Garden Siren Call

Before: I just got started on the driveway weed project After: It's done for 2019! A neighbor jogged past me on Monday and took a look at what I worked on. I was kneeling at the top of our driveway, which stretches 15-20 feet across. The juncture of the driveway and our street, 208th Avenue, was filled with weeds and I was on a mission to pull them out. "This is my OCD project!" I yelled to the jogger, only half in jest. For the second summer, I tackled the weeds on this part of the driveway. Looking up and down our street, it appeared that our property was the most weedy. We can't have that! The tools used are a container of water, gloves, a kneeling pad and pair of pliers. I found regular pliers were the best tool to use, after trying the weeder, as well as needle nose pliers. The process: 1. Sprinkle water on several feet of the weeds, making sure it soaks into the dirt. 2. Wearing gloves, pull out the weeds about an inch at a time. Use the...

Red cannas in the back of the deck display were attacked by Japanese  beetles, but fought them off and now are thriving When the Baker's young daughter was injured in a school bus accident, she was treated and released in the hospital's emergency room, and returned home. This mother made sure her child was comfortable indoors, and then headed outside to weed the garden. With passion. The example of gardening activity right after a family crisis might be described as having "an addiction" to the yard and garden areas. Getting outdoors in warm (and not so warm) weather is like an addiction, it seems. It's the first thing done in the morning, and last thing at night. Some of the best times to garden during a warm spell are in the early-morning hours, and at night the stars are gorgeous in the big sky above. There are about 13 garden areas in our big Scott County yard. If gardening is an addiction, it is a healthy habit and the results, ultimately, i...