Hello [Garden Newbeee]
MikeY
I have been lurking for a few weeks, and like the friendly nature of the
posts. So I'll jump in. In January I purchased my first house and I have now
decided to start focusing on the yard to make it look nice.
Ill start off with a few observations I have made since moving in. Keep in
mind I am a bachelor (as were the last 2 prior owners) and my house/garden
completely lacks any touch of color coordination. And nothing has ever been
trimmed of maintained other then mowing the lawn...
1) Poison Ivy can get to be over 2" in diameter. - I am from Upstate NY and
I NEVER saw PI get that large, so while my folks were visiting my newly
retired dad feeling ambitious, offered to help me remove those "large vines"
off the trees in the back yard. Well after a trip to the doctor and 3 weeks
of itching, I can say YES that was poison ivy. (my pop got it to) The vines
are now on the back brush pile. (No I wont burn them). I can laugh now that
my itching has almost completely past.... :-)
2) Why would someone plant pricker type bushes between the garage and the
front door, This is obviously the shortest distance to the door, and a
natural shortcut. 1 moved, 2nd this weekend....
Question: What type of plant will do well planted in a large 2ft round
wooden barrel? and not look to thin if kept trimmed back. Id like it to be
about 3 ft tall and 2 ft round, possibly dk red???
3) My lawn looks pathetic, I'll focus on that next year but I'd like to fill
in the small rough spots this year mainly to keep the mud controlled.
Question: What type/kind of grass will do "ok" with little or no attention
?
4) I have heard stories of a place in Angier? that has great deals on
plantings and trees etc...? Anyone been there? True? Where is this place ?
5) Anyone laid their own brick/stone walkway ? Is it as easy as the tv
shows make it look? [ I play with my cars on the weekends and know how
misleading the 30min engine rebuild can be as shown on TV]
Thanks In advance!!
MIke
--
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
------
Michael Yager
http://www.yager.net/mike
jeff l. wilcox
MikeY wrote:
>
>
> 2) Why would someone plant pricker type bushes between the garage and the
> front door, This is obviously the shortest distance to the door, and a
> natural shortcut. 1 moved, 2nd this weekend....
because they were batchelors and weren't thinking.........
>
>
> Question: What type of plant will do well planted in a large 2ft round
> wooden barrel? and not look to thin if kept trimmed back. Id like it to be
> about 3 ft tall and 2 ft round, possibly dk red???
>
> Question: What type/kind of grass will do "ok" with little or no attention
not many varieties. where do you live? how much sun is your lawn getting?
all sun? mostly sunny? a lot of shade? it makes a diff as to what grass
will work. in mid south, bermuda works pretty well if you have the sun. the
fescues
for the most part will look great until it gets real hot. i have centipede
grass
that is a bit coarser, but tolerates a little shade, but it browns in the
winter.
> 4) I have heard stories of a place in Angier? that has great deals on
> plantings and trees etc...? Anyone been there? True? Where is this place ?
>
> 5) Anyone laid their own brick/stone walkway ? Is it as easy as the tv
> shows make it look?
no, it's not. but it's worth the effort if you have time.
first, dont make the same mistake i did. don't try to do too much too soon.
you'll get frustrated. take some time to plan. do some reading. there's
all
sorts of books out there that are real pretty, but after you've read a few
chapters
you realize how shallow they are. i've found Dirr's Hardy Trees and Shrubs
invaluable in my planning. nice pix. gives a new gardener some good info
that's not real "heavy". i've found many of the Taylor's Guides helpful, as
well.
what you plant is going to depend on the sun in your
yard, not just what you like. i've had to make a lot of raised beds with
lots
of amended soil. i have mostly shade at my place, so that restricts a lot of
my choices.......not many flowers for me, but there's lots of other stufff that
i can purchase.
visit www.plantdelights.com; www.we-do.com. www.camforest.com
www.elk-mountain.com. www.amleonard.com
DEFINATELY
check out the JCRaulston arboretum if your anywhere near the NC Triangle area.
look around. check out your neighbors yards and gardens. after doing a lot
of looking
around and reading and visiting nurseries (not Lowes and Home Depot), you'll
begin to
form a picture of what you like and what you want to do to your home. let
those
ideas percolate. your thumb will begin to turn green in no time.
keep us posted. it's would be nice to start with a "blank sheet of paper"
again.
for me, half the fun was planning and dreaming and wading thru a kajillion
catalogs
and websites. the other half was when the joggers and walkers stop and ask
me
"Hey, whazzat plant?" (i personally go for the unusual and underutilized)
CLeHoullie
quite a unique place to purchase many commonly planted shrubs, plants and trees
- they have loads of liriope, spirea, forsythia, nandina - trees such as Red
Bud and Bradford Pear (they have hardwoods such as red leaf maples, but even
there they are not cheap!). Be prepared - nothing is labeled, nothing is
priced, and you need strong shocks and patience to drive through the crowded,
deeply rutted lanes...but it is fun nonetheless, and you can buy a lot for a
little.
