Spring has come early to North Texas and I spent many hours on my back patio this weekend, enjoying my iced tea, basking in the sunshine and making lists of what needs to be done to get my yard ready for Summer Fun.
So, without further ado, here it is:
1. Time to get the Clothes Line out of the storage shed. CHECK!
Several reasons I have a clothes line in the summer. First, I love the smell of fabrics dried in the sun and I love sleeping on sheets with that wonderful scent of sunshine and Gain. Second, it takes less time to dry towels, jeans and sheets on the clothes line than it takes to dry in my dryer, which is less energy used while my A/C is working hard. Third, my Clothes line will dry up to 3 large loads at a time which makes short work of my laundry days. I purchased it last summer here, and it has more than paid for itself.
2. Replace the Propane Tank on my outdoor grill. CHECK!
Nothing easier than grilling food with propane and I plan an entire summer’s worth of great meals. I can even bake/roast items on my grill. By evening, my patio is in the shade of the summer sun and I love to dine outside.
3. Weed & Till my garden and amend the soil.
I have two raised beds that I started last year. With the exception of a boatload of cucumbers, it was a dismal failure. I did learn to make pickles. Anyway, I decided to do a better job of preparing the soil. The picture above is the current state of the garden overrun with weeds and grasses and runaway strawberry plants.
Sadly, I don’t want to waste my small garden space on runaway strawberries, so they may be relocated to pots. Then I plan to till the garden, amend with stuff peat moss and manure, put down a weed barrier with some newspaper I have been collecting and plant some Tomatoes, Green Beans, Cucumbers, Watermelons, etc. Whatever I think could survive the Texas Sun. Last year, I planted from seeds. This year, I will buy starter plants and see how it works out.
4. Trim the wayward Pampas Grasses. Divide and replant.
These need to be cut down to make room for the new growth. They need to be divided, as well, which would allow me to plant some on the other side of the deck. This will definitely give balance to the “floating” side of the deck.
5. Sand and Stain the Deck. Replace damaged boards.
The deck was built in 2003 and has held up really well. However, my daughter has gotten a few splinters from walking barefoot across it, so I will need to do some sanding, some board replacement and I definitely want to stain it. This will be the first year that I have ever stained the deck and I think it will give it a fresh new look. I haven’t settled on a color quite yet. I hope to have this completed in April before it gets too Dang Hot, which is a technical term for mid-90’s.
6. Add some color (Flowers and Plants)
The first year I was a Single Mom, with a single mom budget, was too scared to even water the lawn, let alone invest in flowers. I have since gotten a grip on my budget and I try to buy things that flower year after year and then I add some annuals in certain spots…… like here….
and here….
and a few containers around the deck.
7. Reactivate the watering system.
I have an Drip Irrigation watering system for my container plants, my raised garden and my water garden. In the heat of the summer, the above ground planters don’t hold on to water very well. So, I have these systems set up on timers to water a little bit everyday. Learn more here …. Drip Irrigation Systems.
8. Buy replacements hoses and sprayers and washers, as needed.
Sitting in the summer or freezing in the winter can shorten the life of your hoses and sprayers. Also, replace the rubber rings inside the hose or sprayer connectors will ensure tighter, drip-free connections.
9. Clean up the water features.
Occasionally, I find a frog bathing in the spray of this in-ground water feature, so I am skeptical to use algecide in the holding tank. So, I have to clean the funky green stuff out of the fountain head every few weeks to keep it flowing.
This water feature needs a bit of cleaning and some new plants to keep it looking as good as it did last year…..
I love the sound of splashing water, so I most likely will be putting up the 5ft above ground pool again this year, probably in the same place as noted below.
10. Put up the Above Ground Pool.
OMG! This list is huge!!!!
The next few items are on the Would Love To, but Not Right Now list, but they deserve a mention.
11. Finish the Storage Shed/Playhouse
My dad and I build this shed last fall with a Playhouse feature for my son in the roof line. He and his friends can climb up and they are on top of the world. However, the open-ended roof is collecting rain water and I need a new solution for easy access for my son and the ability to keep water out of the playhouse, which leaks through the floor and into the shed, in turn making the shed floor warped and fragile. I have some ideas that I will share in another blog.
12. Side Yard Stone Wall
A year ago, there was a fence that extended to the left of this picture with a gate. Then, last fall, a mighty wind blew it down. Rather than repair the fence, I decide to get rid of it, with the blessing of the HOA. As you can see, this side of the yard doesn’t get much, if any, sunshine.
The make-shift wooden wall on the right was an attempt to prevent the ground from eroding away from the foundation. Which was perfectly fine when it was hidden behind a fence, but now that it is exposed, I would love to have a stone wall replace the wooden wall and extend to meet with the stone wall in front of the house.
I’m sure the HOA will be complaining about this before long, so it may be a sooner rather than later. I need to get rid of the red stain (it looks like an open wound) from where the old gate use to be and someone got a little carried away with the stain-filled sprayer.
So, let me summarize what I have signed myself up for these next few weekends:
1. Time to get the Clothes Line out of the storage shed. CHECK!
2. Replace the Propane Tank on my outdoor grill. CHECK!
3. Weed & Till my garden and amend the soil
4. Trim the wayward Pampas Grasses. Divide and replant
5. Sand and Stain the Deck. Replace damaged boards.
6. Add some color (flowers and plants)
7. Reactivate the watering system.
8. Buy replacements hoses and sprayers and washers, as needed.
9. Clean up the water features
10. Put up the pool
Would Love To, but Not Right Now
11. Finish the Storage Shed/Playhouse.
12. Side Yard Stone Wall
Now that I have written down and shared it, now I’m going to be accountable for getting it done. Oh well. Sometimes a Single Gal needs someone to hold her feet to the fire. Otherwise, I might just spend all my weekends in bed with a good book.
It’s gonna be a great summer!!!
~Dona~