Imagine my surprise when I found my elf Christmas mittens in my rock garden.
How in the world did they end up here? Maybe those elves do move around while we sleep!
I pondered that thought all morning. Finally I figured it out. I had these mittens in one of my evergreen bouquets on the kitchen counter. When I took the evergreen boughs out I tossed them over the rock wall. The mittens dropped out on the way to the wall.
Now I need to remember what was in this pot that I stuck in the ground last fall to overwinter.
I am pretty sure I blogged about it, so I will go back later and find out. I can't tell you how often this blog has come in handy for me to remember things.
This mat of silver is snow-in-the-summer. I get many people googling how to remove grass from this ground cover (and from phlox). I thought I'd show how I do it.
There is no easy way. You must be brutal. Just stick a shovel in near the grass and pop the whole shovelfull up (I normally wear gloves, but I had to remove them to get the camera).
Get as close to the grass root as you can and shake the soil away so you can get the full root. If you don't go after the whole root, you may as well not bother pulling the grass. It will be back before the week is out.Once it's out just pull out the shovel and let the soil drop back down. I don't even bother to stomp on it or pat it down.
I never notice any killing of the ground cover from this method. Snow-in-the-summer is one of those plants that is almost impossible to kill. I just keep sticking the shovel in and removing grass until I've had enough of it (you will never get it all unless you have a very tiny patch--save your sanity and just put in a respectable amount of effort and move on). Here's mine after I dug around for about 15 minutes.
I just leave it like that. It will look great after a rainfall and a bit of warm weather.Look what else the shovel turned up. My first grubs of the year!
It's early in the season so I am too squeamish to squish the little devils between my (gloved)fingers. Instead I dropped them on a rock and initiated my new gardening shoes. Ah, what fun! I squished 5 of them.It's 3:00 p.m. and I have put in a pretty good day of garden work. I hope I don't feel it tomorrow. Gardening work usually doesn't make me too sore. But I am getting older and I suspect that's one more thing that will be changing as I move toward those golden years.
You've certainly had a busy day and have gotten a lot done. I have the grass problem with my thrift. I spent hours working on it and it's back in a couple days! I sure feel it the next day but I'm old!
ReplyDeleteBrian is the one working hard in the yard today. He is cutting the lawn for the first time! I am still doing flower bed clean up, but not in the mood since it's 81 out and I have spring fever and blahness.
ReplyDeleteFunny about the mittens!
You've put in a great day's work! How surprising to find your mittens outdoors!
ReplyDeleteI agree that our blogs can really help us remember things. Great visual diaries!!
Have a wonderful weekend :)
xo
Did you find any other 'goodies' on your yard? Anything else you threw out in winter? Funny girl!
ReplyDeleteI worked outside again and you know something, I don't ache so much anymore...must be getting used to this bending and stretching although soaking in a hot tub sounds good right about now! How are you feeling, Zoey?
I love watching what you have done with your quilts. I know just what you mean about caressing the cotton. I love the feel of it, and each quilt becomes my baby while I am working on it. You've inspired me to show a quilt on my blog. Coming soon!
ReplyDeleteI thought perhaps the mitten belonged to one of the three little kittens. They're about the right size :)
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you've been able to get out into the garden, Zoey. Isn't it wonderful? Do you have more blooms now?
My daffs are really popping now and I've been taking pictures galore.
Our temps soared into the 80's these past few days, and I was able to get plenty done in the gardens. My back was really feeling it this afternoon! Ouch!
Hi Jean, thrift is another of those bad ones for grass. I really have to keep at it all summer in my phlox. I have so much phlox that it's a big job. I hope you muscles are feeling better!
ReplyDeleteDianne, how exciting to have the first grass cutting. Doesn't it smell wonderful?
Susie, I did feel good to have nice weather. I opened the windows for the first time.
Betty, glad to hear you are hurting less! I feel good this morning and (weather permitting) will be back outside when it gets light.
Jane Marie, I am so glad I inspired you to show one. I must make sure to pay a visit to see it. I am glad someone understands about how exciting it is to get the quilting done.
Kerri, around your house they could very well belong to a kitten! LOL. No blooms here. The tulips and daffs will be first, but not for a couple of weeks. I think I did see a stray Johnny Jump Up, but that's about it. 80's is getting pretty warm to do garden work. It was only around 70 here. Hope your back is better today!