Gardening to divert depression

karen4u

Well I have made a detour into the house for decorating this week, but next week I plan to be outside raking leaves also.  My maple has finally dropped all its leaves and I can get it raked up.  I have 3 Live Oaks in my yard and although they are evergreen they still lose some leaves but I won't worry with them until the spring. 

ananda8

We have a mulching bagger that attaches to our lawn tractor.  It's time to hook it up and mulch the leaves.  This year we will put a thin layer around the trunks of the oaks and pile the rest of the mulched leaves in the back of the property for compost.  In the spring we'll call a tree trimmer to take off the deadwood from the drought and save the wood chips for the garden paths. Oak wood chips last about 4 years before they have to be renewed. 

karen4u

I didn't know that about the oak wood chips.  We always lose at least one oak a year and my mom has lost 3 huge red oaks over the past year.  We have a lawn sweeper that we pull behind our 4-wheeler to pick up our leaves but I would imagine your mulching bagger would probably work better.  To me, working in the yard is just as good of exercise as going to the gym plus you have a nice looking lawn. 

ananda8

karen4u,

The drought has been terrible.  We are lucky we haven't lost any trees, yet.  I hope your mom doesn't lose any more.  I agree about gardening being the best exercise, but with the warmer summer/fall that we have been having, I just go inside and let the garden fend for itself.  I then try to catch up when the heat breaks.

karen4u

I'm with you on that heat, I could only stay in my garden till about 9am during the summer and now fall is quite warm also but it certainly is a relief.  Unfortunately it was some type of bug infestation that killed Mom's red oaks but not to worry, it got all of them and she has plenty of white oak and post oaks left to which this type of bug does not bother.   

Raj20

Today, it was hectic cleaning some space in my backyard slope for plantation of winter vegetables as I brought few saplings from the nursery. My Papayas, bananas started giving fruits and  by another months it will get ripen. I made step  landscaping where I am growing varieties of vegetables including of  few herbs. Its really mind blowing to have   own vegetable garden. Gardening really divert my mind from  worry  of cancer recurrence. I dont know  how 7 years gone. Its really fantastic and marvellous experience in my life and feeling good.

karen4u

Congrats on your 7 years Raj, praying for many more sevens for you.  I had a good day of Christmas shopping yesterday with my Mom which ended with a fabulous meal at Red Lobster.  Although I enjoyed the day, I am paying for it now.  So today I am taking it easy curled up on my bed with my laptop and a good view of all the leaves waiting on me to sweep them away.  But since that thought even tires me today, I shall sweep that line of thinking away.  Happy planting Raj. 

FLwarrior

Rajkumari, Congrats on 7 years!!! That is good for a Happy Dance in the Garden!  It is good to spend the day out in nature! What kind of Winter veggies are you planting?  I had banana trees where I lived 4 years ago...I still miss them.  

I also just came in from playing in my backyard "container garden".  I am down to parsley and chives in the Herb garden.  I think that this week I may plant some cool weather seeds. While I was cleaning up old growth on my Vanda Orchid I spotted a sprout that will become a flower.  It does not bloom too often, but when it does...it is beautiful! I'll share a pic with you when it opens.

It sounds like almost everyone is raking leaves.  I have a rake, but really no need for it.  My neighbor's tree sheds on the side yard, but I think I will leave it for now.  The tree (My room-mate says) is an Asian waterfall. I can't find anything on-line about it.  In the fall The tree keeps its leaves and sends out shoots that burst into tiny yellow flowers that the bees love. The bees go crazy and it "snows" bright yellow.  The flowers fall and it buds into what look like pink paper lanterns, which stay for at least a month.  It is so fun to watch. Now the pink is falling and shortly the leaves will fall.  It will be bare for several months and then it will do the flowering thing again in spring, but put out foliage as the pinks are falling. The small green leaves will stay rest of spring, summer, fall.   I am happy the tree is right outside my bedroom window, so I get a front row seat to the show. Anyone know anything about a tree with these habits?

chabba

Do they look anything like these.  I googled Japanese Lantern Trees.

FLwarrior

No, it doesn't look like those.  I did some more digging and searching. This looks more like it. Has a different name...guess my room-mate didn't have the name correct.  This is called Chinese Flame Tree quite different than Asian Waterfall Tree, huh?  Not sure where he got that from??? Anyway it is really striking when it is doing it's thing! (It is messy, with all the shedding though...)

Sherryc

One of my banana trees made fruit and ripened so I have made several banana puddings.  We planted a winter garden of broccoli, cabage, lettuce and tomatoes.  The broccoli is almost gone and has been wonderful.  I just cooked the first head of cabage.  The lettuce is doing great and the tomatoes are coming on I guess if we have a late freeze I may get some tomatoes.  They were really strange I planted them and watered them but they just did not seem to grow and putting on fruit late.  I think it was just too hot.  Then I noticed I had some potatoes from the spring that started sprouting again.  I guess I did not get everything out of the ground.  Hopefully next weekend I'll get the onions planted.

evergreen9

I was outside today gathering greens to make centrepieces with friends later this week. Plus spreading manure and mulch - that was a workout. But I love the exercise. I go to the gym too, but garden work is more fun and more productive!

Raj20

It is good to come back after a long break of almost 11 months.  During the period I had encountered with many problem  taking into  my health. Now I am okay and able  to  join with  everyone with the grace of God.  This year I am not able to do much work in my garden but  the plants which I had planted earlier  starts giving  fruits like bananas, papaya, lemon  and Chilli in different types. I dont buy  chillies since 10 months as  the production of my garden is sufficient  for my family. So let us start  talking  about gardening  once again as it enhances our life to great extend and keeping away from  the worry of  breastcancer recurrence if am not wrong.

Sneh

ananda8

Great idea.  I have a lot of clean up to do from late summer.  I just got a fleece pull over so I can get my fall clean up done now that all of the ticks and chiggers (small biting insects) are dead.

Maya2

Welcome back Raj. I'm so happy you are okay.

Too cold here to grow much. Maybe some kale or cabbage. All we can do is dream of spring.

Love papaya. Ate a lot of them when I was in Central America. And chiles are always a hit with me.

ananda8

I didn't clean up the garden before Winter.   My brother was ill and all my energy was spent worrying about him.  Strange how that works for me but I was "frozen".  I just played solitaire.  Next week it should warm up enough for the snow to melt and I can start cleaning the garden for Spring.  I am going to try scattering Kale seed around on the first of February as a edible ground cover.  Perhaps it will keep the weeds down.  This summer I am going to plant cantaloupe and hope that those big leaves will keep down the weeds.

Any advice will be appreciated.

Raj20

I have planted some tomatoes in the plastic pots just as an trial as the ground soil of my campus is very sticky and difficult to grow in variety. I made beds in small sizes by using mostly dry compost  mixing with the soil and planted brinjal, kale, beans , mustard ,corriender leaves etc. which perhaps will give fruits by Feb end.  This is how I spent my time on holidays. I feel great seeing the plants growing up and love to take care of them like my children.

ananda8

My grandnephew and I spent today weeding and raking the garden in preparation for Spring.  It has been so cold in Arkansas (which is in the southern USA) that the ground was frozen 2 inches deep.  We just aren't used to a cold spell this long in duration.  The night time temperatures are averaging 26'F.    At least I will be ready when the soil finally warms up.

Good luck with your garden, rajkumari.

Maya2

Cold here too, with some warm days interdispersed. I'm just dreaming of spring right now. But the pansies are blooming beautifully and bravely in the face of winter. I'm envious, and hope your tomatoes grow well.

ananda8

Just more cold.  Night time temperatures still in the teens.  This is really cold for this time of year in the South.  Normal night time temps are around 35-40'F and day time temps are around 60'F.  The good news is we aren't having warm spells followed by freezing temps. That kind of weather is tough on the trees.

3jaysmom

Hi guys: it's been FOREVER sinceI've been to this site; Sneh: it's so good to "see" you again.

  In my life, which has so many limits since the side effects from bc; my garden is my haven. I'm going to post some pics off my DH phone tonite, of my "sky vine" it's a butterfly  source, and "took off" this year. Gorgeous Purple flowers! I'm trying to propigate it now, want to trail it over the whole fence.. I'll post the pics from my DH camera tonight.

 Marybe is no longer with us, but I know when she visited, she found much peace in my patio garden, as I do, daily..

  I do distract myself from my health issues with gardening, I can tell you, it works!

 My patio container garden gets the most attention, the side gardens take care of themselves, except in the extreme summer Fla heat..

  grow ,grow girls, and go, go!

3jays

Monis

Gardening... Now, that's a topic I'm really into!  The gardening season is finally starting, soooo much weeding to do.  Getting the veggie garden up and running.  

3jaysmom

THATS a garden!!! I'm going to try to remember how to post a pic.. 3jays

3jaysmom

3jaysmom

gonna try again

3jaysmom

3jaysmom

I think that sky vine is award winning! Didn't do anything but buy it at butterfly worls, water it, and fertilize, and it went nuts! this spring.. enjoy, i know I am!  

3jays

3jaysmom

the other is a close up of the patio garden..3jays

Maya2

Onions going to seed, patio tomatoes and chiles coming on. Herbs doing very well. Enjoying the results. Not a garden like Monis, but quite nice.

Wren44

Tomatoes and herbs are the most important anyway. We're still having very cool weather here.