Gonna Be A Dirty Girl!

The Raised beds are going in!

Mr. Fix-It brought “Big Red” home for the evening and made scooching the garden soil back a breeze.  Saved me hours of work.  6 Swipes of the bucket blade and it was done. 

He was able to cut the soil back right up next to Isaiah’s green beans (which need picked). I almost felt like Samantha Stevens from “Bewitched” …twitch my nose and it was done.

Good thing he made quick work of it as we weren’t able to start till after 7:30 pm..

With the pealed back like this I can really see where I’ve focused my efforts (and need to refocus)with compost and rabbit poo, that soil is like black gold.

By the time we had the frames placed and lined with cardboard it was pretty much dark. We had a wonderful show of God’s Art work in the way of a sunset poking through the trees…I just wish I could do the colors justice!

He pushed the garden soil back up by the beds so I could filter weeds and put it back in the beds.  I thought we were done for the night…

And then he took off across the field for the mound of topsoil. 

Remember, I just wanted the boxes about half filled…

Visible proof….. if you ask a man for “just a few inches”,

his perception is significantly different!

It was 9 pm by the time we got Big Red tucked away at the shop and back home.

No complaints from me on the late hour & I think I see a strawberry rhubarb pie in his near future.

I’m on the way out the door with a short pony tailed helper to smooth the soil and weed search.

If my energy holds out I may move those blueberry bushes. 

Ahhh, I love being a dirty girl!

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,gardening,raised bed gardening,composting

 

 

Raised Beds

Ok, I drank the Kool-aid,

we’re moving the garden to raised beds. At least part of it for now.  

The stinkin crabgrass that would make a jungle vine proud has won this battle…. but not the war.  After Mr. Fix-It came home and ate supper we went and picked up lumber for 3- 4x8 beds to start with & I plan on adding more as the budget allows this fall. So, raised beds will be built in the next few days.  We want them in & ready to go for spring.

I know in my heart a lot of the gardening failure this year was out of my control & the raised beds are not certain guarantee of a successful harvest but, I think they will help the weed issues. I hate just spending the cash on the lumber but but spending the money seems like the right move.

I’ve been researching as much as I can about growing in raised beds and its funny (frustrating) how so many sources are conflicting in the information provided. 

“The Plan” as it stands now is to build the beds, (scrape the top spoil back) lay about 3 double layers of cardboard down first to block weeds, and load it with about 6 inches of my good top soil. Let it set for about a week so it will sprout any weeds that may be lurking and clean those out…then add another 6 inches or so and repeat the weed watch.   By then I should have another good sized load of rabbit poo in wood shaving to add. I’ll top it off with another layer or 2 of cardboard for winter.   The topsoil I’m using is compost rich so it should be fine but, if you see anything else I should/could do please let me know. 

I’ve also contacted a few tree trimmers we know & they will gladly dump their shreds here. (Tornado season is starting soon and well, downed trees are a given)  I plan to use it for mulching the pathways between the raised beds & some to the (new/gonna be) compost bin…which is another project that will be rebuilt bigggggger.

I had no where near enough compost ready this summer…..but then I’m not convinced you ever can have enough compost!

Katie

Technorati Tags: Katidids,Gardening on the cheap,raised bed gardening