Sunday, March 27, 2011

Leaves, Leaves and More Leaves.

I gathered, loaded, unloaded and spread around 80 bags of Live Oak leaves over the weekend. Best year yet, and more to go before spring cleaning ends. Some of those were mega bags from the Gorilla yard men. This was down the road from the first, and with the same industrial strength bags, so no doubt is was the same gorillas. At any rate, the four mega beds are covered with 6 inches of leaves, and should do it for both weed control, and soil building.

Back at the ranch, it was still cleanup, cleanup, and cleanup. We burned the last of the burn pile. That will be the last of burning of winter debris. Composting will be able to keep up with it from here.

I replaced the northwest Azalea in the statue beds once again. This is my fourth attempt there. It is a tough spot for sure, but every year the Crepe Myrtles get larger. And it is definitely a water issues, which I took some technical steps to resolve as well, aka water absorbing crystals.

Pa Joe’s Bougainvillea rises again like a Phoenix from the ashes. This is an amazing Bougainvillea. It has endured incredible cold, yet year after year it returns from the roots. I weeded it, but on a half inch of compost, and gave it a good watering. This should be its best year in quite a while.

I moved the compost pot over to the head of the gardens, where it will be at its best. Best of all it is most convenient there. And excessive rains, if it leaches the nutrients will leach them right in the vegetable garden. The question becomes how to hide it from plain view. I thought of bananas, which would do great, but I need to be able to work my little Mantis tiller in there from several directions, so something shorter is needed. Then it hit me. I need to move those Cannas, the ones whose seeds I brought back from Miami, for the dog yard. Perfect height to surround the Compost Pot. Tall enough to hide it, but not too tall that I can’t throw the tiller up in there and work it. Yeehaa.

Hmm, what else. Still haven’t found the courage to dump the rest of the seedlings in the compost bin. And a good thing as my brother in law came by and wanted some more. Sure wish I could give them all away. I have a plan, lol.