Even better in my mind is a place in Sanford called Big Bloomers - sort of the
Broadwell for perennials (where else can you sample up to 70 or more
Salvias....for 2 to 4 dollars per plant!).
I can't be specific about directions to either place, since I don't know the
route numbers very well.
Wes Dukes
>
>1) Poison Ivy can get to be over 2" in diameter. - I am from Upstate NY and
>I NEVER saw PI get that large, so while my folks were visiting my newly
>retired dad feeling ambitious, offered to help me remove those "large vines"
Here is a previous post on poison ivy I made.
First make sure it is poison ivey.
First make sure it is poison ivey.
First make sure it is poison ivey.
First make sure it is poison ivey.
Here are some urls to see it:
http://www.jaxmed.com/articles/Diseases/p_ivy.htm
http://www.fhsu.edu/biology/thomasson/poison.htm
http://poisonivy.aesir.com/
http://www.cattail.nu/ivy/ivy_id.html
http://www.worldbook.com/fun/wbla/camp/html/walkpois.html
I am amazed at how many adults don't know what it looks like. The leaves
can have a good set of variations from the classic shape. I sometimes
have to look at several to make sure. The classic lobe notch may be
missing. Leaves of three is the big watch word.
Second how much. Are we talking a few plants or a massive infestation?
What do you mean by garden. Flower beds?
Is it interwined with desirable plants?
If it is light infestation I suggest heavy duty rubber gloves and just
pull the stuff up and bag it and throw away. you can wash the gloves in
hot soapy water to remove the reactive oil. Ditto if you have to use
tools. Heat will cause the oil to vaporize also. A boy scout leader told
me that cloths and tarps could be tumbled in the dryer to remove oil if
you did not want to wash. Sleeping bags expecially.
Oh, yes wear long sleeves and take off and put straight in the wash
without touching.
Roundup works - read the label. Mix at the strongest recommended
dilution, but do not make it too strong it is too expensive. My
brother-in-law suggests adding a squirt or two of dishwashing liquid to a
sprayer full (1.5-3 gallons) to make it stick to the leaves better.
Don't apply if it looks like rain. Some labels say 2 hours is all youneed
but 24 or more is better.
If you get it on a desirable plant accidentally you can rinse it off with
plain water.
You may have to make a repeat application. Use a coarser spray so you
have less drift.
There are other herbicides that work also. Spend an hour or so reading
labels and talking to l&G folks.
A piece of cardboard or plywood with a hand hold makes a great shield.
Make it as large as you can comfortably hold and tall enough so you
don'thave to bend over much.
>
>Question: What type of plant will do well planted in a large 2ft round
>wooden barrel? and not look to thin if kept trimmed back. Id like it to be
>about 3 ft tall and 2 ft round, possibly dk red???
>
While not round and not red my wife wanted two evergreens in large pots by
the front steps so I found Dwarf Alberta Spruce. Expect to spend $40+ for
each plant. I suggest those thick walled light weight pots. Lowe's has a
16 foot section of designs and sizes.
>
>Question: What type/kind of grass will do "ok" with little or no attention
>?
Zoyzia or centipede but both turn brown in winter.
>
>5) Anyone laid their own brick/stone walkway ? Is it as easy as the tv
>shows make it look? [ I play with my cars on the weekends and know how
>misleading the 30min engine rebuild can be as shown on TV]
>
Depends on how perfect you want the walk. I have a 10 plus year old walk
7 bricks wide that was laid on bare scraped ground with only a bit of sand
for leveling. It "waves" some but is a good walk. Perfectly flat, level
and laid out will take more pains.
I have a 10+ yo patio laid on about 6-18 inches of 3/8 inch pea gravel.
Again a bit wavy and tree roots are shifting it some but that will happen
even if you poured concrete. Tree roots will eventually crack it too.
Brick and stone are great materials because you can recycle them if you
don't grout them in place. Even light grout can be cleaned off.
