Gardening is Grueling and 8 Other Things I Learned While Working Outside
Recently I ran into an old friend and, feeling self-conscious about my chipped, dirty nails, I felt the need to quickly explain away why I was looking such a hot mess. I told him I was working on my patio and yard for my Outdoor Overhaul Patio Challenge (thus, the reason I was a hot mess). He gave me a quizzical look and said, “Oh, I never took you as the ‘flower’ type.”
And he’s right!
I’ve got what they call a “black thumb”: anything I touch that remotely resembles a living thing dies.
It’s a wonder my children have thrived because I just don’t take care for living things very well (must be my husband’s good cooking, ’cause it sure ain’t mine!). LOL
Yep–I’m a DIY’er, so I know how to mow my lawn, blow my leaves, and if the season is right and I’m in the mood and can financially afford it, I mulch my landscape beds. Plus, I don’t have money to pay people to come and do this. So hubby and I do it ourselves. And occasionally, I clean up my patio.
We do the most basic minimum outdoor homeowner activities so that we’re not the ugliest home on the block.
But Inspiration Happened
After that patio makeover we tackled in South Carolina patio makeover, I was inspired to take my own home exterior to the next level.
I did want to become “the flower type” that didn’t turn every living thing to dust.
I did want to become the type that made over not just furniture and rooms on a budget, but could make an outliving living space inviting, too, without spending a lot of money.
Your outdoors is a part of your home, too. And when you’ve got a pretty outdoor space, it’s like extending the square footage of usable living space! It’s the summer, too. Even if it’s stinking hot in some parts of the world right now, it won’t be that way forever. When it’s nice out, don’t you want to have a space to enjoy it?
And as I have gotten started (today marks Day #3 of my challenge, since I started a couple days early) I’ve learned a few things already that I wanted to share with you.
Lesson Learned #1: Gardening is Grueling!
I guess I should preface this Lesson Learns with this: If you leave your yard to become over-run like this, then yes, gardening will be grueling!
I don’t remember the side of our house looking such a hot mess, but yes, folks. This is what it looked like when I started. It was a forgotten side of our house that we just never tended to. Like–never.
BEFORE
But I decided that as part of my Outdoor Overhaul Patio Makeover Challenge, while not technically a patio, I would include the whole house exterior, including this walkway leading back to the backyard and patio. It’s always been a thorn in my side and I’ve decided it’s time to do something about it.
But the aches and pains I feel…..! Gardening is a workout that you must be physically fit to do! LOL There’s a lot of digging and de-weeding, and by the end of the day, your body knows it’s worked hard.
I actually used the pressure washer to help remove the weeds and soften the earth for easier digging.
And as a result, this is what I was left with after Day #2 was over!
IN PROGRESS!
(Psst! This is what my DIY walkway looked like when I was done!)
Lesson Learned #2: Green Is Pretty….Even If It Is Weeds!
I share a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff that you don’t see here on the blog. I was sharing some footage of my house, and one of my friends/readers commented, “It’s so pretty and green!”
And I thought, “Huh??”
These weeds are pretty??
But considering that she lives near in a California desert with temps in the triple digits and BROWN everywhere, my weed-infested yard must have looked like a green oasis! LOL
I realized that green is pretty and lush, even if they are weeds. Our lawn is basically all weeds, very little grass. And while I work to change that, I’ll always remember that green is pretty, even if it is weeds.
Lesson Learned #3: Husbands Suck
On Day #2, after making progress, I was proud. When my husband walked up, I had hoped he would be as happy with the progress as I was. I asked him, “Doesn’t it look good already?!”
He’s unimpressed with most of the projects I do; DIY is just not his thing and he can’t understand why I put the time and effort I do into them. He’s more apt to suggest I hire someone to do this or that.
Anyhow, he simply shook his head dismissively, and said, “I still don’t see your vision” and then walked back into the house.
I stewed in annoyance, as sweat dripped down my face in an attempt to make our home look pretty and welcoming.
Yet, he couldn’t see my vision….?! I thought it was pretty obvious….
And it made me think about all the husbands of the world who are unsupportive in what us DIY’ers do.
Support is showing a little interest in and appreciation for what we do.
It’s telling us that we’re doing a good job, even if you don’t “see our vision.”
(And no, we don’t want to hire someone to do it for us).
Regardless, I was still very proud!
