Garden Progress: White Deck

As part of our guest preparations, I repainted the deck again. It's been about 3 years since we painted it white the first time. This time I did 2 things differently that I think will help it last longer:

1. I waited until it was a dry week. No rain for 2 days before and no rain expected for 2 days after my painting day.

2. I used some serious cleaner (TSP and bleach -- according to package directions for decks) and a sturdy scrub brush to make sure that all the loose paint and the greenish mildew were off.  Last time I tried to use organic cleaner and I don't think the wood was clean enough for good adhesion. I cleaned the deck about 2 weeks before my "dry week" occurred.

I used my new favorite Stix Primer and the Behr Paint Porch and Floor Paint in the stock white color.

Deck Painted White

Daisies are finally in bloom along the deck

French Sorrel and Lemon Grass have taken off and are making a nice ground cover in front of the blackberry vines

Two types of Oregano - making nice ground cover around my perennial wild flowers

Removed the tomatillos and ground cherries 

My French host mom suggested that I get a long garden hoe/weed pick combo. It worked great for removing the weeds that had grown up among the tomatillos and ground cherries -- see the un-hoed part farther along?  I also used newspapers covered with mulch again (instead of buying weed paper)

Trellised up the new raspberry canes -- I planted them there to hide the radon fan (already almost covered)

Raspberry bush #2 - covering up an old utility box - I think it was for phone lines?