Posted on 05/11/2012 8:02:17 AM PDT by JustaDumbBlonde
I don't think it will hurt the tree to cover up the roots. Two of my oaks are in a low spot, and over the years the topsoil has washed away and left roots exposed and hardpan ground that doesn't want to support grass. Putting those beds in has helped solve a couple of problems.
Where you run into trouble with trees is banking soil up against the trunk. The problem with that is you provide soil dwelling insects a new avenue to attack the tree. Additional moisture on the bark may also be a problem.
It has been mentioned downthread that the size of my trees is going to allow me to put some soil around the base without causing many problems. As the beds have settled in all of the rain, we've pulled a little away from directly touching the trunk, and there is only a couple of inches left. I have placed some insecticidal pellets in the soil around the trunk and hope that it will help, but I will keep an eye on all of the trees to make sure that no problems crop up.
We have battled honeysuckle for the 15 years we have lived here. lol The lady who owned the house previously said it was planted in pots to contain it but apparently it escaped. We have found pots when digging so evidently she tried to keep it from going wild but it didn’t work.
It looks pretty on the fence and smells heavenly but it is a constant fight to try to contain it.
I would love to have one of those.
I have 8 tomato plants in a 6x6 raised bed that are doing fine so far. I have another 6x6 raised bed that I need to do something with.
Thanks again for the seeds.
The last photo was taken in 2003 and is the rose bush I used (with owner permission) to take cuttings to get my monster rose. This bloom looks quartered and pretty, took my cuttings later from different stems. My monster bush is a bit of a disappointment because the blooms do not look like this lovely one. They are like pompoms. The first year they were pretty with white outlines and more form. I don't know what causes this. The reason I keep the big rose now (I have another one on the side of the house that doesn't get enough sun) is that it provides such a nice splash of color when it does bloom, too bad these old roses only bloom in the spring.
I don't think I'll mess with Honeysuckle. I had invasive stuff before I ever started this gardening, and now I've brought in with seeds and compost some hellish stuff I'll never get rid off. We did get rid of some really nasty white, big and clumpy spreading all over clover but at a price. Careless with the chemical ruined a couple plants.
Finding old photos, uploading and posting photos is a pain. It was a lot easier when I had my own web space which I gave up due to cost. There are sure nicer photos I could post, but these illustrate what we've been talking about.
I don't know how you will ever be completly free of the honeysuckle. It's probably too tough for even RU and forms tubers and spreads way underground. Get rid of some and it pops up somewhere else. Plus the digging would be very tough work.
Yes the yellow and white is the type we have. We have given up trying to eradicate it and are just trying to contain it.
Your rose is very pretty. I lost a couple over the winter as well as 2 hydrangeas. Odd since our winter was so mild.
I also purchased some persian shields, which will be gorgeous when they mature a little. The purple should get really vibrant.
Which of the okra varieties are you going to plant?
My roses in front are so gorgeous, never bloomed like that before. Some I shovel pruned parts came back, can't dig as deep as I used to.
I'm sorry you're fighting that honeysuckle, thank heaven I didn't try to start one of those. I thought there were some honeysuckles that grow on bushes like pink. I think those might be ok and smell heavenly. Maybe they are something else.
Sorry about your hydrangeas. I think they do well in shade on the north side of the house as well as part sun, maybe full. Maybe it was the freezing and thawing that threw the plants off. My roses are blooming about a whole month early this year.
Most people on here do vegetable gardening. I've done that in the past with mixed results. It takes experience.
Gorgeous photos!
Being noobs at okra, we will prolly start a few clemson spineless, jade, and cowhorn. I(we) turned up about an 8 X 16 or 18 patch. I figured 2 rows and room to walk between at harvesting, or possibly we may run the rows crosswise.
I am hoping that nobody will steel from us being okra.
I have mentioned that we could take out all the trees out back and have a sunny back yard for sun plants and a bigger garden. Then I could get a tracter and work a bigger plot! Actually, I just want a reason to buy a tracter. :)
You haven’t grown them before?
Please let me know how you make out with them. I might try it. Zone 5A.
My Mother would bring a plate of veggies to us about an hour before supper. Sliced radishes, sliced kohlrabi, celery, etc., with a touch of salt on the side. Mmmm.
Does kohlrabi need a lot of water?
We got 2in from the same system as it moved though here during the night.
Anyway I'm in awe of your place and what you've built and planted. I love that second caladium, never cared for them much but they've grown on me from the neighbors.
I guess you have a pond there and it wasn't just flooded. Those geese are wild but I guess they've made a home with you. I don't know if you can eat them or not; I'd kind of hate to kill one but they are getting out of control. Amazing because I grew up in a bird watching family and never saw one in all my years until maybe the last 10 or so.
This link said to keep the soil moist.
http://www.howtogardenadvice.com/vegetables/grow_kohlrabi.html
Thanks for the report on your garden! Everything sounds wonderful.
Thank you LTOS! I appreciate your kind comments.
Thank you for your kind comments and I’m glad your garden is doing well. Also, thank you for the okra info. I love okra and will definitely try some Heavy Hitter.
Thanks for checking in, Mike! You’ve got a yummy selection planted. I love planting season too, but enjoy eatin’ season more. :)
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