With a new house comes all sorts of plans for a spring season of fix-it-ups.  I am guessing it does at least, this house was our first.  So for me that statement is true.  Our biggest plans this year are for the outside.  Flowerbeds wil be plowed up and planted, I think we have eight or so in the works and those include herb gardens.  A compost pile has already been started.  The main goal is to get a vegetable garden going this year.   I would expect it to cut down dramatically on what we purchase at the grocery store each week.  We have had bell peppers and tomatoes at the house we rented but I tried to keep them in pots.  With room for a full-fledged garden I am thinking beans (black beans, pinto beans), carrots, beets, lettuce, celery, onions and garlic.   I have a few tricks I am intending to try which I learned from The Organic Gardeners for the short time I had Sirius last month.  There are also some rosebushes that came with the house that I must do something with.  They seem to be old and in need of pruning.  Maybe I should talk to them as well, I hear that works.

It is beyond time to put up a Christmas Tree but we can’t seem to find what we’re looking for. Does anyone know of a vendor in the area that is selling trees with root balls? I don’t want a cut tree, we plan on planting each tree for the next few years in the back yard. Cut trees are a waste and no matter how you try to justify the “mulchability” after you’re finished with it I just see it better to be able to plant the tree and enjoy it for years to come. So, if you run across a place selling them in the Nashville/Franklin/surrounding area while you are out getting your own, let me know…ok?

I have two plants growing in my yard, I have no idea what they are.   I have seen neither bloom so I can’t give blossom descriptions.  Does anyone have any ideas?   

I have just cut down some boxwood shrubs and a small maple tree in my yard and would like to prevent them from coming back.  I need to kill the root but I would like to keep it natural and organic.  I don’t want to use any chemical herbicides and risk contaminating other parts of my lawn… and my family for that matter.  Does anyone have any suggestions for getting rid of the roots and stumps so they won’t return?  All help appreciated.