Other WelchWrite Blogs: My Word with Douglas E. WelchCareer Opportunities


Home -- Contact Me -- Search Welchwrite.com -- Subscribe to AGN
Join the AGN Mailing List!


Saturday, April 17, 2004

An itch to garden

I am not sure what causes it to happen, but after we returned from a kid's birthday party with my son, I was struck with the urge to garden. Today, it seems it was the cold and blustery weather that drew me in. With a light sprinkling of rain and a stiff breeze in my hair, I set to work.


Earlier this week, the termite workers had uprooted 5-6 agapanthus tubers that were too close to the house, so I figured I should try and get them back into the ground. After that was accomplished, I noticed that I kept running into low hanging branches as I worked. This led to the judicious application of saw and pruners to several of the trees surrounding the shady "back triangle", as I call it.


I cut back a few significant branches on the ficus and carrotwood trees that surround this area. It always amazes me how much they grow when they are hopelessly overcrowded and light-starved. The lack of light cause them to got through many gyrations trying to reach what little sun is available.


After about an hour, I had a stack of trimmings that will take 2-3 weeks worth of garden bin stuffing to get it out of the garden. Thankfully, this is the job of my wife and son. They have a great time sawing and cutting in those early morning hours when I am still abed, after my late nights at the computer.


The Summer will be filled with tasks like this. Deadheading and feeding the roses, trimming back more errant branches, cleaning up the never-ending supply of leaves, pulling weeds out of the front yard paths and driveway area. Hopefully, I will be struck with the gardening urge more and more or things could get out of hand.


More pruning information from Amazon.com



Thursday, April 15, 2004

Busting out all over...

It isn't yet June, not even the end of April, but the garden is showing lots of life.




The Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Brunfelsia calycina) in the alley has been putting on quite a show.


The Clytostoma callistegioides vine on the back trellis is blooming for a second time this year.


Roses are blooming all over the garden and even the Amaryllis have jumped up again.


You can check out a few pictures by clicking on the photo above.



Tuesday, April 13, 2004

Almost finished...


As I type, our house looks like "a desert tent near an oasis," according to a friend of ours who is keeping watch on the work while we work out of the Orange County office of WelchWrite, Inc. ( i.e. Grandma's house (SMILE)). I am anxious to get back to the house, and especially the garden to see what, if any damage has been done.


I feel I did a pretty good job of removing any possible obstructions to the tenting crew and pulling all the plants pulled back from the walls. There is a slight chance that the plants close to the house may have been burnt by the insecticide gas, but I have my fingers crossed that all will be well. There is no telling until I see it with my own eyes.


I will report on any and all issues with this process, in case you find the need on your property down the road.