This is true for any garden. Sometimes we tend not to want to go out in the heat and work in the garden and prefer to wait fir better weather. I have found that the longer you put it off the harder it is to get things back under control. Sometimes it is better to go out for only 15 minutes and accomplish a little each day then it is to wait a week or two. In warm summer weather weeds can appear almost overnight then it is really a chore to get it back under control. I have not always been that diligent with weeding and then spent a long time cleaning it up that is why I have adopted the 15 minute methods and it really works. If you just add 15 minutes of a task you really do not want to do to each days schedule you will get it done and it will not become so much drudgery that it turns you off.

The construction of the building addition is underway and sort of on schedule. This past week the first of the concrete walls were poured so there actually appears something above ground to see I will post a couple of pictures before the weekend.

When weather gets hot it is very important to keep your eye on your container plants. Container plantings dry out very quickly and even if it is raining it is not always enough to keep your containers moist so be sure and check daily. Plants can wilt and be damage very easily in the summer heat.

Tarragon Parsley Rosemary And Basil Herb garden In A Container

A simple container like the one above can be put together in 15 or 20 minutes but provide you with fresh herbs the whole summer long. Below is another arrangement.

Basil Dill And Thyme Planter

Not only do these containers provide you with fresh picked herbs they look nice out on a patio or deck. There are so many different ways to grow fresh vegetables fruits and herbs in your own garden. If you would like to read some more ideas use this link gardening

More and more people every year are venturing into gardening and enjoying the fruits of a little time and healthy exercise. If you would like to learn more or are seeking additional information

advice on gardening

Due to the type of equipment that is being installed the walls will be concrete and 5 feet thick. This will be a tremendous amount of weight and as the hospital is built on parts Lake Michigan that has been filled in it will be necessary to build on top of caissons sunk 65 feet into the ground. This should be a very messy project.

When it is finished there will not be a whole lot of additional landscaping as the area boardes an existing parking lot so there is no room for it.

I will keep you informed as the work progresses. Here is a shot with the construction fence going up around the work site.

Construction fence around the work site

I will post more on this project throughout the summer.

After you have run your mower you will need to rake out any dead grass that you find and also rough up the areas where you have bare spots. Once you have bare earth then it is time to put down your seed. Sprinkle the seed over the area and then I use a mulch of about a quarter inch of peat moss over the seed this will help provide moister and hide the seed from foraging birds. Once this is done you should fertilize and then keep the seeded areas watered for the next three weeks. This will ensure good germination. You need not water heavily just a lite sprinkle in the morning and evening. This is the number one thing required to a successful lawn renovation. If you do not keep the seed moist then as the seed germinates it will die . One very important thing is do not use any weedkiller or crab grass control until after the grass has germinated and is growing for three weeks.
If you do these simple things now your lawn will look fuller and be much nicer this summer.

I will be ordering irrigation parts this week so that I can get started turning on the irrigation system for the year. The planting beds in the big lot are all cleaned fertilized and the pre emergent herbicide is down.

All of the spring flowering bulbs are up and the daffodils are starting to bloom. The spring color pot material is on order and will arrive next week for planting. About 6 more pair of hands and 10 more hours a day would be nice right about now.

A backyard wildlife habitat need not be an expensive project. A simple thing like adding a bird feeder to your yard will start attracting birds that not only will add chatter and song to your yard but provide you with hours of entertainment. Planting flowers which attract butterflys will also add to your enjoyment. Planting Shrubs and trees will add shelter. Planting berries will provide food. A Birdbath is another simple idea that is not very expensive.

You can be as simple of elaborate as you like. For the more adventurous you might consider a backyard pond. A backyard pond not only will provide birds and squirrels a place to drink but you can add fish and frogs another great source of free entertainment.The pond will also attract dragonflies as well.

Birds love to come and take a drink in a backyard pond and to splash in the shallow water

What ever you might choose to do a backyard wildlife habitat is certain to provide a new demension of pleasure to your yard!

Today we will be working on the lawns at the urban garden. The brush for the lawn tractor was inoperable when we went to use it last week and so had to go into the repair shop. It was repaired and returned last Friday so we are now ready to power rake the lawn areas and get rid of the dead grass and debris.

The company we rented the front loader from will be picking that up today so we will have to hope that it does not snow again because our loader has not been repaired and we will not be able to load any salt if it does.

Now is a good time to get your lawns cleaned up and to put down your first fertilizer application as well as do any patching and overseeding of the lawn. Except in rare cases I recommend that you do not aireate until the fall but dethatching should be done in early spring.

Checking the campus I have found that all the spring flowering bulbs have started to come up and that the perennials all look like they are starting to green up. Latter in the week we will be finishing cleanup of the main parking lot planting beds.

We are gathering bids for the parking lot landscape that should start within the next 30 days. This is updating the lot to meet the landscape code.

Spring At The Urban Garden

With all of the spring flowering bulbs and the trees blossoming bit was always beautiful. There were tons of birds as well as the squirrels and rabbits out on  the lawn and it always seemed so inviting and peaceful.  It was always one of my favorite places and gave me great pride in being able to offer the visitors and staff a great oasis in the urban jungle to relax and unwind. Alas as with everything time imparts it’s changes. The front lawn is now gone to make way for new housing development that is now on hold due to the economy. It is not the same thing to look out in front of the hospital but I guess that is what change is all about.

Veiw of the old front lawn area today!

Not quite the same vision of Spring but hopefully we willhave a new landscape there to enjoy someday.

Here are a couple more shots of the area

Before Construction

Here is a before look and below the way it looks today!

After construction

This again is not very appealing well at least to me but I guess it is what progress is all about. Changing and evolving .

There will be another visit to the Urban Garden in the next couple of weeks as well. The Internationale Olympic Committee will be touring the neighborhood to inspect as Chicago is a finalist for the 2016 games and the proposed Olympic Village will be built right across the street from the hospital. Now if we win that it will make the Urban Garden a very busy place for the next 6 or 7 years.

Another thing of note is The First Lady Of The United State will be installing a vegetable garden on the south lawn of the White House and will receive help in planning, growing, and harvesting it from local school children. Now there is a worthwhile project that gardeners around the world can applaud and the President will get to have fresh veggies with his meals. Actually this is a great project to promote healthy living and to get more people back into gardening.

Well the last thing for today is Today Is The First Day Of Spring. Time to start thinking about your garden.

Yesterday was very busy with temperatures hitting 72 degrees everyone was thinking spring and calling in requests. The most important was the construction permit finally came through for the addition and we need to gear up to get 32 temporary parking space set up for the Doctors as part of their lot will be used for construction storage. In addition we are also in need of setting up 6 more parking spaces for handicap parking.

We were able to get some major cleanup done around the planters and will continue for the rest of the week. Today’s big project will be pothole repair in and around the campus. Hopefully there will be some funding in the new budget for asphalt replacement as cold patch is only a temporary fix. With any luck we will start lawn renovation next week to repair winter damage. The irrigation was also scheduled for season start op the first week of April.

Today’s number one job order Easter Lilies and plants for the Spring Color Pots.