Lotsa yard work done

This has been a good day filled with productivity. The lad and I attacked the back yard late this morning and we just finished. Three sumacs cut down, and one junk tree cut down. I can’t remember its name, but it has ferny leaves and huge thorns on the trunk and branches—it had volunteered right next to the house foundation. I didn’t do anything about it last year and the thing grew 12 feet. Like a weed. We also dug one dead tree out and raked/dethatched the entire yard. That was just hard work and I have blisters to prove it. The place looks much tamer now, but goodness, there is so much left to do. The next project is getting the gardens ready to plant. I have a couple of weeks yet.

I have decided not to give up on dogwood trees. I’m going to try planting one in the back yard near the house. Well, not too near, but near enough for it to provide some shade and privacy when it grows up. That spot will be well protected in the winter and will only receive about a half a day of sunshine rather than a full day of beating hot sun. The soil is better there than in front of the house and seems to stay moist longer, too.

The side front lawn is a disaster. Lots of grub action out there and a significant portion of the grass is just dead. When a gazillion cowbirds and starlings descend on your lawn, pecking holes in it, you know you have a big problem. It’s been a never ending battle with Japanese beetle grubs, but this year I am going to try putting down some milky spore. It’s a bacteria that’s fatal to grubs, but totally harmless to all other forms of life. It lasts for years, too. It’s an organic gardening measure that my father used with great success. Not sure why I haven’t applied it before now, but I think it’s time if I plan on having any grass. I imagine my roses will appreciate it, too. The Japanese beetles attacked them in waves last year. It’s just creepy picking those things off by hand.

Oh, and a decent lawnmower would be a welcome addition. I’ve said it before...I can kill ‘em as fast as I bring ‘em home. I don’t know what it is about lawnmowers and me. Generally I use the push mower which has no motor to die on me. But, occasionally, I do need a power mower and borrowing from the neighbors wears thin. They don’t really like it and I hate begging when I know they don’t like it. Of course, with my talent for killing lawnmowers, I can’t say that I blame them very much.