The boxes that needed to be built have been. A second long hard day complete. The 14 x 4′ box that had to be dug in to the slope was dug in. Lots of soil shoveled from one end to get it low enough and cardboard put down at that part and the frame screwed to the corner posts. I used a level and though it isn’t totally level, it is far better than some of the other boxes, then the soil had to be shoveled back on the cardboard to work the other end. Eventually, I would like to move more of the wood down from the barn and reinforce or rebuild the cedar boxes that are rotting away. The row above the long box will need to be terraced in as well. Those boxes all sit at a bit of an angle. Since we don’t get our last frost until Mother’s Day, I will attempt to get that row repaired at least before they are to be planted. A single 14′ long 4′ wide bed would encompass the 3 four foot square boxes and they can be terraced in to make the center aisle mostly level.
We purchased more soil and more mulch today and stopped at the pet supply store to pick up cardboard, but they had already discarded theirs today. We stopped at the convenience center and was told they can no longer allow cardboard to be taken because of COVID. There was enough to do the bed and part of the wide center aisle. The soil that was shifted and the bagged soil didn’t even begin to fill the new long box. Some mulch was put down where the paths were covered. The box that was built yesterday got the extra tier on the ends, it is the deepest bed and will be great for potatoes this year, but needs another 8 to 10 cubic feet of soil. We will continue to bring home a few bags at a time so the beds are ready to plant when the weather allows. I hope that between last year’s efforts and this spring’s efforts, that the garden will be easier to care for in future years with no more heavy moving of wood, soil, and only enough mulch to keep a good layer to hold down the weeds. The one addition I want to make is an A trellis to use to train the tomatoes. Son 1 did that last year and was pleased with how it worked. One that fits an 8 foot box can be moved to different large beds as crops are rotated would be ideal.
This morning, as I was trying to loosen the tight sore muscles from yesterday and getting my toast and coffee, 9 deer wandered slowly across the back yard and upper field. You can see that the trees are still bare.
Some of the seed planted on the weekend have sprouted. I have a row of Mesclun mix and one of Kale. One of the herb are beginning to show too.
The tomato seed arrived today and they were put in the new hydroponic seed starter. Soon there will be flats moved in and out of the house to give them sun and light wind to strengthen them into healthy sprouts to be transplanted in the garden at the right time.
I still need to finish laying mulch and try to rebuild the two rows of boxes near the top of the garden. Since more cardboard wasn’t available, I will try to use the remnants of a roll of weed mat or layers of newsprint to finish the wide aisle, but the heavy work is done for now so my body can recover some before more wood is moved. I have decided not to move the compost pile and will leave it on the wider side instead of building another box that isn’t even on the garden plan. The area is not really large enough for another planting box and the narrow corner where I was going to move it won’t be easily accessible when the comfrey grows up this summer. Perhaps a few more medicinal herb can go in that space.
Two days in the dirt and my hands are so rough that spinning finer fiber is almost impossible. I will have to slather on lots of cocoa butter for a few days. That that is even wearing gloves most of the time.