Lesson Learned #4: Gardening Materials Aren’t That Expensive
So far, I’ve bought 25 bags of mulch for $2.00 each ($50), and I bought 16 bags of white marble chips for $3.00 each ($48). I know that I need more materials, and yes, it does add up. But, when doing it yourself, it’s sooo much cheaper! Plus, the materials aren’t that expensive; just depends on what size of the project!
Mine needs a lot of work, so I’ll have to buy more supplies. But if you’re doing a small part of your yard or patio, it’s actually pretty affordable! You just have to do the work. 😉
Lesson Learned #5: Pressure Washing is Addicting
There’s something oddly fascinating about pressure washing. Don’t you agree? Seeing that grime instantly blasted away with the touch of pressurized water…ahhhhhh……
I was able to get the patio done in about 2 hours. Could have taken me less time, but I wasn’t in any hurry. It was kind of therapeutic.
BEFORE
AFTER!
Click here to learn more about the RYOBI 2,000-PSI Electric Pressure Washer I used.
The next step for the patio is to scour Craigslist or get creative about what kind of seating I want for the space!
Lesson Learned #6: Spray Painted Welcome Mats Do Hold Up Outdoors!
If you remember, some time ago I spray painted my welcome mat. It got a lot of love, but, of course, the “haters” were hatin’, too.
Those nay-sayers said, “But it will get dirty!” or “That will never hold up!”
And I’m happy to say that, yes, while it got dirty (ummm…it is the outdoors…), it actually cleaned up well and it’s been holding up with hardly any chipping!
BEFORE – Never been cleaned.
AFTER! – Lightly cleaned it with a pressure washer
I had to be very careful to make sure that I didn’t get the pressure washer nozzle close to the mat, or else it would ruin it. I’d recommend just getting a hose and hosing it down.
(LOL, don’t mind the dirt on the door….)
Related: See how I replaced, painted, and stenciled this new kitchen door.
So if you’ve been thinking about spray painting your welcome mat, too, it’s totally possible! The only caveat is that we don’t use this door often, so we hadn’t had a lot of foot traffic on it, which may or may not affect how well it holds up.
Lesson Learned #7: It’s Easier Buying By the Truckload
Because of the amount of stuff I ended up getting, and the number of trips to The Home Depot, it probably would have been easier (although more expensive??) ordering mulch and rocks by the truckload.
If you’re going to need a lot, at least check into it before you get started. I am sure I’ll be doing that for another big project like this!
Lesson Learned #8: Pressure Washers Get Rid of Weeds Fast!
Totally stumbled on this by accident. I don’t even know if it’s a “legal” way to remove weeds.
As someone on Facebook pointed out, it likely means that I’ve just spread a bunch of seeds everywhere that will germinate the crap out of my yard if I don’t work quickly, so just keep that in mind! LOL.
But I simply blasted the pressure washer over the weeds, removing the top layer and using my boot to slide the weeds off the path.
It left a bunch of mud! (Which I admit was fun to slosh around in! When’s the last time I did that?!)
But with the ground thoroughly drenched and blasted, I thought it was easier to remove them.
And Day #2 of “Weed Removal” was easy because the ground was still muddy. I could dig much easier.
AFTER
Lesson Learned #9: You Find the Most Fascinating Bugs!
It’s amazing what you find when you start clearing away weeds and earth!
I saw a fat little white spider, a bright yellow caterpillar, and some other interesting bugs I had never seen before!
I wish I had snapped pictures of them.
Usually, I hate bugs when they’re invading my space. But somehow, when I’m invading theirs, suddenly they come awesome. HA!
I’ve Found a New Appreciate For the Outdoors
There was something fun the past couple of days digging the earth, seeing it transform right in front of my eyes.
With the radio blaring in the background, a trowel in my hand, and sweat on my brow, I was happy, as I often am when working on projects.
This is new territory for me–becoming one with the space around my home.
There are new rules to learn, new wonders to seek, new lessons to be learned.
And hopefully, new areas that my family will inhabit once it’s pretty! 🙂
See More Outdoors and Gardening Projects
- How to Build a DIY Raised Garden Bed
- How to Build a DIY Fire Pit in Your Backyard
- Adding Curb Appeal to a Rental Property With Paint, Flowers, and Pressure Washing
- The Outdoor Overhaul Makeover Challenge Reveals!
- Make Your Own Garden Planters From Metal
What Lessons Have YOU Learned From Working Outdoors?
