Tuesday, December 30, 2014

CLEAN UP TIME


I have been busy cleaning up my potting/nursery area of the garden this past few weeks.  I got pushed into it because we had the old asphalt roofing tiles removed from our house and new ones put on.  The result was black confetti all over the potting area and among the plants.  It was good incentive for me to get stuck into cleaning up the place and do some reorganizing.


At the same time I had been complaining to myself about how I hated getting down on my old knees to weed the aggressive St. Augustine grass out from under the potted plants.  I do not know why I did not not think of laying down old carpet as a weed barrier before.  I put a call out  for old carpet on the local free stuff Facebook page and it really has done the job well.  Plus there were some old asphalt roofing tiles under the house that I laid down under the plants as well.  I am thrilled with the result of both jobs and now I can put my energy back into potting again.  Anyways, while everything is looking ship shape  I have taken a few photos of the nursery and potting area for you to see.  I am afraid that on the average day it does not look so tidy.

The wonderful old wood bench that I use for potting was a free find..  The big red container holds my potting media....composted wood chips and recycled potting mix.  The black crates on the bench I use for recycling bottles.   All pots/containers have been recycled.  I garden cheap!
.

These are my favorite containers for fertilizer.  I can keep them closed
 against moisture and can get my hand in them easily.
Maybe you will recognize them as Kim Chee containers from Costco.

The nursery pot plants all started out on the ground but over time I found free junk to use to keep them up higher.  All the plastic crates and fish trays you see float in on the tide down at the beach.  I am happy to re purpose them.  Most of the plants get some wind protection from the house but the tough succulents and aloes etc. get stuck at the far end where they get the ocean winds coming through the back yard.

Yay! ....not more grass weeds under the pots.



I enjoy the challenge of propagating plants but I am afraid my plants get neglected when I go off traveling for a few months.  Between that and the salt winds we get as well as our sandy soil, you know why my favorite plants are tough plants.

Aloha