As our weather has settled pretty well, with us getting rain every few days and warmth in between, the plants are looking good, including the sweet corn we’ve planted twice. But then, so are the weeds! Holy cow, I don’t think I’ve ever seen such lamb’s quarter and pigweed. We could hardly see our poor peppers.
I took the riding mower and mowed on both sides of the double row in the Sand Garden. Then Will ran the rototiller down the middle and on both sides, where I’d mowed. It was looking better. Yesterday, I went at it and hand-weeded around each plant and yanked up a bunch the tiller had bent over, not tilled up. With my sore knees, I went slow, just bending over to weed several plants, then taking a break to sit on the golf cart. I’d move it ahead and when I’d rested a bit, I went at it again. Slow? Yes. But it all got done.
Will had been busy tilling next to and then weeding and hilling up the two long rows of potatoes in the Wolf Garden. And he discovered we had an infestation of potato bugs. Before he hilled, I got the pump-up sprayer filled with Bt and sprayed the heck out of all the plants. This organic spray only kills bugs that eat the leaves, not butterflies and good insects. I found I could slowly drive the golf cart down next to the rows and spray seated. My knees were very happy about that!
But then I went ahead and ran the rototiller down the bean and corn rows and back. Yep, that was slow too, as I ran the golf cart down, ahead of the tiller, on the next row over, straddling the row, so I could take a rest in between tilling. It was hot and I was sweating, but it looks so much better! Today, I’ll go out and do a couple more rows. Will’s at it right now. Then, we have to hand weed between the plants. Not looking forward to that one bit.
— Jackie
Weeds are the bane of every gardener everywhere. It is so frustrating, but that’s just what it is. Be sure and protect those knees. I worry you will over do and have a set back. I know work has to be done, but take care of yourself. Your gardens look great! Sending prayers for a blessed week.
Thanks again Marilyn! I’m doing everything I can to help the knees. I just bought some New Balance shoes. I had noticed before my surgeries, that if my knees started hurting, I’d buy a new pair of them, and they soon got better. I’m hoping that will help. I’d gotten some slip-on Sketchers so I could put my shoes on without having to bend down and tie them. I’ve worn them for a couple of years and wonder if that might be contributing to my problem. We’ll see.
die die die weeds
Amen, amen!!!
Jackie you and Will sure do an AWSOME job on weed control! the beautiful rose was the nicest way to end photo shoot. its all worth your hard work. God bless you.
We both feel way behind in weeding. But we also know we can only do what we can do in a day. Getting mad and frustrated gets nothing done. I love the rose too! Up here, in Zone 3, we’re really limited in what roses we can grow. But we have found a few that are hardy and beautiful.
Jackie, your gardens and surrounding forests are so beautiful. I really wish I had a big garden that my husband liked to garden with me, like you and Will, but alas we live on top a mountain with a small garden I handle alone. I think my dream would come true to work side by side. I like every one of your posts. Like I’ve said before, it’s like getting a letter in the mail!
@Elizabeth Johnson – in today’s world, very few of us live close to like minded people. All I can say is at first my husband was not much into gardening at all, particularly potatoes. Not going to get political but past and current occupant brought a change of mind re: gardening. As well as putting back a little each time either of us were out shopping – I call it stealth stock-up – not drawing attention to one’s self.
I will likely repeat my concern for those who for whatever reason do large shopping trips. Please, please be cognizant of your surroundings. It isn’t just cash that criminals or those with nothing left to lose are after.
Harvested garlic today – odd thing is more than one large bulb had one, some times two smaller bulbs growing next to it (with little to no visible above ground stalk).
Looks like clear weather Sunday/Monday – I know I can finish weeding the small areas in the asparagus/catnip plus the strawberry patch. Will help take my mind off the far, far too early passing of the best cat ever.
I totally understand having a husband who doesn’t enjoy gardening. My late, ex-husband was a veterinarian but absolutely did not want to do physical work, in the garden or building anything. It just wasn’t “his thing”, so I did it. Yes, having Will to help me is sure a huge blessing. But, I have also been in the do-it-yourself position and tried to make the best of it.
Oh it wasn’t the physical work – it was the are we really saving money state of mind. Yes, we’ll never grow onions. I grew up on home grown potatoes, generations of farmers. He’s Italian (growing garlic and tomatoes yes) hence taters were not a staple of his upbringing. He’s now “seen” and tasted the “light”.
Better half is a builder by trade (we thank his maternal grandfather – DNA only as his grandpa had passed before better half was born). I would not be living in/have lived in a nice of house/property.
Now if only one of us liked to dust LOL.
