Edge, Edge, Edge ... Mulch, Mulch, Mulch

I've been extolling the virtues of the step-on edger. It's time you meet it.

The Step-on Edger has a sharp blade that can be rocked through dirt and turf. It makes a nice, clean edge. The foot part folds up for storage. There's a rubber cover to protect the sharp edge of the blade. This rocky Georgia clay is going to take the edge off the edger right quick. It will have to be sharpened periodically. It's great for cutting off the bits of grass that attempt to infiltrate the flower beds.

I can wrestle the bags of mulch into the wagon one bag at a time and pull it to where I'm working. My back was beginning to bug me as I leaned down to grab handfuls of mulch and toss it into the flower beds. I ended up pulling the wagon next to the little bench. Working from a sitting position is perfect. :) 

Here is the beginning of the edging. Using the slit that the edger makes, I scrape the dirt up and away (toward the flowers) to make a trench. The layer of mulch will taper as it reaches the front, so the line will stay clean.

The first bag of mulch in the fence bed took care of the daylilies. It covered the length of that section of fence.

The next section of the flowerbed is wider to accommodate the Japanese quince. The Balloon flower between the quince and the irises was nearly hidden under the large daylily to the right of the bird bath. I transplanted it before adding the mulch. In this picture, three bags of mulch have been laid. 

That was the limit of today's mulching. Other parts of the garden got a little attention.

These are the two forsythia bushes on the other side of the yard. I ran an edger slit around them; I'll dig the ditch tomorrow.  I saw my gardener at my sister's house yesterday. He said he and his guys would help spread mulch. They can spread it here and around the Rose of Sharon bushes behind the island -- big spaces that will take several bags. I'd rather do the more detailed mulching of the flower beds myself.

I cut the vines off the fence. I don't know what they are, but they have thorns on the stems. The plant itself is in my neighbor's yard.

Other volunteers farther down the fence also were cut. They are all volunteers from a neighbor's yard. I left one little stem of Knockout roses that are blooming cheerfully. I'll cut it when the flowers fade.

Here's what happens when plants in small pots don't get daily watering. I've given them a good soaking. We'll see if they respond well or get replaced. [Edit: they popped back up and remain looking happy. I think when this photo was taken they had just shut down because of the heat.]

We're supposed to have rain again tonight, but I watered in the mulch in hopes that it would pack down and not float away if the rains are heavy. Then again, the daily showers have been hit or miss. Last night there was lightning and thunder between 10 and midnight, but the rain gauge recorded nary a drop.