Garden

[2blonde]

@sfnative  I'm pleased that I could brighten your day!  Now, you have brightened mine with that lovely picture!  How I would love to be there right now (not a flower in sight as I look out my window).  I love all things colorful and bright, and I believe you do as well.  Enjoy that CA sun, my friend, and I will continue to dream of brighter days here in good old OH!

[2blonde]

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@sfnative wrote:

@2blonde

Wanted you to know that with May just around the corner, my thoughts are with you and Ohio weather, that it will turn around quickly and provide you with some long sought-after real Spring.

I have 2 other friends in Ohio, though not as close to Lake Erie as you, and they're not happy campers either.

OK, Mother Nature, time to wake up!  It's Rebecca here asking you to lift the cold, damp, tail-end weather of winter and bring in the warmer and life-giving clime of Spring, especially to "2blond" in northern Ohio.  Thank you!

***

We're going to have 2 days of 80s weather today and tomorrow, then back to cold-ish again.  The Pacific Northwest gets these teasers, always followed by rain, which is what our weekend will be.

Gotta get out and water my new day lilies.  Have a good one.

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@sfnative  OK......I think we were both writing our posts at the same time, Rebecca!  If you have friends in OH, then you already have heard the moans and groans.  At least I can say we are supposed to have a dry weekend with some sun coming.  Today should be the last day of rain for a little while.  It's about 50 right now, but Monday it's supposed to be 80!

[sfnative]

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@JustJazzmom wrote:

One thing I would suggest is keep the soil wet so you can tamp it down and not wait a year for it to happen naturally. 

Bulbs can be planted at their usual time (in the fall). Keep them in a dry cool place until you decide to replant in the soil.

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@JustJazzmom

Needed to get back to you to say thanks for the advice regarding keeping it wet.  The plumbers are appreciating that, as the inspector had to scope the incredibly long sewer line they just installed and found that one area had very slightly sunk, so next week they're going to dig everything up again...sigh.

Honestly, they did a great job.  Would hire them again.  It's just that the ground under the new pipes shifted - like so many here said it would.

[JustJazzmom]

YW @sfnative. A friend of mine years ago had to connect to the sewer line after the cesspool collapsed. She was told to run the hose in the ground to get the overturned soil to tamp down sooner. 

Once everything settles, think of the area as a brand new canvas to experiment with.

[Elri]

@sfnative

I wandered lonely as a Cloud...

 That floats on high o’er Vales and Hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,
   A host of golden Daffodils;
Beside the Lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Every time I see daffodils, I think of this poem by Wordsworth. 

Husband is an oaf.  Plumber is a misogynist beast.  I hope you are ok.  

You have grandchildren?   Then, you have happiness sometimes?

I understand, really.   Sometimes you can't win by bringing it up.  I understand what you mean by complicated.....

I would call local nurseries and ask for FREE information as to planting in recently disturbed turf.   Describe the situation and see what they say.

Good luck, hon .

[mousiegirl]

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@sfnative wrote:

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@JustJazzmom wrote:

One thing I would suggest is keep the soil wet so you can tamp it down and not wait a year for it to happen naturally. 

Bulbs can be planted at their usual time (in the fall). Keep them in a dry cool place until you decide to replant in the soil.

---

@JustJazzmom

Needed to get back to you to say thanks for the advice regarding keeping it wet.  The plumbers are appreciating that, as the inspector had to scope the incredibly long sewer line they just installed and found that one area had very slightly sunk, so next week they're going to dig everything up again...sigh.

Honestly, they did a great job.  Would hire them again.  It's just that the ground under the new pipes shifted - like so many here said it would.

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@sfnative  When we extended the kitchen and laundry room about three or so years ago, a new foundation had to be dug, and the result was a very long three foot high dirt derm.  I raked, lots of rocks, watered, shoveled, for months, and finally got it down to ground level, had to in order to pass the final inspection, and then added compost and leaves, turned the dirt over, added more on top, and the following Spring began to plant.  It is now my shade garden.  I left an area further down in the perennial area as a foot high large mound and have planted on top of that for visual interest.  Lots of hard work, but rewarding.

[sfnative]

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@mousiegirl wrote:

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@sfnative wrote:

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@JustJazzmom wrote:

One thing I would suggest is keep the soil wet so you can tamp it down and not wait a year for it to happen naturally. 

