It’s gardening season, that’s for sure.
Last Saturday, I worked at a Master Gardener project with my friend, Sue, where we were trying to bring back four small kitchen gardens at the Colonel Paul Wentworth House.
The previous Wednesday morning I spent time with a skilled MG identifying and labeling some of the plants already there, and Thursday I traveled to a MG friend’s 400 acre property to dig additional plants.
On Saturday, there were seven of us. We could have used a few more, but not everyone wants to work that hard especially on a weekend.
We used shovels and forks to dig out the weeds, and if I never see another Rose Campion plant it will be okay because I think I personally must have adiosed a hundred of them. ๐
We left the beds in much better shape than we found them, but their committees still need to decide on final plants, mulch or no mulch, and covering or no covering for the pathways between the beds.
What happens while they decide these things at monthly committee meetings? Mother Nature reaches out and attempts to take those beds back if they’re not careful.
Working on a new MG project is always exciting, at least for a gardening nerd, but I also have to walk away and know that short of showing up every week to weed and water, we have to hope that their volunteers will maintain it.
This week I’m back to regularly scheduled home gardening and a trip to the nursing home with Sue to plant some additional perennials. This will be a much lighter week, and that’s okay because we’ll also have time to stop for coffee.
Hope your gardening efforts are going well. I planted our 42″ tall grape vines yesterday but enclosed them in pop up tomato accelerators and row cover material for a few days to get them acclimated to the outdoors. They had truly outgrown their spot in front of the window on the porch and needed to be in the ground. Three more weeks, and I get to take the flats of tomatoes to our MG plant sale. I must admit I’m looking forward to moving all gardening efforts outside and reclaiming our porch for relaxing. ๐
Have a great first week in May!
NewEnglandGardenAndThread 
What a lovely project Judy! I worked for a time volunteering at the Hildene, the Lincoln family home in Manchester, Vt, reestablishing their kitchen garden, and maintaining their formal garden. It was a wonderful experience, especially in the spring!
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It is very special to be on that property and think about its history. I’m glad we could help give those gardens a boost.
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You’ve been a busy bee this week….as usual. Those beds certainly show that they’ve had some tender loving care. I really hope the volunteers will actively continue what you and Sue started. But
Saturday you had a bonanza of help. Very often that isn’t the case.
If those gentle souls in the Nursing Home know you are coming, I bet they are counting the days.
The joy of beauty you provide them is priceless. You and the ladies who work by your side are to be commended for your selflessness.
Hope you get your sun porch back soon. Sounds like you could use a quiet relaxing place to enjoy a book and ice tea or cup of coffee!
Ginger
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It’s wall to wall plants in there right now, and I’m to the point I hate to turn around because I’m concerned I’ll knock something over. Those tomato plants are just going crazy, and I’m afraid to fertilize them again or we’ll be forced to extend the lights again. Wish you were closer I’d bring some over to you. ๐
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I don’t have any desire to work that hard in the yard, but oh how I appreciate you and those gardeners like you that make the land and gardens so beautiful.
I hope the Wentworth estate doesn’t let all the hard work you all did go to the weeds again!
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It is hard work, that is a fact, and I sure hope they get a couple of volunteers to keep it up.
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My back hurts just thinking about that hard work! Many thanks to you and the other gardeners for getting the beds ready to make the gardens beautiful again.
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Well, I must admit I used a few ice packs and downed a couple of Aleve after last week. ๐
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Sounds like a lot of work but a labour of love this weekend. All sets of photographs looked fantastic. I hope you get some rest and that your muscles are notbtoo sore.
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It is always nice to help people out with their gardening project, and I’m resting up this week, relatively speaking that is. ๐
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Good Morning Judy.
How wonderful for you to get those gardens back into shape at the Wentworth Estate. Crossing my fingers and hoping that โtheir committeesโ keep the gardens beautiful.
I worked in our backyard trimming lots of overgrowth. And will do the same in the front yard this week. I am looking forward to working in our Pennsylvania gardens very soon!
Enjoy your week Judy. Sounds like itโs going to be fun! ๐
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You have two gardens to take care of which is no small task. Safe travels to PA, and I hope you have a wonderful summer at the lake.
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This is an exciting time for gardeners, especially the ones who start things from seeds. It must make you feel good to see plants that are ready to go in the ground.
The before and after pictures show a lot of work. I hope the staff can take care of the beds you recovered, but I imagine they have more work than volunteers, too.
In any case, it’s a great time to be playing in the dirt.
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Yes, it is a good time to dirty your nails before the heat sets in. ๐
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When I raised my own plants, each stage was a delight. When the seeds sprouted. Watching them grow but nothing was as exciting as getting them outside so I could have the space back in the house!
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It starts out small and then they grow which is amazing, but suddenly the size of the room shrinks. ๐ The flats of tomatoes head to the MG sale on the 23rd so that will clear out a lot as they head to new homes.
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What a great project. I hope the volunteers hold up their end of the deal. Digging in the dirt, planting the plants, it sounds like you had a good weekend. Happy May!
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I hope they maintain too because it took a lot of planning and work. ๐ Happy May to you too. Is this the year for that new deck? ๐
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This should be the year for the new deck but we can’t find anyone to build one! Thus it may not be the year of the new deck after all. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
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We ‘hired’ a company to do some gutter work. The only problem is so far no show.
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Yep, availability then reliability are critical. Sorry about your no-show.
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A new lilac bush is finally blooming this season…..my wife was threatening to move it (me move it), so this development is a relief and pleasure.
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Yes – lovely blooms, nice fragrance, and no shovel needed. ๐
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We are working on our herb garden and for the second year getting a blight on our basil. Any suggestions or ideas?
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Thanks for the learning opportunity. I found this article which seems to have a well rounded approach to growing basil: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/basil/basil-diseases.htm#:~:text=Bacterial%20Leaf%20Spot%20or%20Basil,the%20stems%20of%20the%20plant. I read several other articles and didn’t find any remedies except purchase types that are resistant to blight or remove the affected plants. I fight blight every season on my tomatoes so I try to rotate the best I can in a small home garden and remove the leaves as I see them. Let me know how it goes. ๐ค
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Thanks so much for taking the time to do this research. I will let you know how things go.
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Let’s hear it for gardening nerds! What good is done with gardening — and what crick in the lower back! Those Before and After pictures really show the labor involved in resuscitating a garden; with you, I hope their volunteers will take over because you have given them every reason to restore it to what it once was. A real kitchen garden is such a delight! And what a gift to that nursing home those perennials are. I hope you have your porch back soon!
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I really hope they keep it weeded and finish the planting. We’ll plant some additional perennials and their window boxes at the nursing home. I repotted 48 tomato plants this morning which takes one and a half times as much space on the porch. So, some things went to the garage window, some went to the shed window, and I’ve been trying to figure out how to close the shades tonight. ๐ Next year, I’m going to be a little more careful with viable seeds. ๐
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48 tomato plants??!!! Good gracious! I cheer you on with hopes your back didn’t give out — that sounds like a lot of bending to me. I too will be hoping that the volunteers will be at those weeds; meanwhile, the residents in that nursing home are going to be much healthier, especially in spirit, because of your plantings. It’s a wonderful gift to them.
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Lots of work but for an excellent cause, Judy. They’re lucky to have all of you. My gardening? While I was gone to California, something started eating my lettuce so when I got back, I brought it in as it was getting hot. When I was peering at the leaves, I spotted a fat, green usurper and obviously rabid eater, some sort of caterpillar, I guess. I tossed it and cut the lettuce down, hoping for a rebound…only to find another caterpillar the next day. Lettuce is gone as are the marauders. The good news is my lavender plant is still alive. ๐
janet
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That’s a sad lettuce tale. ๐ฆ You followed up with a positive though, and enjoy that lavender. I LOVE lavender.
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I do too.
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Oh no! Sad times.
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That is an impressive amount of weeding, Judy. I sure hope they appreciate your efforts and keep it maintained… we know how fast weeds can grow this time of year!
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It has rained ‘all’ day which is good for the water table, but I have thought about that open ground and have been wondering about it for sure.
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Someone needs to run a cultivator through on a weekly basis!
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That is quite a before and afterwards! Hope the volunteers can keep up with it. Exciting that soon you will have your porch back. Hope the sale is a great success.
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I can’t complain that my seeds all germinated, but I’m out of space everywhere. ๐ I definitely need to count in smaller quantities next year. Even for me, this is too much.
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A lot of hard work, there. You should maybe advise them to go with the mulch, unless they want to do a lot more weeding and watering.
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As you well know, if you leave ground bare, the weeds come in from all four corners. It sure is easier to just put down mulch. I’m hoping they go that route.
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What great projects you have been working on, and I’m sure your back will be telling you that, after all that digging and weeding! I love visiting historic homes and I would love to visit Colonel Paul Wentworth House….unfortunately the way the world is today, we won’t be doing long distant travel for a long time. Never mind, I can read all about your place in the world through blogging, isn’t that a wonderful thing?
Happy gardening!
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That’s right – the blogging community provides us a world wide view of so many things. I love learning new things by reading a post from a different point of view or a different hobby. ๐
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Yes, I do too!
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I put weeding and dusting in the same category. Turn your back for one second and theyโre both back! Grrrrrr
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Thank you for the good laugh out loud. I dusted today and actually thought geez, maybe I could plant something here. ๐
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“Regularly scheduled home gardening.” I love that. The before-and-after shots are nice to see — yet another reason why I never took up gardening: it’s too much work! ๐ – Marty
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You’ve given these gardens a great start!
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We tried, that’s for sure.
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If you make house calls Judy, count me in ๐. Then again, if there needs to be follow-up work I might not be your most promising prospect! Good for you for helping others with their gardening, here’s hoping the volunteers show up in droves!
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It’s nice to help out and even nicer to go back for a visit and find it still looking good. ๐
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