>Thanks In advance!!
>
>MIke
>--
>----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>------
>Michael Yager
>http://www.yager.net/mike
>
>
>
--
Wes Dukes
Curtis Brothers
MikeY wrote:
> Hello All,
>
> I have been lurking for a few weeks, and like the friendly nature of the
> posts. So I'll jump in. In January I purchased my first house and I have now
> decided to start focusing on the yard to make it look nice.
Nice to have you. Mostly we don't bite.
>
>
> Ill start off with a few observations I have made since moving in. Keep in
> mind I am a bachelor (as were the last 2 prior owners) and my house/garden
> completely lacks any touch of color coordination. And nothing has ever been
> trimmed of maintained other then mowing the lawn...
>
> 1) Poison Ivy can get to be over 2" in diameter. - I am from Upstate NY and
> I NEVER saw PI get that large, so while my folks were visiting my newly
> retired dad feeling ambitious, offered to help me remove those "large vines"
> off the trees in the back yard. Well after a trip to the doctor and 3 weeks
> of itching, I can say YES that was poison ivy. (my pop got it to) The vines
> are now on the back brush pile. (No I wont burn them). I can laugh now that
> my itching has almost completely past.... :-)
As others have suggested Roundup is good. May have to repeat spray.
>
>
> 2) Why would someone plant pricker type bushes between the garage and the
> front door, This is obviously the shortest distance to the door, and a
> natural shortcut. 1 moved, 2nd this weekend....
Down here the shortest route is not necessarily the route most traveled.
>
>
> Question: What type of plant will do well planted in a large 2ft round
> wooden barrel? and not look to thin if kept trimmed back. Id like it to be
> about 3 ft tall and 2 ft round, possibly dk red???
Can grow just about anything in a barrel if you want to, but some questions need
to be addressed first. Does it have to be evergreen? Sun? Shade? Need flowers?
Need to be perennial? Does it have to be red all the time?
There are some stunning red leafed Japanese Maples. Most will want some filtered
afternoon shade. There are some Loropetalums with wine red foliage. Need some
shade also. There is a beautiful canna with wine red leaves and brilliant red
flowers. Will die back to the ground in the winter. Ditto a Dahlia, forget the
name. Wigelia 'wine and Roses" has dark reddish foliage and fuschia flowers.
Very handsome but looses it's leaves in the winter. Nandina sports red foliage
in the winter. There are many cultivars, both tall and short. A bunch more I
have skipped
>
>
> 3) My lawn looks pathetic, I'll focus on that next year but I'd like to fill
> in the small rough spots this year mainly to keep the mud controlled.
>
> Question: What type/kind of grass will do "ok" with little or no attention
> ?
Clover. Violets. Dandelions. Chickweed.
>
>
> 4) I have heard stories of a place in Angier? that has great deals on
> plantings and trees etc...? Anyone been there? True? Where is this place ?
>
> 5) Anyone laid their own brick/stone walkway ? Is it as easy as the tv
> shows make it look? [ I play with my cars on the weekends and know how
> misleading the 30min engine rebuild can be as shown on TV]
My Aunt Chick laid a whole patio in Florida in her relative youth. And old lady
even then. Still looks great 20 - 30 years later. go for it.
>
>
> Thanks In advance!!
>
> MIke
> --
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ------
> Michael Yager
> http://www.yager.net/mike
--
Pat Brothers
The Powell House
Wake Forest, NC
USDA Zone 7b
JwalkerH
<curt...@mindspring.com> wrote:
Pat, What a nice, thoughtful reply you gave! You are always so very
helpful and charming!
>
>
>MikeY wrote:
>
>> Hello All,
>>
>> I have been lurking for a few weeks, and like the friendly nature of the
>> posts. So I'll jump in. In January I purchased my first house and I have now
>> decided to start focusing on the yard to make it look nice.
>
>Nice to have you. Mostly we don't bite.
Welcome to Raleigh! You've found a wonderful place to live (and
garden 8o) ).
>
>> 3) My lawn looks pathetic, I'll focus on that next year but I'd like to fill
>> in the small rough spots this year mainly to keep the mud controlled.
>>
>> Question: What type/kind of grass will do "ok" with little or no attention
>Clover. Violets. Dandelions. Chickweed.
Mike, Pat is kidding here... these are all weeds commonly found in
grassy areas.
I would advise that you not do anything now; it's going to get too hot
and dry for anything to be successful right now. Wait until fall.
