Laurel Watson - The Hay Relax Life

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Laurel Watson - The Hay Relax Life Welcome to the Hay Relax Ranch, home of Sadie's Place doggy daycare.

It's very rare that we get any kind of fall 'color' on the FL farm.Mostly because we only have non-toxic pines and live ...
05/12/2024

It's very rare that we get any kind of fall 'color' on the FL farm.

Mostly because we only have non-toxic pines and live oaks, but these Cherry trees are growing on the neighbor's property and have a bit of color to them this year.

Mark got some amazing cotton candy sky photos while mowing at the Hay Relax Ranch north yesterday.I hope the ponies and ...
09/09/2024

Mark got some amazing cotton candy sky photos while mowing at the Hay Relax Ranch north yesterday.

I hope the ponies and puppies will enjoy their new views.

One day closer .... closer to some cooler temps too!

Who says you can't garden in FL in the Summertime?You can, but I wouldn't recommend it. 😉🌾🌿I am happy to report that, a...
22/08/2024

Who says you can't garden in FL in the Summertime?

You can, but I wouldn't recommend it. 😉🌾🌿

I am happy to report that, although I am only about 1/2 done creating my pollinator garden in my front yard that everything is bouncing back! 🐞🦋

I have been watering in the AM and PM and there has been some wilting and ALL of the leaves fell off of my chaste berry plants, BUT there is new growth on both plants!🌱🌿🌾

I really should have been a landscape architect, not because I am super talented or anything, but because it is soooo satisfying to make outdoor spaces look great.

Plants just add calm energy to every space and I find that pretty addicting!!

And I don't frequent the clearance racks and free plants on Marketplace because I am cheap and don't want to buy plants at the nursery (believe me, I spend way too much money there), it's because I love to see the dried up and un-cared for clearance plants come back to life and thrive.

I also love love, love plant swapping, it's such a neat way to create connections and it reminds me a bit of my childhood. We were always getting and/or giving plants to/from friends and family. And the thought of ripping things up and killing them is just so sad.

So, if I can create this cute pollinator garden in the 90+ Temps of the FL summer, so can you!!!

Keep following for updates on the Hay Relax Farm transition and of course all things that create and promote that Hay Relax vibe for humans, horses and the pups!

PLANT PROPAGATION UPDATESo ... it's been 9 days and I noticed a few days ago that the Mexican petunias already have root...
20/08/2024

PLANT PROPAGATION UPDATE

So ... it's been 9 days and I noticed a few days ago that the Mexican petunias already have roots.

I took cuttings, scraped some of the outer layer off on 2-3 sides near the bottom cut and put them in water on my north facing deck and 7-9 days later they have roots!!!

I haven't pulled any of my in dirt cuttings out to see if they have roots yet.

The magnolia cuttings in water have no roots.

Today's blooms from my 'free and clearance' front yard pollinator garden project at our FL farm house.🦋🐞So far, even in ...
15/08/2024

Today's blooms from my 'free and clearance' front yard pollinator garden project at our FL farm house.🦋🐞

So far, even in this heat, most of the plants are bouncing back after transplanting. I am about 1/3 of the way there.

I have a few butterfly bushes that might be getting heat stroke, but I am not giving up on them. I'll give them a week of watering to see if they bounce back and grow new leaves, else I'll cut them back.

In hindsight, I probably should have cut them back, but it's hard to do that to an established bush. Where's the immediate gratifcation in that? 🌺🌿🌾

Feral Fritzie has been super helpful as I landscape my front yard.
14/08/2024

Feral Fritzie has been super helpful as I landscape my front yard.

As I am updating the landscaping around the farm, I've been visiting the clearance section of Lowe's and Tractor Supply....
12/08/2024

As I am updating the landscaping around the farm, I've been visiting the clearance section of Lowe's and Tractor Supply.

Over the weekend, I found 2 Helichrisum for 50 cents each.

They were a bit dry, but I gave them some water and they perked right up. I will pinch them off and repot them to get them ready to add to my pollinator garden in the front yard.

This plant also has a very unique scent, so I am considering using it in my scent garden for Sadie's Place - Doggy Day Camp.

I have met the most interesting people through FB marketplace.As we are preparing to move to the new farm in SC, I have ...
12/08/2024

I have met the most interesting people through FB marketplace.

As we are preparing to move to the new farm in SC, I have been slowly purging and the things I can sell, I have been putting on marketplace.

A few weeks ago, I met a woman who bought a propane tank and of course, me being me asked 'do you have an RV?' Because that is my frame of reference and so that's how I assumed she'd be using it.

No, she has portable heaters for her greenhouses. Greenhouses in Florida????

YES! And she breeds and propagates all these amazing hibiscus with extraordinary flowers (check out Emerald Coast Hibiscus Society group).

BUT ... that's not all! She also is growing a food forest (yup, look it up, it's a thing!)

I made a comment 'I should do that, I have a few citrus trees and all the beauty berry bushes I've planted are edible.' An hour later in the 90+ degree sun, she had to go and I had re-ignited my love of gardening.

So, now that mom's house is on the market and I've gotten all of her flower beds in order, I have a little time to start implementing the front yard garden that I have always had in my head.

It actually started last year when we finished the catio. I bought two of these plants from Home Depot (photo 1) and they love my house. They grow "limbs" off the side and then the limbs develop roots and fall off. Several fallen limbs later, I ran out of pots, so just plopped them in the ground.

Then mom came over with two bags of bulbs (no idea what they are), so we planted them (photo 2) and they are doing great.

Behind them are some butterfly bushes that grew in the back yard last winter after I emptied a bag of seeds that I got from Subaru for some reason. I didn't want to mow them over, so they are resting for now until I can get a design in mind and find them a more permanent home. I hope this heat isn't the end of them.

Then mom didn't want her aloe any longer and he was getting way too big for his britches, so had to break him into about 7 new pots. Photo 3 is one of those. If you need an aloe, let me know!! Another for the food garden.

All this led to watching a bunch of propagation videos on YouTube during the thunderstorms today. Photos 4, 5 and 6 are attempts at water and soil propagation for various shrubs I already have. If all goes well, I am going to landscape my property fence by my driveway gate with some more beauty berries and Texas sage.

Stayed tuned to see if it's an epic success, failure or just 'meh'.

Not much to report on The Hay Relax Ranch front. The pastures are coming in nicely. We can't put the horses on yet if ...
11/08/2024

Not much to report on The Hay Relax Ranch front. The pastures are coming in nicely. We can't put the horses on yet if we want solid pastures, so the ranch hand has been hard at work mowing. By next spring they should be ready for munching!

For now, we are in planning mode trying to decide the best option for the barn.

Once the poison ivy stops growing, we'll finish the fencing.

Oh so many things happening at the new Hay Relax Ranch ...We have gates! I met with county extension agent to get the 4...
29/02/2024

Oh so many things happening at the new Hay Relax Ranch ...

We have gates!

I met with county extension agent to get the 4-1-1 on what grass to grow on our property.

Soil samples turned into county extension office - check

Agriculture exemption submitted - check

Pastures are getting prepped for sprigging (planting runner/roots) coastal bermuda grass.

I also have a call into the county forrester to set up a meeting to learn about how to utilize the rest of our acreage as forest to promote wildlife.

Things are progressing!

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