As summer declines, and we careen toward Pumpkin Spice Latte Season; things have calmed down a little in the garden. I’m taking a break from weeding to share some of our successes and failures this year.
Clearance Perennials: This has been hit-or-miss. We haven’t had 100% success, but I’m still happy with them. The coreopsis are full, vibrant and blooming. Their leaves remind me of baby spinach! The speedwell and balloon flowers are doing well. The daisies are a puzzle. They’ve turned brown and dried up, but some of them have new growth in the center of the plant. I’m going to leave them in the garden to see if they will rebound.
Experimental Deer Fence: It’s safe to say this is no longer an experiment. We have had zero break-ins of the deer variety. In the evenings, Mark and I have watched the deer eating fallen apples all around the herb garden, but steering clear of it. All of the fishing line is intact, and I haven’t glued the knots or hooks. While the fence is keeping deer out, a smaller critter has been nibbling away at several of the plants. We think it’s probably a rabbit. It has topped off the lilies, the hosta in the blue planter and snipped off a few stems from the balloon flower. Where’s Elmer Fudd when you need him?
Ground Cover: The liriope looks great. It’s lush, dark green and the plugs have filled in. We’ll continue working on the two banks when it’s cool enough to transplant more plugs.
Hydrangea Layers: About a week after I cut them from the mother plant, the baby layers started to show signs of stress. The leaves wilted and some turned brown and started to rot. I decided not to transplant them and let them establish awhile longer. They’ve rebounded, and should be ready for transplant in the spring.
PJM Rhododendrons: These little dudes are doing just fine. They have recovered nicely from their trauma and are thriving with no new damage.
Succession Planting: Succession planting has been a resounding success! Wandering out to the herb garden and snipping fresh herbs for dinner is one of my favorite activities. We’ve dried and frozen some of the basil. Many of our summer salads are punctuated with parsley or mint. I’m letting some of the cilantro go to seed in hopes that it will self-seed in the spring.
Here’s a puzzle for you: This random weed(?) appeared next to the speedwell. We have no idea what it is. My gut instinct is to pull it and move on with my life; hubby thinks it’s not a weed and we should leave it alone and see what happens. It’s about 12″ tall and smooth, like one enormous blade of grass. Thoughts?
How about you? Have you learned any gardening tips and tricks? What’s working in your garden this summer?
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