Indiana Jones as a gardener

[sergebroom]

With my wife being away visiting a friend on the East Coast, I am in charge of watering her numerous flowers in the backyard. So far, nothing has died. Maybe something is dying and the signs of demise just aren't obvious yet. Maybe I'm not giving the plants enough water. Or maybe I'm giving them too much. Heck, I'm like Indiana Jones - I make this as I go.

Comments

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Just give them a little every day, unless it rains for longer than five minutes. In which case wait a day.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

This being New Mexico, rain is as frequent as intelligent utterances from our current Commander-in-chief.

[fledgist.livejournal.com]

Oh, right. In that case give them a bit each day. Preferably around sunset.

[kouredios.livejournal.com]

Yes, when I got back from Buffalo, I discovered that, in absence of direct instructions, my husband did not water anything. The impatiens in the hanging baskets on the front stoop were shriveled. Of course, being impatiens, they perked right up after I took them down and let them sit in the rain for two days.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

My wife gave me clear instructions as to what must be watered every day, and what can be done every other day. But how much water is enough? That's the part where I'm winging it. But, like I said, nothing looks like it's about to kick the bucket. Or the flowerpot in this case.

[kouredios.livejournal.com]

Just make sure the soil is moist. If it's already moist, you don't need to water. Of course, it depends on the plant; some of them like to be wetter than others. But you can't kill them if you just make sure the soil stays moist. I think.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the tip. The soil is indeed moist, but I watered anyway this morning. Not a lot of water. Still, I should probably go easy. (Also gives me an excuse to skip the watering tomorrow morning. Heheheh...)

[tania-c.livejournal.com]

Fragano has it right (no surprise!)- try to water in the evening, so the water will soak into the soil overnight and not evaporate as quickly.

I have a lovely yard of weeds, bushes, scrub, and the dandelions went to seed overnight. However, the moose seem to like what we've not done with the place, so all is good!

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

A moose, eh? We don't have anything that big around here, but quails frequently come to our yard's feeder for a bit of supping, along with lots of other birds. And a hawk who likes to dine on other volatiles. And let's not forget the roadrunners. And yes, there have been coyotes, but they stay on the other side of the wall. Luckily, I haven't seen them hoisting ACME catapults around.

[miltonthales.livejournal.com]

Back in the 70s or 80s there was a comic strip called The Small Society. The main character was kind of Ziggy-esque; he was a suburban homeowner.

One Sunday the strip had him messing about with his garden, ruminating in just the way you are about whether he was screwing it up. The final panel had him saying "To God I'm probably a vandal."

My father the yard lover had it laminated and kept it on his desk as a blotter.

[serge-lj.livejournal.com]

I love it! And so à-propos... I also like the Sheppard's Prayer - as in astronaut Alan Sheppard imploring God not to let him frak up. 'Frak' is not quite the word he used, but you can guess what I mean.