Olympia,Wa. Moves

Spring garden cleaning in Olympia and preparing your garden to plant

2011-05-30T11:54:00.000-07:00

Spring is all around me as I walk through my yard. I look at the many plants stretching their leaves to the sky, starving for sunshine. I am witnessing the rebirth of last year's perennials and wonder what flower bed to clear first and ready for this summer's plantings. I know what not to plant by last year's failures and what always grows even if I don't water and fertilize enough. Maybe I'll get a new gate, a fruit tree or add another bird bath near my outdoor dining room. I always wanted a fire pit for hot dogs and a hammock under the aspen tree for my Sunday, late afternoon naps.

A garden is an expression unique to each individual and similar to a signature. Some days my writing flows and my signature looks like a gliding bird held up in the air by a soft breeze. And, some days I write my signature like a scribble without any patience or grace. The pointe is, make your garden reflect what your feeling and create a space for respite and an ecscape from what every day daily life brings you.

The following tips helped me prepare my garden and I hope help you with yours!

Do you want new beds? If so, lay out newspaper 5 or 6 sheets deep, then add several inches of compost over the top. This kills existing vegetation by smothering it. Four months later, you can dig it up to work the compost into the soil. No sod removal is necessary.
Shop for seeds online, (Order early for best selection. If you snooze, you'll lose) Fred Meyer or your local drug store carry some good seed to help you get started.
Assess soil. Buy a soil test kit or have soil tested. Most county extension services can test your garden soil (Olympia Farmers Market has a WSU Extension/Olympia Master Gardeners) or recommend labs if they don't. Healthy soil is essential to a productive plant, so it pays to test especially if your results were unimpressive last year. Call to find out what you need to do and how long it will take, then plan accordingly.
Check shrubs and woody plants. What needs pruning? For early spring bloomers like forsythia, prune promptly after flowering is complete.
Fruit trees need to be pruned before they begin to blossom if you didn't get to it while the trees were dormant. If they blossom, it's best to wait until winter rolls around again. (It's okay to prune dead wood.)
Do you have a lot of perennials? Do any of them need to be moved? Spring is the time to transplant divisions or move plants around. If you have friends who are gardeners, it's a good time to arrange trades.
Check your tools. Clean and sharpen blades on hand tools. Have mower serviced if you didn't do it in the fall before you put them away. Budget for new tools or replacements now.
While you're at it, organize the garden shed. Clean, sterilize, and organize terracotta pots, planters, and starter trays. Sterilize using a bleach and water solution of 1 part bleach to ten parts water. Rinse thoroughly, then dry.
Clean and repair outdoor furniture. It may be too cold to paint unless you've got a basement or heated and ventilated work area, but at least they will be ready when the weather warms.
If you haven't broken the chemical habit, make sure you check any old chemicals you might have. Before you discard, check with your county or city waste management office for guidance on recycling or disposing of any hazardous chemicals.
Provide or build gardening supports for peonies, tomatoes, peas, beans, and squash. Supporting flowers with heavy heads prevents breakage. Growing vegetables vertically saves space and prevents bugs and slugs from gnashing on your veggies.
Sow seeds in starter trays according to package instructions and the last frost date for your area.

Don't get anxious and start working in the garden too early. The soil needs to be damp but not soggy or sticky. If you take a handful of soil and make a ball, it should fall apart easily when you open your hand. Also, setting out plants prematurely often results in discouraging losses. Planning and getting ready to go saves time and money you'll want to spend on cool new plants and tools.

Books

The Ann Lovejoy Handbook of Northwest Gardening: Natural Care and Sustainable Design

Getting your garden ready for fall!

2010-09-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

Winter Gardening Tips

Many people see the fall and winter as a time to close down the garden and wait until the spring to start up gardening activities again. However, there are plenty of things you can be doing through the fall and winter months to continue enjoying the pleasures of gardening.

Winter is an important period in the gardening season, more so than you’d think. While winter is in full swing, compost is continuing to decompose and get ready for use for the spring. Additionally, winter is a great time to grow cover crops which will help improve the soil for the next season.

There are also plenty of plants that you can grow during the fall and winter, both indoors and out. Also, you can strategically plan a winter garden so that you can enjoy color and attractive plants all year long. See our section on ornamental plants for the winter garden for more information.

Of course, people in warmer states such as California and Florida have more opportunities for fall and winter gardening. However, no matter where you live you can enjoy working with plants all year round.

Easy tips for summer home maintenance

2010-07-19T20:01:00.000-07:00

Summer has arrived—and with its warm breezes come many maintenance concerns and seasonal chores for homeowners. In addition to the inevitable mowing, tree trimming, and other yard work, summer is also a great time to step up maintenance efforts around the home.

Despite the hassle and time scheduled repairs can take, quarterly home maintenance and preventative measures can keep all areas of the home in good condition for years to come. To help homeowners accomplish this goal, the Web site Homestore.com recommends the following summer maintenance tips.

Tip #1: Clean and seal decks. Ideally, three consecutive warm, sunny days will be needed. On the first day, dry out the deck. Apply deck cleaner and scrub the deck on the second day, and let it dry 24 hours. On the third day, apply deck sealer.

Tip #2: Have a certified chimney sweep inspect and clean chimneys. Taking care of this task in the summer—rather than in the peak autumn season—allows plenty of time for repairs before the next heating season. It’s also easier to schedule a sweep than during the fall cleaning season, and sometimes, rates can be lower as a result of off-season discounts.

Tip #3: Wash the exterior of your house using ordinary garden hose pressure and a mild detergent. Pressure washers are not always the best idea—they are powerful enough to force water under the siding, where it can encourage mildew and rot. If power washing is truly in order, hire a professional.

Tip #4: Caulk exterior joints around all windows and doors. Caulking helps keep the house weather-tight and reduces energy bills. It can also help keep insects and vermin out of the house.

Tip #5: Clean lint from the entire clothes dryer vent system, from the dryer to the exterior vent cap. Because lint is incredibly flammable, this common build up can create a fire hazard. And if a gas clothes dryer is not properly vented, it can even force deadly carbon monoxide back into the home. Tip #6: Check the operation and condition of attic fans and roof-mounted turbine vents. Attic fans run on little energy and can greatly reduce cooling costs—

Tomorrow-5 more tips

Getting ready to sell your home

2010-07-14T23:42:00.000-07:00

Once you have made the decision to sell your home, it's time to think about what comes next. Throughout the process, you might find it beneficial to have a checklist to help guide you through some very important choices that you will be making in the next few months

Olympia Real Estate

2010-06-29T23:56:00.000-07:00

Interest is down and home are selling again in the PNW. Who made their move and who is thinking about a move soon?

Follow your heart

2010-06-29T23:48:00.001-07:00

Often life is full of choices and sometimes we do what we must to get by or maybe fear of the unknown . What if we could do what we wanted because it made good sense and no one was depending on our support or income?

Today I'm going to take a leap and a deep breath so I can grow. Take a chance and hope for the best. Challenge myself and try and truly grow up. This time it's for me and me alone.

Lets Go!