End of Summer Gardening
Submitted by Joan Regan
Summer is getting just too close to being Fall and it is happening just too fast for my liking.
It’s been a great Summer for my garden, lots of sunshine, just enough rain. Happy Garden = Happy Gardener. Not wanting Summer to bid farewell just yet – I am still getting some things ready.
One of those things are three Hostas in pots that were not happy in the ground (nothing is in the very back of the garden) so into pots they went. Not thinking they would do what they did, they were put in pots way too small and my thoughts were getting out the knife and wack, wack. However, I do have extra large containers, so they will get filled with well mixed soil and mulch, no fillers, and out comes the Hosta and into the big guy. I will cut into the roots a bit to loosen them and just pot them up. Did this with another pot last year and it is so happy. So much easier on this gardener as well. 3/4 soil 1/4 mulch well mixed. Container has four holes drilled in the bottom and also around the base 2-3” from the edge – should be enough and NO saucers.
The garden these potted up Hostas were in has a gnarly old Poplar tree in it, but although quite ugly it has character, so it stays and I work with it. Probably the reason nothing wants to grow in there, so containers are my solution.
I did this with other plants in there: Lilies, Astilbe, Shastas and Heuchera, and they exploded. First time blooming for the Lilies and they were gorgeous, all of them. After seeing the one Astilbe so happy I dug out the other and also one I found that was teeny weeny. They both are beautiful and “Tiny Tim” didn’t bloom but has taken over the large container. He will be a show stopper next year I bet.
I’m slowly doing some condensing and tightening the edges of the gardens. They’re looking good. Now to attack the paths that are slowly getting out of hand. I have my Dad’s old Dutchman’s Hoe for that and it works fantastic. That 1943 thing is catching up a bit, so I have two wheelbarrows down where I am working, saves me going back and forth for soil etc. One to work in and one for soil and mulch – and they hold my tools while working down there. Easy peasy.
Lots of rain, lots of sun. My Garden is happy, happy and so is Mrs Gardener.
Happy Gardening Folks,
Joni
jpregan@amtelecom.net 519 596 2389
