The Wind Has Hit!!

 The sun is red and the wind is really whipping 

stuff around.  The yard is trashed with junk from

the neighbors' trees.  The air is really smoky

from the fires from  the east.   It isn't healthy

to be outside at all.  If you have health issues

this is not the time to go outside and breathe

that air.  So stay inside!!!

9/13/2020,  I spent my Sunday cleaning up 

the yard as much as I could.  When I cut back

plants I will then finish up the cleanup!

9/21/2020, today I spent my day vacing up

the hosta bed and making sure the the circle

bed was done also.   I have along the fence

to go but that won't be this week as they

say a few days of rain.

B. Shorty's Variegated

 Several folks have made requests for this

Brugmansia, we were able to get some nice

cuttings stated and hopefully they will be

ready for spring.  We take small tip cuttings

so it takes about a year before they are ready

to be sent.  Many are getting to the 6 to 8 

inch range.

We have a list about 3 years out.  I try to take cuttings in

the early spring when they are actively growing is the

best time to do this Brugmansia.  

August Recap

As we get ready to start a new month, it's time

to take a look back at August.  Lots of blooming

going on here!!  Time now for the fall bloomers.

Harvest has been plentiful and the freezer is full.

We are also seeing several flowers that are

having heat damage.  Mother Nature's little 

surprises.

 

September In the Garden

 As September fast approaches we start to

see the gardens disappear.  I have been 

cutting back and cleaning out the garden 

beds.  Trees and shrubs are being cut back 

and shaped.  Remember if you cut back at 

the wrong time then you will not have some

bloom.   You should only trim once it's done 

flowering.  We have also cut back several 

of our azaleas to rejuvenate them.  You can 

also check at this time for some of the diseases 

that they have.  Make sure you really clean 

them out to prevent their issues.  

Mid Sept. it will be time to make sure the 

brug house is covered and arranged to make 

sure all the Brugmansia are safe to put away.  

We should have them all put away by the 

15th of Oct.  It will be our busy time of the 

year in getting this all done.  This year has 

been a bad year for them due to the heat we 

had, so this year we will be cutting them 

back as we have decided not to save seeds.

It will be great to take some of these giants

back to where they can be managed.

We will not be shipping after the 15th of 

Sept. so if you see something you should 

request it soon.

We have limited what seeds we collect 

this year.  If you are interested let us know

or watch for our list in Oct.

What a difference a few weeks make, due

to the fires around us, we have started the 

cut back of the yard and moved all the brugs

onto the driveway after stripping them 

back to just the top leaves.  The smaller ones

were put in the greenhouse for protections due

to the smoke in the air.   

9/18  I have a large portion of the front yard 

cut back and 75% of the hostas cut back in

the back yard.   I have also started the process

of stripping all the rose leaves off also.  Every-

think feels gritty.    We will not be saving a lot

of seeds this year. 

We are watching the new grass come in

and will add more seeds in the spring to

overseed the lawn.  From what we are 

watching it appears we are in for a 

hard winter.  

Start cleaning up the yards!! 

Perennial Hibiscus In Bloom

 

Can you tell which one is our favorite?

Heat damage.

Here We Go Again!!

 

Another branch has split and there are a couple

more branches headed downward.   Yes, right

over over the area that was taken out just a couple 

years ago.

Yes a letter went out to both the neighbor and

insurance folks.

10/7/2020  Finally this branch was removed

with a few others.  It just boggles the mind

how high these trees are limbed up and not

removed!   These are oozing sap like you

wouldn't believe.

No notice of work or did they offer to clean

up the mess in our yard.......good neighbor?? 

Neighbor to the North

 For the past week we have had to deal with

them burning in their firepit and this 

morning it started at 8:15am.  We are 

currently under a burn ban but who cares?? 

All we can do it turn on the sprinklers 

to hopefully knock down the smoke and

close all our windows.  85 degrees and

this went most of the day yesterday.

Yes, they know about our breathing issues, he 

has also admitted that their daughter also has 

asthma.   It just boggles the mind with the 

virus and health issue that folks continue to burn.

Fall Clematis Blooms

C. texensis 'Pagoda'

C. Rooguchii

C. SuzyMac

C. Josephine, loaded with buds

C. Josephine

C. Multi Blue

 C. Duchess of Edinburgh

All were cut back before the 15th of July and have just started to bloom.

Putting in a New Lawn.

 A week ago I started to kill the lawn with 

the  help of Mother Nature when our temps

in the high 90s.

First was to lower the mower and scalp the 

grass, then to spray Roundup and watch it die.    

Four days later, it was time to again spray 

Roundup on the areas that were missed.   

Once it was yellow then it was again time to lower 

the mower to the lowest level and take off the 

extra grass.  Then the next step is to water the 

area, a good soaking.  It has been so dry, it sure

needed to be watered.

Next to purchase the grass seed and fertilizer.  

Yep, one needs to fertilize the lawn area before 

putting out the seed.   Went to Home Depo to 

get the fertilizer and found that they anytime 

fertilizer wasn't there.   I then opted to use the 

new lawn fertilizer and hope it works like the bag 

states.   The to select the grass seed, yes overseed 

is the key!! So buy enough and for this area the 

date is Sept. 1 to have this down in time to make 

it through the winter months.

Someone asked why we killed our beautiful grass, simple 

if one takes a serious look at our lawn and see the difference 

in the grasses.  If you allow some of these grasses to grow 

they will take over.  We also try to keep the weeds out and that

can be a challenge when no one around you control their weeds

and thistle.   Folks allow them to go to seed and the wind blows

it all over.  We try to do the weed free lawn but this year has been

so bad.  

Yes, one should kill the grass before putting down seeds, if you

don't you just will not have good grass.  If you don't kill the lawn

the weeds are still there and you waste the money on seeds.   Another

tip is don't scalp your yard when you mow, raise the mower up and allow

the grass to grow in the heat of the summer.   Plus water!!  Proper lawn

care is what adds value to your home.

We are currently seeing baby fine grass coming up in just short of a 

week after putting down new seed.

These photos were taken after our 

second mowing this spring.