By the time fall arrives, I hope to have completed my spring gardening projects. Unfortunately for me, a period of hot and humid weather has arrived. This slows me down...a lot. I want to enlarge the vegetable garden. This means, removing grass , putting down a layer of newspaper to keep weed seeds from sprouting, and covering it all up with red cedar mulch. The peach tree needs to be attached to the enlarged bed with a strip of mulch. In this way, I will have one large plot to mow around, instead of trying to get the lawn mower between the vegetable plot and the peach tree.

New for this summer and successfully planted: a viburnum , a comice pear tree and a Japanese fall blooming perennial. I put polymer into the planting soil . It expands, holding water. When the weather gets dry, it releases the water, making it available for the plant's use. So far, this technique is working well. None of the newly planted plants are wilting. I watch them closely in this rainless heat. This process is necessary, as the soil is sandy and drains too well. The pear tree needs another pear tree for cross pollination. My neighbor's bartlett pear tree should do it.

Three Hav-A-Hart traps are set under the peach tree for squirrels. As windfall peaches fall, I toss them into the traps. The squirrels haven't touched them...not even curious to see what's in there. I think they are all busy in the trees, raising young squirrels. Squirrel War will continue as the young babies grow up to forage, but not in my peach tree...I hope.

I think my garden is approaching its completed form. Now all that I have to do, is to maintain it, pull weeds and enrich the soil as nutrients are used up. Oh...I also have to put in fences and walks...the hard scape elements. In the back of my mind, I also see a wading pool and a railroad running through the miniature landscape. Some day.....

My tenant and I share a lawn mower. How did it get in such poor condition? The housing that encloses the cutting blades has holes in it. Bits of grass fly out the holes when the blade is in motion. This is the last season for my mower. Too bad, as the motor is in excellent shape.

Last fall, my favorite nursery put their stock on sale. Such bargains! I purchased three rose bushes...one pink, one yellow, one white. An impulse purchase. Where to put them? There is no open dirt, except for the vegetable patch. They were planted in the vegetable patch. That is why I need to enlarge the bed, anticipating fall vegetables...or spring vegetables.