Oh my aching back.

11 years ago

For weeks now we had either a lot of rain or a very cold wind. Outdoor work did not get done and the last of the oak leaves were not down yet, not only from my trees but also from my neighbors. Today it is sunny, no wind, right now its 71 degr. Tomorrow and most of next week it's supposed to rain again, but the city starts brush pick-up on Monday.
Since 8:00 AM I have been cutting and dragging brush and raking leaves. I quit at 4PM and hope it starts raining first thing in the morning, so that I have an excuse not to do anything else.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (9)

User
11 years ago
A nice heat pad helps.
oscarthecat
11 years ago
Or someone to give you a nice massage.
Related Discussions
Selection Advice
Q
Comments (2)
The general rec for the deep south are Chinas, Teas, Noisettes. I would stay with roses that stay smaller, and stay away from ones you will need to battle with. For example, a great no spray rose that will stay small is Ducher (white). Marie Daly/Marie Pavie is another, or Perle D'Or. If it is in close contact to a seating area, I would think of a thornless variety- such as the 3 I just mentioned. A great Hybrid tea for fragrance would be Chrysler Imperial. A smaller noisette for fragrance is Nastarana. There are lots of good choices way beyond my suggestions. I think you have a great plan, and I like the mixed planting idea. I think it makes the roses healthier, and treats them like other landscape plants. I assume its real sunny, so you may want to consider some native azaleas, which actually prefer full sun. Herbs such as rosemary can be a good plant. If you pick the right plants, you can have a real nice border that is not a major chore to maintain.
...See More
Oh my aching back
Q
Comments (7)
You're so lucky to get help. I do most of it myself or it doesn't get done. I'd kill for help in the spring & fall. My DH works out of town so he's gone Mon through Fri. He does a little garden work if I ask him but the poor guy deserves a break too. He & I will probably be the ones bringing in all the plants. My oldest daughter has 3 kids & it's more work when they help. Youngest daughter is moving to CA tomorrow. One son is gone all the time & the other one thinks the brugs are a stupid waste of time since you can't eat them. One of his friends stole a pod from my Datura a couple years ago & ate it (don't know how much). They said he was talking to the toaster & his parents took him to the emergency room where they kept him overnight. He's fine but it scared the crap out of the rest of them. I think it sunk in & his experience taught them a lesson. I read him the riot act when he came back since I had warned them to leave them alone & I threatened to pull all my other pretty poisonous plants before they tried to eat something else. It was a couple years ago & I haven't had a problem with them since. Linda
...See More
Oh my aching back...newbie needs advice, please
Q
Comments (1)
Roxyl, I think no one has tackled your questions because the answers would fill a book, or a year's gardening course!! What kind of soil? Clay, well-drained? soggy? acidic? If clay, then you need to lighten it with compost, woodchips. Did you just move in? If so I would wait a year before putting anything permanent in. Most of the things I have put in right away, I regretted later. I have two methods for weeds - planting fairly close, weeding (hands and knees!)and mulching, then with other areas I am experimenting with landscape fabric and mulch. Both have their drawbacks. The "lasagna" method sounds intriquing but I haven't tried it. Hope this helps a bit - good luck! I always feel sorry for worms too - they work so hard, then I cut them accidentally in half.
...See More
Man oh man Fran!
Q
Comments (1)
Well, Michelle, you have a "junior gardener" so you end up with double the plants, just cause she want's her share as well. OH, my did Soren look like the Cheshire cat when she saw all the containers that where coming home with her. You are doing a lot better than I am in planting. I really haven't started yet. Did get the couple of bare root divisions into some soil in a pot and watered my own containers, but that was it. After everyone left and we cleaned up outside, brought in all that was left over in food. (thanks for taking some of it home with you) , I just collapsed for several hours in a chair with a huge hot pack on my back. I did manage to get out and get some groceries and get some dinner made later. I vow that one year, I am going to have the swap and there will be no more serious problems with my spine, no more need for spine surgeries and I will be able to move without the need for sitting down every few minutes. So, got to get moving and get the gardens planted within the next 2 weeks, cause then it's history for me on hands and knees till at least the fall. It will be knife time in the spine for the 3rd time in 4 years. Pictures to dawiff, it will either make her cry cause she wasn't here or put a smile on her fact to see that her friends back home are still getting together, enjoying each other's company and sharing the wealth of their gardens, WS seedlings and plants with each other and with others. The recipes, you me both want all those recipes, so I'm going to start a thread for the recipes from the billerica swap. I'm betting that the marshmallows where home made. They where all cut in squares, and didn't taste as sweet as the usual ones you buy in the store. I'm so glad that Soren had another "junior gardener" here as well. they looked so cute together too. OK, girl, I'm off to get a bit of gardening done myself. and post that thread. And, it was my pleasure to host the swap and to continue to doing so every year. Fran
...See More
GailWright
11 years ago
You inspire me! I need to go out back and pull all the spring weeds out of my Clemantis and plug in a few new Jackmanii's I bought in February.That will lead to clearing out the Iris bed, the Daffodills and racking off the dead Canna leaves from last year. if I get finished by 4pm, I should have your backache by tomorrow morning
rob333 (zone 7b)
11 years ago
So did you get to rest? And did they pick up the foliage yet?

Gail, you make me miss having a house. And not. I think I am still glad to have someone else cutting the grass and cleaning up for me phase. Maybe.
west_gardener
11 years ago
anneliese, I think a whole lot of people around the valley will say the same thing, come Monday morning. I went to the nursery today and it was jammed with people buying plants, trees, pots and soil. Spring fever is in full swing and the carts were overflowing.
I bought one tomato plant, called "sungold", that is my speed at this time.
anneliese_32
Original Author
11 years ago
West gardener, I have not even got one tomato plant, that has to wait for a couple of weeks. We might get frost in the night, Back recovered, but then I tackled a 37 year old euyonimus which needs to go, but what went is my shoulder. That's when I decided to let a professional have the fun and also contracted for a lawn mowing service,
lilosophie
11 years ago
Anneliese, you are a wise woman! There are things that, as one gets a little creaky in the joints, need to be hired out. I don't have lawns,, but I do have a lot of grass and have someone mow it. I just have to make sure they stay away from my plantings, if it doesn't bloom at the time, my man Hank will look at it as a weed and it gets mowed or whacked, on the other hand, he will carefully work around some blooming weed :)
west_gardener
11 years ago
I agree with lilo, there comes a time when changes need to be done. Enjoy your new freedom from mundane chores.
GailWright
11 years ago
I'm going to tackle the front flower bed this weekend. I plan to plant White Inpatients all along the walk leading to the front door. Red Inpatients all around both Live Oak trees and Multi-colored Caladiums in the front flower bed in front of my Azaleas. Now that I'm an older girl, 55 this June, I let a gardener mow, edge, and trim the trees and hedges. I save all my energy for just this kind of week end plant play, but I'm not the only hunch-back that limps back to work on Monday, there are a lot of us saying Oh my aching back!

Oh my aching back.

Comments (9)

User

oscarthecat

Related Discussions

GailWright

rob333 (zone 7b)

west_gardener

anneliese_32
Original Author

lilosophie

west_gardener

GailWright

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Oh my aching back.

Comments (9)

Related Discussions

anneliese_32Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

anneliese_32
Original Author