Bulbs can be planted at their usual time (in the fall). Keep them in a dry cool place until you decide to replant in the soil.

---

@JustJazzmom

Needed to get back to you to say thanks for the advice regarding keeping it wet.  The plumbers are appreciating that, as the inspector had to scope the incredibly long sewer line they just installed and found that one area had very slightly sunk, so next week they're going to dig everything up again...sigh.

Honestly, they did a great job.  Would hire them again.  It's just that the ground under the new pipes shifted - like so many here said it would.

---

@sfnative  When we extended the kitchen and laundry room about three or so years ago, a new foundation had to be dug, and the result was a very long three foot high dirt derm.  I raked, lots of rocks, watered, shoveled, for months, and finally got it down to ground level, had to in order to pass the final inspection, and then added compost and leaves, turned the dirt over, added more on top, and the following Spring began to plant.  It is now my shade garden.  I left an area further down in the perennial area as a foot high large mound and have planted on top of that for visual interest.  Lots of hard work, but rewarding.

---

@mousiegirl

Thanks for taking the time to explain all that you went through to prep your soil for planting.  I need to have my husband read this, as he thinks we should get in there right now and plant.  Thing is, as previously expressed, our beautiful top soil is now underneath a lot of clay and the clay is on top with lots of rock.  So...we've much of the same work ahead of us as you had to perform.

[mousiegirl]

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@sfnative wrote:

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@mousiegirl wrote:

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@sfnative wrote:

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@JustJazzmom wrote:

One thing I would suggest is keep the soil wet so you can tamp it down and not wait a year for it to happen naturally. 

Bulbs can be planted at their usual time (in the fall). Keep them in a dry cool place until you decide to replant in the soil.

---

@JustJazzmom

Needed to get back to you to say thanks for the advice regarding keeping it wet.  The plumbers are appreciating that, as the inspector had to scope the incredibly long sewer line they just installed and found that one area had very slightly sunk, so next week they're going to dig everything up again...sigh.

Honestly, they did a great job.  Would hire them again.  It's just that the ground under the new pipes shifted - like so many here said it would.

---

@sfnative  When we extended the kitchen and laundry room about three or so years ago, a new foundation had to be dug, and the result was a very long three foot high dirt derm.  I raked, lots of rocks, watered, shoveled, for months, and finally got it down to ground level, had to in order to pass the final inspection, and then added compost and leaves, turned the dirt over, added more on top, and the following Spring began to plant.  It is now my shade garden.  I left an area further down in the perennial area as a foot high large mound and have planted on top of that for visual interest.  Lots of hard work, but rewarding.

---

@mousiegirl

Thanks for taking the time to explain all that you went through to prep your soil for planting.  I need to have my husband read this, as he thinks we should get in there right now and plant.  Thing is, as previously expressed, our beautiful top soil is now underneath a lot of clay and the clay is on top with lots of rock.  So...we've much of the same work ahead of us as you had to perform.

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@sfnative   I have the same clay soil with rocks, and it takes lots of compost, as you know, to amend the clay.  DH had to take tons of rocks by wheelbarrow and dump them over a slope on our property that doesn't get used, mostly clay rocks but so hard that I didn't want them in the planting area.

I am going to look for a picture of the derm and will post it for you if I find it.

[sfnative]

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@Elri  wrote:

@sfnative

I wandered lonely as a Cloud...

 That floats on high o’er Vales and Hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,
   A host of golden Daffodils;
Beside the Lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Every time I see daffodils, I think of this poem by Wordsworth. 

Husband is an oaf.  Plumber is a misogynist beast.  I hope you are ok.  

You have grandchildren?   Then, you have happiness sometimes?

I understand, really.   Sometimes you can't win by bringing it up.  I understand what you mean by complicated.....

I would call local nurseries and ask for FREE information as to planting in recently disturbed turf.   Describe the situation and see what they say.

Good luck, hon .

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@Elri

Thank you for the Wordsworth inspirational passage!  And, for your kind words and direction.

Yes, to the words I highlighted in red.  We have a wonderful nursery a few miles away and will make a visit there, as soon as the paving project is done next week.  If it isn't one thing it's another.  Yes, paving next week, plus the plumbing crew returns to re-dig and bolster up one part of a sewer pipe that has sunk.  Oh happy days, when it's all done and we can contemplate next steps with my friends here & the nursery.