I finally got the last bed in my hoop houses planted and the earlier ones weeded but I could do with another weeding session in the green house and some hoop house beds. Been fighting bear incursions. I have shot two black bears in the last month, one in the chicken pen and one in the yard after the chickens were raided earlier in the day. Both were skinny and the guy I gave the last one to said he had shot one that yielded half a pint of rendered fat. I had a bear two days ago break in the chicken yard in the night and it came back in the afternoon but I couldn’t get a shot. I now have a two tape electric fence protecting the entrances to the house and pen as well as the chicken fence with 4500 volts on it! Two nights with no bear problem! Neighbor less than a quarter mile away shot a bear the night after I got the last one. Never had trouble with bears bothering chickens before. Usually have one or two come thru, look around and leave.
Haven’t had hens since the last were all eaten by a black bear years ago, here in zone9, far north California. He easily pulled down the six foot chain link fence, no problem. I’d like electric fence, if the hubby would put it up. Won’t be raising hens again unless I have that kind of security.
Yep, black bears will get chickens. My friend in Montana shot one coming out of her chicken coop. I’ve used electric tape to keep our furry friends away from our orchard and gardens to good advantage. But holy cow, 4500 volts! Be careful not to get fried!!
I’ve noticed as I’ve aged garden work is harder and takes longer.
Yes, do you think?? I often wish I were even 50 again!!
How far apart are your rows? Mine are 36 inches for potatoes, 5 feet for tomatoes, the rest 2 ft. There is no way I can run a mower between rows. I do like your idea. The pig weed, bind weed and lambs quarters weeds are crazy this year. The raspberries are abundant and I’ve dug some early red potatoes. My knees and back ache with the weeding. I enjoyed your article about farmstead hounds. We’ve had a collie, blue heeler (when we had the dairy cows) and a golden retriever. They were great companions. Well time to get back to weeding.
It’s so different here in zone 9, far north hot and dry California. There are no summer rains. I irrigate with quarter inch line, that puts out every six inches. So once initial weeds are down after spring, there’s little to weed in summer. Even in the rows.
Wow, that’s a big blessing!! I’m so jealous. : )
@Everett Lindsey – I don’t have any of your weeds nor any Purslane (usually a perennial here). Grass, clover – likely from years ago seed, – catnip (companion plant truth be told), “carpet weed”, violets!, and a couple other weeds I’ve yet to identify are my nemesis this year. Each year a new weed or two appears – seed viability is nothing i can control.
Hi Everett! Our rows vary in width. Our potato rows are about 40 inches apart to allow for tractor furrowing and hilling. The tomatoes, about 4′ apart and beans, corn, etc. about 40 inches. We use the riding mower for edges but not in between rows. Will uses the push mower in the rows. That old beast is ageless and always starts. Why? Don’t have a clue! No, not Will, the mower!!
Dear Jackie,
I understand about the bugs. My husband said one year he sprayed some bugs on my flowers, and the bugs stood up, inhaled deeply, and then roared at him like lions. He figured he needed a different spray as these guys seemed to enjoy it. LOL It told him it was possible that they had become immune to store bought insecticides. I don’t know; but it did not phase them at all. I sure hope you and Will have better luck.
I love your bug story!! Fortunately, our potato bugs aren’t that tough. I sprayed them with pyrethrin, knocking down their numbers. Then I ran out and it rained. Eggs hatched and more were there, so I sprayed with year-old Bt. For two days now, we haven’t seen any. But I’m going out this afternoon and spraying them again, just to be sure no more eggs hatch and give us a new crop of bugs.
Wow…where do you get enough stuff to mulch those big gardens! Weeds are so bad this year here too, especially bindweed.
And remember, God made each of us unique. So everybody’s body, everyone’s knees and backs are different. So everybody’s injuries surgeries & recoveries are different too. Take care of yourself and Will in the way that works best for you!
Peace, Vicki
We are using big round bales of reed canary grass that Will bales on the wetter sides of some of the hay fields. Because it’s just us two and an occasional friend weeding/mulching, we won’t get everything mulched this year. Oh well. Yes, we know our bodies are all different. It is frustrating to hear folks talk about how quickly their knee replacement healed up to 100%, where mine just didn’t. And, yes, I did all the exercises and PT. Oh well…. I just deal with what I have the best way I can.
The weeds always win in the end. At least they do around here. I could spend every day weeding and by the following morning more weeds will have popped up. It’s infuriating.
Yes, it is. But we keep plugging along, trying to keep them down, at least until the plants get big enough to overcome the weeds. If we quit for a day they seem to laugh at us and grow twice as big.
Slow but steady progress means you don’t overdo your knees nor do get overheated.
Yep, that’s what I figure. Progress is progress, even if it’s kind of slow and frustrating.