Tell The Truth Tuesday #2


 When we had a strong Santa Ana wind event back in November one of the Callistemon 'Slim's blew over and blocked the path to the back gate.  'Slim' was too tall for a stake, so I pulled it back into the vertical (note blue bungee cord above) with this highly attractive method:
 It's a rock wrapped in a rag hanging on more bungee cords, a weight on the other side of the wall to hold 'Slim' upright, which it did.  Time to take that off--'Slim' should have recovered by now.  Well...maybe next week.  Some possible wind is predicted for Wednesday.

A photo of that classic gardener's mess, the patio table, seems appropriate.  Meant to be the place for a leisurely lunch in the fresh air, the patio table often inevitably ends up piled with trowels, secateurs, potting soil, scraps of shade cloth, watering cans, plant cuttings, muddy gloves, and so forth.  Here's the "after".  "Before" was too disgusting to post.
Some of the cuttings ended up neatly potted, to re-root.  The rest of the stuff got put back where it belongs, and the table and chairs were scrubbed and washed.
A mess that needed resolution were the stumps of the Italian Cypress cut down back in October because they were a fire danger, being too close to the house.  Significant rain in November softened the soil enough to make removal fairly easy, if any stump removal not hired-out can be considered "fairly easy".  Took about six hours of patient grubbing. 
 I was hoping the stump could become a planter of sorts for succulents or Tillandsias, which is currently A Thing around here.  Not sure about that yet. 
The soil needs to be moved back.  The soil was fabulous here, by the way.  Insanely fluffy loam.  No wonder the Cypress were so happy.  Another stump to go.
And maybe another after that.  The remaining Cypress of the trio, the farthest from the house, may be too close after all.  The gardener is having a hard time letting it go. 
Tell The Truth Tuesday is a highly motivating meme that admits that everything in the garden is not idyllic perfection--quelle surprise--100% of the time.   Click on the link for more truth-telling, and those muddy gloves may finally find the way off your patio table. 

Comments

  1. I love your method of tying up the Callistemon. Sometimes a gardener has to do what a gardener has to do.

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    1. Now that I think about it, I have no idea how I came up with that contraption.

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  2. I have a Mahonia that got knocked askew somehow (I blame raccoons climbing on it, they get blamed for everything here), that currently has an ugly conglomeration of poles holding it somewhat upright. Your counterweight/bungee cord contraption is ingenious. Yesterday I cleaned up more raccoon poop and tried to sort out a solution for keeping them from using the area, before realizing I hadn't taken any photos for my own meme. Maybe I can do an "After" picture next week.

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    1. The best part of the contraption was that it worked. I took it down this morning and 'Slim' is standing straight and tall--today, anyway.

      Digging raccoons, you and Kris both suffer from that. Wire screen laid on the ground? Animals don't like walking on that.

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  3. With the addition of some moss, I bet that stump would make a great support for air plants and/or succulents. With all the work you put into getting it out of the ground, you ought to get some payback!

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    1. Something besides hurting all over afterwards. Weirdly, I sort of enjoyed it. The stump had this wonderful conifer fragrance, like a walk in a forest, and it was quiet and cool yesterday, quite peaceful to be out there, away from the sawing and hammering going on in the bathroom.

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    2. That I understand - rather in the garden than with power tools chewing up your head.

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  4. I have to say your plant support is clever if not attractive. Sometimes utility wins over aesthetics. I know how you feel after the stump digging-I am always thrilled with the victory.

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    1. A prettier rag and color-coordinated bungees and I'm an Instagram star. ;^)

      "Victory" is a good way to describe the feeling when you hear that final pop.

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  5. Your method of tying up the shrub is ingenious. Who ever is on the opposite side of the wall might not like it so much. ha... The rag is chic. ;)

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