Fall Clean-up of My Own

Saturday it rained most of the day so I was unable to get anything done outside, but Sunday was clear though a bit cold. Our high was only 52 degrees, but it felt good to get some work done outside. I sucked up a huge bunch of leaves with my Toro Blower/Vacuum. I only got the front and side yard done before my back decided I couldn't do anymore. It was too wet to just go over everything with the lawn mower, and I wanted the shredded leaves bagged so I could protect some tender plants and to add organic matter to a few beds.

I was able to cover a temporary bed used for holding some plants that I still have in containers. You may recall last year I lost dozens of plants to vole damage and some to rabbit damage. I'm hoping to prevent that this year by fencing the area against the rabbits and putting down a granular product called Molemax. I've used it many times with great success. It's made from castor oil, which they do not like. I sprinkled the pots and all around the pots with the granules and then watered it in. I will sprinkle more around the bed through out the winter, whenever there is no snow on the ground.

I also had plenty of leaves to put on some newly planted bridal wreath spireas and my Endless Summer hydrangeas. I did not cover them with leaves last year and I got very few blooms this past summer. They bloom on new and old wood, so they are a good choice for northern gardens, but they do need a little extra protection so you can get more blooms. I also covered to garden beds that hadn't had any organic matter added to them this year.

I still need to shred up the leaves in the back yard. Hopefully I will be able to do that next weekend and have some leaves for the compost pile and for the new round bed that was just put in this year.

I forgot I had some potted tulips to plant. Gary brought them home when a fund raiser was going to be throwing them out. They were selling potted tulips last spring to raise money for the school and were throwing out whatever didn't sell. I don't know if they will bloom next spring, since tulips are so iffy in this area, but I figured since they were free, I'd give it a shot.