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The forest of trees my husband recently planted need to be watered and I’ll give you one guess who has to do that….
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Twice a week I man handle 300 foot of hose down to the back forty to give them a drink.
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And once that sucker fills up with water? It is HEAVY.
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But I’ll do it, despite my bad knee and pinched neck nerve because I refuse to let $700 worth of trees die. The husband loves to plant them, but never offers any follow up care.
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After that I was down on my hands and achy knee to plant. It hurts, but is so rewarding.
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Sadly, the mice are at it again. They live under the floor of the baby barn/shed and damned if they don’t chew the blooms off my marigolds and drag them through a hole.
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I plugged it with some stones, hopefully that will stop the raiding.
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Tell your Marine husband that planting is the easy part, care is the hard part because it is perpetual. I have never known a Marine to take the easy part. Their training forbids it.
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He’s fine with the heavy lifting and digging, but never waters. Ever.
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Husband and I were talking about your 300 foot hose-trying the collapsible type is easier on the back and the neck and the knees. I know because I water, also although we get lots of rain in the summer during hurricane season in Florida. I still go to the gym but the garden is great exercise! The gym has a pool!
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All of the hoses I have connected are collapsible. Still hard to drag around when full of water…
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Yes, our garden is smaller and I wait to turn on hose until it is dragged out towards the bird bath. Then I turn it on. I can see how you would get lots of exercise with the hose.
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It’s a long walk to the trees, especially with a bad knee so I turn it on before I haul.
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I understand. I have a hip which hurts and which I am trying to make stronger through exercise.
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I’m probably going to need surgery but keep putting it off.
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I don’t think I will need surgery but I am on my feet often as an instructor and as I get older, I feel it.
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I can’t kneel or crouch anymore without serious pain on that side. Makes weeding difficult… among other things.
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I understand.
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Not a fan of dragging hoses around, but am a fan of pretty flowers and trees. You go girl
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A gardener’s gotta do what a gardener’s gotta do.
😉
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it won’t. lol
Get a soaker hose.
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I’m not watering the whole damn lawn!
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just lay the hose along the trees.
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They’re too far apart. I’d still end up watering more lawn than tree.
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How are your trees going to become independent if you keep watering them???
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The soil back there isn’t good, mostly clay. I’ve got to give them a good headstart.
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I’m with you, spending all that moolah for trees and only to let them die? That’s a hard no, and your yard always looks so beautiful River. Damned rodents!
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I never understand his reluctance for maintenance. Lots knows he mows the lawn every 3 days now that he’s retired.
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Question: Where do you start your wateting from, nearest to the tap, or furthest away? The further away you start, the less work you do. Hauling an empty hose one way is preferable to hauling a full hose both ways. J7st saying…
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You can’t keep a good mouse from their Marigolds!!! Haven’t you learned anything from nature—say, like Madame Squirrel???
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I can try….
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Sheesh. Have you considered an in-ground irrigation system? Though, with that much land, I bet it would cost a fortune.
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Yeah, that’s not happening.
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Mice – interesting. Whenever I see a decapitated flower in my yard I assume the culprit is a rabbit, but maybe they’re getting a bad rap and the mice are yukking it up when they hear me exclaim, “Dammit, rabbits!”
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These are definitely mice. I’ve caught them red… or in this case, yellow… handed.
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Another reason to hate them. 😉
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I’d be doing the same thing with the trees…can’t let them die of thirst. Do you have summer rains usually? That would be a nice assist.
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We usually have cool wet springs but very dry July and Augusts….
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