Project one is, er .... nearly half done!
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| Most of this "mess" is just fall trimming that didn't get done. All the green you can see is winter weeds! |
Mother Nature handed me a lovely Saturday and I was able to get a good start on refreshing the xeri-garden and turning half of it into a veggie garden.
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| Nine bags of ingredients. A nice man helped me load the car. |
Mixing dirt is always one of my favorite things. Used a vermiculite with large particles this time [highly recommended by the garden center] and am concerned at how prominent it is in the mix. Hope it's just the large size.
After moving out all the remaining xeri-plants, was able to re-fill 90 percent of the bed with new, good dirt. It's a mix of top soil, three different composts, manure, vermiculite, and peat moss meant to provide nutrition and drainage, along with some water retention.
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| This is the old dirt with all the plants moved out. See how low the dirt level is in the bed? New soil went on top |
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| Rain poured before I could get photos. This is what it looked like Monday morning. See how high the soil is in the bed? Big improvement! |
That leaves me two-thirds of the bed for veggies. I have potatoes ready to plant and several "starter" lettuces. Don't know what else I will put there, but I think I will try some new things. Before I plant, tho, I need two things: a little more soil mix and three days without rain. The yard is so wet that I can't even get to the bed right now! It's too cold anyway. Sure wish Spring would decide what to do.
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| Romaine, red leaf and green leaf lettuces, plus cilantro. I want to plant a mesclun mix as well. |
Would love to get this little project finished this next weekend, but am not sure it will happen. In any case, it sure does feel good to be out digging in the dirt again, even if Spring is still not decided on whether it's time or not.
God Webb, can it come already! Never have I, we needed spring more.
ReplyDeleteI just want to be able to walk to work sans hat and gloves.
I have never mixed a dirt salad. very interesting.
xo Jane
Don't you just love dirt? Really, I should call it soil. Love the smell and the feel of good growing soil. One thing that has helped me out has been a cement mixer for making a good mixture.
ReplyDeleteYour veggies will be very happy in the new bed: it looks great even in yuck weather. Will send some sunshine north.
Cement mixer? I love it!! Saw Albuquerque was expecting 70 today - waaaay unfair.
DeleteDon't you just love the smell of freshly dug dirt...mixed in with freshly cut grass..look what your post did to me! Thank you Webb...what a great way to start a morning. Thank you also for your thoughtful comment...always lovely to hear from you. :)
ReplyDeleteJeanne