Yard work...

[DMD123]

Been dealing with a flowering Thundercloud plum that the top grew too much and the rest of the tree hasnt.

This was when first planted, one year ago. It was in like a 1 gallon pot and very very tall already.

Well one year later we have this...


It is so top heavy that wet leaves make it bend!

Thankfully it did not pull out of ground and had some roots holding it in place! Had a friend come by with some more tree experience to prune the top and now its back upright. Im going to do B1 fertilizer on it to encourage root growth.

 

[DMD123]

A bit of before and after, remember this is only one year!

Before

After... one year later

 

[fishguy1978]

The deer have not been as much an issue this year but lots of bunnies. The first one looked to be a big male and was eating the clover and some other weed type thing in the lawn so I let it be. The second looked to be a female and I caught her eating the ornamental grass so I chased her away. The third one looked to be a young one who does not really fear people, seemed to be eating just lawn related stuff so I let it be.

A female rabbit can kindle(birth) a litter every 4 weeks so in 52 weeks that is 13 litters. If each litter is 6 kits you have a population increase of 78. Now, each kit from those litters becomes sexually mature / butcher weight at about 8 weeks. So, when you have a buck and 2 does you can raise a heifers weight of meat in a year on that schedule.

 

[DMD123]

I might try some rabbit repellent on some of the more expensive ornamental stuff so they dont develop a taste for it. Our friends down the road have had rabbit issues for years but we never really saw them until this year. We would see occasional deer in the yard but once the wood fence across the back was put in and certain deer resistant trees added to landscape, they have not been around as much. Also been using a twice a year dosing of the mole repellant granules and have kept them at bay for the past year.

 

[DMD123]

Looks like next week we will do that section of fence despite lumber prices. We had a budget set aside for this and it falls within that so we are just going to finish it.

So the project involves The old section across the back with the gate being replaced.

Then the side that borders with the neighbor will have the cheap metal fence removed and a new wood fence down that entire side.

This will give a huge sense of privacy. At the moment we can see our neighbor in and out the garage from his back door. While they are supper nice, you always feel obligated to say "Hi" through the metal fence. Cant really just go into the backyard for a little peace and quiet.

Best of all the old concrete base that was for the radio tower... will be gone forever!

So a busy week ahead. Once the fence is done I can move a couple sprinkler heads and finish the bed in front of the fence. I still need to get my Bloodgood maple in the ground and a couple small plants in the bed. Put in a couple stepping stones, mulch, water and enjoy, lol

 

[sir_keith]

First haircut for my new backyard lawn.

Before-



After-

 

[DMD123]

Yard cleaning along the fence line… mostly neighbors junk but at least it wont all be up against our new fence.

 

[DMD123]

Tomorrow morning our contractor begins on the new fence. Very excited to see it done. Looking forward to the privacy.

 

[DMD123]

Our fence guy wasn't able to start yesterday but he was on the project this morning. Old fence section is down and he pulled out the metal pound in type posts and was to have all hole dug and posts put in by end of day.

We also discussed this old gate on the other side. He is to build a swing out metal frame gate with wood pickets to look like a wood fence.


My wife sent me an old pic of a tree we planted two years ago.

This is why I wish we could have had trees in ground earlier. The same tree in two years is now 5 foot tall! (The height of the fence pickets)

 

[DMD123]

Progress

Before

Old fence section down. New posts getting put in.

 

[DMD123]

All post holes dug out with posts set in place and concrete being mixed to fill them in. The gate post on the house side will not be buried but just lag bolted to the house and the gate will swing out toward the house. I can then attach a hook and eye to hold gate open when necessary.

 

[DMD123]

Was excited to see all the posts in concrete and the site kept nice and clean. All the posts were nicely spaced and the wood quality was outstanding. No Lowes or Home Depot junk wood! In all the excitement I forgot to take any more pics, lol. Not sure on plans today but think the cross boards and fence pickets will likely be up by the time I get home. So glad I hired this out! While Im pretty good about projects, in no way could I have done it that quick. I would have been doing all my post holes by hand, it would have been slow and tedious.

Had my brother in law over (owns a lawn company) to help me determine where to move a couple of sprinkler heads when this is all done. My Bloodgood maple will soon be in its permanent home!

 

[DMD123]

Fence is making progress. Yesterday I was expecting more to have been done but the front boards were attached and the nails were just slightly too long. Our contractor ground off all the tips for a clean, safe finish. Really cant even tell there was an issue. The person we used is very conscientious of his work and leaving a clean work environment. Very happy with our choice to hire this one out.

Yesterday...


Today...

 

[DMD123]

The entire side pickets are in and he was trimming the top

 

[sir_keith]

The entire side pickets are in and he was trimming the top
View attachment 9373

View attachment 9374

Looks great! What a difference!

 

[Betty]

Fence looks great! The whole yard looks very nice. I vaguely remember pics you posted a few years ago when you were just moving in and taking down some large trees?

@sir_keith, your yard looks like a park! Can you fish from there?

 

[sir_keith]

Fence looks great! The whole yard looks very nice. I vaguely remember pics you posted a few years ago when you were just moving in and taking down some large trees?

@sir_keith, your yard looks like a park! Can you fish from there?

Well, you could, but the only fishes in Liberty Bay are pretty small. Shellfish, however, are a different story. Like all waterfront homes in this area, I have tideland ownership, which means that the beach is part of my property, There is a 40-step stairway down to the beach, where I am cultivating oysters, and the beach is absolutely loaded with manilla clams. I grew up in New England, and love shellfish, so this has been an unexpected perk of living here.

 

[DMD123]

Fence looks great! The whole yard looks very nice. I vaguely remember pics you posted a few years ago when you were just moving in and taking down some large trees?

Thank you, it really is coming along and the place is feeling 'done'.

Here is an old pic of the back yard...


That corner with trees removed and new ones planted


Same corner, now with fence in place

 

[fishguy1978]

Your yard is looking amazing.

 

[DMD123]

Your yard is looking amazing.

Thanks, been a lot of work but very rewarding. Still need to figure out somethings for the left side of the backyard. Our neighbors there have a two story that overlooks the yard. Need to do some kind of trellis wall and trees to create a visual block.