Why I Oughta...

This is always one of the toughest times in the garden for me:  things are done for the year and we're facing Fall decline.  But, that doesn't stop the weeds from showing up.  And, I've usually been not-so-good about keeping on top of them.  That's part of why I put "Be a gardener who weeds" at the #8 slot on my 2025 to-do list .  Last year, I let clover go too much.   This year, I've been better.  Between using my push-pull hoe and just yanking out clumps of weeds (and lots of clover), I've tried to stay on top of the weeds and get to them before they can flower.  In early August, I posted a photo of a big handful of clover I yanked out one evening .   This week, I did the same thing:  walked and pulled.   Clover, yes.  But, also some other stuff that was in flower.  Just-in-the-nick-of-time, I think. Here's to being a better weeder this year.

Last growing season, I fell behind on weeding the garden.  Between the pizza oven build, my own health and the lack of mulch on top of our soil, we had some weed problems.  Sure, I tried to use my push/pull hoe to chop them off.  But, I fell behind. That's why I put #8 on my 2025 to-do list : 8. Be a weeder. Just use the push-pull hoe. It is a good way to get out in the evenings to observe what is working in the garden. In the list item, I say that I should just use the hoe.  But, I (now) know that isn't enough.  Especially...when things are getting ahead of me in terms of weeds with flowers.  And...going to seed. This year, we have a clover infestation.  Clover in the beds.  Clover in the lawn.  Clover with little yellow flowers.  The past few weeks, I've been pulling as much clover and other weeds as I can.  See below...here's one evening's work: The weeds that are producing flowers are the key ones that I've been pulling and toss...

A month ago, I posted photos showing the seed packet and the knee-high seedlings that were popping up in my new full-sun cut-flower bed on the side of our house .  I crowed about how I was really pushing things with getting used to direct-sowing seeds like this Nicotiana Jasmine.   In that month since, the seedlings kept getting TALLER AND TALLER.  Some were over my head.  And all of them were crowding out other things - like Zinnias and a few Dahlia tubers that I interplanted in that same bed.   Curious, I thought.  They were growing taller and taller.  No blooms.  Here's what they looked like: Then....we went to Nat's parents house where her mom has plenty of Nicotiana Jasmine.  Too much, maybe.  Her Mom says that it reseeds iteself.  When I looked at hers, they were MUCH SHORTER.  And the leaves were more droop-y and almost like a lettuce leaf.   VERY DIFFERENT from what I was seeing in my bed. ...

The Wild Onion continues to be a problem.  The clumps of these bulbs are in our lawn and in our beds.  I've worked at them for years - including cultural and herbicide treatments over the years.  I've removed them, sprayed them and attempted to treat the soil to make them less happy.  This Spring, I've lime'd the backyard , sprayed the tips with Tenacity and pulled them out by hand.  This past week, I went into the understory garden bed and used my Hori Hori to pull up a bunch of these jerks.  Below is the orange trug filled up with the bulbs.  What's different in the beds vs the lawn is that it is a bit easier to get the bulbs out without taking more dirt/soil/earth.  I pry up the bulbs, cut the clump and pull from the bottom.   If you have Wild Onions like we do, be SURE TO NOT COMPOST THEM.  These go right in the trash - not the compost pile.   Here's a couple of other Spring 2023 posts on these awful things.