My Least Favorite Thing in the Garden
You don't have to guess: it is pruning and trimming the bushes and trees. I just bought a new Japanese pruning saw to add to my collection. The evergreen under the front windows has asserted itself over the last few years and is now intruding onto the front porch. Yes, I have a hedge trimmer but don't like it all that much, seeing that my hands are now numb from neuropathy and the hedge trimmer has an electrical cord. You get the picture! Today, I will attempt to cut back the Arborvitae into some managable size.
Tomorrow I'll attempt the roses and the barberry bush, if I can find the tall thorn- proof gloves.
Looking around the yard, I noticed that I have planted a lot of thorny bushes and trees.And I am not done yet, because the four gooseberry bushes I ordered will arrive soon. Their thorns are impressive.
I will have to think on that for a while. The oictures below are stock photos, barberry and gooseberry.
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5 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Maybe pruning wouldn't be so prickly if you didn't choose such prickly plants. I also have a Gooseberry and it's even hard to pick the fruit (but I do and I use it). One thing worse than pruning for the Gooseberry is squashing the damn saw fly larva.
JackPedigo
Level 9
Apr 14, 2019
1
I hope you have really good (thorn-proof) gloves, and protection for your forearms. I have around 40 rosebushes, been growing roses 40+ years. I have been scratched so many times.
Still, my least favorite chore by a long shot is mowing grass. Mowing, mowing, mowing, over and over, at last biweekly during the summer. So tedious, and there is nothing interesting about grass. I am trying to replace all or most of my lawn over time with raised planters and stepping stone paths with groundcover in place of grass, but it is a long process. My back yard I have let turn to meadow, and now I call those weeds "wildflowers." Lol. There is always something in bloom if you will stop mowing it back. Right now i have a bunch of " bluejackets" (tradescantia ohiensis) blooming. This photo isn't doing the color justice. These are bright periwinkle blue; very pretty.
MikeInBatonRouge
Level 8
Apr 14, 2019
0
Reference photo, only slightly darker appearing than mine in real life.
I feel the same way about mowing. Some is being done by my neighbor.We have an agreement. I let him park all this trucks on ourt border , and he mows the large piece of lawn, I do only what can be done with the push mower. I have a clump of those blue flowers, but here they do not bloom until high summer. We call then Spiderwort. Their color is unsurpassed.Can I pick your brain about a certain rose I am trying to grow? It is an old English rose called La Reine de Viotette. I think I may have planted it too close to a planting of evergreens and in the shade of my huge maple. In other words, I do not think it gets enough direct sunlight. Can I still did it up and trans[plant it to a brighter spot? It is an expensive rose, and I do not want to kill it.
Here is a picture of what it should look like. Mine is spindly and only has a few blossoms every year.
@Spinliesel short answer: transplant! Any shock from transplanting and loss of some roots will be offset by finding it a sunnier spot.
We are supposed to aim for a minimum of 6 hours direct sun daily. I can fudge that here a bit, due to intense southern sun. Your rose WILL lose some roots, so consider gently pruning back the top growth to lighten the amount of plant those roots have to support until they can regrow.
Key factors for happy roses: 1. Sun, 6 or more hours a day. 2. Good drainage. This means good soil. Roses are thirst plants but hate wet feet, or in other words, standing water. If your soil won't drain, you can make a raised bed and top dress with good soil. Even 4 inches higher can make a key difference. 3. Regular watering, avoiding drought. If flower buds start to droop, the plant is dehydrating and needs water. 4. Fertilize regularly in some form. Organic methods will avoid chemical burn. 5. Tend to fungal disease prevention--blackspot, powdery mildew, rust, downy mildew. 6. Have a plan to deal with pest damage, whether insects, mites, even deer.
In SC, I had a number of the red barberry - and they grew like wildfire and scratched the hell out of me every year as I pruned to keep them healthy and in a pleasing shape. So I swore I would never plant them again. hahahahah. Of course, I put a couple in the ground up here - but the growing season is so much shorter, I am not having any problems with them "overgrowing"...and if you think they are prickly - I inherited a couple of Leather Leaf Mahonias with this house. Don't accidently back up into one of those....ayayayayayay 
Lavergne
Level 8
Apr 14, 2019
2
They are lovely to look at , but then , I don't have to prune them . Sounds like you enjoy self torture . Or you could try replacing some thorny plants with less combative plants ?
Cast1es
Level 9
Apr 14, 2019
2
Oh, I also have lots of plants and bushes without thorns. Seems the varieties I like best have "protection."
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