English Primrose

Yesterday I cleaned up the border along the patio and planted red, white and blue English Primroses. This is my first try with primroses but they were inexpensive at $1.29 at HD so I bought 8. The day before I had purchased tiny Tete-a-Tete daffodils in bloom from Armstrong. I placed these among the primroses and elsewhere in the garden. Other bulbs are beginning to peek from the ground which sure helps when the roses are pruned back and leafless.

I was frustrated with Armstrong. After attending their rose pruning class a year ago I went back to replenish the recommended mix to use on my pruned roses. I have the SolPoMag but needed to replace the Alfalfa Meal and Iron--they were out of iron and couldn't tell me when they will get more in. I tried two other stores with no luck. Is there a shortage?

Winter care

This morning I began pruning the roses. I did perhaps half in the backyard roses will finish all of them in the next two weekends. Also time to do some other garden work for winter. The weather is beautiful this weekend and should be through next weekend as well.

Spotted a big grasshopper but couldn't get at it to eliminate it. I read that poisons won't kill them so I have to use a shovel. Icky but they'll eat everything.