Fall Chores

[duh]

Ok, I went out and plugged the drill in so I can mulch some leaves tomorrow.  I use the auger for that chore. 

Then I took 5 double impatience cuttings.  The ones I tried in water died so this one I'm going to attempt in water.  Wish me luck please.

[Triss]

We raked the back yard a bit yesterday.  I have not lived in a house with so many trees in a while and it was a chore. 

[Tina]

Our news was all about how good for you raking is. Better than walking as it develops upper body strength. I am raking today because it is supposed to drizzle/rain tomorrow. It is a chore my more easily done when the stuff is dry.

[duh]

Raking wow, that is a chore.  I'll be doing that in the future I just don't quit know when. 

[Penny]

Raking is even more of a chore, when you rake your lawn and your neighbors dont!!

And we have no trees!!!

[Tina]

Yes, I understand. The leaves I dislike the most are sycamores. Because they get caught in anything and everything and are huge, plant-choking and don't break down well. I don't have any sycamores but I have lots of leaves from them to deal with.

[Triss]

Most of our leaves are poplar... and there are a lot of them on the property.  It was a big wet mess but at least we can see some grass now.

[Tina]

I also have a mess of poplar. Those are relatively small and not too hard to clean up. And being small, not every leaf has to be cleaned up.
I won't be working outdoors much today. The rain is gone but I have so much indoor stuff to do.

[duh]

I'll be raking right after the last lawn cutting.  It's suppose to rain tomorrow so I won't be doing it then but as soon as there is a clear afternoon I plan to get at it.

[sunsoaker]

Yes, I understand. The leaves I dislike the most are sycamores. Because they get caught in anything and everything and are huge, plant-choking and don't break down well. I don't have any sycamores but I have lots of leaves from them to deal with.

This describes the droppings from my Magnolia to a T, only add in the cones full of red seeds. What a pain they are.

[Tina]

Yes, you are right. Magnolias are some pretty thick, tough leaves. I don't have any but know them well. And their fuzzy seed pods.

[duh]

I understand some people have dug ditches around invasive plantings and filled them with magnolia leaves to keep the invasive plants in place.  It said that this works for like 6 years because that's how long the leaves take to degrade. 

I'm taking that as a plus because I can use them around the berry canes to keep them from spreading.  That is if any of the seeds grow.

[bestofour]

wonder if they'll keep grass out of the garden.

[duh]

I don't know, I supose you would have to experiment if any one has a magnolia in your neighborhood.

Well today I got out there and raked up a small, tiny area in the front yard but it netted about 66 gallons of leaves so I'm happy with it.  Then I raked the leaves from beside the house where they get blown.  So my total count is 99 gallons today.  I don't even what to think about what I have left to do lol.  At least by waiting the leaves in the back yard are all getting blown into the tree line.  It's nice when the wind decides to help rather than hinder.

[duh]

Ugh, I've got to clean the gutters.  I don't think I'll get to it today although I should try because tomorrow it rains and the gutters are currently plugged.  Someone kick me in the caboose please?

[duh]

Thanks for the kick start lol.  I got the gutters cleaned.  I may not accomplish anything else all week but I still feel that I did good. 

[sunsoaker]

I wish I had gutters to clean. You dont good Tammy.

[duh]

No gutters?  That can make foundation flower beds hard to maintain.  How come you don't have them.  Don't they come with a mobile home?

Although I was watching a television program a while back that talked about green gardening.  It talked about having plants under the roof line that would absorb lots of water and hold the soil in place.  I wish I had paid better attention.

[sunsoaker]

Nope they don't come with. And I really didn't think about having them added to the contract. But I do need them. I don't have any foundation plants around my house. Its all crushed rock/concrete. My home does have 12" eaves all the way around so I don't have water running down the siding, but its like going through a waterfall going in or out the back door when its raining and the dogs let me know it.

[Tina]

Yes, for a long time we only had short gutters over our walkways to and from the house. And much of my house is still gutterless.
Barb for our back door we still don't have a gutter. I told John to put a piece of L flashing up over the doorway. To guide water to each side so you don't get that shower. We didn't have gutters where I grew up but did have the flashing installed 'backwards' over doorways. He thought I was a genius. 
Like this, http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&productId=100320766&langId=-1&catalogId=10053
only 2 inch instead of 4. It works well.

[sunsoaker]

I'll have to look for that at the local hardware stores. My front door isn't a problem as the roof is pitched at the front door, but I really do need to do something for the back doors. Clicking on the link says its not available at my local store, but it says that a lot and then I go to the store and they have it. I just have to figure out how to install it. My eaves are hardiboard and I've had no success at attaching anything to it with regular nails. lol

[Tina]

I think I would have someone more knowledgeable attach to something unfamiliar to me. We did not use the four inch flashing. Just two inch. It worked fine. Flashing is normally installed under the roofing (shingles, rolled roofing, etc.) so it goes over the edge of the facial board. We have that too. But a second piece over that, under the roofing but with the flashing up. It is a cheap fix to that unwanted shower. They come in 10 ft lengths but you can have them cut it in half for transport home easily enough in most cars.
If I or my dog were uncomfortable enough, often enough, I'd be tempted to just run a bead of Henry's roofing cement and glue it down above the door on top of the roofing. That would probably need redoing  every few years.
I am all into do it myself even if it isn't the prettiest thing going.