Mary just gave me a great idea to decrease the expense of buying edging. She suggested using the branches off of the mimosa trees that keep poping up all over. It sounds like a fantastic idea to me. Just imagine the basket weave or bent wood designs I could have. My question is should I treat the wood with anything. Mimosa is very aggressive and I'm wondering if even branches might find a way to comeback from the dead if not properly treated. Thank you for your input.

tk I wonder if you can dry them and put some polyeurathane on the ends to make sure they're sealed. Just thinking...

I was thinking more along something to make sure they are dead but the poly would probaby do that too lol. Good thinkiing Mary.

Hey T, check this out - this is what I was imagining (though may be a bit less 'organized' looking). You get good at making it and see what you could sell it for? LOL!

woven edging

Hey TK. The only ones which could possibly regrow are those that are in contact with the earth and then only if there is still some green in them. So dry them thoroughly for a while. If unsure, just strip the bottom few of their bark. If you use some pushed into the soil vertically as a retainer make sure they go in either stripped of bark, fully dried out or upside down.

Wow that's some expensive edging isn't it? Thanks Longy. Upside down huh? I can do that. Stripped of bark might be alittle harder lol. Out there with paring knife. Just kidding I do that alot. Thankyou very much for the information Longy you just made it a lot more possible.

Well the first session of weaving is complete. And boy did it get hot out there. One thing I can say for sure is that this would be much easier if the plants weren't already in place on the second tier lol. Getting them upside down wasn't as hard as I thought which is all to the good. I'm going to be looking for a lot of the little thick branches now for the uprights. Or one long one and to borrow someones saw lol.

Mary this was a great idea and it's turning out much easier than I thought it would. I'm very please with it.

T, I'm so glad it's working out. I can't wait to see a PICTURE! How many times have you heard that from me already? LOL!

Well the community camera and me trying to take pictures don't expect much ok?

I can't wait to see!!! I'm sure you'll do JUST fine

Since I am terracing with the edging all of the wood is going to be touching earth so I'm going to have to watch it closely to make sure nothing roots itself. But I am very willing to do that. I'm going to try and gather a bunch of branches so maybe I can get ahead of my current planting and maybe even have a chance to dry some of the wood. There is a park down the road from me a ways maybe one day if it is somewhat cool I can try to get down there. It's in a different county so the bus doesn't go down that way. I love this idea. It's also great because it will let the water drain on down the slope. Something like stones or bricks might have caused it to get a little soggy. Well onward and upward lol.

And upwards it certainly is. I have the height clear across the first tier that I want. Now it is all fill in. Wish I had a saw for the branches. They are very green. And a pair of sewing sissors really isn't much help lol. But I'm getting there and the birds cheer me on every step of the way. Along with checking that the edging is strong enough to support their takeoffs and landings. They are so funny. Hope I get some pictures of them too.

Here is the picture of about 1/3 of the edging. I like it so far although I have a long way to go before I have it filled in and trimmed down to size is some cases lol.

is the mimosa tree the one that has a flower that looks like a powder puff? I'm looking for that kind of tree?Rita

Yep that's the one. You'll end up with thousands. One of mine is blooming and I'm about to pull my hair out.

Here is a longview of the edging.



Hope it looks a little better in this shot. From here on in it's little branches for this tier until I get it all filled in.

That looks GREAT,TK

I am so happy to finally see it!

G-Mom

Thanks G-mom. You are a great mom to have. You keep me motivated. I know I'll keep twiking it until it is just the way I want it which could take just about forever. But that's the way I am lol.

Somewhere around here is a picture of the hosta that has your baby attached to it. I haven't forgotten. It just isn't growing to well compared to everyone else's I've seen so I'm chicken to try to separate it. But I do remember and I won't forget.

I've got your columbines sitting here on the counter...I've just got to get to the post office and get some stamps.

I've seen twig fences before and have always thought they were cool...I've just never had the "patience" required!

G-Mom

Patience? In my case I think they call it compulsive obsessive disorder lol.

Columbines? Have we got a trade going? I try to write all this stuff down. But I don't have anything listed for you except I wanted to give you my baby hosta. Oh I'm so sorry if you have been waiting for something. What is it? I'm sorry.

