Jazz, Sharon, Please come over.....

[pixiegirl]

So we took out the monster of an evergreen bush on the side of my drive. This thing was big enough to fill the old man's 1/2 ton pick-up and the trailer. Come to find out behind it are 3-4 HUGE azelas that were too crowded to grow out as bushes and are more or less tree like as well as a couple of dogwood trees and a couple other unidintified flowering shrubs/trees/somethings. I have no idea what to do over there or where to begin other then to clear about 40 years worth of leaves out. It's really bare without "Spidey" (the bush was so big it deserved a name). I need help!

 

[pixiegirl]

Poor Spidey.

Clearing it out is a good starting point. Then you can see exactly how much of an area you have to work with. Also, figure out what kind of light it gets and how good the soil is. I find it useful to draw it out on paper, then fill in with the plants you want to have there and that will grow well in those conditions. You may have to add some supplements to it if you're going to make it a bed.

B's dad is bringing me a tiller! B got me a truckload of topsoil for the bed I made in my horseshoe. It didn't fill but 1/3 as deep as I wanted 3-4 inches. B said he wasn't getting 2-3 more truck loads of dirt and spreading it. So he's going to till up the ground that's there and hard as a rock and respread the dirt.

Poor guy is going to have a hell of a time pulling out Spidey's stump. It's a monstrocity!

We're in a woodsy area but get a good amount of sun in the middle of the day. The dogwoods are in full bloom. I put tulips in whiskey barrels (they were meant for my horseshoe but were blooming) and are all doing well. I have Phlox in a barrel and it's doing well. I'm fairly good with "flower beds" but this intimidates me. :scared:

 

[pixiegirl]

Good luck with that. A tiller can only do so much and digging into very hard ground is almost impossible for it to handle. I would try to break it up some first with a shovel or pickax and then soaking the ground before putting the tiller through there else the tiller is going to act like a bucking bronc.


No doubt. Been there and done that and have the calluses to prove it.


If you get sun during the middle of the day, you should be able to plant about anything there. You have to decide what look you want. Formal bed or enhanced "woodsy" look? A specific color scheme or looking for interest based more on foliage or a combination of the two?

I don't know what I want that's why I want one of you ladies who is good at this stuff to come hold my hand and help me. I insisted he take out that bush. He must have asked me 10 times before he did it. Then when it was out I just stood there in disbelief saying "What have I done?" I'm glad as it's totally opened up the front of the house and the azelas are very mature and beautiful (I usually don't care for them but since these are more tree like). I opened up a can of worms to to speak.

 

[itsbob]

Good luck with that. A tiller can only do so much and digging into very hard ground is almost impossible for it to handle. I would try to break it up some first with a shovel or pickax and then soaking the ground before putting the tiller through there else the tiller is going to act like a bucking bronc.

Hopefully it's a rear tine tiller.. front tine tiller on hard ground will beat you up..

 

[pixiegirl]

I think it's a Troybuilt. Brent used it before when we lived in Indian Head to make the veggie garden. It's the push kind opposed to the pull kind??? It's fairly large. He's going to do all that.

I was clearing leaves last week, snuck into the shed and got out the leaf blower. It was liberating!

 

[DoWhat]

I was clearing leaves last week, snuck into the shed and got out the leaf blower. It was liberating!

Electric or gas?

 

[huntr1]

Come to find out behind it are 3-4 HUGE azelas that were too crowded to grow out as bushes and are more or less tree like

If ya want to get rid of them, I'll come get them!

 

[pixiegirl]

Electric or gas?

Gas. B came home, I confessed my crime (playing with power tools), instead of being upset he was impressed that I was actually able to start it. Ye of little faith.

He also SWORE once that I had someone over to move a tv. Just cause I usually ask him do stuff doesn't mean that I can't do stuff.

 

[huntr1]

:azaleawhore:

yep. I'll even take a Great Mills Rd. azalea and plant it in my yard. Same for Rhodos.

 

[Sharon]

I need help!

Call me if you want to do something this weekend. I was outside all day yesterday digging and planting, up until dark. It's gonna take me that long to recover. If you're around Thursday I can take a look then.