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May Trees

Redbud 'Flame Thrower' (Cercis canadensis) As May comes to an end, I thought I would share some trees that look good now.  First, the insanely beautiful 'Flame Thrower' redbud. I always hesitate to praise this tree because of their finicky nature. So far, so good on this one which is near our front door.  Snowbell and 'Wolf's Eyes' Dogwood in the background The Snowbell tree ( Styrax japonica ) has been spectacular for many weeks. I was up on the roof of the garden shed this morning and got an aerial view of it. It looks so much larger from above. The blooms are so heavy that the branches are bending down. A few years ago, I recall standing underneath it and the roar from bees buzzing around it was deafening. Last week, I was saddened to hear no bees at all. Fortunately, there are some a week later but not nearly as many as in the past. On the opposite side is 'Wolf's Eye' Dogwood ( Cornus kousa ) which always delivers. This is a small dogwood c...
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Too Early for Winter Clean-Up?


Winter continues its grip on our region and it needs to go bye-bye. Since returning from my trip to Alabama last week, I've been itching to get out and begin the garden clean-up but I hesitate. I think it is best to wait until temperatures are above 50 before cutting plants back for the sake of insects that are using the plants for shelter. 

The rose pruning can begin and I will start that this week. However, the weather is just icky - wet and cold - and getting out there requires some willpower. 

I did go ahead and cut back the ornamental grasses, which I felt guilty about, but it is done.



I also got an interior job completed, something I've wanted to do for a long time - installing a tool rack on the garage wall and attaching brackets to hold our ladders. This blank area of wall has always irked me and the fact that we are constantly stumbling over tools on the floor begged that the space be used. The reason I kept putting the project off was because I could not drill a hole in the dense concrete wall (and I tried several times). The solution that finally presented itself was the purchase of a rather inexpensive hammer drill. A highly recommended tool! 

After contemplating buying a ready-made rack to attach to the wall, I finally decided to create my own using a piece of wood that I bolted to the wall (thanks to the hammer drill) and attached brackets on the wood bar to hold the tools. A sense of accomplishment and it made a big difference. At least I can now get in and out of my truck without stumbling over tools and ladders. Our tiny garage is cramped enough as it is.



Text and photos by Phillip Oliver, Dirt Therapy
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  1. Kris PMarch 5, 2023 at 8:10 PM

    Even here in coastal SoCal it feels too cold to tackle a lot of our usual "late winter" projects but I'm slowly ticking them off. Of course, snow isn't a factor here.

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  2. AnonymousMarch 6, 2023 at 8:42 AM

    I finished cutting back all the clumps the Japanese Forrest Grass yesterday. I started in mid February, before the lates cold snap, when I thought (hoped) winter was mostly done. If one waits and the grasses start growing, it becomes a big job in a hurry.
    Good job on the tool rack. It must feel awesome after having to managed without one all those years!
    Chavli

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