I rolled down Alaska after I finished that corner I had been working on – forgot to take a photo – but here are some photos of the next sections. This is where I was starting last night.
I wasn’t sure what I was going to put in the red squares and green diamonds. This design will go in the middle of both – I will use the whole thing on the diamonds
And I will leave part of it off for the red squares
One more hexie started – linking today to To-Do-Tuesday —
Remember I mentioned awhile back that I was getting some compact berry bushes that could be grown in a container or in the garden – well there are 2 blueberry, 2 blackberry and 2 raspberry – all planted in the raised beds and wouldn’t you know something started to munch on them almost right away. I had to think of something to protect the plants and I wanted to use what I have here and not run shopping once again as I am avoiding that – I sent for some netting and when it arrived I wrapped it around old tomato cages that weren’t being used and put them wide side down and anchored them into the soil – I hope it works – I just finished it yesterday
This photo is from a couple years ago – I had showed this mound of plants/trees/dirt before and it is where the yucca are that have not been getting enough sunlight and the apple tree is nearby – none of these trees looking over this way had been here even 15 years ago except the big pine tree at the right side of the mound – Mike has been working on clearing this area and we will keep trying to keep the brush out of there and maybe in the spring I will be able to transplant some of the purple coneflowers and black eyed Susan’s and other plants here .
It was already evening when I took the photo of the progress I will take another later – he has made great inroads on it. We are leaving a Pin Oak – the skinny skinny tree in the middle and some cedar trees which you can’t see from this photo. All the lilies on the left will stay and the apple tree is in back of the lilies on the opposite side of the mound. The trees will take off growing in a couple years but for now the brush is mostly out of there and the yucca’s can now breath and grow and so can the bulb plants that got lost in it and butterfly weed! If we need to remove more of the trees later we will (we have a ton of trees) I liked the wild look it had but there were too many plants in there that we couldn’t get to because of poison ivy and brush.
The small veggie garden is going good and I hung one of the cucumber plants to see how it would do and it will be trailing on the ground – they grow so fast – finally starting to get some cucumbers off of the two plants
What do you think is chewing on your bushes?
I like the idea of growing cukes in pots! Hadn’t thought of that, but may give it a try next year. Don’t the cukes add too much weight or do you pick them fairly early? That’s an ingenious way to foil those berry eating critters you designed. It’s almost time for me to drag out my old sheer curtains to clothes pin over our blueberries. They look a bit messy, but they do keep the birds out of the berry patch. The earwigs like to hide in them, which I don’t like, but Paul does the picking for me.
My cucumbers got munched last night by some critter. The tomato’s are in raised beds with a fence to protect them from the deer but the chipmunks eat the green tomato’s. I will have to try hanging my cakes like you did. We have such huge trees that sunlight is a scarce commodity…..
I like your quilting ideas for Alaska. That pattern for the green and red blocks will be pretty. Nice hexie too. Boy, Mike has really made progress on that area. It looks great!
That looks like a big job to put the netting all around your berry bushes, but I definitely hope that keeps the critters away from them! Your yard is looking wonderful with all the work you and Mike are putting in, too. We are in the hot and dry time of year here, so or grass is not as happy and green as it was in June. That quilting design looks perfect for the next border shapes on Alaska. You’re moving right along!
You two sure have been doing lots of yard work this year, and it is paying off. Looks great. Nice quilting designs for the squares and diamonds in Alaska. I would like to send you some red scraps for a hexie “block”. Please let me know what size of scrap you need for each hexie and your mailing address. Take care
I will never hand quilt but I sure love watching your progress Karen. My DH loves going out into our woods and clearing and cleaning up a bit. He has made a few short ATV trails through our woods on 2.5 acres. I hope your new berry bushes thrive and give you lots of yummy goodness. Our raspberries are just starting to give us berries.
Looks like a great solution to keep the critters from eating the plants. I am attempting cukes and zucchini in pots this year….. I need to weed a bit more of the garden to pop them in there so they get watered daily. Great progress on Alaska.
beautiful quilt and your yard looks great
Hi Karen! You yard looks lovely and the cucumber plant is doing so well. Clever use of the netting to keep the munchers away from your berry plants. Great use of the template for quilting the green and red diamonds. It funny – I know it’s the same design but it looks so different on the red background. Thanks for linking up this week. ~smile~ Roseanne
Such a lot of work in your yard, it is all looking good with everything growing well. So many beautiful trees to give you summer shade.
I like the quilting pattern you chose for the green diamonds and red squares. It looks like your netting and tomato cages should be good protection for your berry bushes.
The quilting on Alaska is looking good and so is your landscaping. We may get to some of that before the staycation is over.
Beautiful quilting, and beautiful garden!