Have you learned anything from getting your own hands dirty outside? Leave a comment below and let’s chat about it! 🙂
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Beautiful job!!!! I have learned to NOT ask my husband’s opinion…LOL!!!! By the time he decides to comment at the end, it is usually a good one. Try that!!! You know we have to use psychology on them girl! LOL!!!
Monica, girl, this is the best advice EVER on dealing with husbands! JUST DON’T ASK. Wait until HE offers up an opinion and wait until he says something positive. LOL! Love that!
One word…. hardscaping.
Who needs grass? You water it, you fertilize it, you water it again, you mow it, you weed it, you re-seed it, you aerate it. Never ends. What an unnecessary chore! When in doubt…. hardscape. I’ve spent lots of time in Mexico… Greece… Israel…. lots of places. After a while, you realize that the big ole American yard with lots of manicured grass is ridiculous. Get creative with recycled bricks, interesting shaped flowerbeds full of perennials.
This is smart advice, Patricia!!! Today when I was looking at all the rocks that we have on the side of the house (for the pathway I created), I love that it’s covered in rocks! If I can maintain it with pulling little weeds that get through, then finally it will be one less area to deal with pesky weeds and such. I’ll keep HARDSCAPING in mind!! Thanks for that!
You can control the little weeds by giving them a dose of plain ole table salt… little squirt of water. Non toxic for dogs and others. I think you’d be surprised by the free bricks you can pick up from renovation sites, construction sites, etc. Putting them down is a good right-brain function, from a design standpoint. We got a bunch off Craig’s List, actually… and more when a neighbor removed a fireplace in her family room. We bricked our entire yard/patio area… granted it isn’t all that huge, but when you have a couple of dogs tracking mud into the house and a husband who never learned how to wipe his feet or remove his shoes when coming into the house from the garden….and you live in a place that has terrible drainage because it is flat as a pancake… hardscaping is the way to go. I put in a Feng Shui path to replicate a creek bed with rocks, lined it with monkey grass, some flowerbeds along the fence, a circular bed and a diamond shaped bed in the middle areas by trees… Beats the hell out of mowing grass and dragging a hose around.
As always, you have inspired me and that’s saying something because I HATE to sweat! With all the trees and greenery it looked cool and calming. As far as hubs goes, I’d like to pop him on the head to knock some appreciation into him! It doesn’t hurt to say something thoughtful to someone who worked hard even if your “vision” is lost on him! I’m guess I’m spoiled because ever since you inspired me to tackle my first DIY project, my husband has been so proud HE takes the before, during and after pictures and sends them to everyone he knows! The best part is he has started helping me so now we are a DIY team!
Well, at least you always know you have a butt load of fans who think you are FABULOUS!
Awww…Michelle, that is awesome!!! You’re lucky to have a hubby that gets involved and is PROUD of the word you do! He must talk you up at parties, huh? 😉 JEALOUS! So glad to hear that I’ve inspired you to get started. YAY!!! You have made my night, girl! 🙂
Relax the outer banks is a great place.patio looks great
working on my deck,it’s hot and messy lol .men can be jerks god love them.
LOL, Mary! I hope your deck is going well! Have you made much progress yet? What’s your plan for the space?
Serena, Are you certain our husbands aren’t twins? He’s reaction to your “vision” is almost verbatim what my husband would say. Compliments? Naw, you’ll get a swelled head. Lol What you did looks terrific! love your newsies and look forward to each and every one! Becci
Becci, YES! I think they’re brothers! You hit the nail on the head–they can’t give compliments because then you’ll think you’re the &$@! and heaven forbid they pump up our heads, huh?! LOL!
Glad to see you got innovated and used the power washer on those weeds. If I had tried that I would have had a hubby screaming “You can’t do that. That is not how you clear land!”. Men are so funny sometimes. I wish I could have joined the challenge but all has gone down the tubes here. Decided to do a purge and then have a garage sale. Have boxes and boxes of garage sale stuff and construction stuff for t he rest of our renovation and then we were inundated with fleas. Have used every product under the sun but they just got worse. Now we have to have an exterminator in and that was supposed to be tomorrow but it has done nothing but rain all week so we can’t move stuff outside. Even to cover it all the deck and such are soaking wet. So we will try again next week.
