Arborist Mulch Chip Drop

 Chip Drop Delivered!

October 5, 2023

Probably like 9 cubic yards of mulch! I started to move it to the beds. Laid down 4 inches in the garden paths and it didn't even make a dent in the pile. Will probably go back and do another couple inches to make is six inches deep.  Put some around the edge of the garden fence for the border of Blue Hyssop. Will probably not use to cover the veggie beds themselves as it can pull nitrogen from the soil.

Slowly plugging away at it. Moving a lot of wheelbarrow loads to behind the compost bin. Decided that this would be the big (four foot tall) pile where I make it into compost. Spreading it around now, but from here on out, start the tall pile. Leave half the space free to turn the pile onto going into the winter and once sprint thaw hits.

Arbortist Wood Chips: The Best Mulch Dr. Linda Chalker-Scott-  She has some good things to say about this crazy thing I got myself into! Don't mix into soil! Pile to six inches deep. Be careful of driect sowing as the top millimeter of soil will be poor in nitrogen after wood chip mulch.

Wood Chip Mulch 

Oct 28, 2023- Have been plugging away at this for about a month now just with pitchfork and wheelbarrow. If I do this again, it might be worth it to rent  a larger motorized equipment. 

I figure one or two more days of hauling and it'll be gone. Still have to finish the front slope, peony beds and more around the garden fence.

Nov 18, 2023- Turned the pile for the first time after finishing moving it all last week.  Was def still warm in the middle, but right on the border of yellow and orange (active). As I moved it I emptied out the one plastic composter. Was pleasantly surprised to see the bottom of that, which had been layers of wood chips and kitchen scraps, had alreay broken down nicely. Cleaned it out and put it in the layers of the big pile. Mixed in layers of the green grass clippsings and more blood meal. Will try to turn it once a week until the snow gets too deep or it gets too cold out to reasonably do it. 

 

Planning for Next Year 2024

Plants

Invest in potted gallon plants for some things that cannot be started from seeds or are better buying a plant: Limelight Hydrangea, Hydrangea (blue), White Phlox, Jacob Cline Bee Balm

Limelight Hydrangea- $200 locally

White Phlox - (4) $32 American Meadows $128

Hydrangea Macrophylla- (2) $24 Bluestone Perennials $48

Scarlet Bee Balm (Jacob Cline)- (6) $18 Gade Farms $108

Spirea Blue Kazoo- (3) $24 Bluestone Perennials $72

Blue Mist Spirea- (2) $24 Bluestone Perennials $48

Total- $600

Landscaping

Limelight hydrangea- Plant 6' on center between the house and driveway, leaving space for walkway to the back door. Amend soil well as it likes loamy soil.

Buy four at ~$50 each= $200, buy locally if cost effective, or try Limelight Prime- slightly smaller and more cone shaped. Get 5 Prime and plant 5' on center.

Privacy Hedge by River Road

I was thinking of fast growing arborvitae in that spot, but it seems everywhere I drive, I see those with deer damage. Other options:

Rose of Sharon

Red Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea $10 each from Arbor Day Foundation

Front Slope

Blue Phlox and White Phlox American Meadows $32- Purchased four Blue from Kulaks in 2023 for $15, so prioritize white this year. 

Hydrangea Macrophylla- Bluestone Perennials    $22.50 each- Ask for two for Mother's Day gifts again next year.

Scarlet Bee Balm (Jacob Cline) - Try Gade Farms again for the taller 4' variety

• Soon after sprouting, move Catmint and Veronica to new locations on front slope, Veronica at the top of the bed because it is taller, Catmint in the middle. 

• Divide catmint in the spring. Dig up the parent plant and make a vertical cut to shear through the root ball. Make sure each division has a nice clump of roots and at least three or four stems on it. Once you have divided the plant, replant divisions about a foot apart at the top of the new front slop planting bed.

• Eradicate Ox-Eye Daisy. Looked pretty in the front slope, but I will never get rid of it unless I am merciless with weeding! Start early in the spring. Cover any exposed dirt with wood chips. Rearrange stones to cover so they don't slide down the slope.

• Remove all cottage garden plants: Yarrow, Salvia, Russian Sage, Globe Thistle, Delphinium, etc...             

• Remove small lilac tree to make room for continuing comfrey along right side. Divide Comfrey in Spring 2024 and continue to spread across right side of border.

• As you transplant middle of slope, add back more soil so it is not a sharp wall. Build back up to a more gentle angle. 

• Transplant Hydrangea on the bottom of slope to middle in early spring before the first flush of growth. Plant two more hydrangea (Mother's Day). Fill in blank spaces with Pearl Yarrow until you can buy more hydrangea to fill in.

• Move Caryopteris from awkward spot in the middle to the top of the bed. Add spirea Blue Kazoo. The top of the bed under the lilac will eventually be short shrubs: Spirea- Blue Mist and Blue Kazoo.

• Use wood chips to mulch the front slope after planting.

• Finish cutting down tree next to shed on the front slope. Cut the last overarching branch over front slope.

• Remove rest of mulberry stump on front slope. Plant grass seed in empty spot.

• Move Dianthus Arctic Fire to corner bed and divide Lambs Ear and continue across the front of slope.

• If necessary, reapply vine killer to vine on front slope behind shed.

Garden Border

Lavender Hedge- move existing plants (4) in front of fence, add six more plants either overwintered survivors, or six new seedlings. 

Hyssop blue use in place of lavender as a fragrant border around the veggie garden. Smother grass with wood chip mulch and dig a nice big hole for each seedling and amend with compost. Make a border on the outside edge of the wood chip mulch by creating a "V" trench to keep lawn out. Plant hyssop blue 12- 18" (or on average 15") apart, garden fence measures 20' 6" (246") each side, so need 16-17 plants each of the two sides of the fence- 32 plants total. *The back measures 16' (192"), so if hyssop blue does well, grow at least 16-24 more plants next year to complete the back side and to fill in bare spots of plants that didn't grow well.   

Calculations:
20' 6" = 246" long
16' = 192" wide

Seeds

$75 total

Munstead lavender, Anise hyssop, pearl yarrow, Broccoli, English thyme, Penstemon, Balloon Flower, Green Twister coneflower, Rudbeckia, chives, Wild lupine, Zinnia red, Globe thistle, Hyssop blue, Basil Genovese, Tomato Roma, Tomato Chadwick cherry, Marigold, Lovage, Veronica, Calendula, Celosia Yellow, Borage, Zucchini

Equipment

• Two more 4' grow lights for the basement overflow and overwintering shelves- $90 Amazon Barrina LED Grow Lights, Full Spectrum, 180W(6 x 30W, 1000W Equivalent), 3ft Grow Light Strips, 

• Two more large heat mats to keep seedlings warm in the basement- $20 Amazon- BN-LINK Durable Seedling Heat Mat Warm Hydroponic Heating Pad Waterproof 10" x 20.75" - 2 Pack

• Two more small portable fans for seedlings- Amazon

• Epic Gardening Reuseable - 8 Epic 4-Cell Trays fit perfectly into a standard 1020 nursery flat for 32 cells. Order 16 (four 1020 flats) at $60 

• Epic Gardening 6 cell- 12 Epic 6-Cell Trays are designed to fit into a standard 1020 nursery tray, mimicking a classic 72-cell tray $35. 

• Use larger Peat Pots for Lupine- 24, Milkweed- 12, Borage-12 = 48 peat pots needed  

• Black plastic sheeting to cover ground around for the zucchini, keeps soil warmer

• Compost from Schenectady County- Price 3 for $8, get 21 bags next year= $56. Need five to improve bed for Limelight hydrangea, six for Blue Hyssop around perimeter of garden, five for the new cottage corner, five for front porch beds, rhubarb bed and amending all garden beds. 

• Garden Auger Power Planter- $43 

• Ortho Weed B Gone to get rid of Creeping Charlie in lawn.