My Gardener Dad is gone from my sight

The inspiration for my chosen study, gardening is gone now. Not that he is gone from my thoughts, but I cannot ask any more questions of him. He was very ill in Taylor House Hospice and I sat with him. Today, Friday, 5-28-10 we laid him to rest next to my Mother.

I owe him everything from the very first tiny plant he carefully helped me to pat into the soil to the lifetime desire to help things grow. He was my mentor, my go- to answer man about so many things besides gardening. From answers to big questions to answers to silly questions. From being a character full of mischievousness and orneriness to a steady, loving, gentle person. He is not replaceable. He is and always will be my Father. He will be missed and loved by his whole family.

Finally! Some warm weather!

I've been out in the garden even tho it's been cold. The Fern Garden is beginning to fill in a little, but until it really looks like a "Garden" I'll wait to post a new picture.

My latest area of study is pests and diseases. I've found that many of these pests can be countered by using a special soap. Hurray for a green treatment! Big caterpillars on tomato plants can just be picked off with a gloved hand. Even some smaller ones can just be removed too, but most are so small you just have to treat the whole plant.

Keep a watch on your garden. If you see leaf damage, gray molding or stunted growth, it's time to check for pests!

BRRRRRRR!

So, with this cooler May, I'm waiting for any more additions to my garden! Seems like Mother Nature is trying to tell me to slooooowww dooooowwwnnnnnnn. Sorry, can't do that!

While the weather has been cool, I've been cleaning up areas of the garden that has plenty of sticks and branches blown down. I'll be putting those through the shredder for additional mulch! I also have been surging forward in my studies for Gardening and Landscaping. Now I know for sure that my Dad is a very smart guy. I keep reading over and over how things are done that he already did when I was growing up.

Be sure to watch the lows in temperature and cover your tender plants or bring them in if they're not too heavy. I still have a patio hibiscus in my front room!

Don't let this cool weather get you down, soon enough we'll be turning on the AC to cool off after an afternoon of weeding and watering.....