Mantis Rototillers and the Long Neglected Garden

Don't ya just love it when the world works in such wonderful ways ~ that it's hard to count up all those lucky stars?

Take last night, for instance, when my awol farrier (horse shoe guy) finally paid his disconnected phone bill, returned my call, and agreed to give the girls a long overdue pedicure.

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Or, this spring, when I got an email from Steve, asking me to demo a Mantis Rototiller.*  

At that precise moment I was gazing out the picture window, at deep drifts of snow, wondering what nightmares awaited me in The Long Neglected Garden. Saying yes to this goodie was a no brainer.

Revisiting this garden has been so exciting! Beneath a pile of weeds, I found these Heirloom Iris ~ still going strong 12 years later!

Spring has finally arrived in the mountains (we're months later than those of you in the valley.) And, with it a weed problem considerably worse than anything I had imagined. The nerve of those weeds! Growing, unchecked, for 12 blissful years, thinking I'd never return.**

Red Feathers [Echium] don't seem to care if they ever get watered.

So, I've been rototilling like a crazed woman with my spiffy new tiller and I gotta say... it's fabulous.

Here's why I love the Mantis:

It's the right size. 

• I actually own a rototiller from another company. (I have no idea where it is... I loan it to anyone who asks and the last person never gave it back.) Fine with me. It was a huge beast, too heavy to lift, I found myself opting for a garden fork when creating new beds.

It's quiet as a mouse.

• Well, maybe not a mouse but the other one roared like a jet engine and that made me nuts.

It was easy to put together.

• And, I'm the kind of gal that is stumped by nearly every set of directions ever handed her.

It will last a long time.

• Because I'm not loaning this one out to anybody! :-)

And, they're affordable.

Why Till?
There are two schools of thought, when it comes to rototilling.

Some say it's the worst thing you could possibly do to your garden ~ they say it messes with the soil structure and inspires more weeds to grow. {I emphatically disagree.}

Other swear by it. Claiming that it's fast and effective and works like a charm. I'm in this group; I swear by 'em. They eliminate a lot of back-breaking labor and those buried weed seeds are gonna get ya anyway.

This high up in the mountains, we're stuck with hard as rock alkaline soil and every inch of it requires soil amendments in order to produce a beautiful garden.

Amending Utah soils with a Mantis Rototiller.

1. First I break up the soil with the tiller. 
2. Then I add lots of organic matter (aka horse manure) + compost and till it a second time.

What's that you say? You don't have any horse manure?  My CFOs (Chief Fertilizing Officers) will happily help you out with that.

All kidding aside, I've been using the Mantis Rototiller for the last couple weeks and I love it so much I might have to marry it.




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They have lots of different sizes.

* Mantis Rototillers gave me this product to use and review. I am not compensated for this post. It's just one gardener's glowing review of a very good product. I personally feel they're a screaming deal, and well worth the money.


** If you've been on this blog before, then you may know that I moved back to a rental property that I've owned for many years. The Long Neglected Garden is my summer project. And, so far, I'm having a ball!





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Flowers for Your Hair

I returned from my travels in the nick of time!

In time to fall in love, once again, with my most beloved spring flowering shrub. That being the Flowering Almond.

Flowering Almonds are hard to find but worth the effort. In early spring their branches are laden with pretty, pale-pink double blooms. (Zones 4-8.)

Plant a row of these and you'll get to meet every little girl in the neighborhood. They'll sneak into your yard, steal the flowers and weave wreaths to wear in their hair. I know because I used to do that. And, so did all my elementary school gal pals.

Those gorgeous pink blooms are irresistible. I was simply hanging out at the rental property photographing them, when the tenants came out to see what I was doing.

They hadn't even noticed them. Which is a crying shame.

Gardeners are in tune with the simple beauty that surrounds them, but that's not how it is for most people. We can get so wrapped up in our own little problems, we barely notice what's happening in the world around us.

And, then the very next thing they asked was if they could cut some for a vase!! I should have evicted them on the spot. Instead, I gave them a long, tiresome, threatening, educational seminar on why nobody ~ but me ~ gets to trim that hedge. :)


* Prunus glandulosa 'Rosea Plena' - Zone 4-8, hardy flowering shrub, prefers well-drained soil.
After a gorgeous spring show, the bushes leaf out, creating a nice privacy hedge for small yards.






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Aching Back

Yeah, yeah... I know. Blowing the seeds from a dead Dandelion is big fun. But, you could you please blow them in the opposite direction of my beloved garden? :D

Raking, hoeing, weeding, mowing...

Schlepping hundreds of pounds of compost and mulch...

Digging halfway to China to find the roots of a stubborn dandelion...

Whoever thinks gardening is 'easy labor' hasn't toiled in my yard.

According to the calorie count website, this hard day's work burned off:

• 3 Big Macs
• 6 Snicker bars  
• OR! 10 glasses of wine. (Now you're talkin'... :-)

I live across the road from a wild meadow. So, there is absolutely no possibility to rid my garden of the Dandelion plague.

However! I have found that vinegar works better, safer, cheaper than chemicals. And, they fear to tread where I've done a fine job of amending the soil. So, baby your flowers and at the same time, you'll be babying the Dandelions. To death. :-)

* Dandelions spread 2 ways - airborne seeds and deep roots. Yup, they're perennials, so if you really want to be rid of them, dig up the entire root. And, they bloom twice a year - in spring and autumn - just to keep you on your toes. 




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Rainbow over the Mountains

Partial to Pinks...

Outrageously Orange...

Passionately Purple...

County Kildare

Bunratty

Far too fancy for my budget. But, a fabulous place for breakfast! :-)

Inside Bunratty Castle

Blarney Castle

Looking for Leprechauns

John Benny's Pub

The Wild Atlantic Drive

Doolin