I am another day closer to actually planting potatoes. Woohoo! All of that darn dirt is moved. But back to the beginning...
I stayed up almost all of last night. I just did not want to fall asleep. I had several people blow up in my face this week. As a result, my brain didn't want to be alone last night and stayed awake on OS and FB until like 3:00 am.
Thus, I didn't get outside until 1:30 this afternoon. My first order of business was to assemble the new tiller. I am liking the name Hector for it. It is a special time as this is the first brand new piece of equipment, besides cars and a weedwhacker, that I have purchased for myself, assembled, and used, so a name seems appropriate.
As you see, it comes mostly assembled. I had to attach the handle and could have used another set of hands but managed pretty good, the depth bar, and adjust the wheels.
The hardest part was actually putting in the oil. I had to leave it sit after putting in the 20 ounces and let it settle before I could get a dipstick reading. Then I had to add another 2 ounces or so. So several tries were needed, but it is oiled up.
Taking a break, I looked around the corner of the shed and saw a ton of lilacs blooming. I also found out that I am still seriously allergic. I was standing down wind here and got a face full of scent which attacked my throat. Pain, swelling, trouble swallowing. So I admire from afar. It seems to be just these old fashioned lilacs, though. I had my face buried in the blue ones with no issues.
While waiting for the oil to settle, I started leveling out the dirt in the potato patch. Got the first part done and got hungry, so stopped to eat some cantalope.
Went back to spread out the rest of the dirt and put it out to the edges of where I want to till. Found out my potato patch isn't quite square to the rest of the garden. Oops.
Planted an oak tree that grew in my hibiscus pot this winter.
And saw some robins squabbling over the worms.
Now, I need to shower and go to bed so I can get up early tomorrow to till my garden, mow, and possibly plant those potaoes.
Have a good night!
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I picked up a load of zoo poo today (2 actually, one for a friend, one for me), got the first raised bed kit set up, dumped in about half the load of poo and a bag of peat moss. I'll finish unloading the truck tomorrow.
I've got a tiller under wraps that I haven't started in a couple of years, but I'm trying to move everything to raised beds. The tiller is just too noisy and too much trouble for just an hour or so a year.
I plan to use the heck out of this tiller. I need to start a flower bed for the seed angel I got from Lance's (my dog) crematorium and start some serious landscaping in the back of my yard. This is going to be fun!
You're allergic to lilac? How much of a curse is that?! Our lilac plumes are shriveling already. I cut a few of them (not mine but hanging over my side of the fence, so fair) for scent in the house and etc.
I want to borrow your tiller..
I forgot to say the tent catapillars (sp?) are out in force.
The zoo poo is great for the garden and a bargain too - this year it's $40 for a bobcat scoop full. The city (Louisville) used to sell composted yard waste, but Waste Management or BFI (forget which) pulled out.
Mark, what are tent caterpillars?
As for your new toy; I'd have named it Atiller the Hon.
Hahahahahahahahahahaaaaaaa. Ha ha.
Ha.
The gardener's real best friend.
Happy Planting
rated with love
I hope you put little bug-deterrents like marigold or tansy or something in the cement block cavities, otherwise they'll breed snails & deadly spiders that crawl across the lawn at night.
Hoping Margaret feels much better soon too.
Sad about your lilac allergy.
Margaret, Hen House has those little lovelies on sale. They are scrumptious mashed!
Here's a better description than I could give:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tent_caterpillar
Look at the pictures and descrition of the Eastern tent caterpillar - they insatiable eaters of young leaves. You can't put your foot down anywhere without squashing at least one.
@asia: Hen House - for potatoes? Do chickens lay potatoes in Kansas?
zanelle, it surprises me, too. Stay tuned...
Margaret, I love that name, but would the tiller get confused? And I don't know if there's any Irish or not. My mother's father is unknown. Yep, even in the 30s...
RP, Puff had other plans than my sleeping. Cat...
Kim, I'll have to get some. I did find a slug when straightening the blocks. Would powdered sprinkled into the holes work? Can't have evil spiders.
Asia, I get off to a good start then slow way down and don't keep up with the weeds like I should.
Mark, will check out the link; can't write and flip pages on a phone. Sounds like walking could get yucky.
Margaret, glad you're good. Kim's comment made me wonder.
& if some of them deter bugs, even better.
I'm glad, Margaret. The hysterical laughter made me think, you know ... you might be losing your mind ... but never mind !
Let's have a nice cup of tea !
Kim, we are so sympatico! Are we psychic twins? I saw those blocks as the perfect place for cabbage and green beans. And I can wrap the whole caboodle in chicken wire to keep the bunnies out. They decimated my beans last year, the little varmints. At your suggestion I bought a 6 pack of marigold that is actually a 10 pack to keep the bugs away.
Chicken, I have never planted a zucchini. My neighbor keeps telling me I can have from his garden then makes me wait until his family is done. I think I'll plant one this year. I have the perfect spot.
:)
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Sure hope you keep posting pics of the progress as the green shoots come through the ground...
Diatomatious earth works great sprinkled liberally around on the ground for the crawlers of any sort...completely non toxic....
Algis, I would like to try Crete potatoes. Foodie Tuesday?
Mission, I will blog garden until you guys are tired of it. Deal? And I had forgotten about D. earth. Thanks for the reminder.
Brianna, I really love lilacs and breathed them all the time as a kid but after 20 years away they have decided that I must die. Sad.
LL, tell the men that tilling is women's work. We know where we want that garden to be.
tai, it helps to have a lovely day to photograph.
I hope you'll keep updating on how you progress. A potato patch, that too - who'd have thought?
Icyhighs, who needs manual dexterity when you have a sense of humor, though it does make me wonder why only your exes complained...