Rain Reigns
The prospect of spending two or more hours watering the yard in between rain storms doesn't really excite me.  I usually start out by filling (cleaned and emptied) milk jugs with water from the rain barrel (conveniently poised under the gutter drain, but inconveniently having the spout so low that it's difficult/impossible to fill the jug to the top-unless you are some type of Houdini) then resort to the hose when the barrel runs dry.

Several sources I've read recommend only deep watering.  That is, try to get the ground completely soaked. If you cut time corners (like using a sprinkler) you are not helping your plants; the water may not penetrate the ground enough (unless the sprinkler runs a very long time).  Also, if you water during the hottest hours of the day you may lose a lot of moisture to evaporation.  A couple of other tips: try not to wet the leaves of your plants while watering, diseases (like powdery mildew) may spread faster or appear, and if you water in late evening you may attract insects to your plant.

As a general rule of thumb, always check on recently planted trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals on a frequent basis as their watering needs are far more.  After two years or so (depending upon how dry the summers are) trees and shrubs are fine without extra watering, they have sent out their water roots and can help themselves.   If you go for days without significant rain, check the color of the soil.  Is the top layer the same color as an inch beneath?  If so, go for a deep soaking or your plants may wither up and blow away.  I have been known to push the time between waterings as I let the local meteorologist be my guide (and often they are wrong).  If I see rain in the forecast I will put off watering until the next day.  I do not recommend this method, however, as in Maine, the weather can be highly unpredictable (a forecast of rain will often turn to just cloudy for days on end).

"Jack's Rain Barrel"

If you choose to use a hose for watering, a couple of tips.  Try to get a submeter for just your outside water supply (otherwise you end up paying sewer charges along with the water charges in your monthly bill, and, in Portland, sewer can make up two thirds of your utility bill).  If you want to use a rain barrel, check out your local Public Services Department to see if they offer one (usually in Spring) at a discount.  I purchased mine from the Portland Water District a few years ago and it's a nice terra cotta color so it blends well (see in the photo to the right that it is also strategically placed to capture water from the gutter and to not impede the overall look of the garden).

In viewing the recent rain barrel offerings at the City's Public Services Department, I'm glad I have the other one, the new one (pictured below) looks to me like a giant cup of Starbucks and I'd be craving (fancy) coffee if I had to look at it every day (and as coffee grounds from my old fashioned coffee maker make for excellent top dressing on my acid loving plants, I'd hate to waste resources and money on a giant cup of coffee that I don't really need-plus I'd like to sleep sometime in the near future).

"Catscat"?  Really, Dad?
My dad has been gardening his whole life.  I think he found it relaxed him after a long day at work.  Most of the time he's had great success, though I do remember one shady front yard giving him grief as nothing would grow in it.  But when I visited him yesterday I noticed these plastic things in his garden that were square with spikes sticking out.  I gave him a quizzical look, and asked "cat problem?"  And he answered that "yes" the neighbor's cat was using his garden as a litter box.  I then asked, "and you don't think the cat is smart enough to go around?"  To which he pointed above the "catscat" row and said, "Apparently it is".

Pests can be a huge problem in any garden.  I also have a lot of neighborhood cats who think that any workable area is a litter box.  Since I have four cats (all indoors) I am quite patient and will even talk to my feline neighbors when I spot them in the yard.  When I see something that they've done left behind, I will pick it up with a small bag (like a doggy bag) and simply dispose of it.  Frankly, even if it did bother me it would take more than a few "catscat"s to surround my yard.  On the brighter side, because I am more urban, I do not have to worry about other would be pests that are a problem for gardens located on the more wooded side of town.  Such animals as deer and ground hogs will eat many types of plants.  In my last house in Massachusetts there was a family of ground hogs living under a neighbors' garage.  I do not think the neighbors minded or they would have relocated them.  Once in a while I would spot a ground hog in my garden and instead of running out and chasing it away, I would grab the camera and take photos.  So cute!

That said, there are humane methods to deter pests (such as "catscat" won't hurt a cat, it will just make them go around the plastic square to get where they want to be) or even better plant with wildlife in mind.  You can either plant flowers and shrubs that do not taste good to wildlife or plant shrubs and trees that produce berries and flowers that will actually provide food for them.  It's something to consider when in the planning stages of your yard.

The War Against Weeds
In one of my first posts I mentioned that I am very anti-chemical poison when it comes to building a beautiful yard.  I realize that there are some old-timers out there (named "Dad") who do not agree despite the fact studies have shown using chemical poisons can have long term negative effects for people, pets, and wildlife. I try to be understanding and non-judgmental (since, afterall, I do drive a car so I contribute in my own way to polluting the environment) but I do reserve the right to get a bit uppity when I see the "Lawn Dog" truck (which bears the mantra "Environmentally Responsible Lawn Care" on its door) idling while the driver/worker spreads seed on my neighbor's front lawn.

So, when it comes to weeds, I first will hand pull (dandelions are so large rooted they tend to be easy, just remember to get the entire carrot-like root as they are perennials and will come back better than ever if you aren't careful) or use white vinegar in a spray bottle for those crabgrass seedlings that pop up in driveway and sidewalk cracks.  Mulching planting beds is a good way to make the weeds easier to pull and keep them from getting out of control, but make sure you mulch a clean bed (mulching over weeds won't make them go away).  However, mulching can prohibit seedlings from desirable plants from setting.  Plants such as columbine may want to set seeds but won't do so easily in mulch (and I say this as I've only had one columbine plant for years and I keep hoping for seedlings, but see none and you can tell that my little columbine gets lost in the ajuga when it blooms, so I'd really like to see a couple more plants).

If hand pulling weeds remember not to toss the weeds into your compost as you may end up with weed seedlings if using your finished compost as a top dressing in the garden.  I will always keep my pulled weeds in my brush recycling for drop off at the local facility.  If using compost in a deep hole for planting trees and shrubs, then by all means throw in the weeds, I don't imagine that they could possible work their way back up.

As an aside, a few years ago I bought a "gardening" book aimed at providing tips for maintaining your yard and garden with minimal time and care.  I was game at looking at some suggestions to save time and effort but was quickly disappointed.  The author had some questionable tips, such as learn to love your weeds.  Well, I do agree that a lot of plants walk that fine line between desirable plant and weed (johnny jump-ups, forget-me-nots, bachelor buttons, to name a few) but I don't think complacency is the answer.  It was probably the only gardening book I ever owned that I quickly gave away to Goodwill as I could find no redeeming advice in it.

Needful Things
Rather than write a blog about the awesomeness of gardening, it occurred to me today as I was planting a recently acquired white Siberian iris that I did not need (but bought anyway) that I should really be writing a letter to an intervention group asking for help with my plant addiction.  In fact I may be doing our yard a disservice should we ever sell, as it would not be fair to pass along this jungle with the expectation that  the next owner would be as dedicated.  Or, perhaps just the mere idea of it will keep those liking the house to even consider ownership?  Or, with luck, I will sell to someone who appreciates having a yard unlike any other.  And if I ever feel like I've gone too far, well... the neighbor behind me is working hard to catch up, except he might have done me one better.  What used to be a level yard filled with green grass and a few shrubs is now a stage for a train set complete with tracks, suspension bridge, town (with solar lights, so we can see all the little windows glow at night), and a forest of evergreens.  I haven't seen the train leave the station yet, but perhaps the "whoo whoo" is not far behind.