Today was a productive day. I got done what I have always wanted to do– lop off a part of the weeping fig (ficus benjamina) tree that was preventing the garden tool shed from sitting flush with the wall behind it. I also gave the weeping fig its second pruning since being acquainted with it. One of the reasons for the dramatic hair cut is to bring more light into the garden. Light that I need for sun loving crops. The second reason is to thin it out as the brown scale (insects) are beginning to amass.

I am not very confident with the chainsaw so this awkward cut will have to do. I did come back later with a hand saw and cut the top area flush.

From this one cut, the shed was able to be pushed against the wall; releasing at least a square foot of wasted space. More importantly, should the sprinklers be run again, the shed will not be obstructing part of the spray pattern

The tool shed and the tools contained within help me get a handle on all the gardening and landscaping tasks especially when permaculture is being practice. Keeping the system as closed as possible requires a little more work. Where garden waste is cut and broken down just enough to place in a waste bin to be sent off, keeping the waste onsite requires more work. Proper tools are essential in order to save both time and reduce effort.

There is quite a bit of green waste from the weeping fig to find a place for. Its waxy and fibrous leaves take a while to break down and often it is first to be sent off. Today, there was time to keep them onsite. In the Resort garden on the ground where it is unlikely to be worked any time soon is where some of the green waste is going. Out comes the drain shovel and the gloves.

Due to the micro-climate, sun loving crops do not do well here. The green patch of oregano and thyme is a living artifact of where I first tried to establish a garden on this property. I thought about laying a hugelbed over the patch but then I would lose my artifact; something I am not ready to do yet. Instead, I dug a hole adjacent to it.

Kind of like a hugelbed but no mound.

The goal is not to retain the mound. The dirt will get used somewhere else but for now I inadvertently created a swale. Which is kind of a good thing with rain in the forecast.

And not too long after, a couple of sprinkles. Sunshine and El Nino rain was the cocktail of the day.

Lots more digging. I worried about putting too much strain on my right shoulder. With the opportunity to get lots of work done, I went on and hoped that an injury is not sustained. The area between the holly (on the left) and the French lilac gets mostly shade– making it not a very productive site. I decided this is the spot for a tertiary compost area. I begin to dig out a few inches of dirt.

It was not long before I hit the stubborn ground level growth of creeping fig (ficus pumila).

Lastly, the weeping fig log that was placed in the Resort Garden. Maybe the lemon grass will be moved here.