>>
>> 5) Anyone laid their own brick/stone walkway ? Is it as easy as the tv
>> shows make it look? [ I play with my cars on the weekends and know how
>> misleading the 30min engine rebuild can be as shown on TV]
Yep. Fieldstone. It's beautiful.
It took about 1 day to lay 9x20 walk.
Just be sure to get your foundation solid before you start with the
mortar.
I have also laid brick and sand walkways. Quick, easy, and most of
all, changeable and/or fixable. But it is a pain to always have to
weed the walk!
>> Thanks In advance!!
>>
>> MIke
>> --
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ------
>> Michael Yager
>> http://www.yager.net/mike
>
>--
>Pat Brothers
>The Powell House
>Wake Forest, NC
>USDA Zone 7b
>
>
Hope this helps Mike. Welsome again.
Jeny
Kira Dirlik
> >> 5) Anyone laid their own brick/stone walkway ? Is it as easy as the tv
> >> shows make it look? [ I play with my cars on the weekends and know how
> >> misleading the 30min engine rebuild can be as shown on TV]
> Yep. Fieldstone. It's beautiful.
> It took about 1 day to lay 9x20 walk.
> Just be sure to get your foundation solid before you start with the
> mortar.
> I have also laid brick and sand walkways. Quick, easy, and most of
> all, changeable and/or fixable. But it is a pain to always have to
> weed the walk!
I've done both. The bricks were in sand (with tar paper underneath), and
yes, about once a year had to be weeded by digging their roots out with
one of those tools that look like a big screwdriver. But it was on a
slight hill, and our deluges washed out a lot of the sand which went onto
the grass and killed it. Be sure you buy bricks that are 4 x 8, so that
you have a lot of pattern options. MIne weren't, and I had to lay them
all in the same direction. The sand wasn't held in well.
I love my current house with the stone pathway. It may take only a day
using mortar. I allowed (and needed) all summer for mine (yes... after
work and weekends). I have clay. I dug out a shallow depression in the
shape of each stone so they all set together like a jigsaw puzzle. Now it
has moss and all kinds of green things growing in between the stones. I
have to weed-whack it about twice a summer (takes 5 minutes), but, if I
say so myself, it is beautiful. I would not want the stones mortared. I
got the stones at Blue Ridge Stone in Apex. They have a lot of choices.
Mine is flat, round-edged river stone.
Just my $.02. Many options out there.
Kira
Wes Dukes
>MikeY wrote:
>> >> 5) Anyone laid their own brick/stone walkway ? Is it as easy as the tv
>> >> shows make it look? [ I play with my cars on the weekends and know how
>> >> misleading the 30min engine rebuild can be as shown on TV]
>> Yep. Fieldstone. It's beautiful.
>> It took about 1 day to lay 9x20 walk.
>> Just be sure to get your foundation solid before you start with the
>> mortar.
>> I have also laid brick and sand walkways. Quick, easy, and most of
>> all, changeable and/or fixable. But it is a pain to always have to
>> weed the walk!
>
>I've done both. The bricks were in sand (with tar paper underneath), and
>yes, about once a year had to be weeded by digging their roots out with
Another trick is to use mortar mix instead of sand and dampen it and let
it set. Get it into the cracks by sweeping back and forth with a broom.
Cleans off easily if you ever move brick and it won't wash like sand.
>one of those tools that look like a big screwdriver. But it was on a
>slight hill, and our deluges washed out a lot of the sand which went onto
>the grass and killed it. Be sure you buy bricks that are 4 x 8, so that
>you have a lot of pattern options. MIne weren't, and I had to lay them
>all in the same direction. The sand wasn't held in well.
Yes get the 4x8 paving brick and get the regular thickness and not the
thin ones designed to be on a bed of concrete. THose crack if put on
regular ground.
>
>I love my current house with the stone pathway. It may take only a day
>using mortar. I allowed (and needed) all summer for mine (yes... after
>work and weekends). I have clay. I dug out a shallow depression in the
>shape of each stone so they all set together like a jigsaw puzzle. Now it
>has moss and all kinds of green things growing in between the stones. I
>have to weed-whack it about twice a summer (takes 5 minutes), but, if I
>say so myself, it is beautiful. I would not want the stones mortared. I
>got the stones at Blue Ridge Stone in Apex. They have a lot of choices.
>Mine is flat, round-edged river stone.
>
>Just my $.02. Many options out there.
>
>Kira
--
Wes Dukes
lighte...@gmail.com
Amy