I started out this morning planning to spend just 2 hours outside. I had a project that I thought was due on Monday and needed to get on it asap. Lo and behold I found out it wasn’t due till Thursday so… 10 hours later I am exhausted but oh so much is done. No pictures this time. I was just too busy to come in and get the camera.

I planted my two gooseberries (1 Poorman and 1 Pixwell) in the edge of the herb bed. Not an herb but the shady end of the bed was looking pretty bare. I also added some thyme and moved some chives out of the cold frame and into the same bed. After planting, I added some of the chipped pear tree mulch that I gleaned from the road crew last year.

My two Nanho Blue butterfly bushes when into a rather sparce flower bed I started last year. I potted up the Black Knight b. bush, not sure where it will end up now but the 3 gallon pot gives me some time to figure it out. Into the same bed went my goumi (a type of bush cherry).

I weeded around both flower beds.

The Darlow’s Enigma rose went into the side yard in the spot I had picked out for it. I mean to add some worm castings but forgot. Oh well, a top dressing later on perhaps.

I made my first round of alfalfa tea this past week. I gave the apricot, half a row of blackberries, one section of strawberries, some of the asparagus and some of the raspberries a treatment. Never used the stuff before so I wanted to treat some to see if there was a noticeable difference.

I cleaned out both beds along the north and south side of the house. On the north side I planted a couple of currants, some vinca and a couple of autumn ferns. Not sure they will stay there but they should be ok this year anyway. On the other side I put two of the highbush cranberries and out in the yard went a saucer magnolia my friend Eric gave me this past winter.

My last grape vine when into the ground along the fence in the garden. From the same general area I dug another blackberry start. I’ve dug about half a dozen total over the last couple of weeks. I noticed that the Candace vine I planted a month or so ago actually had a couple of flower clusters starting. I pinched them off. I have a general rule that I never let anything bloom the first year (except the raspberries). I’d rather the plant spend its first year building a good root system.

I noticed the Paul’s Himalayan Musk rose I picked up on ebay is looking great. There are several new canes coming up from the base as well as half a dozen or so shoots about a half inch long.

The front corner of the house is plagued with several vines. Honeysuckle, Virginia creeper and poison ivy plus another one I don’t know the name of gave me one heck of a run for my money. I sure hope I don’t get poison ivy. I was into it before I realized it. I washed off pretty quick. If I do end up getting it I should have a pretty good case right about time for my final exam. Oh joy…