Battening Down the Hatches

I’m battening down the hatches. With this year’s El Nino now considered “Too big to fail,” I put gardening on hold to get some much needed repairs done to the house. If you haven’t heard from me since my Miami Web Fest news that Late Bloomer won for “Best Edutainment Series,” I’ve been busy!

Today, two workers are replacing the broken attic fan (they are in the attic now over my head as I write), installing exhaust fans in bathrooms, securing rain barrels, clipping rain guards over the gutters, caulking, grouting, power washing, fixing window cranks, door handles, replacing plywood siding on the shed, cutting down dead 20′ bamboo stalks, and you name it. I’ve got a long list.

Bathroom prepped for exhaust fan install, grout work

Meanwhile, my project today is cleaning and re-oiling the front redwood fence. Yesterday, it looked like this.

Elephant head amaranth and beans on fence

I worked several hours pulling out all the beans and plants near the fence. YES, that’s a new real rubber hose in the photo, made in the U.S.A.! If you’ve followed Late Bloomer, you know dealing with the hose in my intricate, cramped garden is my biggest pain! (See “Hose Woes.”)

Fence cleaned & ready for sanding & staining. Those sections of sidewalk were poured in 1939.

The top rail was really looking bad, so I just scrubbed it down, and am writing this while waiting for the sun to dry it, so I can paint on the oil stain.

Timber oil to protect decking and fencing

A new episode of Late Bloomer is on it’s way this week, so stay tuned for “Growing Broomcorn!” I visited a broom shop in Vancouver when I was up for the Vancouver Web Fest and you won’t want to miss sisters Mary and Sarah Schweiger’s unique handmade brooms. I’ve also got a terrific episode coming to you from Pinewood Tennessee, Farm to Table. Read my post here and get a glimpse of what you are in for.

And, I said I put the winter garden on hold, but yesterday I did prepare and plant my raised bed. I used seed tape for beets, radishes and carrots. I will share more on this in another post.

Raised bed planted with root veggie seed tape and protected from raccoons

What are you doing to batten down the hatches for winter storms? I will turn the camera around and give an update on my parkway garden in the next post. Please share Late Bloomer with a friend!

I’m still looking for feedback for Season 5 of Late Bloomer, and financial support to make it happen. Do you enjoy interviews with others, or stories about my garden, or both? Thanks for your support! ~ Kaye

Stock up on Seeds!

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Tags: big jobs in the garden, curbside gardening, do-it-yourself, El Nino, gardening, gardening web series, green your world, growing your own vegetables, Kaye Kittrell, Kaye Kittrell Late Bloomer, organic, Photography, redwood fence, urban gardening, web series, winter storms

Category: Curbside Gardening, Maintenance, Urban Gardening