Attack on Stump Hill

My kids and I have been leveling the old hill where the old locust tree stump is located. The hill dirt has some garbage mixed in as well as some ash. We've moved about 12 wheel barrows full of dirt so far. We've added the dirt (that has had most of the trash removed) to the west end of Mount Hill where the dirt from under the house has been put. The kids have really enjoyed shoveling and raking, especially the two-year-old.

We've been meaning to get around to leveling this hill since we bought the house. The raspberries have grown so close to the hill that I wanted to level it so that they didn't take root on it. It's also something fun to do with the kids.

Eye Bolt

I've added a couple of eye bolts to the posts at the end of the driveway. Now we have something to tie balloon strings to when we have a party. My neighbors can do this as well!

Maybe I'll add another eye bolt to the post on the south side of the driveway too. That way I can hang a rope to block the driveway if I need to.

Hedge Transplant Begins

I have finally begun transplanting the hedge plants (lonicera nitida) that are inside the fence. I'm moving them to the end of the driveway where the plants are small and stunted (mostly due to some high school kids stomping on them a few years ago). This will allow me to eventually finish the fence more easily and have a some nice sunny gardening space. The blueberry plants will likely be moved when the hedge plants are currently.

I'm having to trim back quite a bit of the bush before moving it because the bush branches have grown into one another's spaces. It's also good to trim a plant back when transplanting it so as to reduce the energy needs of the plant and therefore the stress level of the transplant. Or so I've read and seen in practice.

The plant on the very end of the run is tiny and was always a runt. I will likely just end up tossing it. The next one it is very big and healthy. This is the first plant that I'm going to move.

Here's the final location of the first plant. I've planted it so that it is more vertical than it was before. I hope it likes its new home. I've given it some compost and will give it more as well as some mulch (maybe bark chips).