Next time hubby poo poos your diy ask him if he enjoys living in a house that you have put your heart and soul into for your family and see how meek he will answer that one. Or he will walk off muttering
Hi, Kathy! Oh no, fleas? Are those easy to get rid of? We still have carpet beetles, although I don’t see as many of them, but that doesn’t mean they’re not around! I also have to clean out any spaces where they are feeding, like clothing in the closet and stuff. Pain in the butt! I hope you can get rid of the fleas quickly!!
Very hard to get rid of once they get into your house. To prepare everything has to be off the floors and a heavy vacuuming done. They spray all the floors in the house and all fabric covered furniture. You and your fur kids are out of the house for 5 hours. Cats and dogs have to be bathed and deflead the day before so that they don’t bring anymore in. Our yard has been sprayed with a specific nematode that feeds on fleas. Have another box of that so may spray again. Hopefully this will break the cycle we have been fighting for the last 3 years.
Great Job! Bring on the azalea bushes!
Thanks, Debra!
Serena, absolutely love pressure washing the weeds! Now I’ll have to scout out some rubber boots. In the past I have been able to keep up with the yard work, then last summer I had a massive invasion of thistles. After digging out about 30, I gave up and put weed killer on an area about 20’x20′ which slowed that down. This year I sprained my ankle in February and am still healing, so not much yard work getting done. To make things even more interesting, in building the new house next door, the owners decided to take down about 17 trees dividing the property. I lost all of the shade for my house (no ac), my privacy and now have all sorts of green things that I have never seen before. But I am jumping on the patio/deck re-do and we’ll see how it goes. Even a little done is more than before, so let’s keep chugging along:)
Wow, 17 trees?? First of all, they must have paid a crap-load of money to have THAT done! For one tree for us (although big), it was $1,250 to do! And to think of 17, wow! What are you doing to keep cool? Can you put up a privacy fence? Sorry to hear you’d messed up your ankle! Now that I know gardening is so hard, I know that you can’t do ANYTHING with just one ankle! 🙂 And paying someone to landscape and garden is out of the question. It’s sooo expensive! Hang in there! Maybe you can plant your own privacy trees….?
Serena, I already feel like I’m falling behind, though I have less garden work to do so I know I’ll get this done. Thanks for the inspiration and the list. I think the side yard looks great. I’m cackling over the idea of pressure-washing your weeds away. That is pretty funny.
LOL, but it totally worked! 🙂 I’m going to be pressure washing more because I am extending the walkway and I have to clear off more area. It totally works!! Plus, the earth gets soaked and is easy to scrape away.
What are your plans for your outdoor space? What else do you need to do? I can’t wait to see your pictures!
(Putting on my “big sister” hat for a moment–I feel such a kinship with you my fellow DIY sista) Baby girl, you are doing an AWESOME job!! I feel your pain about the lack of enthusiasm from the Hubs. I hope you aren’t too hard on him. He just doesn’t get it–and it’s OK! The thrill of the adventure of tackling something new, the rush of creative juices flowing, and the pride washing over you as you bask (and ache) in the satisfactory glow of the fact of knowing you did it yourself! It’s a high that we just can’t explain!! You will have to learn to pat yourself on the back, find glee in his quizzical expressions, warmth in his shrugs, and pleasure in the paint stains on your hands and clothes. You do this because YOU enjoy it and this is YOUR outlet. WE see your vision and me, like the rest of your DIY fans and sisters, are waiting with bated breath to see the final outcome. Keep on keeping on!!! In my best Miss Fizzle voice (I hope you remember the “Magic School Bus”–OK, maybe my kids are quite a bit older than yours…anyway, you can Google it…): “Time to take chances; make mistakes; get messy!”
Awwww….thank you, Debra!! 🙂 You have said it best! Maybe I was feeling extra emotional about it because I was dripping with sweat. I thought my vision was pretty clear! LOL. You’re right–time to take chances, make mistakes, and get messy! 🙂 And I don’t remember Magic School Bus! I do know the name, but I don’t think I ever saw it! LOL
Debra, I love every word of what you’ve said. It took me four years to convince my hub to let go of the lawn so we could replace it with drought tolerant plants. We live in California and have been in a drought for four years. It made me sad because it was so important to ME and I wanted him to understand and acknowledge (and yes, bend to my will). Keep it real here.
Anyhoo…the lawn is gone, the garden looks great, no more mowing, edging, very little watering and easy weeding.
So I get Serena’s disappointment, but agree with you too.
My husband is handy with tools, plumbing electrical and the like so he does understand the DIY part of things. He just loves different things than me.