September 6 Garden Journal Entry

…Which means I must be gardening again.

I was depressed and overworked in other areas all summer, so my garden was derelict.

It was surprising what some Labor Day weekend work accomplished, though. I garnered help from my people…mainly the kids at home, and went to work. Some weeding, some pruning back,and to prepare the ground for a lawn …guess what? Guess what we used?

Amish Farmer know-how! We needed to grade out and level the ground that was dug up for the new septic system, I once had done an area half that size by hand-raking it. Never again says I (says my body).

The Amish farmer we spoke with lent us an old box spring. That’s right, an old box spring connected to the back of our tractor with a chain and dragged over the ground levels and prepares it beautifully. All ready for the grass seed that must go in the next week or so.

We mowed, and I removed one overgrown grapevine (one more to go). There is still so much more to do, but it started the fall season clean-up. I wish now I had planted the Fringe trees and the Shasta viburnums with more space between.

Usually, I give too much space and it takes so long to fill in, but the viburnums love it here. They swamped the Fringe trees and I had to cut them back. Hate to do that to doublefile viburnums because their natural growth pattern is so graceful… but they do need room.

Addendum: my Autumn Clematis is blooming, it smells like fragrant soap to me, and foams over the arbor and the Magnolia stellata. It is my little girl’s (The Flower Picker) favorite. At the moment;)