[gardeners] Sunday in the garden
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sun, 21 Mar 1999 19:19:52 -0600
Miz Anne, Sleepy Dawg, and myself are all about wore out. Beautiful day
in SW Louisiana today, bright sunshine, cool, low humidity, probably the
last day like that until fall.
We finally managed to get the greenhouse cleaned out and all the potted
plants back up on the patio. We also grubbed out the grass growing in
the greenhouse and tomorrow we will put weed block cloth down and lay
"egg" rock on top of it. That's river gravel the size of eggs. After
that I will go in and put preservative on the new lumber that is in
there. Still haven't found a fractional horsepower motor that will fit
the fan frame, may have to build a new frame and put a different motor
in it.
Went to Home Depot today in my friend's pickemup truck and got some more
cinder blocks, some Quickrete, a corner post and some gate fittings. The
gate from out place into the neighbors behind us has finally gone
kerpoot. The two bottom fittings made of aluminum, have corroded and
need replacing and the post has rusted off at the bottom. Looks like
nothing lasts longer than 25-30 years anymore.
Also bought one of those Ames wagons designed for gardeners. Had those
on sale at Walmart so picked up one. This one has the advantage that I
can sit on it and push myself around the garden. Used it this afternoon
putzing around the place carrying brick, etc. Works well and Sleepy Dawg
likes to ride in it. Nothing like old people pulling their little dog in
a wagon, my children will be scandalized if they ever find out.
We also went to the local garden center. Miz Anne got some kind of
flower corm, the colored leaf type of thing, can't remember the name
right now. I picked up two lavenders, a Spanish lavender that I had been
wanting an example of, not much difference between it and the French
lavender I already have except in the shape and fleshiness of the
leaves. The other is a cross and looks like it will do well around here.
Both will go into the herb garden in a week or two, letting them harden
up and spread their roots in larger pots on the bench right now. Two
ladies were looking at the herbs while I was there and didn't understand
about some of them so I explained their culinary and medicinal uses as
best I could. The center manager overheard me and now I'm to be paid to
do a 2-hour seminar next Sunday on herbs that grow well here and their
uses. Not much, 6 bucks an hour or I can take it out in plants at
wholesale. Reckon which one I will do. She says if it's a success she
may have me do at least one a month at the store here and another at the
store in Lake Charles. Guess I'll have to hit the herb books again. I do
have quite a collection of recipes using herbs so will let them copy
some for handouts. Looks like an opportunity to score some herb plants I
don't have or maybe an old rose or two.
George, off to bath and bed, back to making eating money tomorrow