Another minor garden chore that needs done is in this little patio garden bed. The brown grass of my ponytail grass (Stipa tenuissima or Nassella tenuissima) needs cleaned out to let the new blades of grass show off. The Japanese maple also needs pruned. Many of the branches that cross over through the plant should be removed.

If we move in a little closer we can see the hyacinths coming up. Unfortunately my culinary sage is completely shielding them from view. The sage needs trimmed back to encourage a bushier plant but also to allow the spring blooming hyacinths their moment in the sun.

I’ll talk more later about the other garden chores on my list but I’ll put the list below so you can see what else needs done!

The Home Garden Chore List: March of 2011

• Mulch the garden beds
  • Front Gardens – done
  • Corner Shade Garden
  • Back of house Garden
  • Deck and Patio Gardens
  • Vegetable Garden
  • Garden Shed Beds
• Prune
  • Crape myrtles
  • Redbuds – after blooming
  • Caryopteris
  • Japanese Dappled Willows
• Garden Fence
  • Dig Post Holes for Garden Fence
  • Gather materials for posts
  • Set posts
• Plant
  • Dogwood
  • Irises
  • Dianthus
  • Plants propagated last year
  • Anything else I buy!

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The site had a couple major issues. The first issue was the soil itself. The ground (as it is in many areas of Tennessee) was all clay and limestone and caused the second issue drainage. The clay held the water in the area and the sidewalk created a dam that prevented the rainwater runoff from the house to escape. Eventually they had to remove an area of the sidewalk and install a drainage pipe underneath which helped out immensely. The only thing that can be done with clay soil is amend. Over the last few years mulch has been added which eventually breaks down and improves the soil. Things are much better now but still mostly clay and limestone!

As of this past June here’s how the sitting garden looks.

A river pebble walkway with stepping stones leads you to the sitting area. As you walk the pathway two yuccas flank the sitting area entry. The walkway is bordered with natural stone from the area.

The white metal bench stands out underneath two crape myrtle trees. The crape myrtles were planted to provide fast growing shade for the sitting area. The holly to the left and foundation plantings along the house were part of the general landscaping the builder put together. 

A ‘Jane’ Magnolia brightens up the area in the spring. Daylilies do the job in summer. The perennial area in front hasn’t quite filled in yet but will over time. Once the drainage issues were solved it made the area much better for planting.

The dwarf boxwood hedge has come a long way from its initial installation. Inside the hedge is lavender, daylilies, Shasta daisies, and coreopsis.

Here’s a quick view of the front garden area from the stairs.

When I designed the area I made a general plan and offered some planting suggestions but other things have been added and replaced over the years. The garden changes to suit its owners, just as it should!

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For those of you blessed with warm weather climates, there are basically two ways to remove snow from a sidewalk and driveway. You can shovel it, which can be back-breaking work (and more than one person has had a heart attack while shoveling snow) or you can buy a snow thrower.

This machination basically acts as a snow till. Starting at one end, you turn on the snow thrower and the blades under the machine rotate and catch the snow. The snow is thrown out of the way, thus clearing a path. Growing up, I would see people with these and think, Why would you spend your money on that? Snow shoveling isn’t that big a deal. Then I got older.

Suddenly, lifting up that snow with a shovel takes a lot more effort, and it usually leaves my back aching for several days afterward. If it is a particularly bad snow storm or one that last a few days, my frozen butt is out there several times a day making sure that people don’t slip on my sidewalks and that my car can get out of the driveway.

My neighbor pulls out his monster, and the driveway is clear in five minutes. Then he’s back inside with hot cocoa. It’s during this time that I usually curse the idea that I didn’t buy one when they were cheap during the summer and vow to get one come spring. I am way too cheap to pay full price during the winter.

When the spring finally gets here and the snow melts, my mind once again reverts back to the old ways. It’s probably been several weeks since I shoveled snow, and my back has since recovered. In other words, I am invincible again.

I convince myself that the snow thrower isn’t worth it and that shoveling wasn’t a big deal this year. Ugh, when will I learn? Let me say, for the record, that a day after I shoveled snow, snow throwers seemed like the best thing since sliced bread. OK, now it’s in print and I can’t change my mind this year.

Image Source:flickr.com/photos/11897810@N02/1205439160

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BY CHARLES DAVIS
cedavis@greenbaypressgazette.com

Children aren’t the only ones hoping to get on a good list for the holidays. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you should expect a visit from an area snow remover.

Signing up early for services can get you preferred treatment when your driveway starts to look like the frozen tundra. And if you dare take on Mother Nature by yourself, here are a few tips to keep you safe.

Early bird

Homeowners can sign up for one-time snow removal or seasonal service, said Matthew Kispert, owner of Sawyer’s Tree Service in De Pere. Seasonal subscribers can get Kispert to come out every time it snows at least one inch. They also can get a 10 percent discount, which can save $5 to $10 each time it snows.

“The best thing to do is plan ahead and get on our list before the snow storm,” he said.

Those on the seasonal list also get served before those who call the day of the storm.

Clear the path

Kispert comes equipped with snowblowers, and he shovels off driveways and sidewalks leading up to the home. He even takes care of edges leading to garages and can shovel off your porch.

“Salt is optional, but even the ones that don’t want it, if there’s bad spots, we put it in for free,” he said. A bad spot consists of ice patches on the sidewalk.

“Once in a while, people will have us clear a path for a dog,” he said.

Snow stretch

If the snow isn’t bad enough to call out professionals, be equipped for some taxing activity, said Jason Pienta, owner of Heartland Construction & Services in Green Bay.

“Just stretch out before you go shovel,” he said. “If you can’t grab your toes standing up, I don’t think you should be shoveling snow.”

Necessary tools include at least one good shovel, a snowblower if you can afford it and rock salt, Kispert said.

Each year, people report heart attacks while shoveling, so take breaks if you do it yourself. “We’re prepared to stand the wet, the cold, the windy conditions,” Kispert said. “We have the right equipment for it.”

Call of duty

You don’t have to be a lazy bum to call on snow removers. Many customers simply didn’t plan ahead or couldn’t “get the kids out of bed to shovel snow,” Kispert said. Other clients live out of town or aren’t physically able to do it.

Up on the rooftop

Refusing to remove the snow at all will have you feeling ho-hum during the holidays, Pienta said. Snow left on the roof can create ice in the gutters — known as ice dams — and work its way back into your shingles. When the ice melts, it can rain inside your home. “It’s a pretty big thing,” he said.

It’s also not a good idea to let snow pack down in your driveway. “It can damage the underside of your car if you drive it through snow,” Kispert said.

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1. Step 1

   Make your shovel more user-friendly by adding floor wax to it before starting on your ice-packed driveway. The slickness will help the shovel glide through snow and ice and prevent snow from adhering to the shovel.

2. Step 2

   Apply rock salt to your driveway for an inexpensive way to help melt away the ice.

3. Step 3

   Use calcium chloride pellets to melt ice at lower temperatures than rock salt.

4. Step 4

   Choose potassium chloride when it’s not as frigid outdoors and temperatures are above 15 degrees F. It is less harmful than some of its fellow deicers.

5. Step 5

   Remove ice using another kind of deicing product known as magnesium chloride. It removes ice at extremely low temperatures and is better for the environment because it releases less chloride than other salt deicers. Additionally, it is less harmful to plants, concrete and other surfaces than some of the other options.

6. Step 6

   Melt away ice using a hand-held propane torch. These multifunctional units are also good for killing weeds and insects, so it will prove useful all year round.

7. Step 7

   Eliminate driveway ice in the luxury of your own home

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