Saturday, June 22, 2013

Journal Notes..Wiring rose up a pillar, changing sprinkler irrigation to drip, staking zinnia, etc

I had opted to change out the sprinkler heads that I had in place for plain drip

I bought these drip emitters on Ebay which were a lot better than the orbit pack I have.  Oh, but the emitter on the tube BEFORE putting it in to the 1/2 tube.  Also, put the emitter on the side versus the top of the tube

1/4 spaghetti tube

 Today, I needed to change the irrigation to drip.  So I removed the sprinklers and simply stod stapled the tube to a plant.  I punched more holes and more tubes to the individual plant.  I am glad I did this.  It delivers a whole lot more water to the plant directly vs indirectly and I'll stop watering weeds.

These were the sprinkler heads I removed

This is the emitter and tube I replaced it with

This is my dog, Heidi.  I have another doxie but she was adopted and so fat that people ask me if she is a dog.

The Mexican Heather got four drippers

The weeds still do come through the screen.  And they have thorns.  You should see my fingers.

Now I needed to make Climbing Golden Showers climb up this pillar (the one with the curtain).  Not sure how that is going to work yet..but per Nell, and I have seen it in action.  The more horizontal a climber, the more blooms.  So I am going to do relatively tight swirl up the pillar.  There are two climbers going up it.  The only thing that I get concerned about is the lack of circulation causing blackspot.

Stakes for the zinnia and zip ties.  Gloves to pull weeds, and shear when I get lazy.

I used plant wire to guide the climber.  Why?  Two reasons...one, because I had plant wire, and secondly because I have another golden showers climbing up a utility pole.  A storm came in and broke off a lot of the canes because it was unsupported.  What I did was tie the plant wire and the bottom of the cane and swirl up the cane to add support.  Stupid question...will the wire get hot and hurt the plant.  It is also more discrete than other wire.

Golden showers loves afternoon shade an lots of water.  The light bulb on the porch unfortunately attracts bugs.

Wired the inner most canes first.  And I wired them at two levels.

You can barely see the wire...which is a plus.


I am wiring it on this side.  And I have another climber on the other side of this pillar.




With those wired..time for the zinnia.  These things get real, real tall...especially since it is getting water regularly.  This might be an exercise in futility.  You see the drip tubes to each plant...sod stapled in place.  I use to zip tie the tube to the plant...bad idea.  I do zip tie to the stake.  These are annuals.


Wired second climber on the other end.  I want you to note something.  The larger one gets a WHOLE lot more shade then the one you are seeing.  I am getting the impression golden showers likes shade.

See the difference in their sizes.  The larger one BARELY gets sun.  Well...it does now because of it's height.


Finished mulching a section of the rose bed.


The screening and mulching for whatever reason has done wonders.  I think this was a dollar general rescue...Eclipse

The front hydrangea bed is overcome with weeds.  They look like perwinkle.  Not sure because the leaves look exactly the same.  Is perwinkle invasive?  Either way, they have to go.  Last year, I had an issue with blackspot, and these will not help.

Perwinkle leaves that I know are perwinkle.

Weeds...are these perwinkle?

There is this vine that is growing around the Pittosporum.  It has tiny red flowers that are pretty but has to go.  And the most annoying weed of all time.  The ones with briars.


Sorry for the haze.  If your bougainvillea has no leaves...don't worry.  Mine has done that a ton of times.  I replanted this one and it had not one leaf on it..I believe last week?  Watering does wonders.

Pinata on an automatic timer is blooming

The rose bed seems to be recovering


This post is scheduled.  By the time it posts, will be hacking the weeds behind the rose bed and trying to finish this section.

This was SUPPOSED to be climbing Iceberg.  I can't tell if it's mislabeled or I switched roses.  Looks like Granada.

This is the same plant with spent roses.  I don't think it's Dr. Huey.


Tomorrow these boys are going in the ground.  It's been raining daily and I really, really want this done.  I have a young man coming tomorrow to help me.


8 comments:

Jean Campbell said...

I see no Periwinkles in photos 31, 32 and 33... Madagascar Periwinkle, the annual kind (Cathatranthus roseus) has opposite leaves, the next two are at right angles to the first two and it forms a neat, upright plant.

Periwinkle leaves have a definite white stripe from the stem not quite to the end. The plants grow straight up, never like a vine. They should have a bloom by the time they're 6 inches tall.

That little Mimosa strigillosa vine with the pea-like leaves, fluffy little flowers, and briers is a thug. Not only will it reseed, every part of the stem you leave will root. Dig it or pull it by the roots and destroy it.

Cerberus German shepherds said...

Maybe I am calling it the wrong thing...vinca? The ones left over from last year seem to be releafing...but I don't think the ones behind the hydras are them...Either way they have to come put....

Jean Campbell said...

That's the problem with common names: there is Vinca minor, which is a thuggish vine with blue flowers that you don't want in a nice flower bed, and there is Vinca as another common name for Periwinkles, the sweet plant with pink, rose, white and sometimes crimson blooms.

The vine I see in your photos is not Vinca. The Vinca minor vine has rounder leaves and they are opposite each other on the stem.

Those vines in your pics do not look like flowers.

Eventually you will learn botanical names, one by one. In time, you'll recognize which is a thug and which is a desirable plant. Meanwhile don't leave anything in a bed with Roses or Hydrangeas that is not something that you planted or that you know for sure.

All of us have left weeds that might be 'something' until they bloomed and then hastened to pull them up and make sure they didn't drop any seeds.

Cerberus German shepherds said...

Thanks, I'm going to pull them. I remember the tag reading vinca and everyone calling them perwinkle. they had purplish flowers but even if they are, I'm gonna pull it. Got to watch out for spiders today...came across a "jumping spider? I believe....scary thing with good eyesight.

Anonymous said...

I am so glad you are getting someone to help you

Jean Campbell said...

On December 25, 2012, you posted a while bunch of photos of your previous months' garden.

September, pic 65 or 58 and pic 39 of 68 has good views of your Periwinkles. Madagascar Periwinkles, botanical name Catharanthus roseus, and commonly called Vinca.

Wholesale nurseries label things with the names that local customers are expecting to see.

I did not see Periwinkles in your pictures posted today. Have you seen a bloom?

Jean Campbell said...

That should have read, pic 65 of 68 and 39 of 68.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-212M-lec02Q/UNoCfRuChmI/AAAAAAAAAyc/Hb3otcaa4CA/s320/bb.jpg

Cerberus German shepherds said...

@Nell...Yes, the ones on the corner are blooming. The others had left over sticks that are releafing up. I will try to get a pic but even if they were vinca or another flower they would still be weeded.