For the past six years we have used our garage as storage for things we didn’t need in the house. It seems that for every item we’ve given away, we’ve somehow receive twice as much. This afternoon, we started re-organizing the garage, moving things around, sorting others in different boxes (those we are keeping, the giveaways and those we are simply getting rid of). I am always excited when we clean up because I know for sure that I will find items to donate to others in needs. I have learned never to hold on to things which no longer serve my needs and when it comes to donating I do it with love and never expecting anything in return, not even a simple thank you. My only reward is knowing that someone, hopefully, will put whatever they receive to good use.
While outdoors gardening, setting up the new planter and deadheading my roses, I found interesting bugs.
Goldenrod Crab Spider.
I spotted the Goldenrod Crab Spider above on the Judy Garland Rose pictured. It dropped off a flower petal when I got too close and landed on a stepping stone. Younger females especially tend to change color from white to yellow depending on their targeted flower (to blend in appropriately or become nearly invisible).
Half-Wing Moth resting on the Fence.Ladybug on Rose Leaf.Ladybug Larvae on Rose.Bee Pollinating.
Wishing you a good night and a happy, fun-filled weekend.
Here in the High Desert, the first two weeks of Spring are awesome. The weather is simply at its best (not too cold, not too hot) and one is able to get out and get things done. After this time, we are ‘blessed’ with what seems to be a 24 hour high and gusty winds, which will go on for a few more weeks before finally settling. Gardening is not impossible at this time, just challenging as you have to go out there well equipped and armed:
Safety Goggles to protect your eyes from dust and allergens in the air.
Safety Nose Masks (protection from dust and allergens).
Beanie hats, bandana, Sombrero, or whatever you can think of to protect your forehead from the cold wind.
Water resistant Gloves. They will keep your hands warm, protect them from blisters, thorns, handling gardening tools, sharp edges. They will prevent dirt from getting under your nails and prevent your hands from drying).
Dress warmly to protect your skin from the wind and cold.
It has been two weeks and a half since the beginning of Spring and the first Rose blooms in my garden are fading. I had only a few days to enjoy them and now snip them off like they were never there in the first place.
Deadhead Roses.
I was busy all morning going around my Rose Garden snipping off dead flowers from my Roses to give the plants a cleaner look and to encourage more flowering. For the past six years, it has become a task in which I take great pleasure in accomplishing and I do it once a week after the Rosebushes start flowering until the plant goes dormant. Here in the High Desert, it gets so hot that our beautiful flowers fade a few days after blooming and in extreme conditions they fade before fully blooming and sometimes the Rose’s buds dry out giving an unattractive appearance to the plant and subsequently, to the yard. To me, that is just unacceptable.
It’s Spring, right? If you are like me, then you’ve been waiting for this time of year to sit back and watch those gorgeous bulbs you planted last Fall bloom. You’ve been looking forward to cutting a few Rose Stems and placing them in a Vase or Vintage Cruet. You’ve been busy planning a few Summer parties and having some friends over. While the pictures are perfect in your mind, reality suddenly sets in: those weeds growing all around your property are not setting the mood for festivities and worst, they are not inviting.
Weeding is a time consuming activity which no one really enjoys doing. Here in the High Desert, weeds are a nuisance and a year-round problem for Home and Business owners. Those of us with huge, open lands know exactly what I am talking about. I don’t mean the task of removing weeds on your Lawn or Garden/Garden beds. I am talking about weeding open fields with wild plants growing on them. No matter what we do and how we handle them, they simply won’t go away. Most weedkillers (especially Chemicals) are expensive, harmful and often ineffective. Let’s explore some temporary options to consider:
Gravel. You could spread a thick layer of gravel on top of a landscape fabric. This is good for a few years until the fabric start degrading and you have to remove all the gravel and replace the fabric. Keep in mind that weed can still grow over the fabric and other elements will get trapped and pile up since the landscape fabric prevents natural soil filtration to occur. When you look at it this way Mulch seems to be a better alternative.
Tractor. Use it to cut weeds and then level the ground. You will need to repeat the process the following year.
Herbicides. Keep in mind that just like people, plants too are different. So not all herbicides work on all plants.
Chemicals. These should be your last option and must be used cautiously. They are not Eco-friendly and could be harmful to other plants as well as animals.
Herbivorous. Animals such as Goats, Horses, Cows, Rabbits, Tortoises, Sheep, Donkeys, Kakapos, Geese and many others can help rid your property of weeds by eating them.
Grass is not an option. Aside from being costly (installation and maintenance) it doesn’t solve the weed issues.
YOU. You have to figure out what your desire is and then connect it to your determination.
Weeding Tools:
Your two hands
Hoes: long or short
CobraHead Weeder and Cultivator
Shears, Scissors, Pruners, Gardener’s knife
Garden Kneeling Pad/Bench
Weed Eater, Weed Eliminator, Weed Grubber
Spades, Shovels, Forks, Broadforks
Lawn and Leaf Rakes
Gloves (Synthetic, Latex, Heavy-duty, Arm Protectors)
Gardening Shoes
Our Approach: Divide and Conquer
If you can, remove weeds before they set seed to keep them from seeding and spreading.
Weeding Tip: Divide and Conquer.
When weeding, we only use three gardening tools: The Rake, Hand Shovel and the Draw Hoe.
We start weeding as early as the last two weeks of February (when the chances of a Snow Storm are minimal, the ground is still slightly wet from the rain/snow). At that time the weeds are a lot easier to pull since they have not yet established a strong root system. One advantage of starting early is that the weather is much cooler and we don’t feel as exhausted as we would have on a hot day.
Our ‘weeding trips’ are never planned. We only weed when we feel like doing it. By not focusing and obsessing too much about the weeds we are able to plan a strategy on getting the job done the best way we can.
Divide and Conquer! This is the key to getting the job done on time. We divide the job into small squares and then tackle one square at a time. It makes it easier to see your progress and will take you about a minute to do each square and another to rake the weeds out of it.
How many times have you made up you mind to go out there and weed just to get there, fully prepared and be paralyzed with an overwhelming feeling – not knowing where to begin?
By JM Perez
