Winter bed, summer bed - how do you do yours?
oceanna
15 years ago
Featured Answer
Comments (35)
mlraff53
15 years agosarschlos_remodeler
15 years agoRelated Discussions
Question: How do YOU prep your beds to prevent weeds and bad bugs
Comments (11)Okay, I'm ready for tonight, so I figure I'll reply now :-) Pit, I made instant beds since I heard about it on WS forum two years ago. Even convinced my FIL on it. Amazing how the worms flock even to an area with one piece of cardboard on the ground! And thanks for the tip on the Soil and Compost forum. I think that was why I have such a hard time getting the point from things people say when I lurk there...too much underlying contentiousness. I have had to use black plastic for reasons other than weeds (to keep my and the neighbors dogs out of the beds. My dog is good with the beds any time of the year except when nothing looks like its growing in them. She digs holes and lays in them). But staking the area seems to keep her out, too, so I may just stake more areas this year. It just makes me feel guilty...lol. (I spoil EVERYBODY'S dogs) I'm nervous about mulching in some areas because I don't want to prevent reseeding annuals from doing their magic. Will they still come up, or is there something about the timing of when I put the mulch down? Laurel I do have mulch in the beds from last year-- thanks for the tip on not disturbing it, Laurel :-) I'll just reapply on top of the old stuff. I have TONS of Escar-Go and Sluggo, bought from previous years. We had VERY dry winters those years, so I have lots for this year (which I suspect is going to be a slug fest, due to a wet Fall and the snowstorm). So I'm prepared like a Marine, there :-) Vera Straw...will that prevent reseeding annual flowers from coming up? Straw sounds like a great mulching product-- it's cheap around here. I like your method of weeding, fall and spring, because when it gets really hot, I have to stay inside. I garden in the morning and evening, despite my allergies, but sometimes it's just too much and I have to stay indoors. If I could get the beds to be "self-sufficient" by the time big allergy season rolls around, that would be great! Then I could just go out and cut flowers and that's it! Thanks so much to everyone for all your advice and help. I know I'm looking at a busy summer (hubby's having minor surgery and I'm working on graduate courses and applying to grad school, along with painting). Since I'm the only one who does ANYTHING to do with the yard (other than mowing the lawn), I have to prepare EARLY and really stay on top of things to have a good growing year. Thanks again, you wonderful bunch of people ((hugs)) Linda...See MoreHow do you put your perennials to bed for winter?
Comments (25)I attempt a Fall cleanup but haven't finished it all ever because I just get to the point where I don't want to go out in the yard anymore! The last two years DH and I used an electric hedge trimmer (with a heckuva long cord) and it works wonderfully! I grab/bunch the foliage up at the top (sometimes with rope it it's tall), and he "clear-cuts" it to the ground. Not much muss or fuss. We do the same only use a chainsaw for the tall ornamental grasses. We have a JD gator with a dump box--we just throw it in there--it's quite painless! We just start making our way around the yard. This year I plan to get 'er all cut back all the way around--or die trying! Over the last few years I've been planting dwarf evergreens throughout the borders so it doesn't look so bare when the garden's asleep. Makes a huge difference. There are so many gorgeous dwarf evergreens/conifers in different colors, shapes, textures, growth habits, etc. I seek them out now almost as much as I do perennials! I dread cleaning up the mess if I wait till Spring to cut back. Especially if I don't get to a plant before it sends out new shoots--then I have take the nippers and pretend I'm a surgeon--which is a painstaking--PIA! I'm on a quest to tidy up the property in all manners. Goal is to go to the furthermost part and have it look nice. I've slacked on this for too many years and now I have the time to do something about it. Been on a mission inside the house, too. I'll maintain the look after I'm all done. That's the plan, anyway! LOL Funny how many different takes there are on this, I love that!...See MoreHow do you prepare your beds for planting?
Comments (10)Hi choxie, I have read in other posts on this forum that some folks put down a few inches of compost and then shredded leaves in the fall and let that overwinter and then plant in that the following spring, so I don't think you will be in trouble with that. I worry way up here in the frozen north that in the spring I will just have a layer of shredded leaves on top that will rob nitrogen as they decompose, but I am not sure that is a worry. I spose I should have added to my original post that last fall we added a few inches of our own compost to our beds. I will do that again after this summer and may try a layer of shredded leaves. Anybody have any thoughts on that? This summer I also plan to mulch with straw after everything is up and growing and then leave that mulch in place for the next year to become part of the soil. I might even but the straw in a garbage can and weed whack it a bit to reduce its size before using as the mulch. Anybody have any thoughts on that plan also? David...See MoreHow do you layer your bed?
Comments (26)Q: "So, is the matelasse up near your face? I am a person who pulls the covers up to my nose! It seems the matelasse would be uncomfortable/rough near your face?" A: Yes. In my pic above I have the light weight white quilt pulled almost all of the way up to the top. I fold my top sheet about 5" or so over the top of the quilt. Then comes (as in my above pic) my black and white floral quilt folded down to cover about 2/3rds of the bed but if I get cold I can reach down and pull it up. I put it on the bed all of the way to the top and then (hard to describe) I fold it down and then back up (accordion style) so that the top edge of the black and white quilt is at the top of the initial 1st fold. That way in my sleep I don't have to sit up to reach it - it's w/in arms length. Then folded in thirds at the bottom of the bed comes my feather down comforter stuffed inside the green duvet cover. Please note that in my pic above the feather down is not inside the duvet cover (was being cleaned) and that's why it just looks like a green folded blanket at the bottom of my bed. At almost any given time I have some version of this style on my bed but in different colors, weights, etc. I'm a bedding freak and I have tons!...See Moremomfromthenorth
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