Future delegation

As I downsize the garden and perform other yardening chores, I contemplate what I might be willing to outsource as I age. Edging is a likely candidate, and maybe mulching, just because they are a lot of work. My lawn service offers fall clean-up, but I like to leave that until late winter/early spring so I have something to do while waiting for gardening season. Also, the leftovers from the previous year help me identify and locate what is planted where. I don't like trimming, but will probably mow until I simply can't do it anymore, because I really do like to mow.

When I was ten years old, I convinced my parents that they had PROMISED to let me mow the yard when I was ten. My mom was against it, fearful I would cut off my toes. My dad would rather play golf, though, and my older brothers had better things to do. So mowing became my chore. Over the years, I have graduated from a push power mower to a Personal Pace Toro to my current Toro, a zero-turn riding mower. I may need someone to take over that task this fall when I have shoulder replacement surgery, but I really don't like the idea.

My SO frequently offers to help with yardwork, and sometimes I let him assist with the heavy lifting and digging and pruning, but generally don't want him touching anything without my supervision. If I'm not willing to accept help, it's a good thing I am downsizing the garden.

I recently read that tulip trees don't bloom until they are 10-20 years old. I have seen evidence of a flower or two over the years since I planted mine in 2009, but this year there are at least a dozen, if not more.

My SO and I continue to remove raised beds; three more to go. I threw down some grass seed where there is now bare earth. The sunflower and Mexican sunflower seedlings have been transplanted to two of the remaining raised beds, and I started some zinnias to put here and there. The perennials from Bluestone are in their containers and look happy. I weeded the beds along the south side of the house; all those plants I moved there last year are doing fine. Current bloomers around the yard are dame's rocket, 'Sunny Twinkles' allium, 'Blue Muffin' viburnum (which smells like a cross between carrion and a skunk), catmint, and yarrow.

While purchasing supplies at the local Wild Birds Unlimited, I asked about orioles. The advice was to drop the nectar but put out grape jelly, which catbirds like as well. It later occurred to me that what I thought was an ant trap on my oriole feeder is actually for grape jelly, so that is on my shopping list.