Preparing for Old Age

[Tiramisu]

I'm on another one of my "kicks". Most of our landscaping is over 15yo. The landscape timbers are rotten and need to be replaced. The hedges are thin and other plants are either too tall or too thin. When you look at our house, you can't really see the porch for the shrubs. So, Hubby and I are going to tear it all out. Actually, Hubby will - while I sit with my foot propped up (surgery on the 25th).

That'll save the cost of mulching, new timbers, electricity used for edging. Cutting grass on the riding mower is easier than bending to pull weeds, use the hedgers and weedeater. So, instead of beds all around the house, I'll only have one in the back for my cut table flowers.

Of course, I'll still have some hanging baskets and potted plants out and about.

[judy]

Sounds like a plan! It really does make sense. You'll save money and not have to work so hard.

[gja1000]

We just did that with our bed in front of our house. We live in Texas and do not need to be watering flowers/shrubs. So, last fall we pulled everything out, covered the area with black plastic and left it on till June of this year. Then we leveled it out and put down weed block and then a layer of rock. We are having so much fun collecting "yard art" for the rock bed. So far we have a metal yucca, metal cactus, metal horned toad, and metal road runner. We have other decorative rocks and a couple of lizards. We planted some tiny cacti in some holes in 3 of the large rocks. The bed looks soooo good, and now we have no weeding, no watering, nothing but enjoyment!

[HALEY]

Just did that Sandy, hooked up the work truck and pulled all the old shrubs out, then just got done planting new ones, it took a couple of months. waited for plants to go on sale at Lowes, this is a good time everything is going on sale, but you have slim pickings.. so you better hurry...

[Janet]

Sandy it sounds like a good plan...less work as you both age. That's what I was thinking too, I don't have a lot of landscaping, but I already know that there is no way I'm going to be able to take care of this acre yard in my old age and I sure don't want to live out here in no man's land in the wintertime when I'm old. Plans need to be put in place here also.

[Tiramisu]

Just did that Sandy, hooked up the work truck and pulled all the old shrubs out, then just got done planting new ones, it took a couple of months. waited for plants to go on sale at Lowes, this is a good time everything is going on sale, but you have slim pickings.. so you better hurry...

Nope - not replanting. We're simplifying! I'll make before and after pictures.

[Tiramisu]

Does anybody have crete myrtles? They look fairly low maintenance. I've been watching some in my neighborhood and around town. Looks like you can keep them short or let them grow taller. I might put a few of those across the very back of our two little acres.

Our fruit trees (apple, pear, peach, tangerine, navel orange, pomegranite, lemon, plum, mandarine, lime) should be bearing by next year. We got 7 peaches this year from one tree. The mandarine trees had a few last year, but they were very sour. I love watching the g-kids go check for fruit. They all love the blueberries. I didn't get many figs this year. I want to put in another strawberry bed for them.

[HALEY]

Nope - not replanting. We're simplifying! I'll make before and after pictures.

That's what i did Sandy, no more trimming bushes,, low maintence rose bushes, and the trees i'll trim when needed, it's way better than trimming bushes!

[gja1000]

Does anybody have crete myrtles? They look fairly low maintenance. I've been watching some in my neighborhood and around town. Looks like you can keep them short or let them grow taller. I might put a few of those across the very back of our two little acres.

I live in Austin and yes, I have crepe myrtles. They are extremely low maintenance. Be sure to buy plants that are appropriate for your area. Sometimes the chain stores will get plants that are not suited to our hot summers. Also, there are different kinds of crepe myrtles. Some get as big as small trees, and they cannot be kept trimmed down. Some are low growing, they are minis. Some are rounded on top and some just grow straight up. Some are resistant to powdery mildrew (THAT is the kind you want). I would go to a long time local nursery to get the kind that is appropriate for your exact area.

They are absolutely gorgeous plants that do so well in central and south Texas. We put ours in years ago, and didn't have a clue about which ones to buy. Ours grow straight up, very tall and they are not the prettiest. We also put in some small ones around the base and they are cute. This year we trimmed off the leaves on the bottom half of the trunks and they look a little better. I've attached a picture. Look at the right corner (as you look at the pic) of the house and you'll see a tall one with some smaller ones at the base.

Oh, and you really shouldn't trim them back hard - as you probably see around in the neighborhood. In the early spring, you should only tip off the old bloom pods and you don't even have to do that. As you can see, mine are far too tall to trim off the ends.

Good luck!

[Tiramisu]

I live in Austin and yes, I have crepe myrtles. They are extremely low maintenance. Be sure to buy plants that are appropriate for your area. Sometimes the chain stores will get plants that are not suited to our hot summers. Also, there are different kinds of crepe myrtles. Some get as big as small trees, and they cannot be kept trimmed down. Some are low growing, they are minis. Some are rounded on top and some just grow straight up. Some are resistant to powdery mildrew (THAT is the kind you want). I would go to a long time local nursery to get the kind that is appropriate for your exact area.

They are absolutely gorgeous plants that do so well in central and south Texas. We put ours in years ago, and didn't have a clue about which ones to buy. Ours grow straight up, very tall and they are not the prettiest. We also put in some small ones around the base and they are cute. This year we trimmed off the leaves on the bottom half of the trunks and they look a little better. I've attached a picture. Look at the right corner (as you look at the pic) of the house and you'll see a tall one with some smaller ones at the base.

Oh, and you really shouldn't trim them back hard - as you probably see around in the neighborhood. In the early spring, you should only tip off the old bloom pods and you don't even have to do that. As you can see, mine are far too tall to trim off the ends.

Good luck!


WOW - I didn't realize there were so many different kinds. I want the smaller kind so they don't shadow the fruit trees. I'll investigate on the net. We ususally get our trees from Houston Plant & Garden World or from a nursery/grower in Louisiana.

[judy]

The small bushes around the tree look great!

Buying a condo, I have no gardening to do. In fact, if I want to change the landscaping they provide and maintain, I have to submit a plan and have it approved. They'll plant it and take care of it for me. I would think I would have to pay for the materials.

I used to love tending to my plants, taking cuttings, growing plants from seeds, and so on. I had some beauties in my apartment. Flowers were not good because they do bring insects, and can't be left outside (on the fire escape) after the first freeze. Then, you get stuck with bugs inside the house. I'm down to one plant now and I'm not sure I'm even taking it.

I may put some plants on my deck, and then again, I may not.

[Tiramisu]

The small bushes around the tree look great!

Buying a condo, I have no gardening to do. In fact, if I want to change the landscaping they provide and maintain, I have to submit a plan and have it approved. They'll plant it and take care of it for me. I would think I would have to pay for the materials.

I used to love tending to my plants, taking cuttings, growing plants from seeds, and so on. I had some beauties in my apartment. Flowers were not good because they do bring insects, and can't be left outside (on the fire escape) after the first freeze. Then, you get stuck with bugs inside the house. I'm down to one plant now and I'm not sure I'm even taking it.

I may put some plants on my deck, and then again, I may not.

The ultimate low maintenance. Sometimes I wish!

[Tiramisu]

Here's pictures (Fall 2005 after Hurricane Rita) of the area I'm clearing. Keep in mind that everything three years additional growth.

You can barely see the bottom lattice on the porch. While I do like the scrubs and think they are nice looking for our country home, I want to simplify. We're even losing the little landscape lights that will save a few cents on electricity!

And, there's a picture of Hubby on his tractor!

Looks like I made the pictures too small, but you get the general idea!