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Wednesday 10 April 2013

Garden Aches and Help !!

Yesterday April 9th .. after a trip to get my new computer chair (I have never had one .. then again I have never had an office so I didn't need that chair ? .. plus a rug protector .. how cool is that ?)
OK .. so after coming home and fueling up on Tim Horton's coffee and Tim Bits .. I guess only Canadians will truly know what I am talking about ? haha .. caffeine and sugar rush time !!
I put on my leopard design garden boots .. my dust mask .. and my collection of gloves and tools and started to attack the front garden ... OMG ! .. I can hardly walk today .. will be going back to bed shortly .. couldn't fall asleep last night till after 3:30 .. all that garden excitement ?

This is a spooky sun I saw yesterday morning ... heralding more very extreme WEIRD weather that has happened south of us with lightning storms and hail .. so far we have just had rain which we can use.

Things look some what normal for the weather we have been having and believe me it is strange !
The hellebore bed is very scary but I had to enact some rough justice .. holding on to foliage that is ghastly, gruesome and winter burned to a crisp does no good ... my oldest hellebore "Orientalis" has some flowers.
Jennifer girl I hope to be able to dig it up in the next few weeks to get that section for you so hold on girl!

But one of my concerns is my Green Panda bamboo .. I am hoping some one in zone 5, that has it .. will be reading this and will be able to tell me how to handle my problem.
It usually suffers some winter burn and decides to become a blonde for a while .. but usually the top third is as much as it is affected.
This time both plants are looking totally affected .. but I think they are still alive.
My question is ... do I cut any of this burnt foliage back ? .. previous experience has taught me to be VERY careful about cutting back anything .. but if the plants are so affected should I try that ?
HELP from anyone in my zone with this plant and experience ?? !!
Saucy blonde thumbing her nose at me .. Meditation Buddha staying calm throughout embarrassing picture taking of naughty bamboo !

8 comments:

outlawgardener said...

Sorry I'm not in your climate but there are several bamboos that I cut to the ground each spring to tidy them up and they spring back from the ground in no time. To be on the safe side and also get some more green in your garden, you could spray paint the blonde leaves:)

Country Gal said...

Oh I know what you mean about being sore after the first initial gardening . Last week I did a clean up and raking and OMG ! I never knew I had muscles in certain places cause baby I was sore lol ! I guess it is from not being garden mobile for months during the winters . I hope your plants and bushes there come back ok sometimes I find it's just best to trim them up and let mother nature do the rest ! Thanks for sharing . Have a good day and hope you feel better soon to !

Nadezda said...

Joy,
I think you should find a growth stimulator for plants and spray them all.
I always do that when I see the plant dies or are yellow or dry.

Rose said...

Wish I could help you on the bamboo, Joy, but I've never grown it. I would think, though, a hard pruning wouldn't bother it at all. I can feel your pain--the weather has suddenly turned much warmer here, and I've been trying to get out in the garden to do some much-needed clean-up whenever possible. If only my old body would cooperate so that I could work longer than a couple of hours!

fromsophiesview said...

What an amazing blog you have FULL of garden information for everyone. We started gardening 20 years ago and pretty much tired everything, but alas, Maritime climate allows you grow what she wants you to grow. How many beauties have we lost? Sorry I just can't remember, some tears do fall sometimes.
Now we have let our garden grow au naturel ~~~ what ever survives, survives and so evergreens galore and some Japanese Maples. Many others things but now I am a pruner by trade and you know I love to prune.
Love that you have a Sophie and precious Emma. What gorgeous kitties.
So happy to meet you.

Ron

Marguerite said...

yah for getting outside! those first few days working in the garden are a bit hard on a body though? I've been scrambling to do some garden work this week while I can still see the ground. Apparently 10cm of the white stuff is headed our way this weekend.

CanadianGardenJoy said...

Hey there Outlaw !
LOL ... love the idea of spray painting! .. I had some advice from a company that grows them, just cut them down and give them plenty of water this season .. fingers crossed!

Elaine girl (Thank you !!)
I was walking around all crunched up .. ouch ! but I will survive ;-) I should have been on the treadmill during winter .. this next season I intend to be better !!!
Yup .. they will be trimmed down and watered well during the season .. fingers crossed!

Hello Nadezda girl : )
Yes I will be babying ? them this season and hope for the best .. I think the roots are still alive but they have to start from scratch again!

Hello Rose girl !
Yes you are right .. the company told me to prune them right down and start again .. so that is my plan .. hoping for the best ?
I am so with you about the amount of time I can spend .. I did about 3 hours and had to quit .. I am so out of shape it is embarrassing .. must work on that !! haha

Hello Sophie and Ron : )
I so enjoyed your blog .. something of a treat to feel the east coast and see your gorgeous pictures!
I love to prune too ... it is therapy I think > LOL
It sounds like you have a wonderful garden .. and yes it is better to go with the flow .. I have 4 Japanese Maples and love the darling little things : )
Thank you so much for stopping by.. the girls love comments ! haha

Marguerite girl .. you go girl with that wood splitter !!
The weather this Spring ????? has been awful .. lets hope for better now that it has tortured us long enough ? LOL

Cat said...

Do you cover the bamboo roots wit straw?I know we tent our mango and give it holiday lights, but we only get light frosts. you might want to build it a haystack next year.