The Herb Garden Relocation Initiative
Part One: Plant Home Reassignment
On the north side of my house a rather decrepit, unfinished herb garden has been sadly hanging out for the last eight years or so. The garden itself is comprised of 4 boxes that have a myriad of different herbs growing in them and the centerpiece of the once beautiful yard art is a fountain that we made when the kids were toddlers. We molded the water feature out of cement and our babies little handprints are pressed into the top of the fountain. It is definitely a special keepsake piece of art.
However, I am going to be building a gargantuan family room off of the front of my house, and the herb garden is right in the way of the future family room's footprint, so it has to be relocated. I really should have had all of the plants in their new abodes in the ground sooner than the end of May, but honestly I'm lucky I'm even getting to it now.
If only the workload was as short and concise as the to do list!
Today, I managed to get most of the herbs moved in between teaching school and planting my big garden. Last year we built the outdoor oven, and my plan is to relocate all of the kitchen herbs over and around that little edifice. My idea behind that reasoning was that I could just pluck some oregano and throw it on my pizza as needed. Seems legit.
With that thought in my brain and some Beastie Boys on my portable speaker, I proceeded to remove the oregano from its home. I kinda felt like that person that enforces imminent domain, but when it comes to plants on my farm I guess I am the arbiter of the greater good. (Shivers)
Soon I had three big oregano plants filling the barrow of my wheelbarrow, and let me tell ya, that payload smelled a lot better than what I usually haul around in that thing, for some strange reason I am craving Italian food for dinner...
Next was the sage plants. My sage plants came with the farm, and they are at least forty years old and have been moved at least three times. I really need to propagate babies off of the old beastie, but just look at its craggy awesomeness! I love antiques anyway, and this sage is well used on chicken and pumpkin dishes, so I totally handled it with care.
The final plant I moved today was my itty bitty thyme plant. A couple of winters ago we had no snow and sub zero temps for a spell and it killed my old thyme. Heh. Anyway, I had to buy a new plant at a nursery, which is horrid for me as I usually acquire cuttings from people that have plants that have made it through the gauntlet that is our North Idaho climate. I have to say though, that this particular thyme plant made it through the winter unscathed, so we'll see how it fares this summer!
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Before you could say Two Herbalists In A Toyota Tacoma I had those plants securely ensconced into their new homes next to the outdoor oven. A few moments later water was liberally applied, and I am thankful that I got the job done. The poor things, especially the thyme are going through a bit of transplant shock, but I figured it was better to get them moved on a partly cloudy day in the seventies versus what is coming down the weather pipe, eighties and sun.
And that my friends is phase one almost finished of this particular project. I just have a couple of hyssop, some iris', and a horseradish plant left to move. The next section is even more labor intrusive as I have to excavate a three by four foot hole in the yard for the fountain to live in, along with moving all of the rocks that make up the darn thing. I suppose the only bonus about this project is that I don't need to sign up for a gym membership in order to have summer arms and legs, my farm fitness regimen is whipping me back into shape quick fast and in a hurry!
Want to read more @Generikat posts?
So like were you singing, No Sleep till Transplanted" or You Got to Fight For your Right for Herbs, or maybe that the whole idea was Sabotage LOL. Its late thats the best I can do LOL.
It's okay OGP, I thought your reply was Intergalactic in its awesomeness, LOL!
Oregano, sage and thyme. Your works must have smelled something wonderful today:) I am lucky duck who has her herbs grown for her if she can get in there quick enough. There is a parsley hog in out building and I am hoping on making some fermented tabouleh:)
Where are you going to relocate the fountain:)
It was a rather pleasant change to smell nice when I ended the farm work day, lol! Oh wow, fermented tabouleh! Sign me up! That sounds glorious:o) And you are so lucky that you have herbs on demand, how awesome:o)
I am going to place the fountain in the yard down by the outdoor oven so I can listen to it gurgle while I cook pies, summer contentment right there!
Although working agriculture is an arduous job, seeing the wonders that are cultivated and the benefits of our body make it all worthwhile.
Agreed 100%! You iterated the sentiment most poetically:o)
I'm sure that is just how the Beastie Boys pictured it in their imagination: Fighting for your right to party by relocating your herb garden.
Good luck with your project kat. Hopefully the weather cooperates with you, we've been drowning out here with all the rain.
I can't stop giggling. Somewhere around here is a polyester leisure suit. I am so going to don that thing and stick on 70's mustache and do the next phase of herb garden work whilst singing Sabotage. Thanks Chops!
And yuck, I am sorry you are awash in agua. We had a bit of a thunderstorm today, but not enough of a boomer to get me to stop working outside, winter was far too long this year! Hang in there mon frere!
I do suppose if you have to dig and muck about and move plants, they at LEAST should smell divine in the barrow while doing so. (Sometimes you gotta look for the silver lining, no matter HOW sweaty the cloud might get to be...)
Looks like a fun project. Are you all building the add-on room? Or having it done? I know both you and Hubs are pretty handy. But that is a LOT of work. I had a friend build his own house. He and his wife about clobbered each other, before THAT was all done. Though they did make it through.
If you ever figure out the workload vs. workload list saga, I'm pretty sure we will be reading about you building a nice tan on the beach in Aruba, sipping Rosemary Marguaritta's. Oh, the joy. Oh, the unlike-atude of it all. But I can dream for you, can't I?
Well, I must get to some chores of my own. Hope all is well in Katville, and the weather is at least SOMEWHAT cooperative these days. Ta for now, le' Skillet de Homme'
Hello my favorite Domestic Cookware!!! How are you? I so hope you are doing well? The weather has been so fantastic that this Kat has been achieving greatness in task accomplishment. Garden planted, weedeating happening, horseback riding enjoyed, school finished, the list just keeps going!
Oh, and there is no way that I am building the addition, that is a total contractor job. Not that the hubs and I couldn't do it, I just have no desire to take on a project of that magnitude, I mean the room is going to be 30X30, that would add at least 900 years onto my life, cause math! LOL!
I am still in the dark on the workload vs. worklist thing. But now that I know that I could be sipping a Rosemary Margarita a while in Aruba if I figure it out, well, that mystery is gonna get solved;)
Well my dear HS, I have to run, am cooking a big dinner for a friend tonight in honor of his hatch day, pretty excited for some fun!! Hope you are having a lovely weekend!
There is a bit different I saw your wheelbarrow. where ever saw the old push carts. But there is a simple oddity to be able to give your answer to me. Thanks you @generikat
The work is very wonderful and very distinctive when the completion of agriculture
A truly special photo of you for me every greeting
I actually made Italian food for dinner. Too bad I didn't have a proper pizza oven, and had to just use a basic kitchen range instead.
Looks like a good start to the moving project! Out here my music is orioles and catbirds yelling at me or at the geriatric cat who can't hear them.
We moved the perennial herbs out of the big garden this spring. They went into the New Herb garden where they belonged. They were huge like yours. I broke them into manageable pieces and what I didn't plant I offered on BuyNothing.