The
past couple of weeks I've been bringing in yards of dirt to fill the
raised bed that finally got built. This will be the first garden we
have had since we bought the shop in the spring of 2014. Our garden
spot at home was in shade by 3 PM (which wasn't always a bad thing
long about August but then the only thing still producing in August
is okra which loves the sun and heat), so we decided we would build
raised beds over at the shop which, when we bought it, was an acre
and a half of nothing but grass. I have since put in some flowering
shrubs and recently planted a purple orchid tree and have a tiny
little volunteer red but tree that I dug up out of the flower bed to
plant over there and the peach tree which I plan to get planted
today.
Anyway,
yesterday we shoveled and raked part of the third yard of dirt into
the one 4' x 16' raised bed that we had managed to get built and got
it filled with about half of the yard of dirt left. There was really
no spot to put the rest of the dirt over at the shop for future use
that the grass and weeds wouldn't grow into it. We could have
shoveled it out on the concrete apron in front of the barn but then
we would have to cart it all over to the shop yard again once we had
another raised bed built. Or we could build a 4' x 4' bed real quick
and fill that.
So
that is what we did. Only instead of a 4' x 4', he built a 4' x 8'
which the remaining yard of dirt only partially filled. We're
chasing our tail, he says. Uh, yeah. So I need to get another yard
of dirt which will fill it with only about 5 cubic feet left over. I
will have spent $140 on dirt. It will take years before we get $140
worth of vegetables out of it, but I did get my tomatoes and two bell
pepper plants in and I'm headed to the feed store later today to see
what they have in the way of vegetables.
Elsewhere
in the yards, it's spring!
Oh it is spring with you. We have mud and daffs this year so far in England. Crocuses were poor due to mild wet winter. Your garden looks very pretty
ReplyDeleteFunny how one thing begets another.
ReplyDeleteYour grassy yard is so neat and tidy!
What lovely blooms, wish I had some. It was 17 this morning with snow tonight.I smelled all the flowers at the store this afternoon.
ReplyDelete"Chasing our tails."
ReplyDeletePerfect.
We don't have quite as much spring showing as you do but what we do have looks remarkable like yours.
Happy, spring, Ellen. And honestly, $140 in produce can go fast. So...good investment!
Pretty pretty! We had a wee bit of snow this morning. Sigh. However, I'll take Ohio in August for sure :)
ReplyDeleteGreen grass and flowers... Can't wait. Going to have lots of produce from those beds. That, and I hope no weeding.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful flowers and your raised beds will be easier on the back. YOu have lots of energy!
ReplyDeleteYour flowers are so hopeful of spring. Your naturalized little iris are the best.
ReplyDeleteGlorious pictures of a remarkably well-tended garden.
ReplyDeleteThe colors! Oh, the colors! My eyes are on overload - and gloriously so. And lots more dirt to plant;) Have fun!
ReplyDeleteMethinks I see dewberries there -- or at least blackberry canes. And, redbud, and iris, aka flags. When I first heard about "flag ponds," I was sure they were ponds with American or other flags flying next to them. Silly me. I had no idea they were ponds with wild iris growing in them.
ReplyDeleteOh - I forgot. I was down at the Brazoria wildlife refuge Sunday, and the Indian paintbrush were everywhere. They're so beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWow, lots of blooms! Love the red bud. They always look so great against a blue sky. You can't really weigh your expenditures on dirt strictly against the cost of the vegetables -- after all you're getting lots of enjoyment out of this project, too!
ReplyDeleteEvery year we have to add quite a bit of new dirt to our raised beds. It is not an easy task but it must be done to have a successful garden. Your's look wonderful and I hope you you have a great gardening season.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you've use that ripple metal (don't know the real name for it)to build the raised beds. What a great idea.
ReplyDelete$140 is a chunk for dirt, but I always get more satisfaction from watching the whole thing turn from seeds/seedlings to a little green forest - edible too. It's such a transformation, thrilling.And all the color seems to compliment the colors in your glass. It's like your sculptures come to breathing life. Enjoy!