Not a day to do, really. Up too early, grumpy, unhappy gut, vaguely miserable. After lunch I felt I had to do something, with the sun and warmth outside. So, I swept out the garage full of leaves and blown in trash. And found just how much crap the formers left. Weed killer by the gallon, turf builder in several bags, two one gallon gasoline containers, both full. I'd like to pour all of it all over them, but then it would still get into the water table. D is going to find out where to take the toxins. A half rotted string hammock, destroyed brooms, good for only their handles. A small tarp and a mover's quilt. A shed with a few random tools. More paint, to add to the collection already in the basement. Probably a good place for it, paint on all the raw concrete down there is one way to use it.
Thinking it best to let the back lie fallow, with clover, sunflowers, barley, that sort of thing, this year. Clear the dog shit and weed killer. And plant a few things in the front only. Although that is likely full of even more weed killer. Ok, maybe both areas. Shit, I really wanted a few tomatoes. Must think long term. Just keep it green, and healthy. And find out where the sun hits. Disappointing, but also hopeful. This is going to take some adjustment, and a new plan. Sod removal and ground cover, oh what fun. Double dig the whole place.
Sod's Law.
Think, think. Think, think, think.
7 comments:
Yes, it may be a good idea to let the soil be cleaned up from the toxins. I think there may some groundcovers that help restore. Start a compost too. In the meantime you might use large pots or planters with purchased good soil to grow a few tomatoes and greens. Lots of work, I know, but the future looks bright, so good luck and good energy there!
Marja-Leena beat me to the container idea. One year, I grew lettuces in window boxes. They're shallow-rooted and will love the attention boxes require to keep the soil moist. If you like beans, there are varieties that are climbers/runners and can be trained on netting against a sunny wall.
Alfalfa is good for getting rid of toxins and can be mowed, although I like the waves of green stuff, myself.
Bit by bit, you are making House your Home. House will appreciate it and thank you for it many times over.
I've always loved cat in a window in the sun.
Containers are a rather expensive way to go. Although the lettuce is an idea. Beans and clover, maybe wheatgrass, but alfalfa sounds good as well. I have about enough time, money and energy to get the soil ready for next year, but not to also do a real garden this year as well, on any of those three points.
One of the main bits of advice from the local garden community was to keep it simple and not try to do too much at first. One tomato plant, a chili plant, and some sunflowers, will about do me, along with everything else. I'm going for the long haul, after all.
When we arrived here, the 'cultivated' part of our little block was like concrete. Poor soil, no worms. So, like you will, I dug, and dug again. I added mineral rock and blood and bone and water, water. Then I dug it again and watered again. I added much ( pea hay) and let it be.
I started a compost bin too, very satisfying!
The next year the worms had come back and I was able to put in good native plants. Now I mulch every year and the plants and worms love me for it ( or so I like to think).
Put some tomato seedlings in a big terracotta pot and then you can green your garden as planned but still have some veg.
There is alwyas such hope in a garden and it's great after a bloody day at work, to get out there and potter!
A beautiful vibrant patch of earth. Aah! Worthy goal!
Don't worry too much about weed killer, it's not nice but it doesn't hang around long. Can you get grow-bags there? We can't but could in the UK, trouble was they were peat-based, but good for tomatoes, saved the expense and unwieldiness of containers.
Herbs in pots are always a good intensive way of giving you a sense of supplementing and enhancing what you eat by growing your own. I imagine a lot of them would do really well in your climate.
Phacelia's my favourite green manure, beautiful mauve flowers that the insects adore, and it doesn't belong to any other family so won't interfere with any other rotational cycles, if that matters, not sure it does really...
I think I'm just going to do what I can, and keep it small. Everything grown this year will be compost for next year anyway, so it's all to the good.
The plan at the moment is red beans, black beans, wheatgrass and clover in the back. A few tomatoes and peppers in the front, with marigolds for insect distraction. As long as we wind up with beds and no lawn, we are on the way.
Work friends suggested thyme and lavender for the parking strip/verge, they apparently grow very well here, and smell nice.
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