Earthworks in Progress

Two weeks ago, Ryan, Eika and I began to lay out the earthworks that will become the area where the rain water settles after it runs off the roof. These lower garden beds or sometimes called mulch pits are where I will plant the trees and the edible garden. When it rains the water will be channeled into these low spots and soak into my yard, watering the plants and staying in my lot instead of running into the street and the gutter.

We borrowed a roto tiller to loosen up the soil so we could dig it and move it around. The mulberry tree roots were close to the surface (they were getting water from the former lawn) and made tilling a challenge. The tiller jumped around a lot and had to be controlled. However, it really made digging much easier!

I wanted to be sure that I was creating the earthworks in the right size and location, so I had Ryan bring his Bunyip level, which is a tool made from clear hose used to measure the level of a piece of land over a distance.

Here’s a picture of Ryan and Erika using it to measure how much I needed to raise the soil level at the porch (where the soil had been eroded from rain runoff from the roof). I get about 200 gallons of water off the porch roof in a one-inch rain. I will use that water for the native shade tree I am planting to shade the front of the house from the morning sun. I am installing a brick patio at the base of the porch to help the water travel out to the tree and keep the soil in place.

Look at the great keyhole garden we created. See the path around it? The key hole design will allow me to reach into the garden to tend and harvest plants from all sides. Just above it in the photo where the hose is beginning to fill it with water, is another lowered bed for the future fruit trees. I will also plant some edibles around there as well. For now the mulberry tree will shade the new trees (to be planted in January) for at least the first year or so. Then I will trim back a large limb to bring in more sun and make room for the canopy of the fruit trees.

For now it is back to the sketch pad for me on what to do between the new brick patio and the side walk. The inspiration just hasn’t hit me yet – but I know it will. Plus I have lots of people to ask for their input.

Your feedback and ideas are always welcome. And if you ever want to come help me dig and design so you can learn how it’s done, just let me know!

Happy Digging,

Doreen
Garden Goddess
Down 2 Earth Gardens.com

It’s BAAACCKKKKKKK!!

ARGGHHHHH! The bermuda is sprouting again! It’s been SIX weeks since I last sprayed and subsequently tilled up the grass, scrapped off the top 3 inches of soil and grass – AND IT IS GROWING BACK!

I have been watering the dirt to keep down the dust and because one of the border gardens is on the same valve. The sprinkler heads are in the same location they were when there was grass. That’s OK as the cover crop will need watering.

But the grass is coming back ALREADY! It is a little different this time. They must be sprouting from seed, because when I pull them up they are not deeply rooted or attached to the stolen. They have fine hair-like roots. And there are probably two dozen blades of grass, a small enough amount I can easily pluck them out of the ground.

But the gall of that grass to even think about growing back – SO SOON! The purslane and spurge are also growing pretty wild. But I think that is all because the dirt was just perfect for seed germinating – it was clear – nothing to get in the way of the seed from making contact with the soil, settling in, and getting a nice shower ever few days. The weather is still HOT – over 100 degrees, perfect for bermuda grass! And it is ALL sun!! No shade – yet.

I am glad I have taken the time to think about what I want to do next. I am in the Permaculture Design Course (32 of 72 hours under my belt or my butt since we sit a lot) and we just had a session on rain water harvesting in the soil using a concept called Earthworks. It is the use of grading, building berms and swales to route and hold the water so it can soak in instead of running off the lot. Much more complex than that but I think you get the picture.

I was going to plant my cover crop in a few weeks, but after consulting with a few ‘permies’ (Permaculturists), I decided to get the yard graded and the Earthworks in prior to doing all of my soil remediation.

Once I have the soil amendments and microorganisms in the soil, I do not want to disturb their environment least I kill them off! Essentially that means not tilling or turn the soil over and moving it around with a shovel AFTER the cover crop has grown and been removed.

So we will be creating the Earthworks mid-October and maybe getting the seeds in – we’ll see. The more help I have doing this, the quicker I can get the seed in. I still have time on the planting calendar, so it is all good.

If you want to be part of creating the rain water harvesting Earthworks, please let me know and I will fill you in on the details!

Happy Digging,

Doreen Pollack aka THE Garden Goddess

One Step Closer to Planting

The Bermuda is REALLY Dead

OK - I think it really is dead - NOW - finally. I have watered, fertilized, it has rained twice at least an inch each time and NO NEW SHOOTS have poked through the ground. Compare the picture above to the same shot on my first post. Do you agree with me? Of course you do!

Look at Mike's grass at the top of the picture, in fact there's Mike in a blue t-shirt working in the driveway on something. His grass is nice a green -not mine - It's dead - NOW - finally.

YIPPEE - Stage ONE is done.

OK so NOW what? Of yeah, time to remove all of the dead grass. Don Titmus recommends getting a sod cutter and slicing off the grass, throwing it away. Then hand dig the rest out around areas the sod cutter can't reach. Sounds like a lot of work and it is still 110 degrees outside.

HHMM - time to find a little help me thinks! Maybe some hourly labor or someone who needs a little extra cash? Who do you know? Send them my way!

STAGE TWO begins after the grass is removed - so stay tuned!

Doreen aka the Garden Goddess

www.down2earthgardens.com