Thursday, July 15, 2010

What I have learned from my yard this year

I love my yard. It's a nice size, fenced in with a mature trees, a small pond and a raised bed garden. It tends to be a bit messy and I can't seem to keep up with the grass, but to me it looks amazing. I garden haphazardly and am therefor always a beginner. I've learned a lot working in my yard this year. This is what I have learned:

  • Electric mowers can only cut 1/2 of your yard at a time. This gives you a nice break on hot days.
  • Grubs attract moles and moles dig up your yard.
  • If your neighbor gets rid of their grubs and moles and you don't, then your neighbor will get them again.
  • Yorkies are endlessly entertained hunting moles; don't worry, they never catch them.
  • I've never actually seen a grub.
  • I've never actually seen a mole.
  • Slugs eat leaves. Apparently you can drown them in beer or you can simply make constellations out of the holes in the leaves.
  • If your hands are calloused and your nails a wreck, you will still look sexy in lingerie.
  • Solar lights do not work in the shade.
  • Bunnies eat clover and are very cute.
  • Bunnies eat parsley, lettuce, spinach and carrots. Plant extra for them.
  • Bunnies are smart. They always leave a few leaves behind so that the plant will grow back. It grows back twice as dense. We could learn from this.
  • If you plant a Butterfly Bush, butterflies will magically appear in your garden.
  • Potatoes left in the ground from the previous year will grow back, but they won't have any potatoes....weird.
  • Onions left in the ground from the previous year make onions...cool.
  • Cicadas make dogs throw up.
  • Some weeds are pretty. Let a few grow now and then to figure out which ones make flowers.
  • Weeds that have the nastiest thorns have the shortest roots and are easiest to pull. They must need extra armor on the outside because they are so shallow. (I know some humans like this too.)
  • Round up does not effectively kill weeds in 6 hours (I know, I know....I got desperate!) It does however kill worms, roly polies and spiders. You will feel guilty and have bad karma for days and days if you use it. AND it doesn't work. AND you still have to pull the weeds.
  • Topsy Turvey Tomatos need to be watered every single day of their long life.
  • If your children give you a plant for Mother's Day, it will die. This does not mean you do not love them.
  • If your mother gives you a plant for Mother's Day, it will die. This does not mean she does not love you.
  • Golden Retrievers like ponds. Fish like Golden Retrievers.
  • Composting is so much fun. It's absolutely amazing what happens to all that garbage.
  • When gardening, let your mind roam freely. You will be amazed at your happy and creative thoughts.
  • Your neighbors yard will always look better than yours if you are on the organic path. Gloat.

Have fun in your yards!