;)

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    1. Thank you, Loretta. Yes, I'll have to clip, snip, pull or poison those weeds!

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  18. Gorgeous photos, Gran! I'm so glad everything is taking off for you, you've worked so hard already this year it's time to sit back and enjoy for a bit before the harvest starts coming in strong!

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    1. Thanks, Erin. One yummy harvest came in tonight....roasted baby beets for dinner!

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  19. Wow! I read you can cover the plants with some plastic or fleece row cover and put in a gallon jug of warm water (sorta cheapie version of wall-o-water) and it'll keep them warm...maybe?
    I haven't put out my tomatoes for the same reason that the night temps are STILL not compliant to the needs of the plants. I wish I lived nearby so I could help you cover everything that needs it. Just get some painter's tarps, some milk jugs, pitchers, etc whatever u have. how about those rope lights under a few sheets overnight? Might look very interesting to the neighborhood patrol. lol

    Good luck! I'll be praying for Jack to keep his Frosty Paws off of your plants these nights of freezing temps!
    ps. tera said our rope lights say keep them from getting wet. hmm. Maybe xmas lites?

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    1. Amy T., having dealt with gardening for over 50 years, I am well aware of what CAN be done to prevent freezing. However, sometimes there are situations that make it too difficult....like the way the tomato cages are attached to structures makes it impossible to throw a cover over them, and to try to individually wrap 24 tomato cages (and 12 pepper cages) with smaller pieces of plastic or agribon would just not be practical. Some warm light source would be nice, but you have to remember all my plants are not only not in one single bed, they are spread around in completely different parts of the yard and garden. I'd never find enough lights, extension cords or plugins. I don't have 50 milk jugs on hand to cover 50 tomato and pepper plants. Another thing....I might be tempting Mother Nature, but I've never lost a plant to freezing in May. Ever. Our lowest ever May temperature was 30 degrees, way back in 1986. Even that wasn't a hard enough or long enough freeze to kill anything.

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  20. PS I am going to compose the letter to the neighbor FOR you. That's just lame. Just go over and ask her if she doesn't mind clipping the weeds to prevent your very hard worked on stuff (obviously if she even looks) from getting destroyed. grrr.
    and i just msg'd as fleur or fragilefleur b/c it will autopilot me to google first before i think to use my ID.

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    1. Amy T., I'm afraid I'm the type that would rather be on friendly terms with my neighbor, deal with the weeds, and just grit my teeth and blow off steam about it by blogging!

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  21. Your garden is looking lovely. I particularly enjoyed the photo of the raspberries. Thanks to you I have plucked up the courage to build my raspberry trellis and it is currently in the works.

    I thought about what you said about the t-bar and decided to use for re-purposed posts to implement the idea(the posts used to support a couple of trees). I am painting them red (one of my favorite colors) and can hardly wait to get them into the ground. Picked up the wire yesterday. A friend has a tool that will help dig the 2 foot hole needed for each post.

    The weather has been good this last week in Seattle. I'm hoping to finish the painting this weekend and get them into the ground next week. Wish me luck and thanks for the inspiration!

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    1. Thank you, Susan. I'm happy I got you in gear on that trellis!

      I'm so mad at myself for having pruned down my raspberries so short last fall. I hope I get a half way decent crop from them. :-(

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  22. Your garden is great! I see some idea I can use too! :O). I love to garden as well. I ran over here from Two Men and a little farm blog... Nice to have found a fellow gardener :O).

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  23. Thank you, Texan, and welcome to my blog! Any friend of 1st. Man's is a friend of mine :-)

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