The Gardener’s Medicine Cabinet: The Case of the Yellowing Lilac
Written by biscuit on June 28, 2008 – 9:38 am -It’s raining, so I’ve abandoned my plans to go to the old homestead and drag another carload here. Instead, I’m doing indoorsy things, including just sitting and thinking about the new garden.
As is usual, there are both good and bad things. The good thing is, there’s a perfect plot down below for building a large garden. The bad thing is, the lilacs are turning yellow and tiny poison ivy plants have invaded all the existing beds.
Taking care of the poison ivy — eh, no big deal. I’m just not terribly happy to see it.
The lilac, on the other hand, might have to be moved. Lilacs don’t like wet feet and, boy, has it has some wet feet this year. It’s not in a spot that drains readily either — instead, it’s planted next to one of the storage buildings in partial shade. It gets some morning sun, but that’s about it.
This is going to be a job, and not one I can take on til fall or next spring. For now, I’m going to prune it back. I’m also going to decide where to plant it — probably next to the roses, which can use a little shade. Or maybe down by where I’m going to work up the new garden plot so I can get a shady area in it.
It’s a quiet Saturday, and that’s about all that’s going on. Besides, I’ve run out of steam - time to make more coffee. brb.
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It’s a very lazy Saturday morning — first one I’ve had in weeks.
I’m enjoying having a meandering time of it. I just started some new coffee — I plan to take a cup out back and guard the cardinal feeder from the $%## squirrels.
Enjoy your day! It must be a treat to not have to rush here or there.
Well, actually, I kind of *do* have to rush here and there — I’m just not going to.
Here, we’re finally DONE with rain, and we’re into the “too hot to move” phase of our oddly Mediterranean style summer. But the end result is the same: more coffee (iced) and a leisurely morning of thinking about things.
I have a lilac that’s like the beloved stray cat of my garden. It started as a tiny cutting from my mother’s garden, two or three houses ago. I planted it in a too-shady spot, and it didn’t do damn thing for years. Just sat there, alive and tiny.
Finally I realized that maybe it needed more sun. I transplanted it, it took off, it got big really fast, and for the first time in its ten-year life, bore fragrant flowers the spring before last.
Then it got hit with some kind of blight that turned its leaves black, and no flowers last year. I pruned it back, it surged again this year (no black leaves, but no flowers either), and I’m thinking there might be a second set of fragrant blooms in its life coming up next year.