No,No,No...I was just gonna send you some blue columbine to add to your collection

G-Mom

Wow T, I'm so glad to be able to see what you're up to there - That's awesome!

Hey, if you wanted to be really obsessive compulsive, you could find all the branches/twigs that were about the same size, and then wrap them with twine or something to get a fence look! Or even liquid nails-ing them together side by side...hmmmm!

oooooooh blue, wonderful. I'd like that thank you.

Mary I'm not going to liquid glue twigs together lol. It's bad enough that I am sitting in front of the tv tearing newpaper into one inch squares for the compost bin lol.

I'm thinking of making a sign for my front door. "insane assylum craft room" [no sharp instruments please].

I'd do it except the neighbors would probably show up for "craft hour".

I am thinking about using some coat hanger wire to get some of the more boosterous limbs to stay in place but that's as far as I'm going. hehehe

Hey TK, just a thought....the next time you are at a Dollar Store, check out their tool section. I found a miniature saw that is great for branches up to about an inch thick. It collapses to fold in half when not it use, for safe storage. All for a buck! It might be just enough for the branches you are working with.

What a neat idea. I LOVE the fence!

Woohoo more branches lol. I just got them out of the truck and had to come in and soak my head lol. That fall has got me a little scared of climbing up there to do the second tier but.....I'll get there. At least this gives me a bunch of brown for the compost pile.

Well second break time lol. That is hot work out there today. I'm absolutely dripping. But I have the frame for the first 5 feet of so. I think I'll use the leaves to try to build up that area for the path somewhat. I know I'm going to have to find quite a bit of material to build it up. I don't want to just use dirt because one of our really good downpours and it would all end up in the flower beds that are already planted. I could sure do without the skeeters. Hungry little devils.

Third break!!!! I get so excited. I think I'm going to have to invest in a sweat band or two or ten for next summer lol. Whew and it's a realatively cool day for this time of the year. But the frame is comming right along. Some day down the road I think this garden just might be something to be pround of. At least I hope so.

Hey T - glad to hear you working up a storm there! I think you've already got something to be proud of - think back to what it looked like before you started! Oh, and the sweat thing - I always wear a baseball cap when I work outside - otherwise the sweat burns me eyes! I also have a bad habit of wiping it with my shirt...so the neighbors appreciate me wearing a hat instead LOL!

Finished with that pile of branches lol. Wow, what a job. Now I need a huge brush pile so I can make lots and lots of little sticks lol. I'll get there but it's getting to be quite a slope now. Going to have to find stuff to put on top of the branches to help level out that part.

It's funny with the flowers planted the way they are there isn't anyway to get a picture of the edging. Which is good. For the finished product. But It means I can't really show what I've been doing. Oh well I guess. Here is what I did manage to get.



I know I had to shoot the picture from underneath the shade of the tree so it is really dark. But when I tried to shoot from the otherside all I could get was a picture of the glads and tomatoes lol.

That's great that you couldn't get a better picture! If I'm looking at this one right - it looks like you're kind of shooting from a diagonal, am I right?

Yes, it's a diagonal. Someone that took a bus trip left their car parked directly in front of the garden so there is no way to get to the center of it.

well pooh...how inconsiderate of them! Don't they know I NEED TO SEE?

Even straight on you can't really see anything Mary because the tomatoes and glads are in the way lol. And the zinnia on the first row. I promise come winter I'll take some shots where you can see the whole thing lol.

Tammy it looks so natural though. I like it! You really are getting good at taking pictures with the camera!

You know the more I think about it. I'm kind of glad it doesn't show up real well. Your right Fernie it is very natural. And the flowers should overshadow it. And the lower one is full enough now that the clay isn't sliding which was the hole purpose of the edging in the first place. Now, I'm in a hurry for some more branches so that I can fill in the second tier and start getting some filler in there so it is easier to walk up there. Weeding is getting to be an adventure. I kind of crouch so that if I fall I won't topple over on top of the tomatoes or anything lol. Then once I'm in place I just do the